your wisdome c. so all the prayse is giuen wholly to God whereas before it was wholly deriued from God to man and so God was defrauded and defeated of his right Not that it is vnlawfull to prayse men endued with the graces and gifts of Gods Spirit nay it is a dutie we owe vnto them but it must be performed in that wise sort that God in the first place be praysed for by this meanes we shall both in our selues take away suspition of flatterie and in our brother commended suspition of pride And this is the speciall difference betwixt Christian encouragement and flatterie The former hath respect to Gods glorie and the good of the partie encouraged who hearing God praysed for his gifts is taught not to swell in a conceit of his owne worthinesse but to referre all to the glorie of God The latter regardeth neyther but as it robbeth God of his glorie and transferreth it to the instrument so it driueth the man flattered vpon the Rocks of Pride Ambition Vaine-glorie and there often to make shipwracke of a good conscience Secondly The Title that PAVL giueth God in this his Thanksgiuing My God Here obserue these two points First The priuiledge of euery true Christian Doct. 1 Hee hath a peculiaritie and speciall proprietie in The priuiledge of a true Christian God That looke as a man may say of his Inheritance his House and Lands These be mine so hee may as truely say of God God is mine I am righted and interessed in him This priuiledge is conferred vpon vs in the Couenant of Grace which runnes in this tenor I will be thy God and thou shalt be one of my people Wee assenting to the Condition of this Couenant to become Gods God forthwith becomes ours so that we may now lay claime to him as our owne hee hauing made ouer himselfe to vs by Couenant Hence it is that the Apostle sayth Rom. 5. 11. Wee glorie or boast of God namely as of our owne being bound to vs as the Husband to the Wife by the Couenant of Marriage Looke then as the Husband is not his owne but the proper possession of his Wife so God is now no longer his owne as it were but the peculiar possession of his Saints This is a Doctrine of great comfort That though thou hast not House Lands Mony Friends to call thine yet there is a God in Heauen whom thou mayest call thine who being thy portion and possession thou mayest ioyfully sing with DAVID Psal 16. The lines are falne to mee in a goodly ground I haue a faire Heritage But this belongeth not to the wicked because the Couenant is not made with them by reason they agree not to the Condition of becomming Gods people Therefore Psal 50. God sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Name in thy mouth to brag of me as thy God since thou hatest to be reformed Secondly The nature of true iustifying faith Doct. 2 which is to apply God in speciall to the Beleeuer True faith doth not onely beleeue that God is the God of his Elect in generall but that hee is his God in speciall as PAVL here sayth My God And Christ on the Crosse My Lord My God Christ presently answered THOMAS Because thou hast seene thou hast beleeued Here then is true faith when with PAVL Galat. 2. 2. we can say Christ hath loued me hath giuen himselfe for me This is more then an hypocrite and a temporarie professor can doe The second effect whereby PAVL declareth his loue towards them is his dayly praying for them Making mention of you alwayes in my prayers First in my priuate prayers First euen in our priuate and solitarie prayers Doct. 1 we must be mindfull of our Brethren Many there In our Prayers we must be mindfull of others are that in priuate Prayer not at all Others though they doe sometime pray priuately by themselues yet then onely they pray for themselues And so their priuate Prayers are too too priuate priuate not onely in regard of the place where but also in regard of the Spirit by which they are conceiued they come from a priuate spirit regarding themselues onely and not touched with a feeling of the want of others Saint PAVL writes not to any Church or particular man but hee tells them hee made mention of them in his Prayers And we are to thinke that hee did no lesse for many others that hee neuer wrote to Had he not the Spirit of loue it would haue beene tedious vnto him to haue rehearsed so many names For we are not to imagine that this mention was onely in generall vnder the name of Gods Church for so hee prayed for those whose faith he neuer heard of But most commonly hee makes this to be the cause of those prayers which he sayes he daily offered for those he writes vnto The hearing of their faith and loue as here in this place Let vs therefore according to this example of Saint PAVL euen by name remember our Christian friends in our prayers knowing that the performance of this dutie is one speciall part of the communion of Saints Secondly obserue That PAVL did pray euen for those for whom hee gaue thanks from whence Doct. 2 it followeth That there is no man so perfect that hee hath need only to giue thanks for that good hee hath receiued and not to aske some good thing he wanteth Vnto thanksgiuing therefore for our selues or Thanksgiuing and Petition must goe together others Petition must be annexed both for the continuance and increase of that good wee giue thanks for And to speake the truth thanksgiuing doth necessarily carry vs to Petition for in that wee giue thanks to God for any blessing wee acknowledge him to be the Author thereof then also the Continuer and Encreaser and therefore to haue power to decrease and take it away When therefore we consider of those good things which wee or others haue and thereby in the ioy of our soules are prouoked to the praysing of Gods name we must then withall consider and meditate thus with our selues This or that grace God hath begun in me and I am wholly beholding to him for it But vnlesse his grace follow mee to preserue that which hee hath begun I shall lose all for he it is that worketh both to will and to doe Thus must wee reioyce with trembling and giue thanks with prayer tempering the ioy of our thanksgiuing with the Christian feare of Prayer And most true it is that he which feeleth most ioy in the fruition of any blessing is most fearfull of losing it And therefore in his feare of losing it vnto that thanksgiuing which his ioy caused hee will adioyne earnest Prayer for the continuance of it Wee must not then be like the Pharise in the Gospell who onely giueth thanks but thinking himselfe full and perfect and complete asketh nothing But as the feeling of Gods goodnesse must
4 and Loue of PHILEMON plainly sheweth that there were some that related reported them to him By whose example we must learne to haue a speciall respect of the good name of our brother being alwaies ready as occasion shal serue to speake of those good things that are in others that so their names as it were being sented perfumed with this oyntment may haue a most sweet fragrant odor in all places But where is the man that will thus labor to vphold the credit of his brother that will acknowledge Gods graces in him in all places and at all times and will not rather with some one infirmitie ouerwhelme whatsoeuer is prayse-worthie in him Fifthly Obserue Gods prouidence recompencing Doct. 5 Faith with fame and good name when Faith shall A good report the recompence of Religion open our hearts and mouthes to extoll Gods name God will open our brethrens yea sometimes our enemies mouthes to extoll ours Heb. 11. 