rather offend priuate men then the Magistrate and thy Minister And take heed alwaies lest thy actions betaken for an example to the ignorant Labour soundly to vnderstand the Doctrine of Christian liberty in things indifferent it is most necessary to be known for diuers weighty reasons First for the peace of our consciences If a man begin to make question and to doubt of his meate Vse 2 of his apparrell of his sleepe Consule Calu. de tota hac doctrina Libertatis Christianae Jnstit l. 3. ca. 19. sect 7. ad finem capitis recreations it comes to passe many times that such a one will bee afraid super transuersam festucam incedere to step ouer two strawes lying a crosse as Master Caluine speakes Therefore that our consciences wander not in such labyrinths it is profitable to know that God hath not taken from vs the vse of outward things but giuen vs great liberty therein euen as hee gaue Adam liberty to eate of all the trees in the Garden that which was expressely forbidden onely excepted Secondly lest wee iniury the creatures accounting them nay making them to be vncleane vnto vs through ignorance which are cleane in themselues Thirdly that wee may bee able cheerefully to giue thankes for the creatures whereby wee are maintained But hee which doubteth whether God giues him leaue and liberty to vse them cannot seriously giue him thankes for them To auoide superstition of which there is no end nor measure if wee bee ignorant of our Christian liberty for then wee put conscience and Religion in things which of themselues are indifferent and free to bee vsed or forborne It is lawfull for the Ciuill Magistrate in the common-wealth Vse 3 also for the Church in the administration of holy things to determine the vse of things indifferent For if I be bound to one part for the good of a priuate man much more may Authority in such things binde mee for a common good of all Now for the satisfying and pacifying of doubtfull minds concerning their submission to the constitutions and ordinances of our Church I will briefly shew in what the Church hath authority to command and in what it hath not Cal. inst l. 4. ca. 10. praecipue sect 27. et seq Hieron Zanch. tom 8. loc 13. de libertate Christiana et 14. de Scand et 16. de Traditionibus humanis and this for the most part in Master Caluines words the rather because I finde that Master Zanchy in the setting downe of the doctrine of Christian liberty and of the power of the Church in the constituting of the external policy and Eutaxy thereof hath transcribed Caluine The actions of Diuine worship are twofold Essentiall and Ordinate The Essentiall are such as differ not from the worship it selfe as Piety and Sanctity of minde The Ordinate are such as are appointed as helps and instruments for the more commodious performing and outward declaring of such worship as Prayer Preaching Administration of the Sacraments c. In these are to bee considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such things be performed and the outward order or manner of their performance The first sort of action it is onely in the power of God to institute whose will is the perfect rule of good life and who onely is able to infuse into the heart true piety and sanctimony And of this kinde whatsoeuer are not commanded in the word are thereby forbidden neither hath the Church here any power to adde to detract or to change Of the second sort Prayer Preaching c. in regard of the things themselues are necessary and instituted of God neither can the Church abrogate them or appoint other things in their roome But as concerning the manner of performing these as time place gesture c. God hath so farre permitted them to the Arbitrement and Authority of the Church as may stand and agree with the condition comelinesse and edification of that particular Church So that in these the Church hath power to abrogate alter or institute such rites and courses as the Pilot hoyseth striketh or turneth his sayles that the common course of edification may bee the better holden and maintained That the Church hath this authority is proued by two arguments The first from the Word of God 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Decently that is set forth with such dignity and honour which may be sutable to the reuerence of the holy administration that the faithfull may be admonished with what veneration such sacred things are to be handled so we pray bare-headed and vpon our knees wee administer and receiue the communion yea we bury the dead with a venerable comelinesse c. In order to this are to be referred the times of assembling the place the vniformity of gesture the silence and quietnesse c that all tumults and barbarous confusion and dissension may be auoyded Also 1 Cor. 11.24 And the rest will I set in order when I come He by writing set some things in order some other things he let a lone Calu. in locum Epl. ad Corinth till he might come and see that which was done because as M. Caluine saith Certiùs ex presenti aspectu cognoscitur quid expediat It is more certainly knowne what is expedient by presence and sight The second argument is taken from the continued practice of the Church from Christs time hetherto disanulling and ordaining such things as best serued for the present times and state of the Church The Apostolicall Church enioyned abstinence from meats offered to Idols Act. 15.29 from strangled and from blood which now from a long time is abrogated In the time next after the Apostles they vsed from Easter to Whitsontide to pray standing this is out of vse now After the time of Constantine in the publique seruice the Apostles Creed was rehearsed with a low voice the Nicene with a loud voice the first because it was set forth in the time of persecution the second because it was made in the time of peace as saith Aquinas Aqui. 2.2 q. 1. art 9. ad 6. This and the like haue now ceased in the Church But to receiue the Communion in the morning and fasting in Baptisme to vse the signe of the crosse to make abrenuntiation to sit with our faces toward the East not to fast vpon the Sundayes to ioyne the contracted in matrimony publiquely in the Church with the benediction of the Minister and such like the Church by her power hath continued Hence arise two conclusions 1 Traditions Constitutions and Canons are necessary for the Church because otherwise concord decency and order cannot be maintained For in as much as in mens manners there is so much diuersity in their minds variety and contrariety in their opinions and iudgements if a Church should not bee knit and bound together by such Decrees and Lawes as by certaine bands it must of
affaires but not in the holy Seruice I would aske whether when any man hath made him an ordinary garment of some vestment vsed and dedicated to Idolatry it bee not lawfull for him to goe to the Church in such garment and to heare diuine Seruice and if lawfull for him to heare why not for the Minister to say Seruice in such garment Also we finde that Groues were planted and dedicated to Idols and yet Gideon commanded by the Lord to offer sacrifice Iudges 6.26 with the wood of such a Groue The second Rule is Rule 2 that a beleeuer must not alwayes vse and practise his Christian libertie but that he ought sometimes to refraine from it and to moderate it which is the scope and drift of a great part of this Chap. and of the eight chap. and part of the tenth of the first to the Corinthians There are two Moderators of this libertie The one Generall the other Speciall 1 The Generall is charity which directeth when and where it is to be vsed 2 The Speciall is lawfull Authoritie by Sanctions Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall For the Ciuill Magistrate for the common good may abridge our libertie in things indifferent as for instance It is lawfull for a man to vse any trade but for the common good it may bee enacted that no man may vse or set vp a Trade for the which hee hath not serued certaine yeares and also that no man though so seruing shall set vp such Trade in certaine places without a speciall Freedome Also it is lawfull for the Magistrate to forbid the Exportation of Corne Leather c. though it bee as lawfull for Merchants to vse trafficke in those things in regard of the things themselues as in other commodities So to restraine the eating of flesh on certaine dayes both to giue an occasion to the subiects of fasting and prayer and also for the preseruation of the breed of cattell and for the maintaining of Nauigation Also the Church hath power to determine the vse of indifferent rites and ceremonies in Gods publike worship for the maintaining of good Order and Vniformitie as for instance It is in it selfe indifferent to pray standing or kneeling to receiue the Lords Supper sitting or kneeling Now the Church hath authoritie here to determine of that gesture which is most orderly and decent from that of Paul 1. Cor. 14.40 Rom. 13.5 Let all things be done decently and in order and this determination is of conscience to be obeyed Neyther by this doe I giue any power to the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall Magistrate ouer the consciences of men For by their lawes the inward libertie of the conscience is not taken away but the outward vse onely restrained for good order sake Hence may bee deduced two Conclusions concerning the abstaining and the vsing of our libertie 1 When the Magistrate hath determined then wee must abstaine from the vse of our libertie and hold to the Determination whosoeuer be offended because not to obey the Magistrate is a sinne vnto which no man vpon any respect is bound Also wee must abstaine when such abstinence may bee to the glory of God and the edifying of our brother and when the vse of our libertie vnderstand in such things which are left in our power may endanger our weake brother Now he is to be accounted the weake one who is yet ignorant of Christian libertie and yet willing to learne as the Iewes of whom Paul entreateth in this Chapter But how long must I abstaine for the weakes sake Quest till he be perswaded No Answ but till he may conueniently bee taught and then if after such time and paines bestowed for his information hee will not bee satisfied hee is to bee taken for one that is obstinate this is confirmed by the practice of the Apostles who for a time bore with Circumcision Purification Vowes c. namely till the Gospell and the Doctrine of Christian libertie was sufficiently and fully published by them And yet there ought to be a great difference put betweene the weake Iewes and such among vs who will sometime pretend weaknesse because the Iewes had direct command from God for that which they did but ours haue nothing to ground vpon but their owne conceits so that it may be questioned whether among vs after so much teaching any are to be accounted weake To make this plaine by an instance Some man is offended at the fashion or colour of my garments what shall I doe I must discreetly and gently informe him of my libertie rendring him a reason grounded vpon the Word If he will still be offended then it is not weaknesse but peruersenesse and peeuishnesse Such is not a little one Matth. 