taken away by the death of Christ So that now to them that are in Christ all afflictions are but droanes they are vnstinged by Christ they may buzze but hurt they cannot Christ hath fully satisfied Gods iustice and therefore no further punishment can bee demanded of vs. Therefore our afflictions are now no longer punishment their nature is altered but onely fatherly corrections and trials of our faith And herein consists the first part of our blessednesse in affliction that we are freed from the curse and anger of God which is necessarily annexed to all the afflictions of the vngodly Whereupon we may now insult ouer affliction and sing triumphantly Oh affliction where is thy sting And being out of the danger of hurt by it we may securely laugh at it as the wilde Asse at the Horse and the Rider Iob. 5. 2. There is also a Positiue blessednesse in the afflictions of the godly There is not onely the absence of euill from affliction but good also is present in regard whereof the afflicted worthily are called and counted blessed This presence of good in our affliction is specially in these respects 1. The good from whence they haue their Originall namely the loue of God disposing these afflictions to vs Heb. 12. Whom hee loueth hee chasteneth This loue of God manifests it selfe specially in these two points The Measure and the Manner of their afflictions 1. For the Measure In this regard haue the godly an happy turne in their afflictions that wheras the vngodly drinke vp the whole cup of his wrath dregges and all the godly do but sip of it whereas they are scourged with Scorpions these onely are corrected with the rods of men In this sense Hab. 3. 2. God is said to remember mercy in anger because in punishing his children hee respects their weakenesse not suffering them to bee tempted aboue their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. It is the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. Mercy is a curbe to Gods Iustice in afflicting his children and causes him to moderate and mitigate the punishment and as Ieremy speakes Ier. 10. to correct them in iudgement that is in an holy wisedome proportioning their affliction according to their strength and not in his anger left he bring them to nothing This is that which the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 27. 7 8. shewing the difference betwixt the afflictions of Gods own people and strangers Hath hee smitten him as he smote those that smote him or is hee slaine according to the slaughter of them that are slaine by him In measure wilt thou contend with him This mercifull measuring out the portion of our cup is grounded vpon Gods owne promise Psal 89. 30 31. If his children breake my Law c. then will I visite their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with strokes But my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth Here then is another point of our happinesse in our affliction that God laies not loade vpon vs as on the wicked but sweetely tempering mercy and iustice together giues vs occasion to say with Dauid The Lord hath chastened me sore but hath not deliuered me to death Psal 118. 18. 2. For the Manner God shewes his loue to vs in our afflictions in the manner of inflicting them vpon vs in that hee doth it as fathers correct their children vnwillingly Lam. 3. 33. For hee doth not afflict willingly nor grieue the children of men Hee doth not take any delight in our paine and misery but being necessarily thereunto enforced out of a fatherly respect which hee hath of vs to doe vs good and to keepe vs from mischiefe 1. Cor. 11. VVhen wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Gods bowels doe euen earne ouer our soules when hee comes to correct Hos 11. 8. How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim How shall I deliuer thee Israel c. Mine heart is turned within mee my bowels are rowled together See how liuely God sets forth in himselfe the affections of a father that can finde in his heart to beate his childe hauing done a fault 2. Respect of our blessednes in regard of the Good thereof is in regard of the good annexed vnto them necessarily concomitant with them This Good is three-fold 1. Our conformity with Christ our elder brother who first suffered and then entred into glory who first wore a crowne of thornes then of glory who first felt the weight of his burdensome crosse and then that eternall weight of happinesse Rom. 8. 29. Those whom he knew before he predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that is in being consecrated through afflictions as he was Heb. 2. 10. Hitherto belongs that of Paul Phil. 3. 10. That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable vnto his death This is one point of our blessednes for the liker Christ the happier surely we be 2. Our communion with Christ who is a fellow-sufferer with vs in all our afflictions vnlesse such wherein we suffer as euill doers 1. Pet. 4. 13. Therfore Act. 9. Christ speakes to Paul persecuting the Church as persecuting himselfe Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Now is not this a happy turne to haue such a companion in our sufferings to haue Christ as it were bearing our crosse as Simon of Cyrene bare his 3. The powerfull presence of Gods Spirit cheering and comforting vs in our affliction Blessednes is nothing else but enioying sweet cōmunion with God Now sith this communion is most of all enioyed in affliction worthily are the afflicted counted blessed Psal 112. Vnto the righteous ariseth light in darknes That is the lightning and quickning presence of God in affliction And this was the Churches comfort Mic. 7. 8. When I sit in darknes the Lord shall bee a light vnto mee 2. Cor. 12. My power is made perfect in weaknes When we are weakest in regard of our affliction and temptations then doth the power of Gods presence most shew it selfe And hence it is that Rom. 5. 3. Afflictions bring forth patience because the loue of GOD is then most abundantly shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit as the words following shew This is that which makes vs to reioyce in affliction the sweetnes of Gods loue allaying the sowrenes of affliction Psal 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble Oh then how happy things are afflictions which bring with them so precious a pearle as the sweet company of God himselfe and the comforts of his Spirit reioycing our soules in the multitude of the thoughts of our hearts as Dauid shewes in the 17 18 19. verses of this Psalme in his own experience Therfore as the Psalmist speaketh Psa 107. of them that goe downe into the naturall Sea that they see the wonderful works of the Lord that much more may be said of those that goe
with the Euangelist TIMOTHY an inferior degree but euen with an ordinary Pastor PHILEMON who was yet of a lower place then TIMOTHY How sweetly doth hee practise his owne precept Rom. 12. Make your selues equall with them of the lower sort whereas now many are so farre from this that they euen scorne and disdayne their equals making an inequality where God hath made a paritie well is it if those that are a great deale their betters may haue the account of equals The Apostle saith When I was as a child I spake as a child and euery way behaued my selfe thereafter familiarly conuersing with my fellowes But many nowadayes though in truth but children yet disdaynfully cast off the company and familiarity of children climbing higher and vndecently placing themselues in the ranke of tall and perfect men Art thou a Pastor speake and doe as a Pastor to thy fellow-Pastors and not as though thou wert an Apostle or Euangelist PAVL an Apostle equals with himselfe an ordinary Pastor and now behold a great difference Ordinary Pastors doe not only equall themselues with but euen aduance themselues aboue Apostles and Euangelists taking more vpon them then euen they did Secondly I obserue the cause of PAVLS loue to PHILEMON by the coniunction of these two things together beloued and fellow-worker The latter is the cause of the former therefore was PHILEMON beloued of PAVL because his fellow-worker in the ministerie Note then that those that are ioyned together Doct. in the same Calling ought in this regard more Those that are ioyned in vocation should be ioyned in affection dearely to loue one another True it is that the generall calling of a Christian should be a sufficient bond to knit together in true loue the hearts of all Christians But when to this bond there commeth a second of our speciall callings our hearts should be more firmely and fastly knit together that so it might appeare that when our hearts shall be linked together by the bond of nature or Christian and speciall calling that a threefold cord is not easily broken But where shall wee find this sweet coniunction of beloued and fellow-worker In the most men the Prouerbe is verified Figulus figulo inuidet One Potter enuies another But farre be this enuy from al Christians of what calling soeuer specially of the Ministerie The Ministers must loue together as Brethren and with one heart and hand giue themselues to the Lords businesse Farre bee from them the mind of the Monopolists that they should goe about to ingrosse the Word of God to themselues nay rather with MOSES let them wish that all Gods people were Prophets Christ taught his Disciples who themselues were Labourers in his Haruest to pray the Lord to send foorth Labourers into his Haruest Matth. 9. The second principall partie to whom PAVL more specially writes is the other head of the Family APPHIA PHILEMONS wife who hath the same title of beloued giuen her with her husband VERS 2. And to our beloued APPHIA c. HEre first obserue that the wife is the Doct. 1 husbands companion in the gouernement The wife is the husbands companion in the gouernment of the Family of the Family and for the ordering of domesticall affaires Therefore PAVL writes not only to PHILEMON but also to APPHIA iudging her consent necessary for the entertainment of ONESIMVS into the Family PAVL did not thinke it fit for the husband to take a seruant into the family against his wiues consent And this is the reason why APPHIA though a woman is set before ARCHIPPVS not onely a man but a Minister because shee had more to doe in this matter being a Mistris in the family then he who as it may not vnprobably bee coniectured boorded only with them Whereas if he had only put in her name for remembrance sake or for salutation then doubtlesse he would haue set ARCHIPPVS before her Howsoeuer then the husband hath the highest place of authoritie in the house yet hee must acknowledge his wife giuen him of God an assistant and fellow-helper in gouernement and therefore not denie her that priuiledge and right which God hath giuen her See Prouerbs 31. vers 27. 1. Tim. 5. 14. PAVL calling APPHIA beloued as well as PHILEMON sheweth vs thereby that they were a holy and religious couple both of them fearing God A great blessing of God to his children when they shall be thus equally yoked so that the Church shall haue cause to acknowledge them both and to loue them both This blessing of God as it is great so rare and seldome seene many DAVIDS are vnequally yoked with mocking MICHALS and many ABIGALS with naughtie and niggardly NABALS This no doubt made BATHSHEBA seeing daily experience hereof in her owne time to crie out Who shall find a vertuous woman If then PHILEMON and APPHIA meete together let them both blesse God each for other Lastly let vs learne by PAVLS example to loue the graces of God in whomsoeuer as well in women as in men Hee cals not onely PHILEMON beloued but APPHIA also Yea by how much the infirmitie of that sexe is naturally greater then in the other by so much should Gods grace be more tenderly and louingly respected Thus much of those parties to whom principally PAVL writes Those whom these his Letters lesse respect follow First ARCHIPPVS of whom mention is made Col. 4. He was one of the Ministers of that Church and as it seemeth dwelt with PHILEMON Therefore PAVL writes also vnto him concerning this priuate businesse as being next to the Gouernours of the House a principall member therein in regard of his calling He therefore by that credit and authoritie which he had with PHILEMON and APPHIA might much further this cause This ARCHIPPVS is set forth by the title of PAVLS Fellow-souldier that is by a Metaphor a fellow-Minister Here then wee see that Ministers are compared Doct. to Souldiers Let vs see then wherein this resemblance Ministers are Souldiers stands A Minister therefore is a Souldier 1. in the Field 1. in the Field 2. in the Garrison first in the Field two wayes 1. in Conflict 2. in Victorie First in Warring and Conflicting and that specially 1. in Conflict with 3. enemies 1. Satans temptations with three enemies first with Sathans Temptations Matth. 4. 1. As soone as euer Christ was installed into the Office of his Doctorship he was led by the Spirit into the Wildernesse to encounter hand to hand with this enemie For how shall he be able to relieue the tempted who himselfe is wholly vnexperienced in temptations It is therefore worthily said That Prayer Reading Meditation and Temptations make a Diuine Therefore PAVL 2. Cor. 12. 7. was buffeted by this enemie Secondly With Persecutions 2. TIM 2. 3. Suffer 2. Persecutions Affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ. The Ministers being principall Souldiers euen the Standerd-bearers in this Spirituall Armie Sathan will most fiercely rage
4 and Loue of PHILEMON plainly sheweth that there were some that related reported them to him By whose example we must learne to haue a speciall respect of the good name of our brother being alwaies ready as occasion shal serue to speake of those good things that are in others that so their names as it were being sented perfumed with this oyntment may haue a most sweet fragrant odor in all places But where is the man that will thus labor to vphold the credit of his brother that will acknowledge Gods graces in him in all places and at all times and will not rather with some one infirmitie ouerwhelme whatsoeuer is prayse-worthie in him Fifthly Obserue Gods prouidence recompencing Doct. 5 Faith with fame and good name when Faith shall A good report the recompence of Religion open our hearts and mouthes to extoll Gods name God will open our brethrens yea sometimes our enemies mouthes to extoll ours Heb. 11. 3. By this namely Faith our Elders obtained a good report This was the meanes whereby they became so famous What maruell then if thou hast an ill name when thou hast an ill conscience Naughty faith and fame crackt credit and conscience commonly goe together The vse of oyntments among the Ancients was especially in their Feasts Then may wee looke for God to come drench vs with the precious Oyntment of a good Name when wee are keeping the Feast of a good Conscience If we would serue God with a good Conscience by faith purged from dead Workes then should wee find that God who seeth our Faith and good Conscience in secret would reward vs with credit and estimation openly Thus much generally concerning the cause and matter of PAVLS praying vnto and praysing God viz. the hearing of Gods graces in PHILEMON Now more particularly let vs consider what these Graces are There are two set downe here by name first the Loue secondly the Faith of PHILEMON Both these Graces are set forth by their Obiects whereabout they are conuersant Which thou hast towards our Lord Iesus and all Saints Both these Obiects belong in common to Loue the former onely to Faith By Faith onely we apprehend Christ and vnite our selues to him but by Loue we apprehend and vnite our selues both to Christ and our fellow-members Thus then is the meaning of the words and thus they are to be construed Hearing of thy Faith and Loue thy Faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and thy Loue which thou hast both to our Lord Iesus and all Saints The Rhemists therefore erre by this place confirming that confidence which they teach vs to repose in the merites of the Saints whereas it is manifest by the seuenth Verse that the Apostle speaketh not of the dead but of liuing Saints Here then two points specially are to be considered First these two vertues Loue and Faith Secondly their obiects towards the Lord Iesus and all Saints First for the Vertues the first place is here giuen to Loue though both in nature and excellency it comes behind Faith as the Effect the Cause the Daughter the Mother Gal. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 6. Therefore else-where Faith is set before as Coloss 1. 6. 1. Thessal 1. 3. But nothing is more vsuall in the Scriptures then to giue the former place vnto the effect as being more obuious to our senses then the cause By Faith vnderstand iustifying Faith which only is able to bring forth true Loue either to God or man and by Loue as the Apostle sheweth not only loue to God but also to man Here obserue First the distinction of these graces of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue. They are named distinctly as two Vertues 1. Cor. 13. in the end There remayne these three Faith Hope and Charitie This obseruation will not seeme idle if we consider the Doctrine of the Papists concerning faith viz. that there is a two fold Faith one informed and a second formed and that by Charitie They make Charitie the forme the life and soule of Faith which if it were so then Faith and Loue are not to be distinguished but confounded Neither could the Apostle say These three but These two remain Neither could Charitie be preferred before Faith in respect of long durance for the forme of a thing is the thing it selfe and therefore as long as the forme lasts so long the thing it selfe continueth Secondly the coniunction of these two Graces Doct. 2 for howsoeuer they are to be distinguished yet not Faith and Loue are distinguished not diuided to be diuided Wheresoeuer true Faith is there necessarily Loue both to God and our Brethren will follow for though Faith be alone in iustification yet not in the iustified As the eye though alone in seeing yet not in him that seeth but ioyned with the eares nose and many other members of the body Faith therefore is a fruitfull Mother of many daughters and Loue is the first-borne of them Faith though it be in regard of God a Begger alwayes holding out the hand to receiue and crying Giue giue yet in regard of those in whom it dwelleth it is like a Soueraigne Lord and King and hath as a King his Officers vnder him and among the rest Loue his Almner to distribute and disperse those treasures which it selfe hath receiued from the Lord. And first of all our loue towards God proceedeth Our loue to God proceeds from Faith from Faith which apprehending Gods loue to vs enflameth our affections againe with the loue of God The bearnes of Gods loue lightning vpon our hearts reflect backe vpon God himselfe by the Vertue of our Faith The loue of Christ saith the Apostle namely being apprehended by our Faith constrayneth vs. An example whereof we haue in MARY MAGDALEN whose Faith beleeuing that much was forgiuen her caused and constrayned her to loue much Luk. 7. 1. This plainly conuinceth the Faith of many to be Vse nothing but vaine presumption because their loue to God is so luke-warme Thou mockest thy owne soule O thou vaine man whose disobedience though it testifie to thy face that thou hatest GOD wilt yet be bragging of the strength and assurance of thy Faith wee see when men haue without our desert beene extraordinarily kind vnto vs how wee are affected therewith neuer satisfying our affections toward them Is it likely then that thou art perswaded of that infinite loue of God in Christ and hast the eye of Faith to see the height the depth the bredth and length thereof how thou being a slaue of Satan fettered with the chaines of darknesse in Hell wast rescued and loosed by the death of his owne Son when yet thou ceasest not most shamefully to dishonour this God by a wicked and vngodly conuersation So if thou haddest once felt the loue of God shed abroad into thy heart and diddest beleeue that God had done so much for thee as thou sayest Oh then how zealously wouldest thou loue the Lord declaring the
Loue. For when wee keepe this our Loue of the Creature within her lawfull bounds then shall wee not onely be well content that God should make a Diuorce betwixt it and vs but we our selues will be readie in case hee commaunds vs to giue a Bill of Diuorcement into it hands willingly to depriue our selues of the same This is that which our Sauiour calls the hating of Father Mother Wife Children and Life it selfe when as wee seeing God calls for them at our hands because wee cannot both keepe them and a good conscience too wee doe willingly resigne them vp Thus did ABRAHAM chearefully sacrifice ISAAC PAVL his life Acts 20. MOSES his honours Heb. 11. thereby plainely shewing that in truth they loued the Lord in these Creatures simply in themselues because they were so willing to forgoe them when God called for them And therefore God himselfe said to ABRAHAM Now I know that thou louest mee Now I see that there is no Creature no not ISAAC himselfe that is able to alienate and estrange thy affections from mee Now I see that howsoeuer thou LOUEDsT ISAAC well yet thou louedst me better and ISAAC onely for my sake when at my commaund thou canst euen hate him Secondly The Apostle conioyning the Loue of Doct. 2 the Saints with the Loue of Christ thereby would teach vs That Christ is to be loued in his Saints Christ to be loued in his Saints and that in truth none loueth Christ who also loueth not his Members for wee may truely say with DAVID Psal 16. 2. Lord my well-doing reacheth not to thee All my delight is in the Saints on Earth The Lord Iesus is in the Heauens We cannot so manifestly declare our Loue to his owne Person but he hath left in his owne stead a most fit Matter for our Loue the poore Saints to be with vs alwayes Whereas if those duties of kindnesse and humanitie which IOSEPH of Arimathea performed to the dead Corps of our Sauiour were arguments of his Loue how much more shall wee declare our Loue vnto him in helping the Church his liuing Bodie his Fulnesse called by the Name of Christ himselfe 1. Cor. 12. specially then when it shall be in ieopardie If the glorified Bodie of Christ in the Heauens were here vpon Earth with vs no doubt wee would be very officious and respectiue of it But alas it is not that Masse of flesh though glorified and vnited to his Godhead which hee so much respects No hee makes greater account of his faithfull Ones amongst vs setting that vpon his owne Skore which is done vnto them Euerie one of these hath hee honoured with his Name as well as the whole Companie of them Psal 105. 15. Touch not my Prophets neither hurt my Christs Vainely therefore doe they prattle that speake of their Loue to Christ who yet are wanting to his Members in their Troubles suffering PAVL to answer for himselfe before NERO and with the Parents of the blind man Ioh. 9. saying Hee is old ynough let him speake for himselfe To such I say If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. Thirdly Obserue who next vnto Christ are to Doct. 3 be loued namely the Saints All men being of The Saints to be loued next vnto Christ the same mould the same humane nature with our selues are to be loued for wee may not hide our selues from our owne flesh But the chiefetie of our Loue is due vnto the Saints that are of the same Spirituall flesh and consanguinitie with vs. Others may not haue the tythe of that Loue they haue Let vs doe good to all sayth the Apostle but specially to the Household of Faith Galat 6. 1. Tim. 5. Hee that prouideth not for his owne is Obiect worse then an Infidell But a mans owne haply may be none of the Saints S. PAVL here seemes to preferre a mans owne though neuer so wicked in our Loue before the Saints If the Question be Whether I must rather helpe my wicked Wife in her necessitie then any godly friend this place to TIMOTHIE sayes My wicked Wife But here the Apostle giues the first place of our Loue next to CHRIST vnto the Saints This Doctrine That our Loue must chiefely Answ respect the Saints is to be vnderstood in an euen Comparison All Saints are not to be preferred before all that are none but those onely that may equally be compared with them as Those of mine owne which are godly must bee loued more then those of mine owne which are not I must loue all my Children Seruants Kinsfolkes but specially those that are Saints But in an vnequall Comparison it holdeth not An vngodly Sonne Wife Brother c. is to be respected before a godly friend that is further off from me and not so neere in bloud Againe though naturall affection may be greater in vs towards our Kinsfolkes wicked then towards strangers godly yet true Christian Loue belongeth to the Faithfull without any carnall respect Neyther must wee measure it so much by outward effects as by the inward affection of the mind It is a Spirituall Loue and is specially seene in Spirituall Things as in the holy cleauing of hearts together in mutuall Prayers Consolations and heauenly Conferences And thus I may loue my Christian friends more then my vngodly Wife or Children though in nourishing of them I suffer them to perish with famine as not hauing sufficient to relieue both Fourthly Marke The Obiect of PHILEMONS Doct. 4 Loue is All the Saints Hee that loueth All the Saints must be loued one Saint truely and because hee is a Saint must needs loue all Though there be diuers degrees of our Loue to the Saints as there be also of their Sanctimonie so CHRIST loued IOHN aboue the other Disciples But if wee loue but one Saint because of his Grace wee must needes carrie the same mind to all Otherwise if louing one wee hate another it is an argument wee loue him not because he is a Saint for then wee should loue the other also but for other respects Here then is condemned that partialitie which IAMES taxeth Iames 2. Fifthly Obserue That the Christians with Doct. 5 whom PHILEMON conuersed are called Saints so the Apostle vsually calleth all that hee writes vnto Wee are not then to restraine this name to the glorified Soules of iust and perfect men in Heauen Certainely vnlesse thou art a liuing Saint thou shalt neuer be a Saint when thou art dead for that Holinesse which is perfected then is begun here Let now those prophane Knaues goe and scorne the Name of a Saint together with all Sanctimonie in the meane time they themselues being scorned by Him that sitteth in the Heauens VERS 6. That the communication of thy Faith may be effectuall in the knowledge of all that good that is in you by IESVS CHRIST IN the former Verse both those effects of PAVLS loue to PHILEMON set downe in the fourth Verse
Epistle or Booke of a more inferiour argument lesse respecting the whole body of the Church should haue beene framed by the motion of Gods Spirit What a folly then is it for vs to imagine that Gods eye being vigilant and watchfull in looking to Bookes of lesse vse should be so heauy and drowsie when Bookes of greater vse should haue beene preserued As though he that is carefull for the safe custodie of common pieces of siluer would be negligent in looking to some rare or rich Iewell or precious stone Wee may then by this small Epistle written of so small a matter and yet remayning more then probably gather that either there were no such Bookes euer written as they say are lost or else if there were that they were not Canonicall This doctrine of the Canon entirely preserued S. PAVL plainly confirmeth Rom. 15. saying Whatsoeuer was written was written for our learning Now if some of the Canon be lost what learning can we possibly gather out of it Besides in these Bookes we haue we want nothing as in many bookes of the Heathen which are maymed and imperfect sometimes without head sometimes without taile the iniquitie of the times dealing with them as the King of Ammon with DAVIDS Embassadors But here is no such clipping or curtayling of the Scriptures here be no libri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here comes in no Desunt per pauca Desiderantur nonnulla Those bookes wee haue wee haue whole and entire no one sentence no one piece of a sentence is wanting Now how is it likely that that God who would not suffer the least tittle to be blotted out of these Bookes we haue would yet suffer whole Bookes to be razed out at once out of the number of the Canon What hath the prouidence of GOD lesse respected his owne Bookes then the Paynims whereof though many be gone yet not without some reliques and fragments still remayning But here Time which was more fauourable to their bookes nibbling vpon them and as a Moth consuming them by little and little here a piece and there a piece deales farre more vnmercifully with the Scriptures as a Lyon crushing them in pieces at the first with a wide gaping throat as an open sepulchre deuouring and swallowing downe in great gobs whole bookes at once In so much that the least footsteps of them are not to be seene I dwell the longer in this point because it is of such singular vse and comfort For first this care of God in preseruing his Word Vse 1 setteth out and commendeth vnto vs his care for the preseruation of his Church which is vpheld and maintayned by this Word Wherefore so long as we see Gods prouidence so carefully watching ouer the Scriptures we may put our selues in assured hope that he will neuer faile nor forsake his Church If he meant to do so to what end should the Scripture serue There is no vse of them out of the Church for the benefit of the Church doubtlesse are they kept not for Turks and Canibals As long then as wee see the Word of GOD continuing so long may wee assure our selues that God will still continue a remnant at the least of his Church and a holy Seed which shall be fed and fatted with this wholesome food whereof at the first it was made And as this doctrine is comfortable to the whole Church in generall so likewise to euery member thereof in speciall who here-hence haue this gracious and sweet Meditation yeelded vnto them What hath GOD beene so carefull to keepe his Word written with inke in Parchment so pure so perfect notwithstanding the endeuours of Satan to mayme and mangle yea to corrupt and adulterate it O then will hee not much more hauing written his Law in our hearts by the finger of his owne Spirit maintaine this his owne handy-worke and writing against all the dashes blots and blurs which Satan and our owne corruption make continually to deforme yea and if it were possible wholy to deface and raze out this holy writing If the Word of God printed in books after the same manner that the word of men is could neuer yet be obliterated much more then shall the same Word after a wonderfull and extraordinary manner printed and stamped in the fleshly tables of our hearts retayne there his forme and figure for euer as being written with an indeleble Character Thirdly The holy Ghost both first of all exciting 3. The honour that God doth repenting sinners and stirring PAVL to the writing of this Epistle for ONESIMVS as also guiding and gouerning of him in the writing of it we may obserue the great honour that was done to this poore seruant now repenting and becomming the seruant yea the freeman of Christ The holy Ghost himselfe writes a letter in his behalfe to his Master for it was not so much PAVLS doing as the Spirits PAVL wrote but the Spirit indited If wee can get the Kings letter to some that may doe vs good we thinke it a great fauour and our selues much honored What a honour was this then for ONESIMVS to haue the great King of Heauen and Earth to set his holy Secretarie PAVL on worke in writing and his owne Majestie in inditing this letter for him This teacheth vs that the Lord is no respecter of persons but that according to his promise he will honour them that honour him be they neuer so base and dishonourable in the world euen bond-slaues as this ONESIMVS was As on the contrary he will bring shame and reproch vpon them who feare not to dishonour him though neuer so honourable outwardly in the Word What then though thou art small and despised though thou hast but the low degree of a seruant be not discomfited euen so was ONESIMVS yet honouring the Lord by his vnfained repentance see how the Lord honours him taking the paines himselfe to write this Epistle for him and thereby eternizing his memorie to all posterities Many great and mightie Monarchs are dead and rotten and their names are dead with them it is not so much as knowne whether there were such men on the earth in whom is verified that of the Psalmist Psal 37. 35 36. But ONESIMVS a base slaue hath a name of eternall and that most happie memorie giuen him So that wheresoeuer this Epistle shall come this which the Holy Ghost hath done for him shall be spoken of for a memoriall of him The like through Gods gracious prouidence hath befalne many other poore ones in this world as the Woman that powred the Oyntment on Christ RAHAB SIMON of Cyrene diuers others who though otherwise ignoble and obscure yet are now true Canonized Saints indeed hauing their names registred and recorded in Gods owne holy Canon Whereas according to that of the Psalmist Princes themselues haue had contempt powred vpon them contemning God and haue beene quite forgotten forgetting the Lord. Thus the Lord knoweth how to depresse and debase the