3. By this namely Faith our Elders obtained a good report This was the meanes whereby they became so famous What maruell then if thou hast an ill name when thou hast an ill conscience Naughty faith and fame crackt credit and conscience commonly goe together The vse of oyntments among the Ancients was especially in their Feasts Then may wee looke for God to come drench vs with the precious Oyntment of a good Name when wee are keeping the Feast of a good Conscience If we would serue God with a good Conscience by faith purged from dead Workes then should wee find that God who seeth our Faith and good Conscience in secret would reward vs with credit and estimation openly Thus much generally concerning the cause and matter of PAVLS praying vnto and praysing God viz. the hearing of Gods graces in PHILEMON Now more particularly let vs consider what these Graces are There are two set downe here by name first the Loue secondly the Faith of PHILEMON Both these Graces are set forth by their Obiects whereabout they are conuersant Which thou hast towards our Lord Iesus and all Saints Both these Obiects belong in common to Loue the former onely to Faith By Faith onely we apprehend Christ and vnite our selues to him but by Loue we apprehend and vnite our selues both to Christ and our fellow-members Thus then is the meaning of the words and thus they are to be construed Hearing of thy Faith and Loue thy Faith which thou hast in our Lord Iesus and thy Loue which thou hast both to our Lord Iesus and all Saints The Rhemists therefore erre by this place confirming that confidence which they teach vs to repose in the merites of the Saints whereas it is manifest by the seuenth Verse that the Apostle speaketh not of the dead but of liuing Saints Here then two points specially are to be considered First these two vertues Loue and Faith Secondly their obiects towards the Lord Iesus and all Saints First for the Vertues the first place is here giuen to Loue though both in nature and excellency it comes behind Faith as the Effect the Cause the Daughter the Mother Gal. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 6. Therefore else-where Faith is set before as Coloss 1. 6. 1. Thessal 1. 3. But nothing is more vsuall in the Scriptures then to giue the former place vnto the effect as being more obuious to our senses then the cause By Faith vnderstand iustifying Faith which only is able to bring forth true Loue either to God or man and by Loue as the Apostle sheweth not only loue to God but also to man Here obserue First the distinction of these graces of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue. They are named distinctly as two Vertues 1. Cor. 13. in the end There remayne these three Faith Hope and Charitie This obseruation will not seeme idle if we consider the Doctrine of the Papists concerning faith viz. that there is a two fold Faith one informed and a second formed and that by Charitie They make Charitie the forme the life and soule of Faith which if it were so then Faith and Loue are not to be distinguished but confounded Neither could the Apostle say These three but These two remain Neither could Charitie be preferred before Faith in respect of long durance for the forme of a thing is the thing it selfe and therefore as long as the forme lasts so long the thing it selfe continueth Secondly the coniunction of these two Graces Doct. 2 for howsoeuer they are to be distinguished yet not Faith and Loue are distinguished not diuided to be diuided Wheresoeuer true Faith is there necessarily Loue both to God and our Brethren will follow for though Faith be alone in iustification yet not in the iustified As the eye though alone in seeing yet not in him that seeth but ioyned with the eares nose and many other members of the body Faith therefore is a fruitfull Mother of many daughters and Loue is the first-borne of them Faith though it be in regard of God a Begger alwayes holding out the hand to receiue and crying Giue giue yet in regard of those in whom it dwelleth it is like a Soueraigne Lord and King and hath as a King his Officers vnder him and among the rest Loue his Almner to distribute and disperse those treasures which it selfe hath receiued from the Lord. And first of all our loue towards God proceedeth Our loue to God proceeds from Faith from Faith which apprehending Gods loue to vs enflameth our affections againe with the loue of God The bearnes of Gods loue lightning vpon our hearts reflect backe vpon God himselfe by the Vertue of our Faith The loue of Christ saith the Apostle namely being apprehended by our Faith constrayneth vs. An example whereof we haue in MARY MAGDALEN whose Faith beleeuing that much was forgiuen her caused and constrayned her to loue much Luk. 7. 1. This plainly conuinceth the Faith of many to be Vse nothing but vaine presumption because their loue to God is so luke-warme Thou mockest thy owne soule O thou vaine man whose disobedience though it testifie to thy face that thou hatest GOD wilt yet be bragging of the strength and assurance of thy Faith wee see when men haue without our desert beene extraordinarily kind vnto vs how wee are affected therewith neuer satisfying our affections toward them Is it likely then that thou art perswaded of that infinite loue of God in Christ and hast the eye of Faith to see the height the depth the bredth and length thereof how thou being a slaue of Satan fettered with the chaines of darknesse in Hell wast rescued and loosed by the death of his owne Son when yet thou ceasest not most shamefully to dishonour this God by a wicked and vngodly conuersation So if thou haddest once felt the loue of God shed abroad into thy heart and diddest beleeue that God had done so much for thee as thou sayest Oh then how zealously wouldest thou loue the Lord declaring the
truth of that excellent saying of PAVL Faith works by Loue Yea but I loue God or else it were pitie I should liue Thou lyest heare Christ If you loue mee keepe my Commandements And yet thou delightest thy soule in the daily breach of them for all this so affectionate entreatie of him whom thou professest thy Sauiour Behold MARY MAGDALEN and in her see vndoubted arguments of loue Her eyes which had beene entisements to vncleannesse she maketh a Bason of water to wash CHRISTS feete her haire abused to the same purpose a towell to wipe them Thou then that preferrest thy vnlawfull pleasures before Christ whatsoeuer thou confessest with thy mouth certainly thou beleeuest not with thy heart vnto saluation Secondly but as this Doctrine is terrible to the Hypocrite whom it vnmasketh of his vaine vizzard of faith so it is no lesse comfortable to the true Christian For what doest thou feele thy soule panting and breathing in the earnestnesse of desire after God doest thou find thy selfe grieued when thou missest of thy desire doest thou finde thy heart to arise when thou seest Gods Name dishonoured c Surely these things as they are arguments of sincere loue so likewise of Faith not fayned If thou feelest these things in any manner in thy selfe thou mayest truly say with him in the Gospell Lord I beleeue For it is impossible for vs to loue God vnlesse by Faith wee haue tasted how sweet Gods loue is to vs. But if thou findest these things in a smaller measure then is fit goe on with the same man and say Helpe my vnbeliefe For as true Loue argueth true Faith so a luke warme loue a faint and feeble faith For the Fountayne of Loue being as a good Conscience so likewise and that primarily and originally Faith not fayned 1. Tim. 1. vers 6. Looke what measure of Loue there is in any the like measure of Faith also If then we find great want of zeale in our selues we haue cause to bewaile the smalnesse of our Faith out yet so that feeling any measure of zeale at all we may raise vp our selues in a comfortable assurance of hauing Faith Therefore 1. Pet. 1. after that hee had said They loued the Lord he inferreth presently that they also beleeued in him In temptations oftentimes many excellent men are greatly troubled with doubting whether they haue Faith or no in as much as they cannot confidently and boldly nay scarse faintly and fearefully say that Christ is theirs but rather they are readie to say the contrary They feele the hand of Faith not onely trembling and quiuering but euen strucken with a dead Palsie But if at the same time thou canst perceiue that thou hast the giuing hand of Loue giuing vnto God and man those duties which thou owest them thou mayest assure thy selfe that thou hast also the receiuing hand of Faith taking those mercies which hee owes thee not howsoeuer for the present thou hast no feeling of it Satan and Sinne haue so benummed it If thou canst with DAVID Psal 18. 