18.6 which must be regarded for little ones will easily be perswaded If a plaine country-man comming to the Court and seeing the rich apparell of Nobles and their fashions should bee offended should the Princes and Nobles abstaine from such apparell for his offence No but he is rather to bee corrected and taught to keepe himselfe within his bounds An inferiour is no meet censurer or Iudge of the colours fashions cost of the garments of their superiours A husbandman may bee a competent Iudge of that which is fit for a husbandman to weare but not of that which is fit for Nobles The second conclusion Wee may vse our Christian liberty before them which know it before them which know it not our knowledge is sufficient our vse is forbidden And We ought and must vse our liberty before the obstinate as Paul circumcised Timothy because of the Iewes Act. 16.3 becomming a Iew to them that hee might winne them 1 Cor. 9.20 But hee would not be compelled to circumcise Titus Gal. 2.3 Yea he rebukes Peter to his face for yeelding to the Iewes and inueighes in his Epistle to the Galathians against those which vrged Cireumcision For weak ones are not to be nourished in their weaknesse and the wilfull both by words and practice are to be opposed Non minus interest proximorum libertatem in eorum bonum et aedificationem interdum vsurpare quam pro ipsorum commodo eam loco moderari It is as much to our neighbours good sometimes to vse our liberty as to abstaine from the vse of it Calu. inst l. 3. ca. 19. sect 12. saith M. Caluine soundly Hence are diuers vses Pray for wisedome and discretion Vse 1 when and where to vse thy liberty Virtus cum indiscrete tenetur amittitur cum discretè intermittitur plus tenetur Vertue vndiscreetly practised is lost and sometime discreetly intermitted Greg. Mag. moral 28. is the more possessed said Gregory excellently So all the beauty of our liberty is in the discreet vse or not vse of it At the doing of some indifferent thing one will be offended at the not doing of it many rather offend one then many In the like case some priuate men and the Magistrates and Ministers will be offended
auoid horror and shame at that day 164.165 K Kisse of diuers sorts of kisses 330. A holy kisse what ibid. the vse of it in time of old ibid. how abused in Rome ibid. Kingdome the kingdome of God diuersely accepted 192. â—â—ee what the bowing of the knee signifies 156 157. The antiquity and lawfulnesse of the bowing of the knee at the name of Iesus approued 158. the end of this ceremony threefold 159. taken for the worship of God ibid. Knowledge it must goe before perswasion 178. Of their estate that know euill and yet doe it ibid. L Law how fulfilled 42. two false conclusions from this That loue is the fulfilling of the Law 51 Liberty the weake brother lieth open to griefe three waies by the liberty vsed by the strong 180. the vnfolding of Christian liberty 209. Christian liberty what ibid. three parts thereof ibid. two generall rules ib. 210. two moderators of this liberty 210. Wee should labour soundly to vnderstand the doctrine of Christian liberty 214. not vse it alwaies 220. a sharpe reproofe for such as pretending Christian liberty doe notwithstanding abuse the gifts of God to their lusts 220 Life what it is to liue or to dye to the Lord or to a mans selfe 141. that wee must doe both not to our selues but to the Lord. ibid. An admonition that our good be not euill spoken of by our euill liues 190. Three persons for whom we are to venture our liues 320. Hearers owe their liues to their Preachers ibid. Light the best things called light 63. Wee are to examine our estates whether wee are in the light or no 64. The grace of sanctification called light in three respects 67 Loue that loue is a perpetuall debt 38 40. it is the broad seale of our faith 40. Loue what 41. How loue is the fulfilling of the Law 42.52 Gods goodnesse in that hee commands vs nothing but to loue 43. Things done either for feare or shame and not of loue are nothing worth ibid. The Commandements of louing God and our neighbour are both alike in three respects 46. whether a man may loue his neighbour more then himselfe ibid. or more then another 47. Of selfe loue that it is twofold 47. a direction therein ibid. of them that loue themselues onely ibid. diuers louers reproued 48. euill men are to bee loued as sicke men ibid. nothing so vsefull as loue ibid. Done doth not onely doe no hurt but also doth good 49 51. how faith and loue agree in one 53. What loue is more then other vertues ibid. that Christs loue should constraine vs to loue and obey him 243. and to loue one another 254. of the loue that ought to be among beleeuers 316 Lusts That the body is to be serued but not the lusts of the body 97.98 Lusts not â—ulfilled without a great deale of paines 98.99 M Magistrates obedience denied to them by diuers sorts of Schismatickes and Heretickes 4 5. comfort for lawfull Magistrates 9. what reuerence and obedience they ought to haue 10. wee ought to bee thankfull for them 10 11 23 they are for the good of the good 17. they procure the good of their subiects three wayes 18 19 23. two duties of subiects to Magistrates 20. Whether a Magistrate may pardon a malefactor deseruing to dye by the law of God or no aff 22. Clemency and seuerity in a Magistrate when and how necessary 22 23. that euery soule is bound to bee subiect to the Magistrate 25. Sixe excellent rules for the obeying Magistrates 28.29 Tribute to bee giuen Magistrates 34 Man he is two wayes the worke of God 203. how turned into a beast 289 Marke what it signifies in the originall 334 Meaning that good meanings without grounds from the Word will not serue 131 Meate that meate may be a destruction of our brethren three wayes 184 Mind what it is to bee like-mined 249. the members of Christs Church ought to be so 250 Ministers they ought to preach to the capacity of their weake hearers 103. their office not to be contemned 257. without faith he profiteth nothing 258. they must bee diligent 269 286. bold 271. painefull 287 A Minister in the Greeke word what it signifieth 273. they are sacred persons 274 they are Priests ibid. how they may glory 277 278. their liues attractiue 280. how they must please 309. they and the people must pray mutually one for another 310 Miracles of what vse they both were and are 281 282. of popish miracles ibid. they preuaile not to perswade without the Spirit 283 Multitude what like 8 N Narcissus who 327 Necessary that wee must not preferre things vnnecessary before thing necessary 293 Neighbour who is so 45 46. how to loue him and that two wayes 46. whether a man may loue himselfe more then his neighbour ibid. 47. how euill neighbours are to be loued 48 Night how accepted 59 60 61. The time of infidelity is darke night 62 O Obedience Popes how to bee obeyed 8 9 a pretty reason of obedience to them 9. Obedience that it might be acceptable and perfect it must be done in loue 43 Offence what it is 170. three sorts of offenders of their brethren 173 Opinion That different opinions haue alwayes beene in the Church 108. that we ought to warrant our opinions by the Word 131 Ordaine what it implies 7 Order what 7. without it the Church cannot stand 217. wee must not contemne it 218. that we must not put religion either in vsing or forbearing outward order 220 P Peace that the peaceable are acceptable to God 197. that peace must bee preserued 200. three things necessary there unto 201 Peace and edification two maine ends of our actions ibid. Perswasion aduertisements to perswade vso the lawfulnesse of things commanded 28.29 what it is to be fully perswaded 130 Phoebe who she was 312 Please how to bee a man pleaser 198. Ministers must please but with a caueat 309 Poore that we must giue to the poore 298 Powers what and how taken 2. diuers kinds ibid. that God hath a speciall care of higher Powers 14 Prayer we ought to be frequent herein 262. a fault so lightly to esteeme of publike prayers without preaching 263. the excellency and power of publike Prayer 308 we should begin all our lawfull acts therewith 309. against coldnes herein ib. three things mouing vs thereto ibid. Ministers people should pray mutually one for another 310 Prayse that wee ought to praise the graces of God in others 265. the prayses of good men are to be esteemed 266 Preaching that the end of preaching and hearing is to be sacrificed 275. it is the power of God to saluation 281. that euery one ought to bee a furtherance thereto 320 what hearers owe their Preachers 320 Priest that both Ministers and Christians are Priests 274 Princes that their persons are sacred 23. that God hath a speciall care of them 14. that they must be honored though they bee euill 36. wherein ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
exhortation to obedience and at the third verse began particular expressions of the Generall in diuers cases among which obedience to Magistrates is a principall and is handled in this thirteenth Chapter There was great necessitie of preaching this doctrine in Pauls time for many Christians interpreted the Liberty by Christ to haue freed them from subiection to Gouernment by reason whereof diuers cruell persecutions were raised and Christianity had gotten a very ill report it being put into the eares of Emperours and Princes that Christianity allowed not of Magistracie For some such reason in effect it is necessary that in these times also this Doctrine of obedience to Magistrates should be taught and the people throughly catechised and punctually instructed therein which point is so fully handled here and with so many reasons confirmed as in no place the like for the which this Chapter is called Paul Politickes though other things also be handled therein For it hath three parts The first sheweth our duty to Magistrates which is Subiection The second our dutie to all men which is Loue The third our duty toward our selues which is Temperance The duty to Magistrates is declared in the first 7. verses VERSE 1. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher Powers IN the latter end of the twelfth Chapter hee spake against Reuenge now lest any inferâ—e therefore not lawfull to vse the Magistrate in cases of wrong Saint Paul seasonably adioynes a commandement to be subiect to Magistrates and so not publique but priuate Reuenge to be vnlawfull This first part containeth two things first a Precept secondly Reasons of obedience thereunto The Precept peremptorily set downe in these words hath the Thing Subiection and the Persons which are two yeelding subiection Euery soule and to whom it is to bee yeelded which are set downe Powers and distinguished Higher Powers To begin with the Exposition of the last words first Powers Not Angels though the Greeke word a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be so construed elsewhere but Magistrates nor Ecclesiasticall Magistrates properly but ciuill Magistrates whose is the Sword and to whom Tribute is due Ciuill Magistracie is an Ordinance of God for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well 1. Pet. 2.14 He saith not To Emperours Kings c. but Powers naming the Thing not the Persons because though the Officer may be wicked and in regard of his person be vnworthy of respect yet the Office is to be honored and respected and the Power alwayes to be obeyed Powers in the plurall For there are diuers kinds A Monarchie an Aristocratie a Demoeratie when one alone when some of the best when the people or most part rule all things vnder which of these soeuer wee liue wee must bee subiect thereunto Higher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in authoritie as it is translated 1. Tim. 2.2 that is high or excellent Authority For there are Powers from God which are more meane and not so general and publike as of Fathers Masters c. which are not meant in this place And not onely to the Supreame Magistrate but vnto all Gouernours sent and appointed by him as Saint Peter expounds b 1. Pet. 2.13.14 Be subiect The word signifies an orderly subiection and implies the reuerence of the heart respectfull language and gesture obedience without resisting c. A Subiection willing and in due manner Euery soule Soule for the whole Man by a Synechdoche he being so called from his most noble part The Magistrate hath most power ouer the bodies of their Subiects but Soule is named eyther by an Hebraisme or to shew the manner of the obedience required that it must be ex animo euen from the very soule Euery soule No exemption of any who enioy the benefit of the lawes in the Common-wealth of which they are members vpon any pretence whatsoeuer in regard of Ecclesiasticall calling or otherwise All which liue vnder any ciuill Gouernment Doctr. must vnto the Gouernours yeeld obedience and subiection Matth. 22.21 Render vnto Caesar the things which are Caesars Titus 3.1 Put them in minde to be subiect to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.13 14. This obedience is to be limited in things lawfull Obser and not contrary to the word of God The Magistrates in the Apostles time were enemies and Persecutors and yet hee requires subiection to them Vse 1 and Titus is charged to put the people in continuall remembrance of it much more are wee to preach obedience to the godly and religious Magistrates Must Nero be obeyed and ought not much more King Iames a Defender of the Faith a Nursing Father of the Church The Gospell doth in some sort meddle with obedience to the Ciuill Magistrate Vse 2 I say in some sort as that it is lawfull to be a Magistrate and that he may and ought to be obeyed For we must haue the testimony of the Word of the lawfulnesse of these things But to set downe lawes of ciuill businesse of Contracts of Successions of Conueyance of Lands of Pleas of Punishments of Warre c. in the Common-wealth or of the times of meeting for the seruice of God or of reading of the Scriptures or of Garments or Gestures to be vsed in the Administration of holy things c. in the Church it belongs not to the Gospell in particular to enact but these things are to bee directed by reason being not contrarie to the Word The calling of the Physitian or Carpenter is lawfull by the Gospell and it requireth of them that they should deale conscionably but what drugges or what course of prescribing the one should vse in euery disease or what plot or tooles the other should vse in building the Gospell determines not but these are left to the iudgement of right reason So for particulars in Church or Common-wealth Moses had the execution of all gouernment both Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall among the Israelites and performed it in his owne person Iethro his father in law seeing it tells him that the thing which hee did was not good c Exod. 18.17 and aduiseth him to a course much more conuenient In giuing sentence and iust determining of Suites Moses saw more then Iethro but in the orderly and more easie proceeding therein both for Moses and the people Iethro saw more then Moses by reason and experience Hee which readeth the Gospell as a booke of State Policie or a booke of Statutes abuseth it For the principall scope of the Gospell is to reueale the will of God concerning Remission of sinnes by faith in Christ and in the Generall to exhort to a righteous conuersation The Brownists therefore and others are greatly to bee blamed who absurdly deny and contemne all Canons and Constitutions concerning order which are not in so many words set downe and commanded in the Gospell but of this more in the next Chapter Here are to be reproued the
alwayes fallowing his land with the plough it will runne out with weeds so will our hearts with noysome lusts through want of the daily practice of good duties We must walke that is goe forward in godlinesse Vse 2 that we may euery day be nearer heauen then other as he that walketh commeth nearer and nearer to his iourneyes end A Nurse delighteth to see her babe battle and thriue and it is a shame for a scholler to bee alwayes in the lowest forme Go on therefore and be euery day better then thy selfe Not to goe forward is to goe backward Philip. 3.13.14 I forget that which is behind saith Paul and reach forth vnto that which is before and I prease toward the marke We are not yet at our iourneyes end wee must walke on and there are many impediments Et ibi incidimus in deficiendi periculum vbi proficiendi deposuerimus appetitum There wee beginne to grow worse Leo Mag. ser 2. de Quadrag where wee striue not and desire to grow better said Leo. Our walking to heauen is like the forcing of a Boate against the streame or a Chariot vp a hill if the oares and horses stand still they go backe as fast as they went forward As in walking Vse 3 there are many paces so in our life many passages we must carry our selues decently in all Let thy speech gesture eating drinking sleeping clothing recreations c. be honest and such as becommeth a Christian Be sober toward thy selfe iust toward thy neighbour religious and deuout toward God ioyne them all together which many doe not Saint Paul vseth this word when he giueth warning of our behauiour in the Church Let all things be done decently 1. Cor. 14.40 When thou commest to Church let thy behauiour be venerable It is not a prophane Theater but Gods house Vncouer thy head bow thy knee pray heare sing with the rest of the congregation when they pray reade not thou when they kneele sit not thou vniformity and order is most honest and comely in the Lords house otherwise there is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Walke honestly at Church at market at thine owne house Haue such care of thy liuing Vse 4 as thou hast of thy putting on apparell No man in his right wits will appeare abroad and in publike either disguised or naked Nature teacheth vs to couer our vncomely parts 1. Cor. 12.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and grace should teach vs that drunkennesse whoredome c. agree not with the honestie and comelinesse of Christians A vertuous conuersation doth a man a great deale of honestie and credit Vse 5 as a comely garment Age it selfe without Vertue is not honorable Prou. 16.31 Follow vertue Sinne disgraceth vs Rom. 1.26 Rom. 1.24 lusts are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vile dishonorable affections which doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dishonor bodies Hate vice VERSE Not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying THese words and the next verse following containe an exposition of the exhortation to walke honestly as in the Day That exhortation is two wayes expounded First negatiuely in these words then affirmatiuely in the verse following In the negatiue are diuers particular vices enumerated which are contrary to this honest walking There are set downe three paire of vices not that there are no more but these are reckoned vp as the foulest and most common which most staine and dedecorate a Christian and vnder these all other to be vnderstood The first paire are rioting and drunkennesse There are two staffes of our bodily life meat and drinke hee forbiddeth here intemperance in both Rioting The Latine reads non in comessationibus which comes not of the Latine comedere which signifies to eate but of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word in this place and signifies as Saint Ambrose expounds luxurious feasting and banquetting wherein men take liberty vnto all lasciuious and riotous behauiour so called as some thinke because such feasting and riotous feeding brings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauy sleepe when men are as the Poet speakes Somno vinoque Virgil. or somnoque ciboque sepulti Euen buried in sleep caused by good cheere And because in such feasting oftentimes there is Musick the Syriack translation it may be rendered it non in musica not in musick meaning vaine and filthy songs and petulant behauiour according to the rude doings in many places at mariages From hence the Heathen called their god of wantonnes and reuelling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the abhominable Idoll of Moab Chemosh 1 Kings 11.7 so called from some filthy behauiour vsed or seene in the worship of that Idol This was Priapus the Israelites grieuously sinned Numb 25.1 2 3. in ioyning themselues to Baal-peor or Beelphegor Pudendum idolū Targ. Ionathae consule Hieron in loc Hoseae of which the Prophet Osee speaketh chap. 9.10 They went to Baal-peor and separated themselues vnto that shame Nor feasting nor eating that which is dainty is here forbidden but rioting in our eating bringing forth proteruous and dissolute behauiour Drunkennesse When this odious sinne is named wee conceiue a man vomiting reeling and staggering not being able to speake nor able to goe we thinke of the deformity of his visage the inordinate and vncomely motion of his body his dementation or alienation of mind But drunkennesse properly is not in these These are the effects of it or as the Schoolemen say well rather poena then culpa ebrietatis Esay 51.21 the punishment then the fault of drunkennes Drunkennesse is manifold there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Prophet Esay speaketh to the Iewes thou afflicted and drunken but not with wine with sinne then or with plagues for they were opplete with both There is Panaria ebrietas and drunkennesse with bread prouerbiall vsed in the Dutch language Eras chil 1. Cent. 3. Adag 3. as the learned Dutchman of Roterdam saith in his Adagies noting petulant and impudent manners There is also giddinesse by Tobacco the immoderate and vnreasonable vse wherof is so much the more to be damned because it is the nurse of this brutish drunkennesse we haue to intreat of The drunkennesse here ment is an immoderate drinking of any liquor which may inebriate The very forme of this sinne is in the terme Immoderate now that is immoderate in drinking which is beyond the necessity of nature the good health and strength of the body and the reasonable refreshing of the spirits whether alienation of mind follow or not For whatsoeuer in the excesse in drinking is contrary to Sobriety is ebriety But all Immoderate drinking is contrary to sobriety 1 Pet. 4.3 and therefore Saint Peter doth not onely forbid walking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in drunkennesse but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any excesse of wine when we begin to be heat with it and in drinkings and
