so farre from louing the godly as that they hate no people in the world more A fearefull signe of a bad estate Secondly it may serue to reproue euen Christians themselues for where is that loue which should be amongst vs Surely it is either growne cold or else which is worse it s turned into preiudice and enuy but I will say with the Apostle in another case My brethren these things ought not so to be Thirdly this must teach vs to be thankfull to God in that he hath commanded all to loue vs and to encourage vs. We may iustly say with Dauid Lord what is man that thou thus regardest him The truth is we deserue to be hated both of God and man Therefore it is the greater mercy of God not only to loue vs himselfe but also to command others to loue vs. Fourthly let this teach vs to examine our selues whether we loue the brethren or no. And that will appeare by these signes First if we loue poore Christians aswell as rich if our loue be towards all the Saints Ephes 1.15 Secondly if we loue not in tongue onely but in deed and in truth if we loue sincerely from the heart and fruitfully doing them all the good we can Thirdly if we thinke our seruice for the Church to be easie as Iacob thought his seuen yeares seruice for Rachel it is a signe we loue Fourthly if we continue in our loue towards Gods Saints The continuance proues our loue to be true the not continuing argueth hypocrisie in our loue Charitie By this we are to vnderstand the practise or expression of brotherly loue In the former grace we are taught affection in this grace we are taught action The point is that It is the part and dutie of euery Christian amongst the rest of his gifts and graces to labour for Charity The Apostle Paul presseth this duty with great feruencie in 1. Corinth 13.1.2.3 shewing that if one do neuer so great things yet if he haue not Charitie it auaileth him nothing Now there is a two-fold charitie to be exercised by vs towards our brethren the first is a charitie towards their soules the second is a charitie towards their bodies The Charitie towards the soules of our brethren is seene in these particulars First in pitying their spirituall estate if we see them out of the way according to that in Iude 22. Haue compassion of some in putting differēce Or if we see them destitute of the meanes of saluation if they be as sheep without a shepheard Matth. 9 36. or if they be proud and obstinate Ieremy 13.17 But if yee will not heare it my soule shall weepe in secret places for your pride Secondly Charitie towards the soules of others is seene in the instructing of them The Centurion shewed himselfe a true charitable person in building a Synagogue Luke 7.5 Yea in this he was more charitable then if he had built them an Almes-house or Hospitall by how much the soule is more excellent then the bodie Thirdly spirituall charitie is seene in forgiuing our brethren if they haue offended vs and now come and say It repenteth me according to that in Matth. 18.33 Shouldst not thou haue had compassion on thy fellow-seruant as I had compassion on thee He that can forgiue without reuenge is charitable Fourthly spirituall charitie is seene in reprouing and admonishing such as are out of the way and seeking their reformation Leu. 19.17 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him And indeed what greater charitie can there be then to labour to saue a soule from hell Fiftly spirituall charitie is seene in praying for the saluation of others Thus Paul shewed himselfe a charitable person in Romans 10.1 in that his hearts desire and praier to God for Israel was that they might be saued Vse This may serue to reprooue the world of want of this spirituall charitie For who amongst a thousand is charitable spiritually Some will shew themselues charitable in matters concerning the body but what is become of spirituall charity Now the charitie towards the bodies of our neighbours is seene in these things 1. In commiserating their estate to wit in grieuing for the affliction of Ioseph Amos 6.6 2. In visiting them in their distresse Iames 1.27 Mat. 25.36 3. In feeding the hungrie and cloathing the naked Iob 31.17.19 4. In lending them sufficient for their need Deuteronomy 15.8 5. In forgiuing them their debts if they be not able to repay Luke 6.35 6. In standing in the gap to turne away Gods iudgements from them as Moses did Psalme 106.23 Vse This serues iustly to reproue such as will reproue and exhort and say God helpe you and the like but they exercise no charitie toward the bodies of their brethren these are hypocrites For if these things be in you In the former verses the holy Ghost hath exhorteth vs to labour for those forenamed graces viz. faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and charitie Now in the verses following from the beginning of this eight verse to the end of the eleuenth he presseth the said exhortation with diuers arguments First by an argument taken from the effects in the