1. say I loue the Lord thou mayest as truely vse the words following and say The Lord is my Rocke Thirdly this Doctrine of Loues issuing and flowing from Faith confuteth those that teach our Election dependeth vpon our foreseene obedience By that which hath beene deliuered it appeareth that our loue of God is caused and stirred vp in vs by his loue to vs apprehended by our Faith And therefore we say with IOHN We loue him because he loued vs first But according to their Doctrine contrariwise God loues vs because we loued him first Fourthly this Doctrine teacheth vs what to iudge of that loue of God of that deuotion that is in Ethnicks Iewes Papists or any superstitious persons PAVL granteth to the Iewes a zealous loue of God but saith that it is not according to knowledge which is the very beginning of Faith But we haue shewed that the true loue of God is the handmaid of Faith And therefore if it shall wait vpon any other Mistris as vpon blind deuices of mans owne braine vpon good intentions falsly so called it is to be censured as a base a blind and preposterous zeale whatsoeuer shewes and colours it may haue For PAVL reioyceth in PHILEMON not for his loue alone but for his loue and faith that is for his loue conioyned with and proceeding from his Faith There is no matter of ioy then in Loue seuered from Faith Thus wee see how our loue of God comes from Faith Secondly our loue of our Brethren springeth Loue to our Brethren proceeds from Faith likewise from faith for the Apostle speaketh here of both loues This will appeare if either we consider those duties of loue which wee owe generally to all or in speciall to some For the first this is a dutie which wee owe to all indifferently to be readie to forgiue one another being offended Now what is that which will make a reuengefull nature yeeld to this but Faith which when once it hath apprehended Gods loue forthwith reasoneth as the Master in the Parable with his seruant Matth. 19. The Lord hath freely forgiuen mee my whole debt ought not I then to shew the like compassion to my fellow-seruant Therefore the Lord enioyning the dutie of forgiuenesse the Apostles pray Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17. 4 5. Ephes 5. Forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you and 1. Ioh. 2. 12. I write vnto you namely the Commandement of loue because your sinnes are forgiuen you Other duties there are which we owe specially to some As first to those that are yet vnconuerted the desiring of and by all meanes possible labouring after their conuersion Now it is Faith only which will make a man doe this For when by Faith wee haue felt the sweetnesse of Gods loue our selues we cannot but call vpon others and with the Prophet DAVID inuite them to the eating of the same dainties with our selues Ps 34. Come and see and taste how good c. As at the table if wee meet with any dish that pleaseth vs aboue another wee offer it presently to others desiring that it may haue their commendation as well as ours Thus EVE reached forth the Apple to ADAM Albeit here there be many to whom yet EVE though falne was vnlike so giuen to their appetites and louing their bellies that if they light vpon any meate which they loue more specially they like rauenous Harpies snatch it all to themselues grudging another the least morsell thinking all is lost that goes besides their owne lips But here no such thing can fall out for these exquisite delicates do so fully satiate vs that there still remaineth ynough for many thousand thousands Therefore we cannot endure to eat our Morsels alone but we desire the companie of others as PAVL did AGRIPPAES and the whole Assembly there present besides Acts 26. Would to God that both thou and all that heare me this day
were not onely almost but altogether euen such as I am Christians except these bonds But yet a more speciall loue which therefore hath a speciall name of brotherly loue is due vnto those which are alreadie effectually called and so made members of Christ This loue also commeth from faith which causing vs to loue God must needes also force vs to loue all those in whom wee shall see the very face and liuely Image of God himselfe so clearely shining First By this then once againe wee may trie our Vse faith A working faith hath laborious loue euen to our brethren annexed 1. Thess 1. 3. If then thou art of a hard and implacable nature of a memorie fastly retayning iniuries of affections vindicatiue which the Scripture cals Feet swift to shead bloud this bloudie nature of thine shewes thou hast no part in the bloud of Christ by faith The like is to be thought of those which are moued with no compassion towards the soule of their brethren sitting in darknesse and the shadow of death but can suffer them to pine and perish away in their sinnes and neuer reach forth the hand to pull them out of the ditch Certainly if thou hadst euer felt the gaine of godlinesse thy selfe thou wouldest perswade others to deale with this so gainfull a commoditie They that are conuerted of God confirme their Brethren being passed ouer the bridge they will wish others to follow them so farre will they be from plucking vp the bridge The same sentence also is to be passed vpon them that doe not feele their hearts enlarged towards Christians more then to others that are none If the Image of God by Faith were repaired in our selues wee could not but be delighted with those that are like our selues But on the contrarie if thou feelest these effects of loue in thy selfe vndoubtedly thou hast Faith For it is the loue of Christ only felt by Faith which is able to soften and melt our hard and frozen hearts When wee shall see how great a debt hee hath forgiuen vs this will make vs willingly to forgiue small ones to our Brethren yea and to bury all iniuries in the graue of forgetfulnesse neuer to reuiue againe euen as Christ hath done all ours to him though neuer so indigne and contumelious hee lodged them in his owne graue not to rise againe with himselfe the third day though many of vs raise vp our owne iniuries farre sooner out of their graues but to be left behind him in that Den of darknesse to sleepe an eternall sleepe So when Faith shall cause vs to consider how that the Lord Iesus being rich became poore that wee might be made rich this will make vs to earne in the bowells of compassion towards our poore and distressed Brethren and to reach forth our releeuing hand towards them But the most euident demonstration of our Faith is that brotherly loue wherewithall we loue a Christian as a Christian and because a Christian 1. Ioh. 3. Wee know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren for none can loue any good thing vnknowne Loue presupposes knowledge of the thing loued hee then that loues the Image of God in his Brother sees it But none can see it but by the eye of Faith He that loueth his Brother for his Faith must needs know Faith but no man can know it but hee that hath it Faith is onely knowne by our owne experience Secondly this Doctrine serueth not only for the tryall of our Faith but also of our loue to our Brethren for as that Faith which is without this Loue is an idle and emptie and imaginarie faith so that loue of our Neighbour which commeth not from Faith is blind and foolish and in the end will proue a deceitfull and vnfaithfull loue Naturall men that seeme to loue very dearly to day to morrow are at deadly feud The reason hereof is because their loue comes not from Faith Therefore amongst the true children of God yee shall neuer see such bitter fallings out as amongst worldly men In naturall men and the vnregenerate besides naturall affections which they haue as Fathers Husbands Wiues Children yee shall find further many times a kind and courteous nature to strangers a liberall and free heart to the poore But that which the Apostle speaketh of Faith void of Charitie 1. Cor. 13. is true also of Charitie void of Faith It is worth nothing before God Let vs not then deceiue our selues either trusting in the loue of others or glorying in that loue which is in our selues not proceeding from Faith for the former if wee rely too much vpon it it will giue vs a shrewd fall in the end and the latter will make vs but ashamed when it shal come to be scanned before Gods Tribunall who will esteeme most vilely and basely of all thy kind-heartednesse of all thy almes and liberalitie vnlesse Faith did wring them from thee Thus wee see how Faith when once it raigneth in the heart begetteth both these loues both to God and our Neighbour in vs and so how true that of the Apostle is Rom. 3. in the end By Faith we establish the Law For whereas the summe of the Law is loue of the first