Lact. in carm paschal Fulgentes animas vestis quoque candida signat Et grege de mueo gaudia pastor habet And these Inde parens sacro ducit de fonte sacerdos Infantes niueos corpore Paulinus corde habitu And Saint Ambrose speaketh of it as of a Ceremony generally receiued and vsed in his time which was about some 370. yeares after Christ and therefore M. Zanchy might wel say of the white vesture Amb. tom 4. lib. de ijs qui initiantur mysterijs cap. 7. Zanchius in explic ep ad Eph. ca. 5. Credo fuisse in illa vetustissima Ecclefia vsitatam I beleeue that it was ordinarily vsed in that most antient Church meaning the time next after the Apostles The manner was this so soone as any was baptized hee receiued of the hands of the Priest a white vestment where such Ceremony is yet vsed the Priest saith thus at the deliuery of the white garment Accipe vestem candidam sanctam immaculatam quam proferas sine macula ante tribunal domini nostri Iesu Christi c. Receiue this white holy immaculate vestment which thou mayst bring forth without spot at the iudgement seat of our Lord Iesus Christ This garment hee was to weare a whole weeke at the end whereof hee came and rendered it to the Priest and in antient time baptisme was administred but at two times in the yeare vnlesse there were necessitie namely at Easter and at Whitsontide and therefore was the weeke after Easter called Dominica in albis as wee yet call the feast of Penticost from this ceremony Whitsontide as I take it This was the antient order so in offensiue was a white garment euen at the Sacrament of Baptisme being there a significant Ceremony and it signified notably three things 1 Liberty that the parties so indued were set free from sinne and Satan by Iesus Christ as the Romanes when they manumitted their bondmen among other tokens thereof Tertull. de resurrectione carnis they put them on a white garment of which Tertullian makes mention 2 Iâ—y for the grace and victory by the holy Sacrament for of both is white a token of Ioy where the Scripture saith Eccles. 9 8. Let all thy garments be white of Victory so saith Christ to the Angell of the Church of Sardis He that ouercometh Reuel 3.5 the same shall be clothed in white raiment 3 Innocency and purity of life that they which were baptized should liue candidè fairly not defiling themselues with sinne but hating the very garment spotted with the flesh To put on Christ then is abundantly to expresse him following in all things the holy rules and patterne which hee hath left in his word Constancy also may be here implyed for we are to put him on as our garments which we tie fast and button to vs. Doctrine in the words of Saint Chrysostome Doctr. Qui Christum induit omnem simul in vniuersum virtutem habet He that hath put on Christ hath together all vertue or To walke honestly is to put on Christ that is to follow his example 1. Iohn 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him that is Christ ought himselfe also to walke euen as hee walked So when Saint Paul dehorts the Ephesians from their Heathenish conuersation hee saith But yee haue not so learned Christ in sense the same with our Put on in this place Christ is all good things to vs He is our King Priest Obs 1 and Prophet our Aduocate our Lord our friend our brother our husband our way our life our meate our apparell as here Christ an absolute example no man may bee so vnto vs Obs 2 not Paul himselfe for we are to be followers of him 1 Cor. 11.1 onely as he is of Christ Here we are taught how to vse Christ Vse 1 so as wee may be the better for him If a man haue money and vse it not or a workeman tooles or a scholler bookes and know not how to vse them what profit are they If thou wouldest vse Christ aright put him on It is not enough to beare him preach for so did many of the Scribes and Pharisies nor to be in his company for so was Iudas nor to eate at his table for so did the man that had not put him on as his wedding garment Mat. 22.11.12.13 and was throwne for it into vtter darknes He must be put on as our Iustification and Sanctification as was said before He hath set vs in the way and hath gone before vs in it and as I may say chalked it out for vs shewing vs by his owne example how we should walke Many can be content to put him on as their Iesus but not as their Lord like naughty seruants letting their Master walk all alone they will not follow him in humilitie patience sobrietie c. But we are in vaine called Christians if we doe not imitate Christ who therefore called himselfe The way vt conuersatio Magistri forma esset discipuli Leo Mag. Ser. 5. in Natiuit Dom. in ipso fine Aug. Volusiano Epist 3. that the conuersation of the Master might be the fashion of the disciple said Leo. Venit hominibus in magisterium adiutorium Christ came to men to helpe and rescue them as a Redeemer and to teach them obedience as a Master said Augustine He that walketh in drunkennesse chambering wantonnesse c. hath put on the Diuell and not Christ for hee nor did nor taught so No maruell if the Heathens committed whoredomes robberies drunkennesse c. for such things are reported of their gods whom they worshipped For which cause said Menippus in Lucian I approued and followed such things for I thought the gods would neuer haue done such things if they had not iudged them to bee good But in as much as the God whom we serue is of pure eyes and cannot behold iniquity and the Master whom wee follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an vnspotted Lambe in whose mouth is no guile who is holy harmlesse and vndefiled wee must needs be damned if we walke contrary vnto him Here are two sorts of men to be reproued Vse 2 First they which put him not on at all of whom in the former Vse Secondly they which put him on but so slouenly as I may say and vnhansomly that they haue no benefit by him Of these some put him on as a cloake or loose garment which they may cast off at their pleasure these are holy day Christians who at good times or when they goe abroad into some company will walke soberly but at other times and in other companies are of another straine But Christ must be a close well-girt garment to vs neuer to be put off by day or by night Some put him on their heads and no farther hauing knowledge but being altogether without the power of godlinesse Some put him on their tongues also they will talke well but their hands and feet and foule
be giuen to the flesh lest eyther the weake should thinke themselues neglected Matth. 26.41 Rom. 6.19 or the strong take occasion to contemne them because weaknesse is attributed to the flesh therefore he falleth here to direct both the one and the other how they should louingly and charitably conuerse together Pauls Method is this first he setteth downe a generall Precept in this verse then an Explication of it in all the verses following to the fourteenth verse of the fifteenth Chapter In this generall Precept are the Dutie to receiue him that is weake in the faith and the Amplification from the persons who are to performe the Dutie implied in the Greeke vnfolded in the English You and from the end Negatiuely set downe by way of correction but not to doubtfull Disputations Receiue you You that is you that are strong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 15. vers 1. which haue more able knowledge Receiue that is ioyne vnto you take and entertaine vnto your company as a friend as a brother When a friend commeth to our houses we vse not to chide him away but receiue him with all courtesie so would Paul haue the strong to receiue the weake in all loue cherishing them and bearing with their weaknesse Chap. 15.1 The same word is vsed by S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philemon 12. when he intreats Philemon to receiue Onesimus as his owne bowels so the strong must receiue the weake as their own bowels Him that is weak in the faith not weake in bodie yet such are to be receiued but in the faith not iustifying faith though such are especially to be tendred but in the doctrine of faith not weake in regard of the power of faith to apply the promise of mercy in Christ to the conscience but here weake to apprehend the doctrine of Christian liberty in things indifferent Weake that is sicke and queasie stomacks which cannot brooke strong meate such as Paul calles babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3 1. opposed to them which are strong and of full age Heb. 5.13.14 who by reason of vse haue their senses exercised to discerne good and euill But not to doubtfull disputations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies many things here ambiguity doubting as the verbe is vsed before in this Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.20 Hee staggered not at the promise through vnbeliefe Receiue the weake but not quarrell and contend with him in his opinions as the vulgor reading is expounded nor to iudge him for his opinions knowing not his heart as Augustine nor to fill his head full of curious and intricate questions and doubtfull disputations The Affirmatiue end to receiu◠him to edification Chap. 15.2 Those which are weake are not to bee troubled with doubtfull disputations but friendly to bee instructed Rom. 15.1.2 Doctr. The strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak to please them for their good to eaification Gal. 6.1 If any be ouer taken with a fault in regard of manners or by proportion of opinion restore him in the spirit of meeknesse 1 Thess 5 14. Support the weake Ministers ought to preach to the capacity of their hearers Vse 1 if they bee of the weaker sort not to trouble them with profound matters which they are not able to vnderstand much lesse with conceits and subtilties which profit not but rather to teach such things which may bee vnderstood and may breed godly edifying Our Sauiour is an example who would not trouble his Disciples heads with that which they could not then beare Ioh. 16.12 Also Paul in his preaching had regard to his hearers whether milke or stronger meate were to be giuen them 1 Cor. 3.1.2 The strong must sweetly Vse 2 friendly and brotherly conuerse with the weake they must ioyne him to them that by their wise and gentle courses they may winne him to the truth they must not separate from them either in affection or conuersation Hence it may appeare that the practice of our Brownists it cleane contrary to the precept of Paul They suppose themselues to be strong and vs to be weake and because wee presently receiue not their conceits they separate from vs as from Heathens and Publicans for which we may iustly suspect their charity for if we bee weake here is Pauls direction how we are to be dealt withall before a separation they must take vs to them beare with our infirmities and teach vs soundly from the Word But alas they are weake themselues I would they were not wayward For euen as a froward or sullen childe if it may not haue the will refuseth the meate and strikes the spoone