eighth verse Secondly by an argument taken from the contraries in the ninth verse Thirdly by an argument from vtilitie or profit in the tenth and eleuenth verses Now in that the holy Ghost doth vse so many arguments for the enforcing of the exhortation to grace it doth imply that Doctrine Whosoeuer desire to perswade others to grace and godlinesse they had neede to vse a great many arguments With how many arguments doth the Spirit of God vse to presse duties in the Scripture To instance in one duty for many this duty of Almes How is it pressed in how many bookes in how many chapters in how many verses with how many forcible perswasions Vse Which may serue iustly to condemne our backwardnesse to that which is good especially considering how little perswasion will preuaile with vs vnto that which is euill We are soone tempted to sinne yea oftentimes we tempt the Diuell to tempt vs by running into places of temptation we are more ready to sinne if it be possible then the Diuell can be to sollicite vs thereunto If these things be in you The words in the originall are very significant they may be read thus if you haue these things or if these things be present with you Where we are to note that it is not said If you can talke of these things or if you can purpose to labour for these things or if you can wish these things but If you haue these things Whence obserue that Doctrine it is not sufficient to talke of grace or to professe grace but wee must haue grace in possession according to that in Marke 9.50 Haue salt in your selues and peace one with another Thus Elihu was full of matter Iob. 32.18 And Stephen was full of faith
50.16.17 I will not name it I leaue it to your owne reading But by both these places you may plainly discerne that if we will be professours of the Gospell or true godly persons we must forsake sinne I conclude this point with that speech of the Apostle 2. Timothie chapter 2. verse 19. Let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie Secondly if we desire to be truly godly we must be carefull to keepe the Sabbath it is a sure marke of an vngodly person to be a Sabbath-breaker as on the contrarie it is an euidence of godlinesse conscionably to celebrate it to Gods glorie he that is an Eunuch to God keepeth Gods Sabbath as it is in Esay 56.4 The holy keeping of the Sabbath is a means to hallow vs the better for all the weeke after whereas the profaning of the Sabbath is the cause of profanenesse vngodlinesse if God be not more mercifull all our life after Thirdly if we desire to be truly godly we must be carefull of priuate duties of Religion we must pray continually 1. Thessalonians 5. We must meditate in the law of the Lord day and night Psalme 1. We must beate downe our bodies and keepe them vnder 1. Corinthians 9. the last We must daily examine our selues and daily repent Psalme 4.4 The way to be truly godly is throughly to exercise our selues in these and the like duties Fourthly if we desire to be truly godly we must associate our selues with such as are godly We must not inhaunt our selues with vngodly persons for that is the way to be made vngodly but with Saints and holy persons So long as Peter kept company with Christ he was religious and holie but when he came amongst the high Priests seruants how profane was he in denying his Maister in swearing and forswearing and the like Matth. 26. And by these same rules we may also trie whether we be truly godly or no he that obserueth these rules is godly he that obserues them not is certainly vngodly Brotherly kindnesse Or as the word may signifie brotherly loue I agree vnto their iudgement which referre this vnto the inward affection and the next namely charity to the practise the first is to teach vs to loue the second is to teach vs to be kinde Brotherly kindnesse That is loue to the brethren By brethren we are to vnderstand such as truly feare God vnto whom of all other men our loue and best affections are due Brotherly Hence obserue we that Doctrine all such as truly feare God are brethren And they are so called in Ephesians 6.23 Peace be to the brethren with loue and faith from God And in Coloss 1.2 To the Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ And iustly are they so called first because they are adopted of one and the same Father Ephes 1.5 Secondly because they are borne I meane new-borne of one and the same mother Galat 4.26 Thirdly because they are brought vp in the same family Ephesians 2.19 Fourthly because they shall be partakers of the same inheritance Rom. 8.17 Vse This serues to condemne the practise of such which do scoffe at this terme Brethren saying He is one of the holy brethren and the like Oh thou wretch Doth God himselfe giue this title to his people and darest thou mocke and scoffe at it Doth God giue this name in holinesse and dost thou vse it in derision Secondly this should teach rich Christians humility they must know that the poorest Christian is