that repent had his hart opened and was by Gods blessing conuerted to the Faith became a sound and sincere Christian and performed sundry duties of loue to Paul ministring continually vnto him in the time of his Captiuity as a dutifull Sonne to his spirituall Father But after the Apostle vnderstood that hee was another Mans Seruaunt and belonged vnto him as it were a part of his possession though he found him in his distressed and afflicted estate very profitable comfortable and necessary vnto him yet he would not detaine him from his Mayster to whom by the Word of God by the light of Nature and by the Law of all Nations he appertained Hence it is that hee sent him backe againe to his Maister with this Epistle in which the Apostle dooth by force of reasons and vehemency of words vrge Philemon to entertaine and retaine with him his fugitiue and offensiue Seruant but now greatly altered and throughly changed by the power of Gods word z Psal 19. 7. Which conuerteth the Soule and giueth wisedome vnto the simple as the Prophet teacheth vs. The vses of the former Argument of this Epistle Thus we see how Paule intreateth and obtaineth pardon for Onesimus a Seruant that was conuerted by the preaching of the Apostle which offereth vnto vs diuers good and profitable vses Vse 1. First we see that Christ Iesus reiecteth none that come vnto him how base and simple soeuer they be All such as repent and beleeue the Gospell whether Maisters or Seruants high or low rich or poore are accepted of him who is Lord of all and with whom is no respect of persons A notable comfort to all of low place and meane condition to consider with themselues that howsoeuer the men of this World haue many times no respect vnto them yet they are deare to God and regarded of him who openeth to them the doore of saluation and reserueth for them a Crowne of righteousnesse He appointeth his Word and Sacraments for them as well as for others and hence it is that for the most part the poore receiue the Gospell a Gal. 3 28. There is neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Vse 2. Secondly this instructeth vs not to contemne or despise any how vile soeuer they may seeme in our eyes but to be carefull for their good and to further their conuersion b Mat 18 10. according to the counsell of Christ our Sauiour Math. 18. See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels alwaies behold the Face of my Father which is in Heauen For the Sonne of Man is come to saue that which was lost Many are basely and badly thought off in this World who are in great price and estimation with GOD. Many are wronged and oppressed of Men of whom the high God of Heauen taketh care and charge We are ready to respect the outward face and person of Men but he regardeth the heart God the Father loueth them woe therefore to them that hate them Christ Iesus came to saue and redeeme them woe therefore to all them that seeke to hurt and destroy them It pleaseth God oftentimes to call the Seruant and to let the Maister alone suffering him to perrish in his sinnes This is the cause that the blessed Virgine magnifieth the Lord and that her Spirit reioyceth in God her Sauiour c Luke 1. 52 53. Because he looked on the poore degree of his Seruaunt and had doone great thinges for her Hee pulleth downe the mightie from their Seates and exalteth them of low degree He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth away the Rich empty Vse 3. Thirdly we learne that no man ought vnder any colour of Religion and pretence of godlinesse to keepe away other mens Seruants from their owne Maisters Paule found the Seruant of Onesimus faithfull to helpe him and forward to Minister vnto him yea he might be bold with Philemon his Mayster yet he would not detaine him with him without his allowance and approbation The Gospell then doth not destroy and disanull the diuers degrees and orders established in the World but rather confirmeth and strengthneth them It alloweth not the Seruant to resist and rise vp against the Maister although hee should be a beleeuer and his Maister an vnbeleeuer or he be a beleeuer as well as his Maister and in knowledge of godlinesse be equall vnto him but teacheth him to obey for conscience sake d 1 Tim. 6 1 2. and to Count his Maister worthy of all honour that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And they which haue beleeuing Maisters let them not despise them because they are Brethren but rather do seruice because they are faithfull and beloued and partakers of the benefit These things teach and exhort Vse 4. Fourthly we are to marke that the Lord requireth of vs to bee ready to forgiue and forget the wronges and iniuries that are done vnto vs. Let vs put from vs all rancor and mallice and not suffer the Sunne to goe downe vpon our wrath O how e Math. 18 27 great is the mercy of God toward vs How great is our debt toward him Let vs put on the bowels of pitty and compassion forbearing one another and forgiuing one another f Col. 3 13. If any Man haue a quarrell vnto another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye If we come to any of the exercises of our Religion to heare the Word to receiue the Sacraments or to call vpon the Name of God if the Leauen of maliciousnesse haue infected our heartes the word of life is made the sauour of death the Sacraments are made Instruments of Wrath and our Prayers are turned into Sinne. We are taught in our Prayers to aske g Chrysost hom 1. in Philem. forgiuenesse at the hands of God as we our selues performe this duty toward our Brethren The promise of forgiuenesse is made to them that doe forgiue h Mark 11 25 When ye shall stand and pray forgiue if ye haue any thing against any man that your Father also which is in Heauen may forgiue you your trespasses For if ye will not forgiue your Father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses This accordeth with the precept of Christ Math. 5. If thou bring thy guift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee i Math. 5 24. Leaue there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy guift If we desire As new borne Babes the sincere Milke of the word that we may grow thereby k 1 Pet. 2 1 2. We must lay aside all maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuy and all euill speaking If we would be
vse it rather Where he willeth them to prefer freedom before bondage and to be their owne men rather then anothers and to be at liberty rather then to be Seruants to the Honour and Humour of other men Answere I answere such practise is not to be any wayes allowed vnlesse they be oppressed with beastly and intollerable Tyranny and bee denied meate and maintenance whereby life is to be sustained For then their Maisters that haue payed n Terent. in Andr act 1. scen 1 a price for them should bee defrauded the Couenant or promise that themselues haue passed should be disanulled and themselues beeing taken should thorough their owne misdemeanor be more cruelly handled and kept in harder straighter durance We see when Ioseph was sold by the Treachery of his enuious Brethren and thereupon carried farre from o Genes 39 1 his Fathers house he behaued himselfe with all Modesty and Meeknesse he endured the crosse with all patience being laide in fetters where p Psal 105 18 the Iron entred into his soule he neuer attempted to make a wilfull escape or to break open prison albeit it had been no hard matter to do it least while he thought to auoid the smoake he should fall into the fire like vnto Espops Fish who being in the pan leaped vpon the coales The Israelites when they were holden in q Exod. chap. 1 and 2. Egypt in bondage and great slauery neuer offered to make resistance but waited with all long suffering vntill God sent Moses and Aaron to worke their deliuerance The Doctrine of the Popish School-men alloweth in their deciding of cases of conscience such as are vniustly and wrongfully imprisoned to escape for their liues if they can and according to this determination is the practise of the Papists But this is no better then to resist the Magistrate r Rom. 13 2. vvhich is the Ordinance of GOD Rom. 13. The Apostles being clapt vp in prison neuer sought occasion and opportunity to deliuer themselues vntill God and Man deliuered them and brought them forth and sometimes ſ Acts 5 19. 12 7 8. the Lord sent his Angell from Heauen to open the prison doores and to smite off their chaines and to free them from the rage of their enemies The Apostle Peter warneth Seruants to bee subiect to their Maisters with all feare not onely to the good and courteous but also to such as are froward and he giueth this Reason t 1 Pet. 2 19. For this is thanke-worthy if a man for Conscience toward God endure greefe suffering wrongfully Wee must commit our selues and our causes to God and take heede we vse not vnlawfull meanes to set our selues at liberty Now concerning the counsell and direction of the Apostle he perswadeth no liberty but such as is lawfull euen to free themselues from thraldome by all good and honest meanes onely that God shall put into their heads and hands For when Seruants were bought and sold as Villaines nay as brute Beasts in the Market and while their Maister had power ouer them of life and death hee would haue all such as are vnder the yoak u 1 Tim. 6 1. Count their Maisters worthy of all Honor that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of When Paule and Silas were committed to close prison as they sung Psalmes to God x Act. 16 25 26. suddenly there was a great Earth-quake and the Foundation of the Prison was shaken by and by all the doores opened and euerie Mans bandes were loosed so that they might without knowledge or disturbance of any haue escaped and gone their wayes but being committed by authority they remained as lawfull prisoners without euasion These thinges heere briefly touched are largely intreated of in this Commentarie touching the penning whereof to leaue mine owne Labors to the Iudgement of the indifferent Reader I cannot deny but doo ingenuously confesse that I haue benefited my selfe and do desire to benefit others by other Authors both Olde and New whom I haue searched and perused through whose trauailes I haue bin guided and directed in the way and by whose eyes I haue seene into many particulers heere discussed Concerning the ancient Writers that haue the grayest haires I cannot passe ouer Chrysostome and Theophylact both Greeke Writers Concerning the Moderne and later Caluine Beza Illyricus Rolloc Piscator Hunnius which for Honors sake I name remember Among whom some haue written shorter Annotations others haue written fuller expositions and al of them haue yeelded some matter and stuffe toward the erecting of this building Neither is this any shame or reproach to acknowledge y Prolog in Adelph but rather a fruit of Iustice and Equity to giue to euery one his owne Let no man therefore obiect that I haue thrust my Sickle into another mans Corne or put mine hand into another mans Coffer or ploughed my ground with another mans Heifer or set to sale other mens goods as mine owne much lesse vpbraide with contumely and contempt z Horat. lib. 1. epist 3. the saying of the Poet Si forte suas repetitum venerit olim Grex anium plumas moueat cornicula risum Furtiuis nudata coloribus that is If euerie Fowle shall fetch her plumes againe The Naked Crow shall stript of all remaine The Wiseman teacheth a Eccle. 1 9 10 There is no new thing vnder the Sun is there any thing whereof one may say Behold this it is new It hath bin already in the old time that was before vs. The Heathē man saw this could say Nihil est iam dictum quod non sit dictum prius that is There nothing is or saide or seene Before our times that hath not beene The Apostle writing to the Corinthians saith b 1 Cor. 3 22. All things are yours whether it be Paules or Apollos or Cephas c. all are helpes allowed and appointed vnto vs to bring vs vnto Christ It is no small comfort to Trauellers c Bucan praef in Institu Theolog to tread and trace the footsteps of such as haue walked the right way before them In like manner it is no small profit and pleasure to me grounded vpon the euidence of the trueth to haue followed the examples of learned and approoued Authours that haue laboured faithfully in the Vineyard of the Lord and lighted a Candle vnto others This Exposition such as it is I presume to offer vnto your Worship not fearing your Iudgement in the allowance nor doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof and therefore grounding my selfe vpon it I regard not the censure of Carpers and Cauillers who haue nothing to grace themselues but by seeking the disgrace of others nor yet any thing to raise themselues a great name but by taking away others good name so that as one saith well d Scaliger exercit in fine Ex alieni nominis ruina gradum sibi faciunt ad gloriam
please the tast of a well-affected stomacke I confesse the fault is in the Cooke that hath prepared and dressed it I would therefore entreat thee to accept of these three Dishes and to consider the person that was the writer the person to whom he writeth and the person for whom he writeth The person that penned it was Paule the Apostle the person to whom it was written was Philemon the Maister the person for whom hee wrote was Onesimus the Seruant Vpon these three as on certaine pillers stand the maine drift and purpose of this whole Epistle heere expounded Touching the first o The person of the Writer of the Epistle which is Paul the Writer he doth not stile himself in this place as commonly he vseth An Apostle of Iesus Christ but The Prisoner of Christ and declareth that he begat Onesimus to the Faith in Prison It is honourable to the Saintes to suffer for the truthes sake The Apostles reioyced that they were p Actes 5 41. Iames 1 2. Counted worthy to endure afflictions and troubles in a good cause They endured imprisonment as Martyrs not as Malefactors as Preachers of the Gospell r 1 Pet. 1 15 not As Busie-bodies in other mens matters as doers of good not as euill doers neuer ceasing to further the saluation of others euen when their bodies were restrained of libertie and yet in this want of enlargement they were mighty in deede and word to worke the conuersion of such as resorted vnto them verifying the saying of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. 9. ſ 2 Tim. 2 9. I suffer trouble vnto bondes but the word of God is not bound Whiles he pleaded his cause in Chaines t Actes 16 28 hee had Almost caught Agrippa in the Chaine of the Gospell and wonne him to the Faith When he was come to Rome he would not be idle u Act. 28 17 23. but called the chiefe of the Iewes together and then expounded vnto them the way of Saluation testifying the Kingdome of God and perswading them those thinges that concerne Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets from morning to night Thus doth one say most truely of him When he was bound he was stronger then they that bound him when he was a Captiue he was freer then they that kept him and when his Iudges examined him he examined them and set them at libertie that were vnder the thraldome of sinne and Sathan It is truely said of the Wise-man x Prou. 11 30 Dan. 12 3. He that winneth Soules is wise and shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and such as turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer This wisedome is no where to be found no where to be sought no where to be learned but in the Word of GOD which is the wisedome of God and the power of God So then we see it is not the punishment that maketh a Martyr but the cause Some are punished as Malefactors some dye as Martyrs Ioseph was cast into the same y Gene. 39 20 and 40 3. Prison with the Butler and Baker of King Pharaoh They suffered imprisonment in the same place but the cause was not one for which they suffered Iosephs Maister tooke him and put him in Prison in the place where the kings Prisoners lay bound and there he was in Prison but because it was in a good cause and for a good conscience the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the Maister of the Prison The like we might say of Paule and Sylas who were not onely beaten with Rods but clapped vppe in close Prison with Malefactors but they were not without comfort in their sufferings z Actes 16 25 For At midnight they prayed and sung Psalmes vnto God so that the rest of the Prisoners heard them They suffered a 2 Tim. 2 9. As euill doers but not for euill doing And albeit they were Prisoners yet they were Christian Prisoners and when the body was ready to be offered and the time of their departure drew neere forgat b August ser de Sanct. Cypr. not their Apostolicall care of the Churches and watchfulnesse ouer the Lordes Flocke yea we see Paule in this place forgetteth not a base Seruant as shall bee shewed afterward Touching the second point c The person to whom Paul writeth we are to consider the person to whom Paule writeth which is to Philemon crauing at his hands the fruit of Christian Equitie and Moderation to forgiue him that had offended him according to the doctrine of the common Maister of them both Iesus Christ Luke 17. d Luk. 17. 3 4 Take heede to your selues if thy Brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if hee repent forgiue him and though hee sinne against thee seauen times in a day and seauen times in a day turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee Thou shalt forgiue him It is a great vertue in thee if thou e Isidor lib. 2. soliloqu wrong not him of whom thou art wronged It is great Fortitude if when thou art wronged thou remit it It is great Glory if thou be willing to spare him whom thou hadst power and ability to hurt As Christ taught forgiuenesse to others so he practised his owne Doctrine and f Luke 23 34. prayed for those that were his persecuters Philemon had bin greatly wronged by his false and theeuish seruant yet Paul craueth pardon for him vpon his repentance toward God and his submission toward his Maister It is the Doctrine of the g The doctrine of the Nouatiā Heretickes Nouatian Heretickes to deny hope of fauour and forgiuenesse to such as are fallen against whom Cyprian hath written a learned Epistle h Cypri ad Nouatian haeretic whereby they go about to kill whereas they should cure them that are wounded and to swallow vp them in despaire whom they ought to raise vp with comfort For they alledge that Christ threatneth k Math. 10 33 Whosoeuer shall deny him before men them will he deny before his Father which is in heauen But he vnderstandeth such as perseuer in it without repentance denying him vnto the end and forsaking him vnto the death such indeede he will disclaime and deny in the kingdome of his Father which plainely appeareth by the contrary in the opposite Member going before l Math. 10 32. where he promiseth that Whosoeuer shall confesse him before men them will hee also confesse before his Father which is in Heauen whereby hee meaneth such as continue in that confession and are faithfull without starting backward Peter being in the High-priests house did deny his Maister that chose him not only to bee an Apostle but to bee an elect vessell to preach the Gospell both to Iewes and Gentiles he denied him that bought him and redeemed him in word with an Oath with Cursing and Execration
horror of conscience vexation of spirit and confusion of face Woe then woe I say to all idle Ministers and sluggish people that when they are to bee gathered vnto their Fathers and ly vpon their death beds cannot remember what good they haue done but shall bee troubled and tormented with the consideration of this what good they might haue done that they might haue beene fruitfull trees but haue beene barren Good ground but haue beene euill These men haue nothing else to muse and meditate vpon but how they haue spent whol dayes and nights whole moneths and yeares in eating and drinking in feasting and company in pleasures and pastimes in surfetting and drunkennes and what comfort shall their poore distressed soule and languishing bodye feele in that day but crie out with a lamentable cry and a pittifull howling able to mooue the stones and to pierce the rockes that all is vanity and then condemne their folly that haue placed their happinesse in this vnhappinesse and the ioy of their spirit in this sorrow of their heart For if that be true which the Prophet saith o Psal 128 1 2 Prou. 10 4. Blessed is euerie one that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when thou eatest the labours of thine hands thou shalt be blessed and it shall be well with thee It is no doubt as true that such as eate not the fruit of their labors but eate the fruite of their lazinesse and loytering are accurssed This is it which our Sauiour addeth p Luke 12 45 46. If that seruant say in his heart My Maister doth deferre his comming and shall begin to smite the Seruants and Maidens and to eate and drinke and to be drunken The Maister of that seruant will come on a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers that Seruant that knew his Maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Where he teacheth that as eternall life is the reward of diligence and discharge of our duty so is eternal destruction the wages of all idle bellies Such as do no good to others shall know at the last that they haue indeed done no good vnto themselues The more seruiceable wee haue beene to others the more profitable shall we be in the end to our selues and the comfort of all shall be felt in our hearts when wee shall say with the Apostle q 2 Tim. 4 7 8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing A notable example heereof wee haue in Obadiah who was Gouernor of Ahabs house when he saw himselfe in distresse of famine in fear least Eliah should depart he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith the worship of God and the fauour shewed to his children and heerein hee was comforted When Iezebel r 1 Kin. 18 13 slew the Prophets of the Lord he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue and fed them with bread and water Let vs therefore neuer bee without such arguments to comfort vs wee shall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble and especially when we are going out of the world And that whatsoeuer good thing is in you through Christ Iesus may be knowne The Apostle in these wordes mentioneth this to be the cause why he would haue the guifts of God bestowed vpon Philemon to be communicated to others because by that meanes they might be made knowne to others and acknowledged by others and so spread abroad farre and neere Doctrine 3. The goodnesse of God toward our selues or other must be made knowne Wee learne from hence that it is the duty of euery one to manifest and shew forth yea to spread abroad and to speake of the guifts of God bestowed vpon themselues and others When God is good toward vs and distributeth his graces among vs we must be ready to confesse and acknowledge them when we feele them in our selues or see them in others This our Sauiour a Mat 5 16. teacheth Math. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Thus the spirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteousnesse of Noah the faith and obedience of Abraham the patience of Iob the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the single heart of Dauid the sincerity of Nathaniell the labours of Paule the repentance of Peter the restitution of Zacheus Christ Iesus publisheth the graces of God that shined in Iohn Baptist b Iohn 5 35. he saith he was a burning and shining Candle and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light The Apostle declareth c 1 Tim 4 14. that the faith of the Romanes is published throughout the whole world The praise of Timothy was noysed and notifyed in the Church wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings answearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him c 1 Tim 4 14. Despise not the guift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prohecie with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Eldership So likewise the fact of Mary annointing the body of Christ and working a good worke vpon him to bury him is commanded to be made knowne and not kept secret d Mat 26 13. Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached throughout all the world there shall also this that she hath done be spoken off for a memoriall of her Thus the Apostle remembreth the e 1 Thes 1 3. effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of that hope in our Lord Iesus Christ which was in the Thessalonians So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ierusalem that were in distresse All which Testimonies serue to teach vs that it is our duty to publish the guifes of God vpon vs or our bretheren not to hide them to spread them abroad not to smother them to make them knowne not to couer and conceale them to our selues Reason 1. And albeit these examples may be sufficient to moue vs to embrace this as a certain truth yet we haue sundry reasons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vnto vs. First to the end that Gods graces being seene knowne he may be glorified and blessed for them who is the author and giuer of them It ought to be our chiefest desire and study that God may haue his praise and glory among vs. This is that reason which Christ our Sauiour
see that many complaine of the hardnesse of the world of the straitnesse of the times and of the miserablenesse of many men Alas say they it neuer went worse with poore men wee know not what to do with our Children how to employ them or where to bestowe them except a man be able to giue a round and rich summe with his sonne he cannot get him a Maister or prouide him a seruice or bind him to a trade or place him to get his liuing another day But vnderstand O yee vnwise among the people and ye Fooles when will ye be wise How long will wee liue in the Church and yet not learne this one lesson which is the foundation and fountaine of al the rest that godlinesse is the greatest gaine Bind them to this trade this is the best trade with which no other can bee matched or compared this requireth no great stocke or substance to put them foorth They that haue nothing to giue and little to liue vpon may asloon aduance and preferre their children this way as they that haue great riches large possessions Hence it is that the Prophet saith m Esay 55 1 2 Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and ye that haue no Siluer come buy and eate Come I say buy Wine and Milke without Siluer and without Money wherefore do yee lay out Siluer and not for Bread And your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse Whereby we see that whosoeuer are called to be of this Science it wil be able to maintaine the Tradesmen it will bring in the greatest profit There are so many of some Trades that they feare one will not bee able to liue by another one enuyeth another and hindereth another It is not so in this Trade the moe the better the moe the merrier euery one helpeth another and all do make vp a blessed fellowship and communion of Saints If then thou haue a care to put thy sonne to an Occupation that he may learn to liue another day and neglectest this which is the cheefe and ground of all thou art greatly deceiued in thy choise and Christ Iesus shall laugh thee to scorn for thy folly Let me therefore commend this waighty businesse of bestowing thy sonne to thy wise consideration a greater gaine I cannot name a richer trade thou canst not finde a better Maister hee cannot serue a farther freedome he cannot obtaine a surer inheritance he cannot purchase This is it which Salomon pointeth out vnto vs Prou. 22 6. Teach a childe in the trade of his way and when he is old he shall not depart from it Furthermore if we desire to haue our Seruants that attend vpon vs and labour for vs to be obedient and faithfull vnto vs painfull in their calling and trusty in their businesse let vs know that we our selues must be the means to procure it and further it by seeking their saluation and labouring earnestly their conuersion If they be truly Religious they will be truely righteous if they once know how to serue God faithfully they will soone learn to serue vs faithfully for Conscience sake Many haue euill seruants and vngracious Children they see it they complaine of it they seeme to lament it but they neuer consider that the cheefest fault is their owne Haue wee Seruants or Children giuen to lying to deceiuing to fraude to falshood to robbing and stealing and breaking out into sundry disorders in their life Let vs marke what the cause is let vs see where is the occasion and let vs prouide howe these abuses may be remedied and redressed There is no better way to recouer them then to teach them their duties to shewe them their sinnes out of the word of God and to lay before them his Iudgements that are due vnto them It is a great blessing of God to haue a Religious seruant he bringeth the blessing of God with him the heart of his Maister may trust in him and he shall haue no neede of spoile he will do him good and not euill all the dayes of his life This wee see in the seruant of Abraham who as hee had a care to teach and traine vp his housholde in the wayes of godlinesse so the Lord blessed him with a faithfull family and a n Gen. 24 42. religious seruant whom hee employed in a waighty businesse of fetching home a Wife for his Sonne Isaac The like we see in Ioseph he was sold for a slaue and brought down into Egypt and bought at the hand of the Ishmaelites And the Lorde o Gen. 39 2 3. was vvith him and he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his Maister the Egiptian and his Maister saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand So afterward when as thorough â—he slanderous accusation and false information of his Mistris he was cast into prison p Psal 105 18 where he was laid in Irons and his feete were held in the stockes the Lord made his innocency known and shewed mercy vnto him and got him fauour in the sight of the Maister of the prison q Gen. 39 22. and the Keeper of the prison committed to Iosephs hand all the prisoners that were in the prison whatsoeuer they did there that did he and the Keeper of the prison looked vnto nothing that was vnder his hand seeing that the Lorde was with him for whatsoeuer he did the Lord made it to prosper Beholde heere in Ioseph as in a cleare glasse the right picture and patterne of a right religious seruant who being a poore prisoner and lying in a darke Dungeon beeing vniustly falne into the displeasure of his Maister and wrongfully cast into a close prison did in that wofull and pittifull condition both gain glory to God beautifie his owne profession and seeke the good of his Maister that put his trust in him For no man is in so low and meane an estate if he be a poore Seruant a base Kitchen boy or a vile prisoner but by diligence in his Calling such as it is and by shewing fidelity to his Maister such as he is may greatly glorify the name of God whom he doth serue and adorne the Gospell of Christ which he doth professe Hence it is that the Apostle exhorting all religious seruants saith r 1 Tim. 6 1 2 Titus 2 10. Let as many seruants as are vnder the yoake count their Maisters woorthy of all honour that the name of God and his Gospell be not euill spoken of and that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things The example of Iacob also is worth and worthy the obseruation in this case who albeit he serued an hard froward Maister yet he rather considered what he ought to doe then what the other deserued to suffer so that he witnesseth
multitude of his compassions Doth he see vs any better by Nature then others whome hee hath reiected and refused No in no wise We are of the same moulde with them and by nature no better then they Let vs not stand vpon the righteousnesse of our owne nature or the deserts of our own works or the goodnesse of our Ancestors but seeke to haue grace in our hearts x Ouid. Metamorph lib. 13. Quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco and not to call that our owne which we our selues haue not done The Father shall not be saued by the Childe nor the Childe by the Father y Ezek. 18 25 26 27. but euery man shall confesse the wayes of God to bee equall and giue an account for himselfe Manie godly and faithfull parents haue had children appointed to wrath and reserued to destruction and therefore whether our fore-fathers were beleeuers or vnbeleeuers let not vs looke so much vpon them to glory in them or to rest vpon them or think to be saued by them as enter into our selues and labor to approue our obedience in the sight of God Vse 3. Thirdly seeing that in good houses are found euill persons it putteth all Parents and Maisters in minde of a necessary duty and offereth them comfort in the discharge of their duty Their duty is not to forget or neglect to pray vnto God earnestly constantly and continually for Gods blessing vpon his labours in their family For when wee haue doone our best endeuours and vsed the greatest diligence there remaineth somwhat behinde to be performed for our Children and people euen to wait for the encrease of our labors and the worke of Gods Spirit to season and sanctifie their hearts that belong vnto vs. It is not the outward worke of teaching that can conuert the soule and reforme the life We can but speake vnto the eare it is God that speaketh vnto the heart Hence it is that some beleeue and others blaspheme some are bettered by the word others are made worse by instruction and become desperate and extreamly wicked as the Sun that softneth the wax and hardneth the Clay The Iewes that were fedde by the word z Acts 13 45. and 19 9. were filled with enuie and contemned the ordinance of God offered vnto them and spake euill of the way of God and the meanes of saluation So it was with Pharaoh the more Moses and Aaron spake vnto him so much the more his heart was hardened For the word thorough the corruption of our nature is as an Hammer that hardeneth the Anuile as a fire that consumeth the Stubble and as a Raine that bringeth vppe briars and bushes that are reserued to be burned There is no godly Housholder but if he be diligent to marke the manners and to know the behauiour of the people about him he shall espy not onely many vnreformed in themselues but secret enemies to reformation in others So that it is their parts to entreat God both before and after the meanes vsed to make them effectuall and profitable and to desire him to encline their hearts to practise and obedience We must follow the example of the Husbandman who after the sowing of his seede and Tilling of his ground a Iames 5 7. looketh for the early and the latter raine to come from heauen so must we call vpon God our Heauenly Father to send a gracious raine to moysten their hard hearts and so to soften them as that they may bee fit to receyue instruction This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth b Ier. 31 18. I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an vntamed Calfe conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lord my God And in another place the Church saith c Lamen 5 21 Turne thou vnto vs O Lord and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old Whereby we see that we must depend vppon God to poure out his grace vpon them and to beginne in them the work of regeneration Moreouer this serueth to comfort all faithfull Parents and godly Maysters who haue with a good conscience beene carefull to discharge their duties and to reforme their families albeit many remaine obstinate and continue setled in the Dregges of their sinnes It is vnpossible for the d Ier. 13 23. blacke Moore to change his skin and the Leopard his spots it is hard for them to do good that are accustomed to do euill Our labour shall not bee in vaine to our selues albeit it be in vaine to others our worke shall return into our owne bosome albeit it will not enter into the bosome and breast of others This is it which Christ our Sauiour saide to his Disciples whom he sent vnto the lost Sheepe of the house of Israell When e Math. 10 12 13. ye come into an house salute the same and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you Our carefull endeuours shall be rewarded of God albeit they be smally regarded of men they are approued in Heauen albeit reproued reiected in earth When the Prophet Esay bringeth in the Lord Iesus complaining that his preaching tooke none effect among the vnthankfull people of his owne hard-hearted Nation hee comforteth himselfe in this assurance that he knew his labors should not be in vain in the Lord f Esay 49 4. I said I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my work with my God So shal it be with euery one of vs that are deuout and diligent in doing our duties and in instructing our families God will not measure our paines by their profit nor reward our diligence according to their negligence g 1 Cor. 3 8. For euery man shall receiue his wages according to his labour This ought to be an encoragement to al men to take pains with their people and to comfort them against al discomforts that arise in their way to slake their diligence to cool their zeal to hinder their paines and to stop the course that happily they haue begun to win their families to a loue of the truth Vse 4. Lastly seeing euill persons are found where good meanes are vsed it teacheth all those that are vnder the gouernment of godly Masters not to blesse themselues as though they were happy because they dwell not in prophane places because they serue not prophane Maisters because they are partakers of instruction which many thousandes want but it belongeth vnto them to labor by all meanes to make the vse of the meanes offered vnto them to bee fruitfull and effectual for their saluation For as when we come into the congregation of the faithfull we ought to bee prepared and fitted to receiue the spirituall food of our soules so in comming to the priuate exercises of
