his life 1. King 20. 42. Thus Ministers are accessary to the peoples sinnes either by not giuing them warning or not reprouing them of sinne or shewing a bad example and liuing a wicked life by which they doe more hurt than good by doctrine And thus are all Superiours accessary to the sinnes of Inferiours as Parents to their Children Masters to their Seruants some of those waies formerly named But thus much be said of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON being the Second vpon these WORDS Text. Haue no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse Ephes 5. 11. HItherto out of these words I haue spoken only of the Dehortation it selfe in these words Haue no fellowship c. Now I am to handle the reasons of the Dehortation shewing why we must not communicate with the sinnes of others The reasons are two first because all sinnes are workes of darkenesse secondly because they are vnfruitfull But before I come to the particular handling of these Reasons sundrie questions or doubts are to be resolued and answered both for the more clearing of the Text and the better finishing of the Dehortation as followeth Quest 1 Whether wee may keepe company or haue any society with wicked and obstinate sinners or at all communicate and haue fellowship with their persons though not their sinnes Answ All company-keeping society and fellowship with wicked men themselues is not simply and absolutely forbidden but onely the priuate and speciall familiaritie with them and so must all places of Scripture forbidding fellowship with them be vnderstood of priuate and familiar conuersing I say it is not simply forbidden first because there is no such absolute precept against it extant in holy Scripture secondly Paul saith as leauing it free 1 Cor. 10. 27. If any man that belieues not bid you to a feast and you be disposed to goe whatsoeuer is set before you eate asking no question for conscience sake thirdly if we would shun the company and society of all wicked men then wee must goe out of this world 1 Cor. 5. 10. Againe If any brother hath a wife that belieueth not and shee be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman which hath an husband that belieueth not if hee be pleased to dwell with her let her not leaue him 1 Cor. 7. 12. 13. Lot conuersed with the wicked Sodomites Christ with Publicans and sinners Therefore all society of wicked men themselues is not simply and absolutely forbidden but priuate and familiar fellowship 1 Corinth 5. 9. 10. 11. marke the place Quest 2 But may we any way keep company with them which wee know to be darkenesse and notoriously wicked Answ In foure cases we may not at all First if wee be infected by them and communicate with their workes Euill societies corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. and God forbad the Israelites to marry with the Gentiles or to haue any familiar commerce with them lest they should bee infected by them Secondly if the wicked by our keeping them company and seeing vs not to shunne them should be confirmed and more hardened in their sinnes Christ commandeth vs in this case that rather obstinate sinners should bee vnto vs as Heathen and Publicans Math. 18. 17. that is account him as an heretique or excommunicate or one not belonging to the Church Thirdly if the weake in faith are by our keeping them company offended We must not abuse our Christian libertie in the smallest things whereby our weake brother may be offended Take heed 1 Cor. 8. 9. 10. 11. lest by any meanes this libertie of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake for if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meate in the idols Temple shall not the conscience of him which is weake be imboldened to eate those things which are offered to Idols c. much more then will a weake brother be offended to see vs conuerse with wicked men familiarly Fourthly if by our company keeping the Gospell be euill spoken of and the name of God blasphemed wee must altogether abstaine Paul saith All things must be done to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. But through such the name of God is blasphemed Rom. 2. 24. Quest 3 How farre forth may wee keepe company with wicked men or haue commerce with them or wee may not Answ Wicked men are to bee considered as first members of some Common-wealth and so we may conuerse with them in bargaining buying and selling c. Secondly as members of some ciuill society as City c. and thus we are to maintaine outward peace with them and shew outward courtesie vnto them so farre forth as it may stand with faith and a good conscience and with the honour of God and the good of Gods Church So must we vnderstand Rom. 12. 18. Tit. 3. 2. 