their brother or sister and therefore they must carry themselues accordingly towards them they must not be ashamed of them for if Christ himselfe be not ashamed to call vs Brethren as it is in Hebr. 2.10 then we must not be ashamed to owne one another Thirdly this should teach poore Christians thankfulnesse God hath made them by vertue of regeneration akinne to the greatest Nobles and Potentates in the world I meane to such Potentates as are true fearers of God All Gods people come of a great house and are of a great kindred both in respect of God and man they are all brethren Fourthly this should teach vs to auoid diuers things as first contention with any that feare God we may say as Abraham said to Lot Genesis 13.8 Let there be no strife betweene vs we are brethren Secondly euill speaking or slandering It is the diuels property to traduce or falsly to accuse the brethren Reuel 12.10 Thirdly we must auoid tyrannizing ouer Gods seruants we must remember they are our brethren Fiftly considering that all that feare God are brethren therefore this must teach vs diuers things it must teach vs indeed to carry our selues towards our fellow-Christians as towards brethren therefore as one brother will stand by another so one Christian must defend another we must not suffer any Christian to be wronged if it be in our power to helpe him Secondly one brother will haue a fellow-feeling with another they will reioyce to see any good to befall one another and they will grieue to see hurt Euen so we must reioyce to heare of the prosperity of Zion and we must grieue to heare or to see the desolation thereof Thirdly one brother will do for another according to abilitie euen so we must euery one according to his abilitie do for the Church of God If a brother or sister be naked or destitute of daily food as Iames speaketh Iames 2.15 we must relieue them Brotherly kindnesse or brotherly loue In the next place we are to obserue that Doctrine There ought to be loue amongst Christians yea brotherly loue This is proued by 1. Pet. 3.8 Loue as brethren and out of Hebr. 13.1 Let brotherly loue continue And there be especiall motiues to stirre vs vp to this loue first because it is a signe that we are translated from death to life 1. Iohn 3.14 Secondly that we are borne of God 1. Iohn 4.7 Thirdly that we are of the truth 1. Iohn 3.19 Fourthly that God dwelleth in vs 1. Iohn 4.16 Questi But how should I know a true Christian that I may loue him as a brother Answ Thou mayest know him first by his faith he lookes for saluation by Christ alone Secondly by his humility he thinketh basely of himselfe Thirdly by his loue to Gods house the place where Gods honour dwelleth Fourthly by his language for he speakes the holie language of Canaan Fiftly by his practise and life for he liueth holily righteously and soberly in this present world Sixtly by his fruitfulnesse for he is no barren fig-tree but he bringeth forth fruit in due season Seuenthly by his opposition in this world for his sect is euill spoken of in euery place Acts 28.22 Thus thou mayest know a Christian Vse Now is it so that true Christians and true fearers of the Lord are to be beloued with brotherly loue Then this serues iustly to rebuke the world for want of this brotherly loue The world is
and power Acts 6.8 Thus the Corinthians were inriched in euery thing 1. Cor. 1.5 And in Christ the Godhead dwells bodily Col. 2 9. And indeede as the talke of riches profiteth nothing vnlesse we haue the possession of riches so the talke of grace and the profession of grace is vaine vnlesse we be endued with grace Vse Which may seeme to condemne many which content themselues with wishes and formalities but haue no substance of grace in them But let such remember that copper will not passe for gold with God If these things be in you or as the words in the originall will also beare it If these things be present with you whence obserue we that Doctrine it is not sufficient to haue grace but we ought to haue it alwaies in readinesse it should not be at any time to seeke but it should still be present with vs. This is that which is enioyned in Luke 12.35 Let your loynes be gyrded about and your lights burning and ye your selues like to the men which waite for their Lord when he will returne from the wedding And the want of this presence of grace Christ reproueth in his Disciples Luke 8.25 Where is your Faith Their faith was to seeke when they had most neede of it which was their sinne In this respect grace is compared to armour or weapons and Christians to souldiers because as souldiers must neuer be without their weapons so Christians must neuer be without their graces Christians must learne of Gentlemen alwaies to walke with their swords by their sides that is with grace Vse against such as content themselues with vaine expectations and purposes of grace they meane to repent hereafter and they purpose to breake off their sinnes hereafter and they