from whence he came Doctrine 5. The Gospel doth not abolish or diminish ciuil ordinances and distinct degrees among men Heereby we learne that the Gospell of Christ doth not dissolue or abolish but confirme establish ciuill ordinances distinct degrees and politick constitutions among men as between Princes and Subiects Parents and Children Husband and Wife Maister and Seruants Superiors and Inferiors This appeareth in many places of the worde where the seuerall and distinct duties of n Rom. 13 1. seuerall and distinct callings are mentioned and required by the Apostle Heereunto commeth that which he setteth downe Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God Likewise o Ephes 5 22 25. 6 1 2 5 9. Col. 3 18 19 20 21 22. writing to the Ephesians he chargeth Wiues to submit themselues vnto their husbands as vnto the Lorde he willeth Husbands to loue their wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it he requireth of Children to obey their Parents in the Lorde for this is right he commaundeth Fathers not to prouoke their Children to vvrath least they be discouraged but to bring them vppe in instruction and information of the Lord he prescribeth vnto Seruants to be obedient vnto them that are their Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of their hearts as vnto Christ and he setteth downe the duties of Maisters that they should deale iustly with their seruants putting away threatning knowing that euen their Maister also is in Heauen with whom there is no respect of persons In like manner when he writeth to Timothy he saith p 1 Tim. 6 1. Titus 2 9 10 and 3 1. Let as many Seruantes as are vnder the yoake count their Maisters worthy of all honour that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And Titus 2. Let Seruants bee subiest to their Maisters and please them in all things not answearing againe neither pickers but that they shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things for that grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared The like exhortations and establishing of ciuill ordinances we see in Peter q 1 Pet 2 13 14 and 3 1 2 7 Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto the Superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers and for the praise of them that do well So likewise hee chargeth the Wiues to bee Subiect to their Husbands that euen they which obey not the word may without the word hee won by the conuersation of the wiues while they beholde their pure conuersation which is with feare And the Husbands he teacheth That they should dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honour vnto the woman as vnto the weaker vessell euen as they which are heyres together of the grace of life that their prayers be not interrupted Christ our Sauiour willeth vs to r Math. 22 21. Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the thinges that are Gods The Apostle hath heaped together manie such precepts vnto the same Å¿ 1 Cor. 7 3 5 10 11 12 13 20 21 22. purpose 1 Cor. 7. Let the Husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence and likewise the wife vnto the Husband defraude not one another except it bee with consent for a time vnto the married I commaund not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from her Husband and let not the Husbande put away his wife If any Brother haue a wife that beleeueth not if shee bee content to dwell with him let him not forsake her and the woman that hath an Husbande which beleeueth not if hee bee content to dwell with her let her not forsake him Let euerie man abide in the same Vocation vvherein hee was called Bretheren let euerie man wherein hee was called therein abide with GOD. All these rules and commaundements serue to teach vs this truth that howsoeuer the gospel doth make vs al as brethren and ioyne vs together in one body yet it doth not abrogat and abolish the difference betweene man and man and bring in an Anarchy and confusion but setleth a distinction betweene Prince and subiect betweene Maister and seruant betweene high and low Reason 1. This Doctrine of the gospel will better appeare if we marke the reasons For first God is not the author of confusion and disorder but of peace and order Look vpon al the creatures of God in heauen earth on high and beneath and we shal be constrained to cry out with the prophet t Psal 104 24 O Lord how manifold are thy works In wisedom hast thou made them al the earth is full of thy riches Al tumult and sedition al disorder and insurrection commeth from the deuill he is the author thereof For he first brought in sin and sin brought in disorder Hence it is that the apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14 33 40. Colos 2 5 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in al the churches of the Saints He commandeth that al things be done honestly and in order he commendeth the goodly order that is obserued among the faithfull and therefore he teacheth not any disorders nor alloweth them where they are Reason 2. Secondly Christ came not into the world to abolish the Lawe but to establish it x Mat. 5 17 18 as he testifieth Mat. 5. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shal not escape till all things be fulfilled Now we know that the moral Law commandeth the honor of Father and Mother that is of all superiors who beare a part of his image If then the end of his comming were to ratifie the Law then it followeth that the Law making a difference betweene superiors and inferiors remaineth and shall remaine in his full strength power and vertue Reason 3. Thirdly the Gospell commaundeth hearty obedience as vnto God and therefore doth not dissolue or disanull true obedience nay it is a praise and ornament to the Gospel when all sortes walke in the duties of their seuerall Callings and specially such as are the obedience of others Seruants are the lowest condition in the Church and yet the Apostle teacheth that by vprighnesse of their life and obedience to their Maister for Conscience sake y Titus 3 10. 1 Tim. 6 1. they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and on the other side by the euil life stubbornesse and disobedience of seruants that professe
the knowledge of the Gospell the name of God and his Doctrine is blasphemed and euill spoken of Likewise speaking of beleeuing Wiues that haue vnbeleeuing Husbands he putteth them in minde of subiection to the end that by their holy conuersion they may winne their husbandes to embrace true Religion To this purpose the Apostle Paul teacheth seruants to be obedient to them that are their Maisters according to the flesh and chargeth them z Col. 3 22 23 that whatsoeuer they do they do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Seeing therefore that God is the authour of order not of confusion seeing Christ came not to abolish but to establish the Lawe and lastly seeing the Gospell teacheth subiection and doth not release or acquite any of their duty it followeth that the gospel doth not bring in parity and equality among al the Mother of al mischiefe but discerneth and distinguisheth of the Callings of men it doth not giue liberty to peruert all order it maketh not Seruants to be Maisters and Maisters to be seruants but directeth euery one to keepe his place and to abide in his vocation Vse 1. Seeing this is the honor commendation of the gospel let vs see what Vses arise from the knoledge of this point First of al we conclude from hence necessarily that it hath alwaies bin a lying deuise and diuellish slander to Christian religion to be the author and fauorer of carnal liberty and to Christian professors to be enemies to states and commonwealths to magistrats lawes ciuil ordinances This hath alwaies bin the accusation of slāderous tongs to brand the Gospell as the breeder and bringer in of all vprores and conspiracies yet there is no Doctrine vnder the Heauen that lesse deserueth to bee defamed For the Gospell was a friend to Princes when Princes were enemies to the Gospell it teacheth to be subiect vnto them to pray to God for them to obey all their godly constitutions and therefore it is the Father of lies and enemy of al truth that hath sought to disgrace discredit the holy truth of God and such as in truth do embrace it Hee seeth and perceiueth that if the Gospel stand his kingdome must fal if the Gospel florish his kingdome must decay Hence it is that the church people of God haue in al ages and times of the world bin accused of rebellions treasons seditions insurrections many other greeuous impieties Heerof the scripture experience affoord plentiful examples In the book of Ezra the enemies accuse the guiltles Iewes z Ezra 4 15. 1 King 18 17. Ester 3 6. to be a rebellious people that they haue of old bin alwaies giuen to sedition Ahab burdeneth Elias that it was he his fathers house that trobled Israel Haman suggesteth vnto the king against the Iewes that their lawes were diuers from al people that they did not obserue the kings lawes and therfore it was not for the kings profit to suffer them The Apostles are accused to be authors of sedition troublers of cities raisers of tumults causers of rebellion breakers of lawes and teachers of ordinances not lawful to receiue they said of them b Acts 16 19 20. and 24 5. These men that are Iewes trouble our City they preach ordinances which are not lawful for vs to receiue neither to obserue seeing we are Romans Where we see they couer their couetousnesse with a shadowe pretence of standing against innouation but they discouer the hollownesse hypocrisie of their harts when they ioyn trobling of the state and preaching of the gospell together Whereby it appeareth that their troubling of the city was nothing els but because they preached the word which the deuill his instruments could not beare and abide Paule is accused by Tertullus to be a pestilent fellow and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes thoroughout the world and that he taught al men euery where against the law of Moses And no maruel for thus they dealt with the son of God when he taught the truth without mixture of error and without respect of person he was accounted accused not onely to be a Sorcerer a Samaritan a Drunkard a glutton a deceiuer a deuil c Luke 23 2. but an enemy to Caesar and a troubler of the publick peace Now al these things being considered let vs remember what the Lord Iesus sayth to vs d Iohn 15 20. The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you The heathē after Christs time cried out against the christians that they were the authors and causes of al publick plagues calamities that fel vpon kingdoms countries If Nilus flowed not ouer the fields if the heauen stayed if the earth quaked if famine encreased if the pestilence continued by and by the poor Christians as the sheep of Christ were cast vnto the lyons They charged them to make priuy conspiracies e Euseb lib. 5. cap. 11. Tertulli in Apologel Cyprian contra Demetrian to deuise secret counsels against the commonwealth to murther children to feed themselues with mans flesh and to practise all Iniquity they were so blinded that they could not perceiue that their Idolatries brought Gods iudgments Thus we see how the church hath lien open to all false surmises and suggestions of sedition But what can be immagined more vniust or vetrue If there be any peace in this world in any lande it is for the Gospels sake and it commeth through the bountifulnesse of God for his peoples sake that call vppon him Neuerthelesse as the Gentiles dealt with the Iewes and Christians from time to time so doe the wicked in these dayes with the godly they lay to their charge that they keep no lawes that they disobey Princes that they are seditious and tumultuous and enemies to the State If we see or heare the Saints of God thus handled and euilly intreated we must know that this is an olde deuise of the deuill practised against the Prophets against Christ against the Apostles and against all true Christians euen from the beginning And let this serue to comfort vs when wee finde such slaunderous imputations and accusations layde to our charge considering that thus they haue reuiled and railed vppon the Seruants of GOD that haue beene before vs in all times and that wee haue Christ Iesus the witnesse of our innocency who if not in this life yet in the life to come will reueale the thinges that are hidden in darknesse and bring to light the things that are couered In the mean season we must remember f Math. 5 11. that they are pronounced blessed that are reuiled and persecuted for righteousnesse sake and wee must labour to conuince them not so much by words as by deeds g Demosth de corona answearing the falshood of their slanders by the vprightnesse of our liues which shal be able to speak
earth and licke vp the dust of thy feet That is they shall reuerence and serue Christ and his Church and they shall account it no dishonour vnto them to do any good to the Saints All these Testimonies serue as so many proofes to witnesse this truth that wee must account this our condition that we are all as Seruants to doe seruice to our Brethren and to imploy our selues and best endeuours to do them good according to their wants Reason 1. The reasons follow which will cause this Doctrine to sinke deeper into vs and make the truth appeare without all gaine-saying First whatsoeuer gifts are bestowed vppon vs to this end they are bestowed to profit with all to helpe one another and to edifie that body whereof we are members We are all Fellow-members of one body and therefore are bound to releeue and refresh our Brethren Euery member serueth one another are for the whole Nature it selfe in other things teacheth vs this duty The Sunne as the eye of the World shineth not for it selfe it yeildeth not heat for it selfe but for others The clouds which are as the bottels of heauen do not drop down raine for themselues but for others The earth which is as the Mother of these inferiour things bringeth forth Hearbs and Grasse and Fruit and Corne for the vse of man and not for it owne benefit This comparison drawne from the members of the body seruing one another and euery one caring for the whole is often vrged by the Apostle He teacheth that p Rom. 12 4 5. and 1 Cor. 12 20 25 26. As wee haue many Members in one Bodie and all Members haue not one office so we beeing many are one Bodie in Christ and euerie one one anothers Members And in another place There are many Members yet but one Bodie the Members should haue a care one of another least there should be any diuision in the Bodie Therefore if one Member suffer all suffer with it if one Member be had in honour all the Members reioyce with it If then one of the Members of our naturall body be ready to doe seruice to the other to the whole it should be our care to do the like that are of the Mysticall body of Christ Iesus from whom as from the head we receiue all influence of spirituall grace necessary to saluation Reason 2. Secondly it is our duty to follow the example of our Lord and Maister Christ Iesus he came to serue not to be serued to Minister not to be ministred vnto to redeeme not to rule This our Sauiour preached to his Disciples when they began to thinke of Lordship and to disdaine one another q Mar. 10 43 44. Whosoeuer will be great among you shall be your Seruant and whosoeuer will bee cheefe of you shall be the Seruant of all for euen the Son of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many Where hee sheweth that the way to true honour is to serue so that the greater seruice we doe to the Brethren the greater honour we shall receiue at the handes of God The greater our seruice is the greater shall be our reward when euery one shall receiue according vnto his work This we see farther strengthned vnto vs in the example of Christ who humbled himselfe to wash his disciples feete and to wipe them with a Towell being washed and saide vnto them r Iohn 13 4 12 13 14 15. Know ye what I haue done vnto you Ye call me Maister and Lord and ye say well for so am I if I then your Lord and Maister haue washed your feet ye ought also to wash one anothers feete for I haue giuen you an example that ye should do euen as I haue done to you the Seruant is not greater then his Maister nor the Ambassadour greater then he that sent him We are taught to set Christ the most absolute example before our eyes to learne humblenesse of minde and the duty of seruice one to another we must consider him in his glory and in his humilitie First in his glory as our King as our head as our Lord and as our Maister then in his humility as abased and humbled in our Flesh vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse When we haue done this then we are thus to reason with our selues hath Christ in his great glory cast downe himselfe for my sake and ought not I if I were the highest vpon earth stoope downe to my equals Ought not I that am his Subiect his body his Disciple his Seruant to serue the necessities of my Fellow-seruants Thus the Apostle commending Loue to the Saints and meeknes of minde leadeth vs to Christ Å¿ Phil. 2 4 5 6 Looke not euery man on his owne thinges but euery Man also on the thinges of other Men let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of GOD thought it no robberie to be equall with GOD he made himselfe of no reputation he tooke on him the forme of a Seruant hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death If then we looke vnto Christ Iesus the Authour and Finisher of our Saluation we haue him as a perfect example without blemish and as a pure Glasse without staine to looke vpon who in the greatest glorie hath shewed the greatest abasement in the greatest honor he hath set before vs the greatest humility Reason 3. Thirdly true Religion consisteth in ministring to the Saints in helping and succouring of the poore in imploying himselfe to the good of others as a Candle that spendeth wasteth it selfe to giue light to them that are in the house It consisteth not in bare knowledge but in practise not in an idle Faith but in the fruits of loue This the Prophet Esay sheweth and sets down t Esay 58 10. If thou poure out thy Soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shal thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day And the Lord shall guide thee continually he shall satisfie thy Soule in drought he shall make fat thy bones so that thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a Spring of Water whose Waters faile not Meaning that they which releeue the poore and comfort such as are comfortlesse their light shall neuer bee put out but shine for euer God will be their comfort in the day of trouble and he will recompence aboundently their good workes Seeing then the giufts u 1 Cor. 12 7. that we haue are giuen to euery man to profit his Fellow-members withall seeing we are to tread in the steps of our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ and seeing the truth of Religion standeth in the fruits of loue we may conclude necessarily the former Doctrine that we ought to account it no disgrace vnto vs to abase our selues to do seruice and to Minister
they are done more then what is done This is it which the Apostle expresseth 2 Cor. 8 12. If there bee first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not This layeth before vs the abundant kindnesse of God who albeit he be a spirit euery way perfect yet he accepteth our lame and defectiue seruice Our duties shall be all acceptable in his sight though they bee performed in great weakenesse and mingled with many imperfections which were sufficient to cause them to be reiected and refused if we be carefull to do them in the truth and vprightnesse of our hearts and with chearefull and ready minds All things must be done in loue and this must bee considered in all the workes of our hands This ministreth a double comfort First vnto such as are of poore and lowe degree to consider that GOD regardeth the heart more then the hand and our willingnesse more then our worke Hence it is that euen seruants whose condition is lowest in the family and which meddle not in great matters or in waighty affaires or in excellent works yet are charged with this affection and in sincerity to behaue themselues in those inferiour duties x Col 3 22 23 Ephes 6 5. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Where he sheweth that seruants must do their duties not as seruing for the penny or ayming at the filling of their belly or contenting themselues to please their maisters eie but euen as seruing God looking for a recompence from him knowing that he hath placed them in that estate requireth those things in truth and sincerity to be performed as vnto him For the Lord doth not see as man seeth he doth not look to the outward action but he beholdeth with what hart al things are done and therfore measureth according to euery mans deed whether he be high or low rich or poore Lord or Seruant The best hart hath the best recompence the worst hart hath the worst wages There is a great difference between work and work some are great some litle some beautiful some base some high some mean some low but whatsoeuer I do if I do it chearfully as seruing my master Christ that looketh vpon me albeit my calling be neuer so simple as to wash dishes to wipe shooes to scoure the spit to sweep the house I please God therein as well as he that manageth a kingdom that ministreth Iustice that preacheth the gospel True it is the work is greater to rule the affairs of State then to remain in the kitchen yet he shal be better accepted of God that performeth these smal things hartily then he that doth the greatest works grudgingly either drawn by importunity or cōpeld by necessity Thus it doth fal out that a poor seruant carrying this mark and testimony with him is more acceptable to the Lord then he that hath done greater things to the iudgment of the eie to the shew of the world and to the sight of men Secondly this serueth as a singuler comfort to euery one of vs that groane vnder the burden of sin that feele the weaknesse of our faith and are dismaied at the smalnesse of our sanctification Wee know how busie Satan is to watch his aduantage of our infirmities and imperfections to perswade vs that we haue no faith at all that we are without repentaunce without grace and without regeneration because we feele great defects and many wants in our best workes and our best gifts But this must comfort vs that God accepteth of that measure that he hath giuen vs euen according to that which we haue not according to that which we haue not A weak faith shal be as auayleable to apprehend Christ as a strong faith If we haue a desire and an hungering after grace z Psal 145 15 and 10 17. He will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and saue them God hath assured vs that as hee hath begun his good worke in vs so he will finish his work and in his good time bring it to perfection When we finde any dulnesse and vntowardnesse in our selues if we hate and dislike them and labor to profite and grow forward in sanctification God accepteth our willingnesse and readinesse though our strength be not answerable to our desire or the outward worke answereable to our hart For God is faithful and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue the strength that he shal giue vs and the Lord Iesus is a merciful Highpriest who will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Let vs al therefore looke that a willing and ready mind be found in vs. Againe this must be considered in all things If we come to hear the word and to exercise the duties of Gods worship if we do it for fashion sake for feare of the law for the praise of men or for custom they are nothing worth they ought to be performed in obedience to God in loue of his ordinance in delight of his worship in singlenesse of heart and in an earnest affection to the meanes of our saluation The like we might say of giuing of almes and liberality toward the poore if they be not bestowed with promptnesse of minde with compassion of heart and with feeling of the wants of those that craue our helpe they are nothing at all respected of God nor they that distribute thē rewarded of him Vse 2 Secondly seeing only that duty which is done freely and not by compulsion deserueth due commendation this reproueth al those things that are don vpon wrong grounds and euil foundations It is not enough to doe a good thing but we must do it well It is not sufficient to do those things that are godly but we must do them in a godly manner Let euery one heerein carefully examine his soule and try his owne heart whether hee do the duties of his calling vnwillingly vncomfortably and vpon necessity for feare of danger for auoyding of shame for keeping of his credit for praise of the world or such like causes which are all false motiues or whether he do them hartily and chearfully as in the sight of God before whom all things are naked open This is to be considered as well of the Minister himselfe as of the people that heare him and are partakers of his labours The calling a The Minister must preach willingly and of a readie minde of the Minister is an high and mighty calling he is the Steward of God and a watchman ouer the people for whose soules hee must giue an account in that great day of the Lord. It is not enough for vs to labour among them though wee should worke and
wearie and toyle our selues neuer so much but wee must do it diligently and chearfully as seruing Christ the Shepheard of the sheepe If the chiefe end that we respect be to maintaine our selues to liue easily and to increase in riches we haue our reward Or if we preach vnto them because the law doth enforce vs and enioyne vs vnto it and because otherwise the people would cry shame vpon vs if reaping their Temporall things wee do not giue them Spirituall b 2 Tim. 2 4. or if wee so intangle our selues in the affaires of this life that we cannot intend the duties of our calling we cannot possibly please him that hath chosen vs to be as Souldiers to fight his battels and hath appointed vs to be as Shepheards to watch his flocke It standeth vs vpon to be so touched with a care of our duties as that if there were no Lawe to compell vs and vrge vs to be painfull therein yet the zeale of Gods glory and loue of his people should constraine vs. Hence it is that the Apostle Paule speaking of his owne practise saith c 1 Cor. 9 16 17. Though I preach the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for a necessity is layde vpon me and wo is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell for if I do it willingly I haue a reward but if I doe it against my will notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee Whereby we see he sheweth that such a necessity of the diuine calling did presse sore vppon him that he must preach or perish For if he held his peace and did not do his duty the curse of God would lye hard and heauy vpon his shoulders and bring such intollerable torments vpon him as should make him cry out wo woe alas alas what a wretch am I yet notwithstanding this necessitie hee must haue a willing minde and do his duty gladly A good work done willingly is made much better by the willing doing Againe there is nothing so easie d Terent. Adelph act 4. scen 6. but it becommeth difficult and vnpleasant hard and tedious which a man doth by compulsion No man therefore hath done his duty or discharged his calling that worketh against his wil. Ionah the Prophet went to Niniuie against his will e Ion. 1 3 and 4 2 and 2 1. he could haue wished that his preaching had taken no effect so that he was chastned of God When Moses was called to go to Pharaoh to charge him to let the people goe that they might serue the Lord in the wildernesse f Exod. 4 1 10 13 14. hee prouoked God to anger because he delayed the matter and excused himself framed obiections and shewed himself backward to enter on the work Hence it is that Peter speaketh to al the Ministers of the gospel g 1 Pet 5 2 4 Feed the flock of God that dependeth vpon you caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind c. that when the chief shepherd shal appear ye may receiue an incorruptible crown of glory That which is not done willingly is not performed conscionably and where there is not found readinesse of mind there cannot be looked for any recompence The Prophets of God being inwardly touched with a feeling of Gods effectual calling haue obeyed imediatly and ran whether he sent them to preach The Prophet Esay speaking of himself saith h Esay 6 8. I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send Or who shall go for vs Then I sayde Heere am I send me When Christ Iesus called Simon and Andrew his brother and said vnto them i Marke 1 18. Follow me and I will make you Fishers of men they forsooke their Nettes straight way and followed him The like we see in Paul when he was conuerted and called by a voyce from heauen k Acts 26 19. Gal 1 15 16. hee was not disobedient to the heauenly voice and vision he communicated not with flesh and blood but prepared himselfe to the worke whereunto he was separated from his mothers wombe This practise ought to be in all of vs that are entred into this calling we must labour chearefully willingly and gladly that the worke may prosper and go forward vnder our hands The end of our labour should bee the saluation of mens soules the drift of our sowing to see a plentifull haruest and the purpose of our preaching to make ready a people prepared for the Lorde Secondly such as are hearers l The people are to do their duties willingly among the people are from hence also to learne their duty to do those thinges that are required of them not daily but dilligently not heauily but heartily as to the Lord. Many seem desirous to haue the Gospell but they would haue it of free cost and therefore repine at the costs and charges it bringeth with it If we giue maintenance to the Ministery not for conscience but of necessity not for loue to the Gospel but by compulsion of Law not as a free-will offering to God for the recompence of his kingdome among vs but as a taxation which we cannot resist to retain with vs or detaine from them accounting the Gospell not a benefit wherein we delight but a burthen which we should shake and shift off if wee might it is our sinne and eo acceptable seruice vnto God For God in this respect loueth a chearfull giuer These men are wholly carnall and regard not the saluation of their soules If they haue an Horse-keeper that dresseth their horses or a Shepheard that watcheth their Sheep or an Heardman that looketh to their Swine or a Cobler that mendeth their shooes they are more willing to consider him for his paines and to recompence his labors then to minister to the necessities of the Minister They thinke that well gotten that is gotten from him and that ill spent imployed that is bestowed vpon him Again as we are to giue them a liberall maintenance chearfully so when wee come to the exercises of our religion wee must come vnto them willingly not vnwillingly ioyfully not tediously For as he is accursed m Ier. 48 10. that doth the worke of the Lord negligently so is hee also accursed that commeth into the house of the lord grudgingly and grieuously not as one delighting in the work but as one discoraged with the wearinesse whether it be of the way or of the word He is an euil seruant that doth his maisters busines committed vnto him vnpleasantly vntowardly he is an vnfaithful subiect that obeyeth the lawes of his Prince by compulsion he is a disobedient child that performeth his Fathers wil against his wil honoreth him without his hart So he is an euill and vnfaithful hearer that treadeth in the Lords courts vnwillingly reioyseth not when the time commeth to perform his duty vnto him It is noted of the people of God that they
from the secret worke of Gods prouidence which may be thus concluded If the prouidence of God haue gouerned his departure that by occasion thereof he is changed for his good and for thine that he might bee saued and thou better serued then receiue him againe vnto thee But the prouidence of God hath guided his departure c. Therefore receiue him againe vnto thee The second reason is contained in the 16. verse because Onesimus of a Seruant is mâ—de a Brother to Paule much more to Philemon and therefore to be loued exceedingly being bound by a double band to wit in the Flesh in the Faith In the Flesh as a Seruant In the Faith as a Christian whereas Paule had onely one cause to loue him namely the common Faith This reason may be thus framed If Onesimus of a bad Seruant be made a good Seruant yea more then a Seruant euen a Brother much to be loued then receiue him But Onesimus is become more then a Seruant Therefore receiue him Thus we see how the Apostle intermingleth Reasons with Obiections and Obiections with Reasons So then according to the former order and Interpretation of the words the summe of them is thus much in effect But thou will say vnto me He ranne away from me I graunt indeede and cannot deny but that his purpose was wicked and I acknowledge the cause that mooued him to leaue thee and to forsake thy house to be very leud to wit the feare of punishment for his offences but looke looke I say vnto the end purpose and counsell of God in his departure from thee which appeareth to be farre from the drift and intent of Onesimus to wit by his flight to bring him to Rome by bringing of him to Rome to direct him to me in prison by directing of him to me to conuert him to Christ and by conuerting of him to Christ to change him from a bad and leud to a faithfull and profitable seruant What said I a Seruant nay a degree higher euen a Brother Consider therefore I pray thee how many waies thou art to respect this my sonne Onesimus and to accept of him For in that he is now ioyned to thee in the common fellowship of the Faith through the great mercies of God in Christ thou art bound to regard him hence-forth not as an ordinary Seruant but as a deare Brother in Christ equall with thy selfe in the Couenant of grace and the inheritance of eternall life withall remember how many waies he is ioyned to thee rather then to me He is for the common faiths sake deare I confesse to me and tenderly beloued but he is bound to thee by two bands first in respect of the flesh in that he is of thy charge and family he is thy Seruant and an helper of thee in the meanes of thy outward maintenance and withall in the Lord Iesus our common Maister hee is thy Brother and fellow-heire of the same promises being together with thee a member of his body Now the more waies we are bound to any the more we should regard them he is deare indeede to me but he is neerer to thee then me and therefore he ought to be much dearer to thee in regard of this coniunction betweene you Diuers points to be obserued From these verses diuers worthy considerations doe arise which are not vnprofitable to be obserued of vs. First marke that the Apostle entitleth the shamefull running away of Onesimus the Seruant of Philemon by the Name of a departure If we will speake properly a departing is one thing a running away is another thing For albeit euery one that runneth away departeth yet euery one that departeth runneth not away from his Maister because he may depart by consent either hauing leaue and licence or that the time of his seruice is expired So a little before verse 11. he called him Vnprofitable whereas hee might lawfully haue giuen him an harder Title This was not done in regard of the offence because it was small but in regard of his repentance because it was great So he speaketh afterward ver 18. If he haue hurt thee or if he oweth thee any thing whereas he might haue saide he had robbed him and stolne his goods from him declaring that we should deale friendly and fauourably with those that are truely conuerted to God we are not to augment and agrauate a Penitents offences but to bee gentle and mercifull toward him as often as we make mention of him Such as haue repented are by all meanes to be fauored we cannot be of too milde a spirit toward them Secondly in the Apostles answere to Philemons obiection we may mark that we are bound to forgiue and forget the iniuries and offences done vnto vs when once God hath forguien and couered the sinnes committed against him and receiued the Sinner that repenteth to mercy when God maketh all thinges turne to our good that loue him and thereby recompenceth by a double benefit the losse and damage that we haue sustained Thirdly we may obserue that Christian Religion doth more strongly bind all persons to their particular callings and maketh the knot greater then it was For that which hee speaketh heere of a Christian Seruant euen a Brother is true of all callings in the Family and Common-wealth For as a faithfull Seruant is more then a bare Seruant so a Christian King is more then a King a Christian Maister is more then a Maister a Christian Father is more then a Father a Christian Husband is more then an Husband so on the other side a Christian Wife is more then a Wife a Christian Subiect is more then a Subiect and so of all the rest Great is the Dignity and preheminence of our Christian calling f Col. 1 13. which as the Apostle speaketh is a translating of vs from darkenesse into the Kingdome of Christ Iesus so that it is a royall prerogatiue which they want that are vnbeleeuers Fourthly the Apostle notwithstanding the great account hee maketh of this Seruant doth not deny subiection to his Maister nor exempt him from the condition of a Seruant but he addeth More then a Seruant He saith not hee is no more a Seruant but hee is more then a Seruant so that our Christian g 1 Cor. 7 20. calling doth not abolish pollicy and politique Constitutions and Domesticall gouernment but rather doth strengthen and sanctifie them He that is called to the truth being a Seruant must not bee discouraged and discontented but reioyce in this that he is the Lords Free-man Fiftly when he stileth him A Brother he doth after a sort signifie he is equall vnto him For albeit in the Common-wealth and priuate Family it be necessary that some should be Superiours and others Inferiours and that this disparity and in-equality among men be the ordinance of God yet in the Kingdome of God and in Christ Iesus there is no distinction h Gal. 3 28 Col. 3 11. There is