3. Thirdly consider them as dwellers in the Church and members of some particular Church by toleration and so wee may liue with them and not separate from the Church neither from the Word nor Sacraments Christ liued with them and communicated in their Sacraments and seruice of the Temple though many of them were notorious both for life and doctrine yet wee must bee grieued with Lot at their abhominations and haue no priuate and speciall familiaritie with them for this is a meanes to countenance them and incourage them in their sinnes Quest 4 But may wee not in some case haue priuate and familiar fellowship with such Answ Yes in two respects first if the law of nature requires it secondly or meere and true necessitie First if wee are bound by the law of nature as Parents and Children Husband and Wife Master and Seruant in this case wee may and ought to liue and dwell with them though they are euill as if he should be excommunicate the wife must performe the dutie of a wife the childe the dutie of a childe c. for such diuine ordinances abolish not but establish ciuill societies But if any of these being euill should goe about to draw vs away from Christ and to seduce vs then Parents Wife and Children are to be forsaken rather then Christ who saith Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthy of mee and hee that loueth Sonne or Daughter more then mee is not worthy of mee Math. 10. 37. Secondly if we are tied by meere necessitie as if hee that is wicked cannot liue without thee nor thou without him as suppose thy father or brother c. Iacob when hee could not conueniently liue else-where came with his Children into Egypt and liued among the Idolatrous people for necessitie but hee communicated not with the impieties of the Egyptians neither must we be drawne hereby to communicate with the workes of wicked men yea we should rather famish and starue and suffer any kinde of death than to deny Christ and communicate with vngodly workes Christ saith He that loueth his life more thaâ— mee is not worthy
alluring others vnto sinne This is made a note of a wicked man Sinners doe entice c. at large Prou. 1. from 10. to 15. This appeareth notably in the description of the Harlot Prou. 7. through the whole Chapter where wee may see how the Whore in the attyre of an Harlot and subtilty of heart in the twilight in the euening in a blacke and darke night met among the simple ones a Youth voide of vnderstanding So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him inticing him as there followeth I haue done thus and thus and I haue this and that at home my bed is brauely bedeckt my husband is from home come let vs take our fill of loue till morning let vs solace our selues with loues from the 6. Verse to the 21. Now marke what followes With much faire speech shee caused him to yeeld with the flatterings of her lips she forced him Verse 21. thus by inticing him she prouoked him to sinne And this is a common sinne at this day in all such as delight in Whoorish company and drunken fellowship if they cannot compell them to sinne they will by one meanes or other allure and intise them to sinne It is the brand which Salomon setteth vpon the wicked A violent man entifeth his neighbour and leadeth him into the way that is not good Prou. 16. 29. And this bee said of the first way of hauing fellowship with others in sinne viz. by prouocation Vse Teaching all those that haue bin guilty in any of these waies to repent to bewaile their miserable and wretched estate hereby as being in it selfe accursed of God and to resolue fully to leaue and forsake such vngodly courses lest the wrath of God smoake against such people and there be none to quench it for certainely for such things sake the wrath of God commeth vpon such Againe this must teach all to hate these courses and instead of prouoking to euill to draw on others vnto good according to our seuerall places and callings and charges committed to vs as Magistrates their Subiects Ministers their People Parents their Children Masters their Seruants one neighbour another to labour with them by exhortation by perswasion to intice them to vrge them vnto good duties as Paul saith Let vs hold fast the profession of our faith without wauering and let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and all other good workes Heb. 10. 23. 24. The neglect of this is the cause why sinne doth so much abound and grow so rise Secondly a man may haue fellowship with others in sin by consent as if a man seeth and knoweth another to commit a sinne actually and yet hee himselfe doth not commit it in his owne person yet because hee consenteth to the doing of it hee is guilty and becomes accessary vnto the other in this sin And this is another note of a wicked man who knowing the iudgement of God that they which doe commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but take pleasure and consent with them that doe them Rom. 1. 32. So God reprooueth the wicked When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. Psal 50. 18. This consenting to finne is nothing else but an approbation or allowing of sinne without either contradicting the sinner or any griefe or sorrow for the sinne Saint Paul complaines of the Corinthians for this and checks them that they were puffed vp and had not rather mourned for the fact of the incestuous man 1 Cor. 5. 1. 2. This consent is either 1. Secret 2. Open. Secret in the heart and mind Open either in word or deed and whosoeuer consenteth but in heart becommeth accessary to the sinne much more when he doth it openly in word or deed or both Thus the Iewes consented vnto the death of Christ saying Let him be crucified Math. 27. 22. 23. So whereas Ioab slew Abner smiting him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died 2 Sam. 3. 