infranchisement into the Citie of Rome I willingly subscribe Secondly his Condition wherein now he was when he wrote this Epistle A prisoner of Iesus Christ not that Christ cast him into prison no in this sense he was NEROES prisoner and not Christs But his meaning is that for Christs sake that is for preaching and maintayning of his Gospell he was imprisoned This imprisonment is that which LVKE mentioned Acts 20. First then obserue that this Epistle came out of Doct. 1 the prison PAVL wrote it being in bonds whereby it appeareth that the prison is so farre from imprisoning Gods Spirit cannot be imprisoned and streightning the Spirit and Word of God in the hearts of his children that rather it enlargeth them See what an excellent Epistle PAVL writes in the prison So likewise did hee many others besides this as to the Galathians Ephesians Colossians Philippians two to TIMOTHY all most sweet and heauenly Epistles written by the inspiration of the Spirit The Spirit therefore was PAVLS Companion in the prison and so is he to all Gods children that are prisoners of Iesus Christ then renewing his former acquaintance with them and in more speciall sort communicating himselfe vnto them whereby it commeth to passe that at such times and in such estates they are more fit for holy duties then in any other Then pray they more feelingly and feruently Rom. 8. then also as here we see writ they exhort more powerfully and passionately as me thinketh in those Epistles which PAVL wrote in the prison there seemeth a greater measure of holy zeale and feruent affections then in any other So that though in none of these Epistles he had made any mention of his imprisonment yet the obseruing Reader might easily haue said These Epistles smell of the prison as hee said of the elaborate Oration of the Orator that it smelled of the candle O happy prison that brought forth such Epistles Let vs not then be afraid of the prison for there the Spirit will meete vs. Let vs not be afraid of those which can indeede imprison the body and bind it but the Word of God they cannot bind that came to IEREMIE againe and againe in the prison-house Iere. 33. 1. The holy Spirit of God they cannot shut vp nay by this meanes they make more roome for it in our hearts as appeareth by this and many other Epistles for all which we are in some sort beholding to the prison So likewise may wee thanke the prison for many sweet Meditations and Monuments which of late dayes the holy Martyrs wrote who for their liues could not haue done the like before they came into the prison as not feeling that sweet presence of the Comforter who profited his strength in their weaknesse Whereupon some of them haue said the prison hath beene to them as a heauenly Palace and sweet Paradise of pleasure So ALGERIVS an Italian Martyr dates his Epistle From the delectable Hortyard of the Leonine prison FOXE Martyrolog So fit a time is our affliction for familiaritie with the Spirit so fit a place is the prison to be the Studie and Closet for those in whom the Spirit dwelleth to hatch and bring forth holy and heauenly Meditations But now PAVL writing this Epistle in the prison Doct. 2 as many others also herein further appeareth the Gods prouidence towards his children in prison good prouidence of God first in that euen in the time of this his restraint he had yet libertie of pen inke and paper yea and of a Scribe too sometimes and those which did minister vnto him See Acts 28. 16. When he was brought prisoner to Rome he found at the first this fauour that whereas other prisoners that came ouer with him were deliuered to the generall Captayne hee was suffered to dwell in a house by himselfe hauing only a Souldier attending on him In so much as many resorted daily vnto him to whom without any let hee preached the Gospell two yeeres together So likewise IEREMIE in his imprisonment had the benefit of his Scribe BARVCH And our Martyrs of late though nothing so fauourably dealt withall That bloudy BONNER exceeding euen that monster of men NERO in crueltie yet such was the good hand of their good God toward them that sometimes by fauour which he gaue them with the Keepers somtimes by stealth and secretly sometimes by one meanes sometimes by another they gate pen and inke notwithstanding the strait and seuere commandement of the bloudie Butchers to the contrarie Secondly Gods prouidence also herein did shew it selfe that would not suffer PAVL so skilfull a workman to be idle and doe nothing in the businesse of the Lord but would haue a supply of his Apostolicall preaching made by his writing The consideration of this should confirme our faith in Gods prouidence in our greatest dangers and difficulties euen in the Mountayne euen in the prison nay out of the prison it selfe the Lord will make most excellent prouision for his Church Againe it is to be obserued that S. PAVL doth Doct. 3 not simply call himselfe prisoner but with this condition of Iesus Christ The title of a prisoner in it selfe is ignominious but when he addeth of Iesus Christ all stayne of ignominie is cleane wiped away Here hence then we learne that it is not the Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr punishment but the cause that maketh a Martyr Let no man saith PETER suffer as an euill doer for then what comfort haue we in our suffering but let vs be sure our cause be good that wee may be able to call our selues the prisoners of Christ and then haue we matter of great reioycing in as much as we are made partakers of Christs sufferings as PETER speaketh for he that is the prisoner of Christ hath not only his fellow-Christians Heb. 13. 3. but euen his Lord Christ fellow prisoner with him Acts 9. SAVL SAVL why persecutest thou me So that now that Christ who was imprisoned and persecuted by SAVL is now imprisoned and persecuted in SAVL But here is not all that wee must looke to in our Doct. 4 sufferings that our cause be good but also that we A good cause must be suffered for in a good manner suffer for a good cause in a good manner The which point is further commended vnto vs in PAVLS example who was not onely a prisoner of Iesus Christ but also a cheerefull and couragious prisoner of Iesus Christ for so farre was hee from being ashamed of his chaine wherewithall for the hope of ISRAELS sake he was bound that he euen gloryeth and boasteth in it accounting it farre more honorable then a chaine of gold about his necke For whereas PAVL had many titles a Catalogue of the most of them we may see Phil. 3. 5. yet hee leaueth them all for this Hee stileth not himselfe Citizen of Rome a Beniaminite a Pharise a Disciple of learned GAMALIEL no nor yet which of all other is
against them not onely in his owne person but in his wicked Imps enraging their malicious affections and setting them on fire with the fire of Hell As then the good Captaine must not flye when the enemie comes but stand to it and fight it out otherwise he betrayes the Army so must the faithfull Shepheard keepe his ground and not stirre anynch for feare of this enemie O say some Ministers if wee doe so wee shall receiue dangerous wounds our mouthes shall be stopped wee shall be imprisoned c. What of all this know they not that they are Souldiers and therefore that it is a part of their Office to suffer Affliction as well as to preach the Gospell though in truth their very suffering is a reall preaching to all that heare of it Therefore S. PAVL saith of himselfe Eph. 6 20. That he was the Embassador of Christ euen in his bonds Hence it is that LVKE calleth his Historie the Acts of the Apostles though it be specially of their sufferings because euen their passions were actions they enlarged the Kingdome of Christ by their sufferings Thirdly with the peruerse vnderstanding will and 3. The corrupt nature of Man affections of sinfull man of this Conflict the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 10. 4. Our wills being so contrarie to the will of God will not so easily yeeld but will hold out as long as they can kicking and spurning against the Ministers But the Minister like a good Souldier must plant the great Ordnance of legall menaces against these high walls and though it be long ere he ouercome yet which is a propertie of a good Souldier so of this Spirituall Souldier too 2. Tim. 2. 24 25. hee must patiently hold out his siege and not breake vp if they yeeld not at the first This is the Conflict of this Spirituall Souldier Now his Victorie which is excellently described 2. Cor. 10. 4 5 6. consisting of two parts First the Victorie ouer the Elect who are taken 2. in Victorie and that 1. ouer the Elect. captiue and made willingly to subiect themselues to Iesus Christ against whom formerly they fought vnder Sathans banner Wee cast downe sayth the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. Holds and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bring into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ. O this is a noble Victorie and these are noble Warriors indeed who can subdue the rebellious wills of men and tame their affections Other Warriors may subdue the outward man but they cannot ouercome the stout heart that will rebell still inwardly euen then when the outward man perforce is constrained to obedience Now if he be a valiant Souldier that can get victorie ouer his owne affections yea farre more valiant then he that winneth a Citie as SALOMON witnesses Prouerb 16. 32. How valiant a Souldier is he then who can obtaine this victorie ouer other mens affections CAESARS and ALEXANDERS victories are nothing comparable to this glorious conquest which the Ministers get in the hearts of men when they conuert them Secondly part of the Victorie is ouer the reprobate 2. Ouer the Reprobate who are quite killed with the spirituall Sword and because they wil not bend are broken to pieces Of this the Apostle speaketh in the same place Hauing vengeance readie against all disobedience Thus doth the Minister play the Souldier in the Field Hee resembleth also the Garrison Souldier For 2. In the Garrison after that he is returned home victorious from the Field with his Captiues now become sworne Souldiers of Iesus Christ the Deuill and the World not enduring the least feather to be pluckt from off their wing will be sure to make assaults vpon them for the regaining and recouering out of his hands those men which he hath taken Captiues As therefore before he was armed with offensiue Weapons in the Field wherewith hee oppugned Sathan and his Armie so now though returned home glorious in victorie yet must not sit downe and rest him as though all were now dispatched but on with his defensiue Weapons that he may be able to maintaine and hold his owne Hence it is that the Minister is compared to a Watchman standing on the top of a Tower to see if he can descrie any enemies comming against the Citie Hab. 2. And herein first of all consisteth the second part of the Ministers Souldiership at home namely in hauing a wakefull eye to discerne euen the clouds of danger euen arising a far off thereupon to giue warning Secondly hauing so done which is the halfe-arming of his people according to the Prouerbe fore-warned fore-armed hee must fortifie and make them strong against the power of the Aduersaries first by instructing them how to carrie themselues how both to weare and how to vse that complete Harnesse of the Christian Souldier Thus like a good Captaine doth he traine his Souldiers teaching their hands to fight and fitting their fingers for the Battell Secondly by praying for them wherein hee playeth the valiant Souldier indeede combating and conflicting with the Lord God himselfe This is called standing in the Gappe and making vp of the Hedge Ezech. 22. 30. Looke as the wise and prouident Martiallist will see where the Citie is weakest when the Walls are any thing decayed and will bend his Forces most of all to fortifie that place knowing the Enemie will be sure to take the aduantage of that place for his more easie entring vpon them so likewise doth the faithfull Minister consider with himselfe where the sinnes of the people haue most weakened them and made any breaches in their Walls any gappes in their Fence for Gods iudgements to run in vpon them and there doth hee make vp the Breach and stand vp in the Gappe as the Magistrate by executing Iustice and Iudgement in the example of PHINEES Psal 106. 30. so hee by earnest praying and calling vpon the Name of the Lord in the example of AARON Numb 16. 47. And thus we see wherein the Souldiership of the Minister consisteth Let vs now see the vse of this Doctrine The vses are two first to the Minister secondly to the People The vses respecting the Ministers are first generall secondly speciall Generall are these The first vse is that which PAVL maketh to TIMOTHY Vse 1 2. Tim. 2. 4. who hauing compared the Ministerie to a Warfare in the third Verse inferreth in the fourth No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the things of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier A man that is pressed out for a Souldier must take his leaue of all other his affaires and businesses and giue his attendance vpon his Generall Then is it no time for him to goe make Bargaines to exercise Trade and Traffique So must it be with the Ministers They must attend vpon this Spirituall Warfare wholly this will altogether take them vp They cannot be troubling and busying their hands
