Children of God c Psal 123 3. Haue mercy vpon vs ô Lord haue mercy vpon vs for we haue suffered to much contempt This is the direction that the Apostle Iames giueth d Iames 5 5. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him This is that which the Apostle both teacheth and craueth The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all The like we see vsed by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 1. 4. All which testimonies serue directly to teach vs that what blessings soeuer we want we must beg them of God and of him onely Reason 1. Let vs see the Reasons to confirme vs in this truth First God is the fountaine of all good thinges and the Well-spring of all graces whatsoeuer Hee is a most bountifull and liberall Giuer none can helpe vs but he alone If hee shut his handes who can open them If hee stoppe his eares who can heare If hee turne awaie his eye from vs who can see our wantes If hee close vp his heart who can shew mercie Hence it is that the Apostle saith e Rom 11 36. For of him and through him and for him are all thinges to him bee glory for euer Amen And Iames in the first Chapter of his Epistle Iam. 1. 17. f Iames 1 17. Euery good giuing and euery perfect guift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shaddow of turning Reason 2. Secondly the three persons in Trinity doe worke ioyntly together euen from the first beginning of our creation to the last finishing of our saluation It is said all things were made by the Sonne g Iohn 1 3. and that without him nothing was made that was made the Spirit also did sustaine and vphold that confused Lumpe which was the matter of the vniuersall so that they are said and set downe to be Creators as well as the Father In the worke of our saluation the Father willeth it and electeth vs the Sonne meriteth and deserueth it the Holy Ghost applyeth and appropriateth it This is it which Christ himselfe h Iohn 5 17. 16 13. saith Ioh. 5. My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And Chap. 16. When he commeth which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth So we might say the like touching the guifts of Sanctification and Iustification the Father forgiueth and washeth away sinne by the blood of Christ through the sprinkling of the Spirit he mortifieth sinne by the power of the death of Christ through the working of the Holy Ghost he raiseth vnto newnesse of life by the power of Christes Resurrection applyed by the Spirit hee iustifieth vs by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and appropriated vnto vs by the Spirit Seeing therefore that God is a most munificent and liberall giuer rich vnto all and niggardly to none and seeing these three persons beeing one God doe worke ioyntly together in all things touching the creation of the World and the saluation of man and the redemption of our Soules it followeth whensoeuer we want any guifts needefull for Soule or body for this life or the life to come we must aske the supply of them at the handes of God onely the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Vse 1. Now let vs handle the Vses breefely that arise from hence First we see that it is necessary for all that would pray aright and would obtaine that which they desire to be well instructed in the Vnity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons and to know the distinct properties of the persons without the vnderstanding whereof wee worship not the true God but an Idoll Our Sauiour in his conference with the Woman of Samaria chargeth the i Iohn 4 12. Samaritans to worship they know not what so doe many in our dayes both Heretiques and ignorant persons they call vppon God confusedlie but they haue no particular knowledge of God at all We must conceiue no otherwise of God in our minde then he hath expressed in his word The scripture teacheth to knowledge to beleeue to worship one God and him onely If we conceiue or imagine or receiue a multiplicity of Gods wee turne the truth of God into a lie and we erect vnto our selues so many Idols Againe the same Scripture setteth before vs three persons in that Godhead the Father which is the first person in the Trinity of himselfe the Son which is the second person begotten of the Father the holy Ghost which is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne The Father is God the Sonne is God the holy Ghost is God and yet these three persons are not three Gods but one onely God And heere we haue in this place a notable Testimony of the God-head of the Sonne where the Apostle desireth and prayeth for grace and peace to be giuen to Philemon and his Wife to Archippus and the Church not onely from God the Father but from the Lord Iesus Christ This had bin monstrous horrible Idolatry and blasphemy Lastly if Christ had not bin in Nature Maiesty and glory equal with the Father hee of whom and from whom we craue spirituall and eternall gifts k Iohn 1 16. And of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace must be confessed and beleeued to be God but such is Christ Iesus and therefore let this be an article of our Faith written in our hearts acknowledged with our mouth and confessed in the Church for euer that Christ is true God Vse 2. Secondly all good things are to be craued of God whether it be the supplying of his graces or the remoouing of our troubles we are taught to goe immediatly to God by Christ whensoeuer he blesseth vs and to returne vnto himselfe the praise of his owne worke This duty being required it serueth to meete with many corruptions that are too common in the world It conuinceth such Heathnish minded men as are of dead harts and haue no spark of the life of Gods Spirite in them that receiue and swallow vp daily diuers blessinges yet neuer looke to GOD that blesseth them but wee are like vnto the Swine that goe groueling to the ground like the Horse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding at all and so vse all the profites and pleasures of this life without any acknowledgement and consideration from whence they come and of whom they haue receiued them l Ezek. 32 6. or like vnto the Israelites when they had forsaken God They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play or as c Gen. 25 34. Esau He did eate and drinke he rose vp and went his way he filled his paunch and such was his prophanenesse that hee was touched with nothing These men doe daily deuour infinite
Doctrine 4. True religion must be openly confessed professed Heereby wee learne that faith and the fruits thereof must be openly professed True Religion must not onely bee inwardly beleeued and in the heart acknowledged but must outwardly be confessed and professed in the world before men We see this in Daniell and the three Children hee was cast into the Lyons den they into the hot fiery furnace because they thought it not sufficient to worship God closely and secretly in their hearts but publickly declared what God they serued and what religion they embraced The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes calleth Christ Iesus a Heb. 3 1. 10 23. 13 15. the High-Priest of our profession that is of the trueth which we professe and beleeue And afterward he saith Let vs keep the profession of our faith without wuuering And againe Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name This duty of acknowledging and confessing the truth haue all the seruants of God practised made conscience of from the beginning giuing witnesse to God his truth When the Apostles were conuented before the counsel they did not hide their faith but said b Acts 4 8. 19 20. 5 30. Ye Rulers of the people and elders of Israell forasmuch as we this day are examined of the good deede done to the impotent man to wit by what meanes he is made whole be it known vnto you all and to al the people of Israell that by the Name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome yee haue crucified whom God raysed againe from the dead euen by him dooth this man stand heere before you whole And when they were charged to ho de their peace and to speake or teach no more in the Name of Iesus they aunsweared Whether it bee right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then GOD iudge ye for wee cannot but speake the thinges which wee haue seene and heard The Apostle Paule vseth this boldnesse of speech before Felix c Acts 24 14 15. I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers beleeuing all thinges which are written in the Law and in the Prophets c. And as the Apostle himselfe practised this dutie so Timothy is commended and praised by him for the same d 1 Tim. 6 12 13. Fight the good fight of Faith lay holde of eternall life whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses wherein also hee followed the steppes and example of Iesus Christ which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession All these as a clowd of witnesses serue to confirme vs in the assured truth of this doctrine that God requireth this duty of vs to confesse his word boldly to manifest our faith openly to shew our Religion publickely that so wee may confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sons of men Reason 1. And howsoeuer these Testimonies may serue and suffice for the strengthning thereof yet it shall appeare more plain and euident vnto vs if we waigh the Reasons First the profession of our faith hath a great promise of a rich reward ioyned with it and added vnto it and the starting backe from it as a deceitful bow hath a sore threatning of a grieuous curse following after it It is that which our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples whom he sent out as Sheepe among Wolues and foretelleth them of afflictions and persecutions that should be raised against them e Math. 10 32 23. Marke 8 38. Luke 9 26. 12 8. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in Heauen and whosoeuer shall denie me before men him will I also denie before my Father which is in Heauen It is an hard matter to stand when the storme falleth and to confesse Christ in time of daunger when persecuters arise and enemies shewe themselues but the earnest consideration of this that Christ will confesse vs in the glorie of his Father and before the Angels of God will be a forcible meanes and motiue to put life and courage into vs to enable vs and perswade vs to this practise For what can be more right and reasonable and stand better with the Lawe of equity then that the seruant should not feare to professe what Maister hee serueth who will know him and confesse him when he is entred into his glory If a Prince should come to a man among a great company and single him out by name if he should acknowledge him among a thousand others and speake kindly vnto him it woulde encourage him to liue and die in his quarrell euen so seeing Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the heire of alâ— things will at the last day do vs this honour to confesse vs to be his owne children and giue vnto vs the Crowne of glory how should we bee stirred vp in loue to him againe and strengthned in the inward man to waxe bold in the faith and feruent in spirite to giue out a cleare Testimonie before all the worlde whose Seruants wee are and in all troubles to cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart On the other side wee must bee terrifyed from denying him least hee bee ashamed of vs and denie vs before his Father which is in Heauen Reason 2. Secondly confession is a necessary fruit and consequent of faith where true Faith is in the hart there wil follow confession with the mouth This is it which the Prophet speaketh in his owne experience f Psal 116 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake for I was sore troubled This is made a note of Faith what it beleeueth it speaketh albeit the confession of the truth be accompanied with daunger And least any should imagine this to be peculiar to the Prophet not common to others the Apostle draweth it likewise vnto himselfe g 2 Cor. 4 13. Because wee haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore speake He that is afraid to confesse Christ hath no true faith but he that beleeueth in him will not be ashamed of him and his Gospell Reason 3. Thirdly the Faith of Christes true Religion is a most glorious thing containing in it the great praise and glory of Gods wisedome power mercie and righteousnesse and it deliuereth the matter of mans saluation and eternall happinesse This was it that mooued the Apostle to preach the Gospell freely and boldly h Rom. 1 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian Seeing therefore Christ hath promised to confesse vs before his Father seeing faith is manifested and shewed by
confession and lastly seeing the Gospell of Christ is the instrument of Gods power to woorke in vs saluation it followeth that the Religion of God and the gospel of Christ must not onely be beleeued in heart and embraced in Iudgements but also bee confessed by the mouth and professed in the practise of an holy life Obiections answered Against this truth somewhat may be obiected First if true Religion must openly bee confessed then such as are dumbe and cannot speake can haue no Religion if Confession be a fruite of faith then they must of necessitie want Faith that want the vse of the tongue Answere I answere the Doctrine must be vnderstood of such as haue the vse of the tongue giuen them to glorifie God If God haue giuen vnto vs the freedome of speech hee requireth this dutie at our hands If hee haue giuen vs no more then a sanctified and faithfull heart let vs honour him with the holy Meditations thereof he will exact no more of vs then hee hath giuen vnto vs. Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid sayeth or rather the Lorde himselfe by the Prophet Psalme 81. i Psal 81 10. Open thy Mouth wide and I will fill it In like manner it is sayde k Rom. 10 17 That Faith commeth by Hearing and Hearing by the worde of God yet can God extraordinarily giue faith to those that are deafe and haue not their hearing who is not bound to the outward sences nor tieth his graces to the outward eares but supplieth those wants by the working of his holy spirit to the endlesse comfort of such as haue those infirmities Obiection 2 Againe the Apostle sayth Rom. 14 22. Hast thou Faith Haue it with thy selfe before God Where we see hee seemeth to say that it is sufficient if we haue Faith inwardly in the heart albeit no confession followe outwardly with the mouth Answere I answere the Apostle in this place speaketh of another thing to wit of a perswasion touching Christian liberty in things indifferent as if hee shoulde say Art thou strongly perswaded and assured that all Meats are lawfull to Christians Be it so yet vse it betweene God and thine owne Conscience and hurt not thy Neighbour with it nor offend thy weake Brother by it This serueth nothing at all to maintaine a dumbe Religion without open Confession which some would willingly bring in considering as one l Tertullian sayth that he which doth dissemble faith doth deny it Obiection 3. Lastly it is Obiected that Religion is better to bee concealed that we may giue no offence vnto others and auoyde the troubles that ariseth by Confession Answere I aunswere that is no offence giuen to men but a greeuous sinne committed against God who requireth the profession of his trueth And the Apostle Paule was readie to suffer bandes and imprisonment yea euen death it selfe for the profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Thus much breefely shall suffice in answere of the Obiections that are made Vse 1. Now let vs see and marke the Vses that arise from hence First wee learne who are to bee accounted true Christians and true Beleeuers to wit such as shew soorth their Fayth by their Confession It is not left to our owne choyse whether wee will make a solemne and sound profession of the Faith or not no more then it is at our libertie whether wee will beleeue or not or whether wee will bee saued or not It is required of all that belong to God to confesse his name and maintaine his Religion All men must confesse that would be confessed before the Father Christ Iesus will neuer beare and endure that seruant which is ashamed of his seruice The Prophet prophesying of the Kingdome of Christ and shewing how they should grow and multiply as the grasse of the field maketh this as a fruite of their conuersion to the Faith l Esay 44 5. One shall say I am the Lords another shall bee called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name himselfe by the name of Israell This the Apostle m Ro. 10 9 10 also teacheth Rom. 10. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued for with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation So our Sauiour doth not make it proper to his disciples but common to all to confesse him and his words before men And he doth not say whosoeuer shall confesse mee in heart but with his tongue not inwardly but outwardly not secretly but openly For albeit the Faith of the heart be the principall thing and cheefely required of vs yet the confession of the mouth must not bee separated from it This reprooueth such as account this open confession of the truth to bee of no absolute necessitie but a meere thing indifferent left to our liberty to be practised or not to bee practised These are those Libertines that woulde liue as they list and make it no matter of what Religion they be For if it be indifferent whether wee professe Religion or not it is indifferent whether we beleeue or haue faith and let them hold it indifferent also vnto them whether the Lord Iesus doo professe to know them or not Againe we see that it is not enough for vs not to denie Christ but there is required of vs a farther dutie euen to confesse him before men It is required of a dutifull son to confesse his Father with a sound and vpright hart but yet he must not deny his father before men if he would haue his Father confesse him So is it the part of a true Christian to beleeue to righteousnes and to confesse to saluation Euery one would seeme willing and desirous to be saued but if we looke to be partakers thereof Christ must know vs for his seruants and he will not acknowledge vs in his kingdome vnlesse heere we make confession of him If we will not heere know him he wil say to vs heereafter I know you not depart from me n 2 Tim. 2 12. If we deny him he will deny vs If we be ashamed of him take heede least he also bee ashamed of vs. The Theefe that was vpon the Crosse made open confession of his faith reproued the blasphemy of his Companion and called vpon Christ for saluation Luke 23. he rebuked his fellow saying o Luke 23 40 42 43. Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation We are indeed righteously heer for we receiue things worthy of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And he sayd vnto Iesus Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome And albeit hee were a Theefe and a Malefactor for which hee suffered death yet is not Christ ashamed of him hee doth not stoppe his eares
Pharisies they did not confesse him least they should be cast out of the Sinagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God He speaketh in this place of such as were true beleeuers as appeareth both by the phrase of speaking and the opposition made betweene these and those that beleeued not z Verse 37. mentioned before Verse 37. where it is said That though he did many miracles before them yet they beleeued not on him The Euangelist noteth two lets and impediments that hindred them from the open manifestation of their Faith to wit the shame of the Crosse and the glory of the world Thus we see that sometimes the deere Seruants of God are for a time afraid to confesse him and to bewray themselues what they holde and how they beleeue When Peter was come into the High-Priests Hall and saw himselfe in danger of death he was so farre from confessing that hee fell to open denying of his Mayster he beleeued in him no doubt in his hart but he gaue not glory vnto him as he ought with his mouth This wee haue heard to be in some of the blessed Martyrs who gaue their liues to the death they haue sometimes staggered and felt the weaknesse of the flesh before they haue beene throughly strengthned in the Inner man Nicodemus a Ruler of the Iewes and a Maister in Israell bearing a loue vnto Christ a Iohn 3 2. 7 50. 19 38 came vnto him by night and closely as it were by stealth So Ioseph of Aramathia was first a Disciple of Christ secretly for feare of the Iewes yet afterward being stirred vp with those things that they saw at the death and passion of Christ both of them shewed themselues more boldly confidently in his cause and in the end forsooke all to follow him and resolued to cleaue vnto him with the losse of all thinges that might be precious and deere vnto them Such then as our Faith is such is our confession A weake Faith a weake confession a strong Faith a strong confession no Faith no confession a staggering Faith a wauering confession Wherefore it belongeth vnto vs to call vpon God to giue vs his Spirit which is called b Esay 11 2. The spirit of strength whereby we shall bee inabled to beare the Crosse patiently and to confesse the Faith constantly For when once wee are sustained and supported by the Spirit of Christ no Crosse shall daunt vs no tentation shall ouerwhelme vs but we shall endure all thinges with a contented mind and perseuer vnto the end Vse 4. Lastly we must shew our selues ready and resolute to giue a reckoning of our faith and hope of our profession and Religion when we shall be required This is greatly to the honour of God when his Seruants prepare themselues to set forth his truth and are not afraide of the threatnings of their enimies This is it which the Apostle Peter teacheth vs c 1 Pet. 3 15. Sanctifie the Lord in your hearts and be readie alwayes to giue an answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and reuerence This constant and Christian resolution was in Paule when he was brought before rulers for Christs sake though when he came to his answere no man assisted him but some fled from him and others were ashamed of him yet he quit himselfe like a man and shewed himselfe a faithfull witnesse of that truth which hee beleeued This vse meeteth with many corruptions and reprooueth sundry practises that raigne among vs. The first reproofe First it conuinceth such as think they are not to be blamed but excused not to be controlled but defended albeit they deny the truth of God for feare of men in time of persecution so that they cleaue to it in heart and embrace it in their soules so that they inwardly beleeue it like of it and hold it to themselues Yet we heard before that it is not enough for vs not to deny the faith but it is required of vs to confesse it It is not enough for vs to abstaine from that which is euill vnlesse we be carefull to do that which is good The Apostle Iohn teacheth d Reuel 21 8 That all the fearefull and vnbeleeuing the abhominable and murtherers the Whore-mongers and Sorcerers the Idolaters and lyars shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death Heere we see that among these wicked persons which hee nameth hee nameth in the first place fearefull persons which feare men more then God these are ouercom by Satan and led to hell and destruction Hence it is that the Apostle chargeth vs as we heard before not onely to keepe our faith e Heb. 10 23. but to keepe the profession of our faith And Paule when he came to his first answearing dooth not reprooue the Brethren because they openly denied the Faith but because they secretly forsooke him f 2 Tim. 4 16 and did not assist him and he prayeth God that this sin may not be laide to their charge So the Angell of the Church of Pergamus is commended who dwelt where Satans throne was set vp g Reuel 2 13. because hee kept the name of Christ and denied not his Faith euen in those dayes when Antipas his faithfull Martyr was slaine among them where Satan dwelleth It is not enough therefore not to deny the faith or not to abiure the Doctrine of Christ we must giue an account of a farther duty and know that God requireth of vs the confession of his truth if we wold haue him confesse vs in the resurrection of the iust The second reproofe Secondly it reprooueth such as keep their Faith and Conscience to themselues and will not bewray it to others A man shall liue many years among them and yet not know what Religion they are of These are they that hide their Religion and bury their Talent in the earth and thereby make themselues ready for euery change and alteration like the Weather-cocke which turneth with euery blast of winde These are they that thinke themselues wise and wary men by keeping them-selues close and priuate to themselues and yet euery simple man nay euery childe may plainly perceiue that they are indeede of no Religion For that faith which alwayes is kept secret is no faith at all It is required not onely that euery knee should bowe but that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Phil. 2 10 11. Such as neuer professe any thing do plainly make it manifest and as it were light a Candle to others to discouer the secrets of their hearts Sometimes they will bee Gospellers sometimes they will be Papists sometimes they will be Newters such it is to bee feared at all times are Atheists or at least in the right way and broad path that leadeth vnto
vs and the Gulfe of his wrath ready to swallow vs we shall cry out for one drop of Grace for one drop of Faith for one drop of comfort to refresh our pining Soules and to deliuer vs from the shaddow of death Now is the time to desire and seeke after grace if we let slip the present occasion offered vnto vs we shall afterward cry out for it and complaine of the want of it and yet shall neuer attaine vnto it Thus was it with the rich Man when he entreated Abraham to haue mercy on him and to send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water to coole his tongue beeing tormented in that Flame Abraham answered Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore hee is comforted and thou art tormented Thus was it with the foolish Virgins who slumbred and slept and regarded not to procure and prouide Oyle h Mat. 25 10 11. for their Lampes for when the Bridegroome was come and had shut the Gate they cryed in vaine Lord Lord open vnto vs who receiued their answere Verily I say vnto you I know you not Thus it shall be with those in the last day which shall say i Math. 7 22. Lord Lord haue we not in thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out Deuils And by thy Name done many great workes For then hee will professe vnto them he neuer knew them depart from me ye workers of iniquity So shall it be with those that haue neglected the time and passed ouer the opportunity k Luke 14 25 26. who begin to say Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our Streets to whom he shall say I know you not whence ye are Let vs all be wise and beware by their examples that we do not delay the time from day to day Let vs craue this guift of God that we may haue it in time of neede and in the houre of tentation If now while we haue time we shall desire and labour to obtaine grace wee shall not neede heereafter to stand in feare of Death or to cry out through horror and despaire O that I had one drop of Faith O that I had one drop of Grace Vse 2. Secondly seeing grace is in the first place aboue and before all other blessings to be desired and required at the handes of God let vs learne the high-way and enter into the beaten path that leadeth to this Grace and when wee haue learned it let vs walke in it in a constant and setled course Now the steppes l Three steps leading vs to finde Gods grace that wee must make to trace it and finde it out are these The first degree or steppe is to dislike our selues and to bee in disgrace with our selues Euery man naturally is in loue with himselfe and his owne shadow But wee must cast off this selfe-loue that cleaueth so fast and hangeth on and learne to know our selues and to hate our selues No man can magnifie Gods mercy sufficiently vntill hee attaine to the knowledge of his owne misery Daniell a man gratious and dearely beloued of GOD acknowledged this in his prayer and as it were ascendeth into the presence of God by this steppe m Dan. 9 7 8. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day to our Kings to our Princes to our Fathers and vnto euery Man of Iudah because we haue sinned against thee This was the course that the Prodigall Sonne tooke and the way that he entred g Luke 15 21 Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Thus did the poore Publican insinuate himselfe into the grace of God and departed iustifyed in his sight he smote his breast saying h Luke 18 13 Lord be mercifull to me a Sinner To be proud and puffed vp with our owne righteousnesse and to trust in our owne wisedome is the fore-runner of a fall The second step to obtaine grace is after we haue felt this want and misery in our selues wee must not rest there but earnestly desire and inwardly hunger and thirst after the loue and fauour of God in Christ aboue all earthly thinges First we must feele our selues empty before our Soules can haue this hunger Our Sauiour describing true blessednesse to his Disciples and shewing wherein it consisteth contrary to the iudgement of the World hee saith i Math. 5 3 6. Blessed are the poore in Spirit that is that know themselues poore that feele themselues poore and voide of righteousnesse and then he addeth Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled We must k Iohn 6 27. and 4 14. hunger after the meat that neuer perisheth wee must thirst after that Well of Water which springeth vp vnto euerlasting life If wee neuer hunger after grace we shall neuer haue grace The whole desire l Math. 9 12. not the Phisition but they that are sicke They m Iohn 9 41. which thinke they see are made blind and their sinne remaineth Lastly it is required of vs to lay hould by the hand of a true Faith vpon the grace and mercy of God in Christ Iesus offered vnto all of vs in the promises of the Gospell generally and learne to apply them to our selues particularly Christ calleth those n Mat. 11 28. that are weary and heauy laden promising to ease end refresh them In the last and great day of the Feast Iesus stood and cryed saying o Iohn 7 37. If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke He teacheth p Mark 16 16 That he that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued These are generall promises these require particular application Wee cannot receiue them into our hearts and make them our owne except we lay houlde of them by a speciall Faith This liuely Faith bringeth Christ home to vs and openeth the doores of our Soules to entertaine him If then we feele our owne miserie if we hunger after mercie and if wee apply the promises of the Gospell to vs particularly we shall be assured to finde the grace of God and tast plentifully and abundantly of his loue So many as truely desire grace must looke to attaine it by these meanes and climb vp to the top of it by these steps and degrees as by certaine staires Vse 3. Thirdlie seeing grace is first of all to bee craued it directeth vs to obserue and keepe a good order in seeking and crauing thinges at the hands of God We are taught first to seeke his grace and fauour as the roote and Fountaine and then peace welfare and other blessings He that will receiue fruit from the tree must come to the roote and body before he can come to the braunches so if we would haue peace health
Hab. 2 4. The iust shall liue by his owne Faith Faith is the worke of the Spirit in the heart of man so that if it must be in the hearts of euerie one of vs it followeth that it must bee speciall Reason 2. Secondly true Fayth giueth sound comfort and worketh peace with God this is the property of that Faith which we must haue in vs. But comfort commeth vnto vs by hearing of a promise made to others not belonging to our selues What consolation of heart can this worke in vs to know that others shall bee saued This the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 6. God willing more abundantly h He. 6 17 18 to shewe vnto the heyres of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an Oath that by two immutable thinges wherein it is vnpossible that God should lye we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs. No man receyueth comfort by the riches of another himselfe being poor or by the honor of another himselfe liuing in disgrace can so no man can feele any comfort by the Faith of another so long as he wanteth Faith himselfe to apply Christ vnto himselfe Seeing then that euery man must attaine to saluation by his owne faith which is able to minister comfort vnto him in the time of neede we see that Faith consisteth in applying the mercies of God vnto our owne selues Vse 1. The Vses of this Doctrine are now to bee considered and stoode vpon that so wee may vnderstand how to apply this applying of Fayth vnto our selues First this confirmeth the forme and manner of speech vsed in the Articles of Fayth wherein euerie one is taught to say I beleeue in God Not We beleeue in God For howsoeuer wee are to pray for others as well as for our selues and are taught to say Our Father which art in Heauen yet when the question is of our Fayth wee must say not We beleeue but I beleeue We pray for others but we beleeue for our selues The like is to be sayde of euerie principle of Faith euerie man must holde them all and beleeue them all This ouerthroweth the Doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth a generall and implicite Faith to bee sufficient for vs to Iustification and Saluation For they teach if a man can say I beleeue as the Church beleeueth though hee know not how or what the Church beleeueth though hee vnderstand nothing though he be able to apply nothing vnto himselfe hee hath a good faith and by that faith may be saued Answereable to this Diuinity i Bellar. de iustif lib. 1. cap. 7. are the Iesuites and Schoole-mens damnable and diuellish positions which maintaine that the people are not bound to know what the matters of Faith bee that ignoraunce is better then the knowledge of them that they neede not enquire after them and that Faith is better defined by ignorance then by knowledge Hence it is that they commend the Colliars Faith k Apol. translated by Staplet part 1. page 53 who as the tale is told being at the point of death and tempted of the Deuill what his Faith was Aunsweared I beleeue and die in the faith of Christs Church but being againe demanded what the faith of Christs Church was that faith said he that I beleeue in and thus the deuill getting no other aunswere was ouercome and put to flight This fable hath beene so long told and related among them that now themselues begin to beleeue it to be a truth as a lyar by often telling an vntruth beginneth to thinke it may be a true tale This Colliars faith is the popish Creed which being founded in ignorance is too weake a shield to quench the fiery Darts of the Deuill and to resist his tentations Thus true faith is suppressed ignorance is set on foote by these ignoraunt Teachers who as they are blinde themselues so they would put out the eyes of others They require no knowledge of the things we pray for l Rhem. annot on 1 Cor. 14. on Luke 12 11. but preferre ignorance they require no ability to professe the perticular points of our faith but in grosse and general This ignorance is plentifully condemned in the Scriptures We are taught m Col. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 3 15. that the word must dwell plentifully in vs and that we must be able to giue an account of the hope that is in vs to them that shall require an aunswere of vs. We are taught n Math. 22 29 Rom. 15 4 Hebr. 5 11. Iohn 5 39. that ignorance is the Mother of all euill the roote of all error the cause of all vnbeleefe and that whatsoeuer things are written afore hand were written for our learning that wee might haue comfort and beleeue Thus do these enemies of God and his people take from them their sword when they should go to fight and strip them of their Armor when they should enter the battell like Theeues that put out the Candle which serueth to discouer them To conclude let vs know that an ignorant faith is no faith for where there is no knowledge there can bee no faith But such as liue in the Church of Rome being blindly led of blinde Teachers doo know nothing to their comfort they haue the key of Knowledge taken from them they are nuzled and encouraged in ignoraunce they heare it magnified and extolled vnto the skies Some of them pretend the reading of the Scriptures in the mother tongue and in the translation that all may vnderstand to bee a principall cause of heresie Another shameth not to auouch that it was the inuention of the Deuill to permit the people to read the Bible Another blusheth not to write that he knew certaine men possessed of a Deuill because being but Husbandmen they were able to discourse of the Scriptures They teach that it is Heresy for a Lay-man to dispute in a point of faith These men speake not by the spirit of God but vtter the Deuils language and instruct the people in the Colliars Creed It is written of Timothy o 2 Tim 3 15. that hee was trained vp of a childe in the knowledge of the Mysteries of Religion It is written p Deut. 29 29 that the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children In former times the Doctrines of godlynesse and seuerall points of religion were knowne of all and the lowest of the people reasoned of them q Chryso hom 3 in Lazarum Aug. tract 21. in Ioh. and their Byshops exhorted thē thereunto asking why they are vttered if they may not be known Why they haue sounded if they may not bee heard And wherefore are they heard but that we should vnderstand them Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is the very forme of faith to receiue and apply this teacheth that it is not enough for men to haue an hystorical faith to belieue those things
and refuse to heare him but to shewe himselfe true in his worde and faithfull in his promise hee dooth acknowledge him as his owne because hee confessed him before that sinnefull and wicked generation saying vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Apostle Iohn liuing when the Deity of our Sauiour beganne to bee doubted of and called into question saith p 1 Ioh. 4 2 3. Euerie Spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God If therefore wee looke to bee confessed of Christ and to haue our soules saued in the day of the Lord let vs boldly beare and behaue our selues vnder the Crosse and not shrinke in the wetting like deceitfull cloth let vs know that confession and saluation must goe together if wee waite for the one wee must expresse the other if confession go before we may build surely and ground our selues strongly vpon the promise of Christ that the saluation of our soules shall follow after and no man shall take it from vs. This made the Apostle say q 2 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Faith and Religion must be confessed it is a duty that lieth vpon vs to seeke to know the truth and labour to expresse the power of godlinesse otherwise it is vnpossible that euer we should make profession of it For profession of the faith presupposeth a knowledge of the faith for how can we confesse that which we kno not or manifest that to other wherof we are ignorant our selues This controlleth and condemneth those that liue in the Church heare the word and haue the Gospell sounding a long time in their eares yet know not what faith is nor how to beleeue so that whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church in regard of the meanes offred to them and in regard of their age wherewith God hath blessed them r Heb. 5 12. they might haue been teachers of others they haue neede to be taught the beginnings of faith the grounds of religion the principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate Alas who can consider without great greefe of heart and anguish of spirit in what state the greatest number of our people stand and remember that after al our planting watering sowing and labouring they are apt and fit to receiue any religion because they are blinde and ignorant and know not God aright or any part of his truth to their soules health They are like the potters Clay which is readie to take any forme and receiue any impression or like the earth which altereth and changeth as the winde or weather as the Spring or Winter shall worke vpon it If they were taught to beleeue and receiue the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcoran of the Turkes the Reuelations of the Anabaptists the Traditions of the Papists or such like rotten trash of mans deuises and if they were countenanced by authoritie of Princes and Lawes of men they were as easie to be wrought vpon as waxe that is readie to receiue any stampe and impression A lamentable case that wee should bee still as Babes and children not knowing the right hand from the left carried about with euerie waue of Doctrine and receiuing the darknesse of errour for the light of the truth But we haue not so learned Christ and the Christian Religion When we haue once giuen entertainment vnto the truth and imbraced it soundly in our hearts we must not denie the faith whatsoeuer befall vs whatsoeuer trouble come vnto vs whether prosperity fawne and flatter vpon vs or whether aduersity pinch vs and paine vs whether the Sunne of peace shine vpon vs or whether the clouds of affliction ouer-shaddow vs wee must alwayes be the same and our standing in the faith should not be wauering or wandering to giue ouer at euery assault and to shrink backe for euery brunt and to deny our Lorde and Maister by euery tentation This serueth to reproue those that knowe nothing and therefore can professe nothing and as they know nothing so they will know nothing of whom we may say as the Apostle doth Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 5. This they wittingly know not and so are wilfully ignorant and shut their eies because they would not see and because the light shold not shine into their hearts For seeing God hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes we may truly say t 2 cor 4 3 4 6 If our Gospell be then hid it is hidde to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Thus doth God send them strong delusion that they shold beleeue lies u 2 Thess 2 11 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let vs therefore seeke after knowledge as for great Treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them we may find eternall life let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto Saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to encrease knowledge in vs to begin in Faith to hold out a good confession to maintaine the truth against all the aduersaries that rise against vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing it is a duty to open our mouthes and lose our tongues to confesse to his name that hath called vs to his truth it standeth vs vpon continually and constantly to pray for the Spirit of strength or corroboration that we may be made able to stand in the time of danger It is not in all that know and acknowledge the truth to auouch it and to maintaine it to confesse it and to stand to it but onely of such as haue receiued the strengthening power of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe x Phil 4 13. I am able to doe all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me So he prayeth for the Colossians That they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ When a man hath once receiued to beleeue hee wanteth a new grace to bee giuen vnto him that the graine of Faith which lyeth hidden in the heart and couered in the Ashes of mans frailty may grow vp openly and bring forth in vs the confession of the mouth This appeareth by the words of the Apostle Iohn who testifieth y Iohn 12 42 43. That euen among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him neuerthelesse because of the
6. Faith Loue do alwayes go together We learne hereby that faith and Loue are allwaies coupled together faith is not without Loue nor Loue without faith but faith and Loue goe together in all the seruants of God and can neuer be seperated and put asunder When Paule praied for the Thessalonians he remembred these two z 1. Thes 1. 3. to be in them their effectuall faith and their diligent loue It is said of the Church gathered together after the assention of Christ a Acts. 2 44. that all they which beleeued were in one place and had all things common Such as were true beleeuers were also commoners together such as had Faith in Christ had Loue toward the Saints This Luke sheweth more plainly afterward b Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Heere we see Faith and the manifestation of Faith by the fruits of Charity ioyned together To this purpose the Apostle saith c Gal. 5. 6. In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auayleth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by Loue. Heere also he coupleth Faith with Loue in one Yoake declaring that Faith is effectuall in the duties of Loue. So the Apostle Iohn teacheth that faith in Christ and Loue one toward another are thinges euer ioyned together d Iohn 3. 23. This is then his Commandement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue Commaundement And the Apostle Iames speaking of the effectuall faith of Abraham whereby he beleeued and was iustifyed declareth that e Iam. 2. 22. the Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the Faith made perfect All these Texts and Testimonies of Scripture serue to teach vs that our faith must be accompanied with Loue and the one not deuided from the other Reason 1. The truth heereof will better appeare to euery one of vs If wee consider the Reasons For first they are as the Tree and the Fruite as the Roote and the Branch as the Fountaine and the Streame as the cause and the effect Faith is the Tree the Roote the Fountaine the cause Loue is the Fruite the Branch the Streame the effect The cause and the effect are Relatiues and haue relation and reference either to otherâ— so that the cause cannot be without his effect nor the effect without his cause and therefore both these must goe together The Prophet describeth the blessed man f Psal 1. 3. to be like a Tree planted by the Riuers of Waters that will bring forth her friute in due season whose Leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper Reason 2. Secondly faith separated from Loue or Loue separated from faith is a false faith and a false Loue. Faith without Loue or separated from the fruits of Loue is dead and without life a naked name without the thing an empty shaddow without substance a dead carcasse without breath It is nothing worth without Loue. The Apostle saith If a man had all faith so that he could remoue Mountaines g 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and had not Loue it were nothing he should be as sounding Brasse or a tinkeling Cymball So we read in the Epistle of Iames i Iames 2 20. That the Faith which is without workes is dead it is a Bastard Fayth a counterfet Faith an idle Faith which is no true Faith indeede but onely in Name For as a painted hand is no hand so a seeming Faith is no Faith Againe Loue without Faith is without his right order yea without his life soule his true cause and forme and so not good but euill not approued but reiected of God k Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23. For without Faith it is vnpossible to please God and whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne All workes of Iustice Mercy Righteousnesse to releeue the poore to feed the hungry to cloath the naked without Fayth are nothing worth nay all these beautifull shewes are beautifull sinnes except they be seasoned with Faith Againe to afflict thy soule to humble thy selfe to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments without Loue that is to do the duties of the first Table and to neglect them of the second Table is but Hypocrisie and maketh vs abhominable in the sight of God Seeing then Faith and Loue are as the cause and the effect that liue together seeing they loose their Names and Natures being disioyned and diuided one from another wee see it euidently and strongly to appeare that Faith in Christ and Loue to the Brethren as Mother and Daughter are ioyned together in euery true Christian Vse 1. The Vses are now to be considered First seeing these two guiftes are coupled together one with another it followeth that they must neuer be separated in a Christian man He that is ioyned with the head must also bee ioyned with the members and hee that hath his part in the Communion of Saints hath his fellowship also with Christ If it be a generall rule deliuered by Christ l Math. 19 6. that the thinges which God hath coupled together no man must separate it holdeth in this particular that Faith and Loue are not to be disioyned and dismembered forasmuch as God hath lodged them as two ghests in one house locked them vp as two Pearles and Iewels in one Closset It is a rule published by the m Cicer. de offic lib. 2. Heathen that all Vertues are knit together in one Chaine so that he which hath one hath all of them hee that wanteth one of them wanteth all so is it with this worthy paire of Heauenly graces we must not haue a Faith without Workes nor Workes without Faith but our Faith must be fruitfull to bring forth Workes and our Workes must bee thankfull to confesse them to be receyued from Faith Our Faith worketh by Loue our Loue liueth by Faith our Faith respecteth Christ our Loue respecteth the Saints Thus must these two be found in euery one of vs for they meete together in all such as shall be saued This n Titus 3 8. made the Apostle say in his Epistle to Titus Chap. 3. This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might bee carefull to shew forth Good-Workes These thinges are good and profitable vnto men Let vs examine our owne hearts whether we finde these two graces in vs which must bee as two twins that reioyce and take delight to bee together or two Sisters that accompanie one with another like Martha and Marie in one house so must these be two Vertues in one heart Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith in his first Epistle o 1 Iohn 4 20 21. If any man say I Loue
