and extreame necessity accompanied with extreame iniquity and impiety is a double misery a double wretchednesse a double vnhappines Let this therefore comfort vs and temper the greatnes of our affliction seeing God doth care for vs aboue all his Creatures yea before the rest of mankind charging those that are rich in this world to make a difference betweene man and man betweene person and person betweene poore and poore euen such a difference as he himselfe hath made who preferreth the sheepe of his owne Pasture before Goates the Sonnes and Daughters of his owne familie before bastards the heires of his Kingdome before Aliens and strangers the vessels of honour before the vessels of dishonour As for the poore that are wicked vngodly leud and prophane so long as they liue in their wickednesse vngodlines leudnesse and prophanenesse they are no parts of Gods family they are bastards not sonnes they are members of the Deuill not members of Christ they are cages of vncleane Birdes not Temples of the holy Ghost they are as dung and drosse of the earth not siluer and Gold for the Lords house Seeing therefore God doth cast them downe into the second ranke let not vs aduance them aboue their place God is the God of order not of confusion and if we be of God let vs establish among vs the order that he hath planted Let vs iudge with righteous iudgment and lay all partiality aside Let vs not respect the poore because they are our friends but because they are the freinds of God Let vs not see to those that are neerely alied to vs but to those that are of the kindred of Christ which heare o Mat. 12 50. Luke 11 28. his word and keepe it who are his Mother Sister and brother Heereby they shall be encouraged in well doing and we shall by our godly care of them prouoke them to greater zeale and to a constant continuance in their profession Wherefore let this be the rule to guide and gouerne vs Such are to be vsed best which are indeed best let them haue most releefe of the body that haue most grace and godlines in the heart Godlines giueth the preheminence and vngodlines bringeth reproach and setteth a note of infamy vpon his face that is defiled with it True it is others must haue their portion and proportion but it must be so rated that they be in the first place prouided for that are most religious in heart and painefull in their callings and thankfull to their weldoers For where true Religion hath taken place it will make them diligent in their busines and seruiceable to those of whom they haue receiued good thinges As for those that are idle and vnthankefull they neuer tasted of sound Religion and do nothing else but abuse their profession Thus much of the persons to whom we must do good that is especially to the faithfull Toward the Saintes The faithful are heere called by the name and title of Saints By this word are all such called as are the true members of Christ-Iesus whether they be liuing or dead in this life or out of this life But in this place onely such are meant as liue vnder the couenant of grace and fight the Lords battels against Sinne the World and the Deuill Now they p Why the Godly are called Saintes are called Saintes or holy for these causes First because they are separated by the mercies of God from the filthinesse and damnable condition of this world they are gathered into a Church and set apart for the pure seruice of God Secondly because they are purged and cleansed from their sinnes by the precious bloud of Christ Thirdly because they expresse the fruite heereof in holines and righteousnesse they are altered and changed from that which they were by nature they are regenerate and created anew they are renewed in their willes affections purposes and practises This is contray to prophanenesse Doctrine 9. Such as truely belong to Christ are Saintes We learne from this title giuen to the faithfull that they which truely belong to Christ are Saintes that is are sanctified cleansed and purged from their sinnes and iniquities by the bloud of Christ are deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne and are enabled by the grace of God in some measure to serue him in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of their life In this respect the Isralites when God had chosen them out of the world to be his people and seruants a Exod 19. 6. 1 Pet 2 9. are called a royall Priesthood and an holy Nation This name of Saints is vsuall and common with the Apostle Paule in all his Epistles In the Epistle to the Romanes he writeth to all Rome beloued of God b Rom 1 7. Acts 9 41. called to be Saints So he writeth to the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are c 1. Cor 1 2. and 14 33. sanctified in Christ Iesus Saintes by calling with all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ in euery place and afterward he saith God is not the author of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saintes So he sheweth in the Epistle to the Ephesians d Ephe 3 8. and 5 3. that to him the least of all Saintes this grace was giuen that he should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ The Prophet Dauid also saith e Psal 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saintes that they turne not againe to folly All these places do plainely proue that they which beleeue in Christ and belong to him truely may be called Saintes and holy men Reason 1. The reasons are these First because they are there-vnto called and chosen in Christ they are thereunto iustified and redeemed by Christ For we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be holy f Ephe 1 4. He hath chosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue It is the end of our calling as the Apostle teaeheth 1. Thes 4. This is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication c. for g 1. Thes 4 3 7. God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holines It is the end of our redemption as Zachary sheweth that the Lord God of Israell hath visietd and redeemed his people h Luke 1 68 74 75. that we being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies should serue him without feare al the daies of our life in holines righteousnes befo rt him Seeing therefore God hath called vs with an holy calling and appointed vs to be Saintes by his decree of our election by the efficacy of our calling by the vertue of our Iustification and by the power of our redemptiō it followeth that all the faithfull may worthily
when he entertained beleeued false Ziba against his faithful subiect Neither ought we to be hard of beleef to belieue nothing that is told vs though neuer so constantly and certainly as appeareth in Gedaliah who would not beleeue m Ier. 40 14 16. Iohanan and the Captaines of the hoast that certified him that Ishmael was sent to slay him But this his want of beleefe he bought with the losse of his owne life Againe as we are to construe things in the best sense and beware that we wrest nothing contrary to the meaning of the speaker considering that they are heinous sinners that n Rom. 1 29. take al things in the worse part so we are also bound to shew a louing heart a tender affection and a Charitable compassion toward our brethren in seeking to defend and maintaine his good name when we hear him slandered and his good name impaired If we heare a malicious enemy broach his malice by speaking lies and vttering slanders against our brethren ought not we as their friends in loue to open our mouths in the cause of the dumb shewing our dislike of their euill reportes and testifying our good affection toward their persons and relating the truth in their defence For wee must know that we may be slanderers as well by silence and holding our peace as by discrediting them by our tongues He is a false witnesse that hearing his neighbor falsely accused doth not labour to cleare him when he is able by giuing Testimony vnto the truth When Ionathan by his owne knowledge perceiued that the reports were false which flatterers had deuised and Saule had immagined against Dauid being then misled and misinformed he could not holde his tongue o 1 Sa. 20 32. but spake in his defence in the cause of the innocent saying Wherefore shall hee die What hath he done The like we see in Nicodemus when he saw the malice of the Scribes and Pharises to haue bin so great that they woulde haue condemned Christ absent and vnheard he stood vp in the Counsell said p Iohn 7. 51. Doth our Law iudge a man before it heare him and know what hee hath done This ought to be an example vnto vs how to behaue our selues when wee heare good and godly men reuiled and rayled vpon wrongfully accused and vniustly slandered we should not be tongue-tied but open our mouthes in their defence It is a firme testimony of our loue both to their person profession Lastly we are to shew the griefe sorrow which we conceiue when soeuer we heare a true report of any faults and sins committed by them that haue bin a blot and blemish vnto him We see this q Nehemiah 5 Esra 9. Phillip 3. in Nehemiah in Ezra in Paul and many others So then such as are ready to iudge the best of their brethren wil be careful to make the best of euery thing to defend their good name from slanders and reproaches and to testifie their greefe for such euils as breake out of them Vse 3. Thirdly albeit we are to hope the best of others and to iudge charitably of them yet we must know that it is our duty to admonish one another and seeke to conuert one another from going astrayâ— Heereby we shall saue a soule cleare their good name and couer a multitude of sinnes For it is most certaine we can neuer conceiue a good Opinion of them nor haue them in any estimation nor entertaine a Charitable Iudgement of their dooings vnlesse wee shew our selues forward to exhort and admonish them when wee see they walke not with a right foote nor tread in the steppes that leade vnto eternall life When Paule sawe Peter dissemble with the Iewes he r Galat. 2 14. reprooued him to his face so did Nathan the Prophet Dauid after hee had sinned It is a witnesse infallible of our loue in that we admonish our Bretheren and suffer not sinne vpon them It shall bee a precious balme that shall not breake their heads On the other side as we are to iudge the best of others and to admonish those that fall and offend so we ought not to thinke that they hate vs that shew vs our faultes or that they are our enemies that reprooue vs. A sharpe reproofe is more hardly digested then a bitter pill is swallowed We desire for the most part to be soothed and flattered in our sinnes and to haue soft pillowes sowed vnto our Elbowes that we may sleep in sinne without controulment and so runne into destruction without trouble and with much ease Neuer were there more miserable times then these ate in the which wee liue Hee that reprooueth maketh himselfe a prey and he that is reprooued stormeth and rageth at the matter as if hee had receiued a great iniurie and as if men had gone beyond the bounds of their Calling But if there be true Wisedome in vs wee must regard those that do admonish vs in the Lord. Vse 4 Lastly seeing it is our duty to hope and esteeme the best one of another let this be acknowledged and confessed of vs that we must iudge of no man before the time we must take heed of rash iudgement according to the rule of Christ Å¿ Math. 7 1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what Iudgement yee Iudge ye shall be iudged and with what measuee you mete it shall be measured to you againe Likewise our Sauiour in the parable of the Housholder which went out at the dawning of the day to hire Laborers into his Vineyard signifieth That God calleth at all houres and times of the day some at one time and some at another according to the good pleasure of his owne will We must despaire of no mans saluation but hope the best of them that God will giue them repentance to come out of the snares and subtleties of the Deuill whereby they are holden captiues to do his will This offereth vnto vs these three Meditations First it is a comfort to those that at the last are brought to repentance No man is excluded from grace in this life and from glory in the life to come that turneth vnto God with all his heart The Theefe vpon the crosse was receiued to mercy they that were called at the eleuenth houre and laboured but one houre had their peny It falleth out oftentimes t Math 19 30. and 20 16. That the last are first the first are last Let none despaire through the greatnesse hainousnesse and multitude of his sins but rather make hast delay not the time to put off from day to day considering how ready the Lord is to imbrace him to receiue him to forgiue him Secondly albeit the gate of mercy be set wide open for all penitent persons yet this ought not to harden mens hearts in carelesnesse and securitie For the vngodly that continue in their sins haue no defence for themselues and their presumption
faith will appeare to be no faith and his claime to be a false vsurpation So then if thou wilt prooue thy selfe a true Christian and to be iust before God through faith in Christ it is not enough to take vnto thee the Title of fayth and to boast of such a beleefe as the Deuils haue and euery reprobate may haue but thou must be content to haue thy inward faith examined and tried by thy outward workes whether it be the true faith or not For a true Faith is alwayes ioyned with loue and bringeth forth Good-workes as necessarily as a good Tree bringeth forth good fruits An euill Tree bringeth forth euill fruits but a good Tree hath good fruite comming from it From this coniunction of these two superiour vertues to wit Faith and Loue the Rhemists in their translation and other Romanists in their disputations do debate and conclude against a fundamentall point of Christian Religion on this manner If Faith be not alone but ioyned with Loue Then Faith alone doth not iustifie But Faith is not alone but ioyned with Loue Therefore Faith alone doth not iustifie To this Obiection I answere they make an equiuocation in these words Faith alone If they meane by Faith alone a dead faith as Iames dooth which is voyde of workes then they speake nothing to the purpose for wee neuer allowed of such a faith we neuer taught iustification by such a faith But if they meane as they should if they reason against vs that in the act of Iustification there is required hope and charity or any more then the hande of faith which is the onely instrument to take hold of Christ if they ioyne vnto this any of their workes we deny their assertion and cannot admit of such iustification For we beleeue and hold it as a sound foundation of our religion that faith without any workes doth iustifye forasmuch as it dooth alone apprehend the mercies of God and apply the merits of Christ whereby wee are iustified so that if the question be what we must oppose between the Iustice of God and our sinnes why he doth not execute the curse of the Law against vs wherefore he is reconciled toward sinners and receiueth them into fauour and how they stand as iust before his Throne Heere works haue no place which are vnperfect which are stained and defiled so that both we and our workes must be accepted for another namely for Christs sake whome faith receiueth and so putteth him and his benefits into our soules True it is Faith and Loue are alwayes ioyned in one Christian they are required to perfect him and to bring him to saluation Thus Faith is necessary Hope is necessary Charity is necessary they must all concurre in one subiect meet togither in the same person so that no beleeuer must be without any of them Thus we confesse they are neuer alone he that is without Hope and Charitie is also without Faith and whosoeuer hath a liuely Faith hath likewise an effectuall Hope and a fruitfull Loue. Neuerthelesse howsoeuer they be ioyned and must bee ioyned in the practise of a Christian life yet they are not ioyned nor cannot be ioyned in the act and Article of Iustification The eye in the head alone seeth not the eare not the mouth not the tongue and yet it is neuer alone in the head but ioyned with others The hand in the body alone serueth to handle and to take the meate whereby we are fed and norished yet it is not without the arme without the foote without the eye without the head Euery part and member of the bodie in his place is necessary and all serue to perfect the body without which it were maimed and vnperfect but euery member hath his seueral office and function so is it with the gifts and graces of God all are and ought to be ioyned together to make vp a perfect Christian and he must be furnished with them to make him compleat and absolute to euerie good worke but euery gift hath his seuerall obiect and Office The property of the eye is to see of the hand to handle of the foote to walke so the Office of Faith is to make vs iust the office of Hope is to make vs wait the office of Loue is to make vs mercifull We doo not separate Faith and Good-workes from the exercise of a Christian mans life but in the office of Iustification and acquitting of vs in the presence of God Faith in her Office is alone as Loue likewise is in hers but in our practise in our persons they must be ioyned A Prince albeit in her estate Throne she be alone yet she goeth not without her traine and Maids of Honor waiting about her and attending vpon her Faith when shee layeth holde on Christ and receyueth the promise is as it were vpon her Throne of estate and in her proper calling ioyning vs to God Neyther do wee ascribe our Iustification to faith for it selfe or as it is a work and quality in vs as if it were any part of our Iustice or righteousnesse as if we were iustifyed partly by the merits of Christ and partly by the worthinesse of our own faith for that were to seek Iustification in our selus which is the Doctrine of the church of Rome but we are iustifyed no otherwise by our faith then wee are fed by our hand Now how doth the hand nourish the body Not because it is meat to feed the dy but because it receyueth and applyeth vnto it the meate whereby it is sustayned Euen so Faith iustifyeth and giueth life not because it is our Iustification either in whole or in part but because it receyueth Christ to be our righteousnesse and life in whom x Acts 26 18 We haue remission of sinnes and an inheritance among them that are sanctified and reserued to eternall life So then wee ascribe Iustification to our faith no otherwise then as it is the meanes or Instrument to apprehend and receiue the mercies of God the merits of Christ and the promises of the gospell Thus we teach that faith is the y Aug. tract 50 in Iohan. hand which we stretch to heauen to take hold of Christ and to embrace him sitting at the right hande of his father It is the mouth whereby we eate and drinke Christ z August tract 26. in Iohan. because to beleeue in him is to eate him It is the stomacke whereby we digest him a Tertull. de resurr carnis because he is to be digested by Faith It is the foote whereby wee enter the possession of all the benefits of Christ and so farre b Bernard Ser. 32. in Cantio we possesse them as wee walke towardes them By Faith it is that we touch Christ and so receiue Christ c Cypria Epist 2. lib. 2. for looke how much Faith we bring to receiue so much we draw of the abundant graces of God To conclude therefore we see
to the rule and line of the word If a man giue but a looke toward the Gospell and do not professe himselfe an open enemy vnto it if he shew the least entertainment to the truth and do not set himselfe against the professors of it though he be a common Gamester a rioteous liuer an vsurer an incrocher and oppressor he hath the name and title of a good Christian he hath the praise and commendation of a good professor What ioy therefore can the Children of God haue in such workes of darknesse and in such workers of iniquity We may wish with the Prophet b Ier 9 1. that our head were full of water and our eyes a Fountaine of teares to weepe day and night for the desolation and destruction that hangeth ouer their heads The Husbandman taketh no pleasure to see Tares and Darnel grow in his field in stead of good Corne. The Gardiner cannot without greefe behold weedes spring vp in his Garden in stead of wholesome Hearbes So when we see the Church of God to bring forth Chaffe instead of Wheat Beanes instead of Fruit vice in stead of vertue and sinne in stead of righteousnesse what greater greefe can arise in our heartes or what greater sorrow can be wrought in vs If we greeue through the wickednesse of our waies and prophanenesse of our liues the Children of God we likewise greeue the spirit of God and quench such good motions as are inspired into vs. Vse 3. Lastly it is our duty to seeke the good and prosperity of the Church by all good meanes and to draw them and moue them to embrace the waies of saluation This duty hath many branches growing from it For seeing Gods graces bestowed giue occasion of great ioy it ought to teach vs to exhort one an other to comfort them that are comfortlesse to reproue them that goe astray to pray for our bretheren to seeke to gaine and winne them to the faith and when they are gained and wonne to reioyce vnfainedly at their conuersion and if we see any hope of their repentance and turning to God to conuerse with them and not to be ashamed of their company Certainly he is not truely conuerted himselfe that doth not reioyce at the conuersion of others He neuer knew what true repentance meaneth that conceiueth no ioy at the repentance of others He is ignorant of the way of saluation that is not greatly delighted and comforted when others begin to be saued that we say of them as Christ doth of Zaccheus c Luk 19 9. This day is saluation come to this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham This doth directly reproue foure sortes of men The first reproofe First such as reioyce in those that will sinne with them and runne into all excesse of riot with them Great is the delight that sinners take in the society and company one of another They ioyne hand in hand together it is their solace and pastime to agree together as bretheren in euill it is as meat and drinke vnto them to follow after vngodlinesse Christ teacheth that the Angels in Heauen reioyce for one sinner that repenteth Our ioy ariseth vpon their repentance Their turning to God worketh our reioysing So long as men flatter themselues in their sinnes and proceed in their euill doing no matter of ioy is offered vnto vs. The second reproofe Secondly such as seeke to draw them to euill to vanity and to all vngodlinesse a common sicknesse that raigneth in our daies when men entise one another to euil These men beare the Image of the Deuil and are transformed into his likenesse For how can they gaine their bretheren to Godlinesse that are meanes to seduce them and so to bring them to all vngodlinesse Hence it is that Salomon councelleth vs d Prou 1 10. when sinners entise vs not to consent vnto them It is a greeuous sinne to be an entiser but it shall not excuse him that is entised Let vs therefore know that we must exhort one an other to piety not to impiety and further one another to saluation not to condemnation bring one another to heauen not to hell The thirde reproofe Thirdly it teprooueth those that enuy and murmure at the calling of our Brethren to Repentaunce and at their bringing into the Kingdome of Christ This corrupt affection was in Ioshua e Num. 11 29. who repined that the Elders had the guift of prophesie bestowed vpon them as well as Moses This was in f Ionas 4 1 2. Ionah when he had preached to the Niniuites and saw the great mercy of God in sparing of them and not destroying them according to hls preaching and their deseruinges was angry and it displeased him exceedingly He regarded his owne credit and estimation among men more then their conuersion and preseruation This was in the elder Brother of the riotous and prodigall Sonne g Luke 15 31 when he saw the ioy of his Father at the receiuing of his Childe and his readinesse to forgiue he was angry and would not go in But his Father perswadeth him that there is no cause why he should be grieued inasmuch as he is not himselfe hindered or indamaged by this receyuing of his Brother into fauour and reproueth him in that hauing no regard of his brother he is sorry for the common ioy conceiued of his returne That ioy did offend him whereof he should haue bin a Companion These two Reasons are to be noted and obserued to root vp all enuy and malice out of our hearts considering that we loose nothing whensoeuer God doth graciously receiue into fauour those which through sinne were falne from him that it is haughtinesse without godlinesse greefe without mercy and cruelty without compassion not to reioyce and be glad when we see any of our fellow seruants restored from death to life raised from sinne to righteousnesse and found who before were lost He then is vnrighteous and vngodly who enuyeth his brother receiued into fauour and he doth peruersely and maliciously which doth murmure at the mercy of God vpon our brethren The fourth reproofe Fourthly it condemneth such as faile in the former duty that neuer exhort their brethren to godlinesse neuer disswade them from sinne neuer comfort those that are in misery neuer praying for them that are in distresse neuer desire God to be good vnto them neuer reioyce with them when God hath shewed mercie We liue in these times when the hand of God is stretched out against many of our brethren they are restrained and shut vp by the contagion of plague pestilence This their woful condition doth cal vpon vs and crie vnto vs to be mindfull of them and to pray to God our common Father to haue pittie vpon them to call in his arrowes that he hath shot against them to remember his olde mercies that he was wont to shew to his inheritance The Prophet exhorteth and