fights to subiection vnto his owne King and so to make them fellow-subiects as himselfe So likewise here that Minister is a good Souldier of IESVS CHRIST who aymes onely at this that CHRIST IESVS may get the victory and reigne in the hearts and consciences of his enemies His victorie and not our owne must be the end of our Ministerie euen if it may be that quiet and peaceable victorie which is obtained without bloud-shed the enemies submitting and resigning themselues into the hands of the Conqueror for the end of other Warre specially this Spirituall Warre is Peace euen the peaceable and flourishing Kingdome of CHRIST established in the Conscience But if this peaceable Victorie cannot be obtained then the bloudie Victorie must be the end of our Warre According to that LVKE 19. Those mine enemies which would not haue me reigne ouer them bring them and slay them before me Ministers therefore must not be afraid to execute the Vengeance PAVL speakes of vpon the obstinate and to stab them at the very heart with the threatnings of the Law knowing that the end of their Ministerie is as well this violent Victorie ouer the Reprobate in crushing them to pieces as a Potters Vessell as the peaceable Victorie ouer the Elect in captiuating them vnto CHRIST In both these victories doth the Lord equally account them his faithfull Souldiers vnto him they are alwayes a sweet sauour as well when they are a sauour of death vnto death vnto the wicked as when they are a sauour of life vnto life vnto the godly 2. Cor. 2. 15. 4. The part of a good Souldier being as well to defend and keepe that which they haue won from their enemies as to win it the Ministers must here take notice of another dutie carefully to fence and fortifie those Holds and Castles which they haue won from Satan for though he be dispossessed yet as it is in the Gospell hee will labour to reenter And oftentimes it falls out by the negligence of many Ministers that they quickly lose that which they were long in getting Haue we then gayned any vnto the Lord O how carefull an eye should we haue ouer such that Satan steale them not from vs how wee should ply them with continuall instructions and exhortations As the Apostles did writing to those Churches that they had planted How earnestly should they striue in their prayers for them that so they may be able to say the words of our Sauiour Iohn 17. Father I haue kept those that thou hast giuen me not one of them is lost Thus much for the Ministers The vse of this Doctrine to the people is First to let them see what estate they are in naturally namely in a most miserable and wretched condition professing open enmity to Iesus Christ and fighting vnder Satans banner against him So farre are they from hauing any disposition of themselues to come and subiect themselues to Christ that they resist and rebell against him and his Ministers Therefore are the Ministers called Souldiers because they wage warre with vs labouring to subdue vs to Christ of thy selfe therefore thou commest not to Christ but the Father by the hands of his Ministers his Souldiers as it were by force of armes must draw thee This striuing and struggling of the Ministers with vs must cause vs to see and lament our owne naturall opposition against God If we were willing of our selues what needed they so Souldierlike to fight with vs Secondly since the Ministers are Gods Souldiers that doe besiege the Castle of our hearts wee must all learne not to stand out against them but to yeeld our selues willingly into their hands for being Gods Souldiers they haue his power assisting them in fighting this battaile and if we yeeld not in time but like those stiffe-necked and vncircumcised Iewes Acts 7. continue resisting the holy Ghost we shall find that the Spirit of the Lord will not alwayes striue with vs but in the furie of his anger will euen grinde vs to powder If we will not suffer them to obtayne a peaceable victorie they will get a bloudie victorie for these Souldiers alwayes returne with the victorie if not peaceable then bloudie if not in conuerting in confounding vs if not taking vs aliue and making vs the subiects of Christ in slaying vs and making vs the foot-stoole of Christ If the sword of the Spirit pricke not thy heart as those men Acts 2. and cause thee in compunction to come and fall downe at the feete of these spirituall Souldiers it shall bee sheathed in thy bowels and made drunken with the bloud of thy soule and the venemous darts of the Almightie shall sticke in thy ribs for euer This is the second death this is the vengeance which Gods Ministers haue ready against disobedience If thou be wise therefore hold out no longer open the doore of thy heart besieged by these spirituall Souldiers and entertayne into the same the King of glorie for hee is mighty in battaile and if thou yeeld not willingly while peace is offered and his Embassadours beseech thee to bee reconciled hee will hew and hacke thee in pieces and make thee fuell fit to feed the flames of that eternall fire He will quash thee with his yron rod as it is in the second Psalme And therefore as it is in the words following Be wise now O yee Kings c. Kisse the Sonne subiect your selues to him lest he teare you in pieces If Ierusalem will not be gathered vnder Christs wing her habitation shall be left desolate O thou gracelesse man who hast held out in opposition against the Ministerie besieging the Castle of thy heart a long time and hast not yet resigned and giuen it vp behold thy fearefull danger heare the Lord saying as once in the old world Genes 6. My spirit shall not alwayes striue with this Rebell Yea see him proportioning his wedge to the timber and because thou wilt not yeeld ready prepared to blow thee vp with the Gun-powder of his fearefull indignation Thirdly see how much wee are bound and beholding to the Ministers who are content to depriue themselues of many comforts and commodities of this life to attend this laborious warfare and all for our sakes shall this seeme a small thing in our eyes no if there be any goodnesse it will cause vs with al reuerence and respect to acknowledge them that be ouer vs in the Lord for this their workes sake withall it will cause vs earnestly to desire at the Lords hands the continuance of them knowing that the want of them is a farre more grieuous iudgement then the want of other Warriors which yet is threatned as a grieuous iudgement Esa 3. If they goe farewell all Who then shall fight the battailes of the Lord who then shall goe in and out before the Lords people who shall stand vp in the gap in the euil day Then may we crie after them as once ELISHA after ELIAS Our Fathers Our
whom the King in speciall fauour would honour could answere readily presuming himselfe to be the man by reason of his ingraftment in the Kings heart Let them bring for him Royall Apparell the Kings Horse and Crowne and proclaime Thus shall it be done c. How much more then vpon this ground should wee seeke for the fauour and face of God For what may we not promise to our selues vpon his fauour What not shall be done to the man whom this great King fauoreth Ps 149. This honor shall be done to his fauorites For Kings are not able to doe all things as they would to gratifie those they loue but God is able to doe for his euen more then he will doe his Power exceedeth his Will But the will euen of the mightiest Monarchs oftentimes goeth beyond their power They want occasions and oportunities to pleasure those whom they fauour yea further many times they are preuented before those occasions fall out by sudden death therefore most excellently the Psalmist Psal 146. Trust not in mortall Princes that is in their fauour and grace for their breath is in their nostrils and their thoughts perish They haue many thoughts and purposes to aduance such and such but euen whiles they are in these thoughts commeth the voyce Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule from thee and then what shall become of thy thoughts or what good shalt thou poore man haue that trustedst in those thoughts But hee that relyes vpon Gods fauour shall neuer be deceiued nor disappointed Therefore in the fore-named place the Prophet addeth Blessed is the man that trusteth in God Why so who made Heauen and Earth the Sea and all that therein is which keepeth fidelitie for euer Where besides the infinite power of God able to doe all things a further reason is added to make vs bold to build vpon Gods fauor viz. the faithfulnesse and constancie of this his loue Whom hee loues hee loues to the end whereas a mans loue is often a lying loue like a deceitfull Bow Iob. 9. It giues the slip to those that are most of all interessed in it Let vs therefore giue ouer our too too greedie desire of the fauour of men specially great Ones Let vs labour for Gods grace and this will bring with it mans As it is said of our Sauior Luk. 2. That he grew in fauour first with God secondly with man Therefore DAVID in the fourth Psalme though in disgrace with SAVL yet prayeth not for the light of SAVLS countenance but onely of Gods And so PAVL in all his Epistles though the Churches he writes vnto were in the disgrace of the Heathen Emperors yet still he wisheth vnto them Grace not from gracelesse NERO but from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ this being the meanes to attaine as all other benefits so likewise this of grace with men Prou. 17. When a mans wayes please the Lord and so the Lord will be well pleased with him his very enemies shall become his friends Secondly Gods grace is in stead of all other blessings in case they be wanting As ELKANAH said to his wife complaining for want of children Am not I in stead of tenne Sonnes to thee Doth not my loue and husband-like affection wherewithall I embrace thee make amends for children So speaketh Gods fauour to all those that haue their part in it Am not I vnto thee in stead of Riches Friends Grace and Glorie and Greatnesse in the World Though indeed Gods fauour shall not be so perfectly and fully all in all till the life to come 1. Cor. 15. yet euen in this life in some measure it is all in all vnto them so that they crie out with DAVID Psal 73. Whom haue wee in Heauen c As Manna was to the Israelites that Meat which they desired whether Flesh or Fish in this regard are we further to hunger and thirst after this Grace and in a holy kind of ambition striue for this fauor It will bring exceeding comfort and contentment in all our wants yea it will make a through supply of all our wants As God answered PAVL complaining of the pricke of the flesh My Grace is sufficient for thee Which though we expound of the gifts of Grace and Sanctification yet wee are to know that these were no otherwise sufficient for him then as they were fruits and so testimonies of Gods fauour Thirdly Since whatsoeuer wee desire wee are Doct. 3 likewise to seeke it in the vse of the meanes PAVL in his example commending vnto vs the desire of Gods fauour withall further sheweth vs that wee must vse meanes for the attainment of it True it is that the first fauour of God to whomsoeuer it is it was before all Worlds and therefore we can doo nothing for the attainment of it But that second degree of Gods fauour though in regard of Gods Decree it was giuen vs before all Worlds too as Paul witnesseth 2. Tim. 1. 9. yet wee are not actually possessed of it till we be called and iustified And though they procure not themselues for we maintaine against the Papists that the grace which makes vs gracefull is not any inherent grace in our selues but it is the free gift of God in Christ yet at that very time hee bestoweth this Iewell vpon them hee stirreth vp in them an earnest desire and a proportionable endeuour after it It is Iesus Christ indeed that bringeth vs into fauour with God yet withall when the Father giueth vs this gift hee makes vs also vse meanes not so much indeed for the attainment of it as for our owne assurance of the attainment thereof What then are those things which we must doe Quest for this purpose First taking thorow-notice of that disgrace and Answ displeasure thou art in with God and that most deseruedly for thy sinnes thou must first of all come Three meanes whereby we may attaine to the fauour of God as BENHADADS Seruants came to AHAB euen with a Halter about thy necke creeping and crouching before the Throne of Grace abasing and abiecting thy selfe at his Footstoole in the humble and penitent confession of thy sinnes We see man being iustly offended with vs for some iniurie offered him will not vouchsafe vs his fauour till wee haue humbled our selues before him and confessed our fault witnessing our vnfained griefe for the same And thinke wee to haue God fauourable vnto vs who neuer yet were touched with any sorrow for displeasing him nor in this sorrow haue prostrated our selues at his feete with bleeding hearts lamenting and bewayling our offences Thou then that desirest the fauour of GOD come vnto him with this sacrifice of a bruised and broken spirit and thou shalt be accepted Psal 51. Thou shalt finde the saying of the Apostle most true God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble This must terrifie the impenitent whose hearts will not relent who sinne freely and merrily Drinking in iniquitie
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
were ioyntly described by the cause common to them both In this Verse and the seuenth they are described seuerally And first his Prayer in this sixt Verse from the matter of it This was that which he prayed for in PHILEMONS behalfe That the communication of his Faith might be effectuall in the knowledge c. The words are something obscure First then By the Communication of thy Faith vnderstand Thy Faith communicating it selfe Then the words following in the knowledge c. are to bee vnderstood Passiuely not Actiuely Therefore the sence is well expressed in our English Translation That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne for he speaketh of that knowledge which others should haue of PHILEMONS vertues and not that which PHILEMON himselfe should haue Now here are two Things to bee considered First What that is which PAVL prayes for in PHILEMONS behalfe The Efficacie of his Faith Secondly Wherein this Efficacie of Faith consists first in Communication That the communication of thy Faith may be made effectuall that is that thy Faith by communicating may be made effectuall secondly in the Knowledge of whatsoeuer good was in him by Christ For the first That Efficacie of Faith which here PAVL desireth for PHILEMON was two First in regard of PHILEMON himselfe that it might worke effectually in him secondly in regard of others that it might be examplarie to them and so might be effectuall in prouoking them to the like And that the Apostle had some reference euen to this latter kind of Efficacie the words following seeme to import That whatsoeuer good thing is in you may be knowne For when the light of our Faith shineth to others it very effectually stirreth them vp to the glorifying of GODS Name Matth. 5. Hence obserue First That true Faith may Doct. 1 sometimes faint and be as it were raked vp True faith may faint vnder the ashes A slouthfull kind of Sleepinesse may sometimes seize vpon it and vnfit and disable it for Spirituall Exercises As wee see in the Disciples who being oppressed with carnall griefe for the departure of CHRIST now at hand were not able to attend the Exercise of Prayer no not one houre with our Sauiour So likewise in the Philippians Phil. 4. 10. Of whom when the Apostle sayes That they were reuiued or as the word signifies waxen greene or fresh againe in their Loue and Liberalitie towards him thereby he declareth That for a time they were like Trees that in the Winter are in their Widow-hood hauing lost their Leaues and appearing outwardly as dead all their Sappe being in the Root within And truely as Trees so Faith also hath her Winter namely the Stormes and Tempests of Temptations which by their violence shake off all her greene and glorious Leaues and so make her appeare naked and desolate shee being driuen into the secret corners of the heart and there for a time to lye gasping and panting readie to giue vp the ghost Therefore Reuel 3. 2. they of Sardi are willed to strengthen the things that are readie to die Faith of it owne nature is very laborious and whiles it is strong and healthie tyes her selfe duely to her Taske and is alwayes at worke Yet sometimes the Feuer-Lurden hauing caught her shee begins to be lazie and to haue no list to worke Nay then it is Holy-day and Vacation-time with her till shee recouer her selfe againe Therefore PAVL here prayeth that PHILEMONS Faith might bee preserued from this Lethargie and Sleepinesse to the which in it selfe it was subiect and so might shew it selfe to be a liuely and effectuall Faith Secondly obserue How Faith being by Satans Doct. 2 Craft cast into this dead Sleepe may be awakened Prayer recouers fainting Faith and how it may shake off this Spirituall Lazinesse namely by this Spirituall Exercise of Prayer Therefore here PAVL prayeth for PHILEMON That his Faith might bee effectuall And if other mens Prayers may doe this much more our owne But it may seeme that Faith must rather giue Obiect efficacie to our Prayers then receiue it from them For Faith is that which setteth vs on worke to pray It both giueth and receiueth yea in giuing it Ans receiueth It is the strength of the bodie whereby it moueth and stirreth and yet by this motion it is confirmed and encreased If thy legge be benummed goe vpon it a little and it will come to it selfe so if thy Faith be as it were benummed cause it to moue and stirre in this holy Exercise of Prayer and thou shalt find presently her spirits returning againe to her and the Coales before couered vnder the ashes by these bellowes to be blowne vp and conceiue a flame For Prayer is a notable preseruatiue against Spirituall slumber prescribed by the most skilfull Physician saying Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation Now those things which are able to preuent Diseases are able also for the most part to cure them Yet thinke not there is any vertue in our Prayer to doe this but in GOD who hauing bound himselfe thereto by promise sendeth his Spirit into our hearts when we are in this exercise whereof see an example Acts 2. 1. Thirdly PAVL here plainely teacheth vs that Doct. 3 true Faith in his owne nature is effectuall liuely Faith is a liuely Grace full of vigour and spirits 1. Thessal 1. vers 3. The worke of your faith that is your working Faith Faith is of a working and stirring disposition and is alwayes quicke-spirited and nimble vnlesse when it bee wounded by some grieuous temptation Thy faith then which like the Sluggard holdeth her hands in her bosome loth to stirre out of doores which alwayes lyes dreaming within leading an idle sedentarie life this Faith I say which is of so heauy a mold of such leaden heeles is a false faith what shewes soeuer it haue For actiuenesse is the property of true Faith I discerne the picture of a man though neuer so liuely to bee no true man because it stands still and stirres not Therefore though it haue shew of eyes mouth feet c. yet when I see it neither goes sees nor speakes I know it is no man So when I looke vpon thy faith and find for all the colours of outward profession that it is idle I conclude forthwith that it is an Idoll a shaddow void of truth and substance Shew mee thy faith by thy works saith IAMES Indeed if Pride Swearing prophaning of the Sabbaths Vncleannesse were fruits of faith then these Braggers would iustifie their faith as very effectuall But since the fruits of Faith are Mortification Meekenesse Loue c. and not the least drop or dram of these Graces are to be seene in them it appeareth that their Faith is a very emptie and imaginatie Faith The second followes namely wherein this Efficacie of Faith here prayed for consists first in Communication secondly in the knowledge of euery good thing For the first Obserue That