may appeare by examining the common practise of our common professors by these six notes First true Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word preached as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 10. How shall they cal vpon him in whom they do not beleeue q Rom. 10 14 How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent This place is not vnfitly called a Ladder that reacheth to Heauen whereby as by certaine steppes we climbe vp to heauen God sendeth the Minister preacheth the people beleeueth The same Apostle asketh the Galathians r Gal. 3 2. Iohn 17 20. Whether they receiued the spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of Faith But the Faith which many talke and boast of is conceiued and conceited without the preaching of the worde for they cannot abide it they will not attend vnto it they regard not to heare it True it is if they be asked whether they haue Faith or not they will thinke it a straunge question and maruell that we shold make doubt thereof they suppose themselues to haue a sound Faith in Christ but how come they by this faith They say they beleeue in Iesus Christ for their saluation and yet they liue in a perpetuall neglect and continuall contempt of the publicke Ministerie of the word Such is their beleeuing as is their hearing and their Faith is aunswerable to their attending It is a great foolishnesse worse then madnesse for any man to imagine to attaine to Faith by any other meanes then God hath ordained When God hath sayde that the ordinary way to obtaine Faith is by the preaching of the worde wilt thou in the high pride of thy ignorant heart say I can haue Fayth without preaching This is to crosse the ordinance of God and to thinke thy selfe wiser then God For although all haue not Faith that ordinarily heare yet ordinarily none haue faith that doo not heare If then we would haue Faith we must seeke it as God hath appointed where it is to be found and when it is to be found let vs be diligent hearers attentiue hearers constant hearers and then we shal see the blessing of God vpon vs that we shall be sauing hearers Secondly true Faith is also ioyned with Prayer to God and with repentance from dead workes for how shall they call vpon him in whom they doe not beleeue And the Apostle Å¿ Acts 15 9. Peter teacheth that Faith purifieth the hart Paule exhorting the Elders of Ephesus saith t Acts 20 21 That he witnessed both to the Iews and to the Grecians the Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lorde Iesus Christ It was the substance of Christs Sermons which he preached when hee came into Galile u Marke 1 15 The Kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell But there are many amongest vs that professe Faith which haue a Faith of another kinde and Nature it is not ioyned with inuocation of Gods name they make no Conscience to call vpon him they haue not the Spirite of Prayer that cryeth in their hearts Abba Father it worketh not in them conuersion of heart a turning of the minde a chaunge of life they boast of Faith but they remaine the same men they were before a deade life a deade Faith a prophane life a false Fayth that will in the end deceyue them Thirdly true Faith worketh in vs an holy contentation in our estate and teacheth vs to depend vpon Gods prouidence touching Food Raiment and all things necessary for this present life This Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs from the example of the Fowles of the Heauen of the stature of our body of the Lillies of the fielde from the grasse of the earth what doo pensiue thoughts distracting and distrustfull cares auaile to sustaine vs or preserue our life Wherefore seeing the Birdes are nourished our stature is encreased the Lillies are beautified the Grasse is cloathed by the power and prouidence of God x Math. 6 30. and 8 20. Shall hee not do the same much more to you O ye of little Faith Faith therefore maketh vs rest vpon God want of Faith taketh away all trust in him But many among vs that will needes boast of Fayth in Christ want this Faith in his prouidence for they dare not trust GOD with their life they doo not depend vpon him for their liuing they are affraid he will leaue them and forsake them they do not beleeue he will bee a mercifull and gracious God vnto them they haue not that affiance confidence reposed him that naturall children haue in their Parents A Childe doth not wearie him-selfe with matters of the World hee dooth not fore-cast for manie yeares hee is not intangled and choaked with earthly Cogitations all his care is cast vppon his Father hee trusteth vppon him hee knoweth hee will prouide for him and so passeth his dayes without distrust or dispaire And shall wee not be ashamed to bee sent to Schoole to learne of little Children that depend vpon their Father whereas we haue not learned to lift vppe our eyes vnto our Father that dwelleth in the Heauens but vse vnlawfull meanes and vngodly shifts to helpe our selues A plaine argument that wee haue not that Faith which we falsely imagine and vainely imagine our selues to haue Fourthly true Faith is the Mother of loue and maketh vs liue in peace one with another the Apostle y Gala. 5 6. Paule teacheth That Faith worketh by loue And Iohn in his first Epistle saith z 1 Iohn 3 23 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his son Iesus Christ loue one another But many that wil seeme to haue faith in Christ shew no fruits of loue toward their Brethren they are not careful if it be possible and so farre as lieth in them to haue peace with all men they do not seeke after peace and ensue it but liue in hatred and contention in malice and enuy and least of all do affect the children of God An enuious Faith is no Faith and therefore let such men looke vnto it Fiftly true faith is mingled with doubting and vnbeleefe with wauering and feare and oftentimes strongly shaken and assayled as with a mighty Tempest This we see in the Father of him that was possessed with an vncleane spirit he was readie to rest vpon Christ but he felt the fruite of his owne corruption the spirit was willing but the flesh was weake he found a fight within himselfe betweene Faith and Infidelity When he considered the infinite power of Christ that was able to cast out Satan and to binde the strong man he was moued to beleeue On the other side when he saw the strangenesse the continuance the incureablenesse of his sonnes disease when he marked that the Deuill tooke him tare him cast him into the fire to burne him
threw him into the water to drowne him and at all times sought to destroy him when he beheld with the eyes of a Father that his childe fomed at the mouth gnashed with his teeth pined away in his body and was bruised in his bones hee was tempted with vnbeleefe and this made him cry out with teares a Marke 9 24 Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe This is it wherein the Lord forewarned and fore-armed Peter b Luke 22 32. Behold Satan hath desired you to winnow you as Wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not He prayed not that their Faith should not be tried but that it should not be destroyed forasmuch as they must on euery side be assayled But the Faith of many is such that they say they perfectly beleeue and they thanke God they neuer doubted in all their life This Fath is no Faith it is an idle conceite a vaine perswasion a foolish presumption Lastly the true Faith encreaseth by degrees it is like vnto a graine of mustard seede which at the first is the least of all seedes c Math. 13 31 which afterward groweth vnto a Tree that the Birdes of the Ayre come and builde their Nestes in it and therefore wee must d Rom. 1 17. proceede from Faith to Faith But many amongst vs that will needes be in the number of the faithfull neuer feele these Degrees of Faith they see not any encreasing or decreasing any shining or ecclipsing of their Faith Nay they neuer examine themselues whether they be in the Faith or not They neuer consider whether they go forwarde or backeward in the wayes of Godlinesse they can cast vp their accounts euerie Weeke with the worlde but they can suffer whole moneths and yeares to passe ouer their heades and neuer once offer to make leuell with the Lord. If wee will assure our owne hearts that wee haue this true and perfect Faith in Christ let vs obserue the manner and measure of it the steppes and degrees of it how we walke by it and labour by all holy meanes to encrease it in vs. Thus much touching the Obiect of Faith Now let vs consider the Obiect of Loue. Loue toward the Saints The meaning of these words is first to be obserued and then the Doctrines are to be gathred which the Spirit of God offereth in this place to our considerations By loue we are to vnderstand the fruits of loue mercy consolation compassion brotherly kindnes reliefe pity and whatsoeuer fruits of charity we see them want stand in need of It standeth in the affection of the mind in the words of the mouth and in the workes of the hand By Saints we do not vnderstand such as are deade and deceased but those that are liuing not such as are of the Church Triumphant but in the Church Militant not such as are crownd with glory in heauen but those that dwell vpon the earth not such as are inrolled in the Popes Register and stand in redde Letters in the Popish Kalender but the faithfull whose Names are Written in the Booke of life which are the true members of Iesus Christ Thus much touching the true Interpretation of the Wordes We see heere that Loue is described by the Obiect thereof to wit the Saintes For as Christ is not the Obiect of our Charity e Psal 16 2. for our wel-dooing extendeth not vnto him so the Saints are not the Obiect of our Faith but as Faith hath respect and relation to Christ so hath loue reference to the Saints Now we haue shewed already that Philemons loue is commended toward the Saints because he had a principall and speciall care of them True it is he neglected not others but he was most of all mindfull of the godly poore and distressed Brethren Doct. 8. The works of mercy are especially to bee shewed to the poore that are godly We learne heereby that the workes of mercy are especially to be shewed to the poore among vs that are faithfull which may bee accounted of the fellowship and Communion of the Saints Howsoeuer all such as are poore are in their pouertie to bee regarded inasmuch as Christ hath taught vs that the poore we shall haue alwayes with vs yet the Godly poore that haue piety ioyned with their pouertie are before others and aboue others to be respected and releeued In the performance of this duty we see the practise of the Prophet Dauid going before vs a psal 16 2 3. and leading vs the way O my soule thou hast said vnto the Lord thou art my Lord my well-dooing extendeth not to thee but to the Saintes that are in the earth and to the excellent all my delight is in them In like manner also our Sauiour Christ describing the manner of the last Iudgement when hee shall giue to euerie one according to his Workes b Math. 25 40 declareth that the fruites of mercie bestowed vpon the members of Christ beeing sicke imprisoned hungrie thirstie naked and in necessity are allowed as notable fruites of a iustifying Faith and of a true loue and accepted as done to Christ himself So the Euangelist Luke testifieth in the Acts that c Acts 4 32. the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one mind they had all thinges common no man accounted any thing he possessed his owne but to serue the necessary vse of the Saints The Apostle hauing prooued in the Epistle to the Romanes that we are iustified freely by the grace of God without the works of the Law wherby we are at peace with God commeth to set down the fruits of Faith Chap. 12. Reioycing in hope continuing in Prayer d Rom. 12 13 distributing vnto the necessities of the Saints giuing your selues to Hospitality Heereunto come diuers Lawes which God ordained among his people e Deut. 15 17 If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of thy gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thine heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his need All these testimonies of Scripture doo proue that the poore which are godly are most of all to bee succoured and sustained as they that for the most part stand in greatest need to be helped Reason 1. The Reasons heereof are to be considered First it is a fruit of our election which we ought to assure to our selues more and more The Apostle Iohn testifieth this f 1 Iohn 3 14. We know that wee are translated from death to life because wee loue the Brethren he that loueth not his Brother abideth in death We ought daily to gather arguments to perswade our hearts of Gods loue towardes vs which we shall see by our loue toward our brethren The election of God is hidden in himselfe the cause of it is not in our selues but we
both what may bee learned by it and how it may bee applyed vnto vs. First of all it teatheth that though education bee a notable meanes of reformation and working good in the hearts of those that heare instruction and albeit Parents and Maysters bee thereby discharged as they that haue done their dutie yet bare teaching is not sufficient to conuert the soule and to settle the Conscience in good thinges Noah was as carefull for the instruction of Cham and Canaan as of the rest that were of his house belonged to his charge yet they followed not his Doctrine but scoffed at him that was both Pastor and Parent Dauid a man after Gods owne heart walked in the middest of his house in the vprightnesse of his Conscience yet he had an incestuous Ammon a Rebellious Absolom a licentious Adoniah all of them vngodly and vngracious Children So then although education be a good meanes yet it is not a sufficient meanes to worke reformation He that laboureth in planting and watering is nothing except God giue the blessing of encrease We see this euidently in the publicke assembly as well as in the priuate family in the house of God as well as in the house of man There is a difference of hearers according to their diuers dispositions f Math. 13 13 14. some are deafe hearers that haue not their eares boared through to the heart they haue onely outward eares and regarde no more but outward hearing and are no way mooued with that which is spoken dead-hearted dull-eared dim-sighted heauy-headed Others beside their bodily eares haue the eares of their hearts opened by the word and worke of the Spirit made plyable and tractable to receiue imbrace and beleeue that which they heare So is it in the priuate instruction vsed in priuate Families all that heare with the outwarde eare are not reformed all that are instructed are not conuerted Obiection What then Shall not Fathers teach their Children and Maisters their Seruants and Householders their Families because some haue not beleeued and many remaine as blinde and blockish as they were at the first Answere Yes it is their dutie to bee dilligent in teaching them and in laying the foundation of Christian Religion among them howsoeuer it bee receyued or reiected of such as bee in their houses and belong vnto them Were not he a simple Husbandman that would neglect to sowe his Ground because hee knoweth that some of the Corne will neuer grow vppe to bring foorth fruite but dye in the earth Or were not hee an vnwise Law-giuer that will not haue wholesome Lawes enacted and established because some transgresse them and disobey them and make no account of them Or were not hee a very foolish Father who because hee hath one rude and riotous Sonne that will not reuerence his person nor fulfill his Commaundements nor regarde his Authoritie nor feare his threatninges woulde therefore holde his peace and refraine himselfe from instructing and informing his other Children in the wayes of Godlinesse Or were hee not a badde Gardiner who because some of his Ground bringeth forth Weeds and Nettles would therefore refuse to water the Hearbes that are meete for the vse of man When the Lorde sent his holy Prophets to reprooue the stubborne and stiffe-necked Iewes hee knewe what entertainement them-selues shoulde finde and what effect their Doctrine woulde haue taken yet to make them without excuse they were commanded to go that they might be conuinced of sinne seeing there had beene a Prophet among them The Prophet Ieremy being called of God to preach the word is told afore-hand that they shoulde not obey his word g Ier. 1 19. Ezek. 2 5 7. and 3 7. but fight against him Likewise Ezekiell being sent to the children of Israel is shewed that they would not heare him nor cease from their waies Whereby we see that howsoeuer the people were stiffe-necked and stif-harted howsoeuer their faces were stronger then the Flint and their fore-heads were harder then the Adamant yet God would haue his worde offered vnto them and laid before them He hath mo endes then one of the preaching of his word sometimes he vseth it to soften and sometimes to harden sometimes to saue and sometimes to condemne somtimes to be h 2 Cor. 2 16 the sauor of life vnto life and sometimes to be the sauor of death vnto death So should it be with all godly housholders howsoeuer they haue many that harbour in their houses are entertained within their wals that regard not the fear of God but pull away their shoulders from the sweet yoak of God yet they are not to surcease or wax faint and weary but to continue the instruction of them the powring of water vpon the hard stone proouing if God at anytime will soften their harts and giue them repentance that they may come out of the snares of the Deuil of whom they are holdē captiues We know not at what time God may work in them and call them to a sight of their sinnes and to a turning from their sins They may heare that in the time of their ignorance which they may practise in the time of their knowledge They may hear that Doctrine which though it lye hid and couered as Corn in the earth or as fire in the ashes a long time and seeme buried in perpetuall forgetfulnesse yet it may afterwardes break forth as the light and kindle in their harts as a mightie flame Thus peraduenture it might be with this Onesimus when he was conuerted by the Ministry of the Apostle to the Faith of Christ he might cal to his remembrance many good thinges that hee had heard before but neuer a whit regarded nor respected and now profit by that Doctrine that before he had despised and derided The Disciples of Christ did not by and by receiue nor conceiue of his preaching but when i Iohn 2 22. hee was risen againe they remembered what hee had deliuered vnto them So ought wee to deale toward such as are committed vnto vs let vs plant and water committing and commending the successe and encrease of all our labours vnto God Vse 2 Secondly seeing where there are good meanes are many times godlesse and gracelesse men we learne that to heare to saluation and to receiue willingly instruction is no generall or common grace no man can beleeue sauing hee to whom it is giuen It is the guift of God that must open the vnderstanding and boare through the eare and sanctify the heart before any can heare with a desire to vnderstand or lay it vppe with a purpose to practise and obey Hence it is that the Prophet saith k Esay 50 5. The Lord GOD hath opened mine eare and I was not rebellious neyther turned I backe The Euangelist Luke teacheth that when the Apostles preached the Gospell so many as were appointed to saluation beleeued which was a fruite of their election others mocked which was a
that after the Thessalonians had heard the Gospell of Christ published vnto them so many of them as were ordained vnto eternall life beleeued and submitted themselues to be duided and reformed by it This dutie hath c Foure degrees of submitting our selues to the Gospell manie branches First it is required of vs to heare the worde of God with patience This is the first step and degree that leadeth vnto life and it proceedeth from the meere grace and fauour of God whensoeuer it is wrought in our hearts For how many are there that when they heare stop their eares That when they see shut their eyes That when they vnderstand doe harden their hearts When Stephen made a defence for himselfe before the chiefe Priests that sat in the Counsel d Acts 7 57. They gaue a shout with a loud voyce and stopped their eares and ran violently vpon him all at once and cast him out of the Citty and stoned him with stones When one Alexander a Iew beckned with the hand prepared himselfe to speak and would haue excused the Apostles e Acts 19 33 There arose a great shout almost for the space of two houres of all men crying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Likewise when Paule made a perticuler rehearsal of the manner of his conuersion to the faith before the Iewes they heard him quietly and with silence vntill he said He was sent to the Gentiles but then thorough impatience f Acts 22 23. they cried out they cast off their cloathes and threw dust into the ayre and lift vp their voices saying Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet that he should liue We see by these examples that it is a token of Gods goodnesse when he giueth vs circumcised eares to listen and attend to the word preached vnto vs with patience and perseuerance vnto the end albeit we heare our sins reproued our secret thoughts opened vnto vs. It is our dutie to shew our selues swift to heare but slow to speake and slow to wrath We must be slow to speake against that which hath bin deliuered and we must be slow to anger and indignation against those that haue deliuered the truth vnto vs. Secondly it is required that we receiue the word that we haue heard assent vnto it as to the word of truth and acknowledge it to bee good and true euen that part of the word that containeth his iudgements his threatnings his cursses his punnishments This is to be craued of God as being a special worke of grace in those that belong to his kingdom For many there are that heare and haue their eares open to attend these are not dull hearers that marke nothing but ate ready to listen and giue care and yet they will not giue their assent to that which they haue heard The Apostle teacheth g 1 Cor. 2 14. That the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned When Paule preached at Athens in the hearing of the Stoikes and Epicures touching the resurrection from the dead they saide h Acts 17 18 What will this Babler say A great part of our ordinary hearers may be placed in this rank who are content to heare and then sit in iudgement vppon that which they haue heard and neuer giue credit vnto it but measure the truth of God by their carnall conceits and naturall reasons Thirdly it is farther required of vs to embrace the truth in our hearts carefully to apply it to our owne soules It belongeth vnto vs not onely to heare it with the eare and to assent to it with the mind but to lay it vp deeply rooted in vs and to make it our owne by a speciall application This is the right vse of the word this is peculiar to the elect and this is a work of grace in our hearts The Hystoricall faith giueth a generall consent to the truth of God but neuer goeth farther to apprehend it as we see in Simon the Sorcerer who is said to haue beleeued that is in a generall maner to haue consented to the Gospell and yet Peter telleth him i Acts 8 21. That his heart was vpright and that he remained in the gall of bitternesse Let vs not therefore approbriate the word of grace that is able to build farther vnto our owne selues otherwise we shall haue no more comfort then the Reprobates haue who come so farre as to confesse the word to be true and that God by his Sonne will saue the Vessels of mercy Lastly it is required in this speciall manner to entertaine the worde to wit as the word of God Many receiue the word and imbrace it willingly readily chearfully and ioyfully but not as the word of God I wil not stand to speake of the Church of Rome which holdeth that the word written hath not authority in it selfe vnlesse the Church approue it and therefore albeit it embraceth the word of God yet it embraceth it not as the word of God For how many are there among our selues that receiue not the word of God with that reuerence and obedience that they ought as appeareth by the euil practises of their liues These men do not receiue the word of God as the word of God who if they did in truth sincerity acknowledge this truth to be of God to haue him for the author thereof they would lead their liues in another maner then they do they would be afraid to rush forward to run headlong as it were with violence into the breach transgression thereof They would consider that God will not beare and endure the contempt of his word but reuenge the dishonor done to his name with great plagues and most grieuous iudgments These are the duties that are to be performed of vs and the foure degrees that testifie our submitting of our selues to the truth of the Gospel preached deliuered vnto vs by the Ministers of Christ Vse 4 Lastly seeing they by whose ministry we are gained to God and preserued in the state of saluation being gained ought to be most deare to vs we owing vnto them our owne selues This must teach the Ministers of God a necessary duty and lesson to be marked of them to wit to endeuor by their daily diligence and continuall preaching of the Gospel to make the people indebted vnto them For how do the people come so much in their debt but that they receiue heauenly Doctrine by their Ministry as from the mouth of God Such as haue need of admonition must be exhorted such as are weak in the faith must be strengthned such as need comfort ought to be comforted such as are ignorant must be instructed such as are willing to be taught must be beseeched and intreated and euery one must be handled according to his nature and condition according to the rule
they are in death Å¿ Dan. 5 6. like Belshazzar who in the middest of his Feast and fulnesse saw the hand-writing vpon the wall as a Prognosticate of his destruction Lastly albeit they haue the blessings of God and keep them in bondage yet withall they possesse the Cursse of God which alwaies waiteth vppon them and is ready to seize vpon them The Theefe liueth alwaies in feare of the Iudge and of the day of Assises so doe these men liue in continuall daunger of Gods Iudgement and punnishment which shall one day meete with them Sixtly obserue that he desireth grace to rest in their spirits and albeit he meane heeereby their whole persons as we haue shewed before in setting downe the Interpretation of the wordes yet heereby he assigneth the proper Seat of Grace to be the Soule For the Grace of Christ is an inward and spirituall thing and therefore taketh vp the inward and spirituall part of man Indeed when once grace is entred into the heart and sitteth there as a Queen to order all our thoughts and affections it wil spread it selfe through the whole man and afterward as it were goe out of the dores into the outward actions We see heereby where grace is especially felt for as the Soule is the subiect of it so the Soule hath the especiall feeling of it Our Iustification and forgiuenesse of sinnes the peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding is felt in the Soule yea Glorification and eternall life throgh Iesus Christ is felt in the Soule This teacheth vs to labour earnestly t Heb. 13 9. to haue grace in the heart that from thence it may flow into all our actions It is not enongh to haue gratious tongues gratious wordes gratious mouths we must first haue grace within and giue vnto God our heartes Nothing is more detestable to God and man then Hypocrisie there appeareth grace without but there dwelleth none within there is great shew but little truth or rather no truth at all Lastly obserue with me the last word whereby the Apostle shutteth vp the Salutation and the whole Epistle to wit Amen This is set downe in a word and yet it containeth more then the prayer it selfe For in prayer we testifie our desire by this we witnesse our Faith By this we obserue that vnto our requests and petitions in prayer must be ioyned Faith and Beleefe that God will grant the thinges craued This appeareth in the Prophet u Psal 89 52. Psal 89. Praised be the Lord for euermore So be it euen so be it Wee are taught thus to shut vp our prayers by Christ our Sauiour in that platforme which he hath left vs. Thus the Apostle closeth and concludeth his Epistle x 2 Cor 13 13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen And indeed praier auaileth onely in them that beleeue y Iam. 1 6 and 5 16. It is the prayer of faith preuaileth much if it be feruent yea we must aske in faith and not wauer if we thinke to obtaine any thing at his handes From hence we learne that we ought alwaies to labour to giue assent to Gods promises when we pray and to striue against doubting and infidelity All the promises of God z 2 Cor. 1 20. are in Christ yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. This we see in the Father of the Child possessed Mark 9. When Christ Iesus said vnto him a Mark 9 23. 24. If thou canst beleeue all thinges are possible to him that beleeueth he answeared Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe To pray without Faith is not to pray at all And to say Amen in the end of our prayers and yet to pray with doubting and without beleeuing is to make a lie and to teach our tongues to deceiue our hearts For this is a great iarre and discord when infidelity is in the heart and faith in the tongue when inwardly we wauer and outwardly the mouth vttereth Amen More-ouer so often as we vse publike prayers they must be pronounced and deliuered with that plainenesse feeling and zeale as that the people being thereby moued and their faith and affections going with that which is deliuered and prayed for may answere Amen vnto that which is desired This is it which the Apostle toucheth 1 Cor. 14. b 1 Cor. 14 15 16. I will pray with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirit but I will sing with the vnderstanding also Else when thou blessest with the Spirit how shall he that occupieth the Roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou saiest This reprooueth the Popish and Romish Liturgy that vse in diuine seruice a strange and vnknowne tongue whereby the people are nuzeled in ignorance and can receiue no c 1 Cor 14 19 1â— edification or instruction And heereby consider the deepe deuise of the Deuill how farre he hath preuailed in this false Church For when he saw he could not thus farre haue the vpper hand as vtterly to cast the word out of the Church and to take away the vse of prayer when he perceiued it to be vnpossible to roote out the word of God and to abolish the inuocation of his holy name he fell to worke another way and that is to suffer the thinges to remaine and to take away the right and profitable vse of them so that albeit the word is read it is read without knoledge and albeit prayers be made yet they are made without comfort Thus the names of the worde and prayer remaining the benifite of them is taken away The like we might say of the Sacraments especially of the Supper of the Lord they will seeme to haue it yet in truth they want it to allow of it and yet they destroy it and abolish it If the Deuill should vtterly remoue these thinges out of the way so that the names neither of the word nor of prayers nor of the Sacraments were heard among them all men might discouer this deceit no man would easily be seduced by this palpable grossenesse but he is a more cunning worke-man he can hide his snares from being seene so that he will not haue them vtterly remooued and renounced that the people might say we haue the word reade vnto vs wee haue good prayers saide among vs we haue the Sacraments with vs yet all is done in a strange manner the Priest vseth a strange tongue and the people are nurtured in strange ignorance For the word is heard ignorantly praiers are made ignorantly and the Sacraments are receiued ignorantly The whole frame of the Popish Religion is maintained by ignorance Thus much of the generall obseruations that might be enlarged and farther amplified which I haue briefly pointed out and albeit all of them be very pertinent yet I will
A COMMENTARIE VPON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAVLE TO PHILEMON Wherein the Apostle handling a meane and low subiect intreating for a Fraudulent and Fugitiue Seruant mounteth aloft vnto God and deliuereth sundry high Misteries of true Religion and the practise of Duties oeconomicall Politicall Ecclesiasticall As Of Persecution for Righteousnesse sake Of Christian Equity and Moderation Of Gods free Grace forgiuing offences Of Houshold Gouernment and priuate possessions Of the Conuersion of Sinners and Communion of Saints Of Faith and good workes Of Friendship and Suretiship Of Prayer and Hospitality Of the Gospell and Almes-deedes Of Gods Prouidence And of the force and fruit of the Ministery ¶ Mouing all the Ministers of the Gospell to a diligent labouring in the spirituall Haruest and the people to a conscionable attending to the word of Saluation as to Gods high and holy ordinance for our conuersion with assured hope of his wonderfull blessing vpon the sound Preaching of the one and the sauing hearing of the other Written by WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the word of God at Isfield in Sussex Luke 17. 3. ¶ Take heede to your selues if thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgiue him ¶ Printed at London by William Iaggard 1612. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir THOMAS PELHAM Baronet encrease of GRACE in this life and eternall GLORIE in the life to come AGesilaus King of Lacedemon when one praised a certaine Orator that he could stretch out small matters at large and length and amplifie them with many words both fitly and fully answeared him But I cannot a Plut. Apotheg thinke him a good Shoo-maker that would put a great and wide Shoo vpon a slender foote There be many I feare who considering the shortnesse of this present Epistle and comparing it with the largenesse of my Exposition will bee ready to suppose and surmise through the fore-stalling of their preiudicate Opinion that to a little Citty I haue set vp wide Gates and to a slender body haue fashioned a wide Garment both which are faulty and vnfit But if these partiall Iudges would weigh the cause aright in iust and equal Ballances without the corrupt affections of Malice or Enuy I doubt not but they will rather thinke that to a great Foot I haue fitted and applied a little Shoo. For this Epistle Written to Philemon though it be short in words and comprehended in a little compasse yet if wee regard and respect as we ought to do either the pithy and profound substance of the matter or the cunning or rather curious Art of Paul the writer or the great and glorious Maiesty of God the Endighter which shineth and sheweth it selfe euen in the least things we shal be constrained to confesse that this is a right great Epistle and as b Macrob. comment in Som. Scipion. lib. 2. cap. 5. one saith in another case Verborum parua sed rerum foecunda and the Interpretation of it very breefe both in regard of the Worthinesse of the Argument and the Wisedome of the Spirit that appeareth therein A Diamond may be little yet it is of great price The eye is small yet it seeth farre The heart is little yet is it the life of the body It pleaseth God to shew forth the greatnesse of his power in the least works of his hands And as Merchants that cast Accounts c Vellei Pateri hyster lib. 1. comprize greater summes in shorter roome so doth the Apostle handle most weighty Matters Mysteries within the slender compasse of a few Verses that we should rather weigh the worke then number the words He seemeth no where to reason more exquisitely and to deale more pregnantly then in this place Euery word almost hath the force of a Motiue and seasoning his cause with Wisedome and his doings with Art he so creepeth into Philemons bosome and closeth with him at a suddaine that by no meanes hee can start from him Sometimes by louing Titles Sometimes by Artificiall insinvations Sometimes by fauourable preuenting of Obiections Sometimes by Rhetoricall perswasions Sometimes by earnest Preparations Sometimes by Charitable Mittigations Sometimes by strong Obligations Sometimes by deepe Protestations Sometimes by fit Reuocations and sometimes by forcible Arguments as it were by so many courteous Congies and vehement Adiurations hee dealeth and preuaileth in such sort with him d Liuy histor lib. 45. as Popilius the Romaine Ambassador against Antiochus King of Syria who hauing deliuered his message from the Senate made a circle about him with his rod and charged him to put off all delayes and giue him present answere before hee departed out of it Thus doth the Apostle lay his Net and cast his Chaine about Philemon that he hampereth him fast and holdeth him close before he is aware of any such matter This Philemon to whom the Epistle is directed was a Wealthy man a Cittizen of Colosse the Host of the Church who had a Seruant named Onesimus he hauing pilfered and purloyned some of his Maisters goods fled away from him and the Church that was in his house For whatsoeuer the care and diligence of the Gouernors be lewd persons do oftentimes shroud themselues vnder their Roofe But comming to Rome no better then a fugitiue hee heard Paule preach the Word which is as e Ier. 23 29. an Hammer to breake in pieces the stony hearts of vnregenerate men and f Rom. 1 16. the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue so that he acknowledged the falt he had committed and desired to be reconciled to his Maister whom hee had offended He being thus gained to the Faith g Gualt hom 1. in Philemon and kindely and courteously entreated by Paule Who becommeth all thinges to all men h 1 Cor. 9 22 that by all meanes he might saue some is by him sent back with these Letters of Commendation and intercession for him pleading his cause as it were at the barre effectually crauing pardon for him earnestly and teaching i Gualt hom 2 in Philemon thereby that no man albeit of the lowest sort and condition truly repenting ought to be despised and contemned He went away Vnprofitable he returned Profitable he went away k Gualt hom 5 in Philemon Peruerted he returned Conuerted hee went away a Seruant he returned a Brother Before he heard Paule preach hee was a Theefe but when he had heard him he became as his Naturall Sonne l Phile. ver 10 as he is not ashamed to call him and account him in this Epistle Question Vpon this occasion of this Seruants flying away and be-taking himselfe to his heeles a question may be demanded which also of some m Paraeus in Genes cap. 39. is handled whether it bee lawfull for bond-slaues that are bought with money such as the state of Seruants in those daies for the most part was to runne away from their Maisters forasmuch as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7 21. If thou mayest be free
Deuill but he pointeth vs vnto the purpose of God and the end that hee respecteth in all our sufferings which is to proue his owne guifts and to make manifest the secrets of our hearts Reason 2. Secondly if we respect the good and profit that redowneth to others by our sufferings we should not be ashamed of the Crosse no nor to lay downe our liues for the Brethren For they serue for the confirmation of the Faith of others that they seeing their patience and constancy may be strengthened in the truth and imboldned to make confession thereof with cheerefulnesse Thus doth God deale contrary to the purpose of the Deuill and all deuillish men who labour by all meanes to weaken the faith of the Church by raising persecutions against the particular members thereof which God altereth and turneth to another end The Apostle speaking of his owne afflictions saith a Phil. 1 12 13 14. I would yee vnderstood Brethren that the thinges which haue come vnto me are turned rather to the furthering of the Gospell so that my bands in Christ are famous throughout al the Iudgement Hall and in all other places insomuch that many of the Brethren in the Lord are boldned through my bandes and dare more franckely speake the word Shall we be ashamed of those things which God hath sanctified to be meanes of strengthening our Brethren True it is if we should measure thinges by the corrupt iudgement of a naturall man it seemeth vnlikely and vnpossible that the sufferings of the godly should turne to the gaine and furtherance of the Gospell but God often worketh out his owne glory contrary to all humaine wisedome Who would imagine that out of death should spring life or that the bloud of the Martyâ—… should be the seede of the Church But thus it pleaseth him to manifest his owne honour and to shew that hee is infinite in wisedome Reason 3. Thirdly if we respect the persecuters of the faithfull they must be discerned thereby to bee wicked men and deadly enemies working out their owne destruction and sealing vp their owne reprobation For as the cause of the godly is made more famous and spread abroad farre and neere for which they suffer so such as persecute them shall come to confusion and doe bring vpon themselues swift damnation The Apostle speaking of the vnbeleeuing Iewes saith b 1 Thess 2 15 16. They killed the Lord and their own Prophets they persecuted the Apostles and forbad them to Preach vnto the Gentiles to fufill their sinnes alwaies for the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Seeing therefore God will haue the faith of such as suffer tryed the godly that beleeue confirmed and the persecuters discerned to bee most wicked men no man should be ashamed of the crosses and troubles that befall vnto him Vse 1. Now let vs see the Vses First this serueth to condemne sundry sorts of men that esteeme not aright of the sufferings of the faithfull nor iudge of them with righteous iudgement It reprooueth such as wonder at them lying in affliction as at c Psal 102 6. an Owle in the desart or a Pellicane in the Wildernesse so that they are as a Sparrow vpon the house top sitting alone It reprooueth such as thinke them the greatest Sinners and measure the condition by the chastisement that they suffer like the friends of Iob who iudged him to bee a deepe dissembler and an hollow hearted Hypocrite because he suffered such thinges How many are there that insult ouer the godly when they are humbled vnder the crosse and feele the hand of God vppon them How many are there that esteeme of them when they are in peace and prosperity but leaue them in time of trouble and forsake them in the day of their calamity as the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. complaineth of many men Lastly it reprooueth such as are discomforted in their profession and offended at the calamities that befall others for the faiths sake and faint for the Seruants of God On the other side let vs learne better things and not iudge rash iudgement against the righteous Let vs not thinke it strange to see the best men troubled and euilly dealt withall by euill and carnall Wretches of this World It was the lot of Christ our Sauiour d Esay 53 3. He was despised and reiected of Men he was a man full of sorrowes and not esteemed It was the lot of all the Prophets and Apostles and is the portion of all the Seruants of God in these daies and shall be to the end of the World It is in vaine for vs to thinke to be exempted out of the common condition of these men Let vs not be offended at their sufferings not shrinke backe for the troubles that doe befall them Let vs not thinke them the greatest Sinners for their greatest sufferings nor reproch them as wicked men for sustaining the reproches of wicked men All they that iudge thus are deceiued in their iudgement When the Disciples shewed Christ of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices e Luk. 13 2. he answered said vnto them Suppose ye that these Galileans were greater sinners then all the other Galileans because they haue suffered such things I tell you nay but except ye amend your liues ye shall all likewise perish Or thinke you that those eighteene vpon whom the Tower in Siloam fell and slew them were sinners aboue all men that dwell in Ierusalem I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Lastly let vs be so farre from triumphing ouer them and trampling vpon them that endure affliction that rather in their sufferings wee should suffer with them in their weeping we should weep with them in their mournings we should mourne with them in their miseries we should pray for them that so we may shew our selues members of one and the same body with them according to the precept of the Apostle f Rom. 12 16. Heb. 13 3. Be of like affection one toward another reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weep remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted with them And this is a notable Argument and testimony to our owne hearts that wee are liuely members of the body of Christ and serueth as a sweete comfort vnto vs that we are of the fellowship and Communion of Saints Vse 2. Secondly seeing the afflictions of the faithfull are not shamefull and ignominious vnto them we may conclude from hence that they are blessed that suffer aduersity for the Gospels sake For seeing Paule glorieth in this place of his persecutions accounteth it a praise to him to be a prisoner of Christ we must needs hold them happy and blessed that are in affliction for righteousnes sake whereby we are ioyned to the faithfull we are made like