Table to God of the second to man Faith as we haue shewed very effectually worketh both Hence PAVL giueth the name of a Law to Faith calling it the Law of Faith because it succeedeth into the roome of the Law commanding the same things that the Law does and so is in stead of Law to the regenerate that are freed from the Law So farre is it as the Papists slander vs for giuing any licence to breake the Law Thirdly here it may be asked How could others Quest declare to PAVL the Loue and Faith of PHILEMON which are secret and hidden Vertues that be in the innermost corners of the heart farre from the sight of the eye They saw not PHILEMONS faith but his outward Answ works and by them they iudged and so did PAVL too of his faith discerning the Tree by the fruit Hence obserue First when we see in any the fruits of Faith and Doct. 1 Loue wee in Charitie are to iudge that there is true Faith and Loue indeed for howsoeuer Hypocrisie may Apishly counterfait the fruits of true Faith yet we are to suspend our iudgement till God shall haue vncased the Hypocrite And it is farre safer for vs to erre of Charitie then of malice and sinister suspition Secondly in that PAVL by a Metonymie of the Doct. 2 efficient giueth the name of Faith and Loue to the outward works of PHILEMON which were reported vnto him Wee learne the manner wherein euery good worke must be done namely in Faith and Loue. The very Spirits and quintessence of our Faith and Loue must be in euery good work else they are but dead works vnlesse they be built vpon the foundation of Faith and Loue easily will they be shaken First
for Faith it hath a speciall stroke in euery Euery good must be done in Faith and good action For first it clenseth the conscience and purifieth the heart so fitteth it for the bringing forth of a good worke for out of a defiled Fountayne no pure Riuers can come A good man brings forth good things but whence out of the good treasure of his heart Now this good treasure is a worke of Faith 1. Tim. 1. 6. Acts 15. 9. Secondly it setteth before our eyes the Commandement of God enioyning vs that which is to be done and withall perswadeth vs that the Commandement belongs to vs and bindes vs Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Thirdly it sharpneth the Commandement of God set downe in that word and driueth it in more deeply into our minds by adding thereto a Commandement of her owne For as wee shewed before Faith to the regenerate is in stead of a Law Hence our obedience Rom. 1 6. is called the obedience of Faith because it harkneth not onely to the Word of God but also to Faith vrging and pressing that Word of God In euery good worke which wee doe vnto the Commandement of the Word must come the Cōmandement of our Faith The which by the apprehension of the loue of God the Commander sweetly inuiteth and gently allureth vs to performe obedience Wicked men are moued sometimes by Gods Commandement to doe some good things but yet not by the Commandement of Faith they haue none at all Vnlesse therefore when thou goest commest doest this or that thou heare thy Faith like the Centurion in the Gospel saying Goe Come Doe this or that assuredly thy comming thy going thy doing this or that though groūded vpon the Word are yet sins in thee Fourthly fiftly it presenteth to our memories the Promises First the promises more specially to that particular good work which is to be don This is a notable spur to our obedience Vnto this Commandement Apoc. 2. 10. Be thou faithfull to the death is added this Promise I will giue thee the Crowne of life Now that wee may more cheerfully obey this Commandement our Faith as MOSES his did Heb. 11. must behold the Promise annexed Secondly the Promises that are made generally to all good works concerning the couering of their defects and blemishes For the best works we do are tainted and stayned with our naturall corruption Here then is the last action of Faith the vpshot and conclusion of all namely the apprehension of the merits of Christ whereby both that euill which we haue mixt with our good works may be remoued and that good which is wanting may be supplyed In the second place when Faith shall thus haue In loue both to God and done her part comes Loue succeeding and seconding Faith in the bringing forth of euery good worke First Loue towards God For this is the difference betwixt the obedience of the godly and that shew of obedience that is to be found in the Ethnicks Papists Ciuill men and all such Iustitiaries The loue of God thrusteth forward the godly but these the loue of themselues for they thinke to demerit God to themselues by that they doe And therefore they say with that young man in the Gospell What good thing shall I doe that I may get eternall life Loe the base mind of a seruile Mercenarie they doe all like hyrelings for their wages But a child like ingenuitie drawes forth the obedience of the godly The child when hee does any thing for his Father lookes for no recompence but his intent is onely to shew his loue towards his Father The obedience of the godly is wholy Filiall and a testimonie of their thankfulnesse for benefits alreadie receiued Therefore their voice is not What good thing shall I doe for the getting of Life but for Life already gotten What shall I render to the Lord Psal 116. Secondly Loue also to our Brethren must be Our Brethren the ground of our obedience This as it is plaine in the works of the second Table wherein that of the Apostle hath place Doe seruice one to another by loue so it is true also in the works of the first Table Euen those works of obedience which concerne God immediately must be done in loue to our Brethren namely that by our example wee may doe good vnto them prouoking them to doe the like Thus PAVL in his sufferings for the Gospell had a speciall regard of the Elect 2. Tim. 2. vers 10. Thus much of these Vertues of Faith and Loue. Their obiects follow First the obiect of Faith is onely one viz. Christ. How is Christ the obiect of Faith Quest Faith is taken two wayes First properly for an Answ action of the Vnderstanding in assenting to some Christ the obiect of Faith truth Secondly improperly and Metonymically for an act of the Will in resting and relying vpon some thing which is called Confidence which way soeuer wee take it Iustifying faith hath Christ her obiect First if it be taken for assent which we call beliefe or credence Christ may worthily be accounted the obiect thereof for this is the truth whereto shee assenteth namely that Christ is hers If it be taken the second way for confidence so also is Christ the obiect of Faith for in the merits of Christ onely and nought else can wee safely repose any trust of him may wee depend onely for our saluation Here then first of all is ouerthrowne the Doctrine of the Scholemen that make God simply the obiect of our Faith without making any mention of Christ who yet is the Way by the which we goe to the Father otherwise dwelling in the light inaccessible so our Sauiour Ioh. 14. 1. You beleeue in God beleeue also in mee As if hee should say Yee cannot truely beleeue in the Father vnlesse also yee beleeue in mee so most excellently are both these coupled together Ioh. 17. 3. The knowledge of the Father and of whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ. So 1. Pet. 1. vers 21. By whom namely Christ you beleeue in God By this see then what to iudge of the faith of the Turks Iewes and all those that know not Christ yea of the Papists destroying that Christ indeed whom they grant in word The way of God is hedged vp considered in himselfe simply without Christ He only is the foundation of Faith Secondly here againe the Papists are met with that dare ioyne with CHRISTS merits of Saints for Faith to leane vpon But it is Christ onely that Faith can leane vpon In him onely can shee find that which is to be opposed to the Lawes rigour to Gods anger and iustice Therefore it is oftentimes called the Faith of Iesus Christ as Rom. 3. It is only the bloud of Christ that will stay and strengthen our hearts in the houre of death and it is only that which will choke Satan with his temptations Tell him of the merits of Saints and hee