27. Yet Abishai Ioabs brother is said also to stay Abner Verse 30. which must be meant in regard of consenting with Ioab concerning his death So Saul was consenting to the death of Steuen partly in word partly in deed in stoning of Steuen And Saul consented vnto his death Acts 8. 1. that is hee did approoue and allow of his death and thus all these had fellowship with workes of darkenesse Vse Take heede then how any doe giue their consent vnto any wickednesse thinking they may very well excuse themselues because they did not personally commit the sinne wee see that the very consent makes guilty As vngodly talke drawes a man into sinne so vngodly silence holds a man in sinne and God complaineth of the wicked that saw the theefe and consented with him Psal 50. Let vs therefore take vp the counsell of Salomon My Sonne if sinners entise Consent thou not c. at large Prou. 1. 10. c. Consent not either with sinners or their sinnes if thou doest remember the iudgement of God and his wrath hangs ouer thy head and thou must looke for eternall death Rom. 1. 32. Our consent must be only in good things and with good men as Paul saith I consent vnto the Law of God that it is good Rom. 7. and if at any time we are ouertaken in any sinne wee must say as Paul That which I doe I allow not Rom. 7. 15. our consent and approbation must be onely of things more excellent Philip. 1. 10. Thirdly a man may bee accessary to other mens sins by giuing euill counsell Thus was Herodias mother accessary to the murthering of Iohn though Herod beheaded him for Herodias being before instructed of her mother said Giue mee here Iohn Baptists head in a charger Math 14. 3. to 11. Thus bad counsell was a meanes of his death Thus was Ionadab accessarie to the incestuous rape of Ammon Ammon indeed lay with his own sister hee personally committed the sinne for he forced her and when hee had committed the fact hee hated her more than before he loued her but all this was by the euill counsaile of that wicked and subtill man Ionadab who counsailed him to faine himselfe sicke and when Dauid his Father should come to see him Ammon should desire of the King that Tamar his sister should dresse him meate that so by that his lust might be fulfilled The King granting his desire Ammon tooke his opportunity forced her and lay with her at large 2 Sam. 13. This giting of bad counsell is when one man perswadeth another vnto sinne and it is a great cause of much euill in the world By this came the fall of our first Parents for Sathan perswaded Eue and Eue her husband Gen. 3. 4. 6. And thus by this bad counsell were the high Priests and Rulers accessary to the crucisying of Christ because they perswaded the people to aske Barrabas a murtherer and a robber Acts 3. 14. Iohn 18. 40. and to destory Iesus
Math. 27. 1. and 20. And thus it is true whosoeuer giue bad counsell and perswade others vnto sinne are accessary vnto and haue fellowship with them in their sinnes Vse This may instruct vs two waies both for giuing bad counsell and for giuing careto and receiuing bad counsell Not to giue any for by this meanes we become partakers of other mens sinnes but let our counsels and perswasions be to good and for good ends A wholesome tongue is a tree of life but peruersenesse therein is a breach in the spirit Prou. 15. 4. To the counsellors of peace is ioy Prou. 12. 20. The tongue of the wise vseth knowledge aright but the mouth of fooles poureth out foolishnesse The lips of the wise disperse knowledge Prou. 15. 2. 7. But a man of wicked deuices God will condemne Prou. 12. 2. The mouth of the foolish is neere destruction Prou. 10. 14. But in the lips of him that hath vnderstanding wisedome is found The lips of the righteous feede many The mouth of the iust bringeth foorth wisedome Prou. 10. 13. 21. 31. All which shewes how wee ought to be so farre from giuing bad counsell as all our speech should be saâ—ouâ—y gratious tending to Gods glory and the edification of our brethren as Ephes 4. 29. Colos 46. Againe seeing bad Counsell is the cause of so much mischiefe wee must be carefull how wee giue any eare vnto it following the counsell of Salomon Goe from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge Prou. 14. 7. Cease my sonne to heare the instruction that causeth to crre from the words of knowledge Prou. 19. 27. Neither desire thou to be among such euill men Prou. 24. 1. O my soule come not thou into their secret vnto their assembly bee not thou vnited Gen. 49. 6. Fourthly a man is said to haue fellowship with other mens sinnes by giuing euill example offence and scandall This euill example appeareth in the practise of any one sin knowne to others The profession of Christ and true religion is called a way and the giuing of offence is a stumbling-blocke laid in this way to cause others to fall yea such a man doth in what him lyeth destroy the soule of his brother for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 9. 10. 