God All time is esteemed to little and to short that is spent in pleasures in Carding in Dyeing in Drunkennesse in vanitie and in all wickednesse neuer considering that we ought to number our dayes and redeeme the time because the daies are euill To Philemon our deare Friend and Fellow-labourer c. Hetherto we haue spoken of the persons writing Now wee are to proceede to the persons to whom this Epistle is written which are foure in number whereof one is chiefe and principall the other such as are ioyned to him as lesse principall The cheefe person heere named is Philemon Touching this Philemon who he was and of what calling and condition it is not agreed among all Some thinke he was in the Ministery and of some Ecclesiasticall function u Cal. in Epist. Phil. Piscat in hanc locum Rolloc annlis in Epistol Phil. because the Apostle calleth him a Fellow-labourer But the opinion and iudgement of these men is not certaine and the reason whereuppon it standeth is weake and wauering Rather he appeareth to be a Citizen of Colosse of good wealth and worship because both the Pastor of that Church was Archippus as appeareth Coloss 4 Say vnto Archippus looke to thy Ministry that thou fulfill it And many other are called by this honorable Title of Fellow-labourers who neuer had calling to preach the word as appeareth in diuers places where Paule saluteth not only priuate persons but Women who were not to teach publikely in the Church by this Name as Rom. 16. Phil. 4. 3. Iohn Now the Apostle vseth two reasons to perswade him to yeeld to his suit and earnest request the one of friendship and familiarity that was betweene them the other of his zeale and forwardnesse in furthering the Gospell as indeed it is the duty not onely of the Ministers but of all the godly to promote the doctrine of the gospell and to labour much in the Lord by their prayers workes counsels endeuours and imployments So then in regard of the neere coniunction of Christian loue and common labour in the truth and for the truth the Apostle hopeth to preuaile with him Doct. 5. A Christian friend wil performe any Christian duty to his friend From hence wee learne this Doctrine that where true Christian loue is there is a willing and ready performance of all Christian duties one to another Christian friendshippe and familiarity ought to preuaile much to intreat and obtaine duties of loue one from another and to stay vnchristian and vncharitable courses When a contention grew betweene Abraham and Lot and betweene the Heard-men of their Cattle Abraham said vnto him x Gen. 13 8. Let there be I pray thee no strife between thee and me neither between my Heard-men and thy Heard-men for we are Brethren Ionathan and Dauid a paire of sure and fast friendes entred into a couenant of peace and amity either with other y 1 Sa. 18 2 3. this loue would not suffer any euill to be pretended and plotted against each other which they did not willinglie disclose and discouer Dauid loued him as himselfe and Ionathan reuealed and bewrayed the counsell and conspiracy of his Father euen to the danger of his owne life and the losse of a kingdome He preferred the maintaining of frendship before the gaining of a kingdome The loue that was in Christ to his disciples caused him to reueale to them all things that he had from his Father z Iohn 15 15. Henceforth cal I you not seruants for the seruant knoweth not what his M. doth but I haue called you friends for all things that I haue heard of my Father haue I made known to you When Christ sitting at the table told the disciples that one of thē should betray him into the hands of Sinners Peter moued Iohn whom Iesus loued and who leaned on his breast to aske who it was of whō he spake being assured he would not deny to tell him because he loued him This the Apostle teacheth b Rom. 5 7. Doubtlesse one will scarce die for a righteous Man but for a good man it may be that one dare dye So in this Epistle that now we haue in hand verse 9. he saith For loues sake I beseech thee for my Sonne Onesimus All these seuerall places serue to point out and to proue this truth vnto vs that a friend a true Friend a true Christian friend will not deny but readily performe any Christian duty to his friend Reason 1. The Reasons are first because true Friendes are as one Soule in two Bodies They agree in one they consent in one they take such sweete counsell together and are partakers one with another in weale and woe The Heathen could say c Arist Eth. lib 8. c. 1. Cicer. lib de Amicit. that all things are common among friends and that a sure friend is as another the same It is said to this purpose that Dauid loued Ionathan as his owne Soule 1 Sam. 18. So Luke speaking of the faithfull members of the Church saith d Act. 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them saide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Seeing then that such as are ioyned in Christian friendship haue one Soule one heart one will one purpose how can they but performe all good thinges one to another Who can deny any thing to himselfe Who hateth his owne flesh or doth not nourish and cherish it by all the meanes he can How then shall not Friends that haue a Title and interest one of another demaund and obtaine any thing that is iust and equall Reason 2. Againe this is a note of true loue that it seeketh not his owne good but seeketh and desireth the good of his Brother The loue that aymeth and endeth at it selfe is nothing else but selfe-loue whereof there is great store in the World when Men respect nothing but their owne profite But true loue is so occupyed about the thing loued that in regard thereof it is oftentimes negligent about it selfe not enioying all the liberty or commodity that lawfully it may haue The Apostle e 1 Cor. 13 4 5 describing the properties of loue saith Loue suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuyeth not loue dooth not boast it it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not is seeketh not her owne thinges it not prouoked to anger it thinketh not euill Seeing then this is one of the fruites and properties of loue that it is ready to neglect it owne priuate profit and pleasure in regard of the thing loued wee cannot doubt of a carefull performance of all duties and demaundes that are required of it where it is Vse 1. Let vs see the Vses of this Doctrine First seeing Christian friendship will performe Christian duties wee learne that a Christian Friende is a sure Friend and Christian friendship
Surely mine Enemy did not defame mee for I could haue borne it neyther did mine Aduersary exalt himselfe against me for I would haue hid mee from him but it was thou ô Man euen my Companion my Guide and my Familiar which delighted in consulting together and went into the house of God as Companions This falsehood haue the faithfull felt in all Ages This had Christ himselfe experience of being betrayed of one of his owne Disciples and Houshold So haue his members continually prooued the same beeing exercised by the deceipt of false Bretheren This was the sinne of Caine n Gen. 4 8. Who spake friendly to his Brother but when he had him alone in the Fielde he rose vp against him and slew him This was the sinne of Ioab o 2 Sam. 20 9. his false and fraudulent dealing with Abner and Amasa he spake peaceably but meant treacherously Art thou in health my Brother And so smote them with the sword that they dyed This was the sinne of Iudas p Mat. 26 48. who had Haile Maister in his mouth and couered the hollownesse and Hypocrisie of his heart with the kindnesse of a Kisse but this was a token of his Treason and the signe that he had giuen to apprehend him It was not a Kisse of loue but a Testimony of his villany and therefore Christ saide vnto him Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kisse Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn exhorteth 1. Iohn 3. q 1 Iohn 3 18 19. My little Children let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth for thereby we know that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts This is the true loue which standeth not in word but in deede which lyeth not in the tongue but in the heart which consisteth not in an outward shew but in the inward truth Such was the loue of the godly gathered together after the ascention of Christ they loued together in truth and had all thinges common in the vse For r Acts 2 44 4 32 34 35. all that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common they were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them faide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne neyther was there any among them that lacked Where the Euangelist declareth that their harts and affections were so ioyned in God that being all members of one body they could not suffer their fellow-members to bee destitute accounting the defeating and defrauding of them as it were a spoyling and robbing of themselues Wee must not deny our helpe to them that are in Christ but shewe our selues ready to cloath him to feede him and to visite him in all his members as wee shewed before otherwise wee are no true members but dead members And to our deare Sister Apphia c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the first and cheefe person to whom the Epistle is directed Now let vs come to such as are lesse principall being ioyned with him which are these first Apphia Secondly Archippus Thirdlie the Familie of Philemon to whom this Epistle was to bee read The first that commeth to bee considered is Apphia whom he calleth a beloued Sister This Woman seemeth to be the Wife of Philemon my reason is because she is placed immediatly after Philemon and before the Minister and Pastor of the Church For no cause can be assigned why she should follow Philemon and goe before Archippus but that she was the Wife of Philemon and therefore the Apostle ioyneth her next vnto him in place as she was ioyned to him by the ordinance of God And this Å¿ Chrysost hom 1. in Phil. Theophyl in Epist Phil. is the iudgement of many Now as Paule before did ioyne with himselfe Timothy so in this place he ioyneth Apphia as a Companion with Philemon that thereby he might make the way more open to obâ—…ine his purpose Good Women ought to doe much with their Husbandes and the Apostle prouoketh her by naming and saluting her to be a moouer and perswader of her Husband to this charitable and Christian duty Doct. 6. Christian women should be helpers of their husbands We learne from hence that it is required of all Christian Women to be helpers and furtherers of good things in their Husbands It is the dutie of Wiues to stirre vp and spurre vp their Husbands to all Christian duties and holie fruites of Religion The ende of her Creation was that she should bee an Helper vnto Man especiallie in the best thinges for the Woman was made for Man and not Man for the Woman and therefore GOD saide from the beginning t Gen. 2 18. It is not good for Man to bee alone let vs make him an Helper meete for him Salomon describing in the Booke of Prouerbes a vertuous Woman whose price is farre aboue u Prou. 31 10 11 26 27. the Pearles he saith The heart of her Husband trusteth in her and hee shall haue no neede of spoile Shee will doe him good and not euill all the daies of her life c. She openeth her Mouth in Wisedome and the Lawe of Grace is in her tongue shee ouer-seeth the waies of her Household and eateth not the Bread of idlenesse An example of this dutie wee haue in the Wife of Manoah the Mother x Iudg. 13 22 23. of Sampson when her Husband was greatly affrighted and astonied at the sight of the glorious departure of the Angell of God who ascended vp in the flame of the Altar and cryed out in the perplexitie of his Spirit and terrour of his heart We shall surely dye because we haue seene the Lord She encouraged him and comforted him being greatly cast downe If the Lord would kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meate offering at our handes neither would hee haue shewed vs all these thinges nor would now haue told vs any such Another example we haue in the Shunamite a Woman of great estimation when she perceiued the Prophet Elisha to come often that way y 2 King 4 9. she saide vnto her Husband Behold I know now that this is an holy Man of God that passeth by vs continuallie let vs make him a little Chamber I pray thee with Walles and let vs set him there a Bed and a Table and a Stoole and a Candlesticke that he may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. Where we see she stirreth vp her Husband to doe good to the Prophet and to prepare him a study by himselfe fit for his Meditations And the Apostles doe often vrge this duty and teach that all Women should bee helpess not hinderers furtherers not discouragers stirrers forward not houlders backeward from good things Reason 1. The Reasons are plaine For first they may by the gracious goodnesse of GOD be blessed Instruments to winne their Husbands to the Faith by beating
instruction the Angels are our Watchmen the heauen is our happinesse Christ is our Sauiour God is our Father all thinges are fauourers and furtherers of our saluation It is a comfort of all comforts that we are at peace with God that he is our friend and that hee hath no controuersie against vs. If God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs or dare take vpon him the protection and defence of vs But beeing iustified by Faith we are at peace with God It is a great blessing to be at peace with men but it is a greater blessing to be at peace with God We are at peace with the blessed Angels r Hebr. 1 14. Who are all ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation They guard vs from dangers they carry vs as a Nurse doth her Childe in her Armes that we be not hurt by the Deuill or his Angels or his Instruments We are at peace with the Church that is with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ The Prophet Esay speaking of the Kingdome of Christ and of the fruits of the Gospell foretelleth That Å¿ Esay 11 6. the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kidde and the Calfe and the Lyon and a fat Beast together and a little Child shall lead them c. Meaning thereby that when a man is called into the State of grace howsoeuer by Nature he haue the greedinesse of a Wolfe the wildnesse of a Leopard the fiercenesse of a Lyon the cruelty of a Beare hee shall lay away his sauage and brutish Nature and become gentle and liue peaceably with all men We are at peace with our own selues which is the peace of a good conscience when it being washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and beginneth to excuse and comfort vs when neither Hell nor Death nor damnation nor any daunger doth dismay vs or bring vs to despaire but in the midst of all t Col. 3 15. we haue the peace of God ruling in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3. 15. If a man weare at peace with the Angels with men and with all the Creatures if he had no Enemy to encounter him but liued at peace with others yet if he were at warre and Mortall enmity with himselfe if he felt the terrors of conscience and his owne heart condemning him hee should quickly finde what a great blessing it is to haue a cleere conscience which is a continuall Feast This peace was in Dauid when he said in the midst of manifolde dangers u Psal 3 5 6. I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about This is of such excellency that it is called o Phil. 4 7. The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding it is in stead of a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ Wee are at peace with our enemies both because so soone as we beleeue in Christ wee seeke to haue peace with all men so farre as is possible p Rom. 12 18 and as much as lieth in vs and because God restraineth the mallice of the Enemies and inclineth their hearts to embrace peace Thus God brought Abraham and Isaac into fauour with Abimelec King of Gerar that he was ready and willing no onely to receiue peace when it was offered but to craue peace when it was not desired Thus God brought Daniell into fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and sundry others to finde the fruits of loue at the handes of their enemies because he hath the harts of all men in his owne hand to wind them and turne them at his owne pleasure Lastly we are at peace with all Creatures in Heauen and Earth aboue and beneath which are made to serue for our benefite and saluation The Prophet saith q Psal 91 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder foot And God promiseth To make a r Hos 2 18. Couenant for them with the Beastes and Fowles that they shall walk safely All these priuiledges teach vs hauing such a large peace with God and his Angels with the Church and our owne selues with our Enemies and all Creatures that it is the most comfortable thing in the world to be vnder the grace and Couenant of God and that nothing is more to bee desired then to feele the fauour of God towards vs for hauing this we possesse all things If wee want him and his fauour though we haue all the world it will not nor cannot content vs but all things are curssed to vs and we to them Vse 3. Lastly seeing all that are accepted of God are blessed with all good things this teacheth vs the wretched and fearefull condition of all such as by reason of sinne are out of fauour with God they shall finde no rest they shall haue no peace heauen and earth shall conspire against them and deny them succour and comfort in the day of Gods punnishment and visitation It is said of Ismaell that his hand should be against euery man and euery mans hand against him so is it with all the vngodly not reconciled to God they shall find no sound comfort in any Creature but shall haue all the World against them This is a great misery and torment lying heauy vpon the wicked and piercing their Soules as the flashings of Hell according to the saying of the Prophet s Esay 57 19 20 21. I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that are farre off and to them that are nere saith the Lord for I will heale them but the wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast vp Mire and Dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked God setteth himselfe against them and all Creatures shall confound them and fight against them vntil they are confounded and ouerthrowne And as the Apostle speaking of the blessed and happy estate of the godly declareth that all things are theirs so on the other side we may truely say of the vngodly that nothing is theirs they haue Title and interest in no creature to receiue any comfort in them or stay from them or protection by them God is become their Enemy the Angels are armed to destroy them their owne consciences conuince and condemne them the Heauen is shut against them death is the gate of Hell vnto them affliction is a meanes of murmuring in them the World is a Snare vnto them Christ is a Rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell is the fauour of death vnto them the mercy of God is made a Packe-horse for their sinnes all the ordinances of God are abused by them and all the workes of Gods handes shall bee Instruments of
contrary to the Doctrine deliuered by himselfe contrary to the rest of the holy Scriptures and contrary to the Articles of our Faith Contrarie to himselfe because he teacheth i Rom. 10 13 14. that we cannot call vpon any whom we do not know out of Gods word and beleeue to be both able and willing to help vs saying Whosoeuer shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saued how then shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued Where he reasoneth thus that we must beleeue onely in God and therefore pray onely to God Hee should be contrary to other Scriptures because we are k Heb. 4 16. taught by them To come with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace therefore the inuocation of Saints is vaine and needlesse seeing we haue a free accesse and bold approching vnto God through Christ againe they are l Ier. 17 5. Curssed that trust in man and make flesh their Arme and so with-draw their heart from the Lord. Christ calleth vs vnto himselfe and commaunded m Iohn 16 20 vs to aske the Father in his Name for the Father himselfe loueth vs. He should be contrary to the Articles of Faith wherein we are taught to beleeue onely in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Againe such as are not obstinately blinded and peruersely disposed may easily distinguish the Apostles words and see that he referreth not Faith both to Christ and the Saints but Faith to Iesus Christ and loue to the Saints For after that he had commended Philemon for two chiefe guifts of God Faith and Loue in both which consist the perfection of a Christian man he assigneth to eyther of them their propper subiect namely that Faith is in our Lord Iesus Christ and Charity is toward all the Saints which distinction and diuerse Relation may appeare by the Latine Interpretour and by their owne Rhemish Translation altering the preposition and reading it thus n In Iesu Christo in omnes Sanctos Loue and Faith in Iesus Christ and toward all the Saints Thirdly the Apostle else-where hauing occasion to mention these two graces of God he doth describe them distinctly by their seuerall obiectes and expresly referreth Faith to Christ and loue to the Saints o Ephe. 1 15. Col. 1 3 4. as writing to the Ephesians he saith Therefore also after that I hear of the Faith which ye haue in the Lord Iesus and loue toward all the Saints I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers So in the Epistle to the Colossians We giue thankes to God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ alway praying for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Iesus and of your loue toward all Saints Compare these two places with the words of Paule in this place and wee shall see they serue as a Key to open this and doe vtter that plainely which here is spoken more darkely Thus we see by the way that the Scripture is the best Expositer and Interpretour of the Scripture p August lib. 2 de doctr Christ cap. 6. and that which is spoken obscurely in one Book is made euident and manifest in another Fourthly it were not hard to produce and alledge sundry authorities and testimonies of elder times thus distinguish the words as we doe and auouching that no Faith and confidence is to be put in any of the Saints q Theodoret Ambrose Theophylact as if the Apostle had saide I know how great Faith thou hast reposed in our Lord which hath saued vs and with how great Charity thou hast releeued them that are the Seruants of God and esteeme godlines Lastly Faith in the Saints cannot bee prooued and inuocation of them established and grounded from hence because the Apostle speaketh of the Saints liuing not departed in the Church Militant not Triumphant the Saints on Earth not in Heauen For the Saints on Earth want our help and craue our releefe to be extended toward them but they that are in glory and haue receiued their Crowne doe not stand in neede of our comfort and refreshing and therefore this is a weake foundation to builde the Popish Faith and beleefe in Saints that are dead and departed out of this life seeing the Apostle vnderstandeth it of one sort and they take it and stretch it to another The third question answered The third question is this why the Apostle restraineth Philemons loue to the Saints whereas loue is a common debt that we owe to all men as the Apostle saith r Rom. 13 8. Owe nothing to any Man but to loue one another for hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law Seeing therefore loue should not be restrained to the Saints as though we ought to shut vp our bowels of pitty and compassion from others and seeing we are not to despise our owne flesh but honour the Image of God engrauen in our Nature how is it that his loue which ought to comprehend all mankind and enlarge it selfe to all others is onelie mentioned to haue beene toward the distressed Saints and Members of the Church The reason is they which are of the Houshold of Faith are tyed to vs by a stronger and straighter band of friendship and familiarity and God commendeth them vnto vs more particularlie and so they ought to challenge the first place in declaring the fruits of our loue The Apostle doth direct vs to this point when he saith Å¿ Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs doe good vnto al men but especially to them which are of the Houshold of Faith We are charged to loue all but we must loue the Saints with a peculiar and speciall loue euen as heires with Christ and Members of the same body with vs. God requireth of vs to loue al men as his Creatures but the godly as his Children Though therefore our loue should be common and extend it selfe farre and neere into all the world yet there should bee certaine degrees and an order in our loue should be obserued We are commaunded to loue all but we are not commaunded to loue all alike We are bound to loue the godly and vngodlie but we are not bound to loue the vngodly as the godly the Reprobates as the elect the Vessels of wrath as the Vessels of honour the Children of Belial as the Children of God We are therefore heere directed whom we are most neerely and deerly to loue euen those that haue Christ dwelling in their harts and grace shining in their faces Contrary to the practise of worldly Men who onely loue such as are of this World their loue is like themselues prophane men a prophane loue carnall men a carnall loue they loue euill men for their euill because they partake with them in euill they hate the godly for their godlinesse because they are vnlike them and will not runne with them into all excesse of ryot t Psal 38
20. according to that which the Prophet hath They that reward euill for good are mine enemies because I follow goodnesse This agreeth with that which Christ told and taught his Disciples u Iohn 15 19. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because ye are not of the World but I haue chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Thus much touching the deciding of the doubts and answering of the questions that arise out of these two verses Now let vs come to the obseruations that arise therein Obseruations out of these verses The wordes beeing interpreted and diuers questions answered let vs see what points offer themselues fitly to bee deserued First he beginneth with a thanksgiuing to teach that it is meete and necessary to giue thanks to God for benefits receiued at his hands according to the Doctrine of the Apostles x 1 Thes 5 18 In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus Wee are ready to forget such mercies as we haue receiued and thereby make our selues vnworthy of further fauour Secondly consider to whom he giueth thankes to God not to any Saint or Angell or any Creatuâ—… to guide vs in the performance of this duty Thirdly marke the person for whom for Philemon so that wee are not onely bound to giue thankes for our selues but for other especially when we see Gods word to bring forth fruit in the hearts of Men. Thus doth Paule in this place reioyce for the godlinesse of Philemon and euery where in his Epistles sheweth himselfe exceeding glad for the conuersion of Nations and people to the Faith Thus the Church of the Iewes y Gal. 1 23. are said to glorifie God when they heard of Paules conuersion This is the dutie of all Christians specially of the Ministers to pray continually for the Flock committed vnto them and to praise the name of God for their increase in godlinesse Fourthly obserue that first he mentioneth his thanks-giuing then his praiers for him so that he ioyneth the one with the other Whereby we see that prayers conceiued for our selues or others are not to bee seuered from giuing of thankes For no man is so perfect in this life but be hath neede of dailie encrease in grace and therefore we must so giue thankes for our Bretheren to God in regard of the graces of his spirit which they haue receiued that wee also pray incessantly for their growth in those graces Besides no man standeth so firmely rooted and grounded in grace but hee may fall and by his fall haue his guifts lessened and diminished vnlesse he be strengthened and stayed vp by the meanes and helpes that God hath appointed among the which are Prayers both our owne and others Fiftly hee saith his Faith and loue were heard off and spread abroad farre and neere so that wee see Gods graces bestowed vpon vs will not be hidden and concealed We are set as vpon a Theater to be seene all mens eies are fixed vpon vs all Mens mouths will bee opened to speake of vs z Rom. 1 8. 1 Kin. 18 13. and all mens eares will listen what they can heare of vs euen then when they are absent from vs. On the otherside what euill soeuer we commit wee cannot conceale and couer we haue many eies vpon vs we shall haue a thousand eares to hearken and ten thousand mouths to prattle against vs so that we must so walke as we saw many with vs and many saw vs how we walke Sixtly wee see heere a notable difference betweene vnfained praise and fained flattery The Apostle without any faining and fawning rehearseth in this place the commendation of Philemon a 1 Thes 1 â— 2 13 5 6. as he doth in other places of the whole Churches thereby to encourage them in well doing and to stirre them vp to continue fast and faithfull to the death and to hasten to the end of the race set before them But such as flatter and vse colourable wordes are wholy at the becke of others extolling and admiring whatsoeuer they doe or speake whether it deserue praise or dispraise It standeth vs vpon to consider whom we praise and wherefore we praise them that it be for such good thinges as appeare to be in them I giue thankes to my God c. The Apostle finding and hearing of the excellent and worthy graces of God that were in Philemon was mooued with great ioy and thereby stirred vp to blesse and praise the Lord God Doct. 1. Men ought to take cause of great ioy to see others grow and proceed in good things We learne from hence that al Christians especially Teachers are greatly to reioyce and praise God when they see or know or heare that professors prosper and grow forward in heauenly graces It is a matter of great ioy and comfort to see men grow in graces as they doe in yeares and to encrease in heauenly things as they multiply their daies When the Prophet Dauid saw the forwardnesse of the people in offering willingly vnto the Lord with a perfect heart for the building of the Temple l 1 Chron. 29 10. He reioyced exceedingly and blessed the Lord before all the Congregation And Psal 122. I reioyced m Psal 122 1. when they said vnto me Come let vs goe into the house of the Lord. The Apostle writing to the Romanes giueth thankes through Iesus Christ for them all n Rom. 1 8. Because their Faith was published throughout the whole world When the Churches of Iudea heard that Paule a Persecuter was conuerted to the Faith and made a Preacher of the Faith which before he destroyed o Gal. 1 22 23 They glorified God for him The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady whom he loued in the truth saith p 2 Iohn 4 3 Iohn 3 4. I reioyced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in truth as we haue receiued a Commaundement of the Father And writing to Gaius he saith I reioyced greatly when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee how thou walkest in the truth I haue no greater ioy then these to heare that my Sonnes walke in veritie By these seuerall places alleadged as by so many witnesses produced wee see that it is our duty greatly to reioyce when we behold the Gospell flourish and the professors of the Gospell grow forward in good things Reason 1. And there are many reasons to warrant and confirme this Doctrine First it serueth exceedingly to aduance the glory of God that men grow in godlinesse which ought to be an effectuall reason to mooue vs to reioyce for what is there that should more cheere and reioyce vs then when Gods Name is magnified and his truth extolled among the Sonnes of Men. In all things that we doe if we doe them aright we should ayme at Gods glorie Now as the Name of GOD is
who come farre behind the blinde Infidels who are open ieasters at euill and deriders of good This laughing is the beginning of euill when ieastes turne to good earnest and wordes into deeds These men are farre from the practise of those whom we heard before commended out of the word of God and from the Godly affection of Dauid and Ieremy of Paule and Christ himselfe who mourned in soule to behold the sinnes that raigned and were commonly practised in their daies This is a notable signe and assurance to our owne hearts that we hate them indeede when they do draw out of vs buckets of water and riuers of teares This griefe of heart was in the Apostle writing to the Phillippians when he saw the loose behauiour of of many that professed Christ in word but denied him in deed of whom he saith l Phil. 3. 18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame which mind earthly thinges Now it cannot be but the hearts of the faithfull Ministers and godly bretheren will be greatly grieued and vexed when they see God dishonoured by our carelesse walking and standing still idle all the day long withou a labouring in his Vineyard We must daily increase and grow strong in faith or else we decrease and grow weake in saith If we wax not euery day better we fall to be worse and worse We neuer stand at one stay If we walke not forward we runne backeward like the water of the Sea that if it do not flow it ebbeth or like vnto the life of man if strength encreaseth not it decayeth So then if any would come to mans full and perfect stature he must grow vp by little and little from one measure to another So if any would m Ephe. 4. 15. 16. become a perfect man in Christ he must follow the truth in Loue and in all thinges grow vp into him which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt receiueth encrease of the body vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Let vs therefore take heede to our selues that we greeue not the hearts of the faithfull and by our sinnes quench their affections toward vs as it were by pouring Water vpon them Let vs seeke to grow vp in knowledge and in obedience that we be not as Dwarfes or Vrchins neuer comming to any growth nor profiting any whit in the Schoole of Christ nor be as idle Drones that neuer labour but liue vnprofitably to themselues and others Vse 3. Thirdly it is the dutie of all Gods people by striuing to goe forward in good thinges to delight the heartes of their Teachers and the rest of the Brethren So long as we encrease and proceede vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that we bee hence-forth no more Children wauering and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue we make Christ glad we reioyce the Spirit of God wee make glad the Angels we comfort and cheere vp the hearts of the godly and we bring that peace to our owne hearts which passeth all vnderstanding On the other side if we grow backward and decline by little and little from the holy profession of the truth which we haue receiued we crucifie Christ wee quench the Spirit we greeue the Angels wee offend the faithfull and wee wound our owne Soules This dutie vrged from this Doctrine reprooueth sundry sorts of people that doe not desire to delight the hearts of those that haue instructed them and to comfort them that haue laboured in the word and Doctrine among them First such as haue continued long in the Church and grow in yeares but not in knowledge What comfort can these men bring to their Teachers and Instructers when no increase is seene or can be marked in them It is a common but a most fearefull sinne not to profit and proceede in the waies of godlinesse and yet it is to bee feared that not one of an hundred commeth with any desire of instruction with any care of sanctification with any purpose of reformation with any hunger after saluation If men goe to the the Market to buy their prouision and to supply the necessities of the body we see what they bring home we see they returne not empty we see they come backe laden But when they goe to the House of God and frequent the exercises of his word how often doe they returne with empty handes nay with empty hearts nay with hard hearts and so worse then they came vnto them This is it which the Apostle n Heb. 6 7 8. teacheth Hebr. 6. The earth which drinketh in the Raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth Hearbs meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Bryars is reprooued and is neere vnto curssing whose ende is to bee burned Secondly heereby is condemned the want of the fruits of kindnesse toward the Pastors whereby they may bee encouraged and made cheerefull and comfortable in their calling Some there are whom we may well account of the better or at least none of the worser sort who abstaine from hurting wronging and molesting their Ministers but they withall abstaine from shewing succour helpe or countenance toward them they will indeed doe them no euill but likewise they will doe them no good contemning them in their heart they will not be open enemies professing hatred toward them but withall they are not their friendes to giue them any comfort they vse them strangely and vnciuilly as base abiects in their sight when as their calling is as much honored and magnified in the word by the mouth of God as any calling vnder Heauen This was the sin of the Corinthians for a time who wanted loue kindnesse in supporting the Apostle vnder the waight of his calling so that he was constrained to stand vpon the commending of himselfe and the extolling of his Ministry o 2 Cor. 12 11 I was a foole to boast my selfe yee haue compelled mee for I ought to haue beene commended of you for in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing This also the same Apostle complaineth of in another place p 2 Tim. 4 16 At my first answearing no man assisted me but all forsooke mee I pray God that it may not be layde vnto their charge These men did not dispraise him but they would not commend him They would not renounce him yet they would not defend him as they wold not disclaime him so likewise they would not assist him Of this sort are manie that liue among vs who thinke they haue discharged a worthy duty toward
the Minister if they do him no harme if they offer him no wrong if they abstaine from iniurie toward him It was farre otherwise with the Galathians who loued Paule so dearly and entirely that they accounted nothing to bee too precious for him q Gal. 4 14 15 The triall of me which was in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus what was then your felicity For I beare you record that if it had beene possible ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and haue giuen them vnto me But in these daies wherein we liue it were well or not much amisse for the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell if such as should support them would not subuert them if such as should help them would not hinder them if such as should raise them vp were not ready to cast them downe and if such as should refresh them were not rather giuen to reuile them and disgrace them Heere then is condemned all hard and bitter dealing toward them whereby their calling which is an honourable office is made an irksome burthen vnto them to bear against such as taunt and scorne them that iest and mocke at the worke of their ministry which is the wisedome of God and the power of God against those that delight to vex the seruants of God to mingle their bread with grauell their drinke with gall and their life with reproach This made the Prophets and Apostles cry out continually to see themselues abused their Ministery contemned the word of God himselfe refused all Religion prophaned When Eliah saw that the children of Israell had forsaken the Couenant of God cast downe his Altars and slaine his Prophets he desired God to kill him r 1 King 19 4 It is now enough O Lord take my soule for I am no better then my fathers The prophet Å¿ Esay 65 2. 53 1. 49 4. Esay saith I haue spred out my hands all the day to a rebellious people which walked in away that was not good euen after their owne imaginations Lord who hath beleeued our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God The Lord sayth to Ezekiell t Ezek. 33 31 32. The Children of thy people talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses they sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doo them for vvith their mouths they make iests and thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but they do them not and when this commeth to passe for loe it will come then shall they know that a prophet hath beene among them So when Paule came to Athens u Acts 17 18. and saw the City full of Idols he preached vnto them the knowledge of God and the resurrection of the dead but they said What will this babler say And others worse then those that scorne and scoffe at the word of life which they should heare with feare and reuerence are falne into this horrible depth of sinne that thorough malice to the word it selfe do come vnto them to heare them not to learne but to trap and intangle them not to edifie themselues but to misreport and accuse them not to receiue profit but to finde occasion to persecute them as the Iewes did with Christ and his Apostles who came not to heare them but to tempt them not to beleeue them but to belye them Many such Iewes and Iudasses wee meete withall in our dayes who are so farre from reioycing the hearts of their Ministers that they may doo the worke of their calling wil ingly not grudgingly cheerefully not heauily u Heb. 13 17. with ioy not with greefel that they thinke it a great duty done vnto them if they doo not disgrace them or molest them It is a great sinne not to helpe them not to countenance them not to stand with them in good causes but to suffer euery base companion and beastly liuer to insult vpon them as their footstool but it is more greeuous to scorne them and deride them to make them their Table-talke and their Tauern-talke to declaime against them from the Tribunall of their Ale-bench but it is most fearefull of all to come to them to catch them and intrap them to hunt after words and Syllables and to wrest them against the minde and meaning of the speaker Let vs beware of these sinnes let vs not be in the number of such as are set downe in the seat of scorners and false accusers If they shall not escape that do no good if they shall not be excused that do not reioyce them surely they shall bee guilty of a sorer and seuerer punnishment that malice them that mocke them that misinforme others of them and euery way misvse them and contemne them Vse 4. Lastly seeing we are all bound to reioyce in the proceeding of the faithfull it followeth from hence necessarily that wee are not to enuie and repine at the growth of the Church or of any member of the Church This is a great fault and folly in many when they see any parts of the Church flourish and behold greater encrease in others then in themselues by and by they grudge and repine at it and haue their owne eye euil because the Lords eie is good These are like to those Labourers that were hyred into the Vine-yard who when they saw such as were hyred about the eleauenth houre to receiue their penny and to be made equall with them who had borne the brunt and burthen of the day x 1 Mat. 28 20 11. and had endured the heat and sweate of the worke they enuied at the Seruants and murmured against the Mayster of the house We must enuy no mans good wee must repine at no mans Saluation The calling and conuersion of the Gentiles y Acts 11 3. 15 1. was such a stumbling-blocke in the way and n Mote nay a Beame in the eyes of the Iewes that they had rather renounce the Gospell and depart from Christ then to receyue them into a fellowshippe of the same Faith and make them partakers of the Kingdome of Heauen So did the Scribes and Pharisees z Math. 9 11. Luke 7 39. take it greeuously that the grace of God and Remission of sinnes and the Mysteries of Saluation should be preached and published to Publicans and Sinners There is no guift or benefit bestowed vpon any but it is giuen for the good and comfort of the whole Church so that wee should reioyce therein not repine thereat forasmuch as we haue our portion and profite in it Neuerthelesse what is more common and vsuall then to make the blessinges of God vppon others a great
to be true which the word teacheth touching God Christ Fayth Eternall life and such like but we must apply them to our own hearts haue a perticular faith of them otherwise we may be sent to Schoole to learn faith of the Deuils who go so farre And howsoeuer some may thinke it to bee a very grosse and homely comparison to compare men to the Deuils yet if wee examine the faith and practise of wicked and carnall men we shall easily perceiue not onely that the Deuils are equall vnto them but doo go manie degrees before them For first the Deuils vnderstand the Law and the Gospell They know the end of the one and the vse of the other They giue assent to the Couenant of Grace that it is true they know that it is certaine sure and that God will giue remission of sinnes and the glory of immortality to the members of his Church They know the Person the Natures the Offices of Christ They know that all things spoken in the Scripture shall be performed This appeareth in the confession which they make in many places of the Gospell concerning Christ r Marke 1 24. 3. 11 Luke 4 41. I know thee what thou art euen that holie one of God thou art the sonne of God thou art that Christ And the Apostle Iames speaking of such as gloried in a false faith but wanteth the true Faith sayeth Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou dooest well Å¿ Iames 2 19. the Deuils also beleeue it and tremble He setteth downe a chiefe point of Religion which the Deuils beleeue concerning the vnity of the God-head and this faith of the Deuil is not to be restrained to this one principall point but it stretcheth to the whole Doctrine of faith so that he setteth down expressely this one ground foundation instead of the whole body of Christianity For the Deuils do not only beleeue that there is one God who hath created all things and gouerneth all things and shall iudge all the world but that there is one Christ one Sauiour one Redeemer And this is a sure reason that they knowe this great Mystery of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh because they seeke to ouerthrow destroy and deface it by contrary errors But how manie are there among the sonnes of men that take themselues to bee great Christians and thinke they are better then the Deuils that know not these things Are there not many that are among vs and liue in the bosom of the Church who would defie them that should charge them to come behinde the Deuils yet know not the Doctrine of the Trinity the person of Christ the vnion of his Natures the end of the Lawe the Sacraments of the Church the Couenant of the Gospell the Nature of Faith the Iustification of a Sinner and the way of saluation Againe the Apostle teacheth not only that the Deuils beleeue the things that are written in the scripture but likewise that they tremble at the Iudgements of God contained in the scripture They knowe the promise of the Gospell they heare of remission of sinnes they beleeue there is in eternal life which the blessed of the Father shall inherite but they feele no ioy in it they receyue no comfort by it they are neuer a whit delighted with it because they know themselues separated from it and to be reserued for the wrath to com as we finde it vttered of the Deuils through the mouth of the possessed t Math. 8 29. Why art thou come to torment vs before our time Whereby they acknowledge that they looked for â—he accomplishment of threatnings and the feeling of torments but they would haue the time prolonged and put off so long aâ— they could And we see that they beleeue all matters of Faith to bee true but â—…y are not perswaded nor cannot beleeue that they pertaine any thing at all vnto them They haue no hope of mercy they haue no assurance of pardon they haue no expectation of saluation Now as they beleeue that the promises of God do not concern them so they know that the threatnings of God shal certainly come vpon them and that eternal torments are prepared for them which is the cause of their feare and trembling But how many wicked men are there that liue in sensuality and are drowned in security They are resolued to lye still in sin and yet consider not what hangeth ouer their heads Tell the Deuils of their estate wherein they stand and they tremble Tell the vngodly of their condition they are carelesse The Deuils in remembraunce of Iudgements despayre the vngodly presume The Deuils are constrained to confesse that God is iust the vngodly wash it away and say tush God is mercifull Thus doth Satan besot and bewitch the Reprobate teacheth them a lesson which he could neuer learn himselfe namely that Gods word is not all true and that the threatnings there pronounced shall not fall vpon them and therefore we see such as are taught and reprooued by the Ministry of the word either to be as sencelesse blockes not mooued at all with them or as open blasphemers reuiling and railing at the word These are notable and forward Schollers and haue profited deeply in the Deuils Schoole they are growne to bee more cunning then their Maister and haue out-gone him in their profession and therefore they must be as neere condemnation as he This faith then to beleeue that part of Gods worde which consisteth in beleeuing Gods vengeance and threatnings is hardly to be found among the vngodly and therefore the faith of the Deuils is more perfect which should teach vs to labour that our faith may exceed and go beyond the Deuils and that wee may seeke to apply the mercifull promises of God to our selues and so to find comfort in them which the Deuils want We must not only say Christ gaue himselfe but he gaue himselfe for me It is not enough to say he loueth man but he loueth me he is a Sauiour but hee is my Sauiour hee is a Redeemer but he is my Redeemer he forgiueth sinnes but hee forgiueth me my sinnes It is not enough to say he saued others but we must say he saueth me hee is not onely the God of others but he is my God and my Lord. This was the comfort that Dauid felt when hee saith u Psal 18 2. The Lorde is my Rocke and my Fortresse my God and my strength my shield the horne of my saluation and my refuge It is the tenor of the Couenant that God made with Abraham and all beleeuers x Gen. 17. 7. I will be thy God and the God of thy seede If then God haue promised this mercie and spoken peace vnto our Consciences saying to euerie faithfull person I will be thy God why should not euerie beleeuer take holde of this and say The Lord shall be my God as I am one of his people This is not to offer