20. are Ambassadors but the Ambassador is not sent without authority from him that sendeth him They are b Hebr. 13 7. Captains of the Lords hoast but the Captaine hath rule and gouernement ouer those that are vnder his charge and regiment If then the true Ministers of Christ be Fathers Shepheards Ambassadors and Captains vnder Christ the great shepheard of the Sheepe their Office cannot be without iurisdiction and authority ouer the people of God committed to their charge Reason 2. Secondly if we consider the fruits and effects that are ascribed in the word to the Ministers of the word we shall see that their Ministry is ioyned with authority They are the meanes and instruments to bring vs to the knowledge of Christ to the bosome of the Church and to the Kingdome of Heauen Their Office is to conuert sinners and to saue soules When Christ ascended vp into Heauen he appointed Pastors and Teachers in his Church c Ephe 4 11 12. for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnity of faith and that acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ So the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to take heed to himselfe to exercise his guifts to giue attendance to Reading to be diligent in exhortation and to continue in deliuering sound Doctrine d 1 Tim 4 16. because in dooing these thinges he should saue both himselfe and them that heare him God hath put into them and their mouths the word of reconciliation so that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word of God and therefore the Ministers are said to saue their owne soules and the soules of others Reason 3. Thirdly there is a coâ—peration of God and the Ministers Office together and an admirable simpathy betweene them If then God and the Minister do worke together he may lawfully inioyne men to do their duties This is it which the Apostle teacheth e 1 Cor 3 9. and 2 Cor 6 1 We are together Gods labourers and in another place We therefore as workers together beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine where to comfort the Ministers against the contempt of the world he declareth that it pleaseth God to vse their Ministry to worke faith in whom he will True it is the Ministers are not able to giue or worke faith in the hearers either in whole or in part it is God onely that giueth encrease and a blessing vpon his owne meanes but they are the instruments which he imployeth He commandeth the Ministers to preach and he giueth a blessing to their preaching The Minister laboureth on the heart and conscience God reformeth it and giueth the grace of repentance The Minister deliuereth the Doctrine of faith God giueth the gift of faith The Minister teacheth righteousnesse and holinesse of life God saith be it so he shal be righteous and holy The Minister pronounceth mercy to the penitent God bestoweth mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes vpon him Thus God ratifieth their word and after a sort tieth his blessing vnto it Seeing rherefore that the Ministers of the word haue many titles of power and iurisdiction giuen vnto them seeing they are the meanes and instruments appointed to bring vs to saluation and Lastly seeing they worke with God and as it were helpe him in bringing men to faith and eternall life we may conclude that their Office is ioyned with power and authority Vse 1. Let vs see what are the vses of this Doctrine First touching the Office it selfe we gather that it is a worthy calling an honourable Office an excellent Function how base and meane soeuer it be esteemed among men of this world This the Apostle setteth downe writing to Timothy f 1 Tim 3 1. If a man desire the Office of a Bishop that is a Minister of tâ—e Gospell he desireth a worthy worke not onely a worke but a worthy worke Therefore this Office is not onely a lawfull calling but a worthy calling It is hard to discharge it aright for who g 2 Cor 2 16. is sufficient for these thinges but those thinges that are hard are excellent The Minster beareth the person of Christ in preaching the word and administring the Sacraments We heard before that in furthering and finishing the saluation of men God worketh with them It is a great and glorious account which God maketh of his word in the mouth of his Ministers when it is truely preached and rightly applied he giueth grace by it and ordinarily worketh not saluation without it This is no small honour and estimation to the Ministers of God and to the Ministry of his word that he admitteth them as ioynt-workers and as it were fellow-labourers with him he worketh when they worke he exhorteth when they exhort he reproueth when they reproue he teacheth when they teach This the Prophet teacheth to be the Ministers commission giuen him of God when he hath preached righteousnesse to man h Iob 33 24. God will haue mercy on him and will say to the Minister Deliuer him that he go not downe into the pit for I haue receiued reconciliation This the Apostle saith i 2 Cor 5 20. Now then are wee Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God This our Sauiour Christ also himselfe speaketh and auoucheth in the person of Peter k Mat 16 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in Heauen Whereby he teacheth that the Ministers are the Porters of Heauen they haue the Keyes committed vnto them they are appointed to bring the Children of God into the sheepefold of Christ They shut the Kingdome of Heauen against all vnbeleeuers by preaching that they shall not enter but be cast into vtter darknesse and be tormented in Hell They open the Kingdome of Heauen to all beleeuers and penitent persons by preaching that they shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen and enioy eternall life To this end and purpose Christ speaketh to his Apostles after his ascension l Iohn 20 23. Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained True it is God onely forgiueth sinnes properly but he hath appointed his Ministers to preach publish and to witnesse to their consciences that repent and beleeue the Gospell that all their sinnes are forgiuen And on the other side to preach and declare that such as will not beleeue and repent shall neuer haue their sinnes forgiuen them For how the Ministers binde and loose shutte and open forgiue and retaine the Prophet Esay sheweth m Esay 44 25
God went out to warre y Deut 20 10 the Lord commanded them to offer conditions of peace to that Citty if it refuse to make peace they should besiege it smite it and destroy it So should we when we execute our Office first offer peace before we proclaime warre first allure by Gentlenesse before we thunder out iudgements first exhort before we threaten In the materiall building all the stones that are to be fitted to the building are not of one nature some are soft and easie to be hewed and hammered others more hard and of a flintier marble disposition they require sharp tooles strong blowes sturdy armes before they can bc brought into forme or be squared for their place which they are to hold So it is with the liuely stones of the spirituall Temple of God some haue soft hearts of flesh are of humble contrite spirits like the bruised reed or the smoaking flaxe others haue hearts hard as the Adament and cannot easily be brought to feele the strokes of the word of God These are not to be dealt withall and handled alike but after a diuerse maÌ„ner This is the counsel of the Apostle Iude z Iude 1 22. Haue compassion of some in putting difference and other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire and hate euen that Garment which is spotted by the flesh This serueth to reproue first such as vse vnseasonable lenity when Godly seuerity is required Some diseases require sharpe medicines This is a great sinne whether it be in the family in the common Wealth or in the Church Ely heard many complaints against his sonnes that they sinned against God and caused his people to abhorre his offerings yet he did beare with them and was not sharpe toward them as he ought to haue beene a 1 Sam 2 23. he said vnto them Why do ye such things for of all this people I heare euill reports of you do no more my sonnes for it is no good report that I heare which is that ye make the Lordes people to trespasse He shewed mercy where he should shew seuerity and he winked at those that were worthy to be punished This proceedeth not from a loue to our Children but rather from a loosenesse in our selues and a carelesnesse of their good and saluation This causeth vice to encrease and maketh sinne grow in all places The like wee see in Ahab King of Israell when God had deliuered a cruell enemy into his hand he spared him b 1 King 20 42. and suffered him to escape out of his hands a man whom God appointed to die and thereby is threatned that his owne life should redeeme and ransome the life of his enimy and so the one pay the price of the other The like we might handle in Saule who receiuing a commandement to destroy Agag and his substance together with the Amalekites c 1 Sam 15. he gaue life to those that God would haue him put to death and shewed mercy to such as should be smitten with the sword This negligence in punishing offenders is too common in the common Wealth and is a meanes to increase sinne to see sinne punished It is a true saying of the wise man d Prou 20 30 The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the euill and the stripes within the bowels of the Belly Thus it falleth out also oftentimes in the Church When the incestuous person among the Corrinthians was according to the Ordinance of God to be cast out he was suffered in the Church and had not the censures of the Church executed against him e 1 Cor 5 6. so that the Apostle telleth them that their reioycing was not good Know ye not that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe purge out therefore the old leauen that ye may be a new lumpe Such was the carelesnesse and coldnesse in many of the Churches of Asia f Reuel 2 4 they were too milde toward Heretikes and euill liuers and suffered the sword of excommunication to rust in the sheath which should be drawne out to the terrour and feare of all stubborne and vnrepentant sinners Secondly it reproueth such as are too sharpe and rigorous against offenders and forget all rules of Charity toward them All lawes must not be written with bloud The law of God albeit it did not stint what stripes euery offender should haue that deserued stripes yet it limiteth and restraineth what number they should not exceed that the offender might thinke himselfe loued not hated all the Corrections that God laieth vpon his Church come from loue True it is the Pastors and Ministers are to rebuke such as are fallen but when they see sorrow for sinne and repentance from dead workes wrought in them they should begin to raise them vp againe and comfort them with the precious promises of the Gospel least they should be ouerwhelmed with despaire be â—wallowed vp with ouer-much heauinesse Our Sauiour hath set downe an order perpetually to be obserued touching offenders g Mat 18 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tell him his fault betweene thee and him if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother but if he heare thee not take yet with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three Witnesses euery word may be confirmed c. We must proceed slowly and as it were with a leaden foot against our brethen and beware of rash and hasty iudgement The auncient Church in former times offended this way being so austere and seuere against offenders who for small offences enioyned punishment for the space of many yeares This is the sinne of such as are of the separation and haue departed from our Churches condemning our Church to be no Church our Ministers to be no Ministers our sacraments to be no sacraments refusing to heare the word at our mouthes to pray and communicate with our people and to performe other religious duties with vs. Thus they haue noted and marked vs out with the blacke cole of condemnation who deserue rather to be excommunicated by vs had they not voluntarily excommunicated themselues from vs. On the other side it behoueth vs to shew compassion to them that sinne of ignorance or infirmity and to season our admonitions and exhortations with a louing affection let vs beare with them so long as we see any hope of amendment following the example of Moses h Exod 32 31. who mourned and prayed for the Isralites fallen in Idolatry and of Christ i Luke 19 41. who wept ouer Ierusalem to make them weepe for their sinnes who seemed to haue no sight or feeling of them Lastly it reprooueth the Church of Rome who are very Tirants and Tormenters of the people of God for as they haue burdened them from time to time with mens Traditions so for euery slight matter they haue thundred against them with their excommunications and thereby made themselues terrible to the
we haue much infidelitie in vs and are cumbred with doubting in the promises of God it pleased him in great mercy to prouide a remedy for our infirmity so that we may truely say where Sin abounded Grace hath abounded much more Thus we see the Lord Iesus dealt with Thomas one of the twelue when he beleeued not the Resurrection nor those that were chosen Witnesses thereof but said h Iohn 20 25 27. Except I see in his handes the print of the Nailes and put my Finger into the print of the Nailes and put mine hand into his side I will not beleeue it Heere we may behold as in a Glasse the example of exceeding great infidelity and vnbeleefe hee neither beleeueth nor will beleeue he will liue by sight and not by Faith This was no small obstinacy and incredulity in one of the Apostles who deserued to perrish in his sinne But Christ Iesus raiseth him out of this sleepe and offereth mercy with much compassion as it were pulling him out of this danger Put thy Finger heere and see mine handes and put forth thine hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull This is it which the Euangelist Mathew setteth downe Chapt. 12. i Math. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall he not breake and smoaking Flaxe shall he not quench till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory Now such as Thomas was such we are all by Nature we cannot be perswaded to beleeue except wee see and feele We will not beleeue the bare word of God but are alwaies ready to wauer through vnbeleefe Hence it is that God in great mercy did from the beginning of the world adde to his word his Sacraments to assure his people that as he is the GOD of truth so he meaneth truely and performeth effectually whatsoeuer hee hath promised The Sacraments therefore are as signes and seales of his promises and dependances vppon the word that is gone out of his owne mouth The Apostle speaking of circumcision giuen to Abraham saith k Rom. 4 11. He receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the Father of al them that beleeue not being circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed vnto them also Whereby we may see what the Nature of the Sacraments is to wit l what a Sacrament is and to what end it was instituted that they are visible signes instituted of God to seale vp his promises in the hearts of the faithfull The Author or efficient cause is God who onely hath power and authority to appoint and ordaine them because he it is that can giue force and efficacy vnto them The matter is the visible signe the forme is the maner of institution according to the Rites taught and prescribed in the word The end is that the faithfull may bee confirmed and strengthned in the truth of GOD. The word was giuen to instruct the Church by hearing the Sacraments were giuen to instruct the Church both by it and by the rest of the senses Indeede if wee were Angels and not men and were Spirits without bodies and heauenly Creatures not earthly we should not stand in neede of visible and bodily Sacraments but because our faith is feeble and wrastleth with Sathan the World the Flesh and such Enemies it wanteth proppes and pillers to vphold it that it doe not fall For albeit our Faith be mingled with doubting assaulted strongly with the waues of infidelity yet it ceaseth not to bee a true Faith An vnperfect Faith is a sound Faith though it be weake so that it standeth vs vpon with the Apostles m Luke 17 5. To pray for the encrease thereof Faith goeth before the Sacraments the which without Faith are idle and empty signes without profit without comfort without vse True it is the Infidels as the Aegiptians Aethiopians and other prophane people who neither worshipped the true God nor embraced the true Religion had the outward vse of circumcision as n Herod in Euterpe Histories testifie as also the Turkes and Iewes haue at this day but their cutting off the flesh is not the Sacrament of God but a meere ciuill thing yea an euill thing Thus then we see that the Sacraments were ordained of God to help our infirmity The promise of God is certaine and his Couenant doth not wauer neither can these outward Seales make it stronger But it is we that stumble and stagger and haue neede to be supported And woe vnto vs if we vse not this help and remedy left vnto vs nor profit thereby in confidence and assurance of our saluation For God hath after a sort bound himselfe vnto vs as by an Obligation Indeede man notwithstanding his wordes his oaths his promises his bands his seales and his assurances is oftentimes changeable and vnconstant but it is not so with God whose word is yea and Amen Were it not that we are weake of Faith and slow to beleeue he needed not to sweare by himselfe and by his holinesse hee needed not to haue set Authenticke Seales to his Word sauing that he minded to leaue no place for doubting in vs. Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes Chapt. 6. saith o He. 6 17 18. God willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an Oath that by two immutable thinges wherein it was vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to lay hold vpon that hope that is set before vs c. The greater meanes God hath left vnto vs the greater faith he requireth of vs and the more conscionable vse of those meanes that we may not alwaies bee Children Woe then vnto vs if in the store of so great mercies and variety of so many meanes we remaine distrustfull and doe not labour to gather strength of faith and assuraunce of comfort Let vs therefore grow from Faith to Faith as it were from strength to strength and not stand at one stay let vs proceede from one degree and measure to another vntill Christ Iesus bee throughly formed in vs. Vse 4 Lastly seeing Couenants in writing be requisite by the Lawes of God and Man wee must know that it is our dutie to deale iustly and vprightly one with another and in our bargainings to keepe a good conscience toward God and Man For this is the end wherefore Instruments in writing were brought in that all cozenage might be cut off all occasion of strife might be preuented Whereby we may gather that in all ages of men and times of the World there haue beene many deceits and much vnrighteous dealing to the disturbance of publique peace and the dissoluing of concord among men otherwise it had beene in vaine to require or to receiue such security in our buying and selling in our borrowing and lending one with