they that haue their liberty are notwithstanding fellow-prisoners inasmuch as they remember those in bonds as if bound with them 10. They haue a partnership each in others goods and in some sense may bee sayd to haue common goods Not that this partnership and communion should bee Anabaptisticall denying men the propriety of their possessions as if hedges and ditches could not stand with Christian religion but such a communion as denies no man the right but only craues the vse of mens temporal goods for the refreshing the necessities of the Saints And in this regard it is that the poore needing the helpe of our goods is called the owner of them Pro. 3. 27. Withhold not the goods from the owners thereof Euen this fellowship and partnership makes the poore Saints owners of our temporall goods in regard of the vse of them when the poore members of Christ are in want wee must not say our goods are our owne because the Communion of Saints binds vs to communicate vnto the necessities of the Saints And in this sense may we apply that extraordinary fact to our ordinary communication to the Saints necessities Acts 4. 32. And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither sayd any of them that ought of the things which hee possessed was his owne but they had all things common The waters of a mans well and cisterne may be common for the vse of others but yet the well and the cisterne let them be thine owne onely and not the strangers with thee Prou. 5 15. 17. Hence PAVLS phrase of the fellowship of the ministring to the Saints 2 Cor. 8. 4. And he commends the Philippians for communicating to his affliction Phil. 4. 14. And no maruell that their goods are common when their liues are not their owne for we ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. The second poynt The ligaments or bonds of this partnership They are two 1. The Spirit of CHRIST which being one in all must needes binde all in one The Spirit as it knits vs all vnto CHRIST so all of vs one to another The Spirit of CHRIST communicates it selfe to all the true members of CHRIST there is but one spirit which rules in all beleeuers Ephes 4. one spirit And by one spirit we are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. Therefore haue they all communion with themselues because communion with that one spirit for looke as it is with the body in which though there bee diuers members yet they haue a fellowship each with other because they are all informed but by one and the same soule and because they haue all communion in one forme so is it here The spirit is as the forme which giues being to the body and so by vertue of this one spirit common to vs all though we distinct and seuerall persons yet haue wee communion and partnership each with other Hence called the communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 13. The communion of the holy Ghost be with you all The communion of the holy Ghost because he communicates himselfe to vs and we in and by that Spirit haue mutuall communion and fellowship each with other 2. The grace of loue which is as the sinewes and arteries knitting this body together therefore called the band of perfection Col. 3. 14. And PAVL ioynes these two together Phil. 2 1. If any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit It is sayd Acts 4. 32. That the beleeuers had all things common now what might be the ground thereof the beginning of the verse shewes They were all of one heart and of one soule In partnership in the world what is it that makes partners ioyne together and cleaue together but the good and hearty affection each bears to other That which the Apostle himselfe here inferrs vpon Vse 1 this ground to make vs respectiue and regard full of the Saints of God and all duty to them as be fore in the former doctrine To labour to procure and aduance the good Vse 2 one of another It is against the law of partnership for a man to do all for his own priuate gain good but such as are in partnership doe equally procure and seeke each others gaine and as they haue a ioynt and common stocke so they aime at the common good and gaine one of another This vse the Apostle makes of this poynt Phil. 2. 1. 4. If any fellowship of the spirit Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of others It is a foule fault which PAVL taxes in the same chapter vers 21. That all seeke their owne and an high commendation which in the same place hee giues TIMOTHY that he naturally cared for their estate They that are of the Common-wealth of Israel must be no priuate-wealths men They are all bound together by the bond of loue and loue seekes not her owne things Since GOD hath made vs all fellow-partners seeke we euery man the good of another labour wee to prouoke each other to loue and good workes to admonish to instruct to edifie to build vp one another in our holy faith Bee not straight hearted but communicate thy graces vnto others let them haue the benefit thereof Bee not straight handed but communicate thy goods vnto others let the necessities of the Saints haue the comfort thereof What a shame that one fellow-partner should see another want Is thy fellow-partner behinde hand and playes he not the good husband in his spirituall estate Call vpon him aduise him help him and direct him how hee may thriue Especially doe such Ministers transgresse the lawes of this partnership who hide their talent in a napkin and dig it into the earth and returne not the aduantage of it to the common treasury of the Church Their gifts are not their owne but they are the common goods of the Church It is odious to enclose Commons Church-robbery is sacrilegious and infamous How can they escape that infamy that denie Gods Church the benefit and vse of those gifts God hath giuen them for his Churches sake Many speake against Impropriations and iustly but the spight is that in the meane time they marre or at least wrong a good cause with their owne guiltinesse For while they speake against temporall they themselues are guilty of spirituall Impropriations and the world reckons and not amisse that the impropriations of Church-graces is a greater sinne then the impropriation of Church-goods This shewes where the right and best good fellowship Vse 3 is to be found The world wrongs religion when they accuse it to be an enemy to good fellowship There is no such good fellowship in the world as religion teaches Christians they as NAZIANZEN termes them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right good fellowes There is a supposed good fellowship to which Religion is an enemy indeed because it is an enemy to this holy
fellowship of the Saints If we bee fellow-partners and haue communion Vse 4 fellowship in all these things abrenounce we all partnership and fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse and reprooue them rather Ephes 5. for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion or partnership hath light with darknesse 2 Cor. 6. 14. wee cannot bee fellow-partners with Saints and swine with the members of CHRIST and the members of BELIAL Wee must breake off and giue vp partnership with all other companions and companies now we are once admitted into this holy society The conclusion of the argument is amplified in those words as my selfe that is in regard of truth and sincerity of loue though not for measure and degree for Christian loue though it must be in truth to all the houshold of faith yet requires not an equality of affection to all All our Sauiours Disciples were loued of him heartily and truely yet IOHN was the speciall beloued Disciple aboue the rest So that PHILEMON is not required with the same respect and measure of of affection to receiue a seruant though religious as an Apostle but hee entreats him with as true though not with so great loue to receiue him as hee would receiue PAVL And surely the former partnership requires so much The same thing which had made PAVL PHILEMON partners had also now made PAVL and ONESIMVS partners And therefore the same partnership that bound PHILEMON to receiue PAVL bindes him also to receiue ONESIMVS as PAVL because hee is now admitted into the same society of partnership with them both Loue me and loue my partner one partner receiues another euen for a partners sake Euen the meanest Christian should as well bee Doct. surely heartily regarded as the greatest ONESIMVS The meanest Christians to be