is the ioy arising out of the works of Gods Wisedome and Mercy whether done to vs or by vs to others or by others They are wickedly vngratefull who when God shall haue cheered and reuiued their spirits by his mercies doe not make their ioy and cheerfulnesse a whetstone for thanksgiuing but rather for wantonnesse and vncleannesse and vanitie of speech As wee see many when God at the Table hath filled their hearts with food and gladnesse in the strength of their ioyfull spirits quicken their wits to sweare blaspheme reuile and reproch the Saints and not once to blesse Gods name for his creatures that haue refreshed and reuiued their spirits This is a prophane and carnall ioy though otherwise lawfull in it selfe which resteth only in the creature and aduanceth not vp the mind to the Creatour whereas wee should reioyce more in the good will of the Giuer then in the gift Let vs then haue a speciall eye to this affection of ioy that as soone as wee feele the first motion and tickling of it if it be euill we may restrayne it if lawfull we may vse it lawfully as a goad to prick vs to thanksgiuing and first pay the toll and tribute of our ioy to the Lord in thanksgiuing before wee proceed further in it our selues as Marchants before they can haue the benefit of their commodities themselues must pay their Impost to the King But alas how oftentimes haue wee felt the Lord euen replenishing our soules with much ioy specially of outward comforts and yet wee in the meane while haue not one thought of paying God his toll Whereby it comes to passe oftentimes that God being angrie with vs for keeping backe from him his right his Mercies are turned into Iudgements and our ioy into heauinesse yea hence it comes to passe that that ioy which otherwise is lawfull is now because the fruits thereof were not hallowed to God become to vs vnlawfull and vnholy to be checked with SALOMONS reprehension Eccles 2. Thou mad Foole what doest thou whither runnest thou head-long forgetting that GOD in whom thou shouldest reioyce from whose Mercy this thing wherein thou art so delighted did come vnto thee Secondly that ioy is a singular and wonderfull Doct. 2 blessing of God for the which speciall thanks are due vnto him For the rule of the Logicians is here true That which maketh another thing so is much more so it selfe If ioy make others things iust matters of thanksgiuing then much more is it a matter of thanksgiuing it selfe 1. Thessal 3. 9. What thanks can we recompense againe to God for you for all the ioy wherewith we reioyce for your sakes And truly ioy is the very soule of the soule the very life of our life without which our life is a dead and liuelesse life and we our selues but liuing carkasses Therefore if God shall grant vnto vs a ioyfull and merrie heart in the vse of any of his mercies let vs acknowledge it with SALOMON Eccles 2. as a speciall yea a double blessing and so not content our selues with single thanks but First thanke God for that benefit which is the occasion of our ioy and Secondly for the ioy it selfe which we haue out of that mercy for no benefit of it selfe can worke ioy without the speciall blessing of God so Act. 14 The filling of the heart with food and gladnesse are made two distinct works of God For how many are there that enioy not those things they possesse who though they should eate Manna the bread of Angels might yet bee said to eate the bread of teares Thirdly obserue what that is which must stirre Doct. 3 vs vp to thanksgiuing and cause vs to performe it Thâ—â—nâ—entiue of Thanksgiuing in due manner namely the feeling of ioy in the benefit bestowed vpon vs for this is the reason that howsoeuer wee want not sufficient matter of thanksgiuing as being compassed continually with GODS mercies yet oftentimes wee finde our selues very vnfit and indisposed for this dutie wee want the sweet sense of Gods Mercy Goodnesse Power c. in those benefits we haue which should enlarge and dilate our hearts with ioy when thy heart shall once be possessed with this ioy it growes so full presently that it cannot any longer containe it selfe within but must needs powre out it selfe into thanksgiuing Psal 92. 2. It is good to praise the Lord to sing to the most High but what droue DAVID hither hee himselfe shewes the reason in the words following Because thou causest me to reioyce in thy works and Psal 16. in the midst of his Thanksgiuing see how the heate of ioy breakes forth in him My heart is glad and my tongue reioyceth Euery part of Gods worship hath his proper and speciall affections Now as in Prayer the feruency of an hungrie and thirstie desire is the special grace thereof so in Thanksgiuing the triumphing Spirit of ioy If this bee wanting alas how poorely and coldly doe wee giue thanks Therefore here that of Saint IAMES must bee remembred Is any man afflicted Let him pray Is any man merry Let him sing Psalmes namely of Thanksgiuing as appeareth by the opposition Fourthly marke that PAVL did not only take ioy Doct. 4 but comfort in PHILEMONS loue comfort presupposeth grief as a medicine a disease Therfore PAVL giues vs to vnderstand that PHILEMONS loue was a kind of counter-poyson to the griefe which his imprisonment and other afflictions wrought him Whereby wee may learne what is that which will bring ease and comfort to the minds of Gods children in their troubles namely the vertue and good carriage of those whom they loue and respect As this will be the comfort of good Ministers in their afflictions if their flocks stand fast in that Truth which they haue preached As PAVL tells the Thessal 1. 3 6 7 8. Now are wee aliue if yee stand fast in the Lord. Those then that haue such as are neerly bound vnto them vnder the crosse as People their Ministers Children their Parents c. must learne here to minister sound comfort vnto them in their afflictions namely by continuing the same good course they walked before If they shrinke and goe backe they adde to their afflictions and euen kill their hearts And those parents which in their afflictions haue such children those Ministers that in their troubles haue such people according to PAVLS example must comfort themselues here withall Fiftly obserue what that is wherefore we are to Doct. 5 take ioy in another viz. his grace We haue great ioy Grace argument of ioy in others in thy loue This is that which may iustly cause parents to reioyce in their children one friend and kinsman in another 2. Iohn We haue no greater ioy then this that we heare thy children walke in the Truth Phil. 2. 2. Fulfill my ioy that yee be like-minded c. If wee reioyce in them for other respects as for Wit Wisedome Knowledge Learning Beautie
c. our reioycing is not good the end of our mirth wil be mourning wee reioyce not so fast now but wee shall weepe and waile as fast afterward Withall let vs here learne how to minister occasion of ioy to those that desire to haue ioy of vs as our Parents Ministers Acquaintance c. Let vs grow in grace and in the true knowledge and feare of God Otherwise a prophane people giuen to Swearing polluting the Sabbath are thornes and pricks in the sides of godly Ministers and a foolish sonne is a heauinesse to his religious parents The second part of this Verse followeth namely the confirmation of the former part which was that hee had great ioy in PHILEMONS loue This he proues because PHILEMON refreshed the Saints bowels Here obserue First that PAVL doth not say he Doct. 1 hath ioy in his loue because his owne bowels were Loue to be more reioyced in then in the profit of it refreshed by him but because the Saints bowels were refreshed Many will reioyce in that loue which is profitable to themselues But where is he that will as well reioyce in that loue which is profitable only to others It is plaine then that wee reioyce not so much in loue because it is loue because it is a vertue but because it is beneficiall to our selues and that only wee reioyce indeed in our profit that wee reape by that loue and not in the loue it selfe For if wee reioyced in the loue it selfe for it selfe then it would be all one vnto vs whether wee or others were benefited by it For that loue which performeth the duties of kindnesse to others is as well loue as that which sheweth the like kindnesse to vs. Then therefore shall we shew our selues to be of S. PAVLS spirit when wee can heartily reioyce at the graces of Gods children and loue them for those graces whether wee haue any profit by them or not we stand not vpon that yea and when wee haue profit by them wee reioyce yet more in their profit because of the fruit that shall further their reckoning then in our gaine Phil. 4. Secondly marke that then is a most seasonable Doct. 2 time of reioycing when we see the bowels of Gods The fittest time of ioy when it is well with the Church Saints refreshed the Church and People of God releeued in their distresses So on the contrarie if we see the bowels of the Saints wrung with griefe and the Church pinched with the persecution of her Aduersaries and that shee is giuen as a prey into the hands of Wolues and Beares hunted by many mightie NIMRODS and furrowes are made vpon her backe by the Ploughes then wee are to know that it is a time of mourning and of hanging vp our Harps with the captiued Iewes vpon the Willowes But for the most part if it goe well with vs in regard of our owne particular wee care not greatly which way things go with the Church sinke shee swimme shee all is one so we liue at ease and sleepe in whole skinnes If our owne priuate estate be shaken we take on and are much cast downe but teares doe soone waxe drie in the euils of others though they be common to the whole body of the Saints whereas euery mans particular depends vpon the common good of the Church And therefore as when the Church of God flourisheth and holds vp her head we must lift vp ours though otherwise it goe not so well with vs in our owne priuate so when the Church mourneth and hangeth down the head wee must cast downe ours though our owne condition be neuer so good for as the peace of Ierusalem sweetneth our owne priuate grieuances so her afflictions and dangers do sowre and make distastefull vnto vs all priuate comforts whatsoeuer Thus NEHEMIAH distasted his fauour and honor in the Court the Iewes in Babylon their Houses their Orchards and all other their delights whatsoeuer Psal 102. VRIAH his owne house and wife Thirdly in PHILEMONS example we are all according Doct. 3 to our power taught to refresh the bowels The bowels of Gods Saints must be refreshed of Gods poore distressed Saints if we will shew our selues to haue that loue which we professe For this is the effect of PHILEMONS loue the refreshing of the bowels of the Saints for there is a cold charitie and lip-loue which is common euerywhere That which IAMES taxeth Chap. 2. of such as will say to the naked Clothe thee to the hungrie Feede thee to the cold Warme thee But this last they had need to say to their owne frozen charitie for they onely say so they doe nothing for the releeuing of those necessities But true loue as it is seated in and commeth from the heart bowels of him that loueth so it goeth downe into the very heart and bowels of him who it loueth and refresheth them The heart is both the place from whence loue commeth and whither it goeth And then shall our loue iustifie it selfe to be sincere and heartie when as a comfortable Cordiall it doth our Brother good at the very heart But wherein standeth the refreshing of the Saints Bowels I answer in one word In the performing of those parts and offices of kindnesse vnto them which may carrie an expresse signification of our tender commiseration and compassion towards them in their miseries If thus thou giuest but a cup of cold water thou shalt be a refresher of the Bowels of the Saints for nothing grieueth one in miserie more then to see himselfe neglected of others This was that which went very neere DAVIDS heart in his affliction and therefore he complaines bitterly of it Psal 69. 20. But when others shall pitie them moane and tender their case and in a Christian fellow-feeling put vnder their shoulder to helpe them in their weakenesse therein imitating the Spirit Rom. 8. 24. This is a great ease and refreshing to their heauie and oppressed mindes Now more specially wee are to expresse this our compassionate affection towards them in these duties First in speeches of Comfort Psal 41. 1. Blessed Three things in which we must refresh the Saints is he that hath respect of the Poore saying namely vnto the poore Saints The Lord will deliuer him in the time of trouble Thus IOSEPH confirmed and raysed vp the hearts of his poore-brethren cast downe with feare by speaking kindly vnto them Genesis 50. Now these Consolatorie speeches wherewithall wee are to reuiue and refresh the spirits of our disconsolate brother are especially to be taken from the sweet promises of GODS Word which in the best and wisest sort wee can wee are to apply vnto them Secondly in commending and remembring their afflicted Estate to GOD in our prayer And this also is another thing which the Psalmist in the former place maketh another part of our respect towards the afflicted In the third Verse after his words of Comfort he setteth downe his prayer to GOD