a note of an vnthankefull heart to obtaine a benefit and not to acknowledge it to receiue a guift and not to praise and commend the giuer This is it which the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 1 9 10 11. speaking of the afflictions which came vpon him in Asia whereby hee was pressed out of measure passing strength so that he doubted altogether euen of life We receiued the sentence of death in our selues because wee should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that yet heereafter he will deliuer vs so that yee labour together in Prayer for vs that for the guift bestowed vpon vs for many thankes may bee giuen by manie persons for vs. In which words he declareth that as he had experience in the time past of the mercy of God in the deliuerance which was giuen vnto him so he hopeth of the like assistance of his spirit if that the Corinthians would be mindfull of him in their prayers Where we see he ascribeth much to their Prayers and yet so much as that he would haue the glory of his deliuerance to be giuen onely to God and thankes to be rendered vnto him A point worthy to be considered of vs and a duty needfull to bee performed by vs. As he hath promised and we haue prayed so when he hath payed hee is to be praised Praise is comely and well becommeth the Saintes of God the want whereof taketh away the comfort and sweete fruite of his blessinges from vs. It is a great offence to be vnthankefull vnto men but farre greater to God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being Wherfore whensoeuer we haue opened our mouthes vnto God let vs returne the Calues of our lips vnto him and neuer shew our selues more ready to ask then we are willing to praise and magnifie the Lord who hath granted that which wee haue asked And heereby we may try our selues whether we be truly thankfull vnto him or not I shall be freely giuen or bestowed vpon you The Apostle in this place vseth a word deriued from grace so that it signifieth to be giuen by Grace Thus the r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is taken in sundry places of the Scripture as Rom. 8. If hee haue giuen vs his owne sonne how should he not with him ſ Rom. 8 32. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Gal. 3. 18. giue vs all things else And 1 Cor. 2. We haue receiued the spirit which is of God that wee might knowe the thinges that are giuen to vs of God So likewise Galath 3. God gaue the inheritance to Abraham by promise The meaning of the Apostle is thus much in effect the Prayers of the Saintes shall preuaile with God and beeing offered vp for my deliuerance shall not returne to them without comfort nor ascend to him without effect nor concerne mee without effect Notwithstanding albeit they shall not goe emptie away but haue their full force and power yet it is to bee acknowledged and Learned that they so obtaine as that my deliuerance is to bee wrought out by the free guift of his Grace not by the merit and desert of your prayers Doctrine 3. The guifts of God bestowed vpon his seruants come from his free grace not frō our deserts From hence wee learne that the guifts of God bestowed vppon his Seruants come from his free grace not from our deserts from his mercie not from our merites from his Goodnesse not from our Worthinesse This is set downe in the second Commaundement of the Lawe Exodus 20 6. where the Lorde promiseth eternall life vnto the Keepers of the Commandements yet they must not looke to obtaine it as a due desert For hee will shew Mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue him and keepe his Commaundements Faith is an excellent guift and a notable meanes to bring vs to eternall life t Iohn 3 36. For he that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of GOD abydeth on him We see then the necessitie of hauing a liuely Faith because to beleeue in Christ bringeth with it eternall life yet it is not for the merite of our Faith but for the Mercie of God and the Merit of Christ apprehended by Faith u Rom. 6 23. inasmuch as Eternall life is the free guift of God The like we may say of Prayer we haue a comfortable promise that if we aske we shall receiue if we seeke we shal finde not because our Prayers do deserue acceptation and therefore when Daniell prayed vnto God he confesseth that x Dan. 9 7 8 9 righteousnesse belongeth vnto the Lord but vnto vs open shame because we haue sinned against him Whereby we gather that although our prayers are not without effect yet they preuaile not by any excellency is sound in them and therefore he saith Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue rebelled against him Thus also we might perticularly speake of al the good ordinances of God and the good duties that proceede from vs as the sauing hearing of the word the fruitfull receiuing of the Sacraments such like holy exercises of our Religion inasmuch as he doth accept them and is well pleased in the performance of them howbeit not through our worthinesse that doe performe them but thorough his goodnesse that doth commaund them thorough his mercie that doth approoue them thorough his promise that doth receiue them and thorough his liberality that doeth reward them Reason 1. If wee would know the Causes and Reasons why the Graces of God are freely bestowed vpon vs and nothing giuen in our deserts First let vs consider that all matter of boasting is taken from vs and God will haue the glory of his owne workes and the praise of his mercie If he should take anie thing of vs he should loose so much of his owne glory and we would bee readie to ascribe our sanctification and saluation to our owne selues This doth the Apostle set downe at large in sundry Epistles for speaking of Abraham he saith y Rom. 4 2. and 23 27. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God And hauing shewed before that God accepteth of the faithfull making him iust and without blame by imputing of Christes righteousnesse vnto him he confirmeth it by the end of Iustification which he maketh to be the glory of God saying Where is then the reioysing It is excluded By what Law Of Workes Nay but by the Law of Faith As if hee should say If we were iustified either by our owne Workes wholly only or partly by Faith and partly by workes then the glory of our iustification should be wholly giuen to our selues or at least not wholly giuen vnto God To this purpose he speaketh in the Epistle to the Ephesians
not wish to liue without it What is more desired then life Yet he preferreth the louing kindnesse of God before it So in another place l Psa 130 3 4. If thou ô Lord straitly markest iniquities ô Lord who shall stand But mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared Likewise the Church in the Lamentations of Ieremy confesseth as much chapt 3. It is the m Lam. 3 22. Lordes mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not In all which places we see that the godly sue for pardon and cry out for mercy If they desire any blessing they aske it of fauour If they craue to haue any iudgement remooued they craue it of mercy and they esteeme his grace aboue their owne liues or any earthly thing that they can desire Wee must acknowledge that it is of his meere mercy that we liue and mooue and haue our beeing It is our duty to praise his name daily for his great mercies toward vs which are infinite for measure and continuance If hee accept vs it skilleth not greatly though men reiect vs and condemne vs. If his wrath be kindled against vs and his louing countenance be turned from vs what is it that can delight vs who is it that can comfort vs We see by many sundry examples in our Brethren that haue beene cast downe through the multitude and greeuousnesse of their sinnes and an apprehension of the heauie wrath of God and a with-drawing of his fauour for a season from them albeit they haue had Riches Friends Lands Prosperity and outward peace yet none of these could Minister comfort vnto them so long as Gods countenance was hidden from them as the Sunne couered in a Cloud But when once he appeared in mercy and goodnesse to them againe their bones and bowels haue bin refreshed according to the wordes of the Prophet in the Psalme n Psal 4 6 7. If thou Lord lift vp thy countenance vpon mee thou shalt giue mee more ioy of hart then they haue had when their Wheate thier Wine did abound Labour therefore by all meanes to feele his fauour vse all meanes to obtaine it employ thy selfe diligently to keepe it and to continue it towarde thee that in thy life it may be with thee and in death it may not depart from thee 23 There salute thee Epaphras my fellow-prisoner in Christ Iesus 24 Marchus Aristarchus Demas and Luke my fellow-helpers The order of the words Hitherto we haue handled the cheefe matter touching this Epistle containing his sute for Onesimus and his commandement to prepare him lodging Now followeth the Conclusion and shutting vp of the Epistle consisting in certaine salutations which are of two sorts either from others or from himselfe The salutation from others is in these two Verses the salutation from himselfe is in the Verse following In these Verses he saluteth Philemon in the name of fiue persons which were famous and well known in the Church and of great authority and credit aboue many others This salutation as it was very honourable vnto him so also it carried with it great waight and moment to effect his principall purpose with more easinesse For seeing hee ioyneth with him His Fellow-prisoner and Fellow-helpers in this sute that he might the better obtaine his request so that they all put vp as it were with one voice and consent the same petition Philemon could not but consider that it was a verie vnseemely and vnworthy thing to reiect so many suppliants in so reasonable a cause So then the sum of these wordes is this Epaphras Marcus Aristarchus Demas and Luke do salute thee The first man is described by an adioyned propertie my Fellow-Prisoner which is declared by the cause For Iesus Christ. The rest that are heere named haue one common adioynt as a title of honor ascribed vnto them when he calleth them his Fellow-helpers The meaning of the words Thus much touching the Order and Method Now let vs see the meaning and Interpretation of the wordes By Saluting in this place we are to vnderstand to vse all kinde and courteous speaking and to wish all peace and prosperity of soule and bodie which are fruits of that Brotherly Loue that ought to bee among all the Saints Thus did the faithfull pray one for another In this salutation he nameth fiue persons In the first place he rangeth Epaphras a Cittizen of the same Citty with Philemon and his Countreyman as appeareth in the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 4. Epaphras o Col. 4 12. the Seruant of Christ which is one of you Saluteth you and alwayes striueth for you in prayers that yee may stand perfect and full in all she will of God This man had beene the Teacher of the Church at Colosse and had conuerted them to the faith of Christ as we read in the same Epistle Cha. 1. p Colos 1 7. As ye also learned of Epaphras our deere fellow seruant which is for you a faithfull Minister of Christ. It seemeth he was an Euangelist who succeeded in the labours of the Apostles but now being at Rome hee was put in prison and heere saluteth Philemon as a Fellow-prisoner of Paule not for anie wickednesse and crime that he had committed but for the Testimonie of Christ and for preaching the Gospell and therefore is called not Caesars prisoner but Christs Prisoner Whereby it appeareth that this Epaphras was falsely accused by the enemies of the Gospell and therefore brought vnto Rome and put in hold Secondly he nameth Marcus who is mentioned also in other places of the Scripture who was Cozen to Barnabas and the sonne of that Marie who was wont to giue entertainement to the Disciples at Ierusalem yea such was her godlinesse that shee made her house as an Inne to lodge the poore Saints and as a publicke Temple for the people of God to meet together to pray vnto him and to praise his name This appeareth Col. 4 10. Marcus saluteth thee Barnabas Cousin touching whom ye receiued Commandements if hee come vnto you receiue him So when Peter was deliuered out of prison it is saide q Acts. 12 12. Hee came to the house of Marie the Mother of Iohn whose sur-name was Marke where manie vvere gathered together in Prayer Thirdly he saluteth Philemon in the name of Aristarchus of whome also mention is made in the Epistle to the Colossians and there likewise he is called Paules prisoner r Colos 4 10. Aristarchus my Prison-fellow saluteth you As they embraced one Faith and beleeued in one Christ so they suffered for one cause and were Companions in affliction Fourthly he nameth Demas who at this time was a constant Confesser of the truth and a zealous follower of the Gospell but afterward hee started backe from the Doctrine of Christ forsooke the fellowship of Paul embraced this present world as the Apostle complaineth of him afterward as we see 2 Tim. 4 10. Demas hath forsaken
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
instruction the Angels are our Watchmen the heauen is our happinesse Christ is our Sauiour God is our Father all thinges are fauourers and furtherers of our saluation It is a comfort of all comforts that we are at peace with God that he is our friend and that hee hath no controuersie against vs. If God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs or dare take vpon him the protection and defence of vs But beeing iustified by Faith we are at peace with God It is a great blessing to be at peace with men but it is a greater blessing to be at peace with God We are at peace with the blessed Angels r Hebr. 1 14. Who are all ministring Spirits sent forth to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation They guard vs from dangers they carry vs as a Nurse doth her Childe in her Armes that we be not hurt by the Deuill or his Angels or his Instruments We are at peace with the Church that is with all such as feare God and beleeue in Christ The Prophet Esay speaking of the Kingdome of Christ and of the fruits of the Gospell foretelleth That Å¿ Esay 11 6. the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kidde and the Calfe and the Lyon and a fat Beast together and a little Child shall lead them c. Meaning thereby that when a man is called into the State of grace howsoeuer by Nature he haue the greedinesse of a Wolfe the wildnesse of a Leopard the fiercenesse of a Lyon the cruelty of a Beare hee shall lay away his sauage and brutish Nature and become gentle and liue peaceably with all men We are at peace with our own selues which is the peace of a good conscience when it being washed in the blood of Christ ceaseth to accuse and terrifie and beginneth to excuse and comfort vs when neither Hell nor Death nor damnation nor any daunger doth dismay vs or bring vs to despaire but in the midst of all t Col. 3 15. we haue the peace of God ruling in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Coloss 3. 15. If a man weare at peace with the Angels with men and with all the Creatures if he had no Enemy to encounter him but liued at peace with others yet if he were at warre and Mortall enmity with himselfe if he felt the terrors of conscience and his owne heart condemning him hee should quickly finde what a great blessing it is to haue a cleere conscience which is a continuall Feast This peace was in Dauid when he said in the midst of manifolde dangers u Psal 3 5 6. I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about This is of such excellency that it is called o Phil. 4 7. The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding it is in stead of a guard to keepe our hearts and minds in Christ Wee are at peace with our enemies both because so soone as we beleeue in Christ wee seeke to haue peace with all men so farre as is possible p Rom. 12 18 and as much as lieth in vs and because God restraineth the mallice of the Enemies and inclineth their hearts to embrace peace Thus God brought Abraham and Isaac into fauour with Abimelec King of Gerar that he was ready and willing no onely to receiue peace when it was offered but to craue peace when it was not desired Thus God brought Daniell into fauour with the chiefe of the Eunuchs and sundry others to finde the fruits of loue at the handes of their enemies because he hath the harts of all men in his owne hand to wind them and turne them at his owne pleasure Lastly we are at peace with all Creatures in Heauen and Earth aboue and beneath which are made to serue for our benefite and saluation The Prophet saith q Psal 91 13. Thou shalt walk vpon the Lyon and the Aspe the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder foot And God promiseth To make a r Hos 2 18. Couenant for them with the Beastes and Fowles that they shall walk safely All these priuiledges teach vs hauing such a large peace with God and his Angels with the Church and our owne selues with our Enemies and all Creatures that it is the most comfortable thing in the world to be vnder the grace and Couenant of God and that nothing is more to bee desired then to feele the fauour of God towards vs for hauing this we possesse all things If wee want him and his fauour though we haue all the world it will not nor cannot content vs but all things are curssed to vs and we to them Vse 3. Lastly seeing all that are accepted of God are blessed with all good things this teacheth vs the wretched and fearefull condition of all such as by reason of sinne are out of fauour with God they shall finde no rest they shall haue no peace heauen and earth shall conspire against them and deny them succour and comfort in the day of Gods punnishment and visitation It is said of Ismaell that his hand should be against euery man and euery mans hand against him so is it with all the vngodly not reconciled to God they shall find no sound comfort in any Creature but shall haue all the World against them This is a great misery and torment lying heauy vpon the wicked and piercing their Soules as the flashings of Hell according to the saying of the Prophet s Esay 57 19 20 21. I create the fruit of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that are farre off and to them that are nere saith the Lord for I will heale them but the wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose Waters cast vp Mire and Dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked God setteth himselfe against them and all Creatures shall confound them and fight against them vntil they are confounded and ouerthrowne And as the Apostle speaking of the blessed and happy estate of the godly declareth that all things are theirs so on the other side we may truely say of the vngodly that nothing is theirs they haue Title and interest in no creature to receiue any comfort in them or stay from them or protection by them God is become their Enemy the Angels are armed to destroy them their owne consciences conuince and condemne them the Heauen is shut against them death is the gate of Hell vnto them affliction is a meanes of murmuring in them the World is a Snare vnto them Christ is a Rocke of offence vnto them the Gospell is the fauour of death vnto them the mercy of God is made a Packe-horse for their sinnes all the ordinances of God are abused by them and all the workes of Gods handes shall bee Instruments of
iniurie to other men or to make him peculiar to our selues but to leaue him the same to others that hee is to vs as euery man enioyeth the light of the Sunne without excluding others from the vse thereof Vse 3. Lastly we learne that it is no Doctrine of pride and presumption to teach assurance confidence and certainty of Faith that euery one should beleeue that God is his God that Christ is his Sauiour that the Holy-Ghost is his sanctifier that forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life shall bee giuen vnto him If we beleeue not this we beleeue nothing if we deny this or doubt of this all our Faith is in vaine For as wee pray for the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes so we must beleeue the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes The promises of the Gospell are generall these we are to knowe do belong to vs and therefore must take them as spoken to vs. It is promised y Iosh 1 5. to Ioshua imediately after the death of Moses that God would not leaue him nor forsake him This the Apostle applyeth and maketh it common to all the faithfull whom he chargeth to haue their conuersation without couetousnesse z Heb. 13 5. seeing it is written That God will not leaue them nor forsake them God commandeth vs to call vpon him with promise to heare vs a Psal 50 15 and 4 3. Call vpon mee and I will heare thee This was the comfort of Dauid and the assurance that hee had When I call vpon the Lord he will heare him Christ our Sauiour giueth vs encouragement to prayer because b Iohn 14. 13 1 Iohn 5 14 Whatsoeuer we aske in his name that will hee do that the Father may be glorified in the Sonne Hence it is that Iohn sayeth This is the assurance that wee haue of him that whatsoeuer we aske according to his will he heareth vs And if we know that he heareth vs we know we haue the petitions which we aske of him When Christ sayde to the poore distressed man in the Gospell If thou canst beleeue all things are possible to him that beleeueth He answered c Marke 9 24 Lord I beleeue help mine vnbeleefe So saith the Prophet d Psal 116 16 and 119 125. Behold Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant ô giue mee vnderstanding that I may keepe thy Commandements c. The Lord saith generally e Iohn 3. 15. Math. 28. Whosoeuer beleeueth shall be saued Hence the Apostle inferreth this particular to the Iailor f Acts 16 32. Beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued When God saith g Psal 27. 8. Seeke ye my face the voyce of the faithfull doth returne and rebound this backe again Thy face Lord I will seeke God by his new Couenant bindeth himselfe to the heyres of promise saying h Ier. 31 33. Esay 25 9. I will be their God and they shall be my people whereupon they are emboldned to say Loe this is our God we haue waited for him and hee will saue vs we will reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation God saith vnto vs I am thy saluation our heart againe with vnspeakeable comfort inwardly ministered answeareth Thou art my God So then when we say aright we belieue in God the Father it is as much as to say I beleeue that God is my God and I haue assurance and trust in him for my saluation And to beleeue that God is my God is to beleeue that he is my life my peace my deliuerance my saluation not onely that he is these things in himselfe and in his owne nature not onely that he is these things to other men that trust in him and depend vpon him but that he is indeede the same to mee that his mercy dooth compasse me his power defend me his prouidence watch ouer me and his fauor keepe and preserue me to himselfe in life and death For there are many degrees of faith i Credere deum Credere Deo credere in Deū one step is to beleeue that God is the second step is to beleeue God that is to giue credit to him that al his words which he hath spoken and the promises which he hath made are true the third step is to beleeue in God which requireth trust in God according to his word and promise being firmely resolued that he will do whatsoeuer he hath said Thus it is required of vs to doe in euery Article of Faith in euery promise of Mercy in euery word of grace offered vnto vs we must by a speciall faith receiue it and apply it Obiection If such a faith be required the question may be asked how Infants can be saued that cannot haue this faith of their owne and therefore it seemeth they must be saued by their Parents faith Answere I answere that the faith of Parents dooth bring the Infants to haue a Title and interrest in the Couenant of grace and in all the benefits of Christ but it cannot apply the merits of Christs death his obedience his righteousnesse vnto the Infant For this the Beleeuer and faithfull Parent doth onely to himselfe and to no other but the merrites and satisfaction of Christ and ingrafting into his bodie are wrought by some speciall and secret working of the Holy-Ghost vnto vs vnknowne but effectuall to the Infant and comfortable to the Parent albeit it be not done by his faith and therefore this that men are iustified by a speciall faith holdeth to be true in men of yeares and discretion not in Infants and children who are iustified and saued by an extraordinary woorking of Gods spirit k Iohn 3 8. Like the wind which bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it commeth and whether it goeth so is euerie man that is borne of the Spirit Obiection Againe sometimes the deare children of God faile in this speciall faith want this particular application they are not able to say God is my God Christ is my Sauiour Answere I aunswere this falleth out indeede sometimes in the tentations of Satan and in the infirmities of the flesh so that they haue not a feeling of Gods mercy toward them but euen then they cease not to beleeue We must liue by faith not by feeling A man may haue life in him though the sicke man in extremity do not know it or feele it so may faith bee in vs in some great tentation albeit we feele it not present Dauid lost and wanted this feeling l Psal 151. when he prayed God to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him But was it vtterly lost No for he sayth Take not away thy Spirit from me In this case it shall be good for vs to remember the former mercies of God toward vs and consider how hee hath dealt with vs and thereby assure our harts that howsoeuer God for a season with-holdeth the