Churches for the most part on the Lords day assemble at one houre wee come together at one time a blessed houre a blessed time the best houre the best time in the whole Weeke O how should wee loue it how should we desire it how should wee delight in it Then do wee pray for the Church then the Church prayeth for vs then are wee mindfull of our Brethren then are our Bretheren likewise mindfull of vs then is God mindfull of vs all Then we call vpon God for his Saints then doo the Saintes vpon the earth call vppon God for vs then dooth GOD heare vs all both them and vs them for vs and vs for them This is a sweete Harmony and pleasant agreement when wee do thus with one minde and with one mouth glorifie God and with a feeling of Gods mercie can cry out Å¿ Psal 84 1 2 O Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lorde for mine heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God On the other side great is their wickednesse and prophanesse that do not affect such times of publicke Prayers they shewe themselues to bee beastly minded and ledâ—… with the wicked Spirit of the Deuill into all abhominations neyther may such looke to finde any benefite or feele any comfort by the Prayers and supplications in those places and at such holie times powred out It is a great priuiledge belonging onely to the faithfull to haue right and interrest in the Churches Prayers It is not so with the wicked so long as they abhorre such meetings which are the most fruitful seasons when God with a gracious dew doth raine vpon his inheritaunce they are as barren trees and as withered branches that are reserued for the fire of Gods vengeance and heauy indignation This is it which the Prophet sayeth t Psal 129 8. They which go by shall not say the blessing of the Lord be vpon you or We blesse you in the name of the Lord. So long therefore as they remaine in this contempt of God and of his Religion the prayers of the Church shall not auayle them 3. Lastly it reproueth such as neglect this duty and whereas they should pray for others do curse and ban them and wish all euil to come vpon them The Prophet Ieremy complaineth that hee had neyther bought nor solde among that contentious people u Ier. 15 10. and yet euery one did curse him These men loue cursing and therfore it shall come vpon themselues and enter into their soules and as they loue not blessing so it shall bee farre from them We are commaunded x Math. 5 44 to loue in stead of hating to do good instead of hurting to pray instead of persecuting and to blesse insteade of Curssing But of this Doctrine wee haue spoken more at large y Vpon the exposition of Numb 21. else-where and therefore will I heere passe it ouer and proceede vnto that which followeth Verse 5. When I heare of thy loue and Faith which thou hast towardes the Lord Iesus and toward all Saints In these words the former Thankes-giuing is amplified by another circumstaunce containing the cause wherefore the Apostle gaue thankes to his God for him and did make mention of him in his Prayers because he had heard by the report of the Brethren howe great Faith and Loue were in him Heerein we haue these particulars to be considered First hee reduceth the principall pointes of saluation to two heads Faith and Loue. In these standeth the happinesse of the godly by these a Christian man is perfected for they are the chiefe graces of the Holy-ghost Secondly he beginneth with Loue and placeth it before Faith Faith indeed is more precious but it is inward and hidden in the heart and in Nature and order goeth before Loue but hee first nameth Loue because it is better knowne to vs better seene of vs and is as the Touch-stone to try our Faith For though the cause be more worthy then the effect yet the effect is more perspicuous and manifest so Faith being the cause of works is more excellent but Loue as an effect is more euident Thirdly wee see that albeit Faith be set in the last place for the reason rendered before yet Fayth is first defined and so the order somewhat inuerted Now it is described and declared by his Obiect that it respecteth Christ Iesus Last of all hee defineth loue which he aplieth to the Saints albeit it extend to Infidels to reprobrates to prophane enemies whom also we are to loue yet a speciall maner of loue is due to the Saints which are members of the same body with vs. For euen as God loueth all mankind and all the workes of his hand who as hee created them so he preserueth them feedeth them giueth them fruitfull seasons filleth their hearts with ioy and gladnesse and maketh his Sun to shine vpon them and the raine to fall vppon them to make them without excuse but he loueth his Church with a speciall loue not onely giuing them temporall blessings but such as do accompany saluation the one hee loueth as his creatures the other both as his creatures and his Children so are wee to loue all mankind as our owne flesh but not in an equal degree with the faithfull who are tied together in a straighter band because there is not mutuall loue betweene the godly and vngodly neither do they grow vppe into one body But the godly are charged to loue one anothâ—… and they are made the members of Christ and heyres with vs of eternall life and therefore loue is especially and principally to be shewed to the Saints that is vnto the Elect which ought to be aboue all the creatures in the world deere vnto vs z Why the elect are called Saints who are called Saints for two causes First because they are purged clensed from their sinnes by the blood of Christ Secondly because they are framed and fashioned by the spirit of God to an holy life and godly profession and conuersation Thus much touching the order interpretation of the words Now let vs see what doctrines arise from hence for our instruction and edification When I heard of thy Loue and Faith The Apostle doth not say heere that he saw and beheld or was an eye-witnesse of the Faith and fruits of the faith of Philemon but that he heard of them by the report of the Brethren Paule at this time as we haue shewed liued at Rome and Philemon dwelled at Colosse many Miles distant the one from the other yet his faith was published and his loue manifested throughout the whole worlde which necessarily inferreth that he openly professed them and made it knowne what religion he was of For if Philemon had not shewed boldly his faith and witnessed a good confession before many witnesses it had beene vnpossible that Paule being so farre from him should haue heard of it
Atheisme Let not such therefore flatter themselues and deceiue their owne soules let them shew their religion if they haue any or else they shew themselues to be men of no religion The third reproofe Thirdly it reprooueth such as censure and condemne others as too pure and precise by reason of their profession These men that are colde themselues and care not whether Religion go sorward or backward cannot abide that any should be more zealous and earnest then themselues because they will not runne with them into all excesse of riot therefore they rayle at them and speake all manner of euill against them They haue borrowed many opprobrious tearmes and drawne many reuiling tauntes from the enemies of the Gospell and grace of God and apply them whete they ought not to bee bestowed When the Lord had restored the Gospell vnto vs being brought out of Superstition and Idolatry that the Romanists gnashed their teeth for anger disgorged their malice with rage and were like to breake in peeces through enuy of the worke of the Lord set vp among vs they deuised against vs and our religion most bitter reproaches then was our profession called Puritanisme and our professors branded with the names of Puritans Praecisians and vnspotted Brethren which contumelies are nowe taken out of the mouths of enemies and one Brother dooth spit them in the face of another What a shame and indignity is this that we professing one faith liuing vnder one Gospell embracing one Religion and enduring the same enimies shold borrow such venomous speeches from the scornefull and despightfull Papists and cast them as Dung in the faces of our Bretheren Let vs therefore leaue these rayling and reuiling speeches and send them backe to Rome the Mother of cruelty and of all byting and bitternesse from whence they come Let vs vpbraid no man with his zeale nor hit no man in the teeth with his profession Let vs rather be mooued in loue to follow their example bee prouoked in a godly aemulation to walke in their steps And let vs all know that we must not be like the Laodiceans h Reuel 3 15. which were neither hot nor cold for if we scorne all zeale and forwardnesse in the wayes of godlinesse if we bee luke-warme professors and neither hot nor cold it shal come to passe that the Lord will spew vs out of his mouth The fourth reproofe Fourthly it reprooueth such as thinke they may bee present at the Sacrifice of the Masse and heare and see their Idolatry so they keepe their conscience to God and themselues yea some go farther and thinke they may not only be present at Idolatry in the Idols Temple but bow downe to the Idolles offer vnto them creepe vnto them and serue them with their bodies so that they abhorre such worship in their minds and serue God in their hearts But these excuses cannot serue to iustify such manner of seruing of God When God would assure Eliah that he had his people in those ruines of the Church that he was not left alone he said i 1 Kin. 19 18 He had left seuen thousand in Israell euen all knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal and euerie mouth that hath not kissed him He doth not say hee had reserued such as did not beleeue in Baal but keepe their heart to God but they are noted by this marke to bee the Lords that they gaue not to Baal the bending of the knee nor any outwarde subiection vnto him In the tentations offered to Christ our Sauiour when the Deuill onely required of him to fall downe and worship him k Math. 4 10 he answered Auoid Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord and him only shalt thou serue Nebucadnezzar required nothing of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego the three Seruants of God but to bow the knee and to fall down l Dan. 3 19. to the golden Image that he should set vp and yet they did choose rather to bee cast aliue into the hot fiery furnace and to endure the extremity of the flame It is not therefore enough to worship God in heart and soule True it is he commandeth vs to m Iohn 4 24. worship him in spirit and truth but not only in spirit and truth God requireth of vs the body as well as the spirit the outward man as well as the inward the knee as well as the heart He challengeth euery part member of our body to be employed to his worship Hee that hath an eare to heare n Reuel 2 7. Must heare what the spirit saith vnto the Churches Hee that hath a o 1 Pet. 4 11. Tongue to speake must speake as the words of Gad. Hee that hath handes to lift vp p 1 Tim. 2. 8 Must lift vp pure hands without wrath and without contention Hee that hath a knee to bow q Ephes 3 14. Must bow it to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ He that hath a mouth to open r Rom. 10 10 Must make confession with it to saluation He that hath feet must say Å¿ Psal 122 2. Our feete shall stand in thy gate O Ierusalem The cause why God claimeth and challengeth the whole body is because the body is his as well as the soule It is his by creation because he made it t Psal 100 3. and not wee our selues we are his people and the Sheepe of his pasture The Clay was his whereof we were formed so that we are his by the Law of Creation Hee feedeth and findeth vs of his owne costs and charges he cloatheth vs with his owne wooll u Psal 50 10 For all the Beasts of the field are his and the Beasts on a thousand mountaines If then we liue at his expenses we are his by another right euen the Booke of his prouidence We are made his by the freeing of vs from the thraldome of sinne from the tiranny of Satan from the bondage of corruption by paying a price a great price by giuing for vs a ransome a great ransome not of Siluer and Gold but by shedding his blood his precious blood for vs the Speare pierced his hart the Nayles pierced his hands and his feet the Thornes pierced his head Seeing therefore he suffered so much in his bodie for our bodies we are wholly his by the worke of our redemption who before were not his The Holy-Ghost likewise sanctifieth our bodies as well as our soules and maketh them a Temple to dwell in and lastly we look for saluation and glorification not onely in soule but in body x 1 Cor. 6 19 20. and therfore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our soules wee must offer vp our bodies an holy Sacrifice vnto him and not commit Sacriledge against him by plucking and withdrawing away any part of our bodies from him The fift reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as keepe company with open enemies to God and
of that which is past the other of that which is to come That which is past is our election from euerlasting before the foundation of the worlde was laide that which is to come is our perseuerance and persistance vnto the end of our dayes yet wee see the Apostle professeth some knowledge nay perswasion of them both which is grounded vpon the graces of God bestowed vpon those that are his The more excellent these graces are in quality the more they are in number the greater they are in quantity the better Testimony they giue vnto men and the surer iudgement ariseth from them vnto such as haue them Reason 2. Secondly God hath giuen praise and glory as an vnseperable companion of godlinesse and goodnesse and on the other side he hath appointed and allotted shame to follow sinne He hath ioyned these together to wit glorie with piety and shame with iniquity These drawe together as it were in one yoake so that one cannot be without the other The Apostle speaking of the vngodly saieth i Phil. 3. Their glorie shall be to their shame Seeing therefore the graces of Gods spirite are Testimonies of election and Companions of praise and glory we must from hence conclude that the good giftes of God that are found in vs make vs accepted of God and man Vse 1. The Vses follow to be considered and learned of vs. First seeing faith in Christ and loue toward the Saints giue vs a good report in the Church and lay vp a good foundation for vs in heauen we see that onely godly men haue a good name and euill men shall leaue an euill name behinde them This is one difference betweene the godly and vngodly the godly as hee leadeth a godly and sanctified life so he leaueth behinde him a good report wherby he smelleth sweetly in the Nostrils of God and man But the vngodly as they dishonour God in their liues so he will dishonour them in their persons and names and reward them with confusion of faces This is it which the Prophet k Es 65 14 15 threatneth in the name of God Behold my seruaunts shall sing for ioy of heart and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of mind ye shall leaue your name as a curse vnto my chosen for the Lord God shall slay you and call his seruants by another name There is a praise and commendation which turneth to shame and infamy to woe and misery and againe there is a shame and reproach that bringeth glory and praise with it This our Sauiour teacheth l Luk 6 26 22 Woe be to you when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false Prophets but blessed are you when men hate you and when they separate you and reuile you and put out your name as euill for the son of mans sake It seemeth to many that looke with an eye of flesh and iudge with corrupt iudgement that the righteous are forgotten and their names buried as in the graue of silence they seeme aboue all other wretched and miserable because no man reuengeth the wrongs and iniuries that are offred vnto thē yet God in the end will maintaine their cause and giue them good estimation with all good men On the other side howsoeuer the vngodly flourish for a season and are famous in the world howsoeuer they are praised of others and praise themselues with their owne mouths yet their names shal be filthy and abhominable according to that which Salomon sayeth m Prou. 10 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot This ouerthroweth three sorts of men that offend and esteeme not of men according to their faith and profession The first reproofe First such as slander the godly and bring vp an euil report of the faithful people of God such as reuile them and seeke to take away their good name from them which is a Iewell more precious then Siluer and Gold But we shall lesse esteeme what they speake if we consider who they are that spake For the witnesse of an enemy is by no Law to bee taken but alwayes to bee suspected The second reproofe Secondly such as magnifie and aduance the vngodly giue them the praise and applause of the world speake well of them as of the onely honest men that deserue to be commended But so long as they liue in sinne their owne wickednesse doth testifie to their faces and their vngodly heartes proclaime their owne shame and shall bring vpon them vtter confusion Let this be written and engrauen in our mindes that vngodlines will bring a blot and leaue a reproach behind it The third reproofe Lastly it conuinceth such as are Ciuill men that can say they are not Drunkardes they are not adulterers they are not Theeues they lead an honest life they pay all men their owne they are ready to pleasure their friendes they deale iustly with their Neighboures these men haue a good liking of themselues and are accounted the onely men among others For this ciuill honest man is reputed the onely honest man But a man may do all this and be a Pharisie yea no better in the sight of God then a Turke and infidell He may carry the countenance and haue the report of such a liuer and yet smell strongly and sauour rankely in the Nostrils of God of ignorance of vnbeleefe of pride and of selfe-loue If we would deserue true praise indeed we must not rest in these outward practises and in this morall ciuility we must plant Religion in our hearts wee must haue a sound Faith in Christ we must know the Doctrine of the Gospel we must worship God aright This the Apostle setteth downe as a rule to direct vs in our praising of men m Rom. 2. 28. 29. He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the Circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God It is the commendation of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne heart It is the commendation of Iob n Iob. 1. 1. 2 3. that he was an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill It is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth o Luke 1. 6. that they were both iust before God and walked in all the commandements and Ordinances of the Lord without reproofe If a man be void and destitute of this piety he can receiue no comfort by his ciuility and albeit he haue the estimation of an honest man it shall auaile him nothing vnlesse withall he be a Religious man and if our praise be neuer so great for our externall dealing toward men it shall minister no profit vnto vs except we shew inward deuotion toward God Vse 2.
Secondly seeing Faith and Loue giue vs a good commendation and report let vs by these and such like graces of Gods spirit seeke after a good name let vs not hunt after the praise of men but that which is of God the other is a blast of wind this is certaine and neuer fadeth This made the Apostle say p 1. Thes 2. 5. 6. 4. We did not vse flattering wordes as ye know nor coloured coueteousnesse God is record neither sought we praise of men neither of you nor of others when wee might haue beene chargeable as the Apostles of Christ wee speake not as they that please men but God which approoueth our heartes This vse and conclusion being well pondred and considered in our heartes it will discouer the great vanity and folly of earthly minded men who seeke rather a great name then a good and godly name Thus did they that builded the Tower of Babel they sought a great name by their great exploits q Gen. 11. 4. for they would build them a Tower that should reach to heauen that is exceeding high to get them a name Thus did Absolom seeke a name by r 2. Sam. 15. 5. adulation and flattery by stealing away the hearts of the people by creeping and crouching to euery one Thus do hypocrites seeke a name by a vizard of holines putting on a shew of Religion Å¿ Reuel 3. 1. who indeed haue a name that they are aliue but they are dead Thus do rich men hope to become famous and to leaue a name behind them by getting goods raising vp their Children t Psal 49. 11. 12. who thinke that their houses their posterities shal continue from generation to generation and cal their Lands and Liuings by their names Thus did Nebucadnezzer seeke a name when in the pride of his heart he said u Dan. 4. 27. Is not this great Babell that I haue built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my power and for the Honour of my Maiesty Thus did Herod by his smooth words and eloquent speech procure the applause of the people that cried out It is the voyce of God and not of man All these were ignoraunt what a good Name is and therefore they and their Names could not continue in honour but perished like Beasts that die of the rot and murraine Wherefore wee must labour to get a good name by faith in Christ by fauour to the Saints by loue to the Gospell which we shal obtain if we bee carefull to auoide all kinde of sinnes both grosse sinnes and light sinnes and all occasions and enticements that may draw vs vnto them It is vnpossible that wee should haue Faith to please God and to haue praise of God if wee neuer repented of Dead-workes if wee liue in open sinnes against knowledge and against Conscience And howsoeuer wee account some sinnes small and slender as the Church of Rome hold some Veniall yet x Eccl. 10 1. As dead Flies cause to stinke and putrifie the Oyntment of the Apothecarie so dooth a little folly him that is in estimation for Wisedome and for glorie On the other side wee must striue to bee rich in Faith and in Good-Workes for such as endeuour themselues to honour God in these shall receiue Honour from God And if by any weakenesse or infirmity wee bee falne to the losse of a good Name we must haue a care with all speede to repaire it wee must bee humbled by vnfaigned Repentaunce Wee must seeke to be reconciled vnto God to bee washed in the blood of Christ to bee purged in out Consciences and to builde vp the ruines of our decayed life For the care to repayre this good Name being lost must bee no lesse then to obtaine it at the first This wee see in Dauid in Manasses in Peter who turned vnto God with all their hearts who by their rising againe from sinne to Righteousnesse builded that which before they destroyed repayred that which before they impaired and encreased that which before they had diminished Vse 3. Lastly it is a great comfort and consolation to the faithfull and godly to keepe Faith and a good Conscience they are assured that howsoeuer the Wicked shall vndermine and nibble at our good Names and cast some blemish vpon them to defile them yet God vndertaketh the protection and preseruation of our good Names and it resteth not in the power of any creature to spoyle vs of them There are 3. enemies to a good name True it is our good Name is in danger of three great enemies which are as three Catterpillers that wast the fruits of the earth or as so many Locusts that eate vp the grasse of the fielde or as three Canker-Wormes that eate the barkes of the Trees Some are Authors and Inuenters of Slanders and false Tales Others are Walkers and Talkers of them spreading them abroad to the hurt of others A third sort are Hostes and receiuers of the two former beleeuing such Ware to bee good as these Marchants and Brokers bring vnto them But howsoeuer the Children of God are subiect to the venomous tongues of vngodly men whereby they are maligned and slaundered yet they must reioyce and comfort themselues in this that their approbation is in Heauen and their rewarde with their God thorough whose aboundant Mercie they shall be had in perpetuall remembrance This the Apostle putteth vs in minde of when hee sayeth y Phil. 4 8 Whatsoeuer thinges are true whatsoeuer things are Honest whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there bee any Vertue or if there be any praise thinke of these thinges which yee haue both learned and receyued and heard and seene in me For what shoulde it auayle a man to bee praised and commended in the World for Strength for Nobility for Gentrie for Riches for Beautie for Greatnesse which cannot make vs blessed Nothing can giue vs true and euerlasting Honour and cause vs to bee approoued of God and Men but Faith and the fruits thereof that accompany saluation Hence it is that the Apostle speaking of the Fathers that liued in faith and died in faith which followed them euen to their Graues y Heb. 11. 39. saith that all of them through Faith obtained a good report Let vs therefore aboue all thinges seeeke to please God by faith that so we may finde that fauour which neuer shall haue end Faith and Loue We haue shewed before wherein the praise of Philemon standeth to wit in faith and Loue which offereth vnto vs an other profitable consideration in that he ioyneth and annexeth these two vertues together He nameth not faith alone nor Loue alone but he knitteth faith and Loue as it were in one band together So then we see that these two graces giuen by one and the same spirit are remembred to take vp their seat and lodging in one mans heart Doct.
God and hate his Brother hee is a Lyar for howe can hee that loueth not his Brother whom hee hath seene Loue God whom hee hath not seene And this Commaundement haue wee of him that he that loueth God should Loue his Brother also Where hee teacheth that the loue of God and the loue of our Bretheren are knit together with such a fast knot as can neuer bee loosed and dissolued the Workes of the first Table cannot be pulled assunder from the Workes of the second Table The Apostle Peter moouing the dispersed Iewes to giue dilligence to make their Election sure and their calling certaine that so they might neuer fall away p 2 Pet. 1 5 6 7. exhorteth them To ioyne Vertue with their Faith and with Fayth Knowledge and with Knowledge Temperance and with Temperance Patience and with Patience Godlinesse and with Godlynesse Brotherly Kindnesse and vvith Brotherly kindnesse Loue. These Christian graces of Gods Spirit he would haue in them and not onely to be found in them but to abound in them and not onely some of them but they must endeuour to get them all and to ioyne one of them to another that so we may bee fruitfull in all good Workes It is not therefore enough for vs to haue one guift alone and then think we are well Let vs not flatter our selues and boast of our Religion to say wee haue Faith or Knowledge or Temperance or Loue. Hee that hath but one of them hath indeede none of them We must haue many or else wee cannot assure our selues that we haue any at all For as hee that is reformed in one sinne is reformed in all knowne sinnes and he that truely repenteth of one truely repenteth of all so hee that hath obtayned one gift hath gotten many One sinne commonly goeth not alone so one Vertue goeth not alone When Fayth commeth there commeth a Traine with it it is as a Royall Queene that neuer trauaileth abroad without her traine Faith layeth holde vpon Christ in whome q Col. 1 19. 2 3. all Treasures of Knowledge Wisedome are hidden Whosoeuer possesseth him and hath him dwelling in his heart hee possesseth all thinges If then wee by attending on the ordinance of God haue gotten Faith r Rom. 20 17. which commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word so soone as Faith is entred a great multitude and mightie Armie of Gods Graces stande about vs and throng at the doore of our hearts as it were striuing and thrusting which of them shoulde enter first and they neuer giue ouer vntill they bee all come in and haue taken vp their lodging there neuer after to bee dislodged and dispossessed of that place Let vs not therefore bee so sparing and niggardly to thinke one grace of God sufficient for vs we serue a liberall Lorde and bountifull Maister that offereth to make vs partakers of all his Treasures and to bestow vppon vs all the riches of his house We may put our hands into his Coffers and store our selues with plenty and aboundance Wee see howe they that couer their houses Å¿ Plaut in Trinum Benefacta benefactis alijs pertegito ne perpluant do lay Tile vpon Tile or Stone vpon Stone or Strawe vppon Straw so thicke that it may not raine thorow and that they may be defended from winde and weather so should it bee with vs that are setting vppe a Christian building when we haue laide a good foundation wee must couer our houses with a strong couering wee must lay Grace vppon Grace and ioyne Vertue to Vertue that though the stormes of tentations beate vpon vs yet they may not preuaile against vs though the Raine of afflictions fall vpon vs yet it may not enter into vs and although the Windes of wickednesse doo oftentimes blow vpon vs yet they may not ouer-turne and ouerthrow vs. Vse 2. Secondly seeing Faith and Loue go together and dwell together we are put in minde of a notable dutie and are thereby directed to prooue our Faith by our Loue and our Loue by our Faith and to make one of them serue to assure the other The cause wil proue the effect and the effect will manifest the cause We may proue fire by the heat and the heat by the fire a good tree by his fruit the fruit by his tree Many wil seeme faithful religious they will glorify that they beleeue boast of their piety and godlinesse yet come to their liues you shal find therein no fruits of mercy no works of charity no tokens testimonies of their loue appearing in them This mans religion is in vaine his faith is in vaine his shew of godlinesse is in vaine for pure t Iam. 1 27 2 16. Religion and vndefiled before God the Father is this to visit the fatherles widdowes in their aduersity to keep himself vnspotted of the world And the same Apostle in the next chapter teacheth That it shal not profit any man to say he hath Faith when his Faith bringeth forth no Good-workes Againe many will shew some fruites of Loue to their Brethren in Almes in liberality in giuing vnto the poore in dealing iustly and vprightly and yet haue no faith they doo them as naturall men mooued by a naturall affection or stirred vp by vaine glory or hunting after the praise of men or constrained by the lawes of Princes or fearing the reproach of the world or seeking the merit of their owne saluation All such haue their reward according to their worke but not according to their hope They haue their reward already they must look for no other they haue it among men they shall loose it with God they haue the applause of the world but they must passe another doome in the life to come Such faith before spoken of without loue is but a shadow of faith and such loue without faith is but a shadow of loue both are naught and nothing worth if they be assunder The roote ioyned to the Tree are both good and make the branches fruitfull but seperate the one from the other pull the root from the Tree and you destroy them both you kill them both This is that vse u Iames 2 18. which S. Iames vrgeth chap. 2. Some man might say Thou hast the Faith and I haue workes shew me thy faith out of thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Whereby we are taught to try the truth of our faith the sincerity of our loue that we be not deceiued in the one or in the other But how shall this triall be made Surely by making one the Touchstone to the other laying one to the other and waighing one in the ballance with the other For the Apostle willeth the vaine Christian who hath nothing but the name of faith to glory in like a poore Begger that boasteth of great riches to shew the goodnesse of his Faith by the fruits of Good-workes or else his
how Faith is alone and how it is not alone how it goeth with Loue and when it goeth not with Loue. It is alone in our Iustification it is not alone in our godly conuersation It is alone in receiuing Christ it is not alone in furnishing a Christian mans life nor sufficient to adorne him with such graces as God requireth to be in his person for all other vertues must be in him Vse 3. Lastly seeing Faith and Loue are alwaies linked together in one man this ouerthroweth another Doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Faith may be without Charity and separate from good workes For the true and iustifying Faith of Gods elect can be no more without workes then the fire without heate the water without moysture the sand without heauines the Sunne without brightnes the soule without life or the good tree without good fruit Neither let them pretend the d Iam 2. 17 Apostle Iames to colour this their fancy as though it proued that a man may haue Faith without Charity For he speaketh in that place of a dead Faith not a liuely Faith of a false Faith not of a true Faith of the Faith of the Deuils not of the Faith of Gods elect of Faith in outward profession not in the inward affection He sheweth that e verse 17. Faith if it haue no workes is dead and againe f verse 20. 26. Faith without workes is dead he likeneth such a Faith to the Faith of the Deuils and therefore it cannot be a iustifying Faith vnlesse they will make the Deuils good Catholiques and partakers of saluation He resembleth this Faith to the good words of him that wisheth well to a poore man but doth nothing at all for him he speakes him faire but he doth not succour him And as the body that breatheth not is dead so Faith that bringeth not forth good workes is dead Now a dead Faith is no Faith it is Faith in name but not in Nature The Philosophers g Arist polit lib. 1. cap. 1. teach that when the body is dead there shall be neither foot nor hand but onely a likenes of name as a man tearmeth a hand of wood or stone a hand so in like sort is a dead hand called an hand or a dead man a man because howsoeuer they are not the same yet they retaine the shew and shaddow of the name but al true parts of the body are defined by their Office and faculty Thus doth the Apostle call a dead faith by the name of faith whereas indeed it is no more true faith then a dead man is a liuing man Hence it is that some of the Popish writers teach that Iames by the name of h Iam. 2. 26. spirit vnderstandeth not the soule but the breath and that he fitly compareth workes to breath and faith to the body i Caietan com on Iam. 2. 26. because as the body of a liuing creature if it breath not is dead so faith if it bring forth no workes is dead for breathing is an effect of a liuing body and working is the proper effect of a liuing faith we say therefore that there is a faith which may be without Charity and there is a faith that cannot be without Charity There is a generall faith which beleeueth that there is one God and giueth assent that the Scriptures be true which goeth no farther this we confesse may be and oftentimes is without good workes But there is a faith that worketh by Loue which can neuer be seperated from Charity and good workes but wheresoeuer it is there is infallibly and inseparably ioyned vnto it the Loue of God and man k Phil. 1. 11. bringing forth the fruits of Righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of God If we haue this true faith l Act. 15. 9. which purifieth the heart it will be rich and plentifull in all good workes and teach vs to shew the fruites of Loue to our Bretheren There hath beene a long contention and much adoe in the Church how to reconcile Paule and Iames together the one aduancing faith and the other good workes Paule saith m Rom. 3. 28. we are iustified by faith and not by the workes of the Law Iames saith wee are iustifyed by n Iam 2. 24. workes and not by faith onely These sayings by faith and not by faith by workes and not by workes seeme one directly opposite and contrary to the other This difference is onely in the letter not in the matter in shew not in substance in words not in meaning and the Doctrine which now wee haue in hand will helpe easily to accord them nay there cannot be a better reconciliation then when we ioyne them together in the practise of our liues and conuersations Let vs ioyne the liuely Faith of Paule with the Good-workes of Iames let vs bring them both into action and so we shall be iustified by S. Paules faith before God and by S. Iames Workes before men Thus the places will easily be made one which seeme different the one from the other For although Paule do commend Faith yet he dooth not condemne Workes and albeit Iames do commend Workes yet he doth not condemn Faith and therefore as they teach both so we must practise both we must be voyde of neyther of them Seeing they preach both we must know that both are required of vs. This ouerthroweth two sorts of men first Papists and then Libertines The first reproofe First the Church of Rome do vs great wrong and iniury both in falsly slandering vs and in filling the eares of the simple and ignoraunt people with lyes that our Doctrine is a Doctrine of liberty and licentiousnesse that wee teach men or at least open a gap to men to liue loosely and lewdly and that we are enimies to Good-workes whereas in verie deede we do the cleane contrarie as this Doctrine among a thousand others may beare witnesse which now wee deale withall teaching vs that Faith must alwaies go with Works that Faith purifieth the heart and giueth victory ouer the world Wee teach that Christ is not onely our Iustification but also our Sanctification We charge men to beware that they vse not the liberty of the Gospell as a cloak of maliciousnesse We teach them to serue the Lord with feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Wee will men to let their light so shine before men that they seeing their Good-Workes may glorifie their father which is in heauen This is no Doctrine of liberty nor openeth a window to all wickednesse and yet this is our Doctrine which is so plaine and euident a truth n Stapl. de Iustif pag. 334. that some of our hottest aduersaries are driuen to acknowledge it But who are they that haue this leisure to pry and search into the liues of others abroad and are ignorant of themselues and their owne Doctrine
at home Fot it is their Religion that is a broaching of lies and of all liberty to do euill as all men by the light of Nature not blinded with the loue of error might soone espy Behold therefore some kinds of their Catholick Faith taught by their holy Mother the Church They teach the lawfulnesse of deposing Princes and discharging their Subiects of their allegeance and obedience toward them This Doctrine filleth Kingdomes and Countreyes with Treasons and Rebellions and alloweth Traitours and Assassinates and Murtherers of them at the Popes pleasure They doo teach and allowe the worship of Images and bowing downe to Stockes and Stones whereby the people are drawne away from the liuing God to palpable Idolatry as common experience hath declared o Polid. Virg. de inuent rer lib. 6 cap. 13. and some of themselues haue confessed They publish at large the benefit of Pardons which may easily be procured for money which open wide the Flood-gates of al vngodlynesse For who will spare to commit sinne that is able to redeeme it with his purse Yea this emboldned certaine p Chemni exam conc Trident de poenit men to rob the Popes pardoner who before hand had giuen them a pardon to commit the next sinne though it should bee a great sinne They teach touching the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper that a Dogge or Mouse or Swine or any Beast eating a consecrated host eateth the very flesh and bodie of our Sauiour q Treatise of the Sacram. in the conclusion as I haue shewed else-where They maintaine the filthy Dunghill of Stewes and Brothell-houses which giueth allowance vnto open whoredome and vncleannesse yea they say it is good for a r Hard. against the Apology Common-wealth and the Pope tollerateth the Curtezans in Rome and in other places vpon a yearly rent to practise and professe Bawdry Vnto this rablement of their Catholicke conclusions Å¿ See White of the way to the true Church we might adde many others which suffice to discouer what the holinesse of the Romish Religion is and to direct vs to come out of it betimes least partaking with the same sinnes we also partake in the punishments The second reproofe Secondly this coniunction of these two Vertues ouerthroweth the carnall loosenesse of all Libertines such as are Hypocrites and vaine boasters of Faith which thinke it sufficient to speake of Faith and to boast that they beleeue These men doth the Apostle Iames plainly reproue in his Epistle teaching that where there is want of works t 1 Tim. 1 5. there is also want of Faith of a true Faith which is the right Faith Wee must therefore examine our Faith by the fruits and prooue our beleeuing by our working We haue many such in our daies that glorie of their Faith and boast that they are of a right beleefe and yet lay them to the triall and examine their liues what they are and we shall finde them to be lyars against the truth and deceiuing their owne soules Knowe therefore that our faith is as our liues are A good life a good Faith a dead life a dead Faith an vnfruitfull life an ydle Faith And thus much of Faith and Loue ioyned together Now let vs speake of them seuerally as they are described first touching Faith and afterward touching Loue. Faith in Christ The first Vertue which is heere commended to bee in Philemon is Faith which is saide to respect Christ This Faith is a guift of God whereby we apprehend Christ and his benefits beleeuing the remission of our sinnes and our reconciliation with God Marke therefore that the faith heere set forth is saide to be toward Christ and Christ who is the proper obiect of Faith dooth also point vs vnto the Father who willeth and ordaineth our Saluation Redemption Reconciliation and Saluation and to the Holy-Ghost who applyeth and appropriateth to the elect these benefits which are willed by the Father and merrited by Christ Doctrine 7. Christ is the obiect of our Faith So then when the Apostle saith of Philemon that his faith was in Christ hee teacheth that true faith looketh vnto Christ dependeth vpon him trusteth and resteth in him for saluation and not vpon any creature in heauen or earth Our faith must direct vs to Christ to beleeue in him to haue recourse to him and to looke for saluation from him as the Israelites did health from the Brazen serpent This is proued vnto vs by many consents of the word of God The Apostle Iohn in his Gospell a Iohn 1 12. 3 16 17 20 6 29. 3 14 15 and 12 44 46. and 14 12. offereth plentifull Testimonies of the truth as Chap. 1 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name And Chap. 3. God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And again Chap. 17. I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue in me through their word So before in the third Chapter As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Thus he speaketh in another place This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent When Phillip saide to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou mayst be baptized He answered b Acts 8 37. 16 31. I beleeue that Iesus Christ is that sonne of God So Paule and Silas willed the Keeper of the prison to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and he should he saued And the Apostle Gal. 2. teacheth That a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Lawe c Gal. 2 16. but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the Faith of Christ All these places of Scripture plainly instruct vs in this principle of our holy religion that Faith must be in Christ in whom it findeth a sure ground to rest vpon Reason 1. The Reasons are to be marked and considered which confirme this Doctrine First because the worke of saluation is wholly and onely wrought by him and no part thereof is reserued to any creature in whole or in part To be called Iesus is as it were the proper name of Christ who is a perfect and absolute Sauiout beginning continuing and finishing our saluation This is it d Acts 4 12. which Peter preacheth Among men there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but by the Name of Iesus And the author to the Hebrews saith that he e Heb. 7 25. is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them Thus