account Is the Steward of a Kings Family no body because he is ouer the Family not as a Lord but as a Steward Is the Minister no body because he commaunds not in his owne name but in Christs But is it not counted a matter of greater honour to be sent in Embassage by an earthly Prince The authoritie of Ministers as I haue shewed is only the authoritie of Messengers and Embassadours and lasts only during the time of their message and embassage What then when they haue done their message are they so lightly to be regarded God forbid Nay according to the Apostle for their works sake they are to be had in singular account alwayes and euerywhere and not onely whilest they are in their worke being a preaching in the Pulpit But when they are in their embassage declaring the Will of Christ then speciall reuerence and regard is to be giuen them then according to CORNELIVS example are wee to set our selues before them as before God himselfe for they command in Christs Name and therefore their contempt is contumelious to Christ himselfe in whose Name they speake Matth. 10. Ministers therefore must be heard with submissiue and obedient minds for if they haue authoritie to command vs in Christ how can any whosoeuer denie obedience Nay Kings themselues are to be obedient to them that are ouer them in the Lord as the Apostle willeth for it is Christs authoritie and not the Ministers and therefore it equally bindeth the King and the Begger But alas Ministers may command euen meane persons but who obeyes their commands They may command and doe themselues Their words are accounted only as a blast of wind This authoritie of commanding as it is set forth by the manner in Christ so by the measure hauing great authoritie c. For being in Christ it must needs be great This must teach Ministers to speake with great boldnesse when they know they are armed and backed with Christs authoritie Indeed if those things wee speake were in our owne names wee had iust cause to be afraid because oftentimes our message is very vnwelcome to carnall eares but speaking in Christs Name we may as the Apostle here saith be very bold lifting vp our voices as Trumpets Esai 58. 1. knowing that God hath giuen vs the Spirit not of feare but of power and loue and of a sound mind 2. Tim. 1. 7. The meanest Sergeant that is in the Kings name dares arrest the greatest Duke that is In this house the basest Skullion in that kitchin being set on by your Honours would not be afraid to controule the Steward But take heed thou that art a Minister lest at any time thou presume to command to rebuke or threaten in thy owne name Christ will not beare thee out in such commands neither will he make good such threatnings If men in such a case offer violence looke not that hee should rescue thee but in his owne cause he will be a wall of brasse vnto thee Ier. 4. Wherefore as a faithfull Embassadour reueale the whole Counsell of God let neither feare nor the golden squincey nor any thing else stop thy mouth Thou hast Christ to be thy Authour in that thou art to say Assuredly he will neuer goe backe from that which hee hath willed thee to speake ABSALOM encouraged his seruants to slay his brother AMNON by this argument Haue not I commanded you 2. Sam. 13. How much more should the Commandement of Christ put heart and spirit into the Ministers to open their mouthes and to speake freely and fully and frankly whatsoeuer they haue in Commission Thirdly S. PAVL sets forth his authoritie of commanding by the matter of it What is it that he may command any thing what hee please No. Though hee were an Apostle yet hee hath no such infinite authoritie What then That which is conuenient See then the bounds of this spirituall power It can command nothing but that which is conuenient And this necessarily followeth out of the former for it is in Christ And Christ can command nothing which is not conuenient wherefore if Ministers at any time shall command things inconuenient they doe now exceed their bounds they goe beyond their Commission neither doe they now command in Christs Name but in their owne And therefore in such cases wee are so farre from being bound to obedience that wee are in conscience to disobey This ouerthroweth the tyrannicall and vsurped Dictatorship of the Pope who maketh his owne will a Law and thinketh hee may doe in the Church what him listeth The proprietie of the word Conuenient is also to be obserued It signifieth that which in equitie we are bound vnto though not in the rigour of the Law If PHILEMON should stand vpon it hee was not to receiue ONESIMVS againe but in Christian equitie he was Note then that wee are bound not onely to doe Doct. those things which the very extremitie of Law will draw from vs but also such whereunto reason and equitie doe perswade Thus much of the first illustration of the act of praying from the diuerse his power of commanding Though I haue great c. The second followeth from the mouing cause Yet for loues sake I rather beseech thee The cause that made PAVL deale by intreatie when hee might haue commanded was loue not PHILEMONS loue towards the Saints that hee spoke of in the seuenth Verse as some would haue it but his owne loue towards PHILEMON Obserue first in the example of the Apostle that Doct. Ministers must deale in the mildest and gentlest Ministers must deale mildly manner that may be with their Hearers intreating perswading exhorting beseeching euen then when they may lawfully command 1. Cor. 15. in the end We beseech you to be reconciled Rom. 1. 12. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God For so it is that wee see euen in the things of this life that men must be faine to sue for that which is their owne and may be glad if by faire entreaties they can get vp their debts So the Ministers may thinke they haue done some great matter if by any meanes euen by earnest and affectionall perswasion and exhortation they can get at our hands this debt of obedience wee owe to God And no maruell if Ministers thus deale when God himselfe herein goes before vs in his owne example Oh that Israel would haue harkned Psal 81. 13. and Matth. 23. Christ shewes that hee inuited the Israelites in the same manner vnto himselfe that the Hen doth her Chickens Wherein we haue great cause to admire the vnspeakable goodnesse of God towards vs. Men commonly are earnest and importunate Intreaters for those things which may be profitable to themselues but who is earnest in desiring another to doe that which is only for the profit of him with whom he dealeth and not any whit profitable to himselfe If a man of himselfe cannot see what is for his owne good and of his owne accord
the Image of Obiect God which is to haue Dominion and cannot stand with Bondage The Argument is not good for EVE was made Answ to the Image of God and yet subiect to her Husband So the Image of God in vs taketh not away all subiection but onely such a subiection as taketh away all Dominion The Wife for all her subiection to her Husband yet hath authoritie ouer her Children and Seruants which is a part of Gods Image in her So the basest Slaue that is though in Bondage to his Master yet hath Dominion ouer the Creatures which is a part of Gods Image in him Fourthly God said onely at the beginning Haue Obiect Dominion ouer the Creatures and not one man ouer another Those wordes are spoken to ADAM and EVE Answ onely there being then no other men besides themselues ouer whom they should haue rule But in the fifth Commandement a part of the Law of nature written in both their hearts God said Honour thy Father and Mother and there was dominion of one man ouer another established And though such a dominion as is ouer bond-slaues were not confirmed by the Law of nature remayning pure yet it is not against the Law of corrupted nature a fruit whereof is bondage Fifthly Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but loue Obiect therefore not subiection much lesse bondage That place is directly against them for whereas Answ the Apostle had said before Giue tribute to whom tribute honour to whom honour feare to whom feare belongeth and many of the lawlesse Libertines of those times would be readie to obiect that the Law required nothing but loue of them and therefore they were not bound to any such subiection the Apostle takes hold of that which they obiected that they owe nothing but loue and retorts it vpon them in this manner Why I aske no more at your hands then this to pay the debt of loue for loue is the fulfilling of the whole Law this will make you giue euery man his due you that are Subiects tribute to the Magistrate Seruants feare and reuerence to their Masters Sixthly they alleage those places Gal. 3. vers 24. Obiect Coloss 3. c. where distinction of bond and free is taken away and all are made one in Christ They are taken away from the spirituall body of Answ Christ which is the Church consisting of the Elect onely but not from the outward bodies and societies of men vpon earth for then if the Apostles meaning were so there should be no distinction neither of Countries nor of Sexes there should be neither Scythian or Barbarian there should be neither Male nor Female And it is true there is no consideration of these either Countries or Sexes in the inuisible body of Christ but in our ciuill life we see manifestly that there is Secondly from the end that made PAVL not to Doct. retayne ONESIMVS without knowing PHILEMONS mind lest thy benefit should haue beene of constraint and not willingly we learne that the grace of a benefit is voluntarinesse the freenesse of the mind and the opennesse of the heart This was that which so commended the widdowes Mites and therefore we must all learne by PAVLS example not to extort any kindnesse from our friends against their wills for it is the mind that is worth all and is to be accounted of vs far aboue the benefit it selfe And when occasion is offered to vs of shewing any kindnesse to our friends specially in the workes of beneficence to the poore then this willing Spirit is to be sought for that we doe it not grudging and with indisposed hearts 2. Cor. 9. 7. And if this willing and cheerefull Spirit be required in those seruices wee doe to our Brethren how much more in those we doe to God No man might offer to the Tabernacle but he whose spirit moued him Exod. 25. Many of vs come to the Congregation to pray heare and doe such like religious actions and herein we rest But it is not sufficient to doe them vnlesse they come from vs vninforced When then thou commest to the Church with a dull and dead spirit as a Beare to the stake more for shame of the world and obedience to the Magistrates Law then for any desire to glorifie God what thanks canst thou looke for at his hands VERS 15 16 17. It may be he was therefore parted from thee for a season that thou mightest receiue him for euer Not now as a seruant but more then a seruant a brother beloued specially to mee how much more to thee both in the flesh and the Lord If therefore thou account mee one with whom thou hast communion receiue him as my selfe HErein is another Obiection answered Yea but he ranne away from mee Obiect what reason then haue I to take him againe The Apostles answere is a retorting Answ of the Obiection vpon him and making out of it an Argument against him which may thus bee framed If his departing from thee in Gods secret counsell was so carryed that it might be an occasion of thy receiuing of him for euer then for all his departing thou oughtest to receiue him But his departing c. therefore The Proposition is wanting the Assumption is in the fifteenth Verse in plaine words and it is confirmed in the sixteenth Verse because now by meanes of his departure he is become a Brother that is one truely conuerted ioyned with him in the body of Christ The Argument is this If his departure haue beene an occasion to make him a Brother a fellow-member with thee in Christ then it was so carryed in Gods prouidence that thou mightest receiue him for euer But now by his departure he is made thy Brother c. The which is illustrated by comparison of the lesser Not as a seruant but aboue a seruant and then confirmed by an Argument from the lesser to the greater Specially to mee how much more to thee Then in the seuenteenth Verse followes the Conclusion of the principall Syllogisme Therefore receiue him set forth by the manner as my selfe and inlarged with the addition of a new Argument If thou count me one with whom thou hast fellowship This is the Resolution of the words Let vs now take them as they lye in order It may be he was c. THis is the Assumption as we shewed of the Apostles Argument for ONESIMVS against PHILEMONS obiection wherein the Apostle affirmeth that ONESIMVS was seuered from PHILEMON for a time That he might be receiued of him for euer Where consider first the manner wherein the Apostle vttereth this Secondly the matter it selfe vttered The manner in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be which is not to bee taken as though the Apostle spake doubtingly for the euent did manifestly declare the truth of that which he affirmed And that this word is not alwayes a particle of doubting appeareth Exod. 32. 30. Why then doth the Apostle vse it to what purpose first that hee
greatest measure of affection that this relation can yeeld yet are they but still master and seruant it brings them no neerer But see the exact and strict knot of religion it brings master and seruant an Apostle and a slaue to the deere and speciall affection of a brother-hood Nothing riuets hearts so close as religion The speciall bands of nature are but generall ones the seuerall ones of grace are speciall There is a friend that stickes closer then a brother Pro. 18. 24. The gracious friend stickes closer then the meere naturall brother All the bands of nature of policy of ciuill society they are highly beholding to religion They are but loose at the straightest in comparison of the neerer and stricter knot which grace makes Religion is the surest cement of all societies the looser ioynts of all natural ciuill relations are compacted and confirmed by the sinew of grace and religion which endeeres men one to another in a speciall manner specially to mee Would wee then haue all those that are any way Vse 1 deere vnto vs to be yet more endeered to vs would we haue them specially deere to vs or bee specially deere to them labour wee both to plant religion in them and to bee religious our selues What is the cause of so many iarrs and wranglements betweene such as liue together in the same society but the want of that singular and speciall affection which ought to be among them and what causes the want of that speciall affection but the want of religion This shewes what little hold there is in their Vse 2 friendship that want religion Such a loose ioynted friendship cannot hold long which wants the nerues of religion Obserue who are especially to bee loued of vs. Doct. 3 Such as now ONESIMVS was true Christian conuerts Grace the attractiue of loue Grace is not only the surest band but also the greatest attractiue of loue There is a debt of loue due to all men due to our enemies but our speciall loue and kindnesse is due to the Saints Our loue is ready to be drawen away with glorious outsides and with those Iam. 2. wee are ready to preferre in our respects a good suit before a good heart The more shame for vs. Poore ONESIMVS in the condition of a meane seruant is specially beloued of Paul and esteemed of him as a brother Why should a ring on the finger winn such respect Is not a swine a swine though he haue a ring of gold in his snowt and is not a pearle a pearle though it be trodden vnder foot The rule of our loue should be the Lords loue to loue those most who are most beloued of him They should haue yee cheefly of our respect and affection whom the Lord hath honored with the most liberall largesse of his grace Specially to me Why specially to him Because he Doct. 4 had a special hand in the work of his conuersion See None deerer to Ministers then their conuerts the speciall attractiue of Ministers loue Their loue cannot better be bestowed then where their loue labor hath best prospered Those trees delights the Husbandman most in which were of his own planting and griffing The good successe of our former loue is the greatest motiue that may bee to present and future loue Most mens loues are for good receiued they loue such persons who haue beene instruments and meanes of good to them but heere it is otherwise Ministers loue those most not from whom they receiue some temporall but to whom they doe some spirituall God And thus to loue one not for good receiued but for good done is truely Christian and royall Great is the affection of a Conuert to the Minister and Ministry which hath beene the meanes of his conuersion Hee accounts his very eyes but a vile recompence for so great good Gal. 4. 15. Yet notwithstanding in this case loue rather descendeth then ascendeth 2 Cor. 12. 