6. Faith Loue do alwayes go together We learne hereby that faith and Loue are allwaies coupled together faith is not without Loue nor Loue without faith but faith and Loue goe together in all the seruants of God and can neuer be seperated and put asunder When Paule praied for the Thessalonians he remembred these two z 1. Thes 1. 3. to be in them their effectuall faith and their diligent loue It is said of the Church gathered together after the assention of Christ a Acts. 2 44. that all they which beleeued were in one place and had all things common Such as were true beleeuers were also commoners together such as had Faith in Christ had Loue toward the Saints This Luke sheweth more plainly afterward b Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all thinges common Heere we see Faith and the manifestation of Faith by the fruits of Charity ioyned together To this purpose the Apostle saith c Gal. 5. 6. In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision auayleth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by Loue. Heere also he coupleth Faith with Loue in one Yoake declaring that Faith is effectuall in the duties of Loue. So the Apostle Iohn teacheth that faith in Christ and Loue one toward another are thinges euer ioyned together d Iohn 3. 23. This is then his Commandement that wee beleeue in the Name of his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue Commaundement And the Apostle Iames speaking of the effectuall faith of Abraham whereby he beleeued and was iustifyed declareth that e Iam. 2. 22. the Faith wrought with his workes and through the workes was the Faith made perfect All these Texts and Testimonies of Scripture serue to teach vs that our faith must be accompanied with Loue and the one not deuided from the other Reason 1. The truth heereof will better appeare to euery one of vs If wee consider the Reasons For first they are as the Tree and the Fruite as the Roote and the Branch as the Fountaine and the Streame as the cause and the effect Faith is the Tree the Roote the Fountaine the cause Loue is the Fruite the Branch the Streame the effect The cause and the effect are Relatiues and haue relation and reference either to otherâ— so that the cause cannot be without his effect nor the effect without his cause and therefore both these must goe together The Prophet describeth the blessed man f Psal 1. 3. to be like a Tree planted by the Riuers of Waters that will bring forth her friute in due season whose Leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper Reason 2. Secondly faith separated from Loue or Loue separated from faith is a false faith and a false Loue. Faith without Loue or separated from the fruits of Loue is dead and without life a naked name without the thing an empty shaddow without substance a dead carcasse without breath It is nothing worth without Loue. The Apostle saith If a man had all faith so that he could remoue Mountaines g 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and had not Loue it were nothing he should be as sounding Brasse or a tinkeling Cymball So we read in the Epistle of Iames i Iames 2 20. That the Faith which is without workes is dead it is a Bastard Fayth a counterfet Faith an idle Faith which is no true Faith indeede but onely in Name For as a painted hand is no hand so a seeming Faith is no Faith Againe Loue without Faith is without his right order yea without his life soule his true cause and forme and so not good but euill not approued but reiected of God k Heb. 11 6. Rom. 14 23. For without Faith it is vnpossible to please God and whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne All workes of Iustice Mercy Righteousnesse to releeue the poore to feed the hungry to cloath the naked without Fayth are nothing worth nay all these beautifull shewes are beautifull sinnes except they be seasoned with Faith Againe to afflict thy soule to humble thy selfe to heare the word to receiue the Sacraments without Loue that is to do the duties of the first Table and to neglect them of the second Table is but Hypocrisie and maketh vs abhominable in the sight of God Seeing then Faith and Loue are as the cause and the effect that liue together seeing they loose their Names and Natures being disioyned and diuided one from another wee see it euidently and strongly to appeare that Faith in Christ and Loue to the Brethren as Mother and Daughter are ioyned together in euery true Christian Vse 1. The Vses are now to be considered First seeing these two guiftes are coupled together one with another it followeth that they must neuer be separated in a Christian man He that is ioyned with the head must also bee ioyned with the members and hee that hath his part in the Communion of Saints hath his fellowship also with Christ If it be a generall rule deliuered by Christ l Math. 19 6. that the thinges which God hath coupled together no man must separate it holdeth in this particular that Faith and Loue are not to be disioyned and dismembered forasmuch as God hath lodged them as two ghests in one house locked them vp as two Pearles and Iewels in one Closset It is a rule published by the m Cicer. de offic lib. 2. Heathen that all Vertues are knit together in one Chaine so that he which hath one hath all of them hee that wanteth one of them wanteth all so is it with this worthy paire of Heauenly graces we must not haue a Faith without Workes nor Workes without Faith but our Faith must be fruitfull to bring forth Workes and our Workes must bee thankfull to confesse them to be receyued from Faith Our Faith worketh by Loue our Loue liueth by Faith our Faith respecteth Christ our Loue respecteth the Saints Thus must these two be found in euery one of vs for they meete together in all such as shall be saued This n Titus 3 8. made the Apostle say in his Epistle to Titus Chap. 3. This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might bee carefull to shew forth Good-Workes These thinges are good and profitable vnto men Let vs examine our owne hearts whether we finde these two graces in vs which must bee as two twins that reioyce and take delight to bee together or two Sisters that accompanie one with another like Martha and Marie in one house so must these be two Vertues in one heart Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith in his first Epistle o 1 Iohn 4 20 21. If any man say I Loue
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
in life more backward in good thinges more prophane in heart more contemning the word of God and loathing the meanes of saluation then they were in the beginning of their dayes This is our estate and condition most lamentable and fearefull and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and sluggish Schollers that thinke they take to much learning for their money and neuer consider that we are the men and that the prouerbe concerneth our selues God will enter into iudgement with vs and if we be not learners in his Schoole he will remoue vs and discharge vs out of his Schoole It had beene better for vs that we had neuer knowne God that we had neuer receiued his truth nay it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or beene borne Turkes and Canibals Pagans and Infidels then to haue the Gospell among vs and not to heare it or to heare it and not to learne by it or to learne by it and not to obey it and grow daily in the practise of it This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Christ our Sauiour against those Citties where his word had beene preached and professed and his great miracles had beene wrought and shewed n Mat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24. Woe be to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes but I say vnto you it shall be easier for them at the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vnto Heauen shalt be brought downe to Hell for if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day But I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee He compareth heere Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sydon likewise Capernaum with Sodom that is the places where Christ had dwelled where the Gospell had beene offered where many of his miracles had beene manifested with such Citties as neuer had the Law neuer heard the Gospell neuer saw the Prophets neuer knew the Doctrine of saluation but liued in ignorance and in idolatry And in this comparison he teacheth that such Townes and Villages as haue had the preaching of the word and the ministry of the Gospell among them shall receiue greater punishment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had these meanes offered vnto them We would all of vs thinke it a very harsh and homely comparison and farre from all likely-hood of truth if I should compare vs euen vs of Isfield with Sodome and Gomorrah wee know o Ezek. 16. 49. how foule and filthy these places were we confesse they are loathsome in our eyes and odious in our eares we know that for their wickednesse they p Gen. 19 â—4 were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and yet I say vnto you in the name of God from the warrant of his sacred word by which we shall all be iudged that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vnto vs and do not bring forth the fruits of the Gospell it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans for our iudgement shall be greater and our punishment heauier because our sinne is heinouser No sinne greater then the contempt of the Gospel as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Gospell and therefore no reward of sinne shall be more horrible So that we may truely say from the mouth of Christ it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for our Village Let vs apply this to our selues and lay it to our heartes to worke in vs true repentance Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum had many priuiledges and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchsafed vnto them and yet they are vpbraided by Christ with their vnthanke-fulnesse toward the Gospell so that the case of Sodome is made better Take heed therefore least we contemne the Gospell and so committing one of the greatest sinnes wee make our selues guilty of the greatest iudgementes that can fal vpon mankind The contempt of the Gospell hath brought the heauy hand of God vpon the Iewes that were Gods owne people Let vs not be high minded we are no whit better but rather feare least God spare not vs and tremble vnder his grieuous but yet righteous iudgements who spareth not those that are deere vnto him when they sinne against him Vse 2. Secondly we are bound to vse the meanes that may further these guiftes in vs that is the ministry of the word which being reuerently vsed hath a promise of blessing It is a light vnto our feet and a lanthorne vnto our paths it setteth vs in our way and directeth vs vnto our iourneies end The Apostle teacheth q 1 Cor 3. 6. that Paule planteth Apollos watereth but it is God that giueth the encrease to wit by the planting and watering of the Ministers The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground he soweth his Corne but he cannot make it spring vp nor send the earely and latter raine So is it with the Ministers of the Gospell the Lordes Husbandmen they must labour in his field which is the Church that the people may grow in faith and grace This reproueth those that attend not to the ordinance of God with care and diligence but neglect the worke of the Lord in them They will not suffer themselues to be ploughed and tilled that grace may grow in their hearts as Corne doth in the Fieldes They say they increase and proceed in the waies of Godlinesse but they will not vse the meanes which God hath ordained and therefore they do deceiue themselues He that heareth not at all doth not grow at all he that heareth negligently groweth slowly in any good thing For as we sow so we shall reape Againe this checketh the dulnesse and drowsinesse of such as when they haue begun in the spirit would end in the flesh which say the word is profitable and necessary to gather a Church but not to continue it to begin faith but when it is begun and begotten in vs we need not heare still we haue faith already by the preaching of the word we shall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it still we haue that wrought in vs which the word is appointed to worke These men vnder a colour of hauing faith do scorne and deride the preaching of faith But the word is not onely the immortall seed to beget vs but wholesome food to sustaine vs it is milke for such as are weake and strong meate for such as are of riper yeares He neuer had faith by the word that seeketh not the strengthning of it by the word It is not enough to haue saith but we must
stirreth vp the people h Psal 122 6. and 51 9. to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and that dutie which he requireth of others he daily practiseth himself praying vnto GOD to bee fauourable to Syon and to builde the Walles of Ierusalem according to his good pleasure Let vs examine our selues whether this affection bee found in vs and learne to testifie our Loue towards them by procuring their good and safetie When wee are in miserie our desire is to taste of the kindnesse and compassion of our Brethren Let vs bee as carefull to promote their happinesse God is readie to heare vs his eares are open vnto our Prayers so that wee plainely bewray that wee shall remaine without feeling and sence of their miserie vnlesse wee pray vnto him for them who is the God of all Mercie and the Father of all Consolation Because by thee Brother the Bowelles of the Saints are refreshed These Wordes are a reason rendered of the words going before declaring wherefore he had great ioy and consolation in his loue because the needie Members of Christ were succoured by him This tendeth to the praise of Philemon who by his Charitie and mercifull dealing toward the poore Saints did continually refresh and comfort the bowelles of them that wanted Doctrine 5. The workes of mercy are to be shewed toward the poore Saintes Wee learne from hence that the workes of mercy and compassion are to be shewed toward the poore Saintes It is our duty to be bountifull and liberall to those that are in necessity This Doctrine is proued and confirmed vnto vs by sundry commandements and examples in the word of God Heereunto commeth the charge giuen by Moses a Deut 15 7. If one of thy bretheren with thee be poore within any of thy Gates in thy Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poore brother but thou shalt open thine hand vnto him and shalt lend him sufficient for his neede which he hath Likewise Salomon saith b Eccle 11 1 2. Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many daies thou shalt find it giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Also the Apostle speaketh to the same purpose c Heb 13 16. To do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased The examples of the Children of God that haue gone before vs in the perfourmance of this duty are many both in the old and new Testament It is recorded to the perpetuall praise and commendation d 1 King 18 13. of Obadiah that he hid the Prophets of God in a Caue from the cruelty of Iesabell and sustained them with food and ministred all thinges necessary vnto them The like we see in Iob e Iob 31 16. who restrained not the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the Widdow to faile he saw not any perish for want of clothing nor any poore without couering his loynes blessed him because he was warmed with the fleece of his sheepe The widdow of f 1 King 17 10. Zarephath releeued Eliah in the Famine The Apostle commendeth Onesiphorus g 2 Tim 1 16. because he oft refreshed him and was not ashamed of his Chaine but when he was at Rome he sought him out very diligently and found him The Euangelist Luke in the Actes of the Apostles declareth that Tabitha h Act 9 36. 39 and 10 2. was full of good workes and almes which she did for she made many Coates and Garments to couer the Saintes Cornelius is reported to be a deuout man and one that feared God with al his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and praysed God continually All these Testimonies of holy Scripture teach vs that to do good to yeeld releefe and to minister comfort vnto men especially to the Saintes of God is a necessary duty belonging to all the seruants of God Reason 1. Now as we haue heard sundry commandements and examples to moue vs heereunto so diuerse reasons may be produced to confirme the same vnto vs. The wise man in the booke of Ecclesiastes is plentifull in this argument First he presseth vpon vs this duty in respect of the rich reward that shall be rendred to those that are mercifull to the poore For exhorting all men to i Eccl 11 1. cast their bread vpon the Waters that is euen where it seemeth to be lost where no hope of recompence remaineth he giueth this reason for after many daies thou shalt finde it And in the booke of the Prouerbes he saith k Prou 19 17. Mat 10 42. He that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen When one lendeth to an honest man he feareth no losse but hopeth to receiue againe much more may we be assured that God himselfe will restore and repay who is not as the sonnes of men that he should delude or deceiue vs. Reason 2. Secondly he moueth vs to the fruites of Charity and compassion from the consideration of the vncertainty and vanity of all things insomuch as albeit we know what is present we are ignorant of that which is to come All things in this life are mutable and vncertain 1 The life of man is vncertaine we know not how short a time we haue to liue and to exercise our liberallity Wee know not what one l Prou 27 1. day may bring forth and that one minute and moment may cut off all opportunity to shew mercy 2 It is vncertaine whether the riches which now we haue in plenty and abundance shall continue and abide with vs. The Apostle calleth Riches by this title m 1 Tim 6 17 vncertaine riches and Salomon saith n Prou 23 5. Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon them which are nothing For Riches taketh her to her Winges as an Eagle and flyeth into the heauen Who was to be compared with Iob among all the men of the East yet suddainly he was stripped of them and made one of the poorest It is vncertaine what our estate and condition may be and to what necessity our selues may come wee may be brought to that extremity that we may stand in need of the help of others and be constrained to aske almes and begge our releefe of them when as we by the righteous iudgement of God shal find rich men so affected toward vs as others haue found vs when we had the goods of this world Lastly it is vncertaine what thy sonne and heire will prooue thou knowest not whether he will riotously wast and prodigally consume all that thou hast left which thou hast gotten with care and trauell or whether a stranger shall enter vpon thy labours and vsurpe that which is not his owne This is that reason which Salomon setteth downe in his