11. The case of such men must needes bee dangerous for they are not onely guilty and accessarie vnto the sinnes of others but are the occasions of many falls in others and the greater is this sinne because it is a sinne and a cause of sinne In this regard giuing ill example is compared to wilde-fire which inflameth all places whereon it lighteth and I may truely say as many are drawne to sinne by bad example as by any occasion giuen whatsoeuer What fashion can bee inuented but it is presently followed of the most what foolish and gawish attire can be worne but forthwith it is generally receiued What villanous ribauld or bawdy and beastly song inuented but presently learned euen of young children Thus euill example maketh maketh others to offend 1 Cor. 8. 13. and therefore all that giue it must needes haue fellowship with the sinnes of those who take offence and occasion to fall by their example and offence giuen Vse Take heede therefore that we walk circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the daies are euill Ephes 5. 15. 16. that is full of euill men and manifold occasions to sinne Let our light therefore of an holy example so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heauen Math. 5. 16. Hauing our conuersation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as euill-doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 2. 11. But take heede that we become not a stumbling blocke to those which are weake 1 Cor. 8. 9. Giue no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10. 32. It is impossible but offences will come but wee vnto him through whom they come Math. 18. 7. and Luke 17. 1. Hitherto I haue shewed how many waies a man may haue fellowship with others before hand now I come to set downe how a man may communicate with the sinnes of others after the sinne is committed and this may be diuersly First by vngodly silence this is as common a way whereby men haue fellowship with sinnes of others as any of the former and it is when men will keepâ— silence when they may and ought to reprooue sinne That wee ought to reprooue sinne is plaine Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him Whence wee may see that when men see others to sinne and will not speake to them to tell them of it and reprooue them for it they suffer their neighbour to lye in his sinne and his sinne to remaine vpon him and what is this else but to haue fellowship with him in his sinne This is a sinne common to the most which is the cause that so many liue in sinne without reformation Vngodly silence holdeth men in sin but thus it is men are right of Cames disposition they thinke they haue no keepe of their brethren Gen. 4. 9. They see and heare them sinne customarily Parents their Children Masters their Seruants one neighbour another and yet neuer finde any fault nor once reprehend them either for feare fauour or affection but let all such know howsoeuer they make a light account of this yet if they will not speake when they may and ought they are accessary to their sinnes whom they suffer to goe so vnreprooued God speaking of the Prophet tells him that hee hath set him a watchman ouer the house of Israell Therefore heare thou the word at my mouth and giue them warning from mee if thou giuest him not warning nor speakest to warne the wicked from his wicked way to saue his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at hine hand Ezek 3. 17. 18. Where we see that when we keepe silence when God would haue vs speake wee are not onely guilty of the sinnes of others but of their punishments also Qui tacet consentire videtur Vse Let this teach all men in their seuerall places and callings both publique and priuate to reprooue sinne both in our selues and others but first in our selues then in others Let it not grieue vs to speake in Gods cause but plainely to rebuke our neighbour and not suffer him to sinne thus we shall discharge our soules and most of all this concernes Gods Ministers of whom God speaketh Cry aloud and spare not tell the people of their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes Esay 58. 1. Again speaking of Ministers saith God I haue
is a fault in many Ministers who should bee wise and discreete to know the state of their flocke Prou. 27. 23. and to know that their Congregation is a mixt company some more tractable some more refrectary and so accordingly should by wholesome doctrine raise vp one by the Gospell and beate downe the other by the Law and not to preach altogether damnation alike to all This is a fault also in inferiours as in the Subiect towards the Magistrate in the people to the Minister who are ready vpon euery small occasion to reprooue their superiours to censure them vpon euery report whereas against an Elder wee must receiue no accusation vnder two or three witnesses 1. Tim 5. 29 Let vs therefore take vp the counsell of Saint Iude Of some haue compassion making a difference And others saue with feare pulling them out of the fire Iude vers 22 23. Fifthly We must reprooue Mildely that is with a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the fight of God of great price 1. Pet. 3. 4. we must in reproouing bee free from all reuengefull affections rigour and extremitie Wee must reprooue rebuke wxhort with all long suffering 2. Tim. 4. 2. The seruant of the Lord must bee gentle to all men in meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselues 2. Timoth. 2. 