least member of the body is honoured and not despised cherrished and not contemned tendered and not abhorred of vs. So it ought to be in the members of Christs body which are all deare to him which hee bought with an equall price and therefore ought to be deare vnto vs if wee beleeue our selues to haue our part and portion in his body Notwithstanding if thorough the pride contempt disdaine and vnthankfulnesse of men we finde our selues little regarded made as a foot-stoole for men to tread and trample vpon as a ball to spurne at with all reproach and so scorned for our well dooing let vs not be dismayed with this dealing but consider that the poor seruants of God haue tasted of the like measure that haue gone before vs so that wee are not the first that haue beene thus vsed and we are not like to bee the last that are in this sort to be abused Marke a little how it fell out with Ioseph one that performed the best seruice and yet one that receiued the worst recompence When he was broght downe to Egypt and bought and sold as a slaue p Gen. 39 1 2 4 5 20. or as Oxe in the Market from one to another at length he came vnto the hands house of Potiphar whom he serued faithfully so that the Lord was with him and made all that he did to prosper in his hand his Maister put all that he had in his hande and made him Ruler of his house neuerthelesse not long after thorough the false suggestion of his Mistris and the hasty and ouer-rash credulity of his Maister his good seruice was forgotten he is cast in prison and lyeth bound in setters The like wee might say of Iacob who serued for his wiues in the house of Laban Who could do better seruice or who could shew himselfe a more painfull and profitable seruant then he had done Hee speaketh it before Labans face and doth not whisper it behinde his backe hee auoucheth it before him that he might take exception to it if he had ought to obiect against it q Gen. 31 39 40. Whatsoeuer was torne of Beasts I brought it not vnto thee but made it good my selfe of mine hand didst thou require it were it stolne by day or stollen by night I was in the day consumed with heate and with frost in the Night and my sleepe departed from mine eyes This duty and diligence did he perform and yet what was the wages of the woorke and the recompence of his labors It followeth in the next wordes r Verse 41. I haue beene twenty yeares in thine house and serued thee fourteene yeares for thy two daughters six yeares for thy Sheepe and thou hast chaunged my wages ten times Thus we see how good and gracious seruants haue bin serued in former times before vs and what hard measure hath bin rendred and repayed vnto them The examples of the Israelites is fit to be thought vpon and worthy to be considered in this case when they soiourned and serued in the land of Egipt according as the Lord fore-shewed vnto Abraham Å¿ Gen. 15 13. Know for a surety that thy seede shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeares and shall serue them and they shall intreat them euill They neuer plotted any rebellion or attempted act of hostility against them but serued their taske-maisters that oppressed them and laboured in making bricke and gathering straw and finishing their taske yet they were blamed and beaten and laden with many sorrowes Let vs therefore by all these examples be encouraged and know that nothing can happen vnto vs which hath not fallen out to others that haue liued before vs who haue done as good and faithful seruice to their superiors as we haue done or can do and yet haue beene euilly entreated and wrongfully pursued and cruelly handled and vniustly rewarded Let vs not suffer for euill doing t 1 Pet. 4 15 16. 2 19 20 and as euill doers but let vs suffer as Christians that so God may be glorified and we not ashamed of our afflictions For this is thanke-worthy if a man for Conscience toward God endure greef suffring wrongfully it is acceptable before him is respected of him albeit among men it go away vnrewarded We herd before of the good seruice of Iacob of Ioseph of the Iewes of Iacob toward Laban of Ioseph toward Potiphar of the Iewes toward the Egyptians and how euilly they were rewarded and recompenced of their cruell and couetous Maisters But they knew they serued a better Maister in Heauen who would not suffer them to want the fruite of their labors nor to loose the worke of their hands Hence it is that he encreased Iacob in substance hee brought Ioseph out of prison he gaue the Israelites fauour in the eyes of the Egyptians that gaue them Iewels of Siluer and of Gold and sent them not empty away Thus will God deale with vs if we suffer with patience and will honor them that are carefull to honor him Aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother beloued We heard before howe the Apostle commendeth Onesimus to his Maister that he was to be receiued of him not so much as a seruant as one that was more then a seruant that is not an Infidell but a Christian This point is in these words declared by the speciall or by a word of Relation a beloued Brother which was more then a simple seruant For if he had any vnbeleeuers that were not of the houshold of Faith either borne in his house or bought with his money they were his seruants but they were not beloued Brethren But this man conuerted to the Faith was aboue the ranke and degree of such persons hee was both a Seruant and a Brother True it is there was great difference betweene Philemon and Onesimus betweene the Maister and Seruant in things of this life one was Superior the other Inferior one was to command the other to obey one was to rule the other to be subiect in the Lord yet wee see how the Apostle in this place is not affraide to call Onesimus his Maisters Brother and would not haue the Maister ashamed to acknowledge it in words to shew it in his practise This is not spoken as if they were naturall Bretheren in the flesh and descended of one Father according to the common generation of the rest of the sonnes of men but they were Brethren in Christ partakers of the common Faith equall in the participation of heauenly graces alike in the fauour of God one not dearer to him then another Hence it is that the Apostle before Verse 7. and afterward verse 20. calleth Philemon his Brother in Christ though he were his sonne in the Gospell because hee had begotten him vnto God by the immortall seede of the word u Verse 19. as wee shall see in the words following where he challengeth as his own and as a
hath made our brethren not to shew more mercy to our Cattle for our commodity sake then to man made after the Image of God for his sake To conclude let vs from this Christian equality learne Christian mercy and know the estate of them that suffer any kind of misery For what is the cause that we tyranize ouer those that are our Inferiors but because we forget that we are their bretheren and that in this respect they are equall vnto vs Vse 3. Thirdly this Title of Brethren communicated to all the faithfull serueth as a comfort and consolation to all Inferiours and to teach them this dutie that they ought not to grudge or to bee greeued that they are placed in a lowe estate as though they were therefore lesse esteemed and regarded of God For seeing God hath thus farre prouided for them to call them their Bretheren and to make them equall with those of greater Callinges they are to bee contented with their places It is a great Honour to be so greatly in his fauour and to bee so highly regarded of him who reiecteth no man for his poore degree for his low estate for his meane condition This is it which the Apostle Paule setteth downe 1. Cor. 7 21 22. Art thou called being a Seruant Care not for it but if yet thou maist be free vse it rather for he that is called in the Lord being a Seruant is the Lords freeman Likewise also be that is called beeing free is Christs Seruant Where he sheweth that no mans poore calling should be his discouragement but this must be his comfort and bring peace vnto his soule that if hee be a true beleeuer although he be mans seruant yet he is Gods free man And whomsoeuer the sonne b Iohn 8 34 36. maketh free he is free indeede For wee must know that whosoeuer committeth sinne with greedinesse and draweth iniquitie as with Cart-ropes he is the seruant of sinne though he were the Maister of a family or the Ruler of a kingdome And on the other side whosoeuer is freed from the bondage of sinne and the slauery of the Deuill he is a right free-man although he be a Captiue a Prisoner or a Seruant If wee haue our part in Christ we haue our part in this comfort seeing the Seruant is saued as well as â—…e Maister if he beleeue Furthermoâ—… we must consider these two thinges both that whatsoeuer our calling be wherein we abide whether it bee high or low wee haue it from God we are alotted vnto it by his appointment and that hee seeth it and knoweth it to be the fittest place and best calling for vs vnder the Heauens For he respecteth in all his purposes his owne glory and our profite If he saw any condition of life to be better for vs or a meanes to further vs in our holy faith and saluation he would not keepe vs from it he would not deny it vnto vs he would not restraine vs of it It is a spice of the Deuils poyson which he inspired instilled into the minds of our first parents to conceiue hardly of Gods dealing toward vs as if of malice or enuy he had helde vs from the greater good and bestowed vpon vs the lesser He came to them in the Garden and told them c Gen. 3 5. That God doth know that when they should eate of the tree of knowledge of good euill in the middest of the Paradice of God their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods knowing good and euill So when we grow discontented and dislike our callings which God hath appointed vnto vs we begin to be inueigled by the subtilty of Satan and shal be alwaies aspiring higher then God hath iudged to be meet for vs. Let this serue vs suffice vnto vs that how lowe soeuer in our owne eyes and little in the eyes of others our condition is yet God hath made them equall with vs and vs Brethren with them to our great and endlesse comfort This is that vse which the Apostle maketh to encourage and strengthen seruants in their duties d Ephes 6 5 6 7 8. Seruants be obedient vnto them that are your Maisters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your hearts as vnto Christ Not with seruice to the eie as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God from the hart with good will seruing the Lord not men And know ye that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same shall he receiue of the Lord whether hee be bond or free Whereby he declareth that the obedience of such as are bond is no lesse acceptable to god then the obedience of such as are free he looketh not so much to our persons as to our actions nor so much to our actions as to the manner of our doing of them Hee liketh and alloweth that which is done of the seruant as well as that which proceedeth from the Maister and he that is of low degree pleaseth God in the duties of his calling as well as the man that is of greatest reputation in the world and highly magnified for his Riches and Honors Vse 4. Lastly seeing God respecteth all alike and hath made all as one and as Brethren that are in Christ it serueth as a reproofe and threatning and terror to all drowsie and secure persons that thinke they shall escape the iudgments of God for their high places There is no difference with God there is no inequality with Christ to them that are in Christ high and low are all alike with him None are saued for their highnesse none are condemned for their lownesse Christ Iesus accepteth no man for his glory he reiecteth no man for his ignominy Let vs therefore not beare our selues bold and confident vpon our outward excellency but stand in feare of his iudgements and prepare our selues with all reuerence and diligence that we may bee found worthy to stand before the great God in that great day of account For wee must z 2 Cor. 5 10. all appear before him when he will iudge euery man according to his works When we shal come personally before his Throne of glory and seat of iudgment hee will haue no respect to the Noblenesse of our birth to the greatnesse of our learning to the beauty of our faces to the strength of our bodies to the largenesse of our liuings to the aboundance of our Riches or to any outward priuiledges and dignities of our persons Then shall all flesh be gathered together from the foure windes and stand before the Iudge of all the world God will respect vs as we are not as we appeare to be not as others haue accounted of vs but as he shall manifest vs to haue bin when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed and hidden things shall bee reuealed Then must euery man answere for himselfe and plead guilty or not guiltie when no
pretenses or excuses or delayes shal auaile vs. Then shal the poore begger appeare without his rags the rich Glutton without his Robes Couetous Indas without his bagges Crafty Gehazi without his money Proud Haman without his Honor Aspyring Absolon without his Ambition Murthering Caine without his Weapon Cunning Achitophell without his Pollicy The Kings of the earth must lay downe the glory of their Crownes and the dignity of their Scepters the Nobles must renounce the Ensignes of honor and all persons must set aside outward respects of honor and dishonor of glory and shame of fauor and contempt Neuerthelesse it is to be obserued that albeit these men must stand before the throne of God without these respects that they made their chiefest felicity yet they shall not appeare without their cruelty bribery treachery blasphemy couetousnes such like impiety for their euill works shal follow them cleaue fast vnto them Let vs therefore neuer think to escape when we shal com naked before the eternal Iudge as euer we came into the world more naked then we departed out of the world for wheras some haue their Coffins to couer them others their Tombs to beutify them and all men their winding sheets to wrap their Carkasses in whē the Lord shal descend with thousands of his Angels they shal not haue a rag or a poore fig-leafe to hide their shame Let vs seek while we haue time to put on Christs righteousnesse as a Garment that we may be able to stand before the sonne of man and receiue the glory prepared for vs before the foundations of the earth were laide Specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord. We haue heard how the Apostle accounteth and how he would haue Philemon account of Onesimus to wit aboue a Seruant euen as a beloued Brother In these words he vrgeth him farther and sheweth that hee had more cause to respect him and greater reason to loue him then himselfe had because he was ioyned to him by more bands whereof two he nameth one of the flesh as being his seruant the other in the Lord as being his brother Paule was mooued to respect him onely in regarde of the common fayth and therefore he saith if he were not so much a Seruant as a Brother to him much more hee ought to bee so to his Maister not because hee was his seruant as other seruants are but because he was the Lords seruant so that hee was bounde to loue him both for the Lordes sake and for his owne sake Doctrine 6. The more bands reasons are giuen vs to care for any the more we are bound to care for him Heereby there is offered to our considerations this Lesson to bee learned that the more bandes and reasons are giuen vnto vs of God to care for anie the more wee are bound to care for him and to respect him A professor of the Gospell is more to be regarded then he that is wirhout One of the same Nation more then a stranger one of our own Kindred more then another farther from vs a Neighbour more then one that dwelleth manie Miles from vs one of a mans house more then him that is out of his house a Kinsman conuerted to the faith becom a true and perfect Christian more then a Kinsman not conuerted A Child that hath the sparks of grace in him more then a Childe voyde of them a Seruant fearing God more then a Seruant in the same family that doth not feare God nor regard his worde nor make Conscience of the meanes of his saluation Abraham loued Isaac the sonne of Promise hauing more graces in him f Gen. 21 9 10 14. 25 5 6. more then Ishmael the son of the bond-woman and a scoffing wretch and more then all the Sonnes of Keturah to whom he gaue guifts and sent them away Wee see this in the dealing of Abraham toward Lot his Nephew he would suffer no contention to rest among them and when he heard he was taken prisoner he would not haue stirred for the wicked sinners that dwelt in Sodome but hee armed his seruants to recouer him out of the hands of his enemies This is it which Salomon teacheth g Prou. 27 10 Better is a Neighbor that is neere then a Brother farre off The Apostle teacheth this truth when he giueth this precept While wee haue time let vt do good to all men h Gal. 6 10. but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith And in another place i Tim. 5 4. If any Widdow haue Children or Nephewes let thē learne first to shew godlinesse towardes their owne house and to recompence their Kindred To this also we are directed in the fift Commandement when we are commanded to Honour Father and Mother Wherby appeareth the truth of this doctrine that it standeth with Gods ordinance to haue the most care of those and to shew the greatest fruits of loue vnto them to whom wee are bound in the greatest and neerest bands Reason 1. The Reasons being wisely considered will make this plainely to appeare vnto vs. It is a generall sentence deliuered by Salomon in the booke of Ecclesiastes k Eccl. 4 9 10. Two are better then one and a threefold Cord is not easily broken Wheresoeuer there are stronger Cordes to tye vs and moe bandes to ioyne vs together our Loue ought to bee the more greater one towardes another Manie stickes make the greater Fire and many stringes the better Musicke Reason 2. Secondly it is a thing verie well pleasing in the sight of God to consider what meanes he hath affoorded to encrease mutuall loue and societie one with another This is the reason vrged by the Apostle to perswade the Children and Nephewes of poore Widdowes to take care for their Parents according to their ability l 1 Tim. 5 4. Because that is an honest thing and acceptable before God Now we are bound vnto them by many effectuall Reasons as it were with barres of Iron and bandes of Brasse to nourish those that haue nourished vs that haue fedde vs that haue cloathed vs that haue begotten vs and brought vs into the world so that wee must acknowledge it both right and reasonable Reason 3. Thirdly such as breake these bands cast away these Cords from them do set themselues against the Doctrine of Christ and may be sent to schoole to the Infidels nay to the brute beasts which are not voide of a certaine naturall affection This the Apostle teacheth m 1 Tim. 5 8. If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith is worse then an Infidell For howsoeuer they professe the Faith in words yet in deede and in truth they deny it But God is delighted with our workes not with our words and looketh vpon the substance not the shewe of our Religion
are coupled together both by the sense of Nature and by the Commmaundement of God it serueth to reprooue sundry abuses and to meete with many disorders that are most rife and common among vs. The first reproofe First of all it reprooueth the blind superstition not onely of elder times but of the present daies wherein we liue and the wicked sniftes of Popish Monkes which being wise in their Generation would perswade it as meritorious to foolish and sinfull men to giue away all their Landes and possessions and meanes of maintenance from their Children and Kindred and bestow them vpon the feeding of idle Drones and vnprofitable Beastes that liue by the sweat of other mens labours to this end to say Masses for the quicke and the dead and to pray for the puling Soules that languish in Purgatorie For such as was their crueltie ouer mens bodies and their Dominion ouer their consciences and commaund ouer their goods that the poor people haue beene and at this day are besotted and bewitched by them that they are ready to giue a thousand Sacrifices of Rammes and ten t Micha 6 7. thousand Riuers of Oyle and to forgoe their first borne for their transgression euen the fruit of their body for the sinne of their Soules The spirituall consenage and deceit of the fraudulent Iesuits as greedy Cormorants is notorious and famous or rather infamous in this kinde and case whereof we speake who make hast to the sicke person that is rich as the Eagle flyeth to the Carkasse to make a prey of him u See the Quod lib. and other Bookes of the priestes for this purpose and the Priests themselues greeuing that such a fat Morcell should goe by their mouthes and so great a bootie should escape their hands haue lamentably complained of their briberie hypocrisie cruelty and iniquitie These are they that eate Mens sinnes as Bread and regard not to dam their Soules to fat their owne Bodyes and fill their owne pusres The second reproofe Againe this reprooueth the impiety and vnnaturalnesse in men that regard not their owne flesh nor haue a respect to their owne Kindred but are strangers from them vnkinde vnto them and voyde of loue toward them The Apostle prophesieth and complaineth that in the last daies shall come perrilous times x 2 Tim. 3 1 2 3. when men shall be cold in Charity and destitute of naturall affection He would be accounted a starke foole that would seeme to shew compassion to feede another and yet starue his owne body to be liberall abroad and miserable at home to see other mens miseries and to take no notice or knowledge of his owne to quench the fire kindled in another mans house and to suffer his owne to be turned downe sticke and stake and nothing left to couer his head and to giue him shielde and shelter from the wind and weather So standeth the case with all such as open their handes to those that are farre off from them and turne away their eies from such as are their flesh and bone and blood to whom God and Nature hath made them more indebted then to other men It was not so with Ioseph y Gene. 47 12. when he liued in wealth and Iacob was in want he was stored with plentie and his Father tasted of scarsitie he gaue him Corne freely and sustained his Kindred willingly The like care we see in Ruth toward Naomi the Daughter in Law toward the Mother in Law she laboured and trauailed for them both z Ruth 2 6 14 18. she gleaned and gathered after the Reapers among the sheaues and what she left when she was sufficed she reserued it and brought all home to releeue and refresh her olde Mother These examples are agreeable to the rule and these practises are aunswerable to the prccept of the Apostle requiring of Children and Nephewes to recompence the kindnesse of their Parents When Christ our Sauiour was vpon the Crosse he shewed his godlinesse toward his Mother and committed her to the Disciple whom he loued himselfe being ready to leaue the World For when a Iohn 19 26 27. he saw his Mother and Iohn standing by her hee said vnto his Mother Woman behold thy Sonne then said he to the Disciple Behold thy Mother and from that houre the Disciple tooke her home vnto him It is the dutie of Children to honour their Parents not onely by obedience but by maintenance not onely by reuerence but by recompence not onely by subiection but by thankfulnesse for the benefits that they haue receiued If they be hungry they must feede them if poore they must releeue them if in necessitie they must helpe them if weake they must Minister vnto them For if this must be performed to Strangers much more to Parents There is nothing more iust then this kinde of dutie because the light of Nature teacheth to requite one good turne for another and to doe vnto another as thou wouldst haue him doe to thee Wherefore to deny the performance of these duties is vnnaturall and inhumaine but to breake out into the contrary practises is monstrous and beastly Absalom b 2. Sam. 15 10 and 20 1. conspired against Dauid Sheba the Sonne of Bichri a man of Iemini conspired against Dauid both of them raised Israell against him and blew the Trumpet of rebellion Both the persons were wicked both their practises were deuillish both their punishments were iust and righteous But if we consider the manner of the offence by the condition of the offender and waigh the persons in a ballance by the seuerall bands whereby one was tyed aboue the other we shall easily finde that the sinne of Absalom did exceede and his fact was more odious and hatefull in the sight of God and man For Sheba indeede rose vp against his liedge-Liedge-Lord and lawfull Prince But Absalom ought to haue shewed himselfe as a Sonne as a Seruant as a Subiect and to haue acknowledged Dauid his Father his Maister his Magistrate He was the Lords annointed to them both and therefore they should haue beene afraid to lay their hands vpon him or to set themselues against him or to take away the Crowne and Kingdome from him Neuerthelesse Absaloms attempt was accompanied with a multitude of offences c Cicer. paradox 3. he wronged him that had begotten him that had nourished him that had nurtered him that had honoured and aduanced him that had giuen him life and all thinges appertaining vnto life All these bands that ought to haue beene as a strong Cord or Cable neuer to be vntwisted and as a Chaine of Iron neuer to be broken he rent in sunder as a thred of Tow is broken when it feeleth the fire and therefore as the fault was most foule so his fall was most fearefull according to the saying of the Wise-man d Pro. 17 13. Whosoeuer recompenceth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house Thus then we see
are as certaine steppes whereby we climbe vp to the society and mutuall loue of others so the moe steps and degrees there are the greater ought our loue to be To be a man created after the Image of God is one degree and challengeth loue from vs to be performed toward him To be ioyned in a Politicall or Domesticall knot to wit in the Common wealth or in the priuate Familie as the Prince and Subiect the Father and Sonne the Maister and Seruant is another and a neerer degree and ought to be the cause of farther loue But if to these naturall and ciuill respects there be added a spiritual Communion in Christ which is the best band that bindeth faster then all the rest whereby the Subiect is made his Princes brother the Child his Fathers Brother and the Seruant his Maisters Brother this requireth a more faithfull and feruent loue and a farther degree of our affection toward them On the other side if the coniunction betweene them be onely in the two former considerations there can be no true and sincere loue betweene them albeit they bee so closely tyed together no although they be Fathers and Children Husbands and Wiues Maisters and Seruants Princes and Subiects For where Christ Iesus is not there can be no singlenesse and soundnesse of the Soule whosoeuer loueth not in the Lord he cannot loue from the heart and where there is no true piety there can be nothing else but hypocrisie which is the bane and poison of true loue Hence it is that hee which hath an euill Seruant doth not in truth possesse him he hath an interest and propriety in the least part of him he may haue his handes but he cannot haue his heart So the Apostle sheweth that while Onesimus was a wicked man and an vnbeleeuer his Maister Philemon could not commodiously vse him he wandred therefore a while from his House that by changing of the place he might be turned into another and returne a new man before an vnworthy Seruant but now a profitable Seruant nay a beloued Brother made neere and after a sort equall with his Maister thorough Faith in Christ Whensoeuer therefore Kinges and Princes Fathers and Maisters being beleeuers haue vnder them and belonging vnto them such as are vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers they cannot promise to themselues that they haue the whole rule and command ouer them This appeareth euidently in the Popish sort that beleeue the Doctrine of the Councell or rather Conuenticle of Trent if one that professeth the Gospell haue a Wife or Child or Seruant embracing that falsly named Catholike-Religion that rest vpon the deceiueable errors of the Priests and Iesuits and all of them vpon the decree and determination of the Pope he cannot make his accounts except he account amisse that he hath full power ouer them or the rule of their liues or the loue of their hearts We see it oftentimes come to passe in Subiects adhering to the Dregges of Popish superstition that notwithstanding the bands of fidelity and allegiance whereby they are obliged to their Princes they breake out into actions of open Rebellion and seeke the subuersion of King and Countrey and Religion If then a man would haue an absolute and Soueraigne commaund ouer his Inferiours and be assured to haue a whole and entire Wife that his heart may trust in her and her heart rest in him if a man would haue a dutifull Child and a faithfull Seruant to do his will and performe seruice vnto him for conscience sake he must make choise of such as haue in them the feare of God the Faith of Christ the guifts of the Spirit the loue of Religion the desire of instruction and the care of saluation If these be wanting neuer thinke their affection can be firmely setled toward thee but vpon euerie occasion it will be easilie remooued from thee It is the surest and fastest knot that Christ knitteth all other bands will quickly be broken and loosed Vse 4 Lastlie seeing the encrease of many bands meeting together doubleth and trebleth the care and loue one toward another so that where the smallest number of meanes is found there also is found the smallest loue and where the greatest number of occasions concurreth as it were on an heap there ought to bee the surest knot of friendship and amitie it should put all superiours in minde of a necessary dutie to be carefull to instruct those that belong to their seuerall charges and iurisdictions that so they may tye them with a surer knot to themselues and haue the better seruice at their handes For seeing they are neerer coupled vnto them that are vnder the reach of their authoritie or the roofe of their houses then vnto the rest of mankinde they ought to haue a greater respect vnto them and beare a dearer loue vnto them euen vnto their bodies how much more vnto their Soules But wee cannot better testifie our loue vnto them and shew our care ouer them then by making knowne vnto them the workes of the Lord and the waies of saluation If we be commaunded to l Heb. 3 13. Exhort one another while it is called to day and to stirre vp one another to good things m 1 Thes 5 14 if we must admonish them that are out of order and comfort the feeble minded how much more are wee bound in conscience to perfect it to those that depend vpon vs and are neerer vnto vs It was the first and principall care of all the godly Kings that had true Religion in their owne harts to prouide for the instruction of their subiects The Apostle writing to the Ephesians and prescribing the distinct duties of sundry persons forgetteth not the Father and the Son and as he chargeth Children m Ephe. 6 2 4 To obey their Parents in the Lord so he commaundeth Parents to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord. Thus godly Maisters haue vsed all diligence to bring their Seruants to haue a desire of Religion and a loue to the exercises of pietie whereby oftentimes such a good worke hath beene wrought in them that they haue accounted their Maisters as second Fathers and as spirituall Fathers confessed themselues more bound in all dutie to them then to their naturall Parents hauing learned that to the glory of God and the saluation of their Soules by their Maisters instruction which they could neuer vnderstand by their Fathers education They haue confessed themselues to haue gained more by such a seruice then if a large portion a rich inheritance and great reuennewes had beene left vnto them And indeede this is the onely way to teach Children dutifulnesse and to frame our Seruants to obedience to plant godlinesse in them and to water that which is planted The neglect of this care in vs will make them carelesse and the making of no conscience to teach them will bring them to be vnconscionable in their places If we be dumb and open not