we see Christ is made the Author and finisher of our saluation Reason 2. Secondly to put a difference betweene the Creator and the Creatute betweene the things pertaining to God and the things pertaining to men No creature is to be beleeued in nor any blessing that we receiue from Christ We beleeue the Church not in the Church the Communion of Saintes not in the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes not in the forgiuenesse of sinnes as wee shall see afterward Seeing therefore we haue Iustification and saluation from no other then from Christ and seeing we must make a difference and distinction betweene him and all other creatures it foloweth that we must beleeue in him and fasten our Faith as a sure Anchor of our soul vpon him Vse 1. Let vs see what are the Vses of this Doctrine and how wee may profitably apply it to our instruction and edification First seeing it is our dutie to beleeue in Christ we learne that Christ Iesus is true and eternall God equall with his Father to be worshipped and glorifyed together with the Father the blessed spirit This serueth to conuince the Heresie of the Arrians Iewes Turkes Persians and sundry other Infidels who deny the Deity of the sonne of God and cast him downe into the row and ranke of meere creatures who notwithstanding f Phil. 2 6 10. being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to bee equall with God at whose Name euery knee must bowe both of thinges in Heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Therefore we saw before that the Apostle in his salutation wisheth Grace and Peace to come vpon them to whom he writeth this Epistle as well from Iesus Christ as from God the Father If Grace and Peace come not onely from the Father but from the Sonne it followeth that he is God equall with the other Hence it is that he sayth in the Gospell g Iohn 14 1. 11 and 12 44. 10 30 and 14 11. 9 38 Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee let not your heart be troubled And againe He that beleeueth in mee beleeueth not in me to wit an ordinary man as they falsly imagined but in him that sent me And in another place Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me I and my Father are one So when Christ had restored sight on the Sabaoth day to him that was borne blinde he sayd Lord I beleeue and worshipped him Whereby we see that whosoeuer is without the Sonne is also without the Father he that beleeueth not in the Sonne beleeueth not in the Father Hee that worshippeth not the Sonne Worshippeth not the Father So then this is a certaine and inuincible Argument of the Deitie of Christ that wee are to beleeue in him forasmuch as Faith is a Worshippe due onely vnto God Vse 2. Secondly seeing it is a principle necessarie to be holden of al men that we must beleeue in the Son we must put a difference betweene these sayings to beleeue God to beleeue in God For albeit hee that beleeueth in God beleeueth God yet it is not so on the contrary euery one that beleeueth God doth not by by beleeue in God The Deuils themselues as we shewed before do beleeue God they beleeue Christ they confesse him to bee the son of the Father they know him to be the Iudge of the Worlde the Sauiour of mankinde the holy one of God and yet they doo not beleeue in him they put no confidence in him they looke not for life and saluation from him but are assured they are reserued to destruction This maketh them cry out in h Math. 8 29. the Gospell Why art thou come to torment vs before the time And the apostle Iames sayth i Iames 2 19. The Deuils beleeue and tremble They beleeue God touching his Nature and attributes they beleeue Christ touching his Person Natures and Offices They beleeue the Holy-Ghost touching his Person and Guifts They beleeue there is a Church and singular prerogatiues imparted to it and bestowed vpon it And albeit our Faith must goe beyond the faith of the Deuils yet they goe farther then many professors of the Gospell among vs that haue no knowledge of these things So then it is required of vs not onely to beleeue that there is a Sauiour of the world but wee must beleeue that he is our Sauiour beginning our saluation in this life and perfecting it in the life to come This confuteth the Popish opinion that holdeth that wee may beleeue in the creatures as well as in the Creator in the Saints as well as in Christ in mortall men as well as in the eternall God They teach that wee may beleeue not onely the Church but in the Church not onely Moses k Rhem. Test vpon Rom. 10. but in Moses not onely the Prophets but in the Prophets Wee are charged to beleeue in the blessed Trinity in God the Father in God the sonne and in God the Holy Ghost but l Ruffin in Symbol when the speech is not of the God-head but of the Creatures and Mysteries we are not taught to beleeue in them and therefore we are no more to beleeue in the Church then to beleeue in baptisme in the resurrection of the bodie the Communion of Saints and in the participation of glory We are indeede to beleeue m Exod. 14 31 2 Chro. 20 20 Moses and the Prophets that they spake not of themselues that their word is not the worde of man that they ran not before they were sent but we are not to beleeue in them We are indeed to beleeue Peter and Paule n Angast tract 2â— in Iohan. but not in Peter and Paule Wee are to beleeue the Scriptuers but not in the Scriptures o Euseb Emissen de Symb. hom 2. for that were to bestow vpon the seruant the honour of the Lorde and to giue to man that which is proper to the diuine Maiesty Wee must beleeue in Christ Iesus our onely sauiour as for those that beleeue in any other or seek saluation in any other then in Christ whether in Saints or in Angels or in themselues they beleeue not in Christ as in their onely Sauiour For p Cyprian de duplic martyr he beleeueth not in God who doth not place in him alone the trust of his whole felicity who doth not put his affiance in him who doth not depend vppon him who is not assured of his good will and fauour looking for saluation from him and for deliuerance from all euils Vse 3. Lastly seeing it is necessary for vs to haue faith in Christ it is our dutie to vse all meanes to attaine to this Faith Many there are which are deceiued in thinking they haue it who indeede haue it not These suppose they are full of Faith who are as empty vessels and neuer tasted the sweetnesse of it as
shall not neede to climbe vp to Heauen to know it God hath left vs a better a more easie certain way then to search into the secrets of God that he hath kept to himselfe if we enter into our selues and see the effects and signes of it wee shall not doubt thereof but rest assured with vnspeakable comfort that we belong to him For as the Lord knoweth who are his so we shall know that wee are the Lords if wee finde the fruites of election grauen in our hearts among the which this is one of the principall our vnfaigned loue to the Brethren the forgiuing of our enemies our delight in the Saints our dooing good to them that are of the houshold of Faith Reason 2. Secondly such poore as be faithfull belong vnto Christ and what comfort soeuer is ministred what releefe soeuer is shewed to them is ministred and shewd to Christ as christ himself witnesseth with his own mouth who is truth it selfe that they should the more readily embrace it as the truth For hee telleth vs that it shall be said to vs in the last day that haue helped the Saints and refreshed their bowels g Math. 25 40 Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as yee haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren ye haue done it to me This is a notable motiue and encouragement to moue vs to this dutie to consider that our loue is shewed not to men vpon the earth but to Christ sitting in heauen at the right hande of his Father Heereunto commeth the wise saying of Salomon h Prou. 19 17. He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Yea he is so rich a rewarder and a bountifull recompencer of that which is done to those of his houshold i Math. 10 42 that if a cup of cold water be giuen to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple to a righteous man in the name of a righteous man he shall not loose his reward When one lendeth to an honest man that standeth vpon his credite hee seareth no losse he knoweth he will performe what hee hath promised and accounteth his word as good as a band and Obligation how much more ought we to be assured of right good payment when wee haue done any good thing vnto the poore forasmuch as we haue not done it to man but vnto God He hath giuen his word to see vs paid will we not take his word he offreth to enter into bands to be bound in a statute is not statute-law good with vs Albeit he be indebted to none but all in debt to him yet hee offereth himselfe as a pledge and becommeth surety for the money who is so good a pay-maister that he wil not onely restore the principall but pay the hire and profite to him that hath lent it both in this life and abundantly in the life to come Reason 3. Thirdly we are bound to follow the example of our heauenly father to loue as he loueth to loue most where hee loueth most of all and least where hee loueth least of all Now he loueth all his creatures which are the works of his hands k Gen. 1 31. Hee saw them all when they were made and loe they were all exceeding good but he especially loueth mankinde Whom l Gen. 1 26. hee created in his owne Image according to his likenesse and yet most especially he loueth the faithfull vppon whom hee bestoweth the riches of his loue and hideth not the secrets of his kingdome from them yea hee hath giuen them his owne sonne to bee their Wisedome Iustification Sanctification and Redemption vnto them howe should he not with him giue them al things else This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 4 10 warning vs to Trust in the liuing God which is the Sauiour of al men especially of those that beleeue Heere is a patterne and president for vs to follow that wee may be like our Heauenly Father we must loue all mankinde but wee must most entirely and dearly respect the godly we must loue al the poore but the poore that are faithfull we must loue most of all If we must bestowe labour vppon barren ground we must not leaue the fruitfull vntilled and if wee must cast our Bread vppon the Waters where it may seeme to bee lost wee must not denie it to the liuing members of Christs bodie which are our Brethren Reason 4. Fourthly wee cannot by our well-dooing benefite God at all our goodnesse can doo him no good our loue cannot profit or pleasure him For as our wickednesse can do him no harme so our kindnesse can procure him no good This hee sayth and thus hee speaketh in the Prophet n Psal 50 9 10 11 12. I will take no Bullocke out of thine house nor Goates out of thy Foldes for all the Beastes of the Forrest are mine and the Beastes on a thousand Mountaines I knowe all the Beasts on the Mountaines and the Wilde Beastes of the fielde are mine If I bee hungrie I will not tell thee for the World is mine and all that therein is Wee receiue all good from him wee can returne nothing backe to him againe to doo him good This is the reason which the Prophet Dauid teacheth which mooued him to ioyne himselfe vnto the people of God and to profit them because hee saw he could not pleasure God his well-doing could not extend to him Seeing therefore the dutie of loue shewed to the Bretheren are seales of our election and are accepted as done to Christ himselfe seeing we must follow the example of our heauenly Father and that we cannot by al our goods helpe him it followeth that we must begin our works of mercie at the faithfull cast a pittiful eie open a liberal hand especially toward thē Vse 1. Let vs now come to the Vses of this doctrine First this teacheth that there ought to be among all the faithfull a communion of Saints they are as a family or houshold among themselues They haue a neere fellowship they are neer brethren they are fellow members of one body they are knit togither by one spirit they are called vnder one hope they are made Christs by one faith they are made one by one baptisme they haue one bread to feede vpon they haue one cup to drinke of they haue one table to meet at they haue one God that they worship they haue one saluation that they aime at This the Apostle expresseth at large Ephe. 4. Support one another through loue o Ephe. 4 2 3. endeuouring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lorde one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all We are
glory in the names of Christians we would be accounted Christs we take vpon vs the Title of Saints and yet we are not carefull to bring foorth the fruits of Christians and to lead a sanctified life All Trees in the beginning when the world was created were made fruitfull nothing was barren nothing fruitlesse If we be the Garden of God we must be rrees of righteousnesse k Psal 92 13. and beare much fruite euen in our old age Many that are barren in bearing good fruit are too fruitful in bringing forth the vnsauoury fruits of the flesh which the Apostle nameth Gal. 5. who may iustly feare the curse that God l Luke 13 7. laid vpon the Figtree and euery day look to be hewne downe and cast into the fire It is not enough for vs to bee fruitful but we must labour to be more fruitfull It is not enough to bee holy but we must be more holy It is not enough to be Saints but we must encrease in sanctification This the Prophet sheweth in the Psalme m Psal 92 12. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree and shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall florish in the Courts of our God they shall stil bring forth fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing Where we see that Gods Children are neuer void of the fruits of faith but haue them in them to their endlesse comfort Other Trees oftentimes fall to degenerate and grow out of kinde and if they do holde out yet age maketh them decay and dye albeit you digge and dung and water them neuer so much it cannot keepe them from wasting and withering it is not so with the faithfull which are planted in his Church as it were in his Garden euen in their old age they bring forth abundance and store of fruit albeit they bee neuer sold yet they shall neuer be barren but yeeld a plentiful increase being continually watered by the working of the spirit To this purpose Christ speaketh in the Gospell m Iohn 15. 1 2 I am the true Vine and my Father is tâ—e Husbandman euery branch that beareth no fruite in me hee taketh away and euery one that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite And in the Reuelation of Iohn he saith n Reuel 22 11 He that is vniust let him be vniust still and hee that is filthy let him be filthy still he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still On the other side there is no comfort to prophane persons that are irreligious that are meere naturall men that find no change in them that are not bettered by the meanes afforded vnto them from God that keepe the spots of the Leopard and the skin of the Blackamoore continually vpon them These walk in the flesh and sauor nothing but of the flesh and therefore of the flesh shall reape corruption This is that which the Author to the Hebrewes speaketh o Heb. 6 7 8. The earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of God but that which beareth Thornes and Briars is reprooued and is neere vnto cursing whose end is to be burned Where hee compareth those that continue in faith and bring forth the fruits of faith to good ground that answereth the labour of the husbandman but such as forsake the faith and a good conscience he resembleth to euill ground these bring foorth nothing but the vnfruitfull works of darknesse as it were so many thornes Thistles and therefore are neer to cursing consuming So the Prophet Esay notably expresseth this p Esay 65 20. There shall be no more there a child of years nor an olde man that hath not filled his daies for he that shall be an hundred yeare old shall die as a young man but the sinner being an hundred yeares old shall be accursed The faithfull in Christs kingdom shal flourish through his gifts be blessed of God but such as are vnfruitfull are accursed albeit they seeme for a time fresh and flourishing yet they are no better in the sight of God then dead carkasses and stinking carrions So that we see there can be no comfort without sanctification Vse 4. Lastly as all they that are in Christ are Saints so it is our dutie to vse the fellowship and to delight in the Communion of Saints abhorring renouncing separating and with-drawing our selues from all vngodly and vnlawfull societies of men in the world The q Psal 16 3. 119 63. delight of the Prophet was in the Saints He professeth himselfe to be a companion of al them that feare the Lord and keep his precepts The coniunction communion of the faithful is threefold in piety in amity in glory In piety because the harts of the faithful are ioyned together in faith in the feare of God In amity because they loue togither as children of the same father knowing that heerby we shal be known to be the disciples of Christ if we loue one another In glory because they are heirs of the same kingdom where are many mansion places prepared for theÌ„ If we desire to be partakers with the children of God in eternall happines in the heauens as al men wil seeme desirous of blessednes we must be vnited to them in a godly life in Christian loue we are willing to hear of felicity but we care not for the practise of piety or for walking in charity Balaam that was hyred with the wages of iniquity to curse the people of God wheÌ„ he saw the goodly order among them cried out r Num. 23 10 Let my soule die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his He desired to communicate with the godly in eternal life but he would not ioyn with them in a reformed life But it is necessarily required of vs to be linked to them in loue to be of one heart and to be ioyned with them in godlynesse to be of one faith if euer we look to enioy with them the same inheritance of immortality Such therefore as will neyther be friends and familiars with them but hate and abhor them worse then a Dog or a Serpent nor be Worshippers of God with them reforming their liues repenting from Dead-works but follow the lusts of the flesh with greedines and draw iniquity as with cartropes must know that they shut out themselus from the kingdom of heauen shal not ascend with them into the mountain of God Now as the faithful delight in those that are faithful and the godly in such as are godly so they account it a great griefe to be among the vngodlie where they shall see much iniquity and heare God dishonored feel themselues many waies indangered This made
the Apostle set forth the fruits of Philemons loue most effectualy This is to be obserued of vs concerning the method and meaning of these words which are thus much in effect If thou wouldest more fully know the cause of my giuing thanks and the remembrance of thee in my praiers surely it is this that as God in mercy hath bestowed vpon thee a true sauing faith so my earnest desire and humble request is vnto him that the offices fruits and duties of thy faith may bee more and more communicated and fitted to the benefit of the poore Saints that so whatsoeuer good thing is to be found in thee through the grace and working of Iesus Christ may bee acknowledged manifested and published abroade to the glory of God the comfort of the faithful and the prouocation of others For indeed thy loue giueth me great occasion of much ioy because thou my brother dost not only cheere the Saints and reioycest them but cause their very harts and bowels euen their secret and inward parts to be refreshed reioyced Diuers points to be obserued out of these Verses But before we handle the doctrines arising in this diuision it shal not be amisse a litle to examine the force of the words and the maner that Paule hath obserued in the penning of them First obserue that he saith not simply thy faith may bee made effectuall but The fellowship of thy Faith that the fruit thereof might redown and returne to many Secondly he saith not barely That his Faith might be knowne but Euery good thing that is euery grace that was in his heart because when Faith is made knowne to others and brought into sight open light many other guifts of the Holy-Ghost are made knowne as Loue Patience Liberality and such like For the grace of Faith is neuer alone in the heart but is garded with a troope and company of all other vertues and when it commeth as it were out of the doores it commeth abroad with a band and traine of all other graces Thirdly he declareth the author and cause of all these blessings from whence they proceed to wit from Christ that we shold learne not to thinke or speake of any benefite without making mention of Christ Fourthly he draweth an argument or reason why hee prayed for the efficacy of his Faith from the former experience of his Loue which was as effectuall as his Faith teaching that the experience of grace already giuen should mooue vs to begge and craue the encrease of that Grace and a perseuerance and continuance in that grace and therefore wee must not bee so simple or sencelesse to imagine when we see grace bestowed vpon any man that we haue no more neede to pray for the encreasing and growing of that grace For wee must know that there are degrees of grace there is a first Grace there is a second Grace Now that Grace may bee multiplyed and a continuall encrease and accesse to it may be added we must make daily praiers we must pray that we may haue Faith and when we haue it we must not be secure but pray that it may be effectuall and working by loue Last of al in the commending of Philemons liberality x Theophil in hunc locum he dooth not nakedly say that he gaue to the poore but To the poore Saints for all that are poore are not poore Saints many are poore that are wretched and vngodly and haue no part of sanctification neither doth he say onely that he gaue to the Saints but he refreshed them and not only that he refreshed the Saints but the very bowels of the Saints Now let vs come to the Doctrines That the fellowship of thy Faith may bee made effectuall Heere the Apostle remembreth the matter and substance of his prayer what it was that hee besought and requested of God where we see hee affirmeth that it consisted in this that the fruits of his Faith might be encreased continually augmented Doctrine 1. It is our dutie to stirre vp our selus others to increase in good things We learne from this place that it is the duty of all men earnestly to desire wish and procure the good of others and to stirre vp our selues others to encrease in the graces of Gods spirit The growing and proceeding of our brethren in the best things should be sought for of vs. When Moses had word brought vnto him that som in the host did prophesy that is had receiued notable gifts of the spirit for the guiding and directing of his people he saide a Num. 12 29 I would to God that not only these but that all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would poure out his spirit vpon them The Apostle writing to the Thessalonians saith b 1 Thess 4 1. Furthermore I beseech you Brethren and exhort you in the Lord Iesus that ye encrease more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please God They had encreased already exceedingly they had gained in the Faith and were growne to a perfect age they receiue this Testimony and commendation c 1 Thess 1 6 7 8. 2 13. 5 1 2. 4 9 10. 3 10 11 that they became followers of the Apostles of the Lord They receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the Holy-Ghost They were as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia from them sounded out the word into al quarters they receiued it not as the word of men but as it is indeede the word of God which worketh in them that beleeue Touching the times and seasons he had no neede to write vnto them because they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord should come as a theef in the night Touching brotherly loue they had no neede he should write vnto them for they were taught of God to loue one another yet he prayeth to God still to encrease them and make them abound in loue one towardes another and toward all men yea he desired exceedingly night and day that he might see their face and might accomplish that was lacking in their faith Heereunto tendeth the exhortation that Paule giueth to Timothy d 1 Tim. 4 14 15. Despise not the gift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Eldership these things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may be seene how thou profitest among all men When the writer to the Hebrewes had reprooued the sluggishnesse of that people hee addeth e Heb. 6 1. Therefore leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead-workes and of Faith toward God All these places of Scripture serue to teach vs the truth of this Doctrine that we must all labour to perfection that wee may be perfect as our heauenly Father is
horror of conscience vexation of spirit and confusion of face Woe then woe I say to all idle Ministers and sluggish people that when they are to bee gathered vnto their Fathers and ly vpon their death beds cannot remember what good they haue done but shall bee troubled and tormented with the consideration of this what good they might haue done that they might haue beene fruitfull trees but haue beene barren Good ground but haue beene euill These men haue nothing else to muse and meditate vpon but how they haue spent whol dayes and nights whole moneths and yeares in eating and drinking in feasting and company in pleasures and pastimes in surfetting and drunkennes and what comfort shall their poore distressed soule and languishing bodye feele in that day but crie out with a lamentable cry and a pittifull howling able to mooue the stones and to pierce the rockes that all is vanity and then condemne their folly that haue placed their happinesse in this vnhappinesse and the ioy of their spirit in this sorrow of their heart For if that be true which the Prophet saith o Psal 128 1 2 Prou. 10 4. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee It is no doubt as true that such as eate not the fruit of their labors but eate the fruite of their lazinesse and loytering are accurssed This is it which our Sauiour addeth p Luke 12 45 46. If that seruant say in his heart My Maister doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the Seruants and Maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken The Maister of that seruant will come on a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers that Seruant that knew his Maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Where he teacheth that as eternall life is the reward of diligence and discharge of our duty so is eternal destruction the wages of all idle bellies Such as do no good to others shall know at the last that they haue indeed done no good vnto themselues The more seruiceable wee haue beene to others the more profitable shall we be in the end to our selues and the comfort of all shall be felt in our hearts when wee shall say with the Apostle q 2 Tim. 4 7 8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing A notable example heereof wee haue in Obadiah who was Gouernor of Ahabs house when he saw himselfe in distresse of famine in fear least Eliah should depart he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith the worship of God and the fauour shewed to his children and heerein hee was comforted When Iezebel r 1 Kin. 18 13 slew the Prophets of the Lord he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water Let vs therefore neuer bee without such arguments to comfort vs wee shall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble and especially when we are going out of the world And that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne The Apostle in these wordes mentioneth this to be the cause why he would haue the guifts of God bestowed vpon Philemon to be communicated to others because by that meanes they might be made knowne to others and acknowledged by others and so spread abroad farre and neere Doctrine 3. The goodnesse of God toward our selues or other must be made knowne Wee learne from hence that it is the duty of euery one to manifest and shew forth yea to spread abroad and to speake of the guifts of God bestowed vpon themselues and others When God is good toward vs and distributeth his graces among vs we must be ready to confesse and acknowledge them when we feele them in our selues or see them in others This our Sauiour a Mat 5 16. teacheth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thus the spirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the single heart of Dauid the sincerity of Nathaniell the labours of Paule the repentance of Peter the restitution of Zacheus Christ Iesus publisheth the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist b Iohn 5 35. he saith he was a burning and shining Candle and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light The Apostle declareth c 1 Tim 4 14. that the faith of the Romanes is published throughout the whole world The praise of Timothy was noysed and notifyed in the Church wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings answearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him c 1 Tim 4 14. Despise not the guift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prohecie with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Eldership So likewise the fact of Mary annointing the body of Christ and working a good worke vpon him to bury him is commanded to be made knowne and not kept secret d Mat 26 13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout all the world there shall also this that she hath done be spoken off for a memoriall of her Thus the Apostle remembreth the e 1 Thes 1 3. effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of that hope in our Lord Iesus Christ which was in the Thessalonians So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ierusalem that were in distresse All which Testimonies serue to teach vs that it is our duty to publish the guifes of God vpon vs or our bretheren not to hide them to spread them abroad not to smother them to make them knowne not to couer and conceale them to our selues Reason 1. And albeit these examples may be sufficient to moue vs to embrace this as a certain truth yet we haue sundry reasons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vnto vs. First to the end that Gods graces being seene knowne he may be glorified and blessed for them who is the author and giuer of them It ought to be our chiefest desire and study that God may haue his praise and glory among vs. This is that reason which Christ our Sauiour
more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me So in the Parable of the talents they that vsed their talents well increased much by the vse of them do heare this to their great praise c Math. 25 21 It is well done good seruant faithfull thou hast bin faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Maisters ioy Moses is reported to be d Heb 3 5. 11 2. faithfull in all the house of God as a seruanr for a Witnesse of the things which shold be spoken after So the Holy Fathers are commended by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews who through their faith obtaind a good report 3. They are honored of vs by following of their liues and by an imitation of their vertues being as examples and patternes for vs to walke after For this is the glorie of the Saints if wee followe their Fayth Hope Charity Patience Doctrine and other like graces that haue appeared in them The Apostle willeth the Phillippians to be blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked Nation shining among them as lights in the world and he addeth e Phil. 2 16. Holding fast the word of life that I may reioyce in the day of Christ that I haue not run in vain neither haue laboured in vaine And to this end dooth the Scripture make plentifull recorde of the graces of God giuen to the Saintes that our Faith might be strengthened and confirmed and wee encouraged in all wel-doing This is the right manner of honouring the Saintes and faithfull Seruaunts of God when God is honoured in them and for them when they are praysed and commended and when wee are stirred vp to good things by their example As for Religious Worship of adoration and inuocation of them it is not due vnto them it is proper to God f Reuel 22 9. and the Saints do not desire it or accept it Wherefore it is a notorious slaunder of the Church of Rome cast out against vs that wee contemne and despise the Saints that wee deface them and set them at naught whereas wee honour them as God hath commaunded them to bee honoured and giue them that reuerence that he hath appointed It were horrible impietie to speake reproachfully or to thinke vnreuerently of them whom GOD the Father honoureth whome the Sonne acknowledgeth for his Bretheren and Heyres with him whom the holy spirite calleth his Temple to dwell in The Righteous g Psal 112 6. Prou. 10 7. Luke 1 48. shall bee had in euerlasting remembrance The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed The Virgin Marie saith He hath looked vppon the poore degree of his seruant for beholde from henceforth shall all ages call me blessed On the other side The name of the wicked shall rot h Psal 109 13 and in the generation following it shall be put out But the Romain Church vnder a false Title of honouring the Saints doo hide and couer all their superstitions and bring in their merites and mediation vnder colour of doing reuerence vnto them Now the Scripture hath fore-warned vs that nothing falleth out more often or easily then to erre and offend in honouring of the Saints Christ reprooueth the Scribes and Pharisees i Math. 23 29 who builded the tombs of the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchres of the righteous yet they bare mortall hatred to the Gospel and to the professors of it And he reproueth the Iewes k Iohn 8 44. who magnified the memory of Abraham and boasted themselues to bee his Children yet they shewed themselues to be the children of the deuill and would not do the workes of Abraham But we giue them sufficient honor when we publish their praises and gifts and follow them in our liues as they followed Christ the author and finisher of our faith Vse 3 Thirdly we must beware that vaine-glory be not the end which wee seeke for We are to giue the glory to the Author not to the Instrument to God not to man to the Creator not â—o the Creature When Herod was magnified by the vaine applause of the people and honored for his great guifts as a God l Acts 12 23. Immediately the Angell of the Lord smote him because hee gaue not glory vnto God so that he was eaten of Wormes gaue vp the ghost This is it which Christ obiecteth to the Iewes m Iohn 5 44. How can ye beleeue which receiue honor one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone Yea this is it which he speaketh of himselfe n Ioh. 8 50 54 I seeke not mine owne praise but there is one that seeketh it iudgeth if I honor my selfe mine honour is nothing worth This vain-glory heere contemned and condemned is as ranke poison to infect as a bitter roote to corrupt and as filthy myre to defile our best workes bee they neuer so excellent What more heauenly worke or profitable dutie can wee performe then to pray vnto God and to call vppon his Name for the prayer of a faithfull man auayleth verie much if it bee feruent yet if it bee a Sacrifice offered with a vaine heart it becommeth vnfruitfull We aske and wee obtaine not because we aske amisse The like might be saide of almes fasting the one a fruite of Faith the other a furtherance of Faith for Charity testifyeth fasting helpeth our Faith if we performe them in hypocrisie hunting after the praise of men not desiring the honour of God wee may haue our reward from men but we cannot receiue any reward from God They shall haue the praise of men they shall not haue the praise of God For as the children of the Prophets among many hearbes gathered one that was bitter and dangerous and shred it into the pot of pottage amongst the rest who when they began to eate cried out and said f 2 King 4 40 O thou man of God death is in the pot So if among the duties we perform to God we mingle the vanity of our own hearts and sprinkle them with the darnell of our owne glory wee may truely say Death is in the worke In all things that we do we must seeke to set forth the glory of God If any man minister g 1 Pet. 4 11. saith Peter let him do it as of the abilitie which God ministreth that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ Likewise the Apostle Paule giueth this precept h 1 Cor 10 31 Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee do doo all to the glorie of God If wee ayme at any other end we misse the marke and marre the worke how good and glorious soeuer it may seeme to bee in the eyes of men For as God seeth not as man seeeth so hee iudgeth not as man iudgeth man looketh vppon the outward appearance but
in the house in the field in the City in body in soule in temporall things in spiritual thinges Now when God is obeyed men should reioyce and be glad and when his Lawes are broken they should be much greeued and troubled The Apostle Iohn writing to an elect Lady k 2 Iohn 4. reioyced greatly that hee found of her children walking in truth as they had receiued a cōmandement of the lord On the other side wee see Dauids l Psal 119 136 eyes did gush out with Riuers of teares because Wicked men kept not his Lawes These Reasons beeing duely waighed and rightly considered do teach vs that Gods blessings bestowed vppon our Bretheren must minister matter of ioy and great comfort vnto vs. Vse 1. Let vs now proceede to the handling of the Vses that wee may haue the benefit of this Doctrine and not suffer it to passe from vs without profit First of all seeing Gods graces vpon others must worke ioy in our selues we learn the truth of that article of our faith which al professe to beleeue but many do not vnderstand to wit the communion of Saints There is a double communion m What the munion of Saints is which we beleeue one which we haue with Christ the other which the church hath among themselues the former is the cause of the latter For Christ our head hath giuen himselfe vnto vs whereby we haue the right of adoption the imputation of his righteousnesse and a title to the kingdome of heauen From hence as from a fountaine issueth that communion which all the members both in heauen earth haue among themselues howsoeuer seuered in place one from another howsoeuer the one sort be dead the other liuing howsoeuer the one sort is triumphant the other Militant Our Brethren in heauen wish well to the Church pray for it generall desire the perfect consummation of it and craue the full and finall deliuerance of it from all troubles The Apostle bringeth them in speaking on this maner n Reuel 6 10. How long Lord holy true Doest not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth True it is they know not they see not they heare not what things are done vpon the face of the earth and therefore they cannot pray in particular for the particular conditions and persons of men On the other side we who liue vppon the earth o Phil. 3 20. haue our conuersation in heauen our minds our harts soules are there we do in our desires and affections conuerse with them we pray to be dissolued and to be with Christ Our Communion among our selues consisteth in three things first in the affection of the heart secondly in the gifts of the spirit thirdly in the vse of temporall riches The first in heart when we are so linked and coupled together that we are like affectioned one to another so that when one is greeued the rest are greeued and when one reioyceth the rest are refreshed The Euangelist describing the estate of Christes Church saith p Acts 4 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule The Heathen wish well to their owne blood and kindred but wee must wish well to all Christians as to our selues we must not onely know heare of but feele their miseries and mourne with them that mourne we must not tell them as newes but lay them to our hearts The second branch is in the blessings of God bestowed vpon vs we must impart to our Brethren our spirituall gifts we must teach them by our example we must aduise them by our Counsell we must guide them by our admonition we must stirre them vp by our exhortation we must raise them vp by our comforts we must helpe them by our Prayers The third part of our communion q Galat. 6. 10. standeth in temporal thinges when wee are content not onely to leaue our superfluities but euen to spend our selues for the good of our fellow-members wee must be readie to feede the hungry to cloath the naked to harbour the harbourlesse which are not onely of our owne flesh but of our owne faith not onely cloathed with the same Nature but adorned with the same Name This is the communion which wee professe and beleeue and is confirmed and concluded in this place Vse 2. Secondly we learn to desire the best guifts that we may reioyce and comfort the godly For when we profit in good things we chear the harts and minds of al the faithful Euery liuing thing hath his prospering proceeding and is known to haue life in it by encreasing from one degree of perfection to another The grasse springeth the plant shouteth the corn florisheth the tree groweth If we haue any life in vs of Gods Spirit be not as grasse that is withered as plants that are dead as Corne that is blasted and as trees that are plucked vp by the roots we must go forward from one measure of grace to another from a lesser to a greater This serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meet with many corruptions that abide and abound among vs. First it condemneth such as delight to offend to grieue and vexe the Saints of God For if we should seeke to reioyce and comfort them and to Minister all occasion of ioy vnto them then we are not to discomfort and trouble them wee are not to worke sorrow and anguish in them The estate of these offensiue liuers is fearefull as Christ our r Math. 18 7. Sauiour declareth Woe vnto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Wee ought to giue no offence eyther to Iew or Gentile or to the Church of God for woe shall bee to them that offend their Brethren that greeue the Spirit of God and cause the enemies of our Faith to blaspheme Secondly it reprooueth such as conuerse onely with the vngodly and can be merry onely in their company The Children of God haue alwayes accounted it a great crosse and vexation to dwell with such as are leud in their course of life and are bare and barren in good things The Prophet saith ſ Psal 120 5. Woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar It is an heape of miseries and a verie representation of Hell to be continually vexed and exceedingly greeued with their wicked conuersation Iust Lot was vexed with the t 2 Pet. 2 7 8. vncleane conuersation of the wicked for hee being righteous and dwelling among them in hearing and seeing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes And in what place almost now
20. are Ambassadors but the Ambassador is not sent without authority from him that sendeth him They are b Hebr. 13 7. Captains of the Lords hoast but the Captaine hath rule and gouernement ouer those that are vnder his charge and regiment If then the true Ministers of Christ be Fathers Shepheards Ambassadors and Captains vnder Christ the great shepheard of the Sheepe their Office cannot be without iurisdiction and authority ouer the people of God committed to their charge Reason 2. Secondly if we consider the fruits and effects that are ascribed in the word to the Ministers of the word we shall see that their Ministry is ioyned with authority They are the meanes and instruments to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ to the bosome of the Church and to the Kingdome of Heauen Their Office is to conuert sinners and to saue soules When Christ ascended vp into Heauen he appointed Pastors and Teachers in his Church c Ephe 4 11 12. for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnity of faith and that acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ So the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to take heed to himselfe to exercise his guifts to giue attendance to Reading to be diligent in exhortation and to continue in deliuering sound Doctrine d 1 Tim 4 16. because in dooing these thinges he should saue both himselfe and them that heare him God hath put into them and their mouths the word of reconciliation so that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word of God and therefore the Ministers are said to saue their owne soules and the soules of others Reason 3. Thirdly there is a coâ—peration of God and the Ministers Office together and an admirable simpathy betweene them If then God and the Minister do worke together he may lawfully inioyne men to do their duties This is it which the Apostle teacheth e 1 Cor 3 9. and 2 Cor 6 1 We are together Gods labourers and in another place We therefore as workers together beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine where to comfort the Ministers against the contempt of the world he declareth that it pleaseth God to vse their Ministry to worke faith in whom he will True it is the Ministers are not able to giue or worke faith in the hearers either in whole or in part it is God onely that giueth encrease and a blessing vpon his owne meanes but they are the instruments which he imployeth He commandeth the Ministers to preach and he giueth a blessing to their preaching The Minister laboureth on the heart and conscience God reformeth it and giueth the grace of repentance The Minister deliuereth the Doctrine of faith God giueth the gift of faith The Minister teacheth righteousnesse and holinesse of life God saith be it so he shal be righteous and holy The Minister pronounceth mercy to the penitent God bestoweth mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes vpon him Thus God ratifieth their word and after a sort tieth his blessing vnto it Seeing rherefore that the Ministers of the word haue many titles of power and iurisdiction giuen vnto them seeing they are the meanes and instruments appointed to bring vs to saluation and Lastly seeing they worke with God and as it were helpe him in bringing men to faith and eternall life we may conclude that their Office is ioyned with power and authority Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this Doctrine First touching the Office it selfe we gather that it is a worthy calling an honourable Office an excellent Function how base and meane soeuer it be esteemed among men of this world This the Apostle setteth downe writing to Timothy f 1 Tim 3 1. If a man desire the Office of a Bishop that is a Minister of tâ—e Gospell he desireth a worthy worke not onely a worke but a worthy worke Therefore this Office is not onely a lawfull calling but a worthy calling It is hard to discharge it aright for who g 2 Cor 2 16. is sufficient for these thinges but those thinges that are hard are excellent The Minster beareth the person of Christ in preaching the word and administring the Sacraments We heard before that in furthering and finishing the saluation of men God worketh with them It is a great and glorious account which God maketh of his word in the mouth of his Ministers when it is truely preached and rightly applied he giueth grace by it and ordinarily worketh not saluation without it This is no small honour and estimation to the Ministers of God and to the Ministry of his word that he admitteth them as ioynt-workers and as it were fellow-labourers with him he worketh when they worke he exhorteth when they exhort he reproueth when they reproue he teacheth when they teach This the Prophet teacheth to be the Ministers commission giuen him of God when he hath preached righteousnesse to man h Iob 33 24. God will haue mercy on him and will say to the Minister Deliuer him that he go not downe into the pit for I haue receiued reconciliation This the Apostle saith i 2 Cor 5 20. Now then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God This our Sauiour Christ also himselfe speaketh and auoucheth in the person of Peter k Mat 16 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in Heauen Whereby he teacheth that the Ministers are the Porters of Heauen they haue the Keyes committed vnto them they are appointed to bring the Children of God into the sheepefold of Christ They shut the Kingdome of Heauen against all vnbeleeuers by preaching that they shall not enter but be cast into vtter darknesse and be tormented in Hell They open the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers and penitent persons by preaching that they shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen and enioy eternall life To this end and purpose Christ speaketh to his Apostles after his ascension l Iohn 20 23. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained True it is God onely forgiueth sinnes properly but he hath appointed his Ministers to preach publish and to witnesse to their consciences that repent and beleeue the Gospell that all their sinnes are forgiuen And on the other side to preach and declare that such as will not beleeue and repent shall neuer haue their sinnes forgiuen them For how the Ministers binde and loose shutte and open forgiue and retaine the Prophet Esay sheweth m Esay 44 25