whole world Hence it is that the Pope and his Bishops threaten Princes chalenge authority to excommunicate them to depose them and to discharge their subiects of subiection and alleageance This is cruelty ioyned with impiety this is seuerity accompanied with Hipocrisie this is cursing and banning contrary to the Christian faith and therefore being causelesse they cannot come Vse 3. Thirdly and last of all we learne for our obedience that whensoeuer entreating beseeching gentle or louing dealing is vsed to call men home to God and to themselues it is their duty to yeeld themselues and to embrace earnestly the mercies of God offered vnto them The sinne of contempt and contumacy is fearefull when the bountifulnesse of God is despised his mercies loathed his patience and long suffering abused If we will not heare when he crieth to vs k Prou 1 28. we shall cry also in the daies of our misery and he will not heare vs in our trouble but mocke at our affliction Our Sauiour remembreth the Iewes that he would often haue gathered them together as an Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her winges but they would not and therefore their Habitation should be left vnto them desolate First he preached mercy then iudgement first he gathereth then he scattereth first he counselleth then he confoundeth This is the order which the Apostle teacheth to be obserued by the Lord himselfe in the first place by patience and long suffering he calleth men to repentance neuerthelesse if they will not turne vnto him but harden their hearts against the meanes and Ministry that he vseth to call them he hoardeth and heapeth vp wrath for them against the day of wrath This hath beene the dealing of God with vs in this Land more then fifty years he hath preached vnto vs by his mercies he hath intreated vs and prouoked vs by peace by plenty by patience by temporall blessings by spirituall blessings by prosperity which the glorious Gospell of Christ hath brought with it he hath planted his Vine among vs he hath looked for good fruit answearable to such great meanes and long mercies But what haue we perfourmed according to that which God hath expected and how haue we behaued our selues in respect of this bountifulnesse which we haue tasted and receiued Surely we become euery yeare worse then other l Esay 5 4. more barren and lesse fruitfull we are not onely void of good fruits but full of euill fruits bearing nothing but leaues of vanity and shewes of Hipocrisie We cannot deny but God as a carefull dresser of his Vineyard hath often times beene constrained to take his pruning knife into his handes he hath scourged vs by famine and chastened vs by plague and pestilence yea still doth visit vs in sundry places and yet though he haue put vs into the furnace and tried vs with the fire of his iudgements he cannot purge out our drosse or take away our tinne or cleanse away our corruptions from vs but still we swarue from him swarue with blasphemies with oathes with prophanenesse with drunkennesse with whoredome with contempt of the Gospell we abound with the fruits of the flesh and workes of darknesse which agree not with that light into which we are brought The word of God was more reuerently esteemed better regarded and more carefully practised thirty yea forty yeares agone then it is in these declining times in which we liue We haue a long time gone backward and not forward we grow downeward and not vpward wee are farther from the Kingdome of Heauen and not neerer What then remaineth for vs m Heb 10 27. but a fearefull looking for of iudgment and violent fire which shall destroy his aduersaries If he open the Treasures of his wrath and the store-houses of his iudgements if he bring forth the arrowes of his quiuer and draw his sword out of his sheath let vs prepare to meet our God by vnfained repentance let vs forsake our sinnes which bring all curses and callamities vpon vs. If his mercies will not moue vs his iudgements shall remoue vs out of our places The Figge-Tree is first n Luk 13 9. Husbanded and digged about if the digging and dunging of it will not make it bring forth fruite it is appointed to be cut downe The patience of the Lord goeth before denuntiation of iudgement or execution of punishment A Phisition neuer aduentureth vpon a desperate Phisicke but in a desperate disease A Surgeon applieth salues and all possible remedies before he proceed to the cutting off of Arme or Leg So hath the Lord dealt with vs so he doth deale with vs if his word could conuert vs his iudgements should not ouertake vs if his mercy could turne vs his iustice should not destroy vs if his loue could saue vs his wrath should not condemne vs. Being such a one euen Paule aged and now also a Prisoner of Iesus Christ We heard in the wordes before Paules beseeching of Philemon amplified by a diuerse reason of commanding Now we haue to consider the second part of the sentence which is a description of his person generally and particularly which hath great force to moue him and instruct him He mentioneth his age and the tearme of his life now almost ended together with his afflictions and bands for Christs sake and the Gospels thereby to teach him not to be ashamed of him or to be offended at him but to reuerence his person and to and to obey his word Heere then we see that the Apostle doth chalenge much to be due vnto him which he might iustly doe in regard of sundry priuiledges of his calling of his age of his sufferings and imprisonment that he sustained for the cause of Christ Doctrine 3. Superiors in guiftes age are to be reuerenced aboue others Heereby we learne that such as God hath marked out from others by age guiftes or other priuiledges are much to be regarded and reuerenced We must acknowledge it to be a duty belonging vnto vs to yeeld much to such as God hath distinguished and seperated from the common order of men by length of life by greatnesse of guiftes or other worthy respects which they haue receiued The Apostle teacheth that the King and Magistrate are to be honoured a Rom 13 1. 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 And 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour b 1 Pet 17 2 13 14. all men loue brotherly fellowship feare God honour the King Thus also he speaketh a little before Submit your selues vnto all manner Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superior or vnto Gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punnishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well Touching such as are superiors in age it is a precept giuen by Moses c Leuit 19 32
reuerence to their persons there is the want of the feare of God for he ioyneth rising vp before the Elders and the reuerencing of God together Where the feare of God is not there can bee no duty performed to men This reprooueth the rudenesse the common and customable sausinesse that is in young persons that refuse to giue them liberty and freedome to speake before them In all Companies the younger is the readier to speake although he vtter nothing but words of folly and of vanity Likewise it reprooueth those that will not giue them roome and place when they come in presence It is vndecent and vncomely in the Church or else-where to see weake and feeble olde Men stand and young Boyes to sit downe on their seats without wagging stirring or giuing place vnto them This is directlie contrary to the Law of God Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honor the person of the old man We may now renew the complaint of the Prophet in regard of this conclusion z Esay 3 5. The Children presume against the ancient and the vile against the honorable Vse 3. Lastly seeing we must haue a great respect to such as are in guifts aboue vs or in age before vs or goe beyond vs in both it teacheth vs so to liue and behaue our selues that we may be worthy of al honor reuerence Let such as haue good guifts imploy them to the greatest good of others He that hath receiued much must bring forth much fruit a Math. 25 20 as the Seruant that had fiue talents committed vnto him gained fiue other talents So old men must be graue and sober and carry a Maiesty in their countenance that they may after a sort resemble the Maiesty of God As grauity and sobriety agreeth to euery age so most especially to the elder age contrary to which is lightnesse lasciuiousnesse and waywardnesse which make them not honorable but odious not to be reuerenced but to be dispised in the eies of the younger sort Let them adorne their yeares with those vertues b Tit. 2 1 2. which the Apostle nameth Let the elder-men be watchfull graue temperate sound in the faith in loue and in patience If they be carefull to expresse these thinges which become wholesome doctrine they shall manifestly shew that their liuing so long in the World hath not beene in vaine The Wise man c Prou. 20 29. saith The beautie of the young men is their strength and the glory of the aged is the gray-headed that is Wisedom Counsell Experience whereby they are more adorned then the young man is beautified by his bodily strength For the Ornaments of the minde are to be preferred before the properties of the bodie Againe they must bee examples of a godly life and holye conuersation that youth may stand in feare to commit any vndecent and vnseemely thing in their presence Thus Iob saith of himselfe d Iob. 29 7. Chap. 29. When I went out of the gate the young Men saw me and hid themselues But when the Elder sort are Ring-leaders aad examples of an euill and corrupt life there is more grauity on their heads then piety in their hearts in their white haires then in their behauiour and so the Crowne of honour is taken from them and they are iustly contemned despised and reproached of those of whom they should be honoured For wee may see olde men so hardned in Wickednesse that if a man would find whole heapes of wickednesse he neede seeke no farther but to them Some by their age and long experience haue learned nothing but craft and spightfulnesse so as if a man should frame himselfe after their example he should haue neither faithfulnesse in him nor vpright dealing Others are loose and disordered in their whole life Some haue beene giuen to swearing and blaspheming in their youth and they are not reformed nay they are more deformed in their age Others are so drenched and sapped in Couetousnesse and Whoredome as that they infect all places and defile all persons where they come they delight in such rotten and filthy communication that euen yong men are ashamed to heare them spew out such vngodly and vnsauoury talke Such as lead their liues as Fathers in the Church and adorne their age with godlinesse shall not neede to be offended at these things nor to say with the Lawyers in the Gospell e Luke 11 45. In saying this thou puttest we to rebuke also We are all to honour the gray-head and to magnifie old age For as Salomon f Prou. 16 31. saith Age is a Crowne of Glorie when it is found in the way of Righteousnesse Whereby hee meaneth that olde age seasoned with a Godly life and vpright bringeth with it as great glorie as a Crowne on the heade and a Scepter in the hand dooth vnto a King and therefore such olde men are greatly to be reuerenced and highly to be esteemed But many except they should be honored for their Ignoraunce Superstition Frowardnesse Maliciousnesse Waywardnesse Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Licentiousnesse and Selfe-will there is nothing else to be found in them to be learned of them to be gathered from them By these foule enormities they bring themselues into contempt and bring shame and reproach vpon their owne heades so that no man defameth and dishonoureth them so much as themselues For doe they behaue themselues with such Stayednesse Wisedome and Grauity that yong men feare to behaue themselues lewdly and licentiously in their sight Or do they shew themselues examples of good thinges Nay they serue for nothing but to corrupt and infect youth they be patternes nay Patrons and Maintainers of all filthinesse and loose liuing Surely if young men mis-behaue and misgouerne themselues they are not to be excused but to be reprooued because they ought to order their liues aright g Eccles. 12 1. and Remember their Creator in the dayes of their youth and not deserue to bee euill spoken or reported of but Olde folke are double worthy of the shame that men doo them if they bee not honoured for their Vertues They should learne by their long life and olde age to growe in the knowledge of GOD and his Sonne Iesus Christ to hate sinne to delight in righteousnesse and daily to dye vnto the Worlde that as they beare about them a bodie declining and decaying in strength so they should bee renewed in the inner man long after eternall life and not nestle them-selues heere vppon the earth as if they shoulde continue for euer therein nor pursue so greedily after the Worlde when they can scarse go or creepe vp and downe in the world It is a testimonie of Gods great mercy toward vs when he lengthneth our life and prolongeth our dayes to the last period and power of Nature Oh how might wee haue profited in the knowledge of Religion in the feare of God in the wayes of godlinesse in the meanes of saluation and in good
shall bee taken of vs wee shall beare the burthen not onely of our owne sinnes but of all the sinnes of the people and euerie soule belonging vnto our charge that hath perrished thorough our owne negligence shall bee laide to our charge and his blood be required at our handes and so shal becom horrible Reprobates in Hel to be tormented with euerlasting pains For euen as the holy mā speaking of this calling teacheth that a faithful messenger of God and interpreter of his wil is but as one of a thousand that though they be many that vndertake the office yet the number is few rare that make Conscience of their dutie to God and his people so on the other side few of this many shall be saued but be cast as notable diuels into hell draw with them thousands into destruction Neither is it sufficient for the Ministers discharge if he teach sildom or now and then as at euery quarter day when he commeth to reckon with them or once a month to auoide the Law but he must watch and teach and feede his flocke continually t 2 Tim. 4 1 2 And preach the word in season and out of season The greatest labor shall haue the greatest reward They u Dan. 12 3. that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for euer and euer Euery x 1 Cor. 3 8. man shal haue his wages according to his worke They that imployed their Maisters mony y Mat. 25 30. gained by it are accounted good faithfull seruants but the ydle and loytering seruant that would do nothing but hid his talent that was giuen vnto him was cast into vtter darknesse and rewarded according to his deserts Let vs therefore labour to haue a cleare conscience toward God and man The more paines we take the greater shal be our comfort the more diligently we sow the more plentifull shall be our haruest If we be painful in our callings and diligent in teaching the people z Co◠3 1 2. We shall not neede as some other Epistles of re-commendation vnto them or Letters of re commendation from them for they shal be our Epistle written in our harts which is vnderstood and read of all men And concerning those committed to vs to feed we see by experience that they cannot liue without food they cannot grow and prosper without a daily supply so their soules cannot liue vnto God a spirituall life vnlesse they bee often fed and plentifully nourished by the milke of Gods word When Paule tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus he propoundeth before the Elders his owne example a Acts 20 31. Remember that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares This faithfulnesse is to be found in vs as our comfort in this life our crowne in the life to come alwaies prouing when God wil giue faith and repentance neuer to be repented of We know not the times and seasons that God hath kept in his owne hand If he touch not the heart at one time and leaue a blessing behind him he may touch it and frame it vnto obedience at another time It behooueth vs therefore to vse the meanes to sowe vnto them spirituall things and to commit the successe of our labours vnto God b 1 Cor. 3 6 7 seeing Paule planteth and Apollos watereth but it is GOD that giueth the encrease Vse 3. Thirdly seeing the word preached is the ordinary meanes of our regeneration it teacheth the people to looke to their feet when they enter into the house of God and to take heede how they heare It is not left to their owne choise whether they wil hear or not no more then it is to the Minister whether he will preach or not It is required of them that they reuerence them obey their Doctrine loue them prouide for them pray for them and in al things esteeme of them as the messengers of Christ as the Ministers of the word as the ouerseers of the Church yea it standeth them vpon to heare the word at their mouths to account of it as the meanes of their saluation It is great ignorance impiety to desire any other means to haue faith then that which he hath appointed for vs. It is the great mercy and goodnesse of God to appoint mortal men subiect to sin and al infirmities as we are at whose handes we may be fed at whose mouths we may be taught and with whom we may talke familiarly and yet by their simple Ministry may haue as good assurance of saluation in this life and of glory in the life to come as if the Lorde himselfe should speake from heauen For the word of God is as the gate of heauen and hee hath committed the Keyes thereof to his faithfull Stewardes c Math. 16 19 That whatsoeuer they binde on earth should be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth should be loosed in heauen True it is many foolish faithlesse men perswade themselues that they should repent and beleeue the Gospell if they might heare God himselfe speake or if one came from the dead to tell them what they should do to be saued When Caine had conceiued malice and murther in his heart and intended to kill his Brother d Gen. 4 6. the Lorde spake vnto him set his sinnes in order before him and threatned iudgment against him vnlesse he repented but did hee repent at the voice of God and turne vnto him with all his heart No he fell from euill to worse and added one sinne vnto another till he had filled vp the measure of them All the Israelites heard the Law of God in the wildernesse and saw his wonderfull workes that hee shewed among them yet they beleeued not neither ceased to murmure and rebell against him Iudas one of the twelue was reprooued of Christ for his treason so were the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisie yet none of them repented or at the least many of them repented not at his preaching vnto them wherefore it is not the hearing of the voice of God can giue vs repentance it is his changing of our hearts and renewing of vs in the inner man that casteth vs into a new mould and worketh in vs a new birth When Christ Iesus was nayled vpon the Crosse they said e Math. 27 42. He saued others but hee cannot saue himselfe if he be the King of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue in him But if he had come downe at this taunt cast out vpon him wold they or could they haue beleeued Or could Christ haue beene the true Messiah if he had discended seeing it was the end of his comming into the world that hee might suffer f Esay 53 7. Psal 22 17. 69 21. and fulfill the thinges that were foretold by the Prophets Or would they not rather
maliciousnesse be ye curteous one to another and tender-hearted freely forgiuing one another All these Testimonies and examples as a Cloud of Witnesses serue to teach vs that repentant offenders must be forgiuen and their offences blotted out of our remembrance Reason 1. The reasons to confirme this truth farther to our consciences are not far to seeke but neere at hand For first hereby we imitate our heauenly Father and are made like to him As we are commaunded to be holy as he is holy so we are charged to Be mercifull Å¿ Luke 6 36. Ezek. 18 23. because our Father also is mercifull who hath not desire that the wicked should dye but that he should liue if he returne from his waies God is prouoked of vs euery moment and we are indebted vnto him ten thousand Talents yet he is intreated of vs and he is reconciled vnto vs so that he maketh his Sunne to arise vpon the good and euill and the raine to fall vpon the iust and vniust ought not we therefore to loue one another and to forgiue one another after his example This is the reason vsed by the Apostle t Col. 3 12 13 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe ye It were wofull to vs if God were not ready to forgiue for we finde our selues ready to offend and one sinne vnpardoned is sufficient to make vs be condemned Reason 2. Secondly our forgiuing of our Bretheren giueth comfort and confidence that we our selues shall be forgiuen We are taught to gather assurance of pardon to our owne hearts from our readinesse to forgiue others that God wil in Christ hath forgiuen vs our trespasses This we see in the fift petition of the Lords Prayer when we are taught to say and to pray u Luke 11 4. Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euerie man that is indebed to vs. Euery one would be glad to haue a sure testimony and infallible witnesse of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes for from hence commeth our greatest comfort Now there cannot be stronger Argument to worke in vs this perswasion seeing that we by examining our affections toward our Brethren may conclude the certainety of Gods mercy toward vs. For our forgiuenesse is not made x Cyprian sermo 6 de orat dominica the cause but the signe and Seale of Gods forgiuenesse for as much as his pardoning of vs doth worke in vs the pardon of others Reason 3. Thirdly it is a certaine thing that such as will not forgiue shall themselues neuer be forgiuen Our forgiuenesse is vpon condition if we remit the offences of others if we retaine them our owne sinnes are also retained If then the example of God and our owne assurance cannot draw vs to this duty let the greatnesse of the danger moue vs to forgiue which hangeth ouer their heads that harden their hearts in hatred and mallice against their Brethren This our Sauiour setteth downe immediatly after the Lords Prayer y Math. 6 14 15. Mat. 11 25 26 For if ye doe forgiae men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if ye doe not forgiue Men their trespasses no more will your Father forgiue you your trespasses And in another place he saith 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 you will not forgiue your Father which is in Heauen will not pardon you your trespasses This the Apostle Iames assureth z Iames 2 13. That there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth not mercy and mercy reioyceth against condemnation This we see in the example of that euill Seruant that fell from his Maisters fauour and was denyed forgiuenesse For when as being vnable to pay a Mat. 18 26 27 28 29 30. He cryed for mercy desired forbearance and promised payment his Maister had compassion vpon him loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when that Seruant dealt hardly with his Fellow-Seruant that ought him an hundred pence so that he laid handes vpon him tooke him by the throat and cast him into Prison his Lorde called backe his grant and required the debt of him and deliuered him to the Tormentours This may seeme very strange at the first that his Lorde should forgiue the Debter yet and afterward exact the debt of him to pardon the offence and to punnish the offender This may seeme all one as if a Magistrate should remit the theft and execute the Theefe But we shall not greatly maruaile at this dealing if we consider that God giueth pardon vpon condition and that we receiue pardon vpon condition True it is this condition is not alwaies or heere in this place expressed but it is here and alwaies to bee vnderstood Notwithstanding sometimes the condition is added as when Christ saith Condemne not and ye shall not be condemned forgiue and ye shall be forgiuen Luke 6. So that he forgiueth vs our offences condicionally that we forgiue the offences of our Brethren Thus he forgaue the Seruant that was not able to pay to teach him compassion and mercy toward those that were indebted vnto him If we will not forgiue but require of our debters the vtmost farthing we shall finde the Lord as hard and our selues to make a Law against our selues Wherefore to the end that Gods example may be followed in well doing that our owne consciences may be assured of forgiuenesse and that great danger is incurred through want of forgiuenesse we learne that God requireth it as a speciall duty of vs to shew our selues ready and forward to forgiue our Bretheren that haue wronged and offended vs. Obiections made against this doctrine And howsoeuer this Doctrine be proued by Scriptures cleered by examples and confirmed by reasons yet as it standeth not with the liking of flesh and bloud which is ready to reuenge and breath out threatnings so carnall reason ministreth many obiections which are not to be passed ouer but to be diligently discussed and dissolued It shall not therefore be amisse before we proceede to the vses to answer such questions as stand in the way whereat the vnleatned stumble as at a stone that lyeth in the way which being determined we will handle the Vses Obiection 1. First seeing we are bound to forgiue euery one that is indebted vnto vs the question may be asked whether this extend to all debts and that we are charged to forgiue all our Debters Answere I answere debts are of two sorts either Ciuill which commeth by Couenants of buying and bargaining one with another without which the life of man cannot consist Of these mutuall Couenants and Contracts betweene
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