the former Merchant bringeth in the wares this man is as a Pedler to vtter the wares and to set them to sale And thus the Scripture it selfe speaketh of these broachers and bringers of them as Leuit. 19. 16. Thou shalt not Merchandize tales or walke about with Tales among thy people This sort of men is not ydle but is alwaies stirring vp and downe they sit not at home but frequent many places they are not strangers and vnknowne abroad but are acquainted with many persons and wil insinuate themselues into their company It is a notable Metaphor that the spirit of God vseth to compare them to Pedlers or petty-chapmen We see what the Trade and fashion of Pedlers is so soon as they haue bought their wares of some one or moe Merchants they sel the same commodities to others Thus it is with Backbyters and Tale-bearers when they haue gathered together a fardle of tales of rumors and reports as it were with a packe of Wares they wander from one place to another from one house to another from one person to another that they may set out to sale such stuffe as they haue heard and vtter them in the absence of their Neighbor to his disgrace and infamy These are they which encrease hatred among enemies and make discord among the best Friends Hence it is that Salomon saith i Prou. 26 20. Without wood the fire is quenched and without a Tale-bearer strife ceaseth Such persons are the very plagues and poyson of humaine society they wound a man in his good name they rob him of his goodes they wrong him in his friends they bereaue him of his life This we see in the example of Doeg the Edomite who caused the Priests of the Lord to be slaine of Ziba the false and vnfaithful seruant of Mephibosheth who by slandering his Maister obtained his goodes It is a great iniury to rob a man of his goods it is an heynous Theft in the sight of God it is a greater iniury to spoile a man of his good name which is sweeter then Oyntments and better then Riches for that which is stolne may be restored but the blot of infamy is hardly or neuer wiped away There is some remedy against the byting of Serpents mad Dogges and venemous beasts but against the toong of the slanderer Sycophant there can none be found We see that theeues who come to spoyle and to steale may be preuented or shunned but who can stand before the tongues and tales of the Tale-bearer But it is the greatest iniury to bereaue a man of his life which the slanderer doth oftentimes by sowing discord betweene party and party as we shewed before in Doeg of whome the Prophet Dauid complaineth Psal 52 2 4. That his Tongue did cut like a sharpe Razor and that hee loued all wordes that may destroy They are pronounced happy by the mouth of Christ k Math. 5 9. that are peace-makers are not they therefore to be holden accursed that sow hatred among frends as it were Darnell in the fields that are Make-bates and pick-thankes seeking to please the fansies of others If then the makers of peace be the sons of God surely Tale-bearers that are makers of debate are the Children of the Deuill whose Image they beare These are the Deuils Merchants and carry about with them his wares they are his Apprentises or Iourny-men and serue him for wages And albeit they set vp one Trade yet they sell not after one fashion Some come whispering and leasting secretly to the disgrace of others some come glozing and peruerting the words that they vtter contrary to their meaning some haue no sooner solde their commodities that they carry into one place but they store themselues by and by with new For as they speake to vs of other men freely and fully and falsely so they will speake as largely and lewdly of vs to other men Thirdly heere is condemned another enemy of our name and credit to wit he that loueth beleeueth and entertaineth lies and slanders These are such as deale not toward others as they would haue others deal with them This sinne is reproued in the Law Exod. 23 1. Thou shalt not receyue a false Tale neither shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse This the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 15 3. He that slandereth not with his tongue nor doth euill to his Neighbor nor receiueth a false report against his neighbour shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle and rest in his holy hill But on the contrary such as slander and defame and receiue and beleeue false tales are deliuered vp to Satan and are heires of hell In theft we see that such as receyue stolne goods are accessary to the theft so he that willingly heareth and receiueth the reports of whisperers is guilty of the crime of back-byting For it is a true saying If there were no Tale-inuenter there would be no Tale-receiuer and if there were no Tale-receiuer there would bee no Tale-bearer Against all these Maladies and Mischiefes an approued and often tried Medicine is true Charity for if there bee in vs a Charitable Minde a Charitable Tongue a Charitable Eare a Charitable Heart wee shall bee safe from these euilles Where there is a Charitable Minde there will bee no deuising and inuenting of slanders Where there is a Charitable Tongue there will bee no carting and carrying of false reports Where there is a Charitable Eare there will be no hearing of euill surmises one against another And where there is a Charitable Heart there will be no beleeuing of them Many attaine to the first step they haue a Charitable Mind they wil inuent and forge no tales but they misse in the second they want a Charitable tongue for when they haue heard false tales they carry them about from one to another and by that meanes the mischiefe spreadeth farther But many do come to these two first steppes and yet faile in the third they haue Charitable Minds and Tongues they will deuise nothing they will disperse nothing yet they want a Charitable Eare because they take delight to heare false tales and to haue them brought vnto them It behooueth vs to watch ouer our Eares as well as our Tongues and consider that if we did not desire to heare them others would not long take delight to report them Vse 2. Secondly it is our duty to expound and interpret all doubtfull thinges in the best part before the truth do plainly and clearely appeare vnto vs and what we may to couer their infirmities Wee must not be suspitious without great cause or good grounde but to giue all vncertaine and wandering reports of our brethren the best Interpretation according to the rule before remembred l 1 Cor. 13 7. Loue beleeueth all things it hopeth all things True it is we ought not to be ouer-credulous and light of beleefe to credite all things that are brought vnto vs as Dauid was
Let them know therefore that they must render a greater account then of teaching them to vtter and pronounce the wordes they must cause them to vnderstand them they must sow the Seedes of Christian Religion in their hearts they must instruct them with all diligence they must exhort them with all earnestnesse they must charge them to feare God and to walk in his waies that so their children may be made Gods Children and so giue them to him againe of whom and by whose blessing at the first they receiued them Vse 2. Secondly seeing all Housholders must teach their families it is their duty first of all to reforme themselues that so their people may be reformed They that are the chiefe in the Family must looke vnto themselues and goe in and out before them by good example that so they may the better looke vnto those that are vnder them It is a Testimony of our great loue toward them and an earnest desire to win them to the truth and to embrace true godlinesse when we seek to saue their soules He that loueth the soule t Plutar. in Alcibia loueth truely for the foule is the principall part of man They therefore that are carelesse in training vp their children in religion cannot assure themselues that they bear any true loue vnto them Let them shew neuer so much comfort compassion to their bodies yet all their mercies are cruell so long as they neglect the chiefest care that ought to be in them toward their soules We may iudge thē to be more inhumaine and vnnaturall euen more then sauage beasts who not onely by neglect of teaching their Children the feare of the Lord but by corrupt example of liuing do lead them into euill and so murther their soules For how many children in stead of good education and godly instruction do heare their Fathers delight in swearing doe see them deale deceitfully and vniustly and walke in euerie euill way If wee should beholde a man killing his owne children and laying violent hands vpon his owne flesh if wee should see him destroy his posterity and shed the innocent blood of those that came out of his owne loines who would not accuse and condemne him of vnnatural murther and barbarous cruelty But there are many many thousand Fathers in the world that are the Murtherers and Butchers yea the death and destruction of their owne Issue They gaue them life but they are the causes of their death They gaue them a temporall being but they bring them to eternall condemnation They should direct them in the right way to Heauen but they leade them into the pathes of sinne and so thrust them downe to Hell with their owne handes For so long as we teach them not to honour God but to dishonour him and regard not whether they know Christ Iesus or not but are patternes and presidents vnto them of all prophanenesse wee are guilty of their blood and are worse then those that take away their naturall life and shall one day holde vp our hand at the barre of Gods Iudgement to bee arraigned for it For they onelie kill the bodie and when they haue done can do no more but we cast away and spill the Soules of our Children which is the greatest rigour the vilest murther and the extreamest crueltie in the world If therefore we would be cleere and pure from the bloud of our children let vs traine them vp in godlinesse and take heed to our selues reforming our owne waies and endeuouring to bee examples vnto them in all holinesse and true righteousnesse This is it which Ioshua u Iosh 24 15. professeth in his exhortation that he maketh to the people that they would with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord. Ioshua 24. 15. If it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lorde chuse you this day whom you will serue whether the Gods which your Fathers serued beyond the floud or the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell but I and my house will serue the Lord. The like we see in the aunswere of Queene Ester to Mordecai when shee had exhorted to gather the Church together to Fasting and Prayer that God might be intreated to open a way for their deliuerance x Ester 4 16. she addeth I and my Maids will doe likewise A like practise we find in Dauid Psal 101. as he declareth that his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with him and that such as are vpright should serue him so he professeth y Psa 101 2 3 He would walke in the vprightnesse of his heart in the middest of his house hee would set no wicked thing before his eies but hate the workes of them that fall away For well did Dauid know that if the Maister of the house were euill the Family ordinarily could not bee good and that the example of the highest it alleadged as a warrant to the lowest to follow It is great pitty that a Child should heare an euill word or see an euill deed they are so ready to imitate that which they heare and see Let vs therefore looke diligently to our selues what examples we lay before them Vse 3. Thirdly this doctrine directeth vs to haue in our priuate Familes the priuate exercises of Religion It is no small praise of the house of Philemon that he had so taught and instructed his Family that hee had the liuely Image and true representation of a Church in it discharging after a sort the duty of a Pastor within his owne walles So the Apostle Paule saluteth Aquila and Priscilla z Rom. 16 3 5 and 1 Cor. 16 19. and the Church that is in their house Euery Gouernour of an house and Maister of a Family must endeuour that his house-hold may deserue the Name of a Church He should be the speaker they the hearers he the Pastour they the flocke he the Minister they the people hee ready to instruct they ready to be instructed A priuate Family should be as a priuate schoole the Gouernour is the Maister of the Schoole euery one within his gouernment is a Scholler to learne of him This shall bee a singuler commendation vnto vs if we so order our seuerall charges and places of gouernment as that they may bee called rather Churches then priuate Families rather Schooles then Houses rather Temples of GOD then dwellings of men rather Tabernacles set vp to serue the Lord then buildings erected to serue our selues Now wee shall attaine to this praise and estimation among the faithfull if our houses doe resemble Churches by the practise of such exercises as are performed in it For the Maister is both a King and a Pastor within his owne house a King to rule and correct a Pastor to instruct and reprooue yea to remooue such as are obstinate and obdurate Let vs therefore all of vs set vp little Churches in our houses let vs vse in them prayer to God
Answer I answer It is a generall rule in all Arts and true in Diuinity That which is vnderstood is not wanting So then the holy Ghost the third person in Trinity is not omitted though not expressed for he must of necessity be vnderstood who proceedeth from them both namely from the Father and the Sonne Christ saith in his m Iohn 17. Prayer This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet the holy Ghost in this place is not excluded from both the persons but included and comprehended together with them for these three are one n Iohn 5. as the Apostle teacheth Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words Now let vs proceede to the obseruations out of the same and then come to the Doctrines Obseruations out of this ver The obseruations out of this verse containing the salutation are not many which we will point out First of all we see the matter of his Prayer what it is he asketh not the fauour of Men but of God he craueth not earthly and worldly peace but spirituall and heauenly True it is the fauour and good will of Men the outward peace and tranquilitie one with another are worthy and excellent guiftes but the free and fatherly fauour of God together with peace with GOD the Father beeing reconciled vnto vs in his deare Sonne are much to be preferred in our desires Heereby wee haue that peace o Phil. 4 7. of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding which teacheth vs to rest in God as in a most louing Father with all confidence and assurance Secondly as wee learne cheefelie to aske spirituall blessings so wee see what blessings among such as are spirituall are the principall and predominant to wit the fauour of God and peace of conscience He that is possessed of these two hath an hid Mine of Treasures with which all the Wealth and Riches of the World are not to bee compared vnto For these blessings are heauenly are spirituall are eternall whereas the substance of this World is Temporall is Transitorie is corruptible The Worlde it selfe must passe and vanish away and all these earthly things must decay and perish with it Thirdly the Apostle in some of his Epistles vseth three wordes p 1 Tim. 1 2. and 2 Tim 1 2. 2 Iohn 3. Grace Mercy and Peace heere hee contenteth himselfe with naming two Grace and Peace omitting and leauing out Mercy wherein there is no contrariety or diuersity for as much as Mercy is included vnder Peace For by Mercy is vnderstood our Iustification which consisteth partly in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and partly in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which do bring true peace with them Fourthly we see from whom hee asketh all these to wit first from God the Father to teach that he is the Authour of euery good giuing and perfect guift If then we stand in neede of them we must goe to him we must aske them of him we can receiue them of none but of him q Iam. 1 5 17 as the Apostle Iames teacheth Fiftly we see that to God the Father he ioyneth Iesus Christ for all blessings are bestowed vpon vs through Christ the Mediator of the New Testament God the Father is the Fountaine Christ is the Pipe or Cunduit by whom they are conueied vnto vs. He that hath not him hath not the Father Hee that is not in him remaineth in death Hence it is that the Euangelist saith r Iohn 3 36. He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Sixtly obserue the Title giuen vnto him he is called the Lord of his Church it is a Kingdome whereof he is the Prince it is a Citty whereof he is the Gouernor it is an house whereof he is the Maister it is a body whereof he is the head So then all obedience is due to him and all men how great soeuer must acknowledge his Lordship ouer them Lastly in that he craueth grace and peace from Christ our Lord as well as from God the Father it confirmeth our Faith in a Fundamentall point of Christian Religion touching the Deity of Christ n Phil. 2 6. Who is GOD equall with the Father against the Arrians and other Heretiques that deny his Eternity For seeing hee giueth grace and peace as well as the Father we conclude him to be true God Co-eternall and Co-equall with the Father Grace c. This word in the Scripture hath two significations the ignorance whereof hath bred great errour and be one the occasion of stumbling in the Church of Rome First it signifieth Gods good will and fauour Secondlie some guift of God freely bestowed which is grace of his grace and so the o Rom. 5 15. Apostle doth distinguish the grace of God from the gift that is by grace In this place we must vnderstand not any particular gift of God infused into vs as faith hope loue and such like but the free fauour and loue of God whereby he accepteth of some in Christ for his owne Children for wee see heere it is discerned and distinguished from peace which is a guift of Grace and therefore cannot signifie the same thing This grace and good will of God is the Fountaine of all Gods blessings and the foundation of all mans happinesse All that we haue is of Grace it is the beginning of all good thinges in vs. Our p Rom. 11 5. 2 Tim. 1 9. Rom 3 24. Ezek. 36 27. Ephe. 2 10. Rom. 6 23. Election Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification Glorification is of grace onely we can ascribe nothing to our selues Now in this Diuine Salutation and Apostolicall Benediction mark that the Apostle beginneth with this grace Doct. 1. The free fauor of God is of vs chiefely to be desired From hence we learne that the fauour of God is to be sought for aboue all other thinges The free grace and vndeserued loue of God is the first and highest and onely cause of all blessings is aboue al things to be desired and intreated at the hands of God Consider the example of Dauid Psal 4. Many say q Psal 4 6. who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon me As if he should say let worldly men seek what they will and let them place their happinesse in riches pleasures and vanities but my desire is after thy loue and fauour aboue all Hence it is that he calleth and accounteth God his portion r Psal 16 5. 18 2. his lot his inheritance his rocke his refuge his shield and Castle of defence to shew that all his ioy was in Gods fauour all his comfort in Gods loue and that he preferred his grace before all thinges in the world besides This affection is also expressed in the
vse them all to his glorie of whom we haue receiued them If GOD haue giuen vs wit wisedome knowledge authority credit riches strength honour and such like wee must remember wherefore they haue beene bestowed vpon vs and must be referred to their right end not thereby to magnifie our selues and to set vppe our owne Names but to glorifie the Giuer of them and to praise his great Name If this bee not the marke we ayme at and if euery blessing doe not make vs gaine some glory to God who hath thus magnified vs and lifted vp our heads aboue our Bretheren it had beene better for vs we had neuer receiued these blessinges but had beene as wandering Cloudes without Raine as corrupt Trees without Fruite and as emptie Vessels without Water Hence it is that the Apostle remembring that through Gods blessing we are made partakers of food i 1 Cor. 10 31 he addeth Whether therefore yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. It is a notable comfort vnto vs to vse his blessinges aright that they that vsed their Talents well were honoured of the Maister and had more giuen vnto them It is a fearefull sinne to abuse them and to turne them to the dishonour of God to the hurt of his Church and to his owne destruction This is a common sore and sicknesse in our daies Whatsoeuer we haue receiued we haue receiued in not for our selues alone but for the good of others and the glory of God so that weare not to bee lifted vp in the pride of our owne hearts nor disdaine or contemne our Bretheren but consider that there is nothing which we haue not receiued and therefore we must not boast as if we had not receiued it 4 I giue thankes to my God making mention alwaies of thee in my Prayers 5 When I heare of thy Loue and Faith which thou hast in the Lord Iesus Christ and toward all Saints The order of the words and the interpretation of the same We shewed before that the Prayers vsed by the Apostle are partly a salutation and partly a thanksgiuing Of the salutation we haue spoken hitherto Now followeth the Thanks-giuing wherein hee giueth thankes to God for such good thinges as were found in him and thereby conceiueth hope to obtaine of him that which hee requested The Thankesgiuing is set forth First by the subiect or person to whom thankes are rendred to God Secondly by the time when he prayseth God for him not sparingly or sildome but oftentimes and continually when hee prayed vnto God and poured out his supplications vnto him Thirdly by the efficient cause the hearing of his vertues and graces that abounded in him to wit his Faith in Christ and his loue to the Saints the poore afflicted members of Christ So then we see to whom he gaue thankes to God when hee gaue thankes for him alwaies when he prayed and wherefore he gaue thankes because he heard of his faith and loue As if he should haue said As I wish vnto you all the full fauour of God and all prosperitie both of Soule and body so I cease not to reioyce in thee and to offer praise and thankes for thee to God whom onely I serue and hang vpon euen so often as I pray vnto him I remember thee and that vpon good ground and triall for I doe daily heare from the Churches of the worthy fruites of the Spirit of God that dwell in thee namely of thine vnfained Faith which thou hast toward the Lord Iesus Christ and of thy feruent loue which thou shewest to all the Saints that stand in neede of thy releefe comfort Thus much touching the order and meaning of the words The questions propounded But before wee proceede to handle the seuerall Doctrines offered to our considerations in this diuision it shall not be amisse for vs to answere three doubts that may arise out of these wordes First the question may be asked why the Apostle calleth God his God as if he were no mans GOD but his Secondly the Rhemists x Rhe. test vpon Phil. ver 5. in this place gather two notable errors Iustification by works and Prayer to the Saints and make Faith to be no lesse in the Saints then in Christ The like collection is made by Bellarmine y Bellar. de sanct beatit lib. 1. cap. 20. that wee must beleeue in them and hope in them as in our Patrones because the Apostle maketh mention of Philemons Loue and Faith toward Christ and toward the Saints so that they gather that there is Faith toward the Saints as well as toward Christ Thirdly it may be demaunded why Philemons loue is limited to the Saints and to no other Touching the first doubt arising out of the fourth verse z The first question answered it may seeme strange vnto some that the Apostle should say I thanke my God Is he not the God of the rest of the Apostles and of all beleeuers as well as his God Is hee the God of the Mountaines and not of the Vallies Is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles Yes euen the Gentiles also Paule therefore may be thought of many to inclose a Commons and to incroach vpon the right of others he may seeme very curteous and to claime and challenge as proper to himselfe that which belongeth generally to all the faithfull But the Apostle setting downe his right and interest in God doth not deny or debarre others of their priuiledge Hee dooth herein expresse the nature of a true Faith which is to beleeue not onely that hee is the God of other Men but that he is his God and that he was to beleeue in him to rest in him to depend vpon him to looke for all good things from him Hence it is that the Prophet Daniell praying vnto God saith sometimes h Dan. 9 17 18 19. O our God and sometimes againe O my God To say our God is a word of Charitie to say my God is a word of Faith the one respecteth others the other reflecteth vpon our selues When we pray Our Father we shew our loue to the Brethren when we say My Father we shew our Faith that we haue our part and portion in God as well as others and are to apply the promises of Grace made to all beleeuers particularly to our selues otherwise they cannot helpe vs and auaile vs. But of this we shall speake more afterward when we come to the Doctrines The second question answered The second question ariseth from hence that Paule seemeth to make Faith respect the Saints so to teach vs to beleeue in them and to pray vnto them For in the fift verse he saith he heard of Philemons loue and Faith which hee had toward the Lord Iesus Christ and toward the Saints But if the Apostle had meant to teach Faith to men and to direct vs to beleeue in Saints hee should be
and refuse to heare him but to shewe himselfe true in his worde and faithfull in his promise hee dooth acknowledge him as his owne because hee confessed him before that sinnefull and wicked generation saying vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise The Apostle Iohn liuing when the Deity of our Sauiour beganne to bee doubted of and called into question saith p 1 Ioh. 4 2 3. Euerie Spirit which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God If therefore wee looke to bee confessed of Christ and to haue our soules saued in the day of the Lord let vs boldly beare and behaue our selues vnder the Crosse and not shrinke in the wetting like deceitfull cloth let vs know that confession and saluation must goe together if wee waite for the one wee must expresse the other if confession go before we may build surely and ground our selues strongly vpon the promise of Christ that the saluation of our soules shall follow after and no man shall take it from vs. This made the Apostle say q 2 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Vse 2 Secondly seeing our Faith and Religion must be confessed it is a duty that lieth vpon vs to seeke to know the truth and labour to expresse the power of godlinesse otherwise it is vnpossible that euer we should make profession of it For profession of the faith presupposeth a knowledge of the faith for how can we confesse that which we kno not or manifest that to other wherof we are ignorant our selues This controlleth and condemneth those that liue in the Church heare the word and haue the Gospell sounding a long time in their eares yet know not what faith is nor how to beleeue so that whereas in regard of their continuance in the Church in regard of the meanes offred to them and in regard of their age wherewith God hath blessed them r Heb. 5 12. they might haue been teachers of others they haue neede to be taught the beginnings of faith the grounds of religion the principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate Alas who can consider without great greefe of heart and anguish of spirit in what state the greatest number of our people stand and remember that after al our planting watering sowing and labouring they are apt and fit to receiue any religion because they are blinde and ignorant and know not God aright or any part of his truth to their soules health They are like the potters Clay which is readie to take any forme and receiue any impression or like the earth which altereth and changeth as the winde or weather as the Spring or Winter shall worke vpon it If they were taught to beleeue and receiue the Cabala of the Iewes the Alcoran of the Turkes the Reuelations of the Anabaptists the Traditions of the Papists or such like rotten trash of mans deuises and if they were countenanced by authoritie of Princes and Lawes of men they were as easie to be wrought vpon as waxe that is readie to receiue any stampe and impression A lamentable case that wee should bee still as Babes and children not knowing the right hand from the left carried about with euerie waue of Doctrine and receiuing the darknesse of errour for the light of the truth But we haue not so learned Christ and the Christian Religion When we haue once giuen entertainment vnto the truth and imbraced it soundly in our hearts we must not denie the faith whatsoeuer befall vs whatsoeuer trouble come vnto vs whether prosperity fawne and flatter vpon vs or whether aduersity pinch vs and paine vs whether the Sunne of peace shine vpon vs or whether the clouds of affliction ouer-shaddow vs wee must alwayes be the same and our standing in the faith should not be wauering or wandering to giue ouer at euery assault and to shrink backe for euery brunt and to deny our Lorde and Maister by euery tentation This serueth to reproue those that knowe nothing and therefore can professe nothing and as they know nothing so they will know nothing of whom we may say as the Apostle doth Å¿ 2 Pet. 3 5. This they wittingly know not and so are wilfully ignorant and shut their eies because they would not see and because the light shold not shine into their hearts For seeing God hath commanded the light to shine out of darknes we may truly say t 2 cor 4 3 4 6 If our Gospell be then hid it is hidde to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God shoulde not shine vnto them Thus doth God send them strong delusion that they shold beleeue lies u 2 Thess 2 11 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let vs therefore seeke after knowledge as for great Treasures Let vs search the Scriptures that in them we may find eternall life let vs haue the word of God dwell plentifully in vs which is able to make vs wise vnto Saluation Let vs vse all good meanes to encrease knowledge in vs to begin in Faith to hold out a good confession to maintaine the truth against all the aduersaries that rise against vs. Vse 3. Thirdly seeing it is a duty to open our mouthes and lose our tongues to confesse to his name that hath called vs to his truth it standeth vs vpon continually and constantly to pray for the Spirit of strength or corroboration that we may be made able to stand in the time of danger It is not in all that know and acknowledge the truth to auouch it and to maintaine it to confesse it and to stand to it but onely of such as haue receiued the strengthening power of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle saith of himselfe x Phil 4 13. I am able to doe all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me So he prayeth for the Colossians That they might be strengthned with the glorious power of Christ When a man hath once receiued to beleeue hee wanteth a new grace to bee giuen vnto him that the graine of Faith which lyeth hidden in the heart and couered in the Ashes of mans frailty may grow vp openly and bring forth in vs the confession of the mouth This appeareth by the words of the Apostle Iohn who testifieth y Iohn 12 42 43. That euen among the cheefe Rulers many beleeued in him neuerthelesse because of the
God and hate his Brother hee is a Lyar for howe can hee that loueth not his Brother whom hee hath seene Loue God whom hee hath not seene And this Commaundement haue wee of him that he that loueth God should Loue his Brother also Where hee teacheth that the loue of God and the loue of our Bretheren are knit together with such a fast knot as can neuer bee loosed and dissolued the Workes of the first Table cannot be pulled assunder from the Workes of the second Table The Apostle Peter moouing the dispersed Iewes to giue dilligence to make their Election sure and their calling certaine that so they might neuer fall away p 2 Pet. 1 5 6 7. exhorteth them To ioyne Vertue with their Faith and with Fayth Knowledge and with Knowledge Temperance and with Temperance Patience and with Patience Godlinesse and with Godlynesse Brotherly Kindnesse and vvith Brotherly kindnesse Loue. These Christian graces of Gods Spirit he would haue in them and not onely to be found in them but to abound in them and not onely some of them but they must endeuour to get them all and to ioyne one of them to another that so we may bee fruitfull in all good Workes It is not therefore enough for vs to haue one guift alone and then think we are well Let vs not flatter our selues and boast of our Religion to say wee haue Faith or Knowledge or Temperance or Loue. Hee that hath but one of them hath indeede none of them We must haue many or else wee cannot assure our selues that we haue any at all For as hee that is reformed in one sinne is reformed in all knowne sinnes and he that truely repenteth of one truely repenteth of all so hee that hath obtayned one gift hath gotten many One sinne commonly goeth not alone so one Vertue goeth not alone When Fayth commeth there commeth a Traine with it it is as a Royall Queene that neuer trauaileth abroad without her traine Faith layeth holde vpon Christ in whome q Col. 1 19. 2 3. all Treasures of Knowledge Wisedome are hidden Whosoeuer possesseth him and hath him dwelling in his heart hee possesseth all thinges If then wee by attending on the ordinance of God haue gotten Faith r Rom. 20 17. which commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word so soone as Faith is entred a great multitude and mightie Armie of Gods Graces stande about vs and throng at the doore of our hearts as it were striuing and thrusting which of them shoulde enter first and they neuer giue ouer vntill they bee all come in and haue taken vp their lodging there neuer after to bee dislodged and dispossessed of that place Let vs not therefore bee so sparing and niggardly to thinke one grace of God sufficient for vs we serue a liberall Lorde and bountifull Maister that offereth to make vs partakers of all his Treasures and to bestow vppon vs all the riches of his house We may put our hands into his Coffers and store our selues with plenty and aboundance Wee see howe they that couer their houses Å¿ Plaut in Trinum Benefacta benefactis alijs pertegito ne perpluant do lay Tile vpon Tile or Stone vpon Stone or Strawe vppon Straw so thicke that it may not raine thorow and that they may be defended from winde and weather so should it bee with vs that are setting vppe a Christian building when we haue laide a good foundation wee must couer our houses with a strong couering wee must lay Grace vppon Grace and ioyne Vertue to Vertue that though the stormes of tentations beate vpon vs yet they may not preuaile against vs though the Raine of afflictions fall vpon vs yet it may not enter into vs and although the Windes of wickednesse doo oftentimes blow vpon vs yet they may not ouer-turne and ouerthrow vs. Vse 2. Secondly seeing Faith and Loue go together and dwell together we are put in minde of a notable dutie and are thereby directed to prooue our Faith by our Loue and our Loue by our Faith and to make one of them serue to assure the other The cause wil proue the effect and the effect will manifest the cause We may proue fire by the heat and the heat by the fire a good tree by his fruit the fruit by his tree Many wil seeme faithful religious they will glorify that they beleeue boast of their piety and godlinesse yet come to their liues you shal find therein no fruits of mercy no works of charity no tokens testimonies of their loue appearing in them This mans religion is in vaine his faith is in vaine his shew of godlinesse is in vaine for pure t Iam. 1 27 2 16. Religion and vndefiled before God the Father is this to visit the fatherles widdowes in their aduersity to keep himself vnspotted of the world And the same Apostle in the next chapter teacheth That it shal not profit any man to say he hath Faith when his Faith bringeth forth no Good-workes Againe many will shew some fruites of Loue to their Brethren in Almes in liberality in giuing vnto the poore in dealing iustly and vprightly and yet haue no faith they doo them as naturall men mooued by a naturall affection or stirred vp by vaine glory or hunting after the praise of men or constrained by the lawes of Princes or fearing the reproach of the world or seeking the merit of their owne saluation All such haue their reward according to their worke but not according to their hope They haue their reward already they must look for no other they haue it among men they shall loose it with God they haue the applause of the world but they must passe another doome in the life to come Such faith before spoken of without loue is but a shadow of faith and such loue without faith is but a shadow of loue both are naught and nothing worth if they be assunder The roote ioyned to the Tree are both good and make the branches fruitfull but seperate the one from the other pull the root from the Tree and you destroy them both you kill them both This is that vse u Iames 2 18. which S. Iames vrgeth chap. 2. Some man might say Thou hast the Faith and I haue workes shew me thy faith out of thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Whereby we are taught to try the truth of our faith the sincerity of our loue that we be not deceiued in the one or in the other But how shall this triall be made Surely by making one the Touchstone to the other laying one to the other and waighing one in the ballance with the other For the Apostle willeth the vaine Christian who hath nothing but the name of faith to glory in like a poore Begger that boasteth of great riches to shew the goodnesse of his Faith by the fruits of Good-workes or else his