out of the Nurses hand so these because they may not haue their will and their new deuised and groundlesse discipline they will haue nothing no preaching no Sacraments no spirituall communion with vs. If the strong must gently take the weake vnto them Vse 3 then the weake must be admonished not to bee wilfull but aocible and tractable What if thou hast spoken the word stubbornly persist not therefore in thy opinion against Gods word Many doubtlesse would haue long agoe submitted themselues in the Church of England to orders inioyned had they not held the contrary and now the Church must bee troubled lest they should be thought to haue erred O Germany famous for the reformation of religion how hast thou beene torne with dissentions wasted with miseries plowed with the sword and watered with blood through the weakenes of euen Luther himselfe who hauing once affirmed it to Carolostadius for his credit may not publikely recant and reuerse his word Be not stubborne in thy weakenes Chrysost in loc and because Paul commands that thou must be gently vsed account not thy weaknesse a vertue for here is a secret reproofe of thee as one obserues when thou art called weake Charitie must bee vsed toward thee that thou mayst not forsake the faith but discretion also that thou mayst growe vnto strength We would wonder to see a childe hang fiue or six or ten yeeres at the breast If thou wert weake foure or ten yeares agoe and yet art weake surely ther eis some defect either thou prayest not or thou art stubborne or proud or there is some secret sin that keeps thee from growing Disputations not fit for weake Christians Vse 4 Disputations are not to be disallowed for as the whetting of a knife forward and backward scoures it bright and begets an edge so truth is cleared and fortified by disputations but it is not for the weake and vnlearned to dispute The liberty that all sorts of men and women also take to dispute of curious points and to question euery thing is a great hinderance to the peace of the Church In Turkie it is deadly to question the generall receiued religion whereby in a libertie of all religions they enioy pace inuidenda I. Lips lib. aduersus diologistū nobis pudenda such a peace which
saw it tend to Gods glory and the good of the Church otherwise Paul would haue written in another manner of straine And this is profitable to know for the vnderstanding of the History of the Acts where we shall finde Paul vsing Circumcision making vowes and purifying himselfe and yet writeth against such things in his Epistles Before the death of Christ the vse of such Ceremonies was not indifferent but necessary as being commanded of God After the death of Christ their vse was indifferent for a time Aug. Hieronimo Epist 19. I say for a time which S. Austen elegantly expresseth by a similitude A mans friend dyes hee doth not so soone as the breath is out of his body take him by the heeles and drag him out of the dores and cast him vpon the dunghill but he keepes him a certaine time wraps him in faire cloaths and so with honour accompanies him to the graue So these ceremonies were aliue till Christ when hee dyed they also gaue vp the ghost and the vaile of the Temple rent in twaine and because they had beene euen by diuine ordinance of great vse in Gods worship they remained for a time indifferent that so they might be laid downe in an honourable manner This time was till the doctrine of Christian liberty might be fully made knowne to the world which could not be done on a sudden euen as Acts of Parliament haue a day set downe when they shall be in force that so all the subiects of the Land may haue time conuenient to take knowledge of them But now they are not necessary nor indifferent to Iew or Gentile but absolutely forbidden After the passion of Christ the Iewish Ceremonies were mortuae saith a learned man that is Aquinas in loc dead but after the diuulgation of the Gospell they became mortiferae that is deadly Paul found fault with Peter and with the Galathians for the vse of legall Ceremonies not simply because they vsed them but because they taught and conceiued a necessity of vsing them for iustification and saluation From small beginnings great schismes and mischiefes haue growne For a little meate and for dayes Vse 1 the Church of Rome was grieuously distracted Great contentions haue beene formerly betweene the East and West Churches for trifles so in Germany so in England So of a little sparke many times ariseth a great fire and of the pricke of a thorne a deadly sore O how it grieues my soule to reade our diuisions about black and white sitting and kneeling and such like to be cast in our teeth by the Papists as an argument that wee haue not the truth on our side and also that among Protestant writers when occasion is giuen them to speak of schismes and dissension for discipline and order then that the Church of England should be brought vpon the stage for an example If there be any loue in vs to the Church wherein wee haue beene brought forth vnto Christ and nourished vp in the faith let vs agree imbracing vnity let vs all be of one opinion but howsoeuer our opinions differ yet let not our affections Hierome and Augustine differed in opinion in some things but neither did they trouble Church nor breake charity betweene themselues but thought reuerently one of another Here is our fault wee hate despise and condemne them who will not condescend to vs in our singular opinions But Paul commands the strong not to despise the weake This is indeed the fault of the strong but they ought to instruct them rather He commands the weake also not to censure the strong this is the proper fault of the weake to be forward in censuring is not strength but weakenesse not a gratious and wise but an intemperate zeale which censuring and ouer forward zeale if it bee taken from many who glory to be accounted Professours there would nothing remaine to shew them religious It is a disgrace to our Church that the plough and rockstaffe dare and that without punishment censure Magistrates Ministers this thing as superfluous that as Antichristian c. profaning religion by their ignorant and sottish discourses Thus was it in Greece Lips refert lib. aduers Dialogistam ex Niceph. hist lib. 6. 11. but when euen a little before it came to ruine If we wish the Churches safety let vs amend this if we haue beene faulty and also let vs be carefull so to doe as wee loue our owne safety for many times God suffers such rash censurers of orders established to runne into diuers pernicious errours as a punishment of their rash iudgement as wee haue experience in our Brownists who first censured and then separated wilfully cutting themselues from the Church of God who if they had obeyed Pauls precept forbidding to iudge any for things indifferent they had neuer separated We must not iudge or censure our brethren Vse 2 but for what for things indifferent for these things as for meate for daies for apparell in regard of the colour or fashion if modest the conscience of thy brother is to be left free and not to be troubled But for drunkennesse blasphemy whoredome c. we haue warrant to censure men and women and to trouble their consciences Ioh. 16.8 for the Spirit reprooues the world of sinne A conscience snorting in sinne is to be rowsed and troubled that it may come to repentance for so long as it sleeps in sinne it lies in death For peaceable liuing in a Church Vse 3 the doctrine of Christian liberty is to be made knowne of the which afterwards verses 20.21 VERSE 3. For God hath receiued him IN these words and in the next verse are two reasons to perswade to the direction There is some question to which part this reason should serue and who should be meant by him Him that is the weake one say some others by him vnderstand the strong Christian Some make this argument to bee on the behalfe of the weake and the other of the strong some affirme contrarily and some that both the reasons belong to both Doubtlesse both the reasons are brought to the same thing Chrys Theod. Mart. alij and rather in the behalfe of the strong Christian who is the Gentile against the Iew then otherwise 1 For first it is most naturall and orderly that him should be preferred to the next before spoken of Let not him which eateth not iudge him which eates for God hath receiued him 2 The word receiued properly belongs to the Gentiles as it is an attribute to God for the Iewes were receiued before and thought more contemptuously of the Gentiles and highly of themselues 3 In the next verse Who art thou that iudgest to iudge was the fault of the weake Christian Doth Paul then let the strong alone No but first he dealeth against the weake because he is most guilty They both sinned in practice but the weake in opinion also mantaining an intolerable error and they tooke offence at
that which the strong lawfully might doe and therefore were the cause of all the broyles Afterwards he deales against them both verse 10. and principally against the strong verse 13. and so to the end of the Chapter The weake then may not iudge the strong for eating The reason is taken from the dignity of the strong God hath receiued him Those whom God hath receiued men may not censure as profane But God hath receiued the Gentile called strong by reason of his knowledge of Christian liberty Therefore c. In this argument are two things The thing to receiue and the persons receiuing God receiued the strong God hath receiued him we had the word before verse 1. but as Gods loue is greater then ours so the sense of this word here is accordingly exâ—ended Receiued that is louingly to the good of the receiued vt suus esset Anselmus Aretius Ambrosius Toletus Caluinus 2 Pet. 1.4 that hee might bee his owne vt membrum Christi esset that hee might bee a member of Christ ad gratiam to grace ad gratiam Euangelij to the grace of the Gospell He suffered them not to remaine in their sinner but so receiued them as to adopt them that they might bee partakers of the diuine nature as S. Peter speaketh It may be noted that whereas Dauid saith Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach vnto thee Psal 65 4. The Septuagints translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Pauls word here which in Hebrew is vthekareb of karab from which roote comes Korbau an offering and Kereb bowels or inward parts that are nearest and dearest to vs and so the meaning that God doth so receiue vs Gentiles as to esteeme vs as an acceptable oblation euen as his owne heart or bowels There is a double receiuing to the visible Church to inward and inuisible grace to the meanes of the promises and to their possession here Paul speaks generally presupposing both They are not rashly to be iudged and condemned Doctr. whom God hath receiued to grace Rom. 8.33.