did Paule him so Or doth hee thinke it enough to make him almost a Christian No halfe a Christian is no Christian and almost godly is not godly Therefore his desire was to take him by the hand or rather by the heart if he could haue sounded into the depth and bottome of it and to haue led him from Almost to Altogether Hence it is that when he seeth him comming toward Christ hee casteth out his Net to catch him if it were possible saying vnto him I would to God that not onelie thou but also all that heare mee to day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bondes Thus he ceaseth not continually to call vppon the Churches to encrease more and more and to proceed from grace to grace Againe it belongeth to euery Maister of the Family to water that which himselfe or the Minister hath planted and to be alwayes weeding out the bitter roots that spring vp in his Garden If we haue brought any of his family to godlinesse and to embrace the Gospell let him make much of them let his countenance bee toward them let him fauour them aboue others and admonish them to frequent the exercises of Religion remembering that it is as great a Vertue to keepe as to get to preserue as to finde to holde fast as to take Moreouer as it is a generall dutie belonging to all of vs h Hebr. 3 7. and 10 24. to exhort one another while it is called to day and stirre vp one another to good things so if by our example of life or lighting of them a Candle to see their wayes they shall come to the acknowledgement of the truth we should loue them dearly and prouoke them to go farther forward in good works assuring them that such as continue to the end shall be saued This serueth seuerely to reproue those who hauing beene zealous in the faith and witnessed a good confession before many witnesses and beene a meanes to open the eyes of others to behold the glorious light of the Gospell that before wandered in darknesse are now gon back themselues or seeme to stand at a stay i Reuel 2 4. and haue left their first loue To whom I can say no more but wish them to turn backe to consider what they haue beene and to remember what they are knowing that it had beene better for them k 2 Pet. 2 21. neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue acknowledged it to turn away from the holy Commandement Let all such therefore call to minde the exhortation of Christ to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus l Reuel 2 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first workes or else I will come against thee shortly and will remoue thy Candlestick out of his place except thou amend It is a great shame to shew the way to another and to go out of it himseife to teach another and not to teach himselfe to stir vp another to go forward and himselfe to go backward to kindle zeale in others and himselfe to grow cold lukewarme and therefore to giue occasion to others to think that their former profession was but an heate of youth seeing they decline in their olde age On the other side such as haue bin won to the Gospell by others ought entirely and feruently to loue such as haue conuerted them to shewe themselues euery way thankfull vnto them The Apostle beseecheth the Thessalonians m 1 Thess 5 12 13. To acknowledge them that labour among them and are ouer them in the Lord and admonish them that they haue them in singular loue for their workes sake Who is it if he were blinde and had his sight restored vnto him would not speake well of him by whom it was restored and acknowledge himselfe bound vnto him all the dayes of his life We are all naturally borne blind haue not one eye to see the sauing truth of godlinesse If then we attain the sight of our selues and to knowe our naturall blindnesse how ought wee to praise Gods mercy toward vs and to loue those by whom we haue the eyes of our minds enlightned He is a very vnkind and vnthankfull person who hauing lost his way in a great and terrible wildernesse where hee knoweth not which way to turne or returne not whether to goe to get out meeteth with a certaine guide that is able and ready to conduct him and to enstruct him in his way wil neuer so much as open his mouth to giue him thankes Or hauing beene cured and recouered from a daungerous and desperate disease that brought him to the doores of death will neuer acknowledge the benefit and good turn that he hath receiued So is it with those that haue wandered a long time in the vanities of this world and in the pleasures of the flesh as in a wildernesse it is the greatest ingratitude not to acknowledge those his best and surest friends that haue shewed them the strait gate and the narrow way that leadeth vnto life And if our soules haue bin saued from death to which we made hast and ranne with greedinesse if there bee any comfort of loue or fellowship of the spirit or any compassion and mercy in vs we ought to shew it to those that haue bin as spiritual and speciall Physitians vnto vs to deliuer vs from death and to restore vs to life Whom I haue sent againe Hitherto we haue spoken of the first reason that concerneth the person of Onesimus who was vnprofitable but now is becom very profitable The second sort of reasons are touching Paule himselfe and touch either the present action of his sending of him backe or the common friendship that a long time had bin betweene Paul and Philemon The first of these reasons is in this 12. verse which may be thus concluded If I haue sent Onesimus backe vnto thee then it is thy duty to receiue him But I haue sent him backe againe Therefore it is thy duty to receiue him If there had not bin great cause that Philemon shold receiue him the Apostle would neuer haue sent him especially seeing hee found his abode with him and his seruice done vnto him very profitable Now we are to mark in this place that Paul requireth not Philemon to make his seruant free and to discharge him of his bondage and albeit Paul had great need to haue vsed the ministration of Onesimus in the extreamity of his imprisonment yet beeing another mans seruant and not his owne belonging to his own Maister and not to him and knowing that he ought not to couet another mans seruant he would not detaine him but sent him backe to Philemon to whom hee did appertaine and from whom he departed This is consonant to the trueth and purity of the Gospell this the Maister might well require and this dutie the seruant was bounde to performe euen to returne and repaire againe
went in and lay with his Fathers Wiues Heere are sundry deuillish and wicked practises Incest Murther Rebellion treason all abhominable enormities and yet God saith k 2 Sam. 12 12 He did all these things These sinnes were most foule and filthy to looke vpon as they were the inuentions of the Deuill the perswasions and practises of euill men but as they are punishments sent of God vpon Dauid for his offences they were beautifull in their time they were the righteous sentence of a iust Iudge who cannot deale vniustly in iudgement Thus much of answering these few Obiections Now let vs proceede to conclude some Vses out of this truth Vse 1 The Vses that will arise from hence are many but wee will onely touch the principall This Doctrine serueth for reproofe for comfort and for obedience For it serueth to reprooue and conuince sundry persons that eyther know not or knowing doe abuse this prouidence of God whereby he taketh care of all thinges that are in the World and directeth them to a right end And first of all we set against it and oppose vnto it the dreames and dotages of Atheists Epicures Libertines and such like Wretches who either deny wholy there is a God or make him sit as idle in heauen as themselues are vpon the earth so that albeit he know and see all thinges yet hee worketh or ordereth not the speciall actions of men that fall out These are they that pull God out of his Kingdome and set vp Chance and Fortune as an Idoll and make it their God We must all learne and confesse that the Lord that is the Creator of Heauen and Earth is also the Ruler and Gouernor of all euen the least Creatures The whole world from the highest heauen to the center of the Earth is subiect to his prouidence He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will he giueth life and l Acts. 17 28 breath he preserueth them so that nothing commeth to passe without his appointment Whether they be things with life or without life with reason or without reason generall or particular euill or good Angels or Men necessary or not necessary all are ruled by his decree So then Chance Fortune are words of the Gentiles and are blindly vsed by such as are called Christians whereas nothing can be done without his will and working who is omnipotent What seemeth more casuall then the Lot Yet The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition is of the Lord. Prou. 16. 33. This is it which our Sauior teacheth m Math. 10 29 30. and 6 26. Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of thē shall not fall on the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred So that we see Chance and Prouidence cannot stand together but the one ouerturneth the other Secondly it reproueth such as frō hence take encouragement to commit sin to breake out into sundry outrages or to liue securely because God can turne it to our good and maketh it serue to set forth his mercy This is that presumption and sin of rebellion touched by the Apostle Why do we not euill that good may n Rom. 3 8. come thereof whose damnation is iust So in another place o Rom. 6 1 2. What shall we say then Shall we continue still in sin that Grace may abound How shall we that are dead in sinne liue yet therein We confesse indeed that God is the Soueraigne cause of all euents that are brought to passe and whatsoeuer the enemies of the Church intend and enterprise whether the Sonnes of Men or the Deuill and his Angels he staieth and hindreth or represseth and disappointeth and alwaies disposeth it to the good and saluation of his children Neuerthelesse this doth not excuse or free the Instruments that he vseth from fault They do the will of God blindly and ignorantly but they do crosse his will openly and purposely so that his prouidence doth not exempt the wicked from their euill doing Dauid knew well enough and confesseth as much that Shemei was sent of God most iustly to cursse him and to raile vpon him when he fled from the face of his son Absolon yet in his last speach to the King his Sonne he doth not defend him or excuse him o 1 King 2 8 9 But giueth charge and commaundement to be reuenged of him and not to account him innocent If then euill instruments cease not to be guilty before men much more faulty shall they be before the iudgement Seate of the Almighty and much lesse shall they escape punishment for transgressing the Law of God For howsoeuer wicked men be well moued by God to execute his worke by them who may vse any of his creatures according to his owne power pleasure yet in asmuch as they being moued of God do peruersely and crookedly and wickedly moue themselues to will and work euill so that themselues are the workers and causers of their own euill works whereby it commeth to passe both that they grieuously offend God and afterward seuerely punished of him Wherefore such as resist God rebell against his law and striue against his will cannot say they haue done his will inasmuch as they had no purpose to keep his ordinances therefore make themselues subiect to all his iudgements Lastly this reproueth the Church of Rome that among many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay to our charge that we mainetaine that God is the author of sin We hold we teach priuatly publikely by word by writing in Schooles in Churches that God is not the author of sin but the deuil mans own corrupt wil whosoeuer teacheth and preacheth otherwise if it were an Angell from heauen we hold him accurssed Hence it is that the Prophet saith p Psal 5 4. Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee So the Prophet Habakuke q Hab. 1 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse Likewise Zephany saith r Zeph. 3 7. The iust Lord is in the midst thereof he will do none iniquity In like manner the Prophet Zachary saith ſ Zach. 8 17. Let none of you imagine euill in your harts against his neighbour and loue no false Oth for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. Thus we heare that he loueth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse so that he is the authour of all good of no euill If we would heare this farther opened the Apostle Iames is a witnesse of it t Iam. 1 13 14 Let no Man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man but euery man is tempted when he drawn away by his owne concupiscence and is entised This is the conscionable Doctrine of pietie and the contrary wee renounce and
place so we reape a double benefit First we are kept from the corruptions of the world for liuing in a corrupt aire we are readie to gather infection and to take the scent as quickly as flax is apt to take the fire But by taking vs from hence into a sweeter dwelling we are preuented kept from many sins which otherwise we wold fall into This is it which the Prophet Dauid sheweth m Psa 125 3 4 The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednesse do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true in their harts He knoweth wherof we are made he seeth our infirmities how prone we are to decline after euil examples that are set before vs so that it is a benefit vnto vs to goe hence before we haue corrupted our hearts and defiled al our waies Enoch liued in a most dangerous time when wickednes began to couer the face of the earth but because he walked with God he was taken away that mallice should not change his heart This is n 1 Cor. 11 30 31 32. it which the Apostle Paul testifieth For this cause many are weak and sicke among you many sleep for if we wold iudge our selues we should not be iudged But when we are iduged we are chastned of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Secondly God dealeth mercifully with his people in remouing them out of this life that they should not feele the present miseries nor see the iminent calamities which hee knoweth hang ouer them and is determined to bring vpon the sons of men and be ouerborn and swept away by them with others This we see in the example of Abijah the son of Ieroboam that made Israell to sin who is branded with this note of reproch in sundry places of the holy history o 1 Kin. 14 16 That he did sin made Israel to sin the Prophet said of this one onely good son of this wicked father that he should die being a child and al Israell should mourn for him he onely of Ieroboam should come to the graue because in him there is found some goodnesse toward the Lord God of Israell in the house of Ieroboam God in great mercy toward him took him away being a child that he shold not be infected and afflicted For if he had liued to see the white hairs of his old age he had bin in great danger of the fearful sins of his fathers house bin in great afflictiō to behold the horrible iudgments that were to fall vpon that godlesse and gracelesse family The like might be said of p 2 Kin. 22 20. good Iosiah he was gathered betimes to his fathers and was put in his graue in peace that his eies shold not see al the euil which the lord would bring on the land He took him out of this world before his wrath fell vpon the vngodly This is it which the Prophet Esay telleth vs q Esay 37 1 2. The righteous perisheth no man considereth it in hart merciful men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euil to come Peace shall come they shal rest in their beds euery one that walketh before him Lastly God calleth away his children out of this transitory life to make them partakers of a blessed life r Reuel 14 13 Seeing they are blessed that die in the lord they cease frō their labors their works follow them Neither do the godly lose by this bargaine neither doth God falsify his word but is better then his promise For if he take away a short frail life and reward with a long and eternal life the promise faileth not but changeth for the better Change as we commonly say is no robery but this change is a commodity If a man promised yard of cloth and perform an ell if he promise siluer and pay gold if he promise to giue a cottage and put him in possession of a Pallace if he promise little and performe much he breaketh not his promise but performeth it with aduantage thus doth the Lord deale with vs who is not as man that he shold lie nor as the son of man that he should deceiue who ofttimes granteth more then we ask and bestoweth more then we beg but neuer denieth that which he promiseth If any farther reply how then is God true in his promises that promiseth long life in this life I answer that al Gods promises concerning earthly blessings must be vnderstood with a condition namely so far forth as he shall see them to be expedient for his glory and our saluation But so far as long life shal be a benefit vnto vs so far he wil giue it but if in his all-seeing and al-serching wisedom he know it to be better for vs to dy then to liue to be gathred to our fathers then to continue with our children he taketh vs away and recompenseth the want of temporal life with a kingdom of eternal glory This is it which the Apostle expresseth ſ Ephe. 6 2 3 who repeating this blessing to come vpon them that honor father mother doth not only say That thou maist liue long on earth but addeth That it may be wel with thee and thou maist liue long vpon earth So then long life is not alwaies a blessing for somtimes it is better to leaue the world then to liue in it to depart out of it then to inioy it The vngodly man the longer he liueth the greater is his sin and his condemnation for sin This the wiseman setteth down t Eccl. 8 12 13 Thogh a sinner do euil an hundred times God prolongeth his daies yet I know that it shal be wel with them that fear the Lord do reuerence before him but it shal not be wel with the wicked neither shal he prolong his daies he shal be like a shadow because he feareth not before God Heerunto agreeth the Prophet Esay u Esay 65 10. There shal be no more there a child of years nor an old man that hath not filled his daies but he that shal be an hundred years old shal dy as a young man but the sinner being an hundred year old shall be accursed Thus then we see how to expound the promise of long life which God performeth really or if he take away such as are godly and obedient hee recompenceth it more fully with a better life and so he bestoweth a great deale more then he taketh away and granteth a better measure then he with-held from them Vse 3 Lastly we learne for our obedience when we suffer losses not to be vexed through impatiency nor to break out in storming fretting and fuming maner against God but to rest our selues vppon him beeing ready to blesse his name not to cast away al hope confidence
of being restored It is a worthy saying of the Prophet to Amaziah K. of Iudah being like to loose a great sum of mony which hee had disbursed for the leuying of forren forces x 2 Chr. 25 9. The Lord is able to giue thee more then this If he see it good profitable for vs he can and wil repay it in the same kind for who looseth for Gods cause doth not get but if he do not recompence earthly things with earthly he wil assuredly bestow vpon vs such riches as are immortal immutable such a treasure as is eternal not fading but enduring for euer in the heauens A notable practise heerof we haue in Iob ch 19. in al his troubles which were exceeding great he comforted himself in this I know that my Redeemer liueth that I shal see him in the last day Somtimes he doth restore in the same kinde that which we haue left seemeth to be lost we see in the former example of Iob what a blessed end the Lord made so if we wil wait with patience and tarrie his leisure be content with his workes we shal behold the end better then the beginning Moreouer we see the merciful dealing of god toward his children from whō he withholdeth personal blessings To som he giueth strength of body swiftnes of foot quicknesse of sight readinesse of hearing aptnesse of the hand together with a due proportion comlinesse of euery part But to others he denieth these things so that we see some blind others lame crooked deafe deformed Notwithstanding God ofttimes supplyeth these wants and recompenseth these infirmities with a most plentifull measure of better that is of heauenly graces We see this in the example of the blind man mentioned by the Euangelist Iohn he wanted the sight of his bodily eies y Iohn 9 29 30 31 32. but he had a greater light shining in his hart a deeper insight into the doctrine of saluation then the chiefe of the Pharisies that were accounted the only Rabbies and maisters in Israel so that we may truly say that the blindman did see and they that thought themselues to haue their eye-sight were starke blinde For when the Pharisies said of the Messia We know not from whence this man is the blind man answered said vnto thē Doubtles this is a maruellous thing that ye know not whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eies now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God doth his wil him heareth he c. if this man were not of God he could haue done nothing This was a worthy and open confession of the great work of God that had bin wrought vpon him wherein he saw more true and heauenly light then al his enemies who then boasted of the name of the church and cast this simple man out of the Synagogue But if we consider the poore man of the one side the proud pharisies on the other side which of them was most blind and whither of thē was a member of the true Church Surely God gaue a maruellous light of knowledge to his weake seruant that he was not ashamed to confesse Christ Iesus acording to the measure of grace giuen him whereas the blind Pharises were blind leaders of the blind saw nothing Heerupon Christ saith z Iohn 9 39 40 41. I am come vnto iudgment into this world that they which see not might see that they which see might be made blind And when the Pharises which were with him heard these things said vnto him Are we blind also He answered If ye were blind ye should not haue sin but now ye say we see therfore your sin remaineth Let vs not therfore despise such as haue infirmities or deformities of the body nor vpbraid them with them which are not in their powers to put away rather let vs take heed of the blots and blemishes of the soul to wit of sinne which maketh the greatest scab and scarre and bringeth reproach vnto the person Let vs beware of the blindnesse of the minde of the hardnesse of the heart of the wounds of the soule and of halting with God The blindnes of the mind is a sin and the punishment of sinne so that God is offended with it whereby it differeth from the blindnesse of the body which indeede is a certaine affliction but it is no transgression it is a kinde of misery but no iniquity it is a crosse but it is no sinne But the inward blindnesse of the minde is in it selfe a sinne and breach of Gods Law and maketh a man culpable of iudgement and guilty of eternall death because none is so blinded but he hath first pulled out his owne eyes and refuseth the light of the Gospell offered vnto him a Eph. 4 18. through the hardnesse of his heart Againe this ought to bee a special comfort vnto vs and to suffice to asswage all greefe conceiued for the want of earthly blessings if God haue denied vnto vs the vse of one or many of our members as of our eyes our eares our tongue our hands our feete and haue made vs blind or dumb or deafe or lame or maimed let vs not be discomforted or sink down vnder the burden but rather considering the recompence that he giueth vs another way and the supply that he maketh by spirituall graces let vs humbly giue him thankes b Mat. 5 29 30 remembring that it is better for vs that one of our members perish then the whole body should be cast into hell We see the holy man Iob hauing had great losses and dammages brought vpon him to his great hinderance and decay in earthly thinges acknowledged the hand of God in it gaue him the glory saying c Iob. 1 21. Naked cam I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lorde Hence it is that the Apostle saith Hearken my beloued Brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith heires of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that loue him Iames 2. If God haue made me blinde yet if hee haue giuen me the eyes of my mind to see the mystery of faith in this life and the excellency of glory reserued for me and all his Saints in the life to come I haue wherewith to comfort me aboundantly in the want of bodily sight If God haue made me lame to halt with my foot and therby want many outward pleasures that many seek and find yet if he haue vouchsafed this mercy vnto me d Gal. 2 14. to make me walk with a right foot to the truth of the Gospell I cannot want sound comfort and inward peace to my own soul God looketh not vpon the person of man he accepteth no man for his outward forme