heartily regâ—eded must be receiued as well as PAVL nay as PAVL and loued as well though not so much as hee The commandement is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe If ONESIMVS must bee regarded of PHILEMON as himselfe then surely must hee bee receiued as PAVL And indeede this is a singular good euidence that we loue men rather for their religion then religion for the men when we loue the meanest that are religious Otherwise if wee loue great ones with the neglect of meaner Christians wee giue the world iust cause to suspect that we haue the glorious faith of CHRIST IESVS in respect of persons Hee that loues grace and religion for it selfe loues it where euer hee findes it loues it as truely clad in russet as in veluet in a poore seruant as well as in a rich master Hee that giues a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple c. The ground then of a mans loue to another should be his Disciple-ship where the same ground is why should there not bee the same affection Hee that loues one disciple in the name of a Disciple loues all Disciples seruants as well as masters Christ should be loued in euery Christian Inasmuch as ye haue done it to one of these little ones yee haue done it to mee Mat. 25. All we doe to Christians should bee done as to CHRIST in them If PHILEMON loue CHRIST in PAVL why not in ONESIMVS The same CHRIST the attractiue of our loue being in both why not the same affection and loue to both Hee that loues CHRIST truely loues him in any condition aswell in his humiliation as in his glory in the forme of a seruant Phil. 2. 7. as well as in the forme of God Phil. 2. 6. for in both hee is the same CHRIST Hee therefore that loues not CHRIST in a seruant loues him not in an Apostle It is not meerely CHRIST that makes thee loue PAVL but some other carnall respect gaines thy affection to him that canst not or doest not loue ONESIMVS If CHRIST had come to the Iewes in the goodly beauty and brauery in the pomp and port of an earthly Potentate who would not haue receiued him beleeued in him loued him but now that hee comes in the forme of a seruant and not of a King heere was the triall as of their faith so of their loue It is easie to loue CHRIST in the throne hee loues him truly that loues him in the manger the stable he loues him in the stable that loues him in the meanest and simplest seruant How much therefore are they to blame that admire and magnifie small pittances in great ones and in the meane time ouerlooke great graces in meaner persons as if men rather gaue grace to religion then religion grace to them This is to haue mens persons in admiration which IVDE condemnes and not their graces VERS 18. If hee hath wronged thee or owes thee ought put that on mine account 19. I Paul I haue written it with mine owne hand I will repay it albeit I doe not say to thee how thou owest vnto mee euen thine owne selfe besides THese words are a preuention of an obiection that PHILEMON might make against the former reason on this manner How shall I receiue againe such an one as hee that hath so deepely wronged me and mine estate by pilfering and purloyning away my goods It were too much fauour now that I know and heare where hee is to forbeare him and not to bring him to shame and punishment If for thy sake I ouercome my selfe so farre as to remit reuenge may not that suffice must I also receiue him and that with loue who hath thus weakned mine estate and wasted my substance Ans Let not that dammage thou hast sustained be one whit preiudiciall to my suit I confesse hee hath wronged thee and hurt thine estate but rather then that shall stand in the way I will engage my selfe to thee to see that discharged make it my debt and put it vpon mine account I passe my word to thee to see it payd An honest mans word is as good as his bond how much more an Apostles word If thou wilt not take my word as I make no question but thou wilt then for thy better assurance and security loe heere a bill of mine hand to see the debt answered I Paul haue written it with mine owne hand I will repay it Yet I must needes adde one thing further that I thinke thou wilt not bee so strict to vrge mee with the payment thereof neither hast thou any great reason so to doe for if thou but seriously considerest and castest vp thine accounts thou shalt finde that I am before hand with thee and that thou art indebted to mee a farre greater matter then this comes to So that in these words thus vnfolded here are three things 1. An acknowledgement of the wrong done to PHILEMON by ONESIMVS and of a debt due to him 2. An vndertaking of the debt and a couenant of satisfaction by and from PAVL 3. But yet with a Reuocation and bringing of the businesse
doe it not without further adoe we count him worthy to smart for his folly But here God dealing with vs by his Ministers so pathetically to turne and reconcile our selues vnto him the profit is solely our owne wee only shall haue the commoditie of this reconciliation and not God who could as sufficiently glorifie himselfe in our euerlasting confusion Our hearts therefore must relent and be ouercome by this kindnesse of God so sweetly and gently calling and alluring vs vnto himselfe Obserue further in PAVLS example that sometimes Doct. we are to yeeld of our right neither alwayes Sometimes we must yeeld of our right may we doe those things which of themselues are lawfull and indifferent It is a weake argument This is lawfull in it selfe therefore it is lawfull for me In it selfe it was lawfull to eate of things sacrificed to Idols and yet in the case of scandall the Apostle forbids the Corinthians to eate of them 1. Cor. 8. It is lawfull in it selfe for a Minister to receiue maintenance from his flocke but it was not lawfull for PAVL preaching at Corinth 1. Cor. 9. For then he had abused his libertie Vers 18. And hindred the Gospell Vers 12. and so consequently sinned The case is alike in the vse of our Christian libertie in things indifferent as meate drinke apparell sport recreation It is a point of Christian wisedome to consider not only what is lawfull but also what is expedient and profitable not only what is lawfull in generall but also in speciall what is lawfull for mee and thee for if the vse of our libertie be a stumbling blocke at which our Brethren may fall and hurt themselues we must then bridle and restrayne it Here then is condemned the tenacitie and temeritie of some in the vse of that libertie which the Word hath graunted them in things indifferent Their tenacitie that they hold their owne stifly and will not let goe the least part of their right though the glorie of God and good of their Brethren doe earnestly craue and begge it at their hands Their temeritie not onely that they themselues rush venturously vpon all things that in themselues are lawfull not considering with themselues whether in regard of some circumstances it may not be vnlawfull for them what inconuenience may ensue what hurt may also arise to the Gospell but also censure and condemne others who kept backe by Christian wisedome and charitie dare not runne with them to the same excessiue vse of their libertie Let them remember that PAVL in this place hauing much libertie of commanding yet chose rather to intreat Obserue thirdly what it is that will make a Christian Doct. abridge himselfe sometimes of the vse of his Loue makes a man abridge himselfe of his libertie libertie namely the loue of God and our Bretheren For loues sake I rather beseech thee For this is reckoned among the properties of loue by the Apostle That it seeketh not her owne 1. Cor. 13. but his whom it loueth If Gods glorie and the Churches good be deare vnto vs wee will not vse our libertie to the full in those things which may hinder and hurt both If therefore thou wouldest obtayne so much of thy selfe as to remit and giue in somthing of thy right to God and thy Brethren first it is necessary that thy heart be inflamed with a zealous affection both towards Gods glorie and the Churches good This conuinceth many of small loue to their Brethren that will not moderate their libertie no not in those things which they see necessarily will bring in the ruine of the Church The Papists also are here confuted who would make this departing from our right for Gods glorie and