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who is he that condemneth c. We are to be admonished Vse 1 to beware of censuring our brethren for vsing their Christian liberty in apparell dyet c. especially for their obedience to the Magistrates the Church in such orders which in their conscience they know to bee lawfull for a man for such things to be condemned as a time-seruer a manpleaser of no conscience profane c. is most horrible This is to reproach Gods fauourite this is to condemne them whom God approueth and hath receiued yea this is to reproach God himselfe for receiuing such Nay thou wilt say I finde no fault with the Lord and if I knew that God had receiued him I would not iudge him Dost thou know the contrary till then thou must in charity iudge thy brother receiued of God so doth Paul here hee saith God hath receiued him that eateth How did Paul know it in charity hee so iudgeth Bee thou in like manner charitable toward thy brethren toward thy teachers and giue them not profane vnconscionable damned for euery fancy of thine owne braine When thou seest a man enlightened with the knowledge of God satis testimonij habes saith one Caluin in loc thou hast testimony sufficient that God hath receiued him Things censured are either words and deedes or opinions If it be doubtfull whether a thing were spoken or done or no or being certaine to be done whether well or ill in charity take things at the fayrest and iudge the best There is a notable instance hereof in Deuteronomy Deut. 22.23.24.25.26.27 If a man lye with a maide betroathed to a husband in the towne she also shall dye because she cryed not out when violence was offered to her but if it bee in the fields then the man onely shall dye for the damosell cryed and there was none to saue her How did they know she cryed In charity it is so to be supposed and the best to be iudged in a thing doubtfull If the thing be certainly spoken or done and good commend it If euill iudge the fact but not the person Be not faith Bernard eyther a busie and curious examiner Bern. ser 40. in Cant. or a rash Iudge of another mans conuersation If any thing be ill done excuse the intention seeing thou canst not the fact Puta ignorantiam thinke it might bee ignorance chance or some grieuous tentation In matter of opinion if it be controuerted and vncertaine whether an error or no suspend thy iudgement till thou know more certainty and leaue thy brother to his Conscience and Christian liberty and so much the more if he be more learned then thy selfe why shouldest thou not thinke that hee may see as much as thy selfe into that which is in question If it be certaine that the opinion bee erroneous yet thy brother is not presently to be cast away wilt thou be more iust then God We are men and therefore may yea must erre as said a witty man * Ego me labi errare non posse solum fatcor sed debere Lips monit ad Lect. in lib. politic And hence the Lutheranes are to be reproued who condemne vs for our opinions about the Sacrament thinking we erre when a man may be a Christian without the Sacrament but not without Charity So the Brownists and other among vs who iudge vs though vniustly in matters of discipline when a true Church may be without the same which they deuise We all erre if thy brother bee otherwise faithfull and conscionable â—â—â—s cruell vncharitablenesse to condemne him for his â—pinion of things indifferent as the lawfulnesse of a garment or gesture though he should erre Saint Augustine is a sweet example of Charity this way when the Donatists obiected for themselues the opinion of Cyprian concerning rebaptization Aug. Vincentio contra Donat. Ragat de vi orrig Haeret. epist 48. Saint Austen answeres for him that either he did not in euery respect hold it as the Donatists alledged him or if he did that afterward hee retracted it or that hunc quasi naenum candidissimi pectoris cooperuit vbere Charitatis hee couered this blemish of his most faire brest with the brest of charity while he did maintaine the vnity of the Church and firmely retaine the bond of peace Gods receiuing should be a Protection against vniust taxing and censuring Vse 2 But yet men will censure such what then is â—o be done Comfort thy selfe that God hath receiued thee If nor God nor thy conscience condemne thee esteeme the peruerse censures of captious controllers no more then the barking of dogges against the Moone What if men praise if God dispraise and contrarily Feare not saith the Lord the reproach of men Esay 51.7 neither be afraid of their reuilings Yet this is our great fault
to esteeme the praise or dispraise of men yea of the multitude more then of the Magistrate or of God himselfe which hath depriued the Church of England of many an able Yeacher Let vs put a case The Magistrate and the Church command certaine orders for comelinesse in the seruice of God the Minister knowes that he may lawfully vse them If he refuse to vse them the people will praise him if hee vse them they will dispraise him What shall he doe In any case let him obey but if he doe not obey the people will commend him But what is that to the cause or to his conscience Can they discharge a man before the Iudgement seat of God for not obeying the Church and Magistrate Regard not the praises of the multitude though there were ten thousand of them no more then thou wouldest the chattering of Pyes saith an ancient Father * Sint innumeri qui te applaudant nihil tamē illi omnes à graculis desuper garrientibus different Immo si Angelorum theatrū c. Chrysost hom 17. in Rom. in Moral nay the commendation of Angels is too infirme to rest vpon but if God the Church and thine owne conscience approue thee reioyce Great is the dignity of a beleeuer hee is receiued of God Vse 3 Gods people are a people Rerobo neare vnto him Psal 128.14 euen neare vnto his heart Woe be then to the wicked for they are reiected If thou beest a drunkard a blasphemer c. and repentest not God will neuer receiue thee and not being receiued thou art left to thy selfe to the Diuell barred from Paradise and from the entrance into glory VERSE 4. Who art thou that iudgest another mansseruant IN this Verse is the second Reason bred out of the former If the Gentiles be Gods fauorites and receiued into his family what haue we to doe to iudge them Here we haue the Argument and the Amplification The Argument is taken from the common right or equity which is that euery man hath the rule and ordering of his owne family and that none ought to be so polypragmaticall as to iudge other mens seruants He which arrogateth right ouer other mens seruants is vniust But he that iudgeth another mans seruant arrogateth to himselfe such right Therefore he is vniust The strong Christian is Gods seruant who hath receiued him The Amplification is double 1. from the manner of setting downe the Argument 2. from an Occupation in the rest of the words of this verse In setting downe the Argument the Apostle vseth an Obiurgatory Apostrophe to the weake one Who art thou which iudgest c. He doth more grieuously taxe the weake ones ne sibi blandiantur Pareu◠saith one lest they should flatter themselues Thus seuerity was necessary that they might vnderstand they were in an errour Who art thou as if he said Thou who art thou art not thou weake and so much the weaker that being weake thou presumest to iudge the strong why dost not keepe thy selfe within thy compasse Consider what thou art and be not so rash The like speech Rom. 9.20 Which iudgest that is condemnest as before Another mans seruant The word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a domesticall seruant which alwayes waiteth vpon his master in such seruices as are nearest to his person The Gentile is taken into Gods family not as a slaue but as a free seruant and therefore such in old time were called familiares noting their liberty and indeed Gods seruice is perfect freedome The Gentiles are receiued into Gods family with the Iews not to be their vnderlings but their fellow seruants enioying all the priuiledges of the house as well as themselues He saith not who art thou which giuest good counsell but iudgest nor thine owne seruant for that is lawfull but anothers this is vnlawfull It is against right that one Christian should iudge another Doctr. Mat. 7.1.2 Iudge not that ye be not iudged For with what iudgement ye iudge ye shall be iudged c. Iames 4.11.12 He that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the Law but if thou iudge the Law thou art not a doer of the Law but a Iudge There is one Lawgiuer who is able to saue and to destroy who art thou which iudgest another It is a great sinne for a weake Christian to iudge another for matters indifferent it can be no small offence Vse 1 as appeares by Pauls manner of speaking Who art thou c. he speaketh with much indignation and heat No Apostle so full of bowels so pitifull and tender towards the weake as Paul yet if they fall to censuring and iudging hee cannot forbeare but takes them vp as short as he did the cauiller at Gods predestination Cap. 9.20 So that as the fault is great so weake Christians are not to be soothed herein but seuerely and with some acrimony to be reproued that they may amend Iulian the Apostata taxed Christianity Vse 2 as if it tooke away Magistracy from this and the like places So the Anabaptists also from such places conclude that it is not lawfull for a Christian to bee a Magistrate because hee is forbidden to iudge But they take things which are spoken secundum quid after a sort as if they had beene spoken simply Neither is Iudgement forbidden to Magistrates but to priuate men nor all Iudgement to priuate men but rash Iudgement may be either of persons or their deeds In persons their present or their future estate to be considered To iudge finally of mens future estate meddle not for God may call thy Neighbour as he hath called thee For his present estate If I see a man walke in drunkennesse common swearing whoredome c. I may iudge him to be a wicked man in this estate and that he shall be damned if he repent not I may iudge the tree by the fruit and this is not rash iudgement because it is not mine but the iudgement of the word of God Deeds are either good or bad or indifferent or doubtfull Of good and bad deeds there ought to bee Iudgement in the Common-wealth Church priuate Family And that censure should passe vpon mens vertues arts faculties offices religion words deeds gestures and whole behauiour is of singular vse Most well gouerned States haue had officers for the purpose The Grecians had such whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawkeepers The Aegyptians had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presidents of the Law The Romanes had their Censors censurers of manners who examined and punished all disorders If a man tilled not his land Aulus Gellius Noct. Attic. lib. 4. c. 12. 20. dressed not his Vine If a Knight kept not his horse seruiceable c. It were to bee wished that we had such Officers created among vs or that such Officers as we haue already would more carefully see to their offices We ought to commend good deeds and to reproue bad