die but if ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit ye shal liue for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God And in another place Å¿ 2 Cor. 5 15. Thus we iudge that if one be dead and he died for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them and rose againe Sanctification goeth alwayes before glorification Euerie one would be glorified but euery one wil not be sanctified euerie one would liue with God but euery one will not dye to sinne euery one would receiue the victory but euery one will not fight the battel But let vs not be deceiued God is not mocked If we would attaine to saluation we must first haue sanctification we must be Saints in this life if we look to be Saints in glory heerafter we must be Saints vpon the earth if we would be Saints in heauen wee must first make a beginning before we can come to the ending We must take paines wee must labour hard and sweate much before we can come to our iourneyes end Let vs therefore take heed we do not make a mocke of the Saints least we mocke at our owne sanctification and consequently neglect nay despise our owne saluation If we make any account of holinesse of life let vs not cast it out as a reproch to bee holy Let vs consider that this is the will of God euen our sanctification it is not therefore his will that wee should delight in prophanesse and vngodlinesse And as for those that are scorned and abused or rather not they indeede or their persons flouted and contemned but their Faith their Religion their Sanctification let them not hang downe their heads and be discouraged but walke boldly through good report and euill report and be so farre from shrinking back for these taunts reuilings that rather we should prepare our selues for an harder battell an hotter encounter We haue not yet resisted vnto blood Remember what our Lorde and Maister hath endured the reproach of the world the slaunders of the vngodly the mockings of the malicious the shame of the crosse and what not We must not looke to fare better then he we must not thinke to be entertained otherwise then he was If this be the worst that they can say by vs if this be the greatest fault they can report of vs that we are Saintes and holy persons let vs not be discomforted but rather comforted heerein that God is glorified in vs his name is honoured and the mouth of Iniquity is stopped hauing nothing to detect vs off nothing to obiect against vs. The enemies of Daniell howsoeuer they watched all occasions and sought all opportunities to betray him and destroy him yet the greatest crime they had to charge him withall t Dan 6. 11. and 3. 12. was that he prayed to his God three times a day and made supplication vnto him The Caldeans had no other fault to charge the Iewes to haue committed then that they would not bow downe vnto an Idol If they could haue found any other matter to accuse them of as Malefactors their malice was so great to their profession and to their persons for their professions sake that they would not haue spared and held their peace But this was the glory of these seruants of God that they suffered not for their sinnes and deseruings but for their faith and a good conscience This was it wherin the Church and faithfull comforted themselues Psal 44. If we haue u Psal 44. 20 21 22. forgotten the name of our God and holden vp our handes to a strange God shall not God search this out For he knoweth the secrets of the heart Surely for thy sake are we slaine continually and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter This is that place which the Apostle alludeth vnto Rom. 8. Whereby he comforteth the people of God in their afflictions whereby we see what is the portion and condition of the Saintes in this life they are sheepe not wolues they are afflicted they doe not afflict they are killed they do not kill they are killed not because they haue forsaken and renounced God but because they would not forsake him and renounce him They are slaine not for their owne sinne but because they would not commit sinne against God If this be our case and condition that we are reproached for our righteousnesse and religion and if we x 1 Pet 4 13. 14. be railed vpon for the name of Christ we haue cause to reioyce in asmuch as we are partakers of his sufferinges and shall be partakers of his glory yea blessed are we for the spirit of glory and of God resteth vpon vs which on their part is euill spoken off but on our part is glorified Let vs comfort our selues and our bretheren with these thinges Vse 2. Secondly seeing all the faithfull liuing in the world are Saintes this serueth to conuince the Church of Rome who appropriate the word Saintes to those that are dead and honour none with this title that liue vpon the earth but such as are departed out of this life and being famous for miracles are Canonized by the Pope whom they account as a God vpon the earth Hence it is that they adde farther that our Church cannot be an holy Church because there was neuer yet any Saint or holy man of it approued to be such by miracle or any other euident token They renounce our Church because it is no holy Church and they conclude it is not holy because we haue no Saints that are in it or euer were of it First lct vs speake of our Saintes and then somewhat touching their Saintes whereof they boast so much and in whom they glory so greatly Touching the former the Prophets Apostles and holy men of the first Churches were professors of the same faith that wee beleeue as appeareth by the Scriptures by which we offer to be tried in al controuersies but our Aduersaries will not deny these to be Saintes and such Saintes as haue beene approued by miracles Againe we haue in our Churches true beleeuers iustified by the bloud of Christ and sanctified by the spirit of God and therefore are Saintes by calling as we haue shewed before We haue the fruites of sanctification as necessary effects of a liuing faith we profit daily in repentance from dead workes we labour more and more for y Col 2 2. 5. Rom 8 16. the full assurance of vnderstanding and stedfast faith in Christ for our redemption But such as liue in sin and walk in the flesh haue not the spirit of Christ they are not of our church they are no true Saints they may bee among vs but they are not of vs. As for the popish Saints which are found in their Golden Legend so called and stand in redde letters in their Kalenders it is no maruell if we do not account
the estate of the poore Sainâ—s or to enquire how they fare Alas how should they offer their helpe of their owne accord and open the bowels of pitty before they be entreated that will depart from nothing but vrged and constrained by force of Law or taxation of others Or how should they extend their compassion to the poore that are absent who are like vnto the rich man that despised Lazarus lying at his gate and woulde not giue him the crums that fell from his table It is noted to the great commendation of Dauid that after the death of Saule he sought not reuenge vpon his issue and posterity but did good to his childrens children said g 2 Sam. 9 1. Is there any left of the house of Saul that I may shew mercy for Ionathans sake So ought we to seek out the seruants of God and to finde out the poor and to enquire after the distressed Saints and say Is there any of the poore yet left to whom we may shew mercy for the Lordes sake For they represent the person of Christ when they come vnto vs Christ himselfe commeth vnto vs and when they aske of vs it is Christ that asketh of vs and saith I am hungry I am thirsty I am naked I am harbourlesse so that whatsoeuer we would do to Christ if he were with vs the same must wee do to them that are among vs. 8 Wherefore although I haue great libertie in Christ to commaund thee that which is thy dutie 9 Yet for loues sake I rather beseech thee being such a one euen Paule an Old man yea now a prisoner of Iesus Christ. The order of the words IN the words going before wee haue heard the preface or entrance of this Epistle consisting partly in the Title of it and partly in certaine Prayers vsed by the Apostle Now we are to proceed to the rest of the Epistle wherein we must obserue two points First the cheefe matter is handled Secondly the whole matter is concluded The cheefe matter is touching Onesimus or himselfe The first concerning Onesimus is handled from the eight verse to the 22. verse The latter touching himselfe is expressed in the 22. Verse wherein he willeth to prepare lodging for him hoping by their Prayers to be deliuered out of prison The former point is set downe in this short speech or sentence I Paule pray thet to receiue Onesimus The parts of which sentence are not barely propounded but amplified and then the whole is prooued confirmed We are therein to consider three partes First the intreating and praying of Philemon Secondly the person praying and intreating Thirdly the person for whom he prayeth and intreateth His praying of Philemon is declared by a diuers reason Although I haue great libertie to command thee yet I pray thee and beseech thee The person praying and beseeching is Paule who is described generally being such a one and then particularly by his old age and by his bonds Touching the person for whom hee beggeth and beseecheth we shall see afterward Verse 10. The meaning of the words This is to be obserued touching the order of the words Now let vs consider the interpretation of them First he speaketh of his liberty in Christ that is as an Apostle and Minister of Christ whose Messenger or Ambassador he is whereby he insinuateth and signifieth that this power is not his owne or of himself but is Christs it is not the seruants but the Lords it is not mans or the Ministers but Gods For euen at Magistrates ordained and sent foorth by the Prince can do nothing in their owne name but in the Kings name so Ministers called of God and fitted to the office wherunto they are called must teach command reprooue and exhort not in their owne name but in the name of Christ their Lord and Maister He addeth That for loues sake he intreateth him Loue in this place may bee referred either to Philemon or to Paule seeing the Apostle leaueth it at large and restraineth it not either to his loue or to his owne If it be referred to Philemon it carieth this sence I do intreat thee and not command thee for thy compassion and loues sake which I haue before commended in thee and thou so diligently and deuoutly shewest vnto the Saints But I do not take this to bee the naturall meaning of the words so that we are to vnderstand them rather of Paules loue toward Philemon that he so tendered and loued him as that he had rather deale with him in kindnesse and by intreatance then roughly and seuerely Lastly he sayth Paule an Old man and now a prisoner of Christ In these wordes is included great force to moue Philemon Wee must vnderstand the first Wordes of his Age not of his Office of his yeares not of his Ministery and hee calleth himselfe a prisoner of Christ that is for Christs sake and the preaching of his Gospell So then according to this Interpretation these wordes are thus much in effect as if hee had sayde Seeing I heare euerie where of thy feruent Loue and exceeding tender Compassion thou bearest to the poore Saintes though I may manie wayes commaund thee in thinges that are right and equall as in that I am an Apostle of our Lorde Iesus Christ in that I am stricken in Age readie to leaue this life and in that I am nowe a Captiue and Prisoner for the cause of Christ and his Gospell yet the loue and tender affection I beare vnto thee do moue me rather to beseech and to intreat thee Now let vs see what may be obserued out of these wordes Obseruations out of these wordes First of all the Apostle would not do that which he might doe and was lawfull for him to doe which may teach the Minister and all men sometimes to be content to depart from their right as Abraham did toward Lot when a strife arose betweene them h 1 Cor 9 4. and as Paule did oftentimes according as himselfe testifyeth in his Epistles Which condemneth those that stand strictly vpon their right i 1 Cor 10. and consider what is lawfull but forget what is fit and expedient For in thinges that are indifferent we are not by and by allowed to do that which is lawfull k 1 Cor 9 12 15. nor to vse our power but must suffer all thinges that the Gospell of Christ be not hindred Likewise the Apostle would not sometimes take any wages of the Church but preached freely and was not chargeable to any because he would not giue occasion of speaking euil against the Gospell Secondly the Apostle publisheth his liberty to command but it is onely in Christ whose Ministers he and we are and not our owne Thus he calleth himselfe an Apostle l Galtath 1 1. not by man nor by the will of man but of Christ This is the difference betweene a ciuill Magistrate and an Ecclesiasticall Minister The ciuill Magistrate may
26. when hee sayeth Chapter 44. I will destroy the Tokens of the Sooth-sayers and will make them that coniecture Fooles and turne the Wisemen backeward and make their knowledge foolishnesse but he confirmeth the worde of his seruant and performeth the Counsell of his Messengers Whereby we see that God dooth binde and loose forgiue and retaine with him when he confirmeth their worde and performeth their Counsell This is the Dignitie of the Ministery which serueth to reprooue the vnthankefull world and ignorant people that make no reckoning or account of this ordinance which is the power of God and the wisedome of God The first reproofe First it condemneth those that thinke the Ministers proud and presumptious and accuse them as saucie and malapart when they commaund vs from the Lord and checke vs for our sinnes It is their dutie not onely to teach and admonish to exhort and to comfort but to conuince and reprooue to threaten and to denounce Iudgements from God against the obstinate and vnrepentant When they are stirred vp with boldnesse and courage to tell the people of their sinnes we must know they do that which they may do speak no more then they ought to speak they must not hold their peace vnlesse they would dishonor their Lord that sent them and bring iudgment vpon their owne heads An Embassador if he should not vse the name and authoritie of his Prince should abuse his Prince make himselfe liable to grieuous punnishment So the Embassadors Lieutenants of Iesus Christ if they shold not cōmand and charge vs his subiects in the name of our Lord Maister they should abuse and abase him that put them in the office and sent them to their charge Therefore the Apostle saith n 1 Cor 4 1 2 Let a man so think of vs as of the ministers of Christ disposers of the secrets of God as for the rest it is required of the disposers that euery man be found faithful Zachariah reprouing Ioash his princes for their Idolatry o 1 Cor 24 20 they thought him to be a mad and malapart fellow put him to death S◠when Ieremy was sent to prophesie against the Temple and the Citty and to exhort them to amend their wages and their workes they could not beare his wordes but threatned to kill him The second reproofe Secondly it reproueth those that account the Ministers their Vassals and Slaues whereas the case of a Pastor is not to be made an vnderling or a blocke for euery one to insult tread vpon as the wicked Worldlings vse them This is the measure indeed that is met vnto vs this is the recompence that is receiued by vs and this is the complaint that the Apostle maketh p 1 Cor 4 9. 11. I thinke that God hath set forth vs the last Apostles as men appointed to death for we are made a gazing stocke vnto the world and to the Angels and to men vnto this houre we both hunger and thirst are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place Whereas they should be regarded as the Ambassadors of God and respected as his Steward 's set ouer the house of God to dispense the misteries of life and saluation True it is great contempt lieth vpon our calling to the Ministry euen as much reproach is laid vpon the profession of Christ in sincerity The Prophet declareth that his aduersaries reioyced at his calamity and hated him wrongfully because q Psal 38 20. he followed goodnesse so do the Ministers of the Gospell suffer much hatred and contempt by wicked and prophane men because they discouer their Hypocrisie and open their iniquity yea the word of God in their mouthes is many times as a fretting Corasiue applied to their consciences that they cannot welter and wallow so secretly and securely in their sinnes as they would and as they wonted to do When they are resolute and resolued to continue in sinne and thinke to rest and sleepe quietly therein as in a bed of ease the word of God doth often raise them vp and rouse them out of their sencelesse security and summoneth them to the barre of Gods iudgement This is it that troubleth their peace and their patience this maketh them to spurne against their persons and their calling this causeth them to watch them narrowly and to hunt after aduantages through their infirmities that thereby they may disgrace them this draweth them to cast all contempt and dishonour vpon their Office that so their disorders and prophanenesse may not be espied For how should they abide the Ministers of the word that hate the word of God Or how should they suffer the Ambassadours that cannot endure the Ambassage and message that they bring But we must arme our selues against the scorne and contempt of the world which by wicked men is cast as mire and dirt in our faces considering that we are the r 2 Cor 2 15. sweet sauour of God as well in them that perish as in them that are saued The third reproofe Thirdly the high excellency of this calling reproueth those that account the Office to base and low for them and for their Children Many there are that liue by the Gospel that are ashamed to preach the Gospell They liue by the Altar and yet are ashamed to serue at the Alter They can be content to haue the Milke and to cloth themselues with the wooll of the sheepe and yet disdaine to feed the sheepe These are they that loue ſ Mat 23 6 7. the cheife places at feastes and to haue the cheife seates in the assemblies and greetings in the Markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi Ambition and vaine glory haue tied vp their tongues and made them cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes Coueteousnesse and idlenesse haue choked them and stopped the passage of their voice Pride in themselues and contempt of others haue sowed vp their lips and made them cast the care of the flocke vpon their substitutes who many times are as carelesse as their Maisters and in the meane season betweene them both the sheep of Christ bought with his precious bloud go to wracke and runne to ruine What a shame is it that any man should be raised vp and aduanced meerely by the Gospell and yet account the preaching of the Gospell a reproach to their high dignity The sonne of God himselfe refused not to serue in this calling t Mat 9 35. he went about al Citties and Townes teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome If then Christ Iesus the sonne of God tooke paines in this calling what sonne of the earth shall disdaine to discharge this office that he hath vndertaken and by which he is maintained Againe seeing the calling is so excellent why should any be ashamed to consecrate their sonnes to God in the seruice of the Ministry thereby to gaine soules to him and to
of God wee send our selues we are not sent of him We are our owne Messengers to doe our owne Message not the Embassadours of the eternall God But when hee hath put his worde in our mouths wee must goe to those that he hath sent vs d Ier. 1 7 8. and whatsoeuer hee commaundeth vs that wee must speake So when God had stretched out his hand and touched the mouth of the Prophet Ieremy hee sayde Bee not affraide of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee sayth the Lord. Thus hee speaketh to Ezekiell e Exek 3 8 9. I haue made thy Face strong against their Faces and thy Fore-head harde against their Fore-heades I haue made thy Fore-head as the Adamant and harder then the Flint Feare them not therefore neither bee affrayde at their lookes for they are a Rebellious house Secondly it teacheth them not to loose their Authoritie and so to shame their Calling and their Mayster that hath put them in that Calling bringing them-selues and their Ministry vnder the subiection and slauerie of others The Apostle by all meanes seeketh to magnifye his Ministery and to beautifie his Calling Hence he saith f 1 Cor. 9 1. Am not I an Apostle am not I free This reprooueth those that serue the lustes and pleasure of others and dare doe nothing to displease such as are in high place Thus Aaron in the absence of Moses offended who was at the commaundement of the people g Exo. 32 1 4. when they saide vnto him Make vs Gods to go before vs he receiued their golden earings and fashioned it with the grauing toole and made of it a Molten Calfe The like we see in Vriah the Priest h 2 Kings 16 2 10. when Ahaz who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lorde but walked in the way of the Kings of Israell saw the Altar that was at Damascus he sent vnto him the paterne of the Altar and the fashion of it and all the Workemanship thereof and hee made an Altar in all points like to that which the King had sent from Damascus This departing from the Commaundement of God to please the humour or honour of mightie men must be farre from vs. We haue a plaine way set before vs wee ought to walke in it wee must not decline eyther to the right hand or to the left hand We must not make marchandise of the word of God but deale faithfully with God and his people The Prophet Micah complaineth of such Prophets in his time as flattered the people in their sinnes i Mich. 2 11. And Prophesied vnto them of Wine and of strong drink and in such Prophets the people delighted The Lord chargeth Ieremy k Ier. 1 17. to trusse vp his loynes to arise and to speake to the Children of Israell all that he commaunded him not to bee affraide of their faces least he destroy him before them Let vs beware of such smooth tongues that flatter with their lippes and bring vs in danger of destruction Salomon teacheth vs l Prou. 29 5. That a man which flattereth his Neighhour spreadeth a Net for his steppes declaring thereby that as a Birde which is taken in the Net is in daunger of death so they which beleeue flatterers fall into great perilles of Soule of Bodie of Goods of good name of life Thirdly it teacheth the Ministers to take heede they abuse not their Authority and turne it into tiranny but employ it vnto edification not to the destruction of the Church or any member thereof This the Apostle plainly teacheth concerning himselfe m 2 Cor. 10 8 Though I should boast somwhat more of our authority which the Lord hath giuen vs for edification and not for your destruction I should haue no shame And in another place n 2 Cor. 1 24 Wee haue not Dominion ouer your faith but we are helpers of your ioy for by Faith ye stand We must remember and consider that we are vnder Christ we are his Substitutes and Lieutenants He is the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheepe We must not beare our selues o 1 Pet. 5 3. as Lords ouer his heritage but as ensamples to the flocke Christ himselfe testifieth that he was among them as one that p Luke 22 27 Math. 20 28. serued For the sonne of man came not to bee serued but to serue and to giue his life for the ransome of many Let vs haue the same mind in vs that was in christ Iesus let vs behaue our selues as Stewards not as Lords as Officers not as Princes as Ministers not as Vsurpers as Stewards not as Maisters of the house Vse 3. Lastly it serueth for instruction of the people that they despise not the Ministry of the word but alway readie to heare it with reuerence For wheresoeuer there is authority in the speaker there should bee feare and reuerence in the hearer They are Embassadors sent not from Man but from God they speake not in their owne names but in the name of God they publish not their owne Dreames or deuises but the Doctrine of God and therefore ought reuerently and obediently to be regarded Thus the Prophet teacheth vs to reason q Mal. 2 7. The people must heare the Lawe at his Mouth for hee is the Messenger of the Lerd of Hoastes True it is they are men that bring it but they are Messengers sent of GOD they are subiect to the same passions that wee are but God hath put his word in their hearts and in their mouthes and therefore both they and it must bee receyued with all reuerence and entertayned with the inwarde obedience of the soule Hence it is that our Sauiour Christ sayth r Luke 10 16 Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth you heareth him that sent mee The Prophet teacheth that their feete are beautifull that bring gladde tydings of peace and bring glad tydinges of good things They are saide to be worthy of double honor and to teach the way of saluation If a man had lost a precious Iewell and Rich Pearle which was all the riches and substance of his house and beeing in this case should meete with a man that can tell him who robbed him of it where it is and how hee may come to haue it againe how would hee respect him and reward him A godly Minister is such a one vnto thee Å¿ Perk. of the Ministr who when Adam had lost himselfe and all his posteritie and that peerlesse Iewell of righteousnesse the whole wealth of our soules can truely tell vs who did steale it away from vs and how it is to bee recouered againe The Deuill is the Theefe Christ doth restore it Faith applyeth Christ the Word of God worketh Faith the Minister preacheth the word whereby we beleeue How well doost thou account of that Physitian and how highly doest thou esteeme of him who when thy health is lost and sicknesse falne vpon thee
among you am base but am bolde toward you being absent Thus the Apostle Peter speaketh e 1 Pet. 2 11. Dearly beloued I beseech you as Pilgrims and Straungers abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles Likewise the Apostle Iohn writing to a Noble woman by byrth but more noble by Faith and Religion saieth f 2 Iohn 5. I now beseech thee Ladie not as writing a newe Commaundement vnto thee but the same that wee had from the beginning that wee loue one another Whereby we see that it is a dutie required of vs that in deliuering the word of God in declaring his will we should vse mildenesse rather then sharpenesse gentlenesse rather then roughnesse beseeching rather then commanding and meekenesse of spirit rather then threatning of iudgement Reason 1. Now to confirme this doctrine sundry reasons may be rendred and produced First we are bound to vse those meanes and to take that course which is most forcible effectual But to deale with loue and lenity and to handle our brethren kindly and meekly is most likely to preuaile with most men Therefore the Apostle requireth g 2 Tim. 2 25. that the seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward al men apt to teach suffering the euil instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue thē repentance that they may acknowledge the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the deuil c. There is no way so auaileable to bring euill men out of the dangers wherin they stand who are as it were taken prisoners and made bondslaues to do the Deuils wil then to allure them by gentlenesse to draw them by long suffering and to ouercome them by patience Reason 2. Secondly this course well and duely obserued serueth to perswade them with whome wee deale of our loue and tender affection towardes them For louing and friendly dealing argueth louing and affectionate mindes and with whomsoeuer we haue to doo it is a great meanes of preuailing and the readie way to bend and encline him vnto that which is good and to turne him from that which is euill when his perswasions are perceyued to tend to the profite and benefite of him whome wee would perswade Wee shall neuer doo any good or preuayle with our Brother to bring him into the right way vnlesse hee can assure his owne heart that wee loue him and seeke his good and desire his Saluation It is Loue in the Speaker that mooueth the Hearer to embrace that which hee speaketh to like that which hee teacheth to hate that which hee reprooueth to auoyde that which hee condemneth and to practise that which hee commendeth Wee must worke this Opinion and ground this perswasion in their hearts that wee loue them and that all our Doctrines Instructions and Reproofes proceede onely from this Fountaine before wee can mooue them to Attention Reuerence and Obedience vnto that which they heare deliuered Hence it is that the Apostle in sundrie places writing to diuers Churches and moouing them to followe the examples and exhortations giuen vnto them laboureth to perswade them of his vnfaigned Loue towardes them as it appeareth Phillippians 4 1. Therefore my Bretheren beloued and longed for my ioy and my Crowne so continue in the Lorde yee beloued Reason 3. Thirdly we are to imitate our Head and Maister Christ Iesus he vsed not his Authoritie and Power that was in him he dealt not roughly and seuerely with his enemies but meekely and mercifully and most compassionately he was meeke and as a Lambe before his shearer When he might according to his mightie power in Iustice haue destroyed his Persecuters and enemies h Luke 23 34 he prayed for them he intreated pardon for them that their sinne might bee forgiuen Therefore the Apostle Peter teacheth vs that we are prouoked to a patient bearing of wrongs and suffering of trobles by the example of Christ saying i 1 Pet. 2 21. For heerunto ye are called for Christ also suffered for you leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth Seeing then that milde and mercifull dealing pulleth out of the snare of the deuill openeth the loue of the speaker and lastly maketh vs like to Christ whose example is a perfect patterne of all meeknesse and moderation it followeth that it is carefully to be vsed of vs when we speak to the people of God in the name of God Vse 1. Let vs see what Vses may bee raysed and remembered vnto vs out of this Doctrine First we learne that mercie and compassion yea all tokens and testimonies of loue are to be shewed toward Malefactors euen when Iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted and the course of Law is to proceede against them that they may know it is not malice but Iustice hath brought this fall vpon thē it is not their blood but their good that is sought and the good of others The truth heereof we see practised in Ioshua when Achan was apprehended and his sinne discouered whereby hee had offended God sinned against his expresse commandement and troubled Israell he said vnto him l Iosh 7 19. My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide it not from me Cruelty in deed or bitternesse in word euen toward euill doers that are alreadie adiudged or stand at the barre to be iudged is barbarous and inhumain To insult ouer a poore prisoner or a condemned man that is guilty of death and carried to the place of execution standeth neither with an humaine disposition nor with a Christian affection nor with Brotherly compassion Beholde the proud and insolent behauiour of the sauage and beastly minded Pharisees and Priests against our Sauiour Christ mocking spitting buffeting rayling reuiling whipping and crucifieng him betweene two theeues They were not content to seeke his life and to shed his blood but laded him with contempt and all shamefull calumniations This also is the practise of their successors the Romish Cleargy who are the followers of them in malice and cruelty when the faithfull haue beene not only conuented before them but condemned of them they haue embrued their hands and defiled their garments with their blood which cryeth to the God of Heauen for iudgement neither were they contented to feede their eyes with their torments and to satisfie their lusts with their sufferings but proceeded to all extreamities of rage and madnesse rayling at them and speaking all manner of euil against them This abuse is somtimes too vsual and common in the places of Iustice iudgment from whence all gall and bitternesse should be banished wee may heare vnseemly iests bitter taunts vncharitable reproches cast out of their mouths as a
those that are least esteemed and are of lowest condition were bought with as great and high a price as others and were redeemed not with corruptible things as Siluer and Gold but with the deare and precious bloode of Christ Rich and poore high and lowe great and small had all one price paide for their ransome This is the reason x Math 18 10 11. vrged by Christ See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in Heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen for the sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost If then the least be redeemed by his death and saued by faith in him as well as the greatest it followeth that al should bee regarded none contemned all loued none despised Hence it is also that the Apostle chargeth those that are strong to receiue vnto them y Rom. 14 1 3 15. the weaker sort and not to despise them whom God hath receiued and for whom Christ hath dyed Reason 2. Secondly there is no respect of persons with God He doth not esteeme men for accidentall things as for pouertie or riches for honor or dishonour The poore the fatherlesse the widdow the stranger the seruant are as deare to him and as greatly respected of him as those that are set in high places are honoured with great callings When we speake of a person in our talke and communication me meane some man or some woman but the Scripture meaneth a more speciall thing to wit the outward quality or condition of man which may purchase him grace or disgrace fauour or disfauor When God wil cal vs to his truth and bestow his graces vppon vs it is done according to his holy wil and good pleasure he is not moued to it by the outward appearance and condition of the person he respecteth not Country or sex or birth or riches or pouertie or Nobility or wisedome or learning or friends This is it which the Apostle teacheth z Gal. 3 27 28 Al ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus And to the same purpose Peter speaketh a Acts 10 34 35. Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted vvith him Seeing then God accepteth the person of no man he wold haue no man reiected for the meannesse of his person Reason 3. Thirdly they shal receiue with others the same recompence of reward the same kingdome of heauen the same measure of glory The differences that now are in this life shal cease As there is now the same precious faith so then there shall be the same precious felicity The poorest members of Christ haue the same spirituall graces that are necessary to saluation and therefore shal be partakers of the same inheritance This the Apostle Iames setteth downe chap. 2. b Iames 2 5. Harken my beloued Brethren hath not GOD chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he promised to them that loue him He hath not prepared and prouided one place of glorie for those that are Rich and another place for those that are poore he hath not left one inheritance for the Noble and another for the vnnoble but as they haue one Faith to apprehend Christ so they shall haue one glorie to be like vnto Christ The Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth this c Iohn 14 2 In my Fathers house are many mansion places if it were not so I would haue tolde you I go to prepare a place for you If then wee consider these points that the lowest in the Church and the most vnworthy to be of the Church are bought with one the same price that God accepteth and respecteth no mans person and that they shall receiue with others an eternall waight of glory and immortalitie we may conclude this as a necessary truth that we ought not to bee ashamed of any though of the lowest sort and poorest estate and meanest condition to whom God hath imparted and vouchsafed this mercie to beleeue in Christ and to be a member of his bodie and to be in the number of true beleeuers Vse 1 The Doctrine being made euident the Vses will be as apparent First seeing we are bound to loue the lowest in the Church that belong to Christ we learne that our affections must bee carried most earnestly and in the greatest measure to those that haue the greatest measure of heauenly graces not regarding Riches or Kindred or outward respects before the other It is a sound and sanctified loue that is wrought in vs toward those that are faithfull The Apostle in this place was so farre from beeing ashamed of Onesimus conuerted to Christ and gayned to the Gospell though he were a Seruant and had beene a Theefe and a Runnagate that he glorieth in his Faith reioyceth in his Conuersion accounteth him as his Sonne and respecteth him as his owne bowelles This affection no lesse then fatherly toward him hee expresseth afterward d Verse 16 17 Receiue him not nowe as a Seruant but aboue a seruant euen as a Brother beloued specially to me how much more then vnto thee both in the Flesh and in the Lord If therfore thou count our things common receiue him as my self He saw in this man being a Proselite newly conuerted to the Faith such fruits of sanctification as seales of his conuersion that he loued him most dearely and sought by all meanes to procure fauour for him with his Maister Whatsoeuer the former life of men hath beene when once they make Conscience of their waies beginning to leade an holy life and to blot out the infamy reproach of their conuersation led in the time of their ignorance it is our duty to begin to loue them as entirely as our Brethren in Christ and as children with vs of the same Father The practise heereof we see in Christ our Sauiour and haue this instruction giuen vs from his owne mouth Mathew 12. when it was tolde him as hee was preaching his word to the multitude that came to heare him that his Mother and Bretheren stoode without desiring to speake with him hee answered e Math 12 48 Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren And he stretched foorth his hand toward his Disciples and said Beholde my Mother and my Brethren for whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother To this purpose the Prophet Dauid speaketh f Psal 16 1. All my delight is in the Saints that are vpon the earth The Godly must be most dear vnto vs and we are bound to be kind to them as to our Kin.