his kingdome The fourth reproofe Fourthly if it be a calling of such dignity it reprooueth those that run before they be sent and wait not a lawful calling from God that they discharge it afterward with peace of heart and comfort of Conscience We see manie young men make more hast then good speede in entring into the Ministery who for the most part want that iudgment staydnesse experience grauity moderation that is meet to be in men of that profession Hence it is that they are called by the name of Elders in the Scripture The Apostle thought it necessary to giue this charge to Timothy a young man though he were of rare hope and of excellent guifts u 2 Tim. 2 22. To fly the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnesse Faith Loue and peace with all them that call on the Lord with a pure heart And in another place he saith x 1 Tim. 4 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto them that beleeue an ensample in word in conuersation in Loue in Spirite in Faith in Purenesse If hee had this neede of instruction howe much more others The fift reproofe Fiftly it reproueth those that are so hand-fasted that they repine at their maintenance that labour among them How many places and Parishes are there that regard not how they be taught or whether they be taught or not so they may be well dealt withall in their Tithes that is if they might pay little or nothing to maintaine their Minister There is growne in many congregations this agreement and bargaine betweene the Pastor and the people if he will spare them in temporall things they regarde not how hee deale with them in spirituall things If they may pay little they are content hee shall preach little If they may enioy their Tithes at a low rate they are well pleased that he take his ease and teach them seldome But albeit he preach in season and out of season and do his dutie with all diligence yet they murmure and repine at his allowaunce and thinke euery thing too much that is bestowed that way The sixt reproofe Lastly it reproueth such as regard not the censures of the Church inflicted vpon euill doers The censures of the Church are made as a scar-Crow and esteemed of many as a mocke But if that power and authority were regarded in the Ministers hand that the word of God alloweth and appointeth wherby he is authorized to exercise spirituall iurisdiction in Church-matters not onely to preach but to punish not onely to teach but to correct not onely to instruct but to excommunicate then would the Office be magnified then would the Ministry be esteemed according to the institution of them Our Sauiour giuing order and direction to informe the Gouernors of the Church when scandals and offences arose among them addeth y Math. 18 18 Verily I say vnto you whatsoeaer ye binde on earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen We see God promiseth to ratifie the sentence pronounced and denounced in his name The abridgement of this power is the contempt of the men and of their Ministry and the curbing cutting short of their authority doth open a gappe to all contumely and reproach of their persons and office If a Magistrate shoulde prescribe and ordaine that Law which is wholesome and profitable to the Common-wealth and haue no power at all to punish the Malefactors and misdoers that transgresse who is it that would regard the Commandement If a School-maister had authority onely to rule and to teach but were restrained to take vp the rod to correct and chastise the obstinat sluggard what Scholler would harken or giue eare to his teaching In like manner so long as the Minister is allowed only to speake the word or to threaten but stinted that he shall go no farther his Ministry will be little regarded as if a Maister should tell some of his Schollers of their shrewde trickes but were not licensed to punnish their euill doing God hath ioyned authority to the Pastors office put into his hand the discipline of the Church and the Ministers of God haue exercised executed the same according to his ordinance Hence it is that the Apostle reprouing an heinous offence amongst the Corinthians and shewing the vse of Ecclesiasticall correction saith z 2 Cor. 4 21 What will ye Shall I com vnto you with a rod or in loue and in the spirit of meekenesse Vse 2. Secondly seeing boldnesse to command vnder Christ belongeth to the office of the Minister it teacheth vs and putteth vs in minde of manie good duties as first to aske this guift of God and craue of him to indue vs with the zeale of his glory and other graces of his spirit that we may speake the word a Ephes 6 20. boldly as we ought to speake We see an example heereof in the Apostles when they heard the threatnings of the enemies of the Gospel b Acts 4 29. 5 28 29. They lift vp their voices to God with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth the sea and all things that are in them beholde their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speak thy word So when the cheefe Priests said Did not we straightly commaund you that yee should not teach in his name And behold ye haue filled Ierusalem with yoar Doctrine and ye would bring this mans bloud vpon vs. Then Peter and the Apostles answerd We ought rather to obey God then mē Many men are endued with great gifts of learning and knowledge but they want the tongue of the Learned to minister a worde in season they want zeale and vtteraunce to deliuer the word of God to the people Let euery one therefore seeke to fit and furnish himselfe to this calling and in Christ Iesus be bold to do this dutie This the Prophet saith c Esay 58 1. Crie alowd spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Iacob their sinnes This reproueth those that haue the worde in respect of persons who dare not do their duties and are afraid of mens faces They would be counted the Embassadors of God but they are affraide to do their Maisters message Let such learne of Iohn Baptist who shrunke not backe but was bold to tell Herod that it was not lawfull for him to take his Brothers Wife Wee must not bee Dastards and faint-hearted souldiers to fight the Lords battels but first be sure we haue a good warrant out of the word and then go boldly into the fielde and feare not to looke the enemy in the face True it is if wee haue not our Commission signed and sealed vnto vs wee haue iust cause to feare we speake in our owne names and not in the name
is sweeter then the Hony it is purer then the Gold it is better then the Pearles more nourishable then meate more forceable then the Leauen more profitable then the Raine more comfortable then the Dew that falleth vpon the Herbs It is able to make a Blinde man see a Crooked man straight a Bond man free a poore man rich a sicke man whole nay a dead man it is able to make aliue againe This is a great worke it is a wonderfull Miracle that God worketh in the time of the Gospell We are borne dead in sinnes g Ephe. 2 1. and trespasses without Faith without Repentance without Grace without God without Hope without Sanctification without Saluation but the Word of God is able to bring restoring of sight to the blinde deliuerance to the Captiue liberty to the bruised healing to the broken hearted and life to the dead This is noted as the end of Paules calling and sending to Preach the Gospell h Act. 16 18. To open their Eyes that they may turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Iesus Thus also the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes writeth i Heb. 4 12. The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two-edged sword and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart If any aske the question how it hath this power I answer not by any inherent quality in it selfe nor by any force it receiueth from man that preacheth it but from the Supernaturall power of God k Gal. 2. and Psal 19 7 8 13 who is mighty in the hearts of men reioycing the heart conuerting the Soule giuing wisedome to the simple graunting light vnto the eyes and keeping from presumptuous sinnes by it Reason 2. Secondly that way whereby God worketh Faith in vs by the same meanes he beginneth our new-birth and maketh vs his owne Children But the ordinary meanes to worke Faith in vs is the preaching of the word For how shall they l Ro. 10 14 17 call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they Preach except they be sent So then Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God We see heereby that Faith is the cause and beginning of repentance we see also that Faith is wrought by the word and therfore by necessary consequence repentance must come by the word Here are three things offered to our considerations the Word Faith and Regeneration Regeneration is a fruit of Faith Faith is an effect of the Word the Word is preached by the Minister Now it is a true rule m Causa causae est causa causati that the cause of the cause is also the cause of the effect and therefore the preaching of the Word beeing the cause of Faith which causeth Repentance and Regeneration must also needes be the cause of Repentance and of Regeneration Reason 3. Thirdly it is the ordinance of God to worke this good worke of Regeneration in vs because we cannot by our wisedome or any naturall guifts in our selues though most esteemed in our owne eyes and greatly magnified by others attaine sanctification of life or beleeue vnto saluation This the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 1. and maketh this the reason why God will saue vs by the hearing of Faith preached n 1 Cor. 1 21. Seeing the World by it owne wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue There is a double knowledge of God and a double way to know him one Naturall the other Spirituall Naturall by the sight of the Creatures by the view of the world by beholding the heauens o Psal 19 1. Rom. 1 19. which declare the glory of God whereby the eternity the Maiesty the power the wisedome the greatnesse the goodnesse of God doe appeare Spirituall by hearing and hearkning vnto the word of God which not onely beareth witnesse to those essentiall properties of God more sufficiently and fully then the former but setteth down distinctly the Trinity of the persons and the mercy of God toward the elect promised and performed vnto them for Christs sake Naturall reason is blind in the matters of God and though it may serue to make vs without excuse it cannot suffice to bring vs to saluation without a farther and better guide So then the Lord to make the wisedome of the World foolishnesse and to gaine glory to his owne Name and to shew that he hath vouchsafed that grace mercy to vs which he denyed to the wisest among the Gentiles that were learned and skilfull in all humane knowledge but were vtterly ignorant of his Word hath raised vp to vs a light which they neuer saw and made vs to heare the sound of a voyce which they neuer heard Seeing therefore the word preached is of so great force that it causeth Faith in vs which all the wisedome of the World could neuer worke it followeth that this word of God is the ordinarie cause or Instrument of our conuersion and saluation This is so plain so pregnant a truth that it is greatly to be wondred that any should stumble or stagger at it and that all doe not submit themselues vnto it Obiections brought to proue preaching not to be the ordinarie meanes to beget faith But because doubts arise and Obiections are made against this point and principle plainly proued and firmely established by reasons out of the Scripture let vs see what they are and how they may be answered Obiection 1. First of all it is obiected that there are other meanes effectuall to worke Faith and to bring to Repentance as afflictiō or priuat admonition Touching affliction such as liued in Idolatry in ignoraunce in vncleannesse that fauoured wholly of the flesh and nothing at all of the spirit haue bin brought to confesse and forsake their sinnes and to humble them-selues vnder the mightie hand of God some being afflicted in body p 2 Chron. as Manasseth others troubled in Conscience feeling the wound of the spirit groaning vnder the stroke of Gods iudgements q Actes 9 6. as Paule in his conuersion haue by this meanes had Faith and Repentance giuen vnto them And touching priuate exhortation it is made auayleable to turne vs to God Hence it is that the Apostle teaching that a beleeuing Husband may with a safe Conscience vse the company of an vnbeleeuing Wife and a beleeuing Wife vse the companie of an vnbeleeuing husband so that the one ought not depart from the other hee vseth this Reason
shall bee taken of vs wee shall beare the burthen not onely of our owne sinnes but of all the sinnes of the people and euerie soule belonging vnto our charge that hath perrished thorough our owne negligence shall bee laide to our charge and his blood be required at our handes and so shal becom horrible Reprobates in Hel to be tormented with euerlasting pains For euen as the holy mā speaking of this calling teacheth that a faithful messenger of God and interpreter of his wil is but as one of a thousand that though they be many that vndertake the office yet the number is few rare that make Conscience of their dutie to God and his people so on the other side few of this many shall be saued but be cast as notable diuels into hell draw with them thousands into destruction Neither is it sufficient for the Ministers discharge if he teach sildom or now and then as at euery quarter day when he commeth to reckon with them or once a month to auoide the Law but he must watch and teach and feede his flocke continually t 2 Tim. 4 1 2 And preach the word in season and out of season The greatest labor shall haue the greatest reward They u Dan. 12 3. that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for euer and euer Euery x 1 Cor. 3 8. man shal haue his wages according to his worke They that imployed their Maisters mony y Mat. 25 30. gained by it are accounted good faithfull seruants but the ydle and loytering seruant that would do nothing but hid his talent that was giuen vnto him was cast into vtter darknesse and rewarded according to his deserts Let vs therefore labour to haue a cleare conscience toward God and man The more paines we take the greater shal be our comfort the more diligently we sow the more plentifull shall be our haruest If we be painful in our callings and diligent in teaching the people z Co◠3 1 2. We shall not neede as some other Epistles of re-commendation vnto them or Letters of re commendation from them for they shal be our Epistle written in our harts which is vnderstood and read of all men And concerning those committed to vs to feed we see by experience that they cannot liue without food they cannot grow and prosper without a daily supply so their soules cannot liue vnto God a spirituall life vnlesse they bee often fed and plentifully nourished by the milke of Gods word When Paule tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus he propoundeth before the Elders his owne example a Acts 20 31. Remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares This faithfulnesse is to be found in vs as our comfort in this life our crowne in the life to come alwaies prouing when God wil giue faith and repentance neuer to be repented of We know not the times and seasons that God hath kept in his owne hand If he touch not the heart at one time and leaue a blessing behind him he may touch it and frame it vnto obedience at another time It behooueth vs therefore to vse the meanes to sowe vnto them spirituall things and to commit the successe of our labours vnto God b 1 Cor. 3 6 7 seeing Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but it is GOD that giueth the encrease Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the word preached is the ordinary meanes of our regeneration it teacheth the people to looke to their feet when they enter into the house of God and to take heede how they heare It is not left to their owne choise whether they wil hear or not no more then it is to the Minister whether he will preach or not It is required of them that they reuerence them obey their Doctrine loue them prouide for them pray for them and in al things esteeme of them as the messengers of Christ as the Ministers of the word as the ouerseers of the Church yea it standeth them vpon to heare the word at their mouths to account of it as the meanes of their saluation It is great ignorance impiety to desire any other means to haue faith then that which he hath appointed for vs. It is the great mercy and goodnesse of God to appoint mortal men subiect to sin and al infirmities as we are at whose handes we may be fed at whose mouths we may be taught and with whom we may talke familiarly and yet by their simple Ministry may haue as good assurance of saluation in this life and of glory in the life to come as if the Lorde himselfe should speake from heauen For the word of God is as the gate of heauen and hee hath committed the Keyes thereof to his faithfull Stewardes c Math. 16 19 That whatsoeuer they binde on earth should be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth should be loosed in heauen True it is many foolish faithlesse men perswade themselues that they should repent and beleeue the Gospell if they might heare God himselfe speake or if one came from the dead to tell them what they should do to be saued When Caine had conceiued malice and murther in his heart and intended to kill his Brother d Gen. 4 6. the Lorde spake vnto him set his sinnes in order before him and threatned iudgment against him vnlesse he repented but did hee repent at the voice of God and turne vnto him with all his heart No he fell from euill to worse and added one sinne vnto another till he had filled vp the measure of them All the Israelites heard the Law of God in the wildernesse and saw his wonderfull workes that hee shewed among them yet they beleeued not neither ceased to murmure and rebell against him Iudas one of the twelue was reprooued of Christ for his treason so were the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisie yet none of them repented or at the least many of them repented not at his preaching vnto them wherefore it is not the hearing of the voice of God can giue vs repentance it is his changing of our hearts and renewing of vs in the inner man that casteth vs into a new mould and worketh in vs a new birth When Christ Iesus was nayled vpon the Crosse they said e Math. 27 42. He saued others but hee cannot saue himselfe if he be the King of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue in him But if he had come downe at this taunt cast out vpon him wold they or could they haue beleeued Or could Christ haue beene the true Messiah if he had discended seeing it was the end of his comming into the world that hee might suffer f Esay 53 7. Psal 22 17. 69 21. and fulfill the thinges that were foretold by the Prophets Or would they not rather
danger of thy life it may be taken from thee and thou from it which maketh it to bee but a shadow of true gaine But the profit of godlinesse is of a contrary Nature if once we haue gotten this Pearle the Theefe cannot steale it the moth cannot corrupt it the Sea cannot drown it the rust cannot fret it the Land cannot loose it the length of time cannot consume it the greatnesse of danger cannot take it from vs the vnfaithfulnesse of seruaunts the subtlety of enemies the fraud of false Brethren the force of the mighty the violence of the Oppressor the partiality of the Iudge the wresting of the Lawe can neuer depriue vs or debarre vs of this benefite yea b Cicer. pro Archia poeta that which an Heathen man saide once of humaine learning may more truly and iustly be spoken of godlinesse which indeed is true learning the which whosoeuer wanteth what Ornaments of Nature and Art soeuer otherwise he hath is vtterly vnlearned nay a starke foole It will follow vs as a sweete guide abroad to solace vs it will stay with vs a pleasant companion to delight vs at home it will lye with vs as a bed-fellow in the night to teach vs whereon to meditate it will sit downe with vs as a guest at the Table to direct vs it wil bee with vs as a skilfull Physitian in sicknesse to comfort vs it will sticke and stand to vs in prosperity to humble vs it will cleaue fast to vs in aduersity and in the euil day to refresh vs it will waite vppon vs in death it will descend with vs into the graue it will ascend with vs into heauen and alwayes follow vs from place to place as the shadow doth the body This made the Apostle Iohn say Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Reuel 14 13. To conclude therefore so often as wee thinke of true Religion or remember the day of our conuersion we must think with our selues that we made the most blessed change that euer was made and hold this for a firme and sure principle that no gaine is like to this gaine no profit like to this profit Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christian Religion planted in the heart of a man maketh him good and helpfull to others who before was vniust and vnprofitable let euery one proue his effectuall calling and true conuersion by earnest seeking after the good of others and by a carefull abstaining from hurting troubling and wronging of others It is to be chosen as a better thing to suffer then to offer wrong to receiue then to requite to take then to giue Obadiah liuing in Ahabs Court is commended for the manifestation of his Faith by his Workes as the Tree that sheweth what it is by the fruites hee hid c 1 Kin. 18 13 the Prophets of God from the sword of the persecutor and fed them in the Caue in the time of famine The Prophet affirmeth and assureth that such shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and rest in his holy mountain as make much d Psal 15 4. of those that feare the Lord and honour them whome God hath honoured To this purpose the Apostle setteth this downe as a certain signe of our adoption that God accepteth vs as his sonnes and daughters to wit our loue to the Saints e 1 Ioh. 3 14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren Euery one must be able to shew the soundnesse of his faith and the truth of his conuersion by the fruits of his calling f Math. 3 8. and by the workes of regeneration and amendment of life An iniurious man that loueth himselfe but not another that hath no care to doe good to his Brother but to himselfe onely is not yet truely conuerted to God nor deliuered from the bondage of sinne nor made a member of Christ nor engrafted into the true Church nor endued with the grace of sanctification he is yet in the flesh and not in the spirit he is yet in death not restored to life he is the bondslaue of Sathan not brought into the liberty of the sonnes of God For where there is no change in conuersation there can bee no assurance of true conuersion The meditation of this point must enter deeply into our harts teach vs to try our selus whether as yet we born again by water and the spirit or not Whosoeuer can say thus I haue beene in bondage to sin now I am set free I haue beene the prisoner of Satan now I am at liberty I haue liued vnprofitably to God vnprofitably to my selfe vnprofitably to others now I haue learned to lead my life to the honour of God to the benefite of my brethren and to the comfort of mine owne soule whosoeuer I say can say thus may be assured of his conuersion and turning vnto God and that God hath begun his good worke in him which hee will finish at the appearance of Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore know and consider that it is required of vs to repent of sinnes to turne to God to chaunge our hearts and to amend our liues that so we may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and expresse our obedience to the Gospell To be without the fruits of the Gospel is to denie the Gospell and to be without godlinesse of conuersation is to be without Christ and to bee without an heart inwardly sanctifyed and without a life outwardly regenerated is to be without faith It had beene better for vs that we had neuer had the Gospell offered vnto vs then to haue it to contemne it It had beene better we had alwayes remained in darknesse then to haue light come among vs and not to walke in the light It is a worthy exhortation that the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians g 1 Thess 5 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the Children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night neither of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as others do but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee drunken are drunken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober putting on the Brest-plate of faith and loue and of the hope of saluation for an Helmet It is not euery h Math. 7 21. one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that hath an earnest and carefull endeuour to do his will It is not enough for vs to bee called a Christian to beare the name of a Protestant to renounce the name of a Papist to make shew of the true Religion and to be an hearer of the word we haue learned better things and must giue an account of a farther dutie Obiection We will say peraduenture we hate and detest all the blinde and erroneous
man and man we must not vnderstand our Sauiour Christ when he speaketh of Debts and Debters but of priuate hurts and damages that are done vnto vs in our bodies in our goods or in our good Names These iniuries done to our bodies which oftentimes are misvsed to our goods which are diminished to our good Names which are impaired are to be remitted As for other debts due to vs we may require them so we doe it with shewing mercy to such as are in necessity toward whom we ought to haue patience in forbearing Obiection 2. The second is whether a man may lawfully sue him at the Law that hath offended him Or how doth suing and forgiuing stand together in a Christian Answere I answer the Law is free for all men and the end of it is to redresse all disorders And as a Souldier in a lawfull warre may kill his Enemy and yet loue him so may a man forgiue an iniury and yet vse the remedy of the Law and thereby seeke in a Christian manner to redresse the wronges that are done vnto him Now in suing at the Law we must obserue these sixe rules First it must not be for toyes and trifles but in matters of waite and importance which do neerely concerne vs and whereby we are some way damnified But trifles cannot damnifie vs. This reproueth those that are so farre carried vpon the spleene b 1 Cor. 6 7. as that they are ready to prosecute euery action and slight occasion that is offered vnto them if it be but the wagging of a Straw which bewrayeth an euill heart in them Secondly we must take heede of priuate reuenge and inward hatred which if we conceiue we doe not forgiue We must not suffer our suites to coole our loue to our Bretheren nor to weaken our Faith in performing our seruice worship vnto God For albeit the cause be neuer so iust and lawfull c Rom. 12 9 10. yet if we handle it vnlawfully vncharitably and vnchristianly we offend God and transgresse against our Brother Thirdly we must beware of giuing offence to the Church of God Some offences are taken but not giuen as when men are offended for doing our duty to God We must not omit that which God requireth because man will be offended Our care must be to be ready to giue satisfaction to the godly that our doing be not iustly scandalous obseruing the rule of the Apostle d 1 Cor. 10 32 1 Thes 5 22. Giue no offence neither to the Iew nor to the Gentile nor to the church of God and abstaine from all appearance of euill Fourthly the end of all Controuersies and Suites in Law must bee to liue in concord and to maintaine godly peace If we haue not this end we ayme at a wrong end The end of all lawfull Warre is not murther and tumults but peace and quietnesse So the end of all strife must be to liue without strife For if all iniuries were put vp and were not repressed many would grow worse and worse and ouerturne the Ciuill State and gouernment Fiftly another end we may at must be that the truth may come to light that is hidden that the party offending may be chastised e 1 Cor. 6 11. and by chasticement be brought to repentance for his wronges For such is the mallice of many that the passing by of one wrong would but open a wide gap or gate to bring other iniuries vpon our owne heades and the more we suffer the more hard measure they would offer Lastly the Law must bee vsed not vpon pleasure but vpon necessity and we must take it vp as the last refuge and remedy We must vse it as a Father vseth correction or as a Physition vseth desperate Medicines or as the Surgion vseth searing and cutting f 1 Cor. 6 6. when other will not serue the turne If a friendly agreement and priuate arbiterment may be had let it be preferred and the Magistrate not troubled with our contentions Thou oughtest not to produce into publike Courts of Iustice and iudgement that which may well bee decided and determined by graue sober godly and discreet men at home as the small causes which the Rulers might iudge were not to be brought before Moses Exod. 18 22. If it cannot be had so that though we seeke peace and ensue it yet it flyeth from vs it is lawfull for vs to go farther euen to sue our neghbour at the law and vse the benefit of the Magistrate Obiection 3. The third obiection is how can the Magistrate practise this Doctrine to forgiue offences and offenders seeing as the Apostle teacherh Rom. 13. He beareth not the Sword in vaine If his duty be to punish how can he pardon If he be to execute iudgement how can he forgiue them that trespasse Answere I answere a Magistrate is to be considered two waies according to two seuerall persons which he doth sustaine to wit either as he is a Man or as hee is a Magistrate as he hath a common condition or a speciall As he is a man or a Christian man which estate he hath common with his Brethren he is to beare and forbeare and behaue himselfe as others but as he is a Magistrate which estate he hath as properlie belonging vnto him he is the Deputy and Vice-gerent of God he sustaineth his person he executeth his iudgement and therefore he ought not to haue any respect of persons or winke at the committing of any wickednesse Obiection 4 The fourth Obiection is how we can be saide to forgiue our Bretheren their trespasses seeing no man can forgiue sinnes but onely God Hence it is that Dauid saith in the Psalme Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Psal 51. Likewise the Scribes and Pharisies when they heard Christ speake to the man sicke of the Palsie Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee began to reason among themselues Who is this that speaketh Blasphemies Who can forgiue sinnes but God onely Luke 5 20 21. Answere I answer in euery sinne there are two things to be marked and considered the euill of the action and the damage that ariseth to man by the euill action the one God forgiueth the other man forgiueth God pardoneth the euill Man pardonerh the damage or detriment that befalleth his person goods or name So then God forgiueth and Man forgiueth God forgiueth the sinne man forgiueth the hurt For we must obserue that in euery trespasse are two offences one to God the other to man To God when he forgiueth the breach of his law and imputeth it not to the offender which belongeth properlie to him and no man is able to doe To man when he remitteth the iniury or harme that hath risen to him in the things that appertaine to him It is not in mans power to forgiue the sinne whereby God is offended and he oftentimes pardoneth the wrong done to him when God forgiueth not
it in their hearts and thereby made Charitie a note of Christianity seeing that where loue doth not rest there Christ doth not dwell If then we wold make it manifest that we haue beene brought vp in the Schoole of Christ we must loue one another Reason 4. Lastly seeing it is the sum of the Law and a token and testimonie that we make Conscience to walk in the wayes and commandements of God Heerunto commeth the laying of the Apostle c Rom. 13 8 9 Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Law For this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other commandement it is breefely comprehended in this saying euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe This is a speciall praise and singuler commendation of loue that it is a short summe and briefe abridgement of the whole Lawe and of euerie Commandement contained in the Law This truth is taught in sundry other places and repeated againe and againe d Gal. 5 14. Colos 3 14. 1 Tim. 1 5. All the Law is fulfilled in one worde which is this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbor as thy selfe And Col. 3. Aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse Likewise 1 Tim. 1 5. The end of a commandement is Loue out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith vnfaigned Loue therefore comprehendeth all duties for Charity is the Law abridged as the Law is Charity enlarged Loue is as it were a generall Vertue like vnto the soule which is said to be whole in the whole in euery part or as the blood which is dispersed through the whole body so is loue enlarged and lengthned through all and euery vertue Seeing then such as are conuerted by vs are the fruit of our labour and that Loue to the brethren is the seale of our saluation the badge of our profession and an Epitome or a breuiary of the whole Law it followeth that it ought to be harty earnest and feruent toward all the faithfull especially such as haue gone astray and bin brought by vs into the right way Vse 1. This then being a vertue so necessary that euery one which belongeth to the Lord Iesus Christ must yeeld their obedience euen to loue the Bretheren and shew himselfe a true Christian by shewing Charity to his neighbor let vs consider the nature and properties of this Loue that wee may haue the right and true vse of this Doctrine For heere is occasion offered vnto vs to search into the knowledge of this Vertue which is almost banished from among men or weeded and worne out of the world or caried from hence into the wildernesse from the sonnes of men or departed vp from heauen from whence it came and to haue quite and cleane abandoned the grosse earth which is vnworthy to entertaine so precious a Iewell any longer First therefore let vs know e What Loue is what Brotherly loue is It is a work of Gods spirit whereby a man is moued to affect his Brother for Gods sake and to shew forth the fruite of this affection I call it a worke of Gods spirite because it is not Naturally in vs it is not borne with vs. Naturally euery one is a louer of himselfe and vnnaturally is an hater of his neighbour so that true loue is the print of Gods finger and a marke set vpon vs by his spirit Hence it is that the Apostle setting downe the fruites of the spirit reckoneth vp Loue in the first place as one of the principall f Gal. 5 12. Ephes 6 23. The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse c. So then wee want this grace vntill God worke it in vs. We neede not seeke farre for selfe-loue for Loue of the world and the things that are in the world for the Loue of pleasures carnall vanities we haue these neere vnto vs euen within vs but we can neuer loue the godly for Gods sake vntill it be giuen vs from aboue of whom only we must aske it and from whence onely we can receiue it Againe to be well affected toward our Brother is to wish and seeke his good to reioyse at his prosperity and to be greeued at his misery True loue is not ydle g 1 Iohn 3 18 and it maketh vs that we shal not be vnfruitfull and vnprofitable vnto others We must be ready to helpe them beare their burthen and shewe the bowelles of compassion toward them That loue which doeth not manifest it selfe to the releefe and helpe of his neighbor is no true Loue but beareth only the shadow of it Moreouer it is added that we must doe it for Gods cause because God is principally and first to be loued with all our power and for himselfe Our neighbor is to be loued in God and for God because hee is Gods creature and beareth his Image For Loue extended to man is a fruite of the Loue of God Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Iohn 4 21 This Commaundement haue wee of him that he that loueth God should Loue his Brother also God cannot be loued and our Brother hated because there is one and the same Law-maker that commandeth both to loue him and our neighbor also Lastly we must consider who is our Brother and what is our neighbor that we must Loue which are the parties to whom it is to be shewed By Brother we are i Who is our Brother or Neighbor not onely to vnderstand the sonne of our Father that is our owne blood kindred and by Neighbor we must take heede we doe not deceiue our selues restraining it to such as are ioyned to vs in friendship or neer vnto vs in dwelling or such as beare vnto vs good will but such as are of the same Nature with vs euen any of mankinde He is to be accounted as our neighbour that is a man as we are and doth beare the Image of God as we do of what condition so euer he be whether he dwell neere vnto vs or farre from vs whether he be our owne Countrey-man or a Stranger whether he bee worthy or vnworthy whether he be a friend or an enemy whether he bee knowne or vnknowne because we are to consider him in God not in himselfe as we noted before This our Sauiour teacheth in the i Luke 10 29 30 31. Rom. 13 8. Esay 58 7. parable of the Samaritan answearing the Scribes question Luke 10. that we must shew the duties of loue to him that wanteth our helpe and releefe though he were our enemy one that did hate vs as the Samaritans were vnto the Iewes whether he be godly or vngodly we must extend the duties of loue toward them Thus did Dauid deale toward Saul his enemy
haue nothing of vs. This is the reason vrged by the Apostle to the Corinthians l 2 Cor. 9 7. As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a chearefull giuer Now that which the Apostle speaketh of charity and of almes may as truely be spoken of euery dutie that God requireth of vs. When wee pray we must call vpon God chearefully for he loueth a cheerefull prayer When we giue thankes to his name for blessings receiued wee must thanke him chearefully for he loueth a chearful giuer of thankes and albeit these be notable parts of Gods worship and excellent duties commaunded of him and required of vs yet without this chearfulnesse they are as a dead thing not regarded Reason 2. Secondly our obedience vnto God must bee answereable to the obedience of Christ that hee performed to his Father for hee hath therein giuen vs an example and taught vs how to obey The maner of his obedience was willing and done of his own accord not extorted and wrested from him for then it could not haue beene accepted of God nor merritorious for vs nor praised in him Hence it is that the Apostle saith m Heb. 10 9 10. Then saide he Loe I come to do thy will ô God he taketh away the first that hee may establish the second By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once made Thus Christ himselfe speaketh in the Gospell n Iohn 10 17 18. Therefore dooth my Father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it down haue power to take it againe Where he sheweth that the cause wherefore he suffered was not because Caiphas conuented him or the witnesses accused him or Pilate condemned him or the Iewes executed him but because it pleased his Father and himselfe to make himselfe an offering for sinne For except hee had died willingly all his aduersaries had bin too weake to work any thing against him o Iohn 18 6. as appeareth in euidently the Garden when hee cast them all downe to the ground with a word of his mouth Heere is set down a pattern for vs to follow we must performe the like obedience that he did as his was voluntarily and willing so ought ours likewise to be that it may be acceptable in the sight of God Reason 3 Thirdly the things that are not done in Faith and Loue are sinne For without faith it is vnpossible p Heb 11 6 to please God And though I had the guifts of prophesy and knew al secrets and al knowledge yea if I had al faith so that if I could remoue mountaines q 1 Cor. 13 2 3 and had not loue I were nothing though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I giue my body that I bee burned and haue not loue it profiteth nothing So then we see that no dutie is acceptable without Faith and Loue. But nothing done vnwillingly vncomfortably or hypocritically can be done in Faith and Loue. And therefore such duties as are thus perfourmed haue no life nor vertue in them to giue them any grace or acceptation with God Reason 4 Lastly God knoweth our hearts and seeth hovv vve bring our guifts offer our offerings He looketh not vpon the outward vvorke but regardeth the intent of the heart When Caine brought vnto God an oblation of the fruites of the ground r Gen 4 5. he had no regard to him nor to his offring because he savv the hollownesse and hypocrisie of his heart This is the reason that Dauid vseth to perswade Salomon his sonne to haue a care to learn and to practise the will of God 1 Chro. 28 8. And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all harts and vnderstandeth al the imaginations of thoghts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Where we see the Father carefull for the future good of his son mooueth him to endeuour and striue to know God by learning what he willeth to serue him vprightly and willingly by practising as hee enableth because our thoughts are not hidden from the all-seeing eye of God and because he offereth himselfe to them that seeke him but forsaketh them that refuse him when he is offered We may easily deceiue the eye of man that looketh only to the person and beholdeth only the outward worke but it is vnpossible to deceiue the searcher of hearts If then we gather al these reasons into a short sum and set them as in a Table before our eyes if we consider that God loueth a chearfull seruice that Christ performed a willing obedience that faith and loue giueth acceptance to the work and lastly that God giueth recompence according to the heart which he knoweth we see that the strength of them will beare the ful waight of this conclusion that the duties of our Religion must not be performed constrainedly but freely not grudgingly but chearefully not vnwillingly but readily not of necessity but voluntarily Vse 1. Now we are to make Vse of this Doctrine First seeing no man must performe any holy duty to God or man vpon compulsion or against his will but with all his minde and might we learne that euery action or dutie is accounted of by God not according to the greatnesse of the worker or outwarde shew of the worke but according to the will and affection of the dooer it is the manner of dooing that God more accepteth then the action or deede it selfe A Childe in his obedience to his Father is esteemed for his reuerent louing obedient and dutifull heart and not for the greatnesse or worthines of his worke For what can he do when hee hath endeuoured to the vtmost to pleasure his Father So is it with vs when we haue done all that wee can we must confesse we haue bin vnptofitable seruants and therefore God more respecteth the intention then the action the Worke-man then the worke the affection then the effect Mary is commended of Christ t Luke 7 47 and 21 3 4. because shee loued much The poore widdow that cast into the treasury one mite is praised by Christ aboue the rest that offered of their substance and superfluity He that giueth a cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple to a Disciple u Math. 10 42 shall not loese his reward What is the bestowing of a Mite Or what is a cup of colde water Are they of themselues in themselues considered any thing worth Or can they deserue to be accepted No in no wise but God accepteth the manner more then the matter how
increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels We must therefore proceed in good things that we may be well pleased that we may be enriched in his graces and established more firmely in the waies of godlinesse For there cannot be a better means to keep vs from a fearfull Apostacy and to preserue vs from a dangerous back-sliding then to go forward in that iourney into which we are entred and to make strait steps to the place of our rest So long as we walke to the end of the race set before vs there is no feare of fainting or falling backward But when once we begin to stand still and do not go forward our case is to be pittied we haue giuen roome to Sathan and taken the foile who will not rest there but take farther hold of vs. Whosoeuer standeth still and remaineth at one stay in matters of Religion will shortly turne backward The heauenly bodies are euer in motion it is the earth that standeth still at one stay so such as are heauenly minded are alwaies going and growing toward heauen whereas such as think vpon nothing but the earth are so cloyed and clogged with that grosse matter that they cannot moue a foot forward to lay hold of happinesse Hence it is that the Apostle exhorteth the Corinthians z 2. Cor. 7 1. Seeing we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of Flesh and spirit and finish our sanctification in the feare of God Likewise writing to the Thessalonians a 1 Thess 4 1. He stirreth them vp and exhorteth them in the Lord Iesus that they increase more and more as they had receiued of them how they ought to walke and to please God Thus also speaketh the Apostle Peter b 2 Pet. 3 17 18. Ye therefore beloued seeing ye know these things before beware least ye be also plucked away with the error of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This serueth to reproue those that either stand still or go backeward and and are not proficients in the Schoole of Christ who heare much and learne little who know somewhat and practise nothing at all who thinke they haue gotten enough and that now they may be idle and slothfull It was not so with the Apostle who was a better Scholler then these Drones he laboured euermore to be better better as himselfe testifieth c Phil. 3 3 14. I forget that which is behinde and indeuour my selfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke to the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus He was not like vnto a foolish Runner who running in a Race for a great price will euery foote be looking backe how much ground he hath runne and rid but his eyes were fully fixed vpon the marke considering how farre hee had yet to passe and waighing how much he was distant from perfection It had been better that we had neuer made profession of Christ or beene called by his Name then to stand at a stay or to start aside whereby it may be probablie suspected if not rightly gathered that wee neuer had any soundnesse in vs. Let vs therefore d Rom. 15 14. labour to abound more and more in wisedome and in all godlinesse Whosoeuer glorieth that hee hath so much Grace as he desired did neuer truelie desire any grace Whosoeuer sitteth still and neuer intendeth to goe forward shall neuer come at his iournies end And whosoeuer thinketh himselfe to be good enough and purposeth neuer to be better will presentlie grow to be worse and neuer cease vntill that he be starke naught On the other side such as haue a care to proceed and are at the mending hand though they doe it slowly and slackely though they haue many defects and defaults though they feele in themselues many infirmities and imperfections yet it is a notable comfort and testimony vnto their hearts that GOD will giue them grace to continue vnto the end and to perseuer in the Faith vnto the death For such doe get ground of their enemies do weaken the force of sinne doe strengthen the guifts of the Spirit and doe profit daily in the exercises of Religion which they frequent Secondly this reproueth such as regard most of all and bestow the greatest fruits of their loue and compassion vpon the most vngodly and vngratious which are most vnworthy to be respected For the more men grow in wickednesse and prophanesse the lesse they ought to be loued and liked of vs. It is true godlinesse that should ioyne vs in mutuall friendship one with another and vnite our affections one toward another The more godlinesse appeareth to bee in them the neerer ought our coniunction to be with them And as they grow in good thinges so ought our loue to encrease toward them This the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psalme 15. 4. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thy holie mountain e Psal 15 4. and 16 3. He in whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord. And in the Psalme following Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent All my delight is in them But how many are there among vs that haue no societie or familiaritie with the faithfull and such as feare the name of the Lord That thinke themselues in a Prison or in Hell so long as they are among them That can bee merrie and pleasant among prophane Companions but hang downe their heads when they are with the godly and neuer rest till they be gone from them If a Man or a Woman should alwaies delight to be in the company of Beares and Wolues and to conuerse among Dogs and Swine that when you seeke for them you should neuer find them but among the Beasts as if they had abandoned the company of reasonable Creatures we would thinke them strange bodies we would wonder at their humors and be ready to say they were of a wild and woluish Nature and as it were transformed into the qualities of Beastes like vnto Nebuchadnezzar who had his vnderstanding taken from him and his dwelling appointed among the Beastes of the field Dan. 4. 30. So is it with those that frequent no company but of wicked persons and vse no societie with any but of such as are as blinde as Beetels and as senselesse as stones as brutish as beasts in matters of Religion may we not truly conclude of them that they are beastlie minded and like to them with whom they sort and to whom they resort The Prophet saith I am a Companion of all that feare thee but these may say I am a Companion of them that forsake thee He saith Do not I hate them that hate thee f 2 Sam.