the Churches good to be a worke of supererogation For this is their iudgement of PAVLS preaching gratis and diuers such like examples in the Scriptures If the works of Charitie be aboue the Law then also are these works to the which the Law of Charitie bindeth vs aboue the Law for it is loue which makes vs yeeld And I hope the Law commands vs to loue God with all our heart and our Neighbour as our selfe Thus much for the first speciall illustration of the Proposition of this Petition namely of his act of praying The second followeth namely of the person praying PAVL himselfe I pray thee described first by his age being as I am PAVL aged secondly from his imprisonment which he maketh a greater matter then his age and now also a prisoner of Iesus Christ both these are here brought in to adde further weight to his petition and to stirre vp the affections of PHILEMON First That he vrgeth his yeeres as a matter that Doct. 1 should make PHILEMON more respect this his Reuerence due to age suit we learne that speciall reuerence is due to this age God vnder the Law prouided for this that there should be more then ordinarie regard had of the aged but specially in the Ministerie for after they began to be in yeeres he would haue them eased of the burthen of their Ministerie and yet double honour to be giuen to them both of reuerence and of maintenance Now if the white head and siluer haires of a Minister suing for another should procure authoritie vnto him in his suit and mooues the affections of those he sues vnto how much more then suing for himselfe And questionlesse there cannot be a spectacle of greater compassion then an aged Minister gray-headed in the Seruice of God and the Church being in distresse Age sayes SALOMON is a Crowne of Glory being found in the way of righteousnesse If in any way of righteousnesse much more in the way of the Ministerie righteously and faithfully discharged Such then that are like PAVL in the Ministerie or in any other Calling that haue spent their time painfully and profitably may with honestie vrge their age pleading for themselues and others But the old man that hath liued vainly and vnprofitably all his youth and hath alwayes beene a burden of the Earth is an vncomely sight For old age is an honour in it selfe yea a part of Gods Image who is the Ancient of Dayes And honour sayes SALOMON becomes not a foole To such old men their honour is turned into shame Their gray haires are rather ashes of shame and humiliation then a Crowne of glory Secondly Vrging his imprisonment as another Doct. 2 matter and that of greater weight then the former Ministers to be regarded the more for their afflictions wherefore he should be respected in this fuit he teacheth vs that the afflictions of Gods Ministers are so farre from being any iust cause to make vs lesse to reuerence them that for them they are more respectiuely to be vsed and honourably to be conceiued of Many Ministers enioying peace and libertie and flourishing in the Pulpit haue beene much flocked after and greatly regarded as IOHN BAPTIST but when once they haue beene clapt vp in Prison then they
lesson and so become one of those happy ones of our Prophet heere when thou art but lifting thy foot ouer the threshold of Christs schoole bringing with thee a minde desirous to learne ready to deny it selfe tractable and teachable saying with Paul Lord what wouldest thou haue me to doe And thus haue wee learned what is the lesson of affliction to the vnconuerted 2. The second kind of lessons taught by affliction 2. To the conuerted 2. is to those already conuerted And these lessons are of two sorts 1. Concerning the right manner of bearing affliction 2. Concerning the right profit and holy vse of afflictions These lessons are proper to the conuerted it beeing impossible for a man vnconuerted to leaue either of them For the first namely the right manner of bearing 1. Right bearing 2. afflictions This lesson is necessarily required for the attaining the happinesse here pronounced vpon the chastised of the Lord. Heb. 12. If yee endure afflictions God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes Euery one hath not the happinesse of Gods sonne sealed vp vnto him by affliction but he onely that endureth it namely in the right maner Now concerning the right manner of suffering the Lord teacheth two lessons to his children and that euen by meanes of their afflictions 1. That they suffer them in faith hanging on 1. In faith Gods prouidence and promises for comfort deliuerance and turning the affliction to our good Hab. 2. 4. The Prophet hauing foretold great troubles shewes the people the right manner of their behauiour in those troubles What may that be The iust man shall liue euen in the midst of those troubles by his faith And here the speciall worke of our faith is to striue and struggle with doubts arising from infidelitie which we doe when with Iob we cry out Lord though thou kill mee yet will I trust in thee Iob. 13. 15. And with the poore man in the Gospell Lord I belieue help my vnbeliefe 2. That they suffer them in obedience in submitting 2. In obedience 2. their wills to the will of God 1. To his reuealed will in his Word the Commaundement Luke 9. of taking vp the crosse 2. To his will reuealed in the euent of the crosse that is vpon vs. For nothing comes to passe but by the wil and appointment of God When therefore any crosse befalls vs we must subiect our wills to the will of God that hath disposed that crosse vnto vs saying with Christ Not my will but thy will bee done Hence Heb. 5. Christ is said to haue learned obedience by his sufferings that is he had experience of his obedience in suffering to the will and good pleasure of his Father Thus obedience shewes it selfe especially in these two points 1. In Patience whereby we are content without 1. In Patience murmuring or grudging to resigne our selues into Gods hands to bee dealt withall euen as it shall seeme good to him both for the time and measure of our affliction Luke 21. By your patience possesse your soules there in prescribing them a course of an orderly cariage in those afflictions there foretold Now God will account of vs as of patient sufferers if finding impatiency to arise in our affections we shall be displeased with our selues for it saying with Dauid Psal 62. Yet my soule be silent to Iehouah 2. In cheerefulnesse when willingly wee shall 2. In cheerfulnes put our neckes vnder this yoake and willingly kisse the rod. If wee goe to the crosse as Beares to the stake wee suffer not in obedience For the obedience that God requires and loues must bee cheerefull Therefore the commandement of suffering sayes Let him take vp his crosse which phrase argues cheerefulnesse He must not let it lie onely on his backe being layd on which argues patience but he must euen himselfe stoope and take it vp which implyeth willingnesse This cheerefulnesse receiueth a speciall encrease in those afflictions which wee suffer for the truths sake at the hands of euill men whereupon the Apostles reioyced in their scourgings Yet this cheerefulnesse is not so to be found in any as that hee shall not meet with many sore fits of dumpish heauinesse but as before it was faith to encounter with infidelity it was patience to wrestle with impatiency so likewise heere it is cheerefulnesse with the Prophet Dauid to chide and checke our soules for our vncheerefulnesse Psal 42. 