the sinne nor consider the iniury offered to others but suffer themselues to be drawn and ouercome by affection or kindred or other mens suites to bestow sufficient places vpon vn-sufficient persons By couetousnesse when they reserue a portion or pension to themselues and when they so pare it and share it from the incumbent that they sequester the greatest benefite of the Benefice for themselues b Iudg 17. and bestow ten Shekles and a sute of apparrell by the yeare to another to beare the name and to serue the Cure These bestow as much vpon their Horse-keeper to keepe their Horses as vpon the Minister that hath the charge of Soules If ignorance be the cause I would in the Name of God and in reuerence to their high places and callings craue liberty to vse a word of Exhortation vnto them to beseech them to giue me leaue to put them in mind and to be content to learne how they came by this right and authority to be put into their hands After that the bounds and limits were assigned to euery Parish and seuerall Churches were appointed for seueral Ministers and Lands and liuings bestowed for their maintenance to the end that euery one should keepe his owne and no man to intrude vpon the right of another nor rob the Church of that which was giuen there were certaine temporall men chosen c Marcil patau desens pac part 2. cap. 14. either by godly Kinges or by such as had endowed those Churches and giuen them Lands to be Patrones of those Churches who might be able and ready to defend the Church rightes and priuiledges to the end the Pastours themselues should with more conuenience and lesse incumbrance apply their vocations It was thought vnfit for them to follow suites of Law whereby their studies might be distracted and so the people should not be instructed and besides those holy men resembling Christ and imployed in the seruice of the Church would not be contentious in the law to striue with any whereby wee see they are called Patrones because they were appointed by the first Doners to defend the right of the Donation against all Intruders and Incroachers vpon their guifts and to protect the Church-liuings from the iniuries and insolencies of couetous and contentious men They were not appointed by the first institution to bestow Church-liuings as now they doe but to patronize the right of the Lands consecrated to the Church Afterward they were allowed to nominate the Minister that the burthen that lay vpon them might be the better borne and that the trouble might be eased with some honour Seeing therefore they haue as men of trust the right of Patronage and presentation put into their hands and may not onely defend the place but name the person let them be carefull to discharge the trust that is reposed in them and shew themselues worthy of that power and priuiledge committed vnto them Againe let them consider that it is a great calling of great importance and therefore great guifts are required for the execution of it It hath annexed vnto it the charge of Soules and therefore is not slightly to be passed ouer Ignorance shall excuse no man d Luke 12 48 Hee that knoweth not his Maisters will shall be beaten with fewer stripes but wilfull ignorance of such as do not know nor will not know is a double sinne This is not spoken with any mallice or hatred to their persons but in a desire of their good and a loue to the people so that we say no otherwise of such Patrones then Christ did of his persecutours e Luke 23 34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe If negligence and carelesnesse be the cause of this offering of vnworthy persons to be the Ouer-seers of the Church then f Babbin Preface before Com. I craue humbly and heartily the wise consideration of these profitable Meditations The Lord threatneth to the Watchman death that warneth not his hearers g Eze. 3 17 18 and saith he will require their blood at his hand If then God haue made me or the people hath chosen me or the Church hath suffered me to be a Patrone I ought thus to reason If I negligently place such a one as for want of ability cannot or for want of conscience wil not giue warning and admonish the wicked of their sinnes can I want my portion in the wrath of the Lord that is threatned against all such defaults Christ Iesus teacheth that it is a signe of loue h Iohn 21 15 to him in the Minister to feede his Sheepe to feede his Lambes if then I bee a Patrone of any place I must thinke that it is a token and witnesse of my loue to Christ if I cause his Sheepe and Lambes to be fed And if it be want of loue in the Minister when he doth not feede but fleese the Sheepe when he doth not teach but starue them is it not so in me if through my sluggishnes and sin it so come to passe It is a great sin to lay handes rashly to admit any into the ministery and thereby to giue that worthy calling to an vnworthy man and is it no offence in me being Patrone to bestow the Liuing vppon such a one If he be to be blamed that giueth institution and induction hee cannot be excused that giueth the presentation It is noted by the Euangelist i Math. 9 36. that when Christ saw a great multitude of people gathered together from all quarters he had compassion vpon them because they were as Sheep without a Shepheard The word vsed in that place is of great force deriued of a word that sigfieth the Entrals the Bowels and inward parts expressing thereby as it were an aking of his head or a yerning of his Bowels to see so pittifull a sight so dolefull a spectacle If then there belong vnto me the right of a Patronage and presentation to any Liuing I must thus consider if I be led by the Spirit of Christ or haue any zeale of his glory or care of the saluation of his people in me I must shew mercy and compassion to those Soules that are so dearely bought and purchased euen by the precious blood of Christ If we haue an house to build we will not admit of euery Work-man that offereth his help or is commended to vs by others or will labour best cheap but we wil make choyce of the most expert and sufficient And shall we then chuse or commend to the building of the Spirituall house of God euery Cobler and Bungler vnsufficient persons k 1 Kin. 12 31 eyther Ieroboams Priestes that were of the lowest of the people l 1 Sam. 2 17. or such as Elies Sonnes who were the leudest of all the people When the Tabernacle of God was to be builded they tooke not tag and rag from among the refuse of the Congregation m Exod. 31 3. but such as
Catechizing instruction we are not to present our selues rashly and vnreuently as if wee went to heare a Play or to see some pastime or to dispatch some worldly busines but we must performe these holy actions with a conscience of our duties to God with a care of our own saluation We haue not of our selues eares to heare nor eyes to see nor hearts to vnderstand we are not able to conceiue the things that are of God without the assisting and strengthening Spirit of God Before we come to heare the word read vnto vs or the principles of Religion laid before vs or to ioyn in prayer with our Brethren h Iames 1 19. 1 Pet. 2 1. Eccle. 4 17. Exod. 19 10 we must purge our affections of wrath filthinesse maliciousnesse dissimulation hypocrisie enuy and euill speaking For so long as these corruptions are found in vs to offer vnto vs the Word is all one as if most pure Waters were powred into a stinking and polluted Vessell whereby they are made vnprofitable We must vse earnest and hearty prayer vnto the Lord to open our blind eyes and deafe eares i Psa 119 18. That we may vnderstand the wonderfull things of his Law k Ezek. 36 26 That he would take away our stony hearts and giue vs hearts of Flesh in which his Word may be deepely imprinted And whensoeuer we are performing these heauenly duties l Actes 10 33 1 Thes 2 13. Luke 10 16. we must account our selues to be in Gods presence wee must remember that he is either speaking to vs or we are speaking to him and we must stirre vp our selues to all attention Thus it shall come to passe that the word of God which worketh in many to condemnation shall bee to vs the Seede of regeneration the food of the soule the curing of our corruptions the light of our waies and the meanes of working in vs all necessary graces of God in this life and of assuring vnto vs euerlasting happinesse in the life to come Verse 12. Whom I haue sent againe thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels Hitherto the Apostle hath named and described the party or person for whom he prayeth Now he sheweth breefely the matter of his request and the account that he maketh of him The request is that he would receiue him into his House and retaine him into his seruice againe the account made of him that he was to him as his Bowels euen most deare and tender being made a member of Christ though a poore Slaue and abiect Seruant by his calling and a Fugitiue Runna-gate by his former condition whereby we see the louing affection and tender compassion of Paule toward him for our imitation As if he should haue said If I thought or imagined that he would be as vnprofitable vnto thee hereafter as he hath beene heeretofore I would neuer haue giuen him my Letters of commendation nor haue sent him backe vnto thee in this manner For I should be of this mind rather to haue him punished then receiued But now I am not afraid of it or discouraged from sending him vnto thee I haue had a comfortable experience of his faithfull seruice who ministred vnto me in my necessities I haue therefore good cause to conceiue a good opinion of him and to giue this testimony of him that hee was neuer so vnprofitable to thee as I haue found him profitable to me Doctrine 3. Former offences vppon true repentance are to be forgiuen and forgotten We learne from hence that former offences vpon true repentance and amendment of life are to bee remitted and pardoned by all true Christians Whensoeuer our Bretheren haue trespassed against vs and offended vs it is our duty vpon their vnfained repentance to forgiue them to forget their iniuries and to receiue them into fauour againe Whereas Onesimus fled from his Maister it was a sinne from so good a Maister it was a greater sinne but whereas he conueyed away with him his Maisters goods and did steale from him at his departure this was more heynous and made his offence worst of all yet vpon his repentance he laboureth to haue him forgiuen and to haue his trespasse put out of remembrance This is offered to our considerations in the Parable of the prodigall Sonne when once hee resolued to leaue his loose life and to returne backe to his m Luke 15 20 Fathers house from which he shamefully departed he was entertained with a kisse and receiued into fauour and had his former misdoings and misdemeanours forgiuen When Peter came to Christ and said n Math. 18 21 22. Maister how oft shall my Brother sinne against me and I shall forgiue him Vnto seauen times Iesus saide vnto him I say not vnto thee Vnto seauen times but vnto seauenty times seauen times To this purpose Christ propounded a parable of a certaine King o Verse 23 32 33 34 35. which would take an account of his Seruants and finding one that was vnmercifull and hard-hearted to one of his Fellow-Seruants he called him vnto him and saide vnto him O euill Seruant I forgaue thee all that debt because thou prayedst me oughtest not thou also to haue had pitty on thy Fellow-Seruant euen as I had pitty on thee So his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the Tormentours till he should pay all that was due to him so likewise shall mine heauenly Father doe vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one to his Brother their Trespasses We haue in the Scriptures sundry examples of the practise of this Doctrine and of the performance of this duty We see this in Ioseph toward his brethren when they desired forgiuenesse and craued pardon at his handes after the death of their Father p Gen. 50 20 21. he said vnto them When ye thought euill against mee God disposed it to good that hee might bring to passe as it is at this day and saue much people Feare not now therefore I will nourish you and your Children and he comforted them and spake kindely vnto them This Paule himselfe practised and moued others to practise toward the incestious Corinthians q 2. Cor. 2 7 8 9 10. It is sufficient vnto the same man that he was rebuked of many so that now contrary-wise ye ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least the same should bee swallowed vp with ouer much heauinesse Wherefore I pray you that you would confirme your loue toward him to whom ye forgiue any thing I forgiue also for verily if I forgaue any thing to whom I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it in the sight of Christ To this purpose the same Apostle saith r Ephe. 4 26 27 31 32. Be angry but sinne not let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath neither giue place to the Deuill And afterward Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath and crying and euill speaking be put away from you with all
he He layeth all these aside and resolueth thus Are not we Bretheren And shall we striue What a shame would this be to vs What a dishonour to God What an euill example to these Nations that liue among vs What a stumbling blocke of offence shall we lay before them to cause them to blaspheme God and to speake euill of vs of our Religion and of our holy profession Let not vs therefore tarry till others come and offer conditions of peace but let vs seeke peace and ensue it Shall we stand aloofe and hang backe from agreement with them because we take our selues to be abused wronged slandered and iniured Shall God commaund vs to forgiue and will we answere presumptuously we will not forgiue Shall the Lord say vnto vs Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart and will we reply audaciously we will hate him Or if we doe not scorne God to his face what will we what can we alledge or what shall we bring for our defence that Abraham might not haue brought as well as we Will we say we are more excellent and therefore reason it is that they should bow the knee vnto vs Will we say we are the better men So was Abraham Are we richer and wealthier So was Abraham Are we elder in yeares and so looke that the younger should yeelde So was Abraham Haue we many Friendes to ioyne with vs to see wee shall haue no wrong and to take our partes So had Abraham Are we mighter in force and power So was Abraham he went euery way beyond Lot Now then if we be the Children of Abraham h Iohn 8 39. we must doe the workes of Abraham Whatsoeuer priuiledges we haue to aduance vs aboue our Brethren vnder colour whereof we shroud the corruption of our Nature and the mallice of our heartes let vs lay all aside and cast them into the Dust let vs renounce age and honour let vs cast from vs birth and yeares let vs deny wealth and worship to the end we may be little and lowly in our eyes Abraham got more true honour by yeelding then we can doe by our proude lookes lofty stomackes and corrupt mindes He that hath most godlinesse will relent soonest Let vs striue who shall goe before another in mercy and forgiuenesse and put farre away all bitternesse of Spirit and put on all humblenesse of minde But alasse where is this meekenesse and long-suffering while we raile and rage one against another If the least occasion of contention and iarre be offered how ready are we to embrace it to nourish it to prosecute it with all extreamity When we are a little mooued are these the wordes of Brethren I will not take this abuse at his handes I will neuer put vp this iniury I will not be made such a Noddy I will sue him at the Law I will not leaue him worth a Groat I will make Dice of his Bones I will tread vpon his Graue and shall I yeeld vnto him I will neuer doe it O my Brethren is this to follow the steppes of faithfull Abraham or to be like him who was so wise so meeke so great a louer of peace and concord If we be ashamed to tread in his pathes take heede least the God of Abraham bee ashamed of vs both in this life and in his Kingdome for euer We boast our selues to be the Children of Abraham we account our selues to be true Christians and yet we will neither follow the example of Abraham nor obey the commaundement of Christ The Lord remitteth the debtes that we are not able to pay and will we require the vtmost farthing He forgiueth ten thousand Talents and will not we forbeare an hundred pence It is the Maister and Lord of all that is so mercifull and shall the Seruant be so cruell and hard-harted to his Fellow-Seruant Let vs take heed least our mallice and vnmercifulnesse vnto others do cry out for vengeance against vs and shut vp the mercy and compassion of God toward vs rendering seauen folde into our bosomes and barring vs from any accesse to the Throne of his Grace For if we forgiue not men their trespasses our praiers shall be abhominable our religious exercises shall be turned into sinne and our offences shall not be forgiuen i Three profitable Meditations To conclude let vs consider these three pointes First that no Man can offend vs as we daily offend God in thought word and deede Secondlie that we may fall and perhaps haue fallen already into the like offence that we blame and reprooue in others Thirdly we would be greatly greeued not to be respected and releeued in the bitternesse of our hearts therefore we should regard the sorrow and supplication of others crauing mercy and commiseration at our handes If we suffer our Bretheren to call to vs and we be deafe stopping our cares against them we greatly deceiue our selues if we thinke to finde the Lord other-wise minded toward vs. Thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne Bowels He calleth Onesimus his Bowels or Entrals being nothing of Kinne to him in the Flesh in respect of his earnest and feruent loue that he beareth to him in Christ beeing a true professour of the Faith He knew well the leud disposition of Seruaunts for the most part in those dayes as the Maisters were cruell to them so they were vnfaithfull to their Maisters It was found commonly true by common experience which churlish and couetous Naball spake falsely of Dauid 1. Sam. 25 10. Who is Dauid And who is the Sonne of Ishai There be many Seruant now-a-daies that breake away euery Man from his Maister The like we see in the Seruants of Shemei 1. King 2 39. Who fled away from him to Gath. It was therefore a rare thing and consequentlie more wonderfull to find a man of this quality so well qualified and a man of so bad note to be so notable which made the Apostle so earnest in speaking for him and in commendinh of him For nothing could haue beene said more effectuall to pacifie the wrath and to mollifie the heart of Philemon in as much as he inferreth that if he would not be appeased at his request he had raged by this meanes on the very bowels of Paule Behold therefore in this place the coniunction of two heauenly vertues in the Apostle to wit Humility and Loue that it is hard to say which was the greater so that he was not ashamed to receiue as into his Bosome and Bowels a base Bond-slaue and besides a Theefe and a Runna-gate to the end he might protect and defend him from the displeasure of his Maister And doubtlesse if the conuersion and turning of man vnto God were as highly prized and worthily esteemed of vs as it ought to be wee would louingly tender and charitably embrace and such as we see truely without hypocrisie conuerted vnto God Doctrine 4. Our loue to to the Saints especially such as haue beene
Lord The order of the words IN the words going before we haue already handled the remoouing of the first Obiection which ariseth from Paules sending of Onesimus back againe to his Maister The next Obiection is touching his departure from his Maister mentioned in these two Verses wherein hee both aunsweareth the Obiection maketh a newe reason and seeketh to extenuate the displeasure that Philemon hadde conceiued against him The Apostle aunswereth heere in this place that Obiection which might bee made and mooued from the former matter of this suit Hee hath intreated Philemon as we haue heard to receiue Onesimus he might hereunto haue said But why should I receiue him Shall I entertaine a Runna-gate Seruant a base Varlet that hath wasted and purloyned my goods and sought to vndoe me If hee were well with mē why did he depart from me If not well why will he returne to me againe Hee that is once euill is alwaies presumed to be euill Answere This is the Obiection whereunto the Apostle maketh a double answere as he did before first by way of granting and yeelding to Philemon secondly by a kind of correcting his former grant The granting is I confesse and acknowledge willingly that hee departed from thee and would not tarrie with thee The correcting is though he did depart it was not for euer it was but a very short time as thou seest So then the answer is from the adioynt of time he went from thee for a little season which is not barely set downe but with an illustrastion added vnto it from the ende That thou shouldst receiue him for euer which also is enlarged by a comparison from the greater Not so much as a Seruant but as more then a Seruant The latter part of this enlargement being the second part of the comparison is declared by the speciall A beloued Brother more then a Seruant for a Brother carryeth with it a better respect and a farther regard then the name of a Seruant This also is enlarged by a comparison from the greater to the lesse especially to mee which comparison also is amplified by another from the greater how much more to thee which is farther strengthned by a diuision or distribution of the Subiect shewing wherein he was more bound to Philemon then to Paul himselfe Both in the flesh and in the Spirit Thus we haue seene the resolution of these Verses The meaning of the wordes and the order which is propounded in them Now let vs see what are the points that require interpretation First he saith He departed he vseth a kind of diminution called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a qualification of his fact and fault committed against his Maister For he vseth a more gentle and friendly word to lessen the offence that it might not appeare to Philemon so great as it was calling his running away a departure from his Maister Now the Apostle saith It may be that he departed or peraduenture he departed The word vsed in this place is also found Rom 5 8. where he saith a Rom. 5 8. Doubtlesse one will scarce dye for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be that one dare dye Properly b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth quickly or speedily or hastily but that signification cannot fitly agree to these places and therefore it must be turned and translated It may be he departed Where the Apostle doth not speake of this secret worke of God precisely and peremptorily but with an exception or limitation warily and reuerentlie least offence should be taken and encouragement giuen thereby to the committing of euill For if he had said simply and absolutely he departed for this end and he fled away that he might be conuerted other Seruants might haue beene emboldned in wickednesse and haue pretended the same cause and haue runne away from their Maisters who beeing asked the cause why they tooke them to their heeles would readily answere It was that I might be conuerted to the Faith as Onesimus was hee ran away from his Maister and was saued I ranne away also that I might be saued So then the Apostle by this word noteth out the speciall prouidence and meere goodnesse of God ordering and gouerning this Fact which is not to bee drawne into a generall practise In the next place he addeth For a season the word signifieth for an houre that is for a small time euen so much as Onesimus was trauailing from Colosse to Rome from his Maister to Paule by whom being conuerted he was immediatly sent backe which was no long time but a very little while euen as it were an houre in comparison both of the time that he before had beene with him and of the time hee was like to stay with him hereafter Wherein also he seeketh farther to lessen his fault offence by the circumstance of the time as if he should say If he had beene from thee any long time or that thou hadst missed him many yeares thy wrath might be harder to be appeased but he hath beene from thee a small time it is but as it were one houre and therefore haue patience toward him especially considering by his absence thou shalt gaine this that he shall neuer depart from thee hereafter but remaine faithfull profitable vnto thee many yeares Thou maist well beare the lacke of him one houre seeing thou shalt thereby get the aduantage of many months and yeares Therefore he addeth That thou shouldst receiue him for euer that is all the dayes of his life vnto his death Thus the phrase is taken in sundry places of the Olde Testament c Gene. 17 7. when circumcision is called an euerlasting Couenant the Passe-ouer is commaunded to bee kept holy by an ordinance d Exod. 12 14 for euer whereby hee meaneth a long time euen vnto the comming of Christ in the flesh So if a Seruant would not go away from his Maister because he loued him and was well with him the Maister should take an Aule and pierce his eare through against the doore and he shall be his seruant e Deut. 15 17. for euer that is to the yeare of Iubile So in this place the Apostle saith Philemons Seruant should remaine with him for euer that is a long time euen so long as hee should liue vpon the face of the earth Lastly when Paule saith hee must be beloued In the Flesh and in the Lord he meaneth both in thinges appertaining to this life and the life to come In the Flesh in regard of his seruice which he shall performe to his Maister in matters belonging to this Mortall life In the Lord in respect of the common faith in Christ This is the meaning of the words in this diuision wherein as we noted before howsoeuer the Apostle doth purposely answere an obiection yet in this answere also he propoundeth two new reasons to moue Philemon to receiue his seruant One is in the 15. verse taken
neither Iew nor Graecian there is neither Bond-man nor Free-man there is neyther Male nor Female for we are all one in Christ Iesus When God will punnish sinne and the breach of his Law he doth it without respect of persons Such as are in greatest Dignity and highest place of authority vppon the earth are subiect to sicknesses to diseases to death so that as the i Psal 82. 7. Prophet saith Ye Princes shall fall like others That which God laide in the beginning vpon mankind k Ge. 3 19 16 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy Bread vntill thou return to the Earth And to the Woman he said I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions so that in anguish thou shalt bring forth Children What Man or what Woman can free themselues from this burthen or deliuer themselues from this punnishment We see the high subiect vnto them as well as the low the rich as well as the poore the Prince as well as the people So on the other side when God will bestow the graces of his Spirit that accompany saluation hee distributeth them according to his pleasure and respecteth not the outward person hee maketh no difference betweene Bond and Free betweene Maister and Seruant but giueth where it pleaseth him which serueth to teach patience and contentation to those that liue in lower places God looketh vpon them when he passeth many times by those that l Luke 1. are greater in the world yea he filleth them when he sendeth the other empty away Sixtly we may obserue that he ioyneth loue with Christian Brotherhood and calleth Onesimus A beloued Brother not onely a Seruant not only a brother but a Brother deare and beloued signifying therby that where a Christian calling is found there Charity and Loue is as a due debt required so that if any man be conuerted to become a true Christian indeede thereby is made our Brother who before was a Christian only in Name naked profession euen for this cause we are bound to embrace him with the greater loue Euery man in his order to be loued euen he that is no Christian if it be Turke or Infidell but whosoeuer is a right Christian not onely in title but in truth must more specially bee loued of vs and be deare vnto vs who is neerely ioyned vnto vs as a member of the same body with vs and is to be esteemed of vs not so much another man from vs m Ephe. 2 15. as one and the same man with vs. He that is out of Christ is another from vs he is diuers to vs and yet is to be loued as a man as one that beareth the Image of God Lastly obserue that the more causes there are of loue and coniunction one with another the deerer and deeper ought our loue to be There are many degrees of vniting vs together now the more there are the more degrees should there be of loue betweene vs. The coniunction betweene the Maister and the Seruant in the priuate society ought to be a cause of mutuall loue but when to this naturall respect there is added a spirituall fellowship and communion in Christ whereby the Seruant becommeth more then a Seruant euen a Brother with his Maister this requireth a farther degree of loue in them one toward the other Thus we see sundry obseruations and all very profitable offered to our considerations out of these words we cannot stand vpon them all and therefore we will onely select some of the prinpall and cheefest of them Verse 15. It may be that he therefore departed for a season that thou shouldst receiue him for euer In these words we see how he goeth about to mitigate the wrath and displeasure of Philemon by teaching him to consider that those thinges which were done peruersely and corruptly are by the direction and determination of God turned to another end For a ioyfull end and good issue in euils is as it were a remedy offered vnto vs by the hand of God to blot out offences Paule therefore admonisheth Philemon that he ought not now to be so greatly offended at the flight and running away of his Seruant because it fell out to be the cause of good not to be repented off So then he warneth that this departure of Onesimus from his Maister is not to be waied and pondered by his purpose and meaning but by the end euent which was most wholesome and profitable For by this meanes hee was brought to the Apostle and by hearing of him was instructed in the way of saluation to the end that afterward he might bee made more diligent and faithfull to his Maister Whereby we see that when he saith Therefore hee departed for a season that thou shouldst receiue him for euer It is not to be referred to the purpose and intent of Onesimus flying away who had no such thought or determination euer to come backe to his Maister againe much lesse to come backe better or a beleeuer but it hath relation to the prouidence of God disposing of his fault and flight to a good and gratious end Doctrine 1. All things euen sin it selfe are turned by the prouidence of God to the good of the elect Heereby we learne for our instruction that all things euen sinne it selfe are by the high prouidence of God turned to the good of the elect Such is the infinite wisedome and power of God that he bringeth euill to a good end We see in this place how the Apostle maketh the prouidence of God to turne the sinne of Onesimus to good and to the benefit of himselfe and many others For by running from his Maister he came to Rome by comming to Rome he lighted vpon Paule by falling into his company he heard the Gospell preached and by hearing the word he was conuerted which had not fallen out if he had not departed so that his stealing and running away turned by the goodnesse of God to his great benefit So the sinne of Adam turned to the greater gaine and glory of the elect To this purpose wee may profitably consider the vile and villainous act of Iocobs Sonnes against their Brother Ioseph n Gen. 45 5. Acts 7 13. who considereth that it was done by the maruailous prouidence of God that being sold for a Bond-slaue he might be aduanced to that honour and Dignitie whereby he might nourish both his Father and Brethren in the years of Famine therefore he said vnto them when he made himselfe knowne Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that ye sold mee hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation The like we might say of the crucifying of the Lord of Life he was deliuered into the handes of Sinners through the Treason of Iudas and other wicked and curssed Instruments for Iudas betrayed him the Iewes accused him and Pilat iudged him whereof the Apostles say Actes 4. o Act. 4 27 28 Doubtlesse against
and feature of the body but looketh vpon the grace and garnishing of the heart so that albeit we be euery way deformed yet if we be thoroughly reformed in the inner man we shall bee accepted before him a thousande times more then such as haue the greatest Ornaments of the body but haue nothing to decke and adorne the soule It may be he departed for a season Note heer how the Apostle describeth the sinne of Onesimus committed against his Maister he doth not aggrauate and exaggerate his offence with big swelling words to shew the greatnes of his sin but doth lessen it by gentle mild termes wherby he calleth it His running away he nameth a departing his absence from his Maisters house seruice the missing of him as it were an hour This the apostle speaketh c Theophyl in Philem. not so much to asswage the anger of Philemon prouoked thorough the offence of his seruant as to testify his vnfaigned repentance wherby he had buried and blotted out the wickednes which he committed by running from his Maister by robbing of him Doctrine 3. The fals and sins of our brethren that repent are not to be encreased and amplified with odious extream words We learne heereby that the fals sins of our brethren that repent are not to be increased with odious and extreame words Whensoeuer I say we see the fruits of vnfained repentance in any of our brethren that haue falne into sinne and beene ouertaken through the weaknesse of the flesh wee are to binde vp their woundes as carefull Surgeons and to comfort them with the sweet promises of the Gospel not to reuile them or raile at them or reproach them for their former falles we must not speake the most or the worst or the hardest of them but in mildnesse of spirit mollifie the greatnesse of the sinne what we can This Doctrine is made euident vnto vs by many testimonies and examples in the word of God When Ioseph saw his f Gen. 45 5 8. Brethren sad and greeued with themselues because they had solde him into Egypt hee comforteth them with the prouidence of God whose worke it was to haue him sent and sold into the hand of strangers Now then you sent me not hither but the Lord who hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh Lord of all his house and Ruler throughout all the land of Egipt This we see in the Lord himselfe toward Iob who reproued him for much weaknesse that he had shewed in the combat and tentation yet g Iob. 39 37. and 42 6. when he had repented in dust and ashes and laid his hand vpon his mouth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his three friendes because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob. The like practise appeareth in Nathan toward Dauid whom he reprooueth first couertly and closely vnder a parable then openly and euidently he chargeth him with adultry and murther together with great vnthankfulnesse toward God that had bin so gracious to him but when he repented and humbled himselfe vnder the stroke of the two-edged sword of Gods word saying h 2 Sam. 12 13 I haue sinned against the Lord the Prophet doth no more vpbraid him with those foule and filthy sinnes of committing Whoredome and shedding of blood but said vnto him The Lorde also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Thus did Christ our Sauiour deale with the woman taken in adultery euen in the verie acte brought before him by the Scribes and Pharisees he preached vnto her the Gospell vpon her repentance i Iohn 8 11. I do not condemne thee Go and sinne no more The like we see in the Apostles dealing with the incestuous Corinthian before his conuersion the Apostle chargeth him with fornication k 1 Cor. 5 1 and 2. Cor. 2 6 7. and Such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one shoulde haue his Fathers wife and reprooueth the whole Church that they had not put him away from among them yet when he had confessed his sinne and testified his repentance by his vnfaigned sorrow for his sinne the Apostle would haue his sinne forgiuen and his person comforted Least he should be swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse Likewise remembring the Corinthians what they were in the time of their ignorance Theeues Oppressors Fornicators Idolaters Drunkards Railers riotous persons by their conuersion to the Gospell and Faith in Christ they were changed to a better life and so could no longer be charged by such sins l 1 Cor. 6 11. Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the spirit of our God Whereby we see this truth plainly prooued vnto vs that it is our duty not to aggrauate and amplify the sins of such as haue repented them of their sinnes Reason 1. To this duty we shall be better directed and strengthned in the truth of it if we marke the reasons For first we are not to encrease in wordes the sinne of a penitent person because loue worketh softnesse and gentlenesse in vs a care of the good name of our Brother and banisheth all euill surmises suspitions from vs. Hence it is that the Apostle saith m 1 Cor. 13 4 Loue is patient When Peter exhorteth vs that aboue all things we should haue feruent loue among vs to the end he may confirm his exhortation and shew that there is nothing more profitable vnto the faithfull then to maintaine mutuall Charity hee bringeth this reason n 1 Pet. 4 8 Prou. 10 12. For Loue couereth the multitude of sins If this loue rule in our harts remaine among vs one towards another it bringeth excellent benefits and we auoid inumerable euils But if hatred beare sway men in byting and tearing one another are ready to consume one another to reproch and detract one from another to slander and defame to strike and quarrel one with another without measure or mercy Reason 2. Secondly we are not alwayes to vpbraid our Bretheren and cast them in the teeth with their former fals because wee must account it sufficient that they haue beene checked and teproued by vs or by the mouths of many witnesses The nature of God himselfe is gentle toward vs o Ps 103 9 10 that hee will not alwayes chide nor keepe his anger for euer So ought we to deale one toward another For if he doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs according to our iniquities we should haue compassion one toward another If he know whereof we are made and remember that we are but dust we must also learne that we haue all neede to be forgiuen as there is no man but desireth to be forgiuen If then it be auaileable to our Bretherens good to haue them reproued wee ought not to proceede to reuiling of them and rayling vpon them for