6 16. But these men say Doe not I loue them that hate thee and hate them that loue thee They hate the godly in their hearts and the more grace appeareth in them the more they despise them as Michall did Dauid when she saw his zeale in bringing home the Arke of the Lord into his own Cittie They esteeme more of their dogs and Swine then they doe of the deare Seruants of God bought with the precious blood of Christ therfore they say Oh these are the little flock these are Saints these are holie folkes we are not for their company But if we belong to God and to his Kingdome wee must of necessitie be of the Communion of Saints And if indeede thou thinke them holie thou oughtest to conclude therefore we are and must be and will be for their company For either we are holie or vnholie either godlie or prophane either righteous or vnrighteous If we be not true Christians we are no better then Deuils incarnate and therefore shall haue our portion and reward among the Deuils So then either they vtter those words with a scoffing spirit and then we leaue them to his iudgement that will take vengeance of all such taunts that he accounteth cast out against himselfe or else they make a fearefull conclusion against their owne Soules disclaiming themselues to be Members of the Church renouncing the sweet society communion of the Saints refusing the forgiuenes of their sins and accounting thēselues vnworthy of eternall life or else they speake ignorantly as poore silly blind Soules who are to be pittied and praied for and this all the hurt we wish vnto them for all the mallice they beare against vs beeing bold to craue more good for them then they doe for themselues saying g Luke 23 34 Acts 7 60. Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Thus we desire God to giue them them eies that are blind and to open their hearts that haue shut them against the truth and the professors thereof Vse 2 Secondly seeing it is our duty to respect euery one of the faithfull according to the grace of God measured out vnto him it is required of all men to looke alwaies to the best things in the choise of the companions of their life We learne not to enter rashly into any neere societie with such as haue not the graces of Gods holie spirit to commend them When any of vs are to seeke friendes to match our selues with a Wife to entertaine Seruants to make choyce of teachers our care must be to enquire after such as haue true pietie in their hearts and may yeeld vnto vs sound comfort And whensoeuer we haue made that happy and heauenly choyce we must labour to cherish to encrease and to strengthen them in all their waies and for our parts must delight and reioyce in them aboue all other One good Friend one godly Wife one religious Seruant is worth ten thousand others what priuiledges of the flesh soeuer they bring with them Hence it is that the Apostle saith h 1 Cor. 7 39. The Wife is bound by the law as long us her husband liueth but if her Husband be dead she is at liberty to marry with whom she will onely in the Lord. We see how Dauid among all the Sonnes of Saule made choise onely of Ionathan to ioyne with him in a strong league of sure friendshippe because he knew him to haue an vpright and faithfull hart toward God These two did take sweet counsell together and had their soules knit in a fast and firme knot of mutuall loue Likewise concerning the seruants of his house that he would receiue and retaine he saith i Psal 101 6 7 Mine eyes shall be vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee there shall no deceitfull person dwell within mine house he that telleth lies shall not remaine in my sight c. The Apostle Paul called to be an Apostle teacher of the Gentiles hauing conuerted many to the faith did take the greatest delight and reaped soundest consolation in them he accounted them his Crown he esteemed them his Sonnes he called them his glory he reioyced in them as his hope This appeareth in the example of Onesimus whom he had begotten in his bonds the greater fruits of Faith he found in him the greater account and reckoning did he make of him The like wee might say of others euen of whole Churches gained to the Gospell the more they encreased in godlynesse the more his bowels were enlarged in care and compassion toward them This affection ought to be in all true Pastors toward their people they must loue such aboue the rest as exceede and excell the rest in the knowledge and practise of true godlinesse This affection should be in the Father towards his Children he should loue them most he should giue them most hee should prouide and prepare for them most that haue most Religion in their hearts most grace in their soules most soundnesse in their liues Let them bee vsed best that are best and finde most fauour that shew the greatest faith The Scripture teacheth vs that Isaac had two sonnes Esau was the first borne yet Iacob had the blessing Godlinesse maketh the younger to bee the elder the second to be the first the lowest to be the highest the least to bee the greatest but vngodlinesse causeth the first borne to be last maketh the elder to be younger and easteth downe the highest into the lowest roome So we see that among the sonnes of Iacob k 1 Chro. 5. 1. Gen. 49 3 4. Ioseph had the double portion albeit he were the youngest of them all sauing one because the rest of his Children had stained them-selues with some grosse sinne which did put them out of their proper place and disinherit them of the blessing This point heere to be learned and practised reproueth two sorts of men as well such as make choise of such as bee wicked as those that hate them which are good and godly We must not delight our selues in those that be carnall and corrupt albeit they be neuer so neer vnto vs. Ahab did repose and reioyce himselfe l 1 King 21 7 1 Sam. 22. 9. 1 Ki. 12 8 31 in Iezabell against Naboth Saule in Doeg against Dauid when he saw that God was with him and his spirit departed from himselfe Rehoboam made choise of youthfull vaine and vicious Companions and refused the Counsell of the prudent and the aduise of the Elders the friends of his Father Ieroboam made choyse of the ignorant multitude of the scum of the people and of the Rascall sort to be the teachers of Israell and their guides and Gouernors in the matters of Gods worship It is a common euill to delight in euill company in prophane persons in Idoll-shepheards in carnall
are as certaine steppes whereby we climbe vp to the society and mutuall loue of others so the moe steps and degrees there are the greater ought our loue to be To be a man created after the Image of God is one degree and challengeth loue from vs to be performed toward him To be ioyned in a Politicall or Domesticall knot to wit in the Common wealth or in the priuate Familie as the Prince and Subiect the Father and Sonne the Maister and Seruant is another and a neerer degree and ought to be the cause of farther loue But if to these naturall and ciuill respects there be added a spiritual Communion in Christ which is the best band that bindeth faster then all the rest whereby the Subiect is made his Princes brother the Child his Fathers Brother and the Seruant his Maisters Brother this requireth a more faithfull and feruent loue and a farther degree of our affection toward them On the other side if the coniunction betweene them be onely in the two former considerations there can be no true and sincere loue betweene them albeit they bee so closely tyed together no although they be Fathers and Children Husbands and Wiues Maisters and Seruants Princes and Subiects For where Christ Iesus is not there can be no singlenesse and soundnesse of the Soule whosoeuer loueth not in the Lord he cannot loue from the heart and where there is no true piety there can be nothing else but hypocrisie which is the bane and poison of true loue Hence it is that hee which hath an euill Seruant doth not in truth possesse him he hath an interest and propriety in the least part of him he may haue his handes but he cannot haue his heart So the Apostle sheweth that while Onesimus was a wicked man and an vnbeleeuer his Maister Philemon could not commodiously vse him he wandred therefore a while from his House that by changing of the place he might be turned into another and returne a new man before an vnworthy Seruant but now a profitable Seruant nay a beloued Brother made neere and after a sort equall with his Maister thorough Faith in Christ Whensoeuer therefore Kinges and Princes Fathers and Maisters being beleeuers haue vnder them and belonging vnto them such as are vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers they cannot promise to themselues that they haue the whole rule and command ouer them This appeareth euidently in the Popish sort that beleeue the Doctrine of the Councell or rather Conuenticle of Trent if one that professeth the Gospell haue a Wife or Child or Seruant embracing that falsly named Catholike-Religion that rest vpon the deceiueable errors of the Priests and Iesuits and all of them vpon the decree and determination of the Pope he cannot make his accounts except he account amisse that he hath full power ouer them or the rule of their liues or the loue of their hearts We see it oftentimes come to passe in Subiects adhering to the Dregges of Popish superstition that notwithstanding the bands of fidelity and allegiance whereby they are obliged to their Princes they breake out into actions of open Rebellion and seeke the subuersion of King and Countrey and Religion If then a man would haue an absolute and Soueraigne commaund ouer his Inferiours and be assured to haue a whole and entire Wife that his heart may trust in her and her heart rest in him if a man would haue a dutifull Child and a faithfull Seruant to do his will and performe seruice vnto him for conscience sake he must make choise of such as haue in them the feare of God the Faith of Christ the guifts of the Spirit the loue of Religion the desire of instruction and the care of saluation If these be wanting neuer thinke their affection can be firmely setled toward thee but vpon euerie occasion it will be easilie remooued from thee It is the surest and fastest knot that Christ knitteth all other bands will quickly be broken and loosed Vse 4 Lastlie seeing the encrease of many bands meeting together doubleth and trebleth the care and loue one toward another so that where the smallest number of meanes is found there also is found the smallest loue and where the greatest number of occasions concurreth as it were on an heap there ought to bee the surest knot of friendship and amitie it should put all superiours in minde of a necessary dutie to be carefull to instruct those that belong to their seuerall charges and iurisdictions that so they may tye them with a surer knot to themselues and haue the better seruice at their handes For seeing they are neerer coupled vnto them that are vnder the reach of their authoritie or the roofe of their houses then vnto the rest of mankinde they ought to haue a greater respect vnto them and beare a dearer loue vnto them euen vnto their bodies how much more vnto their Soules But wee cannot better testifie our loue vnto them and shew our care ouer them then by making knowne vnto them the workes of the Lord and the waies of saluation If we be commaunded to l Heb. 3 13. Exhort one another while it is called to day and to stirre vp one another to good things m 1 Thes 5 14 if we must admonish them that are out of order and comfort the feeble minded how much more are wee bound in conscience to perfect it to those that depend vpon vs and are neerer vnto vs It was the first and principall care of all the godly Kings that had true Religion in their owne harts to prouide for the instruction of their subiects The Apostle writing to the Ephesians and prescribing the distinct duties of sundry persons forgetteth not the Father and the Son and as he chargeth Children m Ephe. 6 2 4 To obey their Parents in the Lord so he commaundeth Parents to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord. Thus godly Maisters haue vsed all diligence to bring their Seruants to haue a desire of Religion and a loue to the exercises of pietie whereby oftentimes such a good worke hath beene wrought in them that they haue accounted their Maisters as second Fathers and as spirituall Fathers confessed themselues more bound in all dutie to them then to their naturall Parents hauing learned that to the glory of God and the saluation of their Soules by their Maisters instruction which they could neuer vnderstand by their Fathers education They haue confessed themselues to haue gained more by such a seruice then if a large portion a rich inheritance and great reuennewes had beene left vnto them And indeede this is the onely way to teach Children dutifulnesse and to frame our Seruants to obedience to plant godlinesse in them and to water that which is planted The neglect of this care in vs will make them carelesse and the making of no conscience to teach them will bring them to be vnconscionable in their places If we be dumb and open not
which are by my Ministry preserued to euerlasting life and thou canst not sufficiently esteeme of thy Redemption and Saluation effected and merited by Christ but manifested applied and warranted vnto thee by my preaching and the graces of God bestowed vpon me for the effectuall conuersion of the elect Obseruations offered vnto vs in these words Thus wee haue seene the order of the wordes and haue learned the meaning of them It remaineth according to the maner and Method before propounded to gather from hence such obseruations as are intimated vnto vs and might be largely handled of vs. First of all obserue with me that the Apostle returneth heere to a consideration of that which might be obiected so that we see it is the duty of the Ministers not onely barely to teach the truth but to remooue doubtes to answere Obiections to put away Impedimentes and to cleere al difficulties that may sticke in the mindes of the hearers and hinder the beleeuing and embracing of the truth deliuered vnto them For howsoeuer our care be to teach plainely and euidently yet the carnall reason of a naturall man ministreth many cauilles and questions whereby diuerse scruples remaine in the hearts of the people as dangerous stumbling blockes to turne them out of the right way to stay their course from running with a right foot in the paths of righteousnesse Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to consider diligently what may be alleaged against the truth that is taught by vs and to make a plaine answere vnto the same This we see in euery Epistle practised by the Apostle When he had taught free iustification a Rom. 3 20. 21 22 27 28 31. by faith apprehending Christ without the workes of the Law the Iewes might haue obiected If the law do not iustifie then it was giuen in vaine it is abolished it serueth to no purpose He knew this would be concluded and therefore he preuenteth it saying Doe we then make the Law of none effect through faith God forbid yea we establish the law And afterward b Rom. 5. 20. with Chap. 6. 1 2. hauing taught that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more if he had rawly and barely left the matter thus propounded a man might haue obiected If this be true that there grace aboundeth where sinne hath abounded then sinne seemeth to be the cause of Gods glory and then why do we not sinne fully and freely that thereby the glory of God may be magnified Wherefore he vnloseth this knot in the words and chapter immediately following What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Likewise to the same purpose he speaketh againe for hauing proued that sinne shall not haue dominion ouer vs c Rom. 6 14 15. because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace considering with himselfe that prophane men might abuse the grace and liberty of the Gospell to commit sinne with greedinesse hee replieth What then shall we sinne because we are not vnder the law but vnder grace God forbid c. The like we see practised in other places When hee hath taught the Ephesians to loue their Wiues as their owne bodies yea euen as Christ loued the Church and addeth that this d Ephe. 5 32. is a great secret or mystery a man might aske do you speake this of the loue that ought to be betweene the Husband and the Wife or of the loue that is betweene Christ and his Church he answeareth I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church In like manner deliuering a rule to the Church that Widdowes should bee chosen to attend vpon the sicke and those that were diseased he would haue none vnder threescore yeares of age set a part to this Office he addeth e 1. Tim. 5 9 11. But refuse the younger Widdowes for when they haue begunne to wax wanton against Christ they will marry hauing damnation The Apostle knowing that these wordes might haue beene wrested wrongfully and applyed contrary to his meaning for one might haue said what haue they damnation for marrying Is marriage the cause of damnation He resteth not so but answeareth the point they haue damnation for denying and breaking their first faith This wisedome is to be put in practise of all the Ministers of Gods word wee must be able not onely to teach but to conuince and to fore-see what may be obiected against that which we haue deliuered So then the Ministers must be men of knowledge throughly furnished to conuince the aduersaries and replenished with store both new and old to ouerthrow all spirits of contradiction that seeke to subuert and destroy the faith of many And it belongeth to the people to resort and repaire to their Ministers thus quallified for resolution of doubts wherewith they are troubled f Mal. 2 7. Math. 2 4. considering with themselues that the Priests lips must preserue knowledge and that the people are to seeke the law at their mouthes because they are the Messengers of the Lord of Hoastes Secondly we see againe in the first wordes of hurting and owing that there is vsed a certaine mitigation For whereas he might haue called him a Theefe and Runnagate he expresseth them vnder much milder names calling his robbing and flying away an hurting and debt declaring thereby how gentle and easie an hand how louing and charitable an heart we ought to beare toward the penitent We are not to aggrauate the slippes and fals nor augment the sinnes and offences of our brethren nor to vrge them and set them out in their colours to the vttermost nor to follow them with extremity but it is our duty to deale mercifully with such sinners as are vnfainedly and truely turned vnto God g Three rules to be obserued to moue vs to deale mercifully toward the penitent remembring alwaies these three thinges First that we are subiect to the like sinnes and may be ouertaken with the same offences through the tentations of Sathan and the corruptions of our owne nature Hence it is that the Apostle admonisheth vs h Gal. 6 1. to restore such as haue fallen euen with the spirit of meeknesse considering also our selues least we also be tempted Secondly that as we are subiect to fall so we haue offended as greatly against God as they if not in the same kind and after the same manner so that if he should enter into iudgement with vs who could stand in his presence or answeare him one of a thousand This is it which Christ Iesus laid to the charge of the proud Pharisies when they brought before him the woman taken in adultery he said vnto them i Iohn 8 7 â— Let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her who when they heard it being accused of their owne consciences went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen to the last Thirdly
hee may prouide thinges honest in the sight of God that he may reioyce in the labour of his owne handes and be thankfull to the father and giuer of all good thinges It is a rule taught by nature approued by experience strengthened by custome f Aristot polit lib. 2. Cap. 2. and established by the founders of Citties and Kingdomes that whatsoeuer is cared for of all is cared for of none as it ought to be but is neglected of all This appeareth in euery Towne and incorporation in euery house and congregation If a matter be committed to many seruants to be dispatched it is commonly either altogether left vndone or done negligently and worse then if it had beene assigned to one I haue heard it deliuered as a prouerbe that he which hath one man is sure of a man he that hath two men hath but halfe a man and he that keepeth three hath none at all One looketh vpon another and leaueth the worke for his fellowes thinking with himselfe that albeit he neglect the dooing of it yet there are two others to finish it and so among them all the businesse of the Maister lieth vndone We see this in mending of high waies which because it is to be done by a common hand and by a generall agreement of many together is generally posted ouer from one to another and commonly left off from yeare to yeare Marke this moreouer in the prouision for the poore who ought to be charitably rel◅ued by the lawes of God and man yet because the burden lieth vpon the shoulders of all all men are ready to shake it off from them and pinch curtesie who shall begin But when euery one knoweth his owne it encreaseth care and doubleth diligence in him he reioyceth with his family in the blessings of God and learneth to be a good Steward in the vse of them disposing of them to the glory of the giuer and to the comfort of the receiuer This it which Salomon teacheth Chap. 5. of the Prouerbs g Prou. 5 15 18. 19. Let thy fountaine be blessed and reioyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let her breastes satisfie thee at all times and delight in her continually So then the distinction of dominion and possession when euery one knoweth his owne and what is not his owne maketh men carefull to looke vnto them Wherefore seeing God is the author of propriety the hater of confusion and the commander and appointer of euery man his seuerall taske and labour it followeth that the community of the Saintes doth not destroy the propriety of substance but euery man keepeth the title and tenour of his owne goodes which no other can chalenge to himselfe Vse 1. As we haue seene the reasons that confirme this Doctrine so let vs see the vses that instruct vs in many profitable points tending to edification First of all this confuteth and conuinceth the detestable and damnable sect of the Anabaptistes who deny to men any property in any thing but would haue all thinges common True it is among faithfull friends all thinges are common as we haue already prooued and confessed so that as we haue one father so we haue one fraternity and are of one family Hence it is that Tertullian in his Apology teacheth h Tertul. in Apologet. that among Christians all things were common except mens wiues What then Were these first Christians Anabaptistes Or are these Anabaptistes like these first Christians No in no wise They alledge indeed the example and practise of the primitiue church but it doth not no way fauour their opinion nor countenance any such Communion as these Heretikes would bring in amongs vs. Obiection 1. But they obiect that all that beleeued were in one place and had all thinges common yea they accounted nothing to be their owne Answere I answeare that these words are not to be vnderstood as though they had forsaken their owne houses and liued together in publike and in common in the same house as it were in the celles and Cloisters of Monkes but as it followeth in the next wordes i Acts. 2 46. They continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart If this be true let the Anabaptistes a new sect of Monks answere at whose houses this was done Was this meeting and eating of their meat in the houses of the Infidels or of the beleeuers I thinke no man is so sottish to say it was in the houses of the vnbeleeuers who would not receiue them to house nor giue them any entertainment among them seeing they hated them and their profession to the death Wherefore it must of necessity follow that these assemblies were in the houses of such as were faithfull If then the faithfull Christians had their houses in which they met together then they did not at all sell nor forsake their houses and dwellings nor coop vp themselues as is it were in Monasteries or Hermitages from the society of men Obiection 2. Secondly whereas they obiect Chap. 4. k Acts. 4 34 35. As many as were possessors of Landes sold them and brought the price of the thinges that were solde and laid it downe at the Apostles feet Answere It is not so to be vnderstood as if they had cast away all care of their houshold affaires and possessed nothing in priuate afterward For this was done by some of the richer and wealthier sort who were not compelled to sell neither can it be gathered that they sold all Nay it appeareth throughout this booke of the Actes that many after this fact possessed houses of their owne The Euangelist Luke noteth that when Peter the Apostle was brought out of prison by the Ministry of the Angel that was sent to deliuer him l Acts. 12 12. As he considered the thing he came to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn where many were gathered together and prayed Frō whence I pray you had this woman this house If all Christians sold their inheritances and proper houses So then the communion of goods that was among the first Christians was nothing but a sale of part of their possessions to succor the poore Saints least being constrained through Famine and left destitute of the helpe of the Bretheren they should turne backe againe to the Iewish Religion and therefore it is said that distribution was made of those things that were sold not equally or confusedly m Actes 4 35. But according as euery one had neede so that he that had the greater charge had the greater allowance and he that had the lesse Family had the lesse maintenance Tiue it is it is said n Acts 4 32. 2 44. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one Soule neyther any of them atcounted any thing of that
haue practised nor the example of the Church at Hierusalem hath warranted To this Pestilent and poysoned Sect of detestable Heretiques we may ioyne as Cozin-Germans those mischieuous and miserable Male-contents that hold in word the lawfulnesse of priuate possession but follow in practise the vnlawfulnesse of more then an Anabaptisticall communion These are they that bring discontent to see others enioy more then themselues endeuour by vnlawfull and vngodlie actions to bring in an equality of all thinges pulling downe Hedges filling vp of Ditches burning of Houses remoouing of Markes breaking downe Fences digging downe Enclosures dispaling and disparking the boundes of Landes and laying all things common as they did in the Insurrection of f In the raigne of Richard the second Wat Tyler Iacke Straw and many others which we haue seene or heard done in our daies yea many idle and disordered people hoped and looked for a commotion in the latter daies of our late Soueraigne For as Esau hating his Brother and thirsting after the murther of him thought in his mind g Gen. 27 41. The dayes of mourning for my Father will come shortlie then will I slay my Brother Iacob so these ryotus routs of Rebels intending to fish in troubled waters and minding to make a prey of the richer sort said among themselues The daies of mourning for Queen Elizabeth will come shortly then we shall haue enough then we shall make the Churâ—…es pay for all then we will want nothing that is to be had Let vs take heed of such vngratious person as begin a conspiracy and lay the foundation of an Insurrection Though they call vs to come with them and would haue vs to ioyne in league with them let vs beware we cast not in our lot among them nor walke in the way with them for their feete run to euill and their broad paths are the beaten paths of death Vse 2. Secondlie seeing euery man hath a state in his own goods it teacheth vs this duty that we ought to be content with that portion which we haue be it more or lesse be it small or great be it a simple or a worthy portion and to be by all meanes thankfull for it considering with our selues that the difference of places Lands Possessions with the properties thereof be of God and are to be acknowledged as his guift True it is men do sometimes encrease their wealth by vnlawfull meanes by robbing and wronging of others to their owne condemnation but then they want comfort and peace in the possessing of them they cannot say they eate their owne Bread they cannot esteeme God to be their helper Let vs hate such wicked shifts and renounce from our hearts all deceitfull dealing Let vs seeke for a blessing vpon our labour at his handes that is the disposer of all thinges in Heauen and Earth Let vs learne h 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8. That godlinesse is great gaine if a Man bee content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the World and it is certaine that we can carry nothing out therefore when wee haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content This is it which the Apostle teacheth Heb. 13. i Heb. 13 5 6. Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse and be content with those thinges that yee haue for hee hath saide I will not fayle thee neither forsake thee so that wee may boldly say The Lord is mine helper neyther will I feare what man can doe vnto me Wee shall neuer deale faithfully with the goods of other men nor for Conscience sake abstaine from wrong and Iniustice vntill we rest contented in our hearts with things present and depend by Faith vpon Gods prouidence knowing that hee hath by his gracious promise bounde and charged himselfe with vs and for vs in all thinges necessarie as well for our bodies as for our soules He is a mighty God and a mercifull Father that neuer fayleth nor forsaketh his Children that trust in him that call vnto him that depend vpon him If this Faith be in vs it will swallow vp many cares and consume many feares which distract and distemper vnbeleeuers in this life Let not our heart thercfore be addicted to Couetousnesse nor let vs suffer our selues to be carried away from God by the greedy and gaping desire of Riches nor seeke to augment them abound in them by vnlawful means nor possesse them with vexation of mind or with affiance in them But let vs rest in our seuerall Callings and conditions of life with contentation and a quiet Conscience not swelling in heart or disquieting our selues in vaine with longing after an higher state and standing then the Lord hath allotted and allowed vnto vs. If once our affections ouer-flowe the bankes of our present conditions so that we cannot vse with thankfulnesse that which we haue receiued we can neuer be perswaded to bee contented but wee will not stick now and then to borrow of the Law of equity shifting prouiding for our selues what wayes wee can without difference and breaking out into vnhonest and vnorderly courses without conscience Let vs therefore k Rules to be remembred to worke in vs contentation for our better instruction in this point lay vp in our hearts these few Rules followes to worke in vs contentation First that all of vs enioy more then we deserue and can iustly challenge at the hands of God If we would haue a crum of bread wee must craue it of him and say l Math. 6 11. Giue vs this day our daily bread Secondly that we oftentimes doe want outward thinges because we esteeme no more of inward graces and spirituall blessings We haue no promise of God to bestow vpon vs earthly gifts any farther then we aske by praier and seeke by faith heauenly things according to the saying of Christ m Math. 6 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you It is therefore Gods great iudgement vpon such gracelesse and thanklesse men as contemne these thinges that belong to a better life that oftentimes they are brought to feele the want of the transitory things of this life Thirdlie that it is a great subtiltie and pollicy of Sathan to inueigle and intangle our mindes with the desire of such benefits as we want thereby to cause vs to murmure and to mooue vs to distrust for them and to disgrace the present benefits which we enioy and so to prouoke vs to be vnthankefull The people of Israell abounded plentifully in many great blessinges in the Wildernesse and tasted liberally of Gods goodnesse yet n Exod. 14 11 and 15 23. 16 2. 17 2. when they suffered the least want of Water or Bread and had not their lusts satisfied at their owne desire they did breake out into impatiency of spirit and forgate the mighty works that he had done for them Their present want made them to
and in assurances giuen betweene man and man This is the cause that the Makers of our Lawes are compelled to vse so many wordes and to heap vp so many Tearmes that thereby they might heale this sore and remedie this mischiefe Let vs not therefore greeue or grudge to make sure that whereof wee haue made sale No man ought to be so simple as not to aske it and no man ought to be so peeuish as to deny it We may easily behold such as are friends to day to be enemies to morrow one while they affirme another while they deny at one time they promise to pay or repay at another they hang backe at it and make it strange that they should be challenged of their promise Euery one b Phil. 2 21. Seeketh his owne and not the thinges of other men and how many haue been foulely deceiued and guilefully beguiled by trusting too far But there is no reason or equity that when wee haue receiued Money we should deny or delay to giue good security and that other men should stand to our curtesie Wherefore it is a great iniury and In-iustice to require men to depend vpon vs and our word without further assurance in blacke and white For albeit we mean not falsely but faithfully not fraudulently but honestly and our Word be as firme as our Oath and our Oath as sure as our Band and our Band as good as ready payment and present possession in regard of our honest meaning and true intent yet we cannot liue for euer and we know not what may fall out after our decease Obiection But some man may say what neede so much a doe among Friends And what stirre doe you make as if we were Infidels and not Christians Or what neede so many Couenants and conueyances where there is a shorter course And where the profession of Christ is a stronger band then all the writings that the wit of man can imagine and set downe Answere I answere that all they that professe Christ in word doe not beleeue in him in heart And albeit the sauing knowledge of Christ be a band of all bands to linke vs together yet this doth not hinder or abolish ciuill contracts to be assured to vs and our posterities Be it that we are the greatest friends there is so much more neede of so much the more adoe among them that are Friends thereby to keepe them Friends and to hold the knot of friendship between thē For oftentimes it falleth out that through want of wordes and writings and witnesses such as haue bin most faithfull friends haue become most bitter enemies one to another Were not Paul and Philemon Friends neere Friends yea the neerest and dearest Friends that could be Were they not as the Father and the Sonne Did they not so liue together and loue together c Verse 17. That they had all things common Yet we see Paule offereth assurance of his word and promise in writing subscribed with his owne hand I Paule haue written it with mine owne hand Yea notwithstanding all assurances that can be desired and demaunded we may well perceiue by daily and lamentable experience what sutes and strifes arise about Titles and conueyances of Lands and Liuings how much more would we contend one with another if there were no Instruments drawne no Euidences made no writings ingrossed to testifie the truth among vs All Kingdomes and Citties all Townes and Villages would be full of stirres and strifes of troubles and tumults that would neuer end and the Iudges and Iustices might stand from Morning to Euening to heare cases and decide controuersies betweene man and man to the wearying of themselues and others He that hath an heauy pursse and a strong heart would neuer rest satisfied if no writing or records could be produced against him Wherefore it standeth all men vpon on the one side willingly to yeelde good assurance and on the other side to aske good securitie where they buy and sel or borrow or bargaine and doe giue or take vpon trust through want whereof sometimes not onely the Rents and Reuennewes but the Lands themselues are spent in suits and actions of Law Lastly it reproueth such as notwithstanding assurance giuen do make no conscience to pay debts and demaunds due vpon agreement to their brethren These are forward to giue assurance but backeward to make performance Many there are that are content to yeeld to what promises and enter into what bands you will craue but when they haue done they vse no care and make no account to pay their debts and to performe the Couenants whereunto they haue consented and condescended contrary to the counsell of the Prophet who asking the question d Psal 15 1 4 Who shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and who shall rest in his holy Mountaine He answereth He that sweareth to his owne hindrance and changeth not It is requisite for euery one to be as wary and well aduised in his promises as he can and to deliberate with himselfe and his Friendes that he doe nothing rashly but when he hath striken hands and made a promise to his Neighbour he ought to performe it albeit it be to his hinderance vnlesse peraduenture he be released Be it therefore knowne vnto all men that as it is lawfull to conuerse and commerse one with another so it is meete and conuenient that they should deale not vpon vncertaineties but vpon assurances as they that builde not vpon a sandy ground but vpon a sound foundation As it is right and lawfull that there should be buying and bargaining purchasing and possessing among vs so is it right and lawfull that there should be Deedes and Indentures to testifie the same and as it were to liue when we are dead And as it is needfull and expedient so long as the world endureth and continueth there should be borrowing and lending so it is as necessarie there should be Bils and Bands to shew the truth and to binde men to the payment of all dues debts and demaunds whatsoeuer and after payment well and truely made to giue discharge acquittance accordingly that controuersies so much as may be may be auoyded and concord as far as is possible may be maintained and established They therfore are vnworthy to liue in any wel-ordered and gouerned Common-wealth that refuse being able to performe their promises and satisfie their Creditors and cancell the Obligations that thēselues haue sealed and deliuered before many Witnesses who albeit they stand not by the high-way side with Swordes or Staues or Rapiers or other Weapons yet are indeede no better then Theeues and Robbers nay many times are worse inasmuch they bring greater damage and are the meanes of vndoing many men Such are they that are angry and much offended with Notaries and Scriueners which by their writings binde them as they imagine too strongly and when they see themselues troubled and arrested vpon the Obligation they hate
credit in my Maisters House He doth not thus consent with Flesh and blood neyther consent to her filthy lust to the dishour of God to the iniury of his Maister to the blot of his owne name and the wounding of his owne conscience but standeth at denyance and defiance with her notwithstanding her great flattery and daily importunity Thus ought it to be with euery one of vs though it be our Maister our Gouernour our Parents our Friendes we must not yeelde to them in euill we must not graunt any wicked requestes that may bring vs out of fauour with God and procure his iust iudgements to come vpon vs. It were better for vs to be out of fauour with Men then out of fauour with God and to fall into their hands then to sinne in the sight of the Lord. It were better to endure a little reproach for a small season for well-doing then to vndergoe the wrath of God for euer for euill-doing The Mother of Zebedeus Children came with her Sonnes to Christ worshipping him and desiring a certaine thing of him to wit that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his Kingdome he denyed them and sayd p Math. 20 22 Ye know not what ye aske are ye able to drinke of the Cuppe that I shall drinke off and be baptized with the Baptisme that I shall be baptized with all The like we see in Peter and Iohn when they were commaunded in no wise to speake or teach in the Name of Iesus q Actes 4 19. they aunswered vnto them Whether it be right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then God iudge you This is duely to be considered and carefullie to be practised of vs. Let vs not bee carryed away with the entisements and suggestions of others knowing that if we follow their direction and counsell in euill we shall incurre the same punnishment with them Vse 2. Secondly this serueth to reprooue and condemne their follie that in making suites and requestes neuer consider what they ought to aske and what another may graunt vnto them but respect their owne lustes anger mallice reuenge honour and aduantage What did the Wife of Potipher respect in her raging and burning lust Did she respect the Couenant of GOD or the credit of her Husband or her owne honour or honestie No vncleanenesse had possessed her heart Lust carryed her eye Impudencie ruled her tongue and all partes of Soule and Bodie were out of order The Mother of Salomon requested as she thought r 1 Kin. 22 18 22. a small request of him that Abishag the Shunamite might bee giuen to Adonijah his Brother to Wife and the King promised not to say her nay but when he heard it he reuoked his promise denyed his Mother and executed Adonijah as one that aspired to the Kingdome Wherefore shee was not well aduised what shee asked The like we might say of Herodias her daughter For when Herods Birthday was come and kept the dancing Minion pleased the eyes of a light lasciuious King so that he promised with an Oath Å¿ Mat. 14 7 8. That he would giue her whatsoeuer she should aske and she being before instructed of her Mother saide Giue me heere Iohn Baptistes head in a Platter The marke that these lasciuious Women sought after in this request was the murthering and making away of Iohn which also followed the giuing of this counsell and the asking of this request It is an euill thing to make any euill motion yea albeit no euill follow after it and albeit no consent be giuen vnto it It was euill in Sathan the Tempter to tempt our Sauiour in the Wildernsse t Iohn 4 46. albeit hee found nothing in him and could fasten no infidelitie no presumption no sinne vpon him So is it in his Instruments although they cannot preuaile to seduce any vnto sinne and draw them to offend God yet they haue wicked hearts and intents in laying snares and baites to intrap others Wee see this in Iosephes vnchast Mistresse albeit shee could not draw away his heart from the feare of God nor weaken the Faith hee had in him yet her sinne was not the lesse nor her purpose any whit the better We see this likewise in the suit that Haman propounded and obtained u Ester 3 9. If it please the King let it be written that the Iewes may be destroyed Now albeit the Church was deliuered yet his mallice was insatiable and in the ende turned to his owne destruction This ought to terrifie all gracelesse Suppliants that make no choyce or conscience what they demaund for when they are not carefull to desire such thinges as are warrantable and consonant to the will and heauenly pleasure of God their owne requestes doe many times in the iust iudgement of God turne to their owne confusion Wherefore it standeth all men vpon to looke with a single eye into the cause which they mind before they seeke it and sue for it that it be iust reasonable conscionable and honest against such as neuer haue in themselues such consideration but so they may speede in their purpose they regard not what they desire This is a point worthy to be marked of all especially of those that depend vpon others to be aduanced and preferred It is a greeuous sinne to abuse the fauour and authority of others to bring their bad and leud purposes to passe It is the manner of many men that are in credit with great persons to be bold to sollicite any of them without difference or due regard of equitie not considering the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the thing the making or marring of others the doing of good vnto them or the vtter vndoing of them Hence it is that Iohn Baptist exhorteth the Souldiers that came vnto him to be instructed x Luke 3 14. Doe violence to no Man neyther accuse any falselie and be content with your wages We must therefore take heed what we aske into what inconueniences we draw and driue others into Our requests must be seasoned with the feare of God Vse 3. Lastly we learne that no man hath an absolute power and authority ouer others but limited and restrained within certain bounds Paul had the highest office of Apostleship committed vnto him yet he could not require and commaund what we list he could goe no further then the will of the Lord which is declared and doubled in this place Albeit God haue lifted vp our heads aboue others and made vs Rulers to commaund yet we cannot command what we list The Maister must remember y Eph. 6 9. That he also hath a Maister in heauen The Father must consider that he also hath a Father which is in Heauen Such as are inferiours are not bound to yeelde an absolute obedience in all thinges but they are tyed to obey their Superiors so farre as they do not disobey the