say they will doe great matters hereafter But what grace or reformation haue they for the present Surely none Secondly this may serue iustly to reprooue euen the very children of God which are not so carefull as they ought to be to keepe their graces in readinesse If any temptation come they are to seeke and their heart failes them My brethren take heed of this vnpreparednesse Thirdly this must teach vs to vse the meanes whereby to keepe the presence and nimblenesse of grace and for this end take these directions First beware of sinne for sinne takes away the heart of grace and the sence and feeling of it Secondly be diligent in the vse of Gods ordinances for these maintaine in vs the life of grace Thirdly daily examine thy selfe whether thou findest the graces of God in thee in that measure as thou didst finde them yesterday or heretofore Fourthly labour to stirre vp the gift that is in thee and the grace which thou hast receiued Fire if it be not stirred vp will burne deadly So grace if we do not quicken it vp will soone decay Fiftly labour to exercise thy graces by daily practise want of practise causeth any gift to decay weapons if they be not vsed will rust in the scabbard so will grace And abound Whence obserue we that Doctrine it is not sufficient for a Christian to haue a truth of grace in him but he must endeuour to abound in grace For this we reade Phil. 1.9 And this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement And 1. Thess 3.12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in loue one towards another and thus Paul requires the Corinthians to abound to euery good worke 2. Cor. 9.8 and rich men to be rich in good workes 1. Tim 6.18 Vse This serueth iustly to condemne our common practise in that we content our selues with so small a portion of grace and labour not to abound therein Secondly It should serue to stirre vs vp to labour to abound and that we may so do obserue these doctrines First We must abound in the vse of meanes Great riches or aboundance are not obtained for the most part without great paines and industry no more are riches in grace Secondly We must imploy our talents He that well imployeth his fiue talents shall gayne other fiue but he that will hide his talent in the earth and not vse it he shall not increase but decrease And abound The word in the originall is very significant it signifieth properly to superabound or to abound more then needes Not that there is any degree of grace which is indeede more then needes but it is spoken in respect of the wicked which esteeme strictnesse of religion to be meere curiositie The point hence to be noted is this viz. that Doctrine Christians ought to labour for an holy strictnesse in profession yea for such a degree of strictnesse as is esteemed curiosity in the world This we are taught also in Ephes 5.15 Walke circumspectly or rather as the word in the originall signifieth walke accurately or nicely This we are taught also in Math. 5.48 Be ye perfect Vnto this strictnesse or holy curiositie the examples of the Saints should moue vs. Dauid daunced before the Arke although Michal esteemed him a foole for his labour 2. Sam. 6.22 Thus Paul serued the God of his Fathers although that kinde of seruice was counted heresie Acts 24.14 Thus should Christians make question Whether it be lawfull to stand gazing at their dores in time of diuine Seruice vpon the Sabbath day Whether it be lawfull to sweare at all in common talke Whether it be lawfull to receiue all gifts though neuer so freely offered Whether it be lawfull to goe to the vttermost limits of lawfulnesse in partaking of the things of this life and thus in many other things Vse This condemneth the practise of hypocrites which will not be counted fooles for Christ and therefore will professe no further then will stand with their credits Secondly It serues to condemne the practise of the wicked which account all things which sauour of any strictnesse to be foolishnesse and curiositie but let such remember that in Isay 5 Woe vnto them which call good euill Thirdly to encourage all holy Christians in their strictnesse let them goe on and be yet more curious and scrupulous in auoiding all appearance of euill although they be despised for the same Neither idle Some translations reade it neither barren but I rather agree to their iudgements which reade it neither idle First because the greeke word doth most properly signifie so it being the same word which is vsed in Math. 20.6 Why stand ye here all the day idle Secondly because otherwise here might seeme a vaine tautalogie or repetition to be made The first word barren being the same in sense with the second vnfruitfulnesse which is not to be granted Neither idle Hence we may obserue that Doctrine A true sanctified Christian is no idle person True Christianity and idlenesse they are as the Arke and Dagon they cannot stand together Thus Iacob was a true Christian and marke what paines he