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
preaching Christ crucified and risen againe from the dead h Acts 17 5 8 9. Insomuch that the Iewes which beleeued not moued with enuy tooke vnto them certaine vitious and Vagabond Fellowes and hauing assembled the multitude they made a tumult in the Cittie It is said that Iason receiued him and other of the Brethren into his house and offered to baile them and to be bound for them putting in good assurance that they should appeare and be forth-comming And if we require an example in the same kind and condition with this that is mentioned in this Epistle Our Sauiour expresseth the like in the Parable of him that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among theeues who wounded him with their weapon and robbed him of his Raiment and left him in his trouble euen halfe dead i Luke 10 34 35. A certaine Samaritan as he iournied came neere vnto him and when he saw him he had compassion on him and went to him and bound vp his wounds and poured in Oyle and Wine and put him on his owne Beast and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him and on the morrow when he departed he tooke out two pence and gaue them to the Host and said vnto him Take care of him and whatsoeuer thou spendest more when I come againe I will recompense thee This Samaritan did shew himselfe a right Neighbour both in shewing his present charity toward him and in offering himselfe to become a surety for him All these approued and allowed examples of the faithfull do sufficiently and euidently teach vs that it is in it selfe lawfull to vndertake payment for another and to become Suretie for him Reason 1. And if we require better groundes to satisfie vs in this truth let vs enter into the strength of reason to assure vs without any wauering heerein First waigh with me the example of Christ an excellent patterne and president of the practise of this an example farre beyond all exception an example that ouershadoweth and dazeleth k Heb. 12 1 2. and darkneth all that cloud of witnesses produced by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes he became surety for his Church vnto his father to pay the debt of our sinnes and to satisfie his iustice If then any doubt or make a question of the former examples wherein we saw how Ruben offered himselfe to become as a pledge to his father Iudah to Ioseph Iason to the Gouernour and the Samaritan to his Hoast behold a most absolute and perfect example of Christ Iesus who bound himselfe for vs his body for our bodies and his soule for our soules that our sinfull bodies might be made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious bloud For the Prophet prophesieth l Isay 53 10. that he should make his soule an offering for sinne And Christ himselfe saith m Mat. 26 38. Iohn 12 27. My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death c. Thus did his loue exceed and abound toward vs that our loue might exceed and abound one toward another To this purpose the Apostle sheweth n Heb. 7 22. that Iesus is made a surety of a better Testament He stood in our places he tooke vpon him our sinnes he bare in his body the punishments due to vs he felt the wrath of God kindled against vs. Reason 2. Secondly it is a fruit of loue euen this way to releeue and helpe such as are like to suffer damage and detriment by want of outward thinges Now humane society and Christian piety requireth that one should sustaine and succour another in their necessity as we see in the former examples of Reuben Iudah Iason and the Samaritan before mentioned and remembred The life of man can hardly stand without lending and borrowing without letting and hiring without buying and selling without bargaining and trusting one of another It is a worke of mercy o Leuit. 19 18 to become surety and therefore as lawfull no doubt as to giue or lend The law of God commandeth vs to helpe our Neighboures as we are able and as they haue neede and they are to be releeued by such meanes as are in our power by giuing by forgiuing by communicating to them such things as we haue and they haue not For if we loue them and haue true Charity in vs we must not be wanting to them but be ready to profit them and do them good so farre as wee do not hurt our selues It is no vnwise sentence of a wise man p Eccle. 29 18 The wicked will not become surety and he that is of an vnthankfull mind forsaketh him that deliuered him declaring thereby that as he is a foole that is surety for euery man so is he vngodly that in no wise will be surety for any man Wee are commanded to q Exod. 23 5. helpe vp our enemies Oxe that is fallen or his Asse that is sunke downe vnder his burden how much more ought we to shew pitty and compassion to our brother himselfe vexed with the creditor terrified with the prison oppressed with his debt and dismaid and discouraged with the paiment at hand that is to be made So then whether we do consider that Christ Iesus is made our surety or that suretiship is a fruit of Christian loue one toward another in both respects we see that in it selfe it is not to be disalowed or condemned Vse 1. The vses of this Doctrine are diligently to be considered of vs. And first of all if it be lawfull and warranted to become surety one for another as we haue before plainely prooued it conuinceth and confuteth those that hold it to be euill and vnlawfull to giue their word or offer their band or tender their promise or engage themselues any way for their brethren Loue is a debt that we owe to all men r Rom. 13 8. as the Apostle testifieth Rom. 13. 8. and therefore we ought not to faile in the perfourmance thereof It is imagined and supposed by some that all or the greatest part of the controuersies betweene man and man and suites of Law betweene party and party arise from hence that things are taken vp vpon trust that there is borrowing and lending among vs and that there is crediting one of another and so would haue these quite taken away and the Names of them vtterlie abolished out of all Incorporations and Common-wealths It is reported that among the Turkes are few suites and actions commenced one against another because there is with them no bargaine or sale no buying or selling but for ready Money and for present pay But this is a plaine fallation to put that for a cause which indeede is not the cause For the corrupt conscience of men the couetous desire of Money the greedy gaping after gaine the malicious humour of reuenge the bitter roote of strife and the extreame want of loue are the true causes of
Companions most vnwilling and most vnable to keepe touch with their Creditors then such as are sober-minded and honest liuers painfull in their callings and carefull to bring vppe their families as they ought to do These are they that as they are loose in life so they are lauish of their word and prodigal of their tongue for their consorts If there be any Malefactors guilty of any heynous horrible crime they are ready to offer their word or band to baile them and deliuer them from prison and account it a tricke and token of good fellowship to stand for them and to keepe them from their deserued punishment And therefore they are oftentimes rewarded according to their works and left in the danger which they haue brought vpon thēselues These are they that wil complain against the vnfaithfulnesse of others whereas rather they might shold accuse their owne rashnesse and foolishnesse that ioyned with them in their impietie and brought vpon themselues great misery 3. Moreouer as we must know them in the face and in the faith so we must hearken after their sufficiency We must not vndertake much for them that are not able to discharge a little It is notably saide of Salomon n Prou. 13 7. There is that maketh himselfe rich hauing nothing and that maketh himselfe poore hauing great riches that is a man cannot rightly iudge of the estate of euerie one by their course of life and outward carriage many being poore and in debt being Bankrouts and broken fellowes make shew of great wealth by putting on braue apparrel by delighting in costly fare by setting vp sumptuous buildinges by frequenting chargeable company and by keeping a great port this is exceeding vanity and endeth in beggery Others on the other side faigne themselues needy and complain of pouerty they go barely and fare hardly as if they were nothing worth who notwithstanding are of great wealth and substance This is extreame parsimony and endeth in misery Seeing therefore it is so ordinary and common for men to dissemble their estates by making it seeme better then it is we must be wise-hearted not to thinke all Gold that glistereth The world is full of those that lift vp themselues in pride aboue that they are indeede and make shew of that which is not in them in truth and thereby endanger those that looke no neerer and try no further then the outward pompe and appearance These are like those running streames that promise continuance and yet incontinently are dried vp and deceiue such as trusted in them or like those liuing creatures that stouer with their winges and feathers or raise vp their backes and bristles whereby they seeme much greater then Nature hath made them Or like to Quagmyres that apeare faire without but if you com neere them you stand in danger to be plunged in them and to perish by them Thus we see what is to be considered of vs in making our selues sureties for others Namely that in regard of their persons we must know them thoroughly wee must haue experience of their honesty and we must learne what is their sufficiency But if they be strangers vtterly vnknowne vnto vs if they be Varlets void of Conscience and fidelity if they be boasting and bragging mates without substance and ability let vs take heede we do not strike hand for them nor bee deceiued by them nor offer our selues as pledges or sureties for them which is seldome done without hurt neuer without danger Secondly touching our owne persons p In our owne persons before we become sureties we are to consider two thinges the quantity and their ability before wee are to enter into band or suretyship for others wee must marke and meditate vppon two things First what is the summe for which we shall be obliged Secondly the meanes how we may be discharged It standeth vs greatly vpon to bethinke our selues both what is the quantity and what is our ability to answer it It is a morrall precept and wise saying worthy to be written in our harts q Eccles. 8 13. Be not surety aboue thy power for if thou be surety thinke to pay it So then there is more required of vs then to looke to the persons of others who they are and what they are It is a vaine thing to be wise abroad and foolish at home to be sharpe-sighted in prying into the estates of others and neuer to enter into the consideration of our owne For whatsoeuer the persons bee and whatsoeuer their earnestnesse be draw not a Bow aboue thy strength Albeit they bee not enemies vnto vs but friends not straungers but well knowne not hatefull persons but most deare vnto thee not loose Companions but honest and godly minded yet be well aduised what thou do and looke before thou leape If it be for thy assured friend that is as thy soule if it were for thy Brother the Sonne of thy Mother if it were for thy Kinsman that is of thine own blood if it were for thine own sonne that is thine owne flesh yet engage not thy selfe so farre promise not so much bind not thy selfe in so great a summe as may impaire thy estate hurt thy family hinder thy trade diminish thy stocke and vndo thy posterity if the debt should be required of thee and the stone be rolled vpon thee For whosoeuer giueth his word and promise for another bindeth himselfe to pay and to discharge that debt wherein the principall party faileth and the Creditor oftentimes relyeth more vpon the sufficiency of the assurer then vpon the honesty of the borrower We are in kindnesse and curtesie so to pleasure another as that no man is bound to vndo or to hinder himselfe Let euery man therefore well waigh his owne strength It were foolish pitty for the sauing of another mans life to loose our owne It were amercilesse kinde of mercy to leape into the water and drowne our selues while we seeke to deliuer another We are bound to haue r Iude vers 23 compassion of some pulling them out of the fire when we see them in danger to be burned but it were more then childish to runne into the fire and so burne our selues We are ſ Gal. 6 2. commanded to bear the burthen one of another but it were more then soolish pitty to breake our owne shoulders by sustaining the waight and bearing the burthen of another man Againe as wee are to marke our owne strength so we are to consider our owne discharge how we may be secured and set at liberty For before we passe our word or giue our band hand for the payment of other mens debtes and duties we must know how wee shall bee assured to be deliuered from that burthen and bondage that wee haue vndertaken We ought indeede to beare good will to all men but our good will should not be a looser It is no Charitie to receiue a blowe vpon our owne heads to keepe the stocke
be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question We must build vpon his promises as vpon a stable and steadfast foundation that shall neuer be remooued Heauen and earth shall passe away x Math. 5 18. But his word shall not passe away We haue the word and Oath of God y Hebr. 6 18. as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is vnpossible that he should lie or we be deceiued We haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. We haue the earnest penny as a certaine pawne left vnto vs z Rom. 8 16. And the spirit of adoption testifying with our Spirits that we are the Sonnes of God Wee haue the grace of Sanctification written in our hearts whereby we are dead to sinne and crucified vnto the world Wherefore seeing we haue so many waies to warrant his gracious goodnesse vnto vs why doe we yet stand in doubt and wherefore are our minds wauering in his mercies a Iames 1 6. As a Waue of the Sea tossed by the violence of the Windes Let vs enter into our owne hearts and consider our owne dealinges toward our Brethren If we finde our selues ready to forgiue and inclined to remit the iniuries done vnto vs and willing to release or at least to forbear the debts that we may worthily challenge of many our poore and needy brethren we may from this compassion toward them gather an vndoubted perswasion as a necessarie conclusion to our selues that his mercie shold be extended in great measure toward vs that he will neuer forget his wonderful compassion knowing that whomsoeuer he loueth vndoubtedly he loueth vnto the end He is neuer wearie of well-doing his gifts are without repentance He is not as man that he should lye nor as the Sonne of Man that he should change b Iames 1 17. With whom is no variablenesse nor shaddow of turning We are variable and vnconstant but hee is alwaies the same and will make good the words that are gone out of his owne mouth Let mee obtaine this pleasure in the Lorde c. The Apostle in these wordes doth testifie that these things which he requested of Philemon were in the Lord that is agreeable to the will of God He doth not craue them to please himselfe or to pleasure Onesimus onely but he asketh them because he knoweth that the obtaining of the same will be acceptable to God Here then he sheweth what ought to be the end that we propound to our selues in making suites and requests to others we must consider not so much what may content vs as what God commaundeth and alloweth Doctrine 2. Whatsoeuer we desire prouoke and perswade others to do must be in the Lord. From hence we learne that whatsoeuer we doe mooue desire prouoke and perswade others to doe must be in the Lord that is warrantable and conscionable standing with the will of God and a good conscience This is it which the Apostle handleth Phil. 4. Whatsoeuer thinges are true b Phil. 4 8 18. whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer things are worthy loue whatsoeuer thinges are of good report if there be any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on these thinges And afterward in the same Chapter commending them for a worke of mercy he sheweth That it was an odour that smelleth sweete a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God Likewise Ester 4. 14. When Mordecai would perswade Ester c Ester 4 14. to aduenture her credit and life in the behalfe of the Church which was sold to the mercy of the Sword and to the tyranny of the Enemies hee sheweth the equity and lawfulnesse of it though it were dangerous for her and threatned death vnto her Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time As if he should say Thou owest this duty to God and seruice to his Church being aduanced to the Kingdome for this end and purpose and therefore it is well-pleasing in his sight Thus doth Nehemiah exhort the Rich and the Rulers among the peoole to restore the Landes the Vine-yards the Oliues the Houses together with the hundred part of the Siluer and of the Corn and of the Wine and of the Oyle that they exacted of them shewing that in so doing d Nehe. 5 9 11 12. They should walk in the feare of God and redeeme themselues from the reproach of the Heathen Thus the Apostle perswadeth the Thessalonians to sanctification e 1 Thes 4 3 7 Because it is the will and pleasure of God who hath not called vs to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse By all these consents as by most strong Euidences and firme Witnesses it appeareth that we ought to haue the warrant of Gods word and approoued will to allow whatsoeuer we require or prouoke others to doe Reason 1. This will be made very plaine and manifest by sundry reasons First of all true loue will require onely such thinges as are honest Such as proceed further and make their owne will the rule and line to square out other mens actions with all doe want true loue and are not indeede true Frrendes The Apostle describing the Fruites and effects of loue saith f 1 Cor. 13 6. It reioyceth not in Iniquity but reioyceth in the truth It is a good sound note of a right friend to request such thinges onely as are iust and seemely The very Heathen by the light of nature could g Cicer. de amicitia see thus farre and teach how farre we are bound to pleasure and profit our friends Reason 2. Secondly such requests as are lawfull and lawdable doe giue warrant in crauing boldnesse in asking and comfort in obtaining Such requests shall neuer make vs ashamed to mooue them nor cause vs to take the repulse or denyall when we haue mooued them We see this in the example of Mordecai when he craued of Ester to make intercession for her people shee looked more into her owne danger then into the Churches deliuerance and respected more her owne person then their safetie notwithstanding hee h Ester 4 13. knowing his request to be honest and lawfull would not giue ouer but continued his suit though hee were delayed yet he was not daunted though he were denyed yet he was not discouraged but went forward boldlie vntill he receiued a gracious aunswere The like wee see in the Woman of Canaan who came to Christ for her Daughter that i Math. 15 22. Was miserably vexed with a Deuill albeit she receiued a three-fold repulse or a three-fold delay yet such was her Faith that she would take no denyall but did stride ouer all things that might seeme to hinder her and neuer would cease vntill shee had obtained her request Whereby we see that her honest request was granted and she went not away empty Reason