step of liuing to the Lord is not to liue to our selues Dimidium facti qui benè caepit habet It is easy to liue to God when we haue once learned not to liue to our selues If thou hast thoughts of seruing God then thy selfe that is thy flesh will say If thou wilt serue God then bid adieu to thy pleasures thy profits thou must be hated scorned and suffer persecution If thou canst ouercome this and deny thy selfe thou hast wonne the goale and hee that beginnes not here will neuer proue Christs disciple for thus saith our Sauiour Luke 9.23 If any man will be my disciple let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me If a man be called in question for the Gospel and haue not learned this lesson he will renounce Christ before he will dye for him Pride couetousnesse enuy malice reuenge c. were easily conquered and banisht if we could deny our selues Thou hast opposed the Church a long time refusing to kneele at the Sacrament and to submit to orders established It appeares that they are lawfull and thou art not able to gaine-say it and yet thou yeeldest not What is the caus thou hast not yet learned to deny thy selfe Thy heart tels thee that it is a disgrace to bee conuinced to haue erred all this while especially hauing beene peraduenture violent against the orders Now I beseech thee whosoeuer thou art that standest out in these things whether thou be Minister or other that thou wilt examine thy heart hereupon Examine whether thou doest respect thy credit before men more then the glory of the truth and the peace of the Church Yea let vs all examine whether we would not sooner being put to it offend or deny Christ for our commodity sake then lose our commodity for Christs sake Paul sometime complained that all seeke their owne Philip. 2.21 and not the things which are Iesus Christs If we doe so preserring our base dunghill names before the duty wee owe to God will not Christ say to vs at the last day Nay thou preferredst thy profit pleasure before me thine owne will before mine thy credit before the glory of my name thou hast thy reward what shall become of vs if we be so found Let vs therefore deny our selues let vs giue our selues to the Lord and to his Word and if any motion thought 2 Cor. 8.5 inclination affection desire arise in our hearts contrary to Christ and his word let vs kill it and cast it out as a most vile enemy confederate with the Diuell VERSE 8. For whether wee liue we liue vnto the Lord or whether we dye wee dye vnto the Lord whether we liue therefore or dye we are the Lords THe first part of this Verse sets downe the affirmatiue end which true beleeuers haue in life and death viz. to liue and die to the Lord of the which hath beene spoken in the seuenth v. to which indeed that part doth specially belong The other part of this verse Whether we liue therefore or dye we are the Lords is a most sweet and comfortable Illation hauing the force of a reason to proue that wee should not liue and dye to our selues but to the Lord. The reason is taken à relatis from things that haue a necessary relation one to another They which are the Lords seruants must liue and dye to the Lord. But we are the Lords seruants Therefore c. Here is an affirmation of a thing and an amplification of it The affirmation is We are the Lords The amplification is from the extent of it which is double 1. of State 2. of Time Of State in life and not onely so but in death Of Time both in life and death We that is which beleeue not with a temporary or historicall faith onely but with a true liuely applying iustifying sauing faith The Lords How his creatures it is true but so are the stones in the street yea the diuels how then not his enemies though there be many such euen in his Church but his seruants bound to doe his will and to bee at his disposition whether if it be to liue or dye He hath created vs and doth daily preserue vs It is equall that hauing our being and maintenance from him we should be subiect to his will He hath redeemed vs and so the Father hath giuen vs to him which is most proper to this place as the next verse sheweth we were in captiuity vnder the diuell bound and holden downe vnder him but Christ hath rescued and redeemed vs and therefore we are his bounden seruants in life and death But we are brethren with Christ Obiect and coheyres with him True Answ as we are sonnes of God the Couenant makes vs sonnes but the Redemption seruants The Lords yet we haue not all the meaning We are then the Lords that is in subiection to him and also vnder his tuition Our seruice to him is not onely hereby implyed but and that principally his care and protection of vs. As Colos 4.1 Masters giue to your seruants that which is iust and equall Iust that is feed them gouerne them protect them reward them So we are the Lords to receiue from him as well as to performe vnto him Whether we liue or dye That is in all estates of health sicknesse riches pouerty prosperitie aduersity life death and also at all times euen for euer All true beleeuers are in the Lords seruice Doctr. and vnder his care and protection Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall sustaine thee 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care vpon him for he careth for you 1 Cor. 3.21.22.23 All are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods We ought not to dissent and wrangle one with another Vse 1 wee are holden in a common seruice to one Master and are entertained of him with an equall care and loue Wilt thou iudge thy fellow seruant Is it equall that hee should order his life and conscience according to the Rule of thy will or of the Lords Workes of seruants in regard of vertue or faultinesse are to be measured by the will and law of our absolute Lord and Master It is a great dignity to serue King Salomon Vse 2 but vnspeakable honour and happinesse to be the feruant of Christ 1 Kings 10.8 Iohn 15.15 Heb. 2.11 a wiser richer and more gracious Master then Salomon could be who vseth his seruants not as vassals but as his deare friends and brethren protecting them prouiding for them and rewarding them with euerlasting life Be patient vnder the crosse euen in death Vse 3 for in life and death we are the Lords be thou in vtrumque paratus liue willingly and if it be thy Lords will willingly die Be willingly rich and not vnwillingly poore willingly enioy thy children and if thy
of losing the same Meat and all indifferent things if they be considered in themselues haue a free vse and may and sometimes ought to be omitted for our brothers sake which is otherwise in those things which of themselues doe belong to a blessed life Acceptable to God as he is our Father now reconciled by the merits of Iesus Christ so God is said to be well pleased with our deuotion Heb. 13.16 But if we consider God as a Iudge then all our seruice is too deficient to procure acceptation and we and our sacrifices are acceptable onely by Iesus Christ as S. Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 2.5 Approued of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word taken from the allowance of Coyne as if he should haue said that he which serueth Christ in these things is a Currant Professor Of men that haue a sincere iudgement Caluinus for wicked men reuile and disgrace such and yet outward righteousnesse and peace haue praise among such for vniust dealing and contention are things odious to all The iust and peaceable are acceptable to God Doctr. and approued of men as the true seruants of Christ Pro. 3.1.2.3.4 My sonne forget not my law c let not mercy and truth forsake thee c. So shalt thou find fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man So for the acceptation of God Acts 10.35 and the approbation of man 1 Pet. 3.13 and of these was Christ a singular example who encreasing in wisedome and stature was in fauour with God and man Luke 2.52 Whether thou vsest indifferent things or vsest them not Vse 1 whether thy garments be white or blacke whether thou sittest or kneelest doe righteousnesse abstaine from sinne obey the Magistrate and liue peaceably in the Church for in these things thou seruest Christ not in the other Acceptable to God and approued of men Vse 2 Here note the order and the coniunction of these first acceptable to God before approued of men and these are so knit together that whosoeuer is or is not acceptable to God ought or ought not to be approued of men but it doth not hold backward that they which are approued of men ought to be or are acceptable to God Hence we haue three things 1 A direction wouldest thou be acceptable to God be righteous and peaceable wouldst thou be approued of men labour to be acceptable of God The way to credit and glory euen in this life is to glorifie God 1 Sam. 2.30 Ioh. 12.43 Them that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. And because the Pharisees loue the praise of men more then the praise of God therefore are they contemptible euen before men Hence it comes to passe that many Noble and rich men are despised notwithstanding because though they desire to be honored yet they begin not at God 2 An admonition that we should approue of them which are acceptable to God and improue them which are not The iust and peaceable are accepted of God approue thou of them How canst thou iustifie to approue of drunkards common swearers and to contemne such who conscionably serue God How canst thou iustifie to neglect the iust and peaceable and to esteeme of the vniust and contentious and yet we haue some who wil vilifie them which keep peace and good order and highly esteeme onely of those who breake the same It is wonderfull that to obey Magistrates and to liue peaceably should be accounted a fault and to resist Magistrates and be contentious a vertue What is it to call good euill and euill good if this be not 3 Consolation If men doe not approue thee yet if God accept of thee it is enough thou hast great cause to be of good cheere The safest way is to please God howsoeuer men thinke of vs. I would bee approued of men and please them if they will be pleased with doing good but if they will not bee pleased vnlesse I bee vniust and vnpeaceable I dare not buy at so deare a rate the approbation of any mortall creature The Kingdome of God is not in words but in power Vse 3 If thou hast a forme of godlinesse shew the power of it in thy life If thou professest that thou knowest God deny him not in thy workes This the blemish of religion that to twenty good words we haue not one good worke But Christ will not bee serued with words but really in the workes of righteousnes and with a peaceable conuersation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said Nazianzen Nazian in Tetrast A speechlesse worke is better then a deedlesse word VERSE 19. Let vs therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another THis verse is the application of the 17. and 18. verses In the which is an exhortation to peace and mutuall edification In this exhortation are the Duty and the Amplification Of the Duty there are two branches 1. Peace 2. Edification Outward peace is here vnderstood which is either generall and may be called Ciuill which is to be with all men of which we haue written Rom. 12.18 or more particular which is Ecclesiasticall with the Brethren and may be described to be a mutuall concord and consent of Christians in opinion affection words and behauiour in their whole life A pretious Iewell To edifie is a Latine word and signifies to build a house chiefely a Temple And here translated to signifie the promoting of our brethren in faith and grace that they may bee made better and more and more grow vp in Christ As builders of a house do mutually helpe one another till they haue finished so euery one is to be ready to doe seruice to his brother till he obtaine the glory The faithfull by an elegant Metaphor are called the temple and house of God in which he dwelleth by his spirit and the whole company of the elect are compared to a great City 1 Cor. 3.16 6.19 2 Cor. 6.16 the new Ierusalem built vp of the beleeuers as of liuing stones as diuinely the Prophet Esay declareth Esay 54.11 12. and S. Iohn Reuel 21.10 seq The Amplification is threefold 1 From the Illatiue therefore In as much as the Kingdome of God is peace and so Christ is serued therefore let vs put away strife and imbrace peace 2 From the persons let vs implying the strong and weak also wee must all liue peaceably one with another and edifie one another I am bouâ—â— to thee and thou art bound to mee in these things 3 From the manner these must be done wisely let vs indeuour vnto things which make for peace c. by auoyding those things which may hinder and by doing such things which may further the same There is wisedome required to discerne what makes for peace and what for contention Also we must earnestly follow such things as the word signifies many wish for peace and say would God wee were at peace and God send peace but they