the weakenesse to asswage the sorrow to beare the infirmitie and to releeue the misery of our Brother It is the manner of vngodly persons to make it their daily sport in their deuillish meetings to insult ouer him and to leape vpon his backe with all the reproach and infamy that they can deuise to lay vpon him But it skilleth not what such foule mouths do vtter they shall one day reap the reward of their mallice and the penitent person that holdeth his peace shall find in the end the fruit of his patience Vse 3. Thirdly it teacheth vs for our obedience to repent betimes and not to delay the time thereof but while the acceptable season is to bring forth the fruites of amendment of life For seeing wee are not to make the most or speake the worst of the fals of our penitent Bretheren it serueth as a good encouragement and a profitable inducement to leade vs and guide vs vnto true repentance that so our sinnes may be put away Sinne is as a most filthy Leprosie but when we repent we are cleansed of that Leprosie It is as vnsauory Dung that stencheth the earth and the euill sauour thereof ascendeth vp to Heauen but when we repent we smell pleasantly as a sweet perfume in the Nosthrils of God It is as filthy Mire that soyleth the Soule corrupteth the Body and spotteth the Garment but when wee repent the staine and blemishes of sinne are put out of his sight and blotted out of his remembrance For when God forgiueth iniquity transgression and sin r Mich. 7 19. Ier. 31 33 34. he throweth it into the Sea into the bottome of the Sea that it may neuer arise againe to our confusion and condemnation and hee remembreth it no more As farre as the East is from the West Å¿ Psal 103 12. and 32 1 2. so farre hath he remooued our sins from vs as the Prophet speaketh so that they are so far taken out of his sight that they and we shall neuer meet together He couereth them and will not impute them vnto vs t Col. 1 21 22 So that we which were in times past strangers and enemies are now reconciled beeing made holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight If then God doe couer them when we repent who are we that goe about to vncouer them If he doe not impute them why should we lay them to their charge who haue a discharge from God who hath cancelled the band and hand-writing that was against them If God haue washed and wiped away the filthinesse of them why should any man cast the mire of them in their faces againe The most expert and excellent Phisitian cannot cure a deep wound a festered sore but some scarre will remain and some print in the flesh is left behinde but God so healeth our infirmities that he taketh away the staine the guilt and the punishment that no token no marke no signe of his wrath and indignation euer appeareth to appall vs or dismay vs. This is the great loue and vnspeakeable mercy of God toward the broken heart and contrite Spirit He that hath beene an Adulterer and hath repented of his vncleannesse is no Adulterer He that hath beene a Drunkard and repenteth of the beastlinesse and abuse of the good Creatures of GOD is no longer a Drunkard He that hath beene an Enemy and hinderer of Gods word and now loueth it aboue Siluer and Gold is no more an enemy but a friend of the Gospell He that hath beene a Swearer and Blasphemer and repenteth of his blasphemies is not a blasphemer He that hath beene a prophaner of the Lordes Sabbaoths and now is carefull to sanctifie them and spend them in holie exercises is no longer a prophane person True it is these men haue beene such but when they see their sinnes hate them forsake them are greeued for them and are departed from them true repentance is as the Fullers Sope to wash them and to make them whiter then the Snow We must therefore make a great difference betweene that which they haue beene and that which they are Shall we say that he who is come to mans estate and hath put away childishnesse is still a Babe and Suckling as Infant and Child because once he was so Or shall we say that hee who is made a Free-man and had serued out his Prentishippe is a Bond-man still and vnder the iurisdiction of another because that once he was so In like manner shall wee change our Bretheren to be Children in knowledge to be the Seruants of sinne and Bond-slaues of Sathan because they were so in the time of their ignorance before God gaue vnto them repentance that they might come out of these snares wherein they were holden Captiues Nay I will say more whosoeuer reuileth and reprocheth him with his Adultery Idolatry Blasphemy Drunkennesse or Prophanesse that hath fallen into these offences but dwelleth not nor delighteth in them is a malicious enemie a false accuser a slanderer and lyer against his Brother The Apostle Peter u Math. 26 69. denied his Maister as we shewed before he forsware him and curssed himselfe if he knew the Man which he did through feare to saue his life But because he went immediatly out of the High-Priests Hall and wept bitterlie did any of the rest euer vpbraid him and reproach him with Apostacy with swearing with curssing with his infirmitie and presumption All they therefore are led by another Spirit then the Disciples were who despightfullie cast them in the teeth with their sinnes which are more odious and greeuous to them then to those that set them afoote and blaze them abroad to their disgrace This is a great comfort and bringeth wonderfull peace of conscience to all those that truely repent of all their sinnes past which they haue followed with greedinesse seeing that as God forgiueth them so he will not haue others to charge them with them For if the Lord and Maister of vs all remit them we are not to charge our Fellow-Seruants with them If the Prince forgiue vpon the sorrow and submission of his Vassall the Treason intended against his person shall the subiect dare to call him Traytor seeing the Princes pardon is the Subiects protection and discharge If the Father forgiue the Childe his disobedience x Luke 15 29. shall the rest of his Brethren speake euill of him and alwaies keepe it in fresh remembrance If these thinges were duelie regarded and rightlie considered of vs we would not lye one houre in our sinnes but make hast to be reconciled vnto God that so we may abolish the guiltinesse and greeuousnesse together with the infamy of them Hence it is that the Apostle saith y Rom. 6 19 20 21 22. As ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse for when yee were the Seruants of sinne yee
therefore seeke to blaunch the foulenesse and filthinesse of it to which they are so continuallie accustomed But howsoeuer these men account of sinne and whatsoeuer they call it they shall find that the lessening of it is the way to encrease it and the diminishing of it is the meanes to make it greater If we would haue our sinnes and offences not to come into account we must forsake them and repent of them Thirdlie it reprooueth such as disclose and reueale a Penitents confession When our Brethren in the anguish of their Soules and in a feeling of the horror of sinne haue sought peace and comfort at our handes and haue discouered their offences that trouble them to vs as the sicke man doth his disease to the Physition that hee may bee healed it is our dutie to comfort them not to disgrace them to conceale them not to reueale them to hide them not to publish them and blaze them abroad to their disgrace and discredit True it is when euill is opened vnto vs e Alexand. Hal. part 4. Quest 28. membr 2. art 2. Siluest in Confess 3. nume 2. not past or present but to be done afterward as if a man confesse his determination and resolution to commit Murthers we are not tied to couer and conceale it but are bound to manifest and make it knowne This sheweth the wonderfull abuse of the Church of Rome committed in holie thinges and thinges supposed by them to be holie The Sacrament of the Lordes Supper is most horribly prophaned of them which being instituted in remembrance of the death of Christ to assure vs of our spirituall communion in him and of our spirituall nourishment from him is often receiued of them to combine them together in wickednesse and to take securitie thereby one of another not to reueale the Treasons and Conspiracies that are plotted among them Thus it is in the supposed Sacrament of Pennance when they would reueale the hidden mischeefe and poysons of their hearts to the Priestes and Iesuits their Confessors they will seeme to doe it by way of confession that so it might be as it were locked vp and sealed with this Seale as a secret neuer to bee disclosed and discouered Thus is confession become nothing else but a couer of Treason and Rebellion But when our Brethren being afflicted in Conscience and wounded with the Darts of Satan and the poyson of sinne shall accuse themselues and confesse some haynous sinne committed that lyeth heauy vpon them and can find no comfort in concealing of it but greater horror thereby are brought to the gates of Hell and like to be swallowed vp in despaire when they shall I say confesse to the glorie of God and the shaming of themselues the wickednesse of their hearts and handes we are not to vtter it to others to their disgrace but by all meanes we can to couer it in secret and silence For as we f Iam. 5 15. are to acknowledge our faults one to another and to pray one for another so we are in loue to conceale the falles one of another and not to open them in choller and mallice to their reproach Lastly this reproueth our remisnesse and wretchlesnesse in dealing with recusant Papists the members of the Pope and Popish Church who because we would not offend them we speake of them honourably and giue them the Name of Catholikes and honour them with the Title of the Church whereas wee should giue them their right and call them by their propper Names of Idolaters and enemies of the Grace of God and disturbers of the State We haue many among vs that are ready to ioyne with them and to giue them the right hand of fellowship who can bee content to mingle together God and Baall Christ and Beliall light and darkenesse the Temple of God and an Idoll But as we beleeue the High-priest of Rome to be the very Anti-christ described in the Scripture so we also hold that the Church of Rome is a false and Bastard-Church and no true Church of Christ Iesus who not onely haue shaken but razed downe the very foundations of Religion maintaining the worshipping of Images and the merrits of workes by making a mocke of Christes merits and satisfaction by deuising other Mediators and by presuming to offer him vp an vnbloody Sacrifice to God the Father Let vs not therefore halt betweene g 1 Kin. 18 21 two opinions nor go about to reconcile those thinges which can neuer hold or hang together The false Apostles would ioyne the Law and the Gospell together the workes of the Law and the grace of Faith in the matter of Iustification which can neuer be the one destroying and pulling down the other because h Rom. 11 6. if it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke So we haue those that dreame of an vnion between Christ and Antichrist but if the Lord be God follow him if Baall be he then goe after him No man can serue both these Maisters so contrary one from the other so that whosoeuer cleaueth to the one forsaketh the other Verse 16. Not now as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant euen as a Brother c. Heere is a singular commendation of Onesimus expressed by many steps and degrees the one ascending and climbing aboue the other He was not onely as a Seruant but aboue a Seruant not onely as a Brother but a beloued Brother not onely deare to Paule but much more to Philemon himselfe This is so much the more worthy praise and commendation nay of wonder and admiration as the disposition of Seruants in those times was lewd and licentious who albeit they had good and godly Maisters yet they were light-fingered and light-footed and vpon euery occasion they were apt to run away from them i Gen. 16 6. as appeareth in Hagar that liued in the house of Abraham when Sarah began to deale roughly with her immediatlie she fled from her Seeing therefore it was so rare a thing among those kinde of men to finde any well minded and disposed the Apostle maketh the more account of him and would haue his Maister to make account of him As if he should reason thus Him who in Christ Iesus is become thy Brother thou oughtest carefully to tender and dearely to loue But Onesimus is now by his vnfained conuersion become thy Brother Therefore receiue him Heere we see the Apostle reasoneth for Onesimus to haue him receiued and respected aboue an ordinary Seruant because hee was truely conuerted and had in him a good measure of Grace and was become a true and sound Christian Doctrine 4. The more grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs. We learne from hence that the more Grace appeareth in any the more should they be tendered and regarded of vs whether
due debt vnto him whatsoeuer Philemon had Doctrine 5. Althogh christian religion do not take away the degrees of persons yet it maketh vs all equall in Christ From hence wee learne that wee are all of vs equall before God and our Brethren in Christ Iesus our Lord. Although Christian Religion doeth not take away the difference of persons and conditions before men but aloweth some to be high and some low some aboue and others beneath some to be Maisters and others to be Seruants yet it maketh vs alike and equal before God inasmuch as it causeth vs to be brethren in Christ This truth hath plentifull confirmation out of the books of Moses where al the Iewes of what quality and condition soeuer they were are oftentimes called brethren The poore are named the y Deut. 15 7 2 11 12. 17 20. Brethren of the rich the Debter is called the Brother of his Creditor the Seruant is Brother to the Maister the King set ouer them must not lift vp his heart aboue his Brethren This is it which Dauid confesseth in many places of the Psalmes z Psal 22. 22. and 22 8 9. I wil declare thy Name vnto my Brethren in the middest of the Congregation I will praise thee And in the 122. Psalme hee wished prosperity and would procure the good of Gods house for his Brethrens and Companions sake Where wee see that albeit he were the King of Israell and sate in the throne of glory and seat of dignity aboue them yet he refuseth not to cast himselfe into a common condition with others and to giue them the honour of his brethren This is it which the Prophets teach euery where a Ier. 31 34. They shal teach no more euery man his neighbor and euery man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them saith the Lord. This is it which Christ speaketh to his Disciples b Math. 23 8. Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Doctor euen Christ and all ye are Brethren The like precept the Apostle enioineth and the same rule he deliuereth to the Romans chap. 12 16. Be of like affection one toward another be not high-minded but make your selues equall to them of the lower sort be not wise in your selues And to the Phillippians Chap. 2 3. Let nothing be done through contention or vaine-glory but that in meekenesse of mind euerie man esteeme other better then himselfe Againe to this purpose hee writeth to the Galathians c Gal. 3 27 28 All yee that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus All these Testimonies of the Old and New Testament do fully and euidently teach vs that howsoeuer the Gospell permitteth and prescribeth the differences and degrees of persons that some be Lords and others beare themselues as seruants yet it alloweth and maketh them to be equal in Christ to be brethren and Sisters in the common faith all members of Christ all pertakers of the same hope al heires of the same kingdome Reason 1. And what can be more plaine then this principle First it is the nature property of God to accept no mans person An high place a noble byrth a comely personage are much respected amongst men and such persons are highly aduanced and preferred But it is not so with God for in his election of vs to life in his calling of vs in his iustifying of vs in his sanctifyeng and sauing of vs he respecteth not whether we be high or low rich or poor learned or vnlearned he chooseth he calleth he iustifieth he sanctifieth he glorifieth the bond as well as the free the low as well as the high the Seruant as well as the Maister This is it which the holy man Iob setteth down d Iob 34 18 19. Wilt thou say vnto a King thou art wicked Or to Prince ye are vngodly How much lesse to him that accepteth not the rich more then the poore for they bee all the workes of his hands To this purpose the Apostle Paule speaketh e Rom. 2 9 10 11. Gal. 2 6. Act 10 34 35 Deut. 10 17. 2 Chro. 19 7. Prou. 24 13. To euery man that doth good shall be glory honour and peace to the Iew first and also to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God Likewise the Apostle Peter teacheth this in the Sermon that hee preached vnto the Gentiles Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euerie Nation hee that feareth him worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Seeing then this is the Nature of God that he regardeth not the outward apearance and countenance of men we must know that he respecteth all as equall and alike Reason 2. Secondly Christ Iesus accepteth all that beleeue in him as his Bretheren and members of his body euen flesh of his flesh bone of his bones This is it which he speaketh to Mary Magdalen after his resurrection when he had appeared vnto her and manifested himself vnto her f Iohn 20 17. Go to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and to your God Where he sheweth that God is a common Father that all the godly are as brethren one to another Likewise the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes g Heb. 2 11 12 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanstified are al of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my Brethren in the midst of the Church I will sing praises to thee The Lord Iesus is infinitely aboue vs h Phil. 2 6. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God and we are poore wretched and miserable men yet he is ashamed of no man except we first bee ashamed of him He will deny no man he will reiect no man except wee first do deny and reiect him If then Christ do vouchsafe to account and accept vs as his bretheren we must needs acknowledge an equality and brotherly fellowshippe among all the faithfull that are in Christ Reason 3. Thirdly all the godly that are truly regenerate are adopted to the hope of the kingdome of glory and are redeemed by the blood of Christ It is not Gold or Siluer or Pearles i Psal 49 7. 1 Pet. 1 18. or the treasures that are in the world could pay a price sufficient to redeeme and ransome our soules it is the precious blood of Christ alone that must purchase our peace as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Now he came into the world to seeke and to saue that which was lost he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance How meane
confesse it they haue great names and high Titles of honour giuen vnto them Å¿ Psal 82 6. I haue said ye are Gods and ye are all Children of the most high But ye shall die as a man and yee Princes shall fall like others If then there be so little difference in the life and lesse difference of the death of rich and poor of Maister and Seruant of Magistrate Subiect we shal find a greater equality and parity betweene them in holy and heauenly things We allow them to be as the elder brethren but they must know and consider that other are as the yonger bretheren of the house and haue the same priuiledges giuen vnto them For if the Lord Iesus be not ashamed to call vs all brethren shal they be ashamed to confesse one another to be equall in the matters of our redemption and saluation Shall the rich man disdaine the poore or the Prince his people or the Maister the seruant or the Free-man him that is bond seeing the Lord of life that is equall with his Father in might and Maiesty vouchsafeth to repute vs al in the place of Brethren Hence it is that he saith in the Gospell speaking of lodging the stranger in our houses of cloathing the naked with our Garments of feeding the hungry with our meats of visiting the prisoners with reliefe of refreshing the sicke with our comfort t Math. 25 40. Verily I say vnto you inasmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my Brethren yee haue done it vnto mee Who are more disgraced and contemned in the worlde then such as are Strangers or Prisoners or naked in necessity Yet these poore contemptible ones are deare in his sight tender as the Apple of his eye and acknowledged of him to be his Bretheren Wee are not worthy therefore to bee esteemed of Christ if we regard not such as are in greatest price and cheefest account with him So then we must take heede that wee neuer despise and deride and disdain those that are called the Brethren of Christ nor refuse to imbrace them as our owne Brethren This is that vse which the Apostle vrgeth in setting downe the duties of Maisters u Ephes 6 9. Ye Maisters do the same thinges vnto them putting away threatning and know that euen your Maister also is in heauen neither is there respest of persons with him Where we see how hee moueth all Maisters to cast off all pride and high conceite of themselues and to Loue their faithfull seruants as their faithfull Bretheren It is not farre from this purpose which Iob speaketh touching his practise and behauiour toward his Seruants x Iob. 31 13 14 15. If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant and of my Mayde when they did contend with me What then shall I do when God standeth vp And when he shall visit me What shall I answere He that hath made me in the womb hath he not made him Hath not he alone fashioned vs in the womb Where the holy man commendeth mildnesse in all Gouernors and reprooueth the exercise of cruelty toward their seruants Hee gaue them free libertie to declare and debate the matter with him to alledge what reasonable excuse soeuer they had considering with himselfe that we haue one common Creator and maker and are partakers of the same Nature and concluding thereuppon that albeit such as are bound to serue vs bee of low degree and despised in the world yet they neuerthelesse are our brethren So then such as are aduanced vnto high places and set in authority ouer others are not to trample them vnder their feete to despise and set them at naught to account them as vile persons in their eies but to vse them with mildnesse and to behaue themselues in al lowlines to rule their houses with al gentlenesse We must remember that wee haue a Maister in heauen so that albeit he hath exalted vs on high yet God standeth aboue all and is the Maister both of the Maister of the seruant O that this were well waighed and wisely considered and thoroughly learned of all Superiors that sit at the sterne and guide the ship The higher and greater our places are the lower and lesser ought our hearts to be If we be made Magistrates and Maisters and Rulers to gouern others let vs confesse they be Brethren with vs. This yeeldeth a profitable meditation to all Christian Gouernors when we behold any of our Inferiors thogh they were our bondmen in any trouble or distresse to thinke earnestly vpon these things If God haue made mee neuer so high when I see the people pinched with dearth and famine that they are ready to perish and famish in the streats for want of Bread I must knowe they are not Dogges though many make no better nor farther reckoning of them alas alas they are my Brethren When the Pestilence walketh in the darkenesse and the plague destroyeth at noone day that God striketh downe with his fearfull hand that thousands fall at our side and ten thousands at our right hand for he oftentimes maketh hauocke and bringeth desolation into many houses and families I must thinke it is no Murraine of Cattle they are my bretheren When I behold the oppression of the poore and the grinding of the faces of the needy that they are eaten vp as bread and sold as old shooes for nothing I must haue this feeling of their affliction they are not as Horsses or Asses ouer-laden with their burthen whom yet if it were so y Exo. 23 4 5. we were bound to pity raise vp though belonging to our enemy they are my poore and dear brethren whom God hath created whom Christ hath redeemed whom the holy spirit hath sanctified whom the word hath regenerated whom the church hath nourished whom the Angelles haue guarded and who together with me in the last day shall be glorified At that day shal God be all in al when Christ Iesus shall abolish all power and authority among men when Princes must resigne their kingdomes and cast downe their crownes at his feete then there shall be no more Prince and Subiects Pastor and people Mayster and Seruant Father and Sonne Husband and Wife These degrees indure but for a season which must haue end when Christ shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead If God haue made me a Maister and committed Seruants to my charge they must not be respected as my Swine or Oxen they are my Brethren and therefore I must looke vnto them in time of their sickenesse vse all good meanes for their deliuerance The Centurion in the gospell is commended that when his seruant fell sick was in danger of death he came to Christ z Math. 8 6. for help and succour If a man haue a Bullocke and beast that is diseased he will aske counsel seeke remedy much more ought we to deale mercifully with our seruants which God
that such as contemne their Parents and refuse to helpe and succour those that GOD hath made nearest vnto them and so bound them in a greater band doe commit the greater sinne and plainely declare that their hearts are voyd of naturall affection The third reproofe Thirdly this Doctrine reprooueth those that where most causes and reasons concurre and meete together to vrge them to their dutie do not make vse of them nor bind themselues more closely and straightly with them nor shew more kindnesse being moued by them so that the greater and moe the meanes are to tie them in affection one to another the lesse many times their loue is This may be made plainely to appeare vnto vs if we consider the particular practise of the people toward their Minister and the generall behauiour of one of the faithfull toward another God hath bound the people to their owne Pastor by a straighter and neerer coniunction then to the Shepheards of other Foldes because they haue a greater charge of their Soules and must giue an account for them to the cheefe Shepheard of the Sheep and yet we see they are most bitter and violent against them because they reprooue their sinnes and discouer their corruptions that they themselues may see them and forsake them and God may forgiue them Shall the sicke person hate the Phisition because hee sheweth him his disease and offereth his help best endeuour to cure it In like manner shall we be spightfully intreated and cruellie handled and mortally maligned that wish them the greatest good shew our selues their best friends deale faithfull with their Soules and labour to bring them to eternall happinesse This is it which the Apostle speaketh to the Galathians e Gal. 4 16. Am I therefore become your Enemy because I tellyou the truth Thus also the Prophet Ieremy complaineth f Ier. 18 20. Shall euill be recompensed for good For they haue digged a pit for my Soule remember that I stood before thee to speake good for them and to turne away thy wrath from them We pray for them we stand in the gap wee exhort and admonish them we desire to cure them of those sinnes that fight against their Soules to destroy them Secondly we are to draw from hence a generall consideration that as God hath called vs with an holy calling into the bosome of the Church so he hath linked the faithfull in loue one to another and yoaked them together with the sweet yoake of his Gospell and yet how many are there that professe the name of Christ and will needes be accounted true Christians that cannot abide the Children of God but hate them with an vnfained hatred and account them as their Mortall enemies If we should see a man rage against the members of his owne bodie g Marke 5 5. and strike himselfe with stones to the wounding of the flesh like the man possessed would we not seek to binde him with Chaines and say he were mad and out of his wits So likewise if we be in Christ we haue him as our head and are members one of another and therefore such as nourish the passions of hatred as Coales of fire kindled in their breastes are out of their right minde as men distracted and beside themselues No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth h Ephe. 5 29. and cherisheth it euen as the Lord doth the Church We haue many effectuall meanes and strong reasons to ioyne our affections one to another i Ephe. 4 4 5. There is one Body and one Spirit there is one hope and one inheritance there is one Faith and one Baptisme there is one God and Father of all which is aboue all and thorough all and in vs all These are so many bands to hold vs together if wee plucke these Chaines asunder and breake the Fetters in peeces that no man can tame vs nor binde vs we are not liuing but dead members and offer violence to our owne flesh The single knot of nature ought to be sufficient to knit vs one to another and the least thred of naturall coniunction of our humane Nature ought to sew vs together as a Garment fitted for our bodie how much more when many occasions meet together which should establish brotherly loue to continue among vs Vse 3 Thirdly seeing coupling of many reasons together and the meeting of many good respects in one giueth the more cause of ioy and gladnesse of louing and caring one for another it giueth a profitable instruction to all Children and Seruants and other inferiors to performe the duties of honor and reuerence to their Fathers and Maisters If there were no other means this were a sufficient meanes to make them tractable and attentiue to the wordes and directions of their Fathers and Maisters euen because they are their Fathers and Maisters For this includeth many reasons and ioyneth them in neerer bandes then they were tyed together before and detecteth them of a greater sin and maketh them guilty of a greater iudgement When it pleased God to open the mouth of Baalams i Num. 22 28. Asse to reprooue the foolishnesse and wickednesse of that false Prophet it was his fault not to hearken nor giue heede to that which is spoken vnto him When God instructeth vs by the Creatures which are the common Maisters of all mankind we must learne the inuisible thinges of God by them When the Wise-man passed by the fielde of the slothfull k Prou. 24 30 31 32. and by the Vine-yard of the Man destitute of vnderstanding which was growne all ouer with Thornes and Nettles he behelde and considered it well he looked vpon it and receiued instruction But when the Lord chuseth one to speake vnto vs and to informe vs in his waies which hath beene the Instrument of our life and being of our peace and welfare of our good and saluation we ought to haue more respect to his person and to his perswasion as he is a more honorable Messenger and as his words do proceede from greater loue and kindnesse toward vs. This serueth greatlie to reprooue all rebellious Children and contemptuous Seruants which dislike and distast the holie instructions and informations of their Fathers and Maisters If they receiue any temporall commoditie from them this doth rellish well in their mouthes but they regard not their counsels they will none of their instructions These are wicked Children these are vngodlie Seruants An euill Child is but halfe a Child an euill Wife is but halfe a Wife an euill Seruant is but halfe a Seruant an euill Subiect is but halfe a Subiect The godly and gratious Child is a Childe indeede a godly and gratious Wife is a true Wife indeede a godly and gratious Seruant is a right Seruant indeede a godly and gratious Subiect is to be accounted and acknowledged a true Subiect indeede For as there are degrees of coniunction of mankinde one to another which are
that he doth not indeede name and expresse any robbing or rifling of his Maisters House yet we must consider how he maketh the least of euery thing in regard of his repentance which had wiped away the staine thereof For whereas he had beene hurtfull to his Maister Paul calleth it Vnprofitable whereas hee had played the Runna-gate Paule calleth it a departing away so in this place whereas he had pilferred and purloyned his Maisters goods Paul calleth it an hurting which is a lesse fault or a debt which is no fault Seeing then throughout this Epistle the Apostles drift is by expressing a little to vnderstand more and by naming a small offence to vnderstand a greater wee are not to doubt but his meaning in these wordes is to taxe him of that theft which he had committed Neither is it any thing to the present purpose that it is obiected that the Apostle doth not plainely and directlie auouch that he had any way hurt his Maister because he vttereth nothing simply but by way of supposition If he haue hurt thee as if hee spake by heare-say and knew not the certainetie of that which he had heard For no doubt he knew the whole truth of the matter by Onesimus who hauing truely repented had particularly acknowledged and confessed the wickednesse of his heart and the vnrighteousnesse of his handes in defrauding of his Maister He Å¿ Prou. 28 13. that hideth his sinnes cannot prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy Whosoeuer will obtaine pardon must make confession So long as sinne is vnacknowledged so long it is vnpardoned Seeing therefore he had receiued remission we cannot immagine but that before there went confession and an vnfolding of the whole matter from the beginning to the ending so that the Apostle would not nor could not speak waueringly and doubtfully of that whereof he was fully instructed and perfectly informed from point to point Besides the coniunction If is not condicionall in this place but Illatiue and is not spoken by supposition but rather by way of confession or concession True it is sometimes it is condicionallie directlie affirming and plainely denying nothing As Iob 31. t Iob 31 9 13 19. Gene. 18 24 26 28 30 31 32. If my heart hath beene deceiued by a Woman or if I haue laid waite at the doore of my Neighbour if I did contemne the iudgement of my Seruant if I haue seene any perrish for want of cloathing Thus it is taken Gen. 18. 24. If there be fifty righteous within the Cittie I will spare all the place for their sakes And thus it is taken most commonlie throughout the Scriptures in more then an hundred places which are all to be vnderstood condicionallie not affirmatiuely Againe sometimes the word is to be taken as a particle not onely conuecting and concluding but affirming and knitting together that which is affirmed as in many places of the 8. chapt to the Romans u Rom. 8 17 31. If we be Children then are we also heires if God be on our side who can be against vs as if he shold say seeing we are Children seeing God is on our side So the Apostle exhorteth the Colossians x Col. 3 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue Where he doth not speake vncertainely but conclude peremptorilie that they ought seriously to enter into the Meditation of the heauenly life considering they had beene instructed in the resurrection of Christ Thus Peter speaketh in his second Epistle y 2 Pet. 2 4 1 Pet. 4 17 18 If God spared not the Angels that had sinned that is seeing he spared them not And thus is the word taken to go no farther in the words immediatly going before in this Epistle to Philemon If thou account our things common receiue him as my selfe Where the meaning is seeing all things betweene vs are common as among friends do not thou stand or sticke at the entertaining of him So likewise when he saith If hee hath hurt thee it is a granting of the crime and as it were a confessing of the action whereof he might be charged as if he had said seeing the case is so indeed discharge him and account me as thy debter Thus much for the cleering of the Interpretation of the first words and the answering of the obiections against it It followeth That impute to me where he taketh the debt or wrong offered by Onesimus vpon himselfe and offereth himselfe to bee bound in a band for him and to become his pledge or surety When he saith I haue written it with mine owne hand it is the confirmation of his promise by a ciuill Instrument and by subscribing his name vnto it Lastly when he addeth Albeit I do not say to thee that thou owest to me euen thine owne selfe we must vnderstand that the debt which the apostle vrgeth as due vnto him from Philemon is in respect of his conuersion and winning vnto Christ Wherein he alludeth to such as being conquered in battell are reserued aliue to them that haue ouercome them made them their Seruants in sauing them from death in keeping them from the sword and in preseruing them from destruction Thus then the Apostle argueth I being a Captaine vnder Iesus Christ to win him a people from the bondage of sinne and Satan haue among many other won thee and thine whole Family and haue taken you away as it were Captiue deliuering you in Christ Iesus from eternall misery and therefore thou owest me much more then thy Seruant can owe thee euen thine owne selfe and whatsoeuer is dearest vnto thee for thou hast beene by my meanes rescued and recouered from the bondage of Satan the dominion of death and hast been brought to the freedome and liberty of the Sons of God Thus we see how the Spirit leaueth no starting hole for Philemon to shake shift off this duty to the end it might be a perpetuall rule to the Church in the like case without all exception As if the Apostle should haue said z The sum and substance of the words in this diuision If thou obiect that thy losse and detriment receiued by Onesimus is more then thou maist beare and canst forgiue I answere thee that thou shalt not thereby be hindered for I thy friend Paule will answere thee whatsoeuer he is indebted and indangered vnto thee euen to the vttermost mite thou cast demand And that thou shouldst not doubt of mine offer beholde this my hand-writing shall be thy warrant and assurance which I haue subscribed with mine owne hand albeit I may by my right that I haue in thee pulling thee and thy Family out of the Captiuity of Satan the slauery of sin and the bondage of hel claime from thee more then thou canst from Onesimus for thou owest to me indeede and in truth not a part of thy goods and possessions but thine owne selfe euen thy Soule and Body
that we do desire and obtaine fogiuenesse of our sinnes vpon this condition that we forgiue others when we are taught to say k Mcth. 6 12 14. Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Wherefore let vs be of a gentle minde and placable nature easie to be intreated ready to be perswaded willing to be reconciled and forward to forgiue all iniuries and wronges offered vnto vs without which affection al our praiers to God and all the parts of his worship are made void and nothing worth vnto vs. Hence it is that we are moued when we haue brought our guift to the Altar then and there remembring l Math. 5 23 24. that our brother hath ought against vs to depart and leaue our offering vntill wee be reconciled vnto him Of this point we haue spoken before yet the great necessity of it and the present vse of the Lordes supper which is a Sacrament of loue and vnity requireth the renewing of it and therefore vnlesse it be to those that are dead-hearted and heauy eared that will neither heare nor marke nor vnderstand nor obey it cannot but worke some grace and conscience in them that haue their eares opened boared and prepared Thirdly note the singular loue and exceeding compassion in the Apostle offering himselfe to become surety yea to enter into bandes for so base a seruant as had stollen away his Maisters goods and ranne away for feare of punishment Heerein is great loue and heerein Christ Iesus testifieth his loue to his Church m 2. Cor. 5 21 in that he became sinne for vs and vndertooke to bear the burden of mans wickednesse and Gods wrath euen wickednesse most heinous and wrath most horrible Heerein is vnspeakable loue he offered himselfe as a pawne pledge for vs miserable sinners and bankrout persons not able to pay one penny of that great debt that we owe vnto him Fourthly we may learne that the imputation of another mans debt may stand with the law of God and man so that by all law diuine and humaine he is reputed and holden a debter that offereth and maketh himselfe surety for another so that he is iustly charged to be the debter and the other man for whom he becommeth surety is discharged and freed from the debt yea the satisfaction of another is imputed to the debter euen as his debt is imputed to the surety This beeing cleerc and euident in all Law and by all reason why should it seeme a maruailous or rather a monstrous thing in the eyes and eares of our aduersaries either that our sinnes should be imputed to Christ our mediator or that his sanctification and iustice should be imputed to vs and that we are not iustified by inherent righteousnesse but by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ n 1 Cor. 1 30. Phil. 3 9. Who is made vnto vs of God to be our righteousnesse to the end that we might be found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ This ought not to seeme strange or vnpossible to vs seeing he is no lesse iust and righteous to whom the iustice and righteousnesse of another is imputed then that person is who hath an inherent righteousnesse of his owne within him as it skilleth not who paieth the debt so it be discharged in asmuch as the debter is as well freed when another hath satisfied the creditor as if himselfe had done it Nay he is more iust and righteous that hath Christes righteousnesse made his then if he had an inherent righteousnesse of his owne albeit it were perfect and compleate full and absolute without all staine and imperfection For Christs imputed righteousnesse is more worth and worthy then all the inherent righteousnesse that is in men and Angels yea that imputed righteousnesse of Christ is more accepted and respected of God then all the righteousnesse that is found in the Angels themselues and when we shall liue with Christ our head in the Heauens albeit we shall haue perfect righteousnesse inherenr in vs and be like the Angels which alwaies enioy the presence of God and behold the beauty of his face yet euen then we shall appeare more glorious gratious and accepted of God through that righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs which we shall neuer loose nor put off no not when we shall be in immortallity then for this inherent sanctification when it is at the highest toppe and in the greatest perfection without any want or weaknesse Fiftly note also the Ironicall preterition or passing by that which he would haue carefully considered and wisely imprinted in the minde of Philemon I say not that thou owest to me thy selfe This he doth to auoid all suspicion of arrogancy and ambition or least he shold seeme proud and haughtie and chalenge ouermuch to himselfe hee lesseneth and diminisheth the mattter greatly whereas he might haue vttered and signified more then hee speaketh so that he leaueth the rest to Philemons secret and serious consideration This teacheth vs to auoid all arrogant boasting and to beware of vaine vaunting of our selues aboue that which is meet and ought to be in vs. Heereunto the Apostle oftentimes exhorteth vs o Gal. 5 26. Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glory prouoking one another enuying one another And in another place p Phil. 2 2 3. Be of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vaineglory but that in meeknesse of minde euery man esteeme other better then himselfe We are naturally giuen to thinke well of our selues and to desire to be magnified of others aboue that which is in vs whereas we ought to humble and abase our selues that God may with his gratious hand lift vs vp Lastly obserue with me in the last wordes the Metaphor vsed by the Apostle witnessing and warning him that he owed to him his owne selfe as if he had beene taken by him in warres by the law whereof he was as his own This serueth to teach vs that all men are by nature captiues to sinne and prisoners to Sathan being deliuered and freed from the subiection and slauery of them This our Sauiour teacheth q Iohn 8 34 36. Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne if the sonne shall make you free ye shall be free indeed To this purpose the Apostle Paul speaketh r Rom. 6 17. 18. Know yee not that to whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants yee are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse but God be thanked that ye haue beene the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed from the heart vnto the forme of the Doctrine whereunto ye were deliuered being then made free from sin ye are made the seruants of Righteousnesse Where the Apostle sheweth that there are two sorts of Seruants some