5. Why art thou cast downe within mee O my soule Thus much of the lessons touching the right manner of suffering now come we to those which are concerning the right vse of affliction 2. The second kinde of lessons which affliction teaches the Conuerted is in making an holy vse 2. Right profiting 2. of their afflictions And this vse of our afflictions is either in regard of knowledge or practice 1. For knowledge By affliction wee learne a 1. Knowledge 2. two-fold knowledge 1. Wee come by affliction to haue knowledge 1. Of corruption of our corruption and a very cleere sight of our weakenesse and infirmitie because then there is matter for our corruption to worke vpon Therefore howsoeuer before it lay hid and couched in the heart and so vndiscerned of vs yet beeing prouoked and stirred vp in vs by affliction it plainely manifests it selfe A glasse of water being shaken many motes ascend and appeare which before were not seene A man would hardly belieue that there were so much infidelity impatience techines frowardnes rebellion faint-heartednes loue of the world and many such like corruptions in him as he shall find and feele in himselfe in the day of his affliction We then who in the day of our prosperitie thought our selues by reason of the pride and deceitfulnesse of our hearts goodly and glorious Christians strong in faith of great meekenesse and patience able to deny our selues and this world by that triall which wee haue of our selues in affliction are taught the cleane contrary In this regard afflictions are called Tentations Iam. 1. because they try vs what is in vs and discouer and detect the close corruption of our hearts So Moses witnesseth to the Israelites that God humbled them by want in the Desart to proue them and to knowe what was in them Deut. 8. 2. Let this then be the first lesson we labour to learne by our afflictions thereby to take a more through notice of our manifold corruptions that so we may learne to abate that high conceit of our strength remembring Salomons Prouerbe If thou faint in the day of aduersitie thy strength is but small Prou. 24. 10. 2. Wee come by affliction also to an experimentall 2. Of Grace knowledge of that measure of spirituall grace which is begunne in vs. For this is the time wherein Grace shall be euen forced to shew it selfe in vs if there be any for our corruption exasperated by the affliction beginnes to worke presently And then if there be grace in vs
contrary to this corruption as alwaies one contrary is prouoked by another it will be also exasperated by the contrarietie of corruption to oppose and encounter it There is no time for the Martialist to shew his valour but in the time of vvarre The time of affliction therefore being the time of the spirituall war and conflict betwixt the flesh and spirit then questionlesse howsoeuer before the spirit lay asleep in vs yet then he will awaken and stirre vp himselfe and declare his mighty power and puissance in vs. Hence it is that afflictions by Peter are called the triall of our faith 1. Pet. 1. 7. And as they are the triall of our faith so of our patience hope obedience courage constancie c. Therefore Rom. 5. 3. Afflictions are said to bring forth patience because by them this grace of Gods Spirit is stirred vp in his children and in their afflictions they haue experience of their patience Afflictions in themselues bring forth impatience and by this impatience of the flesh the patience of the spirit is excited Our Sauiour is said Heb. 5. to haue learned obedience by the things which he suffered How was that Being before disobedient did hee then learne to become obedient Not so but hee learned it experimentally that is he had triall of his obedience which was alwaies in him before but had not so fit an occasion to shew it selfe till then So in the same sense may it be said that Abraham learned loue by that greeuous affliction of beeing put in feare of losing Isaac For so God tells him Gene. 22. Now I knowe that thou louest mee God knew it before but the meaning is that now by manifest experience it was made known indeed that Abraham did in truth loue God Therefore it is said that God tempted Abraham in giuing him that commaundement of sacrificing his sonne By affliction therefore wee come to haue knowledge of that grace to be in vs which before wee either knew not to be in vs at all because there is no occasion for it to shew it selfe vnlesse in affliction as how can a man shew his strength vnlesse some burthen bee layd vpon his backe or else wee knew not to be in our selues in that measure and sinceritie that it was because there can be no occasion of so sound a triall of affliction Reue. 13. 9. Iohn hauing foretold some grieuous persecution he addeth Heere is the faith and patience of the Saints That is to say Here is matter now for the faith of the Saints to work vpon Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. whose vse is specially in a storme For though in prosperity we may haue experience of our faith and hope and loue to God yet nothing so soundly and throughly as in affliction In prosperity there is place for the Diuels obiection Doth Iob serue God for nought but in affliction it is taken away and it appeares plainly that wee loue God serue and obey him not as mercenaries for our owne profit but euen for himselfe Againe though in our prosperitie wee might haue some experience of the sinceritie of our graces yet not of that great measure of them which we haue in affliction Many of the Martyrs that before they were in question quaked and trembled after GOD brought them into the field were emboldened and strengthened to suffer the most exquisite torments their aduersaries could deuise While the corne stands in the field wee may giue some gesse what it will amount to but when it is cut downe threshed out the yeeld proues more oftentimes then we could before possibly expect So is it with Christs haruest till wee bee threshed with the flayle of aduersity we cannot tell what increase of corne we shall yeeld to our heauenly Master So much for the vse of affliction respecting Knowledge 2. For Practice The vse of affliction in matter 2. Practice 2. of practice is either in renuing graces decayed or else in increasing these decaied graces after we haue afresh renued them 1. And first of all our afflictions teach vs to renue 1. Renuing graces decayed and take vp afresh the practice of all Christian duties which prosperity had caused vs to intermit For oftentimes the children of God beeing drunken and besotted with ease and prosperity fall into dangerous Lethargies and such dead sleepes of carnall carelesnes that they euen forget God and themselues Now by affliction God comming giuing them a priuy nip in their flesh awakeneth them and causeth them to return again vnto themselues So that in this respect affliction is to the children of God as the pricke to the brest of the Nightingale whereby she being awakened out of her sleepe singeth most melodiously See how the Apostaticall Church of the Israelites pricked with the thornes of affliction Hosea 2. 7. playes the Nightingale sweetly singing the song of her returning againe to the Lord her first husband So the Prodigall sonne feeling the prick of famine Luke 15. hauing been once a member of the Church a sonne liuing in the house of his Father and afterwards running away what is it that sends him home againe and makes him renue his conuersion The present misery wherewithall hee was pinched To this purpose excellently speakes Elihu Iob 33. 15 16. that God in trouble rounds men in the eare that lye securely snorting in their sinnes and so arouses them by the noyse of his voice speaking in affliction Haue we therefore beeing wise Virgins begun to slumber with the foolish haue we left our first loue and decayed in the graces of the Spirit then surely if affliction come vnto vs the lesson we are to learne is to remember from whom we are fallen to repent and doe our first works and to quicken those things that are ready to dye Now these decaying and languishing graces Which are 2. which affliction calls vpon vs to reuiue and stirre vp afresh in our selues are either generall and the maine foundation of all the rest or else speciall depending vpon the former 1. The generall and fundamentall graces the renouation 1. Generall 2. whereof affliction teacheth are Faith Repentance And first affliction teacheth vs to renue our 1. Faith 2. Faith both in regard of Gods prouidence for this temporall life as also of his mercy for the life to come in the saluation of our soules 1. For the first wheras in prosperitie we hauing 1. In Gods prouidence all things according to our hearts desire as health strength credit countenance maintenance wee did too too much rest and rely our selues vpon these for the preseruation of this transitory life now when in affliction God takes from vnder vs these proppes these stilts and staues of our confidence then we are constrained by faith to fly vnto him and depend on his good prouidence Deut. 8. 2. Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry that thou mightest learne that man liueth not by bread but by euery word that