15. and the abundant loue of the Conuert is superabundantly surmounted by the loue of the Conuerter So much seeme those passionate and affectionate speeches of Paul to witnesse 1 Thess 2. 19. 20. and 3. 8. 9. And though the Galatians could out of their deere affection to PAVL impart their eyes to him yet PAVL goes further and could bee content to impart his owne soule to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2 8. because they were deare vnto him This may serue to satisfie the vniust exception of some against their Ministers whom they accuse of partiality because hee loues some more specially then others and why should not they bee as much regarded inasmuch as happily they are as friendly and as beneficiall to them as others Well it may bee true thou doest so but what good hath his Ministry wrought vpon thee Hath it brought thee to knowledge obedience repentance and reformation as it hath done other some who are highly regarded of thy Minister No such matter why then complainest thou Desire the like affection and then complaine if thou haue it not Boast not of what good thou doest to him shew what good his Ministry hath done to thee The fault is thine owne It is not partiality vpon difference of desart to shew difference of respect But how much more to thee both in the flesh and the Lord The assumption of the second syllogisme which was but thou art bound by a double band the band of the flesh as hee is thy seruant and by the bond of religion in the Lord Therefore c. According to the number and nature of the Doct. bands whereby any are obliged to vs or mee to them euery circumstance that may make for loue The more bonds the more duty should haue force in our affection Vpon doubled grounds and bonds should bee doubled loue and duty We are to loue euery Christian though no other bond tye vs thereunto but that of Christianity But if vnto this there come others our affection should encrease together with them 1 Tim. 5 17. Let the Elders who rule well bee accounted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine Why a double honour because a double desart which binds thereunto A Christian is worthy our loue of what kinred or family soeuer but when a Christian shall bee both of Gods family and of our owne family both Gods childe and our owne Gods seruant and our owne this encrease of bonds should not be without encrease of affection They are fowly to blame then that on the contrary the more their bonds the lesse their affection How many could better affect some neere vnto them in naturall bonds if they were farther off The quarrell is the greater from the neernesse of their bonds So many a woman is so much the more hatefull because a wife and a zealous one many a childe lesse beloued because a religious childe many a seruant lesse respected because a godly seruant So many a childe despises the counsell of a gracious
7. 9. It is great ioy to good hearts to see others orderly and constant in holy seruices Coloss 2. 5. reioycing and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ To all these particulars are we bound therfore because we are bound to reioyce not only our owne but the hearts of all GODS people Heere particularly it bindes people to obey those that haue the ouersight of them that they may doe it with ioy and not with greefe Heb. 13. 17. It binds children to be wise and gracious For the father of the righteous shall greatly reioyce and hee that begets a wise childe shall haue ioy of him Prou. 23. 24. and my sonne if thine heart be wise mine heart shall reioyce euen mine Prou. 23. 15. Thus should children doe that which might reioyce the hearts of their parents people that which might the hearts of their Ministers and one Christian that which might reioyce another But farre are they from this that rather Minister Vse cause of greefe both to all in generall and especially to such to whom neerer bonds haue obliged them How many by their coldnesse deadnesse inordinate and scandalous walking doe greeue the hearts of GODS people That complaint of EZEKIEL against the false Prophets of his time Ezek. 13. 22. That they made the hearts of the righteous sad may be truly taken vp against many priuate people who by forsaking their first loue and returning to their first sins and by carelesse vnconscionable courses causing the Gospell to bee euill spoken of doe greeue and make sad the hearts of all good people Wee must not greeue the good spirit of GOD Ephes 4. 30. wee greeue him not onely then when we greeue him in our selues but when we greeue others in whom the spirit of GOD is so are greeuers of the spirit when we greeue the spirits of the righteous Might but this one thing bee thought vpon it would be a good stay in time of temptation Am not I bound to refresh the bowells of GODS Saints and shall I pierce their bowells Am I not bound to reioyce their hearts and shall I now giue my selfe liberty in these follies which will sad their soules If thou regardest not thine owne peace yet regard their ioy Or if thou wilt not reioyce yet doe not greeue them or if thou wilt not ioy them ioy not theirs and thine owne enemies They were wicked ones that greeued the hart of DAVID Psa 119. 158. I beheld the transgressions and was greeued because they kept not thy word It best becomes such persons to greeue GODS Saints No lesse culpable in this kinde are many people in the sadding of the Pastors heart not onely by their non-proficiency and vnfruitfulnesse but by their obstinacies and crosse carriages when on set purpose they will doe such things as they know will greeue their Ministers PAVL glories of his Thessalonians that they were the crowne of his reioycing 1 Thess 3. 19. these are also crownes not of reioycing but crownes of thornes which peirce the heads yea the hearts of their faithfull Ministers PAVL here vrges PHILEMON to do the thing hee requested because it would reioyce him these will doe the cleane contrary things to those they required because they know it will bee matter of greefe and vexation and take more delight in ripping vp and rending then in refreshing their Ministers bowels Learne what should be the speciall ground of our Doct. 2 ioy in others PAVL desires PHILEMON to gratifie him in this businesse that he might haue ioy of him in his obedience Nothing should more ioy our hearts then the spirituall good of our brethren But of this before v. 7. Refresh my bowells The same petition in another phrase Refresh my bowells that is refresh mee and doe this kindnesse to me howeuer it may also be applied to ONESIMVS as before v. 12. ONESIMVS being his owne bowels in receiuing ONESIMVS hee shall refresh his bowels But I rather take the former to be the true sense See what great comfort and content Ministers Doct. receiue in obedience and subiection to their doctrine Peoples obedience how great a refreshment to Ministers It is as their meat and drinke Meats and drinks doe not more refresh and content the hungry and thirsty mans bowels then the obedience of people refreshes the hearts of Gods ministers Great is the labour of the ministery full of sore toyle and paines but yet all the paine is swallowed vp with that ioy peoples obedience yeelds My meat is to doe my fathers will Ioh. 4. It is meat and drinke to good hearts not onely to doe but also to teach the will of GOD. But when they teach it and see others thereby brought also to doe it this goes as a refreshing oyle into their bowells Me thinks this might somewhat mooue people to yeeld obedience to the Ministry of the word Many would often seeme to pity vs and doe acknowledge the toile of this Ministeriall businesse Doest thou pity the Minister indeede Doth it pity thee to see his wearinesse and how his spirits and strength are spent out of thy pity then refresh his bowells Refresh him with thine obedience This will reuiue him after all his wearinesse this will put life and vigor and spirits afresh into him againe when hee shall see his labour well bestowed The ioy in the successe of their labours fills them with more spirits then the labours of their body spent Then is the Ministry a wearisome worke indeede when after a great deale of sore labour a man hath no recreation or refreshment but is more wearied and tyed with the sight of mens hardnesse then with the hardnesse of the labour The onely cordiall and sweet refectiue after the wearisome worke of the Ministry is the successe of our labours Why then will men deale thus vnkindely with vs thus hardly and cruelly with vs to denie vs our refreshings after our labours why deale men worse with vs then ordinary seruants yea then their beasts Thy beast after his day-labour wherewith hee is wearied and tired hee shall haue his bait and lodging to refresh him and wilt thou not vse thy Minister as kindely as thy beast pity his great paines and wearinesse and recreate and refresh him with thine obedience Many when they see the labour of the Ministry would giue ease to the paines therof with that speech of PETERS to our Sauiour in another case Matth. 16. Master pitie thy selfe what neede you take so great paines But to let passe that answer giuen to PETER fitly suiting with their counsell Thou sauourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men wee desire them to pity and refresh vs by their taking of more profit and not to bee pitied or refreshed by our owne taking lesse paines Their profit would ease and refresh vs against all our paines This was CHRYSOSTOMES refreshment after his paines Propterea non Ad pop hom 9. sentio docendi
of prison Acts 12. 5. So Peter was kept in prison but earnest prayer was made of the Church vnto God for him The Church first sent vp their praiers before GOD sent downe his Angell And Acts 16. 25. 26. At midnight Paul and Sylas prayed vnto God and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and by and by all the doores were opened and euery mans bands were loosed Oh sweet comfort to all the imprisoned Saints of GOD. The enemies of the Gospell haue not them in so sure hold as they make account of they haue a key about them which if GOD see it good shall open the prison doores and vnloose their bands and set them at liberty There is more power in the Saints prayers then in their enemies threatnings and so more comfort in the one then matter of feare in the other There is no prison so strong but prayer if God see it good is able to open It is no lesse powerfull to fetch downe the prison walls then the trumpets of Ramms-hornes were to fetch downe the high walls of Iericho Obserue the speciall meanes of restoring GODS Doct. 2 Ministers if euer restrained I trust thorough your prayers I shall bee giuen vnto you The prayer of the righteous auaileth much Iam. 5. It auaileth to the restoring of PAVL to his liberty if GOD see it fit for him If the prayer of one righteous man is of such force what are the ioynt and vnited prayers of the whole Church Heb. 13. 18. 19. Pray for vs and I desire you somewhat the more earnestly that yee doe so that I may bee restored to you the more quickly I trust thorough your prayers I shall be giuen that Doct. 3 is freely giuen vnto you Euen those blessings Prayer merits not which we haue from God by prayer are free and franke blessings Though wee obtaine blessings by prayer yet not for our prayers that is not by the merit of our prayer Prayer is a begging of blessings from the Lord what can the begger deserue by his begging Though we giue when one beggs yet not for any worth in his begging but wee doe it out of meere compassion without any desart on his part The prayer of the righteous auaileth much not simply because prayer but because the prayer of the righteous whose person is iustified and reconciled in CHRIST and accepted in his merits If our praiers were meritorious then could it not stand with GODS Iustice so much as to deferre much lesse to deny them sometimes What Iustice is it to keepe backe that from a man which is his due by desart He that obtaines no more then his prayers deserue will finde little heart to pray and may spare the labour of thankesgiuing VERS 23. There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Iesus 24. Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke my fellow-labourers 25. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with your spirit Amen THE conclusion of the Epistle which is spent in saluation and in prayer First hee salutes PHILEMON from EPAPHRAS MARCVS c. EPAPHRAS is mentioned Coloss 1. 7. and 4. 12. MARCVS is mentioned Acts 12. 12. ARISTARCHVS is also named Acts 19. 29. 30. and Coloss 4. 10. DEMAS is well knowen by that place 2 Tim. 4. 10. And LVKE no lesse knowen by his Gospell Concerning salutations and their manner wee heard before verse 3. Heere then onely obserue the descriptions of these men EPAPHRAS is called his fellow-prisoner in CHRIST IESVS PAVL in prison hath a fellow GOD leaues not Doct. his comfortlesse and alone but sweetens the affliction Gods prouides for the comfort of his children in the prison of the prison with the communion of Saints PAVL ioyed not that EPAPHRAS was imprisoned hee had rather hee might haue beene preaching at Colossus but yet heerein see the good prouidence of God and therin might PAVL ioy so disposing that EPAPHRAS being imprisoned should be imprisoned in the same prison with PAVL If PAVL had beene alone in one prison and EPAPHRAS in another they had beene depriued of that sweet communion which now they had together in prayer in conference and holy discourse Heerein therefore did God graciously prouide for them both to bee fellow-prisoners not onely in the same cause but happily in the same house because he sends salutations from EPAPHRAS Yea God doth not onely prouide EPAPHRAS to be a fellow-prisoner to PAVL but rather then they shall want fellowes God himselfe will beare them company in their prisons Gen. 39. 20. 21. And Iosephs master tooke him and put him in prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound and there hee was in prison but the Lord was with Ioseph Who would not be in IOSEPHS prison to haue IOSEPHS companion I am not alone saith our Sauiour Ioh. 16. for the father is with me GOD will prouide fellowes for his prisoners if not hee will recompence the solitarinesse of the prison with the sweet fellowship of his Spirit The cause of EPAPHRAS imprisonment is layd downe In Christ Iesus And indeed it was their fellow-ship in the cause rather then in the house that makes PAVL giue him the title of fellow-prisoner Happily there might bee others in the same prison for other causes which iustly deserued the prison but they were none of PAVLS fellow-prisoners because though put into the same prison yet not for the same cause What else might be here obserued was handled before verse 1. The other foure are described by another title of fellow-ship fellow-labourers to wit in the worke of the Ministry The ministry then is a painfull a laborious calling It is not a calling of ease or pleasure Mat. 9. Pray Doct. The Ministry a laborious and a painfull calling to the Lord of the haruest that hee would thrust forth labourers into his haruest Ministers are labourers yea haruest labourers which of all others are the sorest no labour more toylesome then the labour of the haruest man of all others it is the most sore sweating labour Surely the sweat of the Ministry exceedes the sweat of other callings and with the sorest labourer the Minister eats his bread in the sweat of his browes 1 Thess 5. 12. Now wee beseech you brethren know them which labour among you Men ordinarily will not know them nor know their labor yet GOD himselfe takes notice of it for a labour Reu. 2. 2. I know thy workes and thy labour GOD acknowledges the Ephesian Angells labour The Elders that rule well of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. we shall finde 1 Thess 2. 9. two sore words ioyned together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee remember our labour and our trauell Heereupon in Scriptures so often compared to souldiers shepheards husbandmen nurses all callings of no ease The pastorall toyle in the cure of soule is no lesse then was IAAKOBS in the keeping of LABANS sheep Gen. 31. 40.