are Seruants to sinne other are Seruants to righteousnesse and whosoeuer is Seruant to one cannot be Seruant to the other they are so opposite and contrary the one to the other that no man can serue these two Maisters This is it which the Apostle Iohn handleth He that Å¿ 1 Iohn 3 8. committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was made manifest that Son of God that he might loose the workes of the Deuill Let vs all suffer the Ministers of the Gospell to take vs out of the hands of Sathan and to subdue vs to the Kingdome of Christ by the two-edged Sword that goeth out of his mouth Thus much may suffice for the generall obseruations which arise out of the words and might be stood vpon at large but I haue onely breefelie pointed them out Now let vs particularly lay open such doctrins as are more especially aymed at in these words If he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought c. In the former verse we haue heard how the Apostle hath reasoned on this manner with Philemon If our things be common thou oughtest to receiue him to fauour whom I haue so great cause to fauour vrging a community and fellowship in all Gods blessings But in this verse he acknowledgeth a debt to Philemon from Onesimus and doth take it vpon himselfe to answere it Doctrine 1. The communion of the Saints doth not take away the possession interest that is in the things of this life We learne from hence that the communion which is among the faithfull Saints doth not take away the priuate possession dominion distinction and interest in the things of this life Albeit the things belonging to this temporall life be in some respect common yet in another respect they are priuate They are common touching vse they are priuate touching possession This appeareth in the practise of the Fathers that liued after the flood as Abraham Isaac Iacob Iob Dauid and diuers others who albeit they willingly imparted to their Brethren the blessings of God bestowed vpon them yet they had their speciall houses of abode inheritances of lands possessions of goods Flocks of Sheep heards of Cattell and distinction of Seruants Mark this in the order that God tooke with his owne people when he had subdued their Enemies and brought them into the Land t Num. 32. and 34. euery Tribe had his seuerall inheritance and euery Family in the Tribe had his peculiar possession deuided vnto him by lot to auoyd all Controuersie and contention among them When Naboth was vrged by Ahab to passe his Vineyard to him eyther by sale or by exchange he answered u 1 King 21 3. The Lord keepe me from giuing the Inheritance of my Fathers vnto thee This is it which Salomon speaketh in the Prouerbs x Prâ—… 5 15 16 17. Drinke the Water of thy Cesterne and of the Riuers of Waters in the streetes but let them bee thine euen thine onely and not the Strangers with thee He teacheth the faithfull to liue of their owne labours and to be helpefull to the godly that want Great were the wants and miseries of the poore Saints of God as we see in the Actes of the Apostles so that many solde their possessions to releeue the distressed Members of the Church yet the Apostle Peter saith to Annanias who had kept backe a part of the price of that he had sold y Acts 5 4. Whilst it remained appertained it not vnto thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power How is it that thou hast conceiued this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God By which words it is manifest that albeit the Saints accounted nothing their owne but had all thinges common among themselues yet they alwaies retained a seuerall right and propriety in those things that they possessed Reason 1. This truth will yet further and better appeare vnto vs if we enter into the consideration of the Reasons that serue to strengthen it First it is confirmed by the Commaundements of God and by the fourth petition of the Lords Prayer The z Exod. 20 15 eight Commaundement forbiddeth vs to steale away our Neighbours goods and to do him the least hurt therein The tenth commandement a Exod. 20 17. restraineth the inward lusts motions that arise in our minds and condemneth the coueting of his house of his wife of his seruant of his oxe of his asse or of any thing that belongeth vnto him If then God commandeth the preseruation of euery mans goods and forbiddeth all iniuries to be offered vnto them it standeth vs vpon to acknowledge a right and interest that euery one hath in earthly things giuen vnto him Likewise our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs b Mat. 6 11. daily to aske our daily bread so that no man ought to desire that which is anothers bread but euery one to know his owne what God hath giuen him and what he hath giuen to others If then there be bread that is ours then also there is bread that is not ours And if somewhat be ours and somewhat not ours it followeth that euery one hath an interest in his owne goods and cannot lay hold on another mans Reason 2. Secondly the inuading of other mens inheritances and the incroaching vpon their priuate possessions is the fruit either of a confused Anarchy or of a loose gouernment and both of them are contrary to that ordinance which God establisheth and the order that he requireth This we see in the latter end of the booke of Iudges where it is recorded and oftentimes repeated that c Iudg. 17 6 18. 1. 19 1. 21 25. In those daies there was no King in Israell but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes And what I pray you was that Euen that which was starke naught they brake out into open outrages riots vsurpations oppressions and community of women All thinges were out of course no man ordered his life aright euery man followed his owne lustes But God is a God of order and not of confusion d 1. Cor 14 33 40. as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 14 God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes let all thinges be done honestly and in order But if euery man may enter vpon the labours of other men and take to himselfe what he pleaseth it would bring as great a confusion of families and common wealths e Gen. 11 8. as once there was of tongues when one did not vnderstand another so that they were constrained to breake off the worke they had begun Reason 3. Thirdly euery one hath a proper and peculiar possession his owne seruants to order his owne ground to till his owne fieldes to husband his own family to gouerne and his owne domesticall affaires to manage that
hath beene his Maister This will be the behauiour of all such as haue felt the burthen of their sinnes and beene humbled vnder the heauy stroke of Gods hand and felt the vnsearchable depth of the sore festering and fretting within them They are the onely men that know what necessary vse there is of the Ministers to search their wounds to raise vp with comfort to binde vppe the broken-hearted and strengthen them that are weake and ready to fall As for those that neuer knew what the Nature of sinne is nor felt the intollerable burthen of it but thinke themselues sound and not sicke heart-whole and not diseased Liuing men by Nature and not dead in sinnes and trespasses they take themselues to bee in good case according to the saying of Christ our Sauiour h Math. 9 12. The whole neede not the Phisitian but they that are sicke Thus then we see how we may proue our selues whether we be in the Faith or not euen by the good estimation that we haue of such as are the bringers of it Secondly we may gather from hence that the greatest part of the world lyeth deepely and dangerously in condemnation because such hath been the vnthankefulnesse thereof toward the Ministers and Messengers of Saluation that bring glad tydings of peace vnto vs that it neuer respected them or gaue them any reuerence We see this by the examples of the Prophets of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe So long as men resolue to entertaine their sinnes so long they will neuer bee willing to entertaine the Preachers of the Gospell whose Office is to beat downe the Kingdome of sinne and Sathan and to set vp the Kingdome of Christ Iesus in the harts of Men. When Herod was determined to keepe his Brothers Wife i Math. 14 4 5 he could not abide to heare Iohn preach vnto him but committed him to prison It is an euident signe of a corrupt conscience and of a prophane hart to account vilely of those whom God hath highly aduanced The Ministers of the Gospell were neuer so much hated scorned and abhorred they are made a common reproach and by-word for euery base Fellow they are set forth as vppon a Stage or Scaffold to be derided of euery Man k 1. Cor. 4 13. They are made as the filth of the world and the off-scowring of all things vnto this time If this be the estate of the Ministers wee may giue a true iudgement in what estate the cause of Religion standeth among vs and what harbour it findeth with the men of this age Such as esteeme of the Ministers as the filth and off-scowring of the earth doe also account the knowledge of the word as the Dregges and drauery of all other thinges Such as respect not those that are the meanes of faith will also reiect faith it selfe The Ministers of the word and true Religion grow vp as two Plants together so long as the one is countenanced and vpholden so long the other will flourish and spread abroad and prosper But if the Ministers that are as the Lordes Gardiners or the dressers of his Vine be euilly intreated maliciously slandered despightfully handled and scornefullie reproached Religion it selfe beginneth to faint and to languish and cannot long goe free Let vs know therefore by this signe the sicknesse of this age and the dangerous declining of all good things There cannot be a more certaine token of the ruine of the Church then when we see the maine posts and cheefe pillers thereof set at naught It is an easie matter to giue iudgement what will be the issue of this disease it is no hard thing to feele the pulses of this Generation and to tell them that the very pangs of death are vpon them so long as the spirituall Phisitions of their Soules are base in their eyes that desire nothing more then to recouer them out of that desperate consumption into which they are fallen There is no man hath his vitall Spirits so farre spent and the naturall heat so much wasted but is willing to heare of a Physition that is able and willing to set him on foote againe and to restore his strength vnto him that hee had before But we are become so senselesse or shamelesse and so dead in our sinnes that we haue no desire of health nor seeke after any spirituall Surgeons or Phisitions to looke vnto vs in time of sicknes There is no disease without cure if men of knowledge be enquired after who haue the tongue of the learned to minister a word in due season Vse 2. Secondly as this Doctrine serueth to teach so it is profitable to reprooue diuers sorts of men but I will onely touch these three The first reproofe First it maketh against fuch as make a bad and base account of the Ministers of God and think they owe no dutie to their Pastours but reckon them as their Vassals and Seruants suppose that they are bound to please them and follow their humours and account their Teachers beholden vnto them for vouchsafing to heare them as crediting their Ministery by their presence It must not therefore seeme a strange thing vnto vs when we see the Ambassadours of God contemned when we heare them reuiled and all manner of euill done to their persons We know our calling to be of GOD acceptable in his sight and precious with all faithfull men Wee are the sweete l 2 Cor. 2 15. sauour of God as well in them that perrish as in them that are saued we know that m 1 Cor. 1 24. howsoeuer the preaching of the Word be a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Graecians and both a stumbling blocke and foolishnesse to the filthy Libertines and carnall Gospellers yet to them that are effectuallie called it is the power of God and the wisedome of God We know what Christ hath pronounced of our Ministery so long as we deliuer the truth of God Luke 10 16. n Luke 10 16 He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me If a Man abuse an Ambassadour of a Prince and set him at naught it is reputed and reuenged as a disgrace and dishonour done to the Prince himselfe so if we shall abase and disgrace the Ministers of the Gospell which are the Messengers of God we shall neuer escape without punishment but bring vpon our selues swift damnation Is not he a godlesse and vngracious Childe that mocketh and despiseth his Father after the example of curssed Cham o Gen. 9 22. who tasted of Gods wrath for this contempt The Lord pronounceth a fearefull threatning against this fearefull sinne The eye p Prou. 30 17. that mocketh his Father and despiseth the instruction of his Mother let the Rauens of the valley picke it out and the young Eagles eate it In like manner he is an vngodly and vnregenerate hearer that controlleth and
louing and friendly exhortations then by seuere threatnings denounced against them They are indued with Gods spirit which is a Maister to teach them worketh in them the wil and the deed Of vnwilling they are made willing of tough rough hewen they are made pliable and apt for the building of stubborn they are become obedient ready to learn They are as good schollers in the school of Christ who feare more the displeasure of their Maister whom they loue and who loueth them then the suffering of many stripes and strokes giuen vnto them This is a true note to know the disciples of Christ from al others Euill men abstaine from sin for fear of the punishment for feeling of iudgment so that if there were no threatnings denounced no curses annexed no plagues and torments feared they would grow worse and worse quickly fill vp the measure of their iniquity Fourthly we may gather heereby that pollitick order is not ouerthrown by the Doctrine of the Gospell neither is the right and authoritie of Maysters ouer their seruants abrogated by the faith of Christ For Philemon was not an Infidell or vnbeleeuer d Verse 1. but a fellow-helper with Paul yet rule ouer his seruants is not denied him nor taken from him but hee is onely bidden to receiue him curteously and to pardon him mercifully yea Paule as we see doth humbly beseech him that hee may obtaine and retaine his former place and doth not straitly command him to discharge him of his seruice This iurisdiction standeth by good warrant of the Lawes of God and Men but of this wee haue spoken more at large before in the 12. Verse of this Epistle Fiftly we see the Title againe repeated that he giueth to Philemon when he calleth him by the name of his Brother Thus he called him before verse 7. and so he esteemed of Onesimus verse 16. VVhereby wee see that all men made members of Christ and engrafted into his body are become as faith Brethren one to another Thus doth the Apostle call this Onesimus e Col. 4 9. A faithfull a beloued Brother who is as one of them that were chiefe in the church The consideration heereof ought on the one side to pull downe our proud Feathers and make vs equall with them of the lower sort and on the other side to make vs loue one another not with dissimulation but with brotherly loue not in word onely but in truth as members of one body and as brethren of one father Sixtly he continueth his humble supplication for Onesimus which sheweth that they are farre from true repentance that doe excuse or defend or deny their faults and offences For hee that i Prou. 28 13. hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde Mercie When Onesimus did see so famous an Apostle of Christ so carefully to intreate for his cause he ought much more to be humbled with a feeling and remembrance of his former offences thereby to mooue the minde of his Maister to gentlenesse and moderation Lastly obserue out of this place that albeit we doubt not to obtaine that which we desire but are assured to inioy that which we ask yet we must deal earnestly and effectually both in regatd of the matter it selfe for in a waighty and necessary cause we ought not to proceed slenderly and in respect of the nature of men who many times are dull to conceiue and slow to graunt that which we craue There is no man so quick of pace but needeth to haue the spurres clapped to his sides now and then No man runneth so swift a pace but sometimes wanteth exhortations consolations reprehensions admonitions threatnings and such like encoragements We haue not yet attained vnto perfection so long as we liue we must be Schollers in Christes schoole and as it were proceed from step to step Thus much breefly touching the generall Obseruations Now let vs come to the handling of the perticuler Doctrines Yea Brother let me obtaine this fruite By this conclusion it may appear that albeit Onesimus had robbed his Maister and run away with a great part of his substance yet hee had spent all as it often falleth out with ill-gotten goods and then being beaten with his owne rod as the k Luke 15 17. prodigall sonne and brought to necessity tasted of the sweete fruite of the Ministery of the blessed Apostle Hence it is that he vrgeth so earnestly and presseth Philemon so exceedingly to remit the debt to forgiue the hurt he had receiued by his naughty seruant as being no way able to satisfy him nor by any means heereafter being likely to satisfy him For if any ability had bin in him to make satisfaction there had bin no place for pardon and remission nor for Paules vndertaking of the debt If we by fraud and stealth by iniury and iniustice possesse the goods of other men we are commanded to make actuall and reall restitution The word of God teacheth vs directly that such as detain the goods of other men l Leuit. 6 1 7. Math. 5 23 24 Numb 5 6 7. are vnmeet for his worship vnfit for his seruice Againe such as with-hold them from the right owners m Eze. 18 15 33. shall die in their sins and not haue pardon before restitution when God hath enabled them thereunto But if we do keep backe from them their owne n August epist ad Maced our repentance is not conscionable but counterfet Heerby it appeareth that Onesimus was not able to pay vnto his Maister such things as he had taken away for otherwise it had bin an vnreasonable request to haue a debt pardoned which might be restored For that which any man doth vniustly detaine is none of his but that persons from whom it is detained So then this being the poore seruants condition that he had left nothing of all that which he had taken away as commonly goods euilly gotten are euilly spent the Apostle craueth pardon Doctrine 1. No mā ought to be eager extreame in exacting debts dues from the poore and needy From hence we learne that wee ought not to bee eager and extreame in vrging and exacting debtes from the poore and needie but rather be readie to remit releeue or at least to forbear what we may and are inabled to do Heerunto commeth the precept deliuered in the law of Moses o Deut. 15 2 Euery creditor shal quit the loue of his hand which he hath lent to his neighbor he shal not ask it again of his neighbour nor of his brother for the yeare of the Lords freedom is proclaimed Where he teacheth that mercy should be shewed to their brethren in necessity that they ought not to be hasty in calling for the things that are due to thē but rather to giue farther day respit So afterward Verse 7. If one of thy Brethren with thee be poore within any of
credit in my Maisters House He doth not thus consent with Flesh and blood neyther consent to her filthy lust to the dishour of God to the iniury of his Maister to the blot of his owne name and the wounding of his owne conscience but standeth at denyance and defiance with her notwithstanding her great flattery and daily importunity Thus ought it to be with euery one of vs though it be our Maister our Gouernour our Parents our Friendes we must not yeelde to them in euill we must not graunt any wicked requestes that may bring vs out of fauour with God and procure his iust iudgements to come vpon vs. It were better for vs to be out of fauour with Men then out of fauour with God and to fall into their hands then to sinne in the sight of the Lord. It were better to endure a little reproach for a small season for well-doing then to vndergoe the wrath of God for euer for euill-doing The Mother of Zebedeus Children came with her Sonnes to Christ worshipping him and desiring a certaine thing of him to wit that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his Kingdome he denyed them and sayd p Math. 20 22 Ye know not what ye aske are ye able to drinke of the Cuppe that I shall drinke off and be baptized with the Baptisme that I shall be baptized with all The like we see in Peter and Iohn when they were commaunded in no wise to speake or teach in the Name of Iesus q Actes 4 19. they aunswered vnto them Whether it be right in the sight of GOD to obey you rather then God iudge you This is duely to be considered and carefullie to be practised of vs. Let vs not bee carryed away with the entisements and suggestions of others knowing that if we follow their direction and counsell in euill we shall incurre the same punnishment with them Vse 2. Secondly this serueth to reprooue and condemne their follie that in making suites and requestes neuer consider what they ought to aske and what another may graunt vnto them but respect their owne lustes anger mallice reuenge honour and aduantage What did the Wife of Potipher respect in her raging and burning lust Did she respect the Couenant of GOD or the credit of her Husband or her owne honour or honestie No vncleanenesse had possessed her heart Lust carryed her eye Impudencie ruled her tongue and all partes of Soule and Bodie were out of order The Mother of Salomon requested as she thought r 1 Kin. 22 18 22. a small request of him that Abishag the Shunamite might bee giuen to Adonijah his Brother to Wife and the King promised not to say her nay but when he heard it he reuoked his promise denyed his Mother and executed Adonijah as one that aspired to the Kingdome Wherefore shee was not well aduised what shee asked The like we might say of Herodias her daughter For when Herods Birthday was come and kept the dancing Minion pleased the eyes of a light lasciuious King so that he promised with an Oath Å¿ Mat. 14 7 8. That he would giue her whatsoeuer she should aske and she being before instructed of her Mother saide Giue me heere Iohn Baptistes head in a Platter The marke that these lasciuious Women sought after in this request was the murthering and making away of Iohn which also followed the giuing of this counsell and the asking of this request It is an euill thing to make any euill motion yea albeit no euill follow after it and albeit no consent be giuen vnto it It was euill in Sathan the Tempter to tempt our Sauiour in the Wildernsse t Iohn 4 46. albeit hee found nothing in him and could fasten no infidelitie no presumption no sinne vpon him So is it in his Instruments although they cannot preuaile to seduce any vnto sinne and draw them to offend God yet they haue wicked hearts and intents in laying snares and baites to intrap others Wee see this in Iosephes vnchast Mistresse albeit shee could not draw away his heart from the feare of God nor weaken the Faith hee had in him yet her sinne was not the lesse nor her purpose any whit the better We see this likewise in the suit that Haman propounded and obtained u Ester 3 9. If it please the King let it be written that the Iewes may be destroyed Now albeit the Church was deliuered yet his mallice was insatiable and in the ende turned to his owne destruction This ought to terrifie all gracelesse Suppliants that make no choyce or conscience what they demaund for when they are not carefull to desire such thinges as are warrantable and consonant to the will and heauenly pleasure of God their owne requestes doe many times in the iust iudgement of God turne to their owne confusion Wherefore it standeth all men vpon to looke with a single eye into the cause which they mind before they seeke it and sue for it that it be iust reasonable conscionable and honest against such as neuer haue in themselues such consideration but so they may speede in their purpose they regard not what they desire This is a point worthy to be marked of all especially of those that depend vpon others to be aduanced and preferred It is a greeuous sinne to abuse the fauour and authority of others to bring their bad and leud purposes to passe It is the manner of many men that are in credit with great persons to be bold to sollicite any of them without difference or due regard of equitie not considering the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of the thing the making or marring of others the doing of good vnto them or the vtter vndoing of them Hence it is that Iohn Baptist exhorteth the Souldiers that came vnto him to be instructed x Luke 3 14. Doe violence to no Man neyther accuse any falselie and be content with your wages We must therefore take heed what we aske into what inconueniences we draw and driue others into Our requests must be seasoned with the feare of God Vse 3. Lastly we learne that no man hath an absolute power and authority ouer others but limited and restrained within certain bounds Paul had the highest office of Apostleship committed vnto him yet he could not require and commaund what we list he could goe no further then the will of the Lord which is declared and doubled in this place Albeit God haue lifted vp our heads aboue others and made vs Rulers to commaund yet we cannot command what we list The Maister must remember y Eph. 6 9. That he also hath a Maister in heauen The Father must consider that he also hath a Father which is in Heauen Such as are inferiours are not bound to yeelde an absolute obedience in all thinges but they are tyed to obey their Superiors so farre as they do not disobey the
Superior power which is aboue all power in Heauen and earth Whatsoeuer they are commaunded to do can bind the conscience no farther then standeth with the pleasure of God It is not enough for them to say I was moued to it by others I was commanded to do it it lay not in my power to preuent it or resist it I am vnder the iurisdiction of others and am tyed to obey This will not goe for currant payment but beareth a counterfeit stampe it is like the Figge-leaues of Adam where-with he couered himselfe which serued his turne well enough vntill God came to examine him and to enter into iudgement with him So these weake excuses seeme wise reasons to iustifie our wicked obedience vntill they come to be searched and sifted by the light of Gods word For this cause the Apostle teaching subiection to Parents saith z Ephe. 6. 1. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Whereby we learne how to vnderstand that precept which seemeth to exact a generall or vniuersall obedience Coloss 3. Children obey your Parents in all thinges namely that it must be in good and lawfull things In like manner as the obedience of Inferiours is instinted and restrained not left at randome and at libertie so the iurisdiction of such as are in Superiour places is not so great as to tyrannize ouer mens consciences to require what they please and to commaund what seemeth good in their own eies but it must know the bounds that God hath appointed and not exceede the same This made the Apostle say to the Church of the Corinthians a 1 Cor. 11 1 Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ He chargeth them to goe no farther with him then they saw him to walke with Christ and therefore in another place he sheweth b Gal. 1 9. That if any Man or any Angell from Heauen should Preach otherwise then they had receiued he must be holden accursed This serueth to reprooue all such as binde their Inferiours to doe whatsoeuer they commaund This is to set vppe our selues in stead of GOD. Absolute obedience in all thinges without restraint is due to none but vnto him that hath an absolute power and commaund ouer all Creatures His authoritie is infinite and receiueth no limitation As for the Sonnes of men how great soeuer their power be yet it is finite and it vrgeth vs no farther then they haue warrant to commaund vs. Wherefore they are greatly deceiued and take too much vpon them that thinke themselues abused their places contemned and their authority diminished when they are not in all things obeyed Nay they themselues doe not sufficiently know themselues nor their high callings that looke for more then is due vnto them and require of their Inferiours so much as they with a good conscience cannot performe These are they that say Doe they not owe vs a dutie Are they not vnder vs Haue not wee power ouer them May not we commaund subiection and obedience vnto vs True it is all reuerence and obedience is due vnto them in the Lorde but if they will haue subiection against the Lord and against his will they forget their places they take too much vppon them and they vsurpe a Dominion that was neuer committed and communicated vnto them Let all that are in authoritie beware of this pride of hart and aduancing thēselues aboue that which ought to be in them This we see to haue beene in Saule as he persecuted Dauid from place to place so he commaunded c 1 Sam. 22 17 the Sergeants that stood about him To turne and slay the Priestes of the Lorde as if they were bound to doe it at his desire The like appeareth in Absalom when he would satisfie his owne mallice and reuenge the dishonour done to his Sister Tamar d 2 Sam. 13 28 he commaunded his seruants saying Marke now when Amnons heart is merry with Wine and when I say vnto you Smite Amnon kill him feare not for haue not I commaunded you Be bold therefore and play the Men. He doth not goe about to perswade their consciences of the lawfulnesse of the fact but he is blinde himselfe and seeketh to blinde the eyes of other he is carried away with mallice and filleth the handes of others with blood Thus are the wicked possessed with pride and presume in the height of their iniquity that all their vngodly commaundements whatsoeuer are to be obeyed But as they are reprooued that execute whatsoeuer they are required to doe so are they reprehended that will require euery thing that they list to glut their owne anger and mallice They that do commaund and such as are commaunded are both culpable of iudgement Saul in commaunding to slay the Priestes of the Lord was an horrible Murtherer so was also Doeg the Executioner of it Absalom charging his Seruants to kill his Brother was a detestible Parricide so also the Seruants had their handes defiled with blood that obeyed his commaundement Let vs therefore all of vs remember the rule of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 8. e 2 Cor. 13 8. We cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth So let all Superiors say We can commaund nothing against the Lord but for the Lord. And let all Inferiours say we cannot obey against the Lord but in the Lord and whether it be better to obey God or Man iudge you We must all consider before we require obedience what it is that wee would haue done that we may haue warrant to exact it and others comfort to execute it Refresh my Bowels in the Lord. This is another variable phrase whereby the Apostle requireth that Onesimus be receiued againe into his Maisters seruice This earnestnesse for him argueth both that the Man before his calling was most wicked but now after his conuersion was turned to bee most godlie and religious besides that his Maisters heart was wonderfullie estranged from him So then wee are heerein to consider two thinges first that vnlesse he had greatly wronged his Maister and done him iniurie in some heynous manner the Apostle would not haue been so vehement nor haue doubled his request for him Secondlie vnlesse he had beene throughlie assured and perswaded of his vnfained repentance doubtlesse he would neuer haue pleaded his cause with such effectuall Reasons earnest asseuerations and often repetitions Now in these wordes of comforting and refreshing his Bowels he witnesseth that he should receiue exceeding great ioy if Philemon would release Onesimus and receiue him into his loue and fauour againe as he desired of him Doctrine 3. Men ought greatly to reioyce at the good and benefit of their Brethren in temporall and eternall blessings We learne from hence that it is a speciall dutie required of vs to reioyce at the good and benefit of our Bretheren both in Temporall and Eternall blessinges When we see any good befall them in matters concerning this life or the life
be extended to all 86 A fruit of loue to admonish 27 We must loue most where God loueth most 112. Not the vngodly most 115 Loue betweene Pastour and people 192 193 Loue those that haue conuerted vs 261 Loue one another 332 355. It is a Christians badge 356 355 Loue God aboue all 340 Loue to the Saints must be feruent 254 257. What it is 256. The manner how we must loue 257 258 Long life a punishment to the vngodlie 308 Losses See comfort in losses Lowest member in the Church must bee respected 184 329 The low estate comforted 1â—0 Luke-warme 433 M A Magistrate sustaines two persons 247 Man by Nature sociable 22 A Martyr who is 19 20 Markes of Christ what 18 Marriage must be in the Lord. 32 English Martirs canonized by the Pope were deuillish Traytors 121 Mankind stand in neede one of another 83 Masse 93 Maintenance of the Minister 400 Maner of doing God accepts more then the deede 284 Maisters must pray for their Families 241. They haue comfort in teaching them 242. they are Ministers in their owne houses 45 Meditations to mooue vs to Prayer 462 Necessary after hearing 220. For Patrons 222 A meane to be kept 76 Meanes must be vsed to bring vs to faith 108 109. To further his guifts in vs 129 Members we are one of another 173 Mercilesse men 276 Mercifull men 280 Meritorious workes 458 Merits taught in the Church of Rome 463 Ministers calling painfull 33. they must not entangle themselues in worldlie things 37. They must seeke cheefely the profit of their people 70. It is a greefe to see them go backward 71 Ministers must preach willingly 286. They are Gods Instruments to conuert Soules 165. They must be maintained 287. Giuen to Hospitality 444. Being idle their guiftes are diminished 136 they haue no right to be maintained 137 Ministers must loue the people as Children 194 They must be faithful 216 They shall giue an account for soules 216. They haue comfort in labouring 242 Ministry a worthy calling 165 Ministers are Gods Ambassadours 171 How to be esteemed 171. They must vse mildenesse and gentlenesse 172 173 Mitigation of offences required 363 Three rules belonging thereto Ibid. Mishapen Children See Children deformed Monkish life See Solitary Mocking the Ministers 204 Multitude no rule to try truth 90 N Name that is good onely the godly haue 96 It hath many enemies 427. Euill men haue an euill Name 96. Against such as take away the good Name of the godly 96 Vngodlinesse brings a blot to mens names 97. ciuil men are ignorant of a good Name Ibid Seeke aster a good name 97. how many waies men are deceiued in it Ibid Wherein a good name consisteth 98 The enemies to it Ibid Naturall condition what 299 Negligence in Religion 11 Neglect of Prayer 456 Neighbour who is 256 Nicodemus 481 Niggardlinesse See Couetousnesse Non proficients 128 324 Non residency what it is 194 Notes to proue men voide of Faith 108 Nouatians 317 O Obiections answered pretending that ministers liue idely 35. that they need not heare that haue faith already 130 Obiections against instructing families 40. of them that say they spend nothing but their owne 115. Of miserable men against liberality 158 190. of Non residents 197 Obiections brought to prooue preaching not the ordinary meanes of regeneration 207 Obiections of Anabaptists 265. 367 Obiections made against forgiuing offenders 246. against vsing salutations 247 Obligations lawfull 385 Occasions of doing good must be sought 31. of contention must be cut off 251 Odious tearmes not to be vsed against the penitent 311 Offences of penitents not to be aggrauated 293. they are to be forgiuen 243 Offences forgiuen two wayes 247. they will arise many wayes 487 Old age honourable 178 Old men instead of Fathers 18. their Duties and sins 181 491. their long life is a testimony of Gods mercy 182 Oppression 393 Opportunity 444 Order in praying for blessings 505 Ouer-seers of the Church 221 Outward blessings recompenced with inward 305 P Painims religion what 156. they regard not the poore Ibid Papists no friends to Princes 266. falsely called Catholicks 322. they seuer faith and loue 102 104. they slander vs about Good-workes 105 Parents of deformed children comforted 311 316. they must not reproue their children for good thinges 328. they must pray for their families 241 Pardon open for penitents 217 Pastors ioy 69 Pastors and people are as Father and son 189. they are tied to a particular charge 199. not to discourage people that are forward 329 Pastors of meane guifts must bee heard 203 Patrons admonished 221. whence they had their names Peace giuen to the faithfull 55 58 The three Persons in Trinity worke our saluation 61. the distinction betweene them must be knowne 62 Peace is brought by the Gospel 264 Penitent persons not to be reproached 317. their confession not to be reueiled 321. abuse of the church of Rom therein Ibid. â—alse perswasion of Faith set downe by certaine notes 108. Peters being at Rome vncertaine 46â— disagreement of Popish writers about it 471 Persecutions of Christians are the persecutions of Christ 15 Popish Idolatry like the Gentiles 63 Popishe assertions touching the Scriptures 78 Pope held to bee the Saint-maker 121. he is enemy to Princes 266 Popish deuotion 288. Martyrs 10. Religion which giues liberty to sin 105 Church what it is 470. The Popes Supremacy 470. his Saints 120 Poore Saints to be relieued 154. What those poore are 161. Poorest beleeuer is rich 189. the godly are specially to be respected 1â—1 Pray for the free passage of the gosp 3â—… Praier necessary 63. 437. it must bee made to God for others 82. it is a part of spirituall armour 83. the vse of it ibid. other mens to be intreated 84. We must pray for spirituall strength 91. and for spirituall things 505 Praier what it is 447. it is a medicine against all diseases 83. how made vnprofitable 461. what is required in it 449. why God defers to heare 453. Popish prayers Idolatrous 452 Prayer heard two waies 453 Prayer contemned 454 Prayer to Saints 454. It robbeth God of his honor 155. It cannot merit People must maintaine their Ministers 38. They must delight the heartes of their Teachers 73. They must not thinke it enough not to hurt them 74. They come to entrap them Ibid Howe many waies they grieue their Pastors 75 People must employ their guifts 139. They must not despise the Ministry of the word 170. They must honor their Pastors 202. They must attend theyr owne Pastors 203. they are in the ministers debt 402 Poore vnthankfull 412 Precisenesse not to bee obiected against Professors 93 Presence of the Pastour necessary 190 191. Preaching of the word the meanes of regeneration 205. A token of Gods loue 215 Preachers preach to themselues as well as to others 210 Preaching Ministery necessary to saluation 213 Preparation before hearing 219 Priuiledges of the godly 58 Profession of Faith See Confession