25 26. We must deale in reproofe as a Surgeon with a bone out of ioynt or a sore wound that is tenderly and gently If a man bee ouertaken in a fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse Galat. 6. 1. Vse This seuerely reprooueth all such as vse bitter inuectiues railing speeches and extreame seuerity in reproouing others whether Minister or others whereby it comes to passe that for the most part they fall out miscalling one another and falling to cursing and swearing fighting and quarrelling doing more hurt than good This againe condemnes the cruelty of many Parents and Masters in vsing too much seueritie and extremitie in their corrections as many poore children seruants and apprentises both in City and Countrey haue cause to complaine But what saith Salomon A righteous man is mercifull to his beast much more to his child or seruant but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Pro. 12. 10. As appeares in such cruell hard-hearted Parents especially stepfathers and mothers and such tyrant-like masters who vse their children and seruants more like dogs than Christians Sixthly We must reproue Seasonably We must obserue a fit time and place wherein to reprooue for it is not fitting at all times or in all places or all companies but the most fit time is to be chosen There is a time for all things if for all things then for reproofe there is a time to euery purpose vnder heauen a time to keepe silence and a time to speake Eccles 3. 1 7. The godly man bringeth foorth his fruit tempore opportuno in due season Psal 1. 3. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of siluer Pro. 25. 11. And a word spoken in season how good is it Pro. 15. 23. A foole vttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards Prouerbs 29. verse 11. Thus when we see a man in the heate of his passion of anger we must not take th◠present time to reprooue it his heate but stay till his heate be ouer A brother offended is harder to be wo◠then a strong citie Pro. 18. 19. When a man is drunke it is no fit time to tell him of it in his drunken fit but afterward when he is come to himselfe Abigail reprooued Nabal her husband for his churlish answere to Dauids seruants but she obserued the fittest time For Nabal kept a feast of Sheepe-shearing and his heart was merry and he was very drunken but she told him nothing till morning more or lesse till the morning light when the wine was gone of his head 1. Sam. 25. 36. Vse This reprooueth all such as make no distinction of times place or persons when where or before whom they reprooue their brethren but traduce their brethren to others diuulge their faults in euery place before all companies yea they will obserue their owne time though most vnseasonably when they may speake to their faces publikely to their greatest disgrace as Dauid saith The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh occasion to slay him Psal 37. 32. This is against the rule of charity which couereth a multitude of sinnes 1. Pet 4. Seuenthly We must reprooue Louingly to make the partie see that what we doe we doe in loue to his person with hatred to his sinne and all for his good both regarding the reputation of his good name which we ough◠to tender as our owne as also ayming at the eternal good of his soule It is the counsel of the Apostle Let all you things bee done with charitie 1. Cor. 16. 14. if all things ther reproofe It is the rule of Charity Whatsoeuer ye woul◠that men should doe to you 〈◊〉 so doe ye to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matte 7. 12. But as we would haue others rebuke vs in loue so must wee our brethren and because they are brethren whom we must reprooue we must liue and loue as brethren wee must imitate our Sauiour saying As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten Reu. 3. 19. God correcteth euery sonne whom he loueth as Heb. 12. 6. Thus it must appeare that we doe it both in loue to his person and in loue to God that if we should be asked why we are so forward in reproouing for the loue of God constraineth vs 2 Cor. 5. 14. Vse This makes against those that are supercilious censurers of others vncondemned reproouing rather of malice to his person than of hatred to his sinne hating his person and louing his sinne which is contrary to Gods owne commandement Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour Leuit. 19. 17. He that is malicious and hatefull is so farre from gaining his brother as that Salomon tels vs Hatred stirreth vp strife Prou. 10. 12. Saint Paul saith All things that are reprooued are made manifest by the light for whatsoeuer doth make manifest is light Ephes 5. 13. But Saint Iohn tels vs againe He that hateth his brother is in darkenesse euen till now hee is in darkenesse and walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes 1 Ioh. 2. 9. 11. Thus it is as impossible for him that is in darkenesse to reprooue his brother as for darkenesse it selfe to discouer and make manifest things in secret wee must in our reproofes be so louingly affected as we should ayme chiefly at the winning of soules but Saint Iohn telleth vs that whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer 1 Iohn 3. 15. This also makes against those who in stead of loue in seeking their brothers good seeke occasion to