iustice to correct vs. In corrections comming immediately from Gods hand we are not ordinarily so impatient as in those which come by means of wicked instruments The reason is because in these latter we cast our eye too much vpon the malice hatred and spight of the instruments and cannot therein behold the Lords holy hand striking vs with these rods But if we would consider that it is God that scourges vs by them we should then be ashamed of our folly in being angrie at the rod without any regard of the Smiter in snarling like dogs at the stone neuer looking at the flinger Yea wee should then frame our selues to greater patience putting our mouth in the dust and giuing our cheeke to him that smites vs because it is the Lords doing more then his and though he be vniust vnmercifull vnfaithfull and vnkinde yet God therein is most iust mercifull faithfull and kinde vnto vs. 2. It is a doctrine of singular cōfort to the children Vse of God being in the hands of their cruell and crafty aduersaries because their aduersaries also are in the hands of God as a rod in the hand of the Smiter And therefore as the rod of it selfe can doe nothing any further then the force of the hand vsing it giues strength vnto it no more can they doe any thing vnto vs as our Sauiour told Pilate further then it is giuen them from aboue Ioh. 19. A merciful father though he take a great swindging rod into his hands to correct his childe yet he will not spend it wholly vpon his tender childes backe he will strike but softly and so will not doe him all the hurt which hee might vsing the rod to the vttermost when the poore child sees such a terrible rodde he might iustly be afraid knew hee not that his louing Father would so handle the rodde that it should doe him no more harme then a smaller one would When God le ts loose vpon vs bloody and boysterous Tyrants whose throat is an open sepulchre whose feet are swift to shed blood and whose mercies are cruell this might well dismay vs knew we not that God by his ouer-ruling hand did moderate and restraine them Otherwise if as their power is the rod so their malice were the hand that had the ordering thereof there would bee no hoe with them but they would soone make a finall dispatch and riddance of Christians from the face of the earth But sith God is the hand wherein these rods are holden wee need not to feare the greatest of them though liuing rods For howsoeuer Dauid 1. Sam. 24. oppose the hand of God and man and saith It is better to fall into the hands of God then of man yet wee must know that euen that vvhich Dauid calls the hand of man is the hand of God And therefore although it be better for vs to fall into the hand of God immediatly correcting vs then mediatly by euill men as it is better for the child to haue a boxe on the eare with his fathers hand then to bee scourged with a whip and that God shewes more mercy ordinarily in the former kind of correction then in the latter yet mercy also doth hee shew vnto vs in the latter in that hee bridles and curbs yea oftentimes mollifies and mitigates the minds euen of most fierie and furious aduersaries suffring them to doe no more then he himselfe hath appointed 2. Thing to be cōsidered in this our blessed man is that he is taught of God in his Law And teachest in thy Law Here note that happines is not ascribed to the Doct. man chastised vnlesse as he is chastised so also he be taught of the Lord in his Law See then who is the man that may challenge part in this blessednes which is here giuen to the afflicted Hee who is schooled and nurtured of the Lord by the meane of his affliction and thereby learnes many godly lessons which he knew not before Afflictions in themselues are tokens of Gods anger curses rather then blessings but yet when God by his wonderfull power drawing light euen out of darknes shall turne them to our good to the increase of grace sanctification in vs then are they vndoubted badges of our blessednes Examine thy selfe therfore what thine affliction hath taught thee otherwise if thine affliction finding thee vntaught so likewise leaue thee I debarre thee that blessednes which appertaines to Gods people in their afflictions Nay cursed art both thou and thine affliction too thine affliction is but a fore-runner of worser things likely to befall thee when it departs from thee without leauing behind it the stampe of this holy learning in thine heart But more particularly to handle this teaching here spoken of Teaching implyes both a Schoolemaster a Teacher instructing and lessons taught In this Teaching both these points are here noted out And for the first namely the Schoolemaster it is two fold 1. The outward affliction and chastifement Whom thou chastisest teachest that is whom by chastising thou teachest 2. God himselfe who is the chiefe and principall head Schoolemaster the other being but an inferiour and subordinate one Whom thou teachest And for the second point The lessons taught they are included generally in those words In thy Law To beginne then with the Schoolemasters and first with the first The first Schoolemaster is Affliction A sharp Doct. and seuere and swinging Schoolemaster indeed so much the fitter for such stout and stubborne schollers as we are Who because wee will not be ouercome by faire meanes must needs therfore be dealt withall by foule For God doth not willingly afflict vs but being necessarily thereunto inforced by that strength of corruption in vs which otherwise will not be subdued So Physicions and Chirurgions are constrained to come to cutting launcing and burning when milder remedies will not preuaile Let vs therefore hereby take notice of the hardnes of our hearts the fallow ground whereof cannot be broken vp but by this sharpe plough of Affliction See what dullards and block-heads we are how slowe to vnderstand spirituall things not able to conceiue of them by the instruction of words vnlesse they be euen beaten and driuen into our braines by blowes So thick and brawny is that foreskin which is drawne ouer our vncircumcised eares and hearts that no doctrine can enter vnless it be pegged and hammered and knocked into vs by the fists of this sowre and crabbed Schoolemaster The second Schoolemaster is GOD himselfe Doct. Afflictions of themselues though curst Schoolemasters yet can do vs no good vnlesse God come by his Spirit and teach our hearts inwardly Let vs therefore pray that as in the ministry of Gods Word so also of his works and iudgements wee may be all taught of God For it is his Spirit that quickneth and animateth the outward meanes which otherwise are a dead letter And this is the reason that many men haue rather grown worse by their afflictions then any
may comfort our selues in GOD to whom we commended both our selues and our actions Gratias Domine Iesu THE SCHOOLE OF AFFLICTION OR A SERMON OF THE benefits and blessings of AFFLICTION By the same Author Schola crucis schola lucis LONDON Printed for Robert Millburne 1618. A Table of the lessons taught in the Schoole of Affliction Affliction teaches 1. The vnconuerted Conuersion 2. The Conuerted 1. The right bearing of afflictions in Faith Obedience manifested in Patience Cheerefulnesse 2. The right vse of afflictions which is in regard of Knowledge of our Corruptions Graces Practise in Renewing graces decayed which are Generall Faith in Gods Prouidence Promise Repentance in the acts concerning Sinne past which are foure Sight of sinne vpon examination Humiliation Inward in the Iudgement Affections Outward in our carriage to God Man Inuocation Reformation Sinne to come Wisdome in preuention Speciall which are Thankefulnesse Compassion Preparation for death Desire of the life to come Encreasing graces renewed THE SCHOOLE OF AFFLICTION PSAL. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastizest ô Lord and teachest in thy Law AFTER that the Prophet had preferred his complaint to the Lord against the aduersaries of the Church from the first verse to the eighth hee leaueth God and in a sudden conuersion of speech turnes himselfe from the party complained vnto to the parties complained of the cruell oppressours of the Church terrifying them by those iust iudgements of God which in fine must ouertake them and so consequently cheering and comforting the distressed Church But because the distresse of the Churches enemies of it selfe could be no sufficient matter of comfort vnto her therefore a second argument of further and that farre more effectuall consolation is added in this twelfth verse drawen from the happy condition of the Church euen whilest she is thus ouerborne with these tygerly and tyrannicall persecutours And the argument is propounded by the Prophet not directing his speech to the Church but rather in his own person bringing in the Church suddenly turning her speech from her enemies with whom she was expostulating to God himselfe and breaking forth into this patheticall exclamation Blessed is the man whom thou chastizest ô Lord and teachest in thy Law From the coherence of which words with the former we may obserue That the outward miseries of our enemies is but Doct. 1 colde comfort vnlesse withall we haue a perswasion of our owne inward happinesse The practise of the world is to reioyce at the euills of those that haue done euill to them Comforting themselues for all the euill they haue sustained at their hands with that recompence of the like or greater euills which diuine Iustice maketh But this reioycing is not good for alas what good can another mans misery doe vs when our owne consciences shall tell vs that we are euery way as miserable our selues It would doe the childe little good to see the rod cast into the fire if he himselfe should be cast in after it Therefore the Church hauing in this place meditated of the iust iudgements of God which should in due time befall her aduersaries and not finding sufficiency of comfort therein heere in this verse proceedeth to a further meditation of her owne case and condition Wherein she seemeth thus to reason with her selfe What though these mine enemies shall at length be brought to their deserued ends what though I know they be reserued for shame and confusion what ease can this bring to my minde now deiected and cast downe in it selfe and happily thinking it selfe as miserable as these my foes now these doubtful thoughts something disquieting her further comfort is ministred vnto her by the Spirit of God in this verse whereby she is enabled to answere that obiection shee made against her selfe namely that she is assured that as her aduersaries case is wretched so is her owne most happy and blessed Let no man then rest in that comfort which the ruine of his and Gods enimies ministreth vnto him but rather in that which his owne conscience assuring him of happinesse affordeth vnto him that so to vse the words of the Apostle Gal. 6. 4. though in something a diuers sense he may haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another Yet I deny not but great comfort may be taken out of the confusion of the Churches wicked enemies The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance hee shall wash his feete in the bloud of the wicked Psal 58. 10. But yet this ioy which arises from the seeing of Gods iustice executed vpon others as it is nothing so full and so perfect as that which proceedeth from the feeling of his mercy in our selues because it is something curbed with griefe in seeing the destruction of our owne flesh so neither of it selfe without this latter is it any thing sound or sincere as not being able to vphold and sustaine the wearied and feeble knees of our fainting soules Therefore it followes in the eleuenth verse of that former Psalme So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that iudgeth in the earth The righteous could not so heartily and sincerely reioyce if there were not a reward for him as well as vengeance for the wicked Againe it is worth our obseruation to consider Doct. 2 the manner wherein this second argument of comfort is propounded The Prophet doth not turne his speech to the afflicted Church and speake to her but he turnes his speech to the Lord saying Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest ô Lord. What may be the reason of this Did the Lord stand in neede of his comfort why doth he not rather direct and addresse his speech to his owne soule and the rest of his brethren and fellowes in affliction to whom this comfort belonged Surely hereby to teach vs That comfort is then most sweetely and sensibly felt and apprehended when we lift vp our hearts in holy meditations to him who is the Father of mercies and God of all consolation Otherwise though arguments of neuer so great comfort offer themselues vnto vs yet hardly shall wee stay and quiet our troubled mindes by them vnlesse in thinking on them we doe withall thinke on God breaking our mindes to him in prayer and meditation and familiarly communicating vnto him what bee those points of comfort wee haue thought vpon Haue we therefore in our afflictions furnished and fortified our hearts with arguments of consolation and meditations of comfort out of the word let vs poure them forth into the Lords bosome in prayer and then wee shall feele the sweetnesse of them indeed then shall wee finde our former comforts doubled and tripled vpon vs euen as the beames of the sunne receiue an increase of heate by reflexion It being the Lords vsuall manner in this holy exercise of prayer and comming with him to shed abroad his loue abundantly into the hearts of his children thereby reuiuing and raising vp their
dead and deiected spirits which Paul right well knowing hauing commanded vs to reioyce and that euermore euen in our afflictions 1 Thess 5. 16. 17. addeth immediately a commaundement of praying continually as the onely speciall and soueraigne meanes whereby sound ioy and comfort is carried and conueied into the soule of man Would wee then reioyce and refresh our spirits cast downe and lift them vp againe with consolatory meditations See then that thou remember the Apostles rule to pray continually and in prayer to acquaint God with those thy meditations prayer being that which wringeth and presseth out that sweet iuyce and precious liquor of that heauenly comfort which is contained in them They be the sighes of the Spirit in prayer that fetch out the comforts of the Spirit in the word And to them onely and to no other are the doctrines of the word comfortable in affliction who in prayer can vtter them to the Lord with the same spirit wherewithall the Holy Ghosts Secretaries wrote them And this is the reason that many learned men which know the comforts of the word yet reape no benefit by them because they want the Spirit of Prayer to vtter them This one meditation of the blessednesse of the man chastised and taught by God yeeldes comfort onely to him who with this holy Prophet can in the apprehension of this meditation aduance his heart to God and say Blessed is the man whom thou chastizest O Lord c. And surely good reason is there if wee rightly consider of it that matter of comfort conceiued in our harts should be vttered in prayer vnto the Lord. For whence was it that any matter of comfort came into thy minde Was it not of God who hath this as part of his style to be the God of comfort was it not he that poured those comforts into thy soule good reason then thou shouldest againe poure them forth into his bosome and returne them backe to him that is the Father and fountaine of them And in truth such is the nature of spirituall comfort that being shed into our hearts it so enlarges and dilates them that it makes them to poure forth themselues in prayer vnto the Lord. The sweete comfortable rayes of this sunne when once they haue lighted vpon our hearts by our reading and meditating in the word doe forthwith againe rebound and reflect backe vpon God from whom they came by our earnest and feruent prayers sent vp to him And therefore no sooner could the Lord minister an answere to the obiection which rose in the Prophets minde out of his former argument of consolation but the Prophet forthwith as ye see returnes this answere to the Author thereof therein giuing him the glory of that comfort which hee reaped by it saying Blessed is the man c. So much of the scope and coherence of the text The words themselues containe an attribution of blessednes to the man chastised of God and taught by him in his Law In the man therefore here pronounced blessed two things are propounded 1. He is one of Gods chastised 2. He is one of Gods taught And here for the right vnderstanding of the words wee must remember that blessednesse is giuen in both these respects ioyntly together and not seuerally in regard of each The Prophets meaning is not that he who is chastised of God is blessed and so also he that is taught of God but that he in whom both these meete together to bee both chastised and taught of God that such an one is blessed In the handling of the words I will speak of these two points 1. Of the qualities of the man here blessed by the Prophet 2. Of that blessednesse which here is ascribed vnto him in regard of those qualities For the first the qualities are two 1. He is chastised of God Here it may seeme strange that the Prophet speaking of afflictions which came by wicked men vnto the Church as appeares by the former part of the Psalme should yet ascribe them vnto God But wee must know that it is not the Prophets meaning hereby any thing at all to excuse the wicked Persecutors who besides the euill of punishment in correcting the Church which is Gods iust and holy worke are to bee charged with the euill of sinne in that they do this work of God blindly and ignorantly propounding to themselues the satisfying of their owne malicious and spightfull affections as the onely end of that they doe and no such thing as God intendeth What then Surely hereby he would teach vs that Gods holy Doct. hand hath a speciall stroke in those afflictions which come to his Church and children euen by meanes of euill and vnreasonable men Is there any euill in the Citie and I haue not done it Amos 3. 6. And yet we know that many if not most euills are done by some bad men or other But for all that God wil haue all acknowledged as his own doing Hereupon Ioseph though of his enuious brethren sold into Aegypt saith that God sent him thither And Iob robbed of the Sabaans saith The Lord hath taken away Iob 1. The Lords hand in the punishment inflicted on his by euill ones shewes it selfe in these three actions 1. From all eternities he did appoint them Act. 4. 28. to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and counsell hath appointed to be done 2. He being able to hinder and restraine them doth not but willingly suffers them yea he withdrawes that which might hinder as his retaining grace which before kept them in and other outward impediments yea he sends those things which hee knowes through their corruptions will further and forward them as outward obiects and occasions 3. Hee ordereth and disposeth these punishments turning them to his owne glory and the good of his Church Thus Ioseph said of his selling into Aegypt God disposed it to good though his brethren thought euill against him Gen. 50. 20. This must teach vs patience when we are wronged Vse iniuried and oppressed in any sort by euill men because then being vnder them we are vnder Gods rod as Ashur is called Is 10. This vse Dauid made Ps 39. 10. Absalon rising vp against him I was dumbe and said nothing because it was thy doing And this made him so patiently endure Shimies rayling not suffering his seruants to take reuenge because the Lord had commaunded him to curse 2. Sam. 16. 10. As in that persecution of the tongue so likewise in the persecution of the hand it may bee said The Lord hath commaunded Tyrants to imprison to impouerish to beate to banish and to behead his children And therefore as noble men condemned to die do patiently suffer the stroake of death at the hands of the base Executioner therein shewing their subiection and obedience to their Prince so must we patiently and meekly endure all the indignities and iniuries of wicked worldly men therein giuing testimonie of our obedience to God who vseth them as instruments of his