in Gods Mercie by the example of those that were called at the last houre of the day Marke that so soone as the theefe and Laborers were called u Math. 20. 7. by by they repented the reason why they turned from their sinnes no sooner was because grace was no sooner offered vnto them but when God spake they heard his voice when God called they answeared without delay whereas these impenitent persons haue had the meanes oftentimes offered vnto them and yet refuse the calling of the Lord. Thirdly we are to hope the best of our brethren to commend them vnto God to pray for their conuersion There cannot be a greater iniury done vnto them then to passe the sentence of condemnation vpon them and as much as lieth in vs to blot them out of the booke of Life Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 4. x 1 Cor. 4 5. Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall euery man haue praise of God The secrets of God belong vnto him wee are not to search into them but to adore them Knowing that thou wilt doe euen more then I say This is a confirmation of the former conclusion drawne from a comparison of the greater to the lesse in this manner I doubt not but thou wilt receiue him because thou art ready to perfourme more then I require at thy handes which is amplified and enlarged by an humane testimony I know it well enough Heere then wee may see the good opinion that Paule had conceiued of Philemon that he was willing not onely to graunt whatsoeuer he craued of him but to yeeld more then he required Doctrine 5. The Faithfull being moued to Christian duties haue yeelded more then hath bin required of them The Doctrine arising from hence is this that righteous men being mooued to Honest Charitable Iust and necessary duties will yeeld more then men can well request and require them to doe The people of God haue from time to time shewed themselues ready not onely to do what they haue beene commanded but to practise more then hath beene charged vpon them This we see in the Children of Israell when they were required to bring their Offerings y Exod. 35 5 36 5 6. to the Lord with a willing heart they brought too much more then enough for the vse of the worke and the building of the Tabernacle They were not slacke and backward in furthering the seruice of the Sanctuary but zealous and forward in promoting the glory of God and the place of his worship so that they prepared and presented more then was looked for at their handes When Dauid saw that the plague was stayed and the hand of God remooued from him and his people he was willed to go vp and reare an Altar vnto the Lord in the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite where the Angell stood being commanded to stay his hand which he desired to buy with his money but Araunah said vnto Dauid z 2 Sam. 24 21 22. Let my Lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes Behold the Oxen for the burnt Offering and Chariots and the Oxen for Wood all these thinges as a King he gaue vnto the King True it is Dauid would not accept of this kindnesse nor offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord his God of that which cost him nothing so that he boght the threshing floore the Oxen of him at a price notwithstanding it sheweth the readinesse willingnesse and forwardnesse of this good man to doo more then was required at his hands And as we saw the free-heartednesse of the people at the building of the Tabernacle so we may see the same in preparing for the building of the Temple for when Dauid prouoked thē by word and example to offer freely and said a 1 Chro. 29 20 21. Who is willing to fill his hand to day vnto the Lord The Princes of the families and the Princes of the Tribes of Israell and the Captaines of thousands and of hundreths with the Rulers of the Kings worke offered willingly and they gaue for the seruice of the house of God fiue thousand Talents of Gold c. and they with whom precious stones were found gaue them to the Treasure of the house of the Lord c. So that among them they brought more to the helping forward of the building of the Temple then Dauid looked for The like we see in the practise of the Churches of Macedonia who prouided for the Saints of Ierusalem not onely as they were able but beyonde that which they were able for though themselues were brought to great misery and extreame pouerty yet they fainted not but became so forward that he saith of them b 2 Cor. 8 3 4. I beare them record that to their power yea and beyond their power they were willing and they prayed vs with great instance that we would receiue the grace and fellowspip of the Ministring which is towardes the Saints The Apostle craueth of them a little and they performe much hee beseecheth them to do according to their power and they bring vnto him beyond their power By all these examples as by a Iury of many witnesses it appeareth that the faithfull will not hang backe but be ready to performe and practise more then is required of them they will not do lesse but more then is looked for at their hands Reason 1. Though this truth be plaine in it selfe yet it will bee made much plainer by reasons First of all the obedience of the faithfull will super-abound because they set before them the example of God and delight to come neere vnto him They haue experience of his bountifull dealing toward them he is ready to graunt not onely what they aske but more then they aske They finde him not onely willing to heare them when they pray c Psal 21 3. But forwarde to preuent them with his blessings before they pray When Salomon desired a wise heart to go in and out before his people he gaue him Wisedome Riches Honour Seeing therefore the godly do feele this vnspeakable liberality of God toward them that he heareth before we call and granteth before wee aske and answereth before we request wee ought to resemble our heauenly Father and to put on his Image that we may shew our selues like vnto him in yeelding more at the suite of our brethren then can be required of vs. Reason 2 Secondly the Children of God haue a free and willing minde and seeke to walke before him with a perfect heart And what will not a willing heart do Will it not striue to attaine to perfection When Moses setteth downe the forwardnesse of the people in offering to the Lord for the worke of the Tabernacle of the Congregation he maketh this to be the cause d
when once he was in Hell to cry vnto Abraham to haue mercie on him and to Send Lazarus that he might dip the tip of his Finger in Water and coole his Tongue tormented in that flame but in his life time hee had shewed no mercie hee had denied the Crummes that fell from his Table and therefore now no mercie is shewed to him all comfort is denied vnto him Thus shall it bee with all that are enemies to the distressed Saintes that are constrained to wander without any certaine dwelling as poore straungers from place to place to saue their liues with losse of their Liuings God shall measure out to them as they haue measured to others then shal they condemne their folly that is past and repent of their Crueltie when it is too late For I hope through your Prayers I shall be bestowed vpon you Heere the Reason is rendred wherefore the Apostle requireth Philemon to prepare to entertaine him comming as a Stranger vnto him because hee was in hope that their prayers should preuaile with God for his deliueraunce out of prison It was the duty of the Church to make prayer and supplication to God incessantly for him to see if he would be intreated to release him out of prison and to deliuer him from the mouth of the Lyon Touching the effect of them the Apostle declareth that they were not powred out in vaine but it should vndoubtedly come to passe that God being stirred vp by the prayers and desires of the faithfull would graciously heare them speedily procure his safety and freedome Doctrine 2. The prayers of the faithfull are auaileable for themselues others both to obtaine blessings and to remooue iudgements From hence wee learne that the prayers of the faithfull made to God are very auayleable and effectuall The supplications of the Godly that come from a faithfull heart and proceed from lips vnfaigned are not ydle and vnfruitfull but of great power and force with God as well to obtaine the blessings which they want as to remooue such plagues and iudgements as are heauy vpon them The Testimonies that might be brought to proue this point are infinite The prayers of Abraham a Ge. 20. 18. preuailed to heale Abimelech and his seruants The prayers of Abraham should haue preuailed if ten righteous persons had bin found in Sodome The course of the Sunne and Moone were stayed b Ioshua 10. by the prayer of Ioshua till he was reuenged of his enemies Isaac prayed for c Gen. 25 21. his wife because she was barren vnto the Lord and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebekah his wife conceiued so that she became fruitfull and had two sonnes giuen vnto her of whom came two Nations Eliah by prayer obtained Raine which had bin d 1 Kings 17. Iames 5. with-held from the earth three yeares and sixe moneths So did Hezekiah the continuance of his life for fifteene yeares The Church by prayer e Acts 12. 1 2 obtained the deliuerance of Peter out of prison when as he should haue bin brought foorth to the place of execution and slaine as Iames was This is that which the Apostle Iohn setteth downe Iohn 5 14 15. This is that assurance that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer wee aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him These consents of holy Scripture teach vs that the prayers of the faithful are the means and Instruments appointed of God to obtaine his blessings for vs and to remoue his iudgements farre from vs and others Reason 1. And as the examples are many that might be alledged so the reasons are many that might be produced to settle this truth in our hearts First of all our Prayers do delight the Lord exceedingly he loueth to heare our voyce as the Father doth to heare his Childe True it is the grace of Praier is his owne guift yet he smelleth the sauour of it as sweet Incense he heareth the Harmony of it as pleasant Musicke he accepteth the odour of it as a burnt Offering Heereunto commeth the commendation that Christ giueth to the Church Cant. 2 14. Shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight is câ—mely To this purpose the Prophet saith Ps 141 2. Let my Prayer be directed in thy sight as Incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as the euening Sacrifice All the faithfull are to him as the sweet singers of Israell he taketh pleasure to heare them as we doe to heare the best Consort that is among men Reason 2 Secondly true Prayers are of such strength that they do after a sort force the Lord and constraine him to yeeld himselfe as ouercom and vanquished inasmuch as it pleaseth him by this meanes to be conquered They are as mighty weapons whereby all Christians shew themselues valiant Champions not onely to defeat their enemies but to preuaile with God It is noted that Iacob g Gen. 32 24 wrastled with God in the forme of man and hee could not preuaile against Iacob for as God assailed and assaulted him with the one hand so he vpheld and strengthned him with the other He had power with God as it were to ouercom and to â—arry away the praise of the victory Thus shall it be with all the godly who are true Isralites that are feruent in faithfull prayer none shall be able to stand against them God will yeelde himselfe vnto them as it is said he could not preuaile against Iacob The like we see in Moses Exod. 32 9 10. to whom the Lord said h Ex. 32 9 10. I haue seene this people it is a stiffe-necked people Now therefore let mee alone that my wrath may wax hot against them for I wil consume them but I will make of thee a mightie people As if he should haue said thy prayers bind me hand and foot and after a sort take me prisoner so that I am not at mine own liberty thou ouer-rulest me and ouer-maisterest me by thy prayers Hence it is that the Prophet saith i Psal 106 23 He minded to destroy them had not Moses his seruant stoode in the breach before him to turne away his wrath least he should destroy them And the Apostle rehearsing the Christian mans armour of proofe weapons of defence k Ephes 6 18. nameth the Prayers and supplications of the Saints which are not the least part of that Harnesse Reason 3. Thirdly his promise goeth with our prayers he cannot deny the wordes of his owne mouth nor frustrate that which once he hath spoken It is that which the Prophet mentioneth Psal 50 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Heere we haue a Commaundement to call on God we haue a promise assurance to be
for themselues but for the precious merits of their Sauiour Christ I except not the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother but as once shee reioyced in God her Sauiour so now she triumpheth in Christ her Redeemer and is accepted through the deserts of her sonne To conclude this point let vs remember the saying of the Apostle Iohn k 1 Iohn 2 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Where we see he ioyneth these two together to bee an Aduocate and to make reconciliation and appropriateth them both to the person of Christ If then the Saints be our Aduocates that wee should present our prayers vnto them they to Christ and Christ to God they must also make reconciliation for our sinnes and appease the wrath of God the father which is vnpossible for them to do and blasphemous for vs to affirme It is our duty therefore to repair resort vnto God the father through the merits of his son Iesus Christ The Prophet complaineth l Psal 20 7. That some trust in Chariots some in horses So in time of troble some seeke to Saints Angels m Leuit. 19 31 Esa 8 19. 17 8. 44 17 18 others flye to Witches Idols but we must remember the name of the Lord our God But of this point we haue spoken before more at large Thirdly it reproueth such as see the want of many blessings in themselues and others feel great iudgements and publick calamities vpon themselues others and yet pray not at all to haue the one bestowed and the other remoued These are like to brute beasts that rore cry out for their prey when they want meat but they neuer consider from whence they receiue it and as the swine that eat the Mast in the woods but neuer look vp to the tree from whence it falleth or as the dog that biteth the stone that is cast at him but looks not to the hand that threw it So do these men they can mourne and murmure when they sustaine any losse feele any plague or finde any want but they haue no knowledge to search out the cause or the meanes how Gods blessings should be obtained or his iudgements be preuented Hence it is that the Prophets complaine of this sencelesnesse and want of feeling of Gods mercie and our owne misery as we see in Ezekiell and in other places n Ezek. 22 30. Esay 59 16. 63 5. I sought for a Man among them that should not make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe before the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none It is a vaine thing for a Physician to know the Disease and not to apply the Remedie so likewise is it a great folly for vs to knowe our owne wantes and yet to want Wisedome to take a right course to redresse the same What deadnesse of heart hath entred into vs that we haue forgotten the commandements of God and cannot remember the examples of his seruantes that haue obtained great things at his hands and cannot be encouraged by his manifolde and mercifull promises that he hath made vnto vs Let vs then bee prouoked to this dutie and not be wanting vnto our selues but respect our owne good and benefit in seeking vnto the Lord daily in calling vpon him earely and late The seruants of Naaman reproue him in that being commanded an easie and ready way to be cured and clensed of his Leprosie yet hee hung backe and would not vse the remedy o 2 King 5 13. If the Prophet say they to their Maister hadde commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not haue done it How much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane So may it be said to vs to shake off our drowsinesse and to worke forwardnesse in vs to practise this duty If the Lord in our present wants should require at our hands any hard and difficult thing ought wee not to obey him and to performe his Commandement How much more then when hee respecteth our weakenesse and saith onely Aske and you shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you We shall not need now to say in our owne hearts Who shall ascend into Heauen or descend into the deepe to bring his blessings vnto vs from thence The remedie is at hand the meanes are neere euen in our mouth and in our heart this is the prayer of faith which auaileth much if it be feruent It teacheth vs the way to the Lords treasures to put our hand into his Cofers to take such benefits as we want and to put vp the arrowes of his wrath into his quiuer which he hath drawn against vs to shoot at vs. Vse 3. Thirdly from hence ariseth great comfort to all the faithfull that call vpon the name of God For are the prayers of good men auayleable for our good Do they procure blessinges and stay iudgements Then haue wee great cause to reioyce and matter of great ioy offered vnto vs in the diligent practise of this duty We are assured that the Lord will not defraud deceiue vs but giue vs those things that we desire and he knoweth what we want Is our Faith weake He will strengthen vs. Are we ignorant He wil enstruct vs. Doe we want the Graces of his spirit He will supply them Is our Loue cold He will quicken it Is our Repentance vnperfect Hee will perfect it On the other side are his Iudgements among vs He will remooue them Are we in distresse He will haue mercie vppon vs. Doe our sinnes trouble vs He will discharge vs. Are we in sicknesse He wil restore vs. p Iames 5 13 14. Are we in any misery He will deliuer vs. If the consideration of this gracious dealing of God and the performance of his precious promises doe not put life into our dead hearts and assure comfort to our feeble spirits and raise vs vp when we are cast downe what weapon can be of sufficient force to pierce our hearts and to driue vs to the Conscionable practise of this duty If we had not a blessed experience of Gods goodnesse towards vs wee should haue the lesse sinne to doubt thereof But seeing there is no faithfull Man or Woman who hath not found the Lord readie to heare him in time of his need and that we are compassed about with so great a Cloude of witnesses let vs comfort our selues and one another in these things and bee stirred vp to call vpon his name Vse 4 Lastly are the Prayers of the faithfull profitable to all things and auaileable to make vs partakers of Gods blessinges and to stoppe the course of his Iudgements Then we must remember that it is our dutie to praise his name when hee hath heard our prayers and graunted our requestes either for our selues or our brethren It is
as seeke to be iustified by the Law are fallen from Grace Therefore the Apostle Paule saith Rom. 11. There is a remnant according to the election of Grace e Rom. 11 5 6 and 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 This serueth to confute the Romish Doctrin giueth vs iust cause to come out from among them and to make a separation from them as being no true Church of God For in asmuch as they take away the foundation and cheefe pillers whereupon the house of God standeth they pull it downe and bring it to ruine We see how they exclude Grace and bring in Merrit They establish a two-fold kind of Merit and both of them as they vnderstand them plants of their owne setting but meere Strangers in the Garden of the Scriptures and therefore shall fall according to the Doctrine of Christ who saith f Math. 15 13 Euery Plant which mine heauenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted vp One sort is the g A two-folde merrit taught in the Church of Rome merrit of the person the other is the merrit of the worke The merrit of the person they make to be a dignity in the person wheredy hee is esteemed worthy of eternall life and this they say is found in Infants dying after Baptisme who though they want the merit of good workes yet they want not the merrit of their persons by which they receiue the Kingdome of heauen The merrit of the worke is a Dignity or excellency in the worke in it selfe whereby it is fitted and inabled to deserue life euerlasting Hence it is that they teach that the worke and the deed are meritorious two waies first by Couenant because God hath made a promise of reward vnto them Secondly by their owne Dignity because Christ hath merited that our workes should merrit A strange opinion and a strange language and manner of speaking neuer heard of in the Booke of God As for vs wee renounce all personall merrits that is all merrits within the person of any meere man also all merrits of workes done by any meere man whatsoeuer The true merrit whereby we looke for the fauour of God and life euerlasting is to be found in the person and workes of Christ alone who is the treasurie and store-house of all our merrits Obiection But heere some man might obiect and say The promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and worke therefore our workes doe merrit for merrit and reward be Relatiues Answere I answere there is a double reward one of Merrit the other of Mercy Euery good worke be it neuer so little done in Faith done to the glory of God done in that manner that he commaundeth shall bee rewarded but the reward is not giuen for the worthinesse of the worke but through the liberality of him that hath promised Hence it is that eternall life is called an Inheritance The obedient Childe hath promise from his Father to be his Heire and to inherit his Lands Goods and Possessions after his decease yet not for his obedience sake but because his Father loueth him and in kindnesse and compassion preferreth him before others Let it suffice vs to haue the Kingdome of Heauen as a free inheritance and not dreame as Hirelings that we shall haue it as an hire and Wages of our worke for then we shall be deceiued of our hope and expectation It is a vaine confidence to set vp such an high price of our workes as thereby to make them able to buy Heauen These men do know neither the weakenesse of their owne strength nor the vnworthinesse of their owne workes nor the wretchednesse of their owne persons nor the excellency of Gods Graces nor the praise of his glory whereof he is iealous which hee will not giue to any other They are like to Simon Magus h Actes 8 18. who offered to buy the guifts of God for his Money as a purchase or like to the i Math. 6 7. Heathen that looke to be heard for their much babling sake or like to Seruants that doe all for their hire So these Merit-mongers will haue no Heauen except they may haue it as their hire and as a penny-worth for their penny they will not be indebted vnto God nor beholding vnto him for it As for vs we value not our good workes at so high a rate we know their imperfections we craue eternall life as a Sons portion and an inheritance freely promised vnto vs and freely bestowed vpon vs. Indeede it is the will and pleasure of God that wee should labour and bring forth good workes to expresse our thankfulnesse to him that hath adopted vs for his Children and after our labour receiue the inheritance yet we cannot deserue it by our obedience and we haue a better claime vnto it by being Sonnes then working as Seruants We confesse that the reward shall be giuen of bounty not of necessity by guift not by debt by promise not by desert by Gods acceptation not through our perfection As for the Papists that glory in their owne workes let them take heede they do not deceiue themselues and whilst they rob God of his honour let them beware they doe not robbe themselues and depriue themselues of the honour promised to the Saintes and whilst they challenge and lay claime to euerlasting life as to the Wages of Seruants let them in time looke to themselues least they be denyed the Inheritance that belongeth vnto Sonnes Vse 3. Lastly seeing all Gods guifts come from him to vs of Grace and Mercy It is our dutie aboue all things to desire Mercy and to craue the free guiftes of God The Children of God whensoeuer they presented themselues into his presence they haue stripped themselues of all thinges they haue renounced all priuiledges of the flesh they haue acknowledged their owne vnworthinesse and haue craued nothing but his fauour and to bee satisfied with his Image This we see in the Prophet Dauid Psal 6. k Psal 6 3. 6. 63 3 4 5. My Soule is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Returne ô Lorde deliuer my Soule saue me for thy mercies sake He desireth nothing but of Mercy hee pleadeth nothing but fauour hee standeth not vppon his owne righteousnesse he willeth not God to respect him according to his owne worthynesse Againe Psal 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better then life therefore my lippes shall praise thee thus will I magnifie thee all my life and lift vp mine hands in thine Name my Soule shall be satisfied as with Marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall praise thee with ioyfull lippes Where hee preferreth the goodnesse of God before all things in Heauen and Earth whiles he aduanceth it aboue life signifying thereby that his life could not bee pleasant vnto him and that he would
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