for themselues but for the precious merits of their Sauiour Christ I except not the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother but as once shee reioyced in God her Sauiour so now she triumpheth in Christ her Redeemer and is accepted through the deserts of her sonne To conclude this point let vs remember the saying of the Apostle Iohn k 1 Iohn 2 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Where we see he ioyneth these two together to bee an Aduocate and to make reconciliation and appropriateth them both to the person of Christ If then the Saints be our Aduocates that wee should present our prayers vnto them they to Christ and Christ to God they must also make reconciliation for our sinnes and appease the wrath of God the father which is vnpossible for them to do and blasphemous for vs to affirme It is our duty therefore to repair resort vnto God the father through the merits of his son Iesus Christ The Prophet complaineth l Psal 20 7. That some trust in Chariots some in horses So in time of troble some seeke to Saints Angels m Leuit. 19 31 Esa 8 19. 17 8. 44 17 18 others flye to Witches Idols but we must remember the name of the Lord our God But of this point we haue spoken before more at large Thirdly it reproueth such as see the want of many blessings in themselues and others feel great iudgements and publick calamities vpon themselues others and yet pray not at all to haue the one bestowed and the other remoued These are like to brute beasts that rore cry out for their prey when they want meat but they neuer consider from whence they receiue it and as the swine that eat the Mast in the woods but neuer look vp to the tree from whence it falleth or as the dog that biteth the stone that is cast at him but looks not to the hand that threw it So do these men they can mourne and murmure when they sustaine any losse feele any plague or finde any want but they haue no knowledge to search out the cause or the meanes how Gods blessings should be obtained or his iudgements be preuented Hence it is that the Prophets complaine of this sencelesnesse and want of feeling of Gods mercie and our owne misery as we see in Ezekiell and in other places n Ezek. 22 30. Esay 59 16. 63 5. I sought for a Man among them that should not make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe before the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none It is a vaine thing for a Physician to know the Disease and not to apply the Remedie so likewise is it a great folly for vs to knowe our owne wantes and yet to want Wisedome to take a right course to redresse the same What deadnesse of heart hath entred into vs that we haue forgotten the commandements of God and cannot remember the examples of his seruantes that haue obtained great things at his hands and cannot be encouraged by his manifolde and mercifull promises that he hath made vnto vs Let vs then bee prouoked to this dutie and not be wanting vnto our selues but respect our owne good and benefit in seeking vnto the Lord daily in calling vpon him earely and late The seruants of Naaman reproue him in that being commanded an easie and ready way to be cured and clensed of his Leprosie yet hee hung backe and would not vse the remedy o 2 King 5 13. If the Prophet say they to their Maister hadde commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it How much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane So may it be said to vs to shake off our drowsinesse and to worke forwardnesse in vs to practise this duty If the Lord in our present wants should require at our hands any hard and difficult thing ought wee not to obey him and to performe his Commandement How much more then when hee respecteth our weakenesse and saith onely Aske and you shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you We shall not need now to say in our owne hearts Who shall ascend into Heauen or descend into the deepe to bring his blessings vnto vs from thence The remedie is at hand the meanes are neere euen in our mouth and in our heart this is the prayer of faith which auaileth much if it be feruent It teacheth vs the way to the Lords treasures to put our hand into his Cofers to take such benefits as we want and to put vp the arrowes of his wrath into his quiuer which he hath drawn against vs to shoot at vs. Vse 3. Thirdly from hence ariseth great comfort to all the faithfull that call vpon the name of God For are the prayers of good men auayleable for our good Do they procure blessinges and stay iudgements Then haue wee great cause to reioyce and matter of great ioy offered vnto vs in the diligent practise of this duty We are assured that the Lord will not defraud deceiue vs but giue vs those things that we desire and he knoweth what we want Is our Faith weake He will strengthen vs. Are we ignorant He wil enstruct vs. Doe we want the Graces of his spirit He will supply them Is our Loue cold He will quicken it Is our Repentance vnperfect Hee will perfect it On the other side are his Iudgements among vs He will remooue them Are we in distresse He will haue mercie vppon vs. Doe our sinnes trouble vs He will discharge vs. Are we in sicknesse He wil restore vs. p Iames 5 13 14. Are we in any misery He will deliuer vs. If the consideration of this gracious dealing of God and the performance of his precious promises doe not put life into our dead hearts and assure comfort to our feeble spirits and raise vs vp when we are cast downe what weapon can be of sufficient force to pierce our hearts and to driue vs to the Conscionable practise of this duty If we had not a blessed experience of Gods goodnesse towards vs wee should haue the lesse sinne to doubt thereof But seeing there is no faithfull Man or Woman who hath not found the Lord readie to heare him in time of his need and that we are compassed about with so great a Cloude of witnesses let vs comfort our selues and one another in these things and bee stirred vp to call vpon his name Vse 4 Lastly are the Prayers of the faithfull profitable to all things and auaileable to make vs partakers of Gods blessinges and to stoppe the course of his Iudgements Then we must remember that it is our dutie to praise his name when hee hath heard our prayers and graunted our requestes either for our selues or our brethren It is
mee and hath embraced this present world and is departed vnto Thessalonica Lastly he reckoneth vp Luke to wit the Euangelist who came to Rome as a Companion with Paule as we read Acts 28 14. and is named in the Epistle to the Colossians Å¿ Colos 4 14. Luke the beloued Physitian greeteth you Hee was a Physitian by profession and after his conuersion he accompanied Paul in his greatest dangers Of these men heere described wee might speake much and handle their liues at large t Centu. 1. lib. 2. cap. 10. castig addit in lib. 2. centu 1. but this is doone by others and this may suffice for the Interpretation of these verses We heard in the beginning of this Epistle that Paule ioyned Timothy to him as a ioynt Writer thereof and directeth it to others besides to Philemon that they might bee meanes and Mediatours vnto him so in the winding vp of the Epistle hee hath mustered together many others by all which he setteth vppon Philemon as it were with an Army of Intercessers and Aduocates to soften and ouercome his greeued and offended minde and to encline him to mercie and compassion The time when this Epistle written Moreouer this salutation giueth vs some direction of the time when this Epistle was written Touching the which time there is some difference among the learned Some are of opinion that this Epistle was written after the second that hee wrote to Timothy and this reason is rendered because in that Epistle it appeareth that Timothy and Marke were not with him and hee willeth them to make speede to come vnto him z 2 Tim. 4 9 11. Onely Luke is with mee Take Marke and bring him with thee for hee is profitable vnto me to Minister But in this Epistle it is euident that these men were come vnto him Seeing therefore there hee sendeth for them and heere they are found to be with him it should seeme that this Epistle is Written after the other This is the Reason vrged a Illyr in argum huius Epistol by many which seemeth to be of great force to perswade But if we diligently marke it and throughly consider of it we shall finde it to be too weake to beare the waight of this conclusion For this present Epistle as also that to the Colossians was written when hee was first taken the second to Timothy when he was taken the second time For Paul hauing appealed to Caesar from the partial dealing of the High-Priests and the cruell persecution of his owne nation was brought to Rome in the beginning of Neroes raigne about the thirde or fourth yeare thereof Now it is euident and knowne to all that Nero in the fiue first yeares was one of the most milde and mercifull Princes and as in his last yeares hee exceeded all men in Tyranny and Crueltie so in his first b Sueto in Neron hee passed all his predecessors in Mercie and Gentlenesse In the beginning of his Empyre Paule pleaded his cause before him and was deliuered out of prison and let go whether he would But the rage of the enemies of the Gospell being endlesse hee was taken againe about the end of Neroes raigne who waxed madde against Christian Religion at which time hee wrote the latter Epistle to Timothy wherein he fore-telleth the approaching of his death and the time of his dissolution c 2 Tim. 4 6. I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departing is at hand Thus much touching the time when this Epistle was written Generall Obseruations pointed out in these verses Now let vs point out some generall Obseruations out of these Verses that might be enlarged and farther stood vpon if time would serue First we see the Apostle setteth down a salutation proceeding from others which teacheth that salutations are an ordinary meanes ordained of God to nourish and cherrish mutuall loue and that vnion and coniunction which the members of Christs body haue one with another who are onely in body in regard of bodily presence seuered one from another in this present life whereas in heart they are ioyned together and shall bee heereafter both in soule and body Secondly albeit the Apostle were a prisoner for the faithes sake yet God doth not leaue him alone hee hath A Fellow-prisoner ioyned with him and many Fellow-helpers added vnto him And albeit hee delighteth not himselfe in the imprisonment of another but could rather wish him deliuered as appeareth by his words to Agrippa who saide he was almost perswaded to become a Christian d Acts 26 28 29. I woulde to God that not onely thou but also all that heare mee to day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bondes yet notwithstanding the Company of the Godly is gracious and comfortable both in prosperitie and in aduersity both in prison and out of prison Thus it is set downe by Luke Acts 16 25. when Paul was whipped and imprisoned and his feet made fast in the stockes he had Silas ioyned with him and they two spent the night in praying and praising God togither teaching admonishing themselues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in their hearts to the Lord so that the prisoners hearde them Thus we see the endlesse Mercie of God towards his afflicted and distressed Seruants hee rayseth them vp some comfort and some Comforters verifying the promise made to his Church If I depart I will send the Comforter vnto you Hee knoweth our infirmities hee seeth how readie we are to yeeld and slide back therefore as he strengthneth vs by others so he maketh vs meanes to strengthen others Thirdly hee calleth Epaphras a prisoner of Christ as hee also had called himselfe before in the beginning of this Epistle The reason is because he had preached Christ Heereby we learne that persecutions oftentimes follow the sincere preaching of the Gospell not that it is the propertie of the Gospell but the cause is the malice of such as will not embrace and receiue the Gospell and therefore they hate and persecute those that beleeue in Christ and giue entertainment to the Gospell This is it our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 34 35. Thinke not that I am come to send peace into the earth I came not to send peace but the sworde for I am come to set a Man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against the Mother c. and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold To this purpose he speaketh in another place g Luke 12 49. I am come to put fire on the earth and what is my desire if it be already kindled The Gospell is the proper cause of peace among the godly so it is the occasion of great troble among the wicked They are therefore much deceiued that make the Gospell the cause of all diuision and hurly-burlies that are in the Worlde When any troubles arise the preaching
those safe and sure which he hath chosen to himselfe As for others that are vnconstant and giue ouer they were neuer true beleeuers but Hypocrites which heere are for a season mingled together vntill the time of separation But the guiftes of God bestowed vpon his people whose saluation is surely laide vp with him z Rom. 11 29. are without repentance Our Sauiour handleth this point at large a Iohn 6 37. and 10 28. Iohn 6 and 10. All that the Father giueth me shall come to me and him that commeth too me I cast not away And againe in another place I giue vnto my sheepe eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand my Father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand So then whensoeuer any among them that were iudged most forward and vpholders of others giue backe and become vnbeleeuers we must not by and by dreame that the Church of God falleth he will alwaies haue a people to call vpon him and worship him b Psal 72 4. so long as the Sunne and Moone endureth from generation to generation The Church is grounded vpon God and vpon no condition of man Our saluation is setled vpon the election of God and founded vpon his vnchangeable decree which can neuer be altered or disappointed Vse 4. Fourthly seeing the Church hath alwaies had back-sliders we learne heereby to beware of all allurements and entisements that may be meanes to draw vs backe from the truth which we haue imbraced Demas of whom mention is made in this place had beene in good account he hath an excellent witnesse euen of Saint Paules mouh to be an helper to the truth Is it a small commendation to be called the fellow of such an Apostle Is it a little matter to be set vp in the middest of the house of God as a burning Lampe or a shining Candle to giue light to others in the Church yet after all this estimation that was had of him he loued the world better then the word Let vs therefore walke warily and looke vpon our selues in the person of this Demas as in a looking Glasse who is cast in the teeth with his imbracing the profit and pleasures of this life that hindred him in the worke whervnto he was called We must take heede that thinges present do not swallow vp the loue of thinges to come as they doe in many who wax colde and haue no desire of the Kingdome of Heauen These are they that haue their eyes so dazeled and darkened with these flitting thinges that they breake out in an admiration of them and say It is good for vs to be heere but neuer thinke that these delights must haue an end and that the world shal be restored The Apostle Paule teacheth vs that the present estate of the world is like a woman in trauaile c Rom. 8 22 Rom. 8. We know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto this present The Creatures as now they abide are not in their perfection by reason of Adams sinne which brought in al disorder and confusion There is nothing but is subiect to vanity and misery euery thing hath some blot of corruption What a shame then is it for vs that are the Children of God and haue receiued the first fruits of the Spirit not to draw toward perfection and not to keepe company with the sencelesse Creatures Let vs learne so to loue the truth as that we prize it aboue all corruptible thinges that must haue an end so as this present world may not stay vs from desiring and longing after spirituall blessings Among all the baites and snares wherewith many are taken nothing is so dangerous or so common as the loue of this world Take a veiw of many that did runne well but now runne not at all and you shall finde they are right Demasses the world is a beame in their eyes that they cannot see a Thorne in their feete that they cannot walke a canker in their mouthes that they cannot speak a clogge to their consciences that they cannot proceede and a snare to their soules that they cannot profit or prosper in good thinges Our daies are full of two many examples of men that are fallen into a deepe sleepe of carnall security so that nothing can wake them Others there are that shrinke backe for feare of troubles and crosses as it may appeare this Demas also did He saw many stormes come toward him and he thought it best to put into some Hauen or harbour In the time of peace and prosperity in quiet and ioyfull times and in such golden daies as our eyes haue seene and our hearts haue enioyed many will seeme and doe seeme to perseuer in the faith and to embrace the word but when the Sunne ariseth in his strength and persecution commeth for the wordes sake by and by they are offended Sathan is priuy to this corruption lying hidden in our Nature For when as God said vnto him b Iob 1 8 9. Hast thou not considered my Seruant Iob how none is like him in the Earth An vpright and iust Man fearing God and eschewing euill He aunswered the Lord and said Doth Iob feare God for nought Thou hast blessed the workes of his handes and his substance is encreased but stretch out now thine hand and touch all that he hath to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy Face We see heeerby that God will haue those that thinke they beleeue and would haue others to thinke so also to be tryed and knowne what they are Dost thou make shew of Religion Dost thou glory in thy profession It pleaseth God to offer thee the meanes and occasions to try thee he sendeth the persecution of the tongue thou art reuiled scorned slandered and derided for professing the truth for hearing the word for frequenting of Sermons and then it commeth to passe that rather then they with endure these crosses they shrinke away and strike hands will euill men and embrace the friendship of this present euill World Thus we see how Sathan busieth himselfe to vndermine vs and to ouerthrow vs and what tentations he setteth before vs on the right hand and on the left hand on the right hand the profits of the World and the pleasures of the Flesh on the left hand crosses and persecutions for the words sake These are the meanes that he vseth these are the allurements whereby he preuaileth these are the discouragements whereby he terrifieth vs. Vse 5. Fiftly seeing we are ready to reuolt and slacke our peace that wee haue runne toward the marke that is set before vs let no man be secure and carelesse or presume too much vppon his owne strength as though it were vnpossible for him to fall but let euery man grow circumspect and beware of Carnall securitie Hence it is that the Apostle
as the Well-spring we haue it not of our selues we haue it from him according to that which the Euangelist Iohn setteth downe r Iohn 1 16. Of his fulnesse we haue all receiued and Grace for Grace Secondly it is called the Grace of Christ not of God the father not of God the Holie-Ghost but of Iesus Christ our Lord because hee is the meanes or as the Cunduit-pipe whereby he it is brought and conueyed vnto vs Thus the same Euangelist speaketh in the wordes following Å¿ Iohn 1 17. The Law was giuen by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. He it is that is the Mediation and Propitiation for our sinnes he hath purchased the fauour of God he hath wrought reconciliation for vs so that through him we are accepted of God the Father and beloued in his beloued Ephe. 1. 6. Thirdly we must consider the Title giuen to Christ Iesus hee is called a Lord or Ruler and that in many respects First by creation in that he made vs of nothing when we had no being t Iohn 1 3. For all thinges were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made Secondly by right of Inheritance u Heb. 1 2. Psal 2 8. For he is made Heire of all thinges Thirdly by right of Dominion for he hath Dominion ouer all things and ouer vs also so that he ruleth preserueth and keepeth vs as his owne to eternall life being bought with his most preciour blood None of them can bee lost that are committed vnto him neither can any plucke them out of his hands All thinges are put vnder his feet and subiect vnto him Fourthly he is said to be our Lord he is not onely a Lord hauing right and might graunted vnto him ouer others but hee s called our Lord. First because the Father gaue him a people and chosen Generation ouer whom he should rule So then by reason of this donation appointed vnto him before all worlds he is truely called our Lord. Secondly in regard of the work of redemption which he hath wrought for vs he alone hath paid the ransom for vs and deliuered vs from the power of the Deuill so that hee hath the greatest right of possession in vs. Lastly we are thereby put in mind that we ought so to beleeue in Christ our Lord that we put our trust and confidence in him and that we rest throughly perswaded that by him we are throughly freed and deliuered from all euill It is not enough for vs or sufficient to saluation to beleeue Christ Iesus to be a Lord but we must beleeue him to be our Lord. For wee all knowe and beleeue that the Deuill is a Lord and ruleth in the hearts of the Children of disobedience he is the God of this World and a Prince that beareth great sway but wee doe neyther know nor beleeue him to be our Lord as we beleeue Christ Iesus to bee the Lord of vs all Fiftly he addeth With your Spirit He craueth this Grace to be with his Spirit whereby he meaneth as much as if he had said with you one part of man being named for the whole the more principall part being put for the whole person For man consisteth of two essentiall parts of Soule and Body True it is the Apostle Paule doth sometimes deuide man into three partes the Spirit the Soule the Body as when he prayeth for the Thessalonians x 1 Thes 5 23. That their whole Spirit and Soule and Body should be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. By the Spirit he vnderstandeth the mind reason or vnderstanding which else-where hee calleth the y Ephe. 4 23. Heb. 4 12. Ephe. 4. 17 18. Spirit of your mind This is nothing else but a faculty of the reasonable soule which is seen in inuention and iudgement By the the Soule he vnderstandeth the inferior faculties and powers as the will and affections both which followeth the body which is the Instrument whereby the Spirit and Soule do worke By the Spirit in this place is not meant onely the minde or onely the Soule but the whole man is to be vnderstood as it is expounded Phil. 4. 23. The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all And Col. 4 18. Grace be with you yet he nameth the spirit because it is the principall subiect and seat of grace Sixtly the Apostle proceedeth and saith Your spirit hee speaketh not to Philemon alone saying With thy Spirit but he enlargeth his heart and saith With your Spirit as speaking to many Whereby wee are to vnderstand those to whom this Epistle is written and deliuered to wit cheefly to Philemon whose Title it beareth and to Apphia his wife to Archippus the Minister and to the Church that was in his house to all these he wisheth the Grace of Christ Lastly he endeth with the word Amen which is as much as euen so or so be it or so it shall be Indeede it is no part of the former prayer but it betokeneth and signifieth two things First an hearty desire whereby we wish that we may be heard and that God would answere vnto our requests Secondly the certainty of our confidence and the confirmation of our Faith whereby we trust that we shall be heard It is an Hebrew worde retained by the Apostles in their Epistles and in other places wherewith we are taught to conclude our Prayers withall by Christ our Sauiour It is added to shew that we should come with boldnesse and beleeue that we shall obtaine trusting in the truth of Gods promises The postscript of the Epistle Hauing thus laide open the sense and meaning of the wordes in this last Verse it shall not be amisse to speake some-what of the wordes following which are the subscription and vnder-writing of this Epistle in these wordes Written from Rome to Philemon and sent by Onesimus a Seruant It is most likely that this Epistle was written and sent at one and the same time with that entituled to the Colossians both because the same persons are named in both the Epistles the same persons writing and the same persons sending salutations to others and both of them in the Post-script are sayde to be sent by Onesimus as it were by a Carrier only heerein resteth the difference that this Epistle was deliuered to Onesimus alone to bee carried to Philemon a priuate man but the other was conueyed by Tychicus and Onesimus to the whole Church of the Colossians whereof Philemon and his Family were but one part But touching this subscription as also others in other Epistles we must vnderstand that they were added by men and are no part of the Cannonicall Scripture which is the rule of our faith to which we must yeeld without all contention or contradiction and from which we cannot appeale without intollerable iniury to the spirit of God For howsoeuer diuers of these Post-scripts may be true yet it is very plaine and
disease which we desire to haue remoued that driueth vs to the Phisitian And we haue no promise to obtaine earthly thinges except we seeke them as we ought to seeke them and follow the right manner that God hath left vnto vs to find them Many seeke after them and pray for them but they do not obtaine because they aske amisse It is our duty not onely to pray for lawfull thinges but also in a lawfull manner A man may do a good thing after an euill manner it is in our actions so it may be in our prayers An indirect and vnsanctified order may marre and corrupt a good and godly prayer To conclude therefore let vs know that this grace and fauour of God so often remembred in Paules Epistles and so often craued and prayed for to be bestowed vpon the Saints is onely able to giue satisfaction and contentment vnto the soule to stay and rest vpon and therefore we ought aboue all other thinges to labour earnestly to feele it in our hearts Indeed it seemeth nothing and base in his eyes that hath it not but when a man once knoweth the worth and value of it and tasteth the sweet comforts of it within him he is ready to sell all that he hath to enioy it and retaine it he is content to renounce and forsake all Dignity and Honour all Glory and Praise all Health and Beauty all Friends and Fauour all Wealth and Treasure all Ioy and Delight all Mirth and Melody yea Brethren and Sisters and Lands and Wife and Children and all thinges that may be deare vnto him rather then depart from this Iewell of grace farre in price aboue all the Iewels of this World It is with vs in respect of spirituall thinges as it fareth with the buyer while he is in buying his commodity before he is possessed of it according to the discription of Salomon Prou. 20. i Prou 20 14. It is naught it is naught saith the buyer but when he is gone apart he boasteth He diminisheth the goodnesse of it he saith it is to much it is not worth the money you aske for it but when he hath purchased and possesseth it he praiseth his penniworths and iudgeth it better then his money So is it with all Heauenly graces so long as we are destitute of them we thinke them not worth our labour and trauel seeking and enioying we esteem euery houre too much that is spent in following the meanes appointed to obtaine them and albeit God call vnto vs k Esay 55 1 2. to come to buy and eate to come I say and buy Wine and Milke without Siluer without mony yet we haue no eares to heare nor leisure to attend nor harts to consider of his calling But when once we haue found thē and know the iust price and value of them we would not loose them for all the World nor for a thousand worldes if they were offered vnto vs nay we are willing to sell all we haue to haue them continue and abide with vs according to the counsell of the same Salomon Prou. 23 23. l Prou 23 23. Buy the truth but sell it not likewise wisedome and instruction and vnderstanding Let vs therefore grow in loue with this grace of God that we may haue our hearts established with it Let vs do that now which wee would do at the last gaspe and breath Then we are ready to renounce the World and to preferre one drop of grace and faith before a Kingdome Let vs now begin to learne wisedome let vs prostrate our selues before the Throne of grace let vs neuer giue rest to our soules vntill we find it and let vs sue vnto him that is the Author and Fountaine of all grace to wit Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory and praise for euer Amen FINIS A Table of the principall Contents of this Booke A ABraham receiued Angels page 281. Hee and Lot reconciled 252 253 Absence of the Pastour hurtfull 196 Absence of the people from the Pastor 202. reasons against it 203 Abuse of the Ministers 397 Abuse of Gods prouidence 299 Accepting of personnes 189. not with God 331 Acount of our faith must be giuen 91 92 Action differs from euill in it 307 Admonition 207 Adoration of Saints 146 Adulterer penitent is no adulterer 318 Affect such as haue most grace 186 Affection betweene Pastor and people 189 Afflicted are not greatest sinners 13 Afflictions serue for confirmation of others 12. common to godly and vngodly 19. they are profitable 207 Agreement betweene Paul and Iames in matter of Iustification 191 192 All things not to be done of al. 11 Almes houses 156 Almes must be chearefull 285 Amen 494 Anabaptists 265 367 387 Apphia Philemons wife 8 Appeare all must before God 337 Apostataes 486 Application 76 Archippus 8 Assurance of faith no Doctrine of presumption 180 Assemblies of the Church 84. they are beasts that reiect them 85 Assurances lawfull 385 Aske no vnlawfull thing of others 418 Atheists 209 Attention required 219. three benefits of it ibid. Authoritie giuen to the Ministers 163. they must not abuse it 170 Authoritie absolute no man hath 419 B Backbiters 427. the sorts of them 427 428 Back-sliders 132 150 491. they proue worse then others 486 Bands where the greatest are should be most loue 337. the more bandes are broken the greater sinne 341 Good Beginninges helpe not without proceeding 132 Bellarmines doctrine of Princes 267 Benefit of others is to bee sought 135. Benefits that come by instruction 40 Benefit bestowed vpon Saints shall not be lost 280 Better too forward then backward 75 Birth-day 424 Blessed that suffer for the truth 14. not all that heare 242 Blessed that liue in Gods fauour 57 Blessings are to be craued from GOD in Christ 61. ascribe them not our selus 63 Blemishes of body no sinnes 315. to be patiently borne 316 Blind zeale See zeale Blind deuotion 288 Blind not to be discouraged 311 Blindnesse of minde a sinne 310 311 wherein it differs from blindnesse of body Ibid. Blood of the Martirs 13 Body must bow to God 94 Bondage of the wicked 115 Bond-Seruants whether they may fly Epist Dedicat. Brother who is 256 Borrowers often Theeues 412 Bretheren faithfull are 33◠They are bound to loue each other 342 Brownists 177 C Calling giuen of God 336. Euery minister hath two callings 268 Canker of the Common-wealth 381 Canonized Saints 120 Cause makes a Martyr 19 Care two-fold 504. It must be had of euery member 189 Censurers of the Church 168 Chaplaines 200 Chance 299 Charity 315 256 Christ reiecteth none how base soeuer 5 Christ and the faithfull one body 16. he accounts our sufferings his 16. He is the Obiect of our Faith 106. Our saluation is wholly wrought by him Ibid He is true God 107 Christ is harboured in his members 145 446. he is the annointed of the father 463. Why he is called Lord. 493.
Ibid. Faith is mingled with doubting 110. Many thinke they haue it who want it 108 259. Being weake it is auaileable 285. Not to be had in respect of persons 188 Faithfull are peaceable 110. They are Saints 117. They yeeld more then is requested of them 431. Therein they follow Gods example 432 Faithfull accused of sedition 26â— Whether they can fall away 491 Families of Christians a particular Church 8. being reformed they haue in them persons vnreformed 237. How made obedient 234 Fathers must make their Children religious 43. They are many times murderers of them 44 Famine of the word 214 Famine some are glad of 409 Familiarity with the Saints who regard not 355 Fauour of God cause of all blessings 56. Seeke it aboue all thinges 57 465. Wretched to be without it â—9 Fearefull persons 92 Feeling of Churches troubles 275 Flattring men in sinne 321 Forgiuenesse of offences required 6 245 249. How man forgiueth 247 Fortune 299. Forefathers 42 Forward sometimes fall back 484 Forwardnesse in good thinges 433 Friends are as our owne Soule 26. they will admonish 27 Friendship counterfeit 28 Friends to Princes who are 269. of what sort we must chuse them 326. They haue all things common 350. They must require no more then God alloweth 415 416 Friendship among the Heathen what 352. How it differs from loue Ibid Freedome properly belongs to the godly 115 Fruits of loue to bee shewed cheefely to the Saints 67. And not to the vngodly 325 Fruitfulnesse in good workes 101 Freedome in a Christian wherein 115 G Gaine of soules 482 Gentiles Idolatry and Papists like 63 Gifts to be communicated to the Saints 114. they are of 2 sorts Ibid. the faithfull are Gods Stewards to despense his guifts 114 Giftes receiued must be imployed to the good of others 1 134. Not to their hinderance 138. They must not lye still Ibid. Gifts of God must be stirred vp 133 483 Guifts are bestowed to profit withal 273 Gladnesse See Ioy. Glory of God to be sought in all things 64 147 God loueth a cheerefull giuer 282 God is not the Author of sinne 300 He worketh in sin three waies Ibid. Hee moueth none to sinne 301. He disposeth euer to good the sinnes of Men. 303. He punisheth sin with sinne 486 God heares our prayers two waies 453 God recompenseth outward wants 310 He accepteth no mans person 531. he forgiues the penitent 414 Gods loue reconciles all his Creatures 5â— He loueth all his Creatures and how 86 323. He is not benefited by our well-doing 112 Godly charged wich rebellion 26â— they are friends to the Prince and the reasons 269 Godly must abound in graces 10â— They are most to be beloued 112. they are neuer barren 123. They often dye quickly the reasons of it 303 Godlinesse sweetens the bitternesse of the Crosse 116 Goers backeward 130 Good name hath many enemies 417 Good things must be carefully and earnestly followed 9. Reasons and vses 10 The goodnes of God to vs must be made knowne 142. The benefits thereof 142 143 Gospell cannot be bound 2. It is stronger then the Deuill 2 3. It abolisheth not ciuill ordinances 202. Obedience to them adornes the Gospell 263 Gospell brings peace 264 Gouernment of the tongue 476. Rules to obserue to attaine to it 477 Grace of two sortes 492 It signifieth sometimes the free fauour of God and sometimes his guifts in vs. 48. It is chiefly to be desired Ibid. It sanctifieth all other good things 51 The want of it is a cursse Ibid. It is the foundation of all our happinesse 52 53. Three steps leading vs to finde grace 52. It giueth contentment to the soule 54. Why called the grace of Christ â—92 the more it appears in any the more to be loued 322. 323. It is giuen freely 457 Graces of God are fruites of election 70. Bestowed vpon other they must reioyce vs See Spirituall graces We must grow in them 482. The seate of them is the Soule 498 Griefe to behold the vnregenerate 187 Grief to see any decay in grace 435 436 Grudge not at others good 153 H Hatred betweene Minister and people hinders profiting 193 Helpe of others to be sought 22 Heathen and Christian Religion howe they differ 156 Hearers must performe three duties 219. They must heare the word willingly 287 Difference of hearers 338. It is no common Grace 3â—0 Against hearing false tales 428 Where the Hart is there is our delight 288 Heart and word must goe together 457 Historicall Faith 78 Hindrances of Prayer 460 And of hearing 484 An honour to suffer for Christ 18 Honoring of Saints 145 Honour the Minister 296 Houses of the godly what 38 45. And of the vngodly 46 Housholders must teach their housholds 38. They must first reform themselues 4â— They must bring thir Families to the Church 47 All their houses the Christians sold not 367 368 Hope the best of others 426. It is a property of loue Ibid. Hospitality 440. It consisteth not in feasting 4. 2. It is cheefely required of Ministers 444 Hospitals none among the Heathen 157 Husband and Wife Yoke-fellowes 30 Husbands 328 Hunger after grace one step to it 53 Who are said to hunger 483 Hypocrites 486 I Idol-Shepheards 35 Idle persons haue their gifts diminished 13â— Idolatry of Gentiles and Papist alike 64. Iesting at sin 72 Iesuits enemies to Princes 266. They are Cormorants 340 Iesus what to be learned by it 495 Ignorance 78 90 Ignorant people ready to receiue any Religion â—… Ignorant Ministers 201 Imprisonment for the Gospell 12 13 Implicit Faith 77. Imprecations 175 Imputation of Christs righteousnes 363 364 Instruction profitable 40 Inuocation of Saints 66 Indulgence 1â—6 See Lenity Inferiors owe honor 179. 34 they must be content with their places 335 Iniuries See Reuenge Infirmities obiect not 315 Inferiors not bound to obey in euil 420 Beeing vnbeleeuers they yeelde but halfe obedience 344 Ioy to see the faithfall grow in grace 68 Israell oppressed 330 Interest in his owne good euery man hath 365 Iudge not before the time 430 Iudgement of the wicked touching the Crosse 14 Iustification by Faith condemned by the Papists 102. How Faith iustifieth 103. Paule and Iames reconciled 104 105. It is no doctrine of Liberty 105 K Keyes of the kingdome of heauen 166. How committed to the Minister Ibid. Kindred must be respected 338 340 Kings Nurses to the Church 273 Knowledge necessary 90. where it is not there is no faith 78. Being abused it bringeth iudgement 129 Knowledge of propriety in goods increseth the care of them 367 L Lame persons comforted 311 Law 246 Lawyers 389. Rules belonging vnto them 360 Least measure of grace 482 A Lesson for persecutors 17 Libertines 106 â—99 Lenity in winking at offenders 176 Liberality 160. How bestowed amisse 116 Liberall maintenance to be allowed the Minister 287 Life of the godly often short 308. How the promise is kept to them 109 Loue to be shewed specially to the saints 67. Generally to
eye-sore vnto our selues Such as are dull and backe-ward themselues cannot abide those that are forward They that are ignoraunt thinke all others to haue too much knowledge They that are cold and slothfull in the matters of God do carpe and cauill at the zeale which they see in others and thinke them to bee too hasty too earnest too praecise Hence it is that oftentimes the Husband checketh the Wife the Father controuleth the Sonne and one Friend tebuketh another as running too fast and shooting beyond the marke Howsoeuer this is not greatly to bee feared in our daies wherein few runne at all many stand still wherein fewe shoot at the marke yet if it were so it is better to be a little too forward then to bee too backward to haue a little too much zeale then to be stark cold as many or luke-warme as the most are We see this in the state of a mans bodie it is easier to worke an euacuation of that which is too much then to procure a restitution of that which is too little It is an easier cure to purge our grosse superfluous humours when they abound then to repayre and restore Nature when it is decaying and consuming It is much easier to take away the sharpnesse of an edge tool then to set a sharp edge on that which is blunt dulled It is easier to pull downe a part of the building which is ouer-much then to lay a new foundation If there be one among vs that seeketh to be too iust and aymeth at a righteousnes aboue the Law there are a thousand that come too short and fayle in that which is required of them It is a most blessed thing to keepe the Golden meane betweene too much and too little It is easier to bring him that is in the excesse to the meane then to reduce him to the meane that is in the defect When a man lyeth dead in sinnes and trespasses and hath no sparke of the life of God in him to bring such an one to true godlinesse is as it were to raise him from the dead When a man lieth languishing and consuming by little and little and all good things begin to decay in him so that he is growne starke cold nothing is harder then to restore such a one it is as much as to worke a wonder and miracle But when our zeale is growne to be a little too hot and our edge made somewhat too sharpe it requireth no great labour it asketh no great paines to reduce vs backe againe and to make vs returne home the way by which we went There is no cause therefore that wee should so rashly and out-ragiously beare our selues toward those that climbe vp a step too high and beare them-selues a little too forward let vs rather examine our selues and consider whether we do not our selues many wayes faile of our duties so that wee may say and say truely we are vnprofitable seruants Let vs neuer enuy or grudge at the good of others remembering alwayes that what grace soeuer is graunted to one member is giuen to the whole bodie and to euerie particular member of the body As he that doth good to the eye doth good to the whole body the benefite redowndeth to the hand and foot Thus it is in the mystical bodie of Christ a Rom. 12 5. Wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members Wee see in the Actes of the Apostles b Acts 11 18. when the Disciples had heard that Peter was called and warned by an Heauenly Vision to preach to Cornelius and other Gentiles they helde their peace and glorifyed God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted Repentance vnto life Thus much of the Ioy and Thankes-giuing of the Apostle Now let vs see to whom hee gaue thankes set downe in the next wordes I giue thankes to my God Heere is the first illustration of the Apostles Thankesgiuing declaring to whome it is made to wit to God The Apostle giuing Thankes and praising God hee calleth him his God He saith not simply I giue thankes to God but particularly I giue thankes to my God He calleth him his God and applyeth the promises of the gospel made to all that beleeue peculiarly and especially to himselfe Doctrine 2. It is the nature of faith to apply the promises and mercies of God to our owne selues Whereby we see for our instruction that the nature and property of a true and liuely faith is to aprehend and apply God and his promises particularly to our selues It is a duty required of vs to labor for that faith which may be as an hand to lay holde on the mercies of God and to appropriate them vnto our selues This we see in the vow of Iacob a Gen. 28 21. If God wil be with me and wil keep me in this iourny which I go and wil giue me Bread to eate cloaths to put on so that I come againe vnto my Fathers house in safety then shal the Lord be my God This speciall application we see oftentimes in Dauid b Psal 22. 1. 104 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe O Lord my God thou art exceeding great The same appeareth in Thomas one of the twelue when Christ who will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flaxe had respect to the weakenesse of his Fayth and bad him see the print of the Nayles in his handes and put his Finger into his side hee cryed out c Iohn 20 28. Thou art my Lord and my God This Christ practiseth himselfe and teacheth others when he sayde to Mary d Iohn 20 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Bretheren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and vnto my God and to your God The Apostle Paule speaking of Christ and the benefites which he reapeth by him saith e Gal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And in another place f 1 Tim. 1 12. I thanke him which hath made mee strong that is Christ our Lord for he counted me faithfull and put me in his seruice All these consents of the holy Scriptures serueth to confirme vs in this truth that true Fayth standeth in a particular applying of the generall promises of the Gospell Reason 1. The Reasons will make this yet more manifest vnto vs. For first euerie one that shall bee saued must haue a particular Faith of his owne and not satisfie himselfe with the Faith of another No man can be saued by another mans beleeuing no more then be nourished by another mans feeding The Prophet Habbakuk teacheth this point euidently saying g
signe of their Reprobation Lydia is commended in that she l Acts 16 4. attended vnto the things which Paule spake but it was the Lord that opened her heart before she could be a faithfull and fruitfull hearer To this purpose Moses speaketh to all Israell m Deut. 29 2 3 4. Ye haue seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the Land of Egypt vnto Pharaoh and vnto al his seruants and vnto all his Land the great tentations which thine eyes haue seene those great Myracles and wonders yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Nowe as this ouer-throweth such as teach and maintaine an vniuersall Vocation so it must serue to settle vs in the trueth of the Doctrine of particular election and predestination n Rom. 9 15 16 18 13 14 That it is neither in him that willeth nor in him that rundeth but in God that sheweth mercy He sheweth mercie vpon whom he will shew mercie and will haue compassion vpon whom he will haue compassion therefore he hath mercie vpon whom he will and whom he will he hardneth God loued Iacob and hated Esau so that it was saide The elder shall serue the younger The Lord electeth some vnto life and saluation before the foundations of the world he elected some and therefore not all before the beginning of the world and therefore not for their deserts who then had not their beeing vppon the earth Who art thou o Iob 9 4 Rom. 9 20. that wilt dispute with GOD Or what shall it auayle vs to question it and quarrell it with the Almightie May the p Esay 10 15. Rom. 9 21. Clay reason with the Potter or the Axe with the Carpenter or the Sawe with him that draweth it or the Rodde with him that taketh it Or shall the thing formed say vnto him that formed it Why hast thou made mee thus Dare any Seruant pry and search into all the secrets of his Maister Canst thou follow track the way of the Fish in the Waters of the Fowles in the Ayre of a Serpent vppon a stone of a Shippe in the Sea Let vs not aske a reason of his will but rather say with the Apostle q Ro. 11 33 34 O the deepenesse of the Riches both of the wisedome and Knowledge of GOD Howe vnsearchable are his Iudgementes and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his Counsellor or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompenced If God should doo equally well vnto all his Creatures then were hee after a sort so much lesse to be praised and magnifyed of some for his benefites seeing he should do nothing specially and singulerly to them more then to others Neither is there are iniquitie in our God in so doing for may hee not r Math. 20 13 do with his owne what he will May he not lighten what eyes hee will or shoot away what arrowes he is disposed without our certaine knowledge of his secret counsels Obiection But some man may say when an whole assembly haue the same meanes the same Ministery an whole Family the same teaching and instruction How is it that some beleeue others will not beleeue Some are conuerted others are hardned Some are elect others are reiected Answere I aunswere it is not for the Creature curiously to search into the workes of the Creator but to bee wise according to sobrietie and as well a man might demaund why all in the fielde is not pure Corne but some Tares Why all in the Barne is not Wheate but some Chaffe Why Trees beare some leaues and not all Fruite Why in a great house there are Vesselles of Golde and Siluer some to an honourable and others to a dishonourable vse Why there are as well Goats that will not heare as Sheepe that heare the voyce of the Shepheard The Lord Iesus adoreth the Counsell of his Father heerein and confesseth the reason to bee his will and heauenly pleasure and farther then this whosoeuer goeth higher then this whosoeuer ascendeth and deeper then this whosoeuer searcheth shall wander as in a maze and neuer returne shall fall downe headlong into a Gulfe and neuer rise vp againe Our Sauiour saith Å¿ Mat. 11 25 26 I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and Earth because thou hast hid these thinges from the Wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto Babes It is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such As for the condemnation of the wicked and the execution of the heauy wrath and iust iudgements of God there is more then sufficient due desert in the Reprobate and though the righteous Lord worke therein yet beware thou imagine any euill in him The raine moystneth an euill Tree and therefore it beareth bitter and no better fruite In that it beareth fruite it commeth of the moysture but in that it bringeth foorth euill fruite it commeth of his owne Nature The Sunne by the strength of his heate and vertue of the Beames thereof rayseth out of the Dirt and Dunghill many foule and filthy sauours that infect men and corrupt the Ayre the raising of them vp is from the Sunne the vnwholsome and noysome smelles are from the places themselues The Raine is not properly the cause of the euill fruite but the Nature of the Tree and therefore it woorthily calleth for the Axe to cut it downe and then iustly deserueth to be throwne into the fire The Sunne is not directly the cause of those filthie sauours that are extracted out of stinking Ponds and puddles but the Miery and marish Ditches themselues So is it with God he is as the Raine that falleth and as the Sunne that shyneth from Heauen t Acts 17 28. Hee mooueth the euill man who worketh euill the action is of God the euill is from the free will of man and from the soule spirite of the Deuill God is not the Authour of the euill and therefore let u Iam. 1 13 14 no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euil neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised Seeing then the grace of Election of Redemption of Iustification of Vocation of Sanctification is not generall nor generally giuen vnto all but according to the free purpose and pleasure of him that chooseth redeemeth calleth iustifieth and sanctifieth Let vs acknowledge his great mercie to the praise and glorie of his name when hee maketh his owne ordinances auayleable which we see in many to bee vnprofitable let vs confesse his louing kindnesse toward vs when he doth beget vs by the immortall seede of regeneration and worketh effectually our saluation For what haue wee in vs to mooue the Lorde to sauour vs and followe vs with a