necessity be soone dissolued 2 Whatsoeuer by the iudgement of the Church is appointed for order and decency we may with a good conscience nay we ought to obey the same For all things are pure and in the generall such constitutions of the Church are of diuine authority Hence come brawlings and confusion when matters of order are left to the will of euery particular man and when any such may change or alter that which belongs to the common state of the Church for it is neuer to bee hoped in the best ordered Church that one and the same thing should please all 2 Whatsoeuer by the iudgement of the Church is appointed for order and decency we may with a good conscience and must obey For all things are pure and in the Generall such constitutions of the Church are of diuine authority according to that before alledged 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order These Conclusions affoord two Admonitions 1 That we contemne nor nor with supine and grosse negligence forbeare much lesse with pride and arrogancy openly violate and breake the established orders of the Church wherein we liue It was the counsell which S. Ambrose gaue to S. Augustine in a question of the Saturdayes fast Nec disciplinavlla est in his melior graui prudentique Christiano quà m vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit Ecclesiam ad quamcunque forte deuenerit Neither is there any discipline better to bee obserued of a graue and wise Christian then to doe as he seeth the Church to doe vnto which he shall fortune to come This counsell gaue S. Aug Ianuario Epist 118. ca. 2. Austen to Ianuarius making some question of the different rites of diuers Churches and confirmes this his aduice with the authority of S. Ambrose who gaue aduice to S. Austen and to his Mother not to fast at Millaine but to fast on Saturdayes when they came to Rome according to the fashion of the Church there as hee himselfe was wont to doe Sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ius morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quemquam tibi So also thou saith Ambrose to Austen to what Church thou shalt fortune to come obserue the manner thereof if thou wilt not offend others nor haue others offend thee This counsell S. Austen confesseth that he esteemed and receiued as by heauenly Oracle The same counsell in another Epistle before he gaue to a certaine Priest called Casulanus Aug. Casulano Epist 86. repeating the story of S. Ambrose his counsell to him and his Mother and in the latter end of the same saith and counselleth farther that where some fast and some dine on the Saturday that order is to bee kept and followed which they obserue quibus corum populorum congregatio reganda commissa est to whom the congregation of such people is committed to gouerne and so in the last words of the Epistle he writeth thus Quapropter c. Wherefore if you will rest in my counsell Episcopo tuo in hac re noli resistere quod facit ipse sine vllo scrupulo aut desceptatione sectare Doe not resist your Bishop herein but follow that which he doth without any scruple or desceptation A point to be considered by all inferiour Ministers and by the people But in vaine doe they worship me Obiect teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Mat. 5.9 This Scripture toucheth not the ceremonies enioyned in the Church of England Answ For the commandements of men were appointed for parts of Gods worship and therefore it was superstition these for decency those were appointed as necessary to saluation these for common order Cal. Jnst l. 4. c. 10. sect 28. Zanch tom 8. loc 16. de trad Eccl. And when this shall bee published as it hath beene long agoe in our Church then by the iudgement of M. Caluin and M. Zanchy the Church is to bee freed from such imputation and hereof we haue an example in Scripture The children of Gad the children of Reuben and the halfe Tribe of Manasse whose portions were beyond Iordan built by Iordan a great Altar to see to when the children of Israel heard hereof they sent Phinees the Priest and the Princes of the Congregation supposing it had beene set vp for burnt offering and sacrifice but when they were enformed by their brethren that it was onely for a witnesse betweene them that they also were the people of God both the Priest the Princes and all the people were well pleased and the Altar stood and was called Ed. Iosh 22. But some of our ceremonies were vsed superstitiously Obiect and inuented by the Papists 1 It is an hard taske to proue that they were inuented first by Pope or papists But if so 2. Answ the euill of the inuentor makes not the thing inuented to be euill and vnlawfull for many lawfull and laudable sciences were inuented by the wicked posterity of Cain Gen. 4. Neither doth the superstitious vse of a thing make it to be vnlawfull in it selfe to be vsed the superstition remoued for all things are pure to the beleeuer and the earth is the Lords as hath beene declared before in the first Rule of the explication of the Doctrine It is as lawfull to vse the inuention of a Papist for matter of outward order in the seruice of God as to vse the prescriptions of popish Physitians or the plots inuented by popish Masons and Carpenters 2 The second admonition is that we put no religion or worship either in the vsing or forbearing and refusing of outward orders Hereby some deserue blame who account themselues the more pure and holy for not submitting themselues to the constitutions of the Church which hath a shew of wisedome and sanctity but indeed is nothing else but will-worship and a making void the Commandement of God for the inuention and deuice of man men being more zealous about these things then for true piety Vse not all thy liberty alwayes Vse 4 but know that thy liberty consists as well in abstaining as in vsing It is sufficient that thou know that it is all one before God whether thou eate or eate not c. and so when the conscience is freed from a false opinion of necessity one way then there is liberty Some thinke liberty is taken away if they may not eate flesh euery day But our Christian liberty is not in eating but in knowing that no meat is vncleane but that wee may eate of it If therefore we know that it skils not before God whether wee eate flesh or fish weare white or yellow or blacke it is enough for now the conscience is free though afterwards we perpetually abstaine from flesh or vse onely one colour in our garments yea because we are free wee doe with free conscience abstaine It is a sinne to vse all thy liberty to the offence of thy weake brother much more a sinne
Why doth he not rage so now non deposuit odium sed vertit ingenium he hath not giuen ouer his malice but he alters his deuice Idem serm 7. de Ieium 11. mensis and cruentas inimicitias ad quiâ—tas conuertit insidias the turnes his bloody enmity into slye and secret snares as saith the same Author in another place Now since God hath blessed vs with a Nursing Mother and a Nursing Father of our Church hee hath not fought to take away our liues but to corrupt our manners hee hath not set vpon our Church with tyrannicall open crueltie but vndermined it with subtiltie sowing dissension among vs about â—â—tes and orders and the Discipline of the Church seeking thereby to ruinate vs as he sought to ruinate the Netherlanders of late by the diuision of Arminius He knowes that a Church diuided cannot stand and that in effect it will be all one to take away peace as to take away Truth and all one to destroy the Church by outward force or inward schisme and diuision sauing that this is more dangerous and shewes his greater subtiltie For in outward opposition we haue to do with enemies but in inward diuision Protestants oppose Protestants and indeed here is our ouerthrow the more shamefull if those which are the Children of the Church by his subtilty shall bee brought to be the accusers and defamers of their reuerend Mother as in our Browâ—â—sts and other factious people is manifest Let vs all therefore pray to the God of peace that hee would make vs wise vnto that which is good and able to discerne and defeate the stratagems and deuices of the Deuill who if we be left to our selues will easily ouermatch vs but by the power of the God of peace through Iesus Christ we shall be able to bruise him vnder our feete Art thou afraid of the Deuill Vse 3 feare him not Resist him by Faith and he will flye from thee or if he stay by it thou shalt be able to quench all his fiery darts 1. Pet. 5 9. James 4 7. and to tread him vnder thy feete Christ hath conquered and wounded him so that though he may tempt and trouble thee yet hee shall not ouercomâ— thee Rore hee can and make a terrible noise but ouercome he cannot vnlesse thou consent to him Râ—giat quantum vult tantum non fugiat ouis Christi Let him rore as much as hee will onely let not the sheepe of Christ runne away but stand to him and resist saith Bernard Bern. serm 13. in Psal Qui habitat He that runnes away at the sound of the Trumpet before a blow be striken is a coward Fight therefore and bee of good courage for he that is in vs is greater then hee that is in the World 1. Joh 4.4 As when Goliah was ouercome by Dauid the Children of Israel fell vpon the Philistims and slew them so let vs fall vpon our sinnes repenting of them for sinne is the head of the Deuill hee therefore who conuerts vnto God he who withstandeth temptations tramples vpon the very head of the Deuill as hee who is ouercome in temptation and drawne to sinne is trampled vpon by the Deuill Christ hath throwne him downe and wounded him let vs keepe him downe and tread vpon him that wee may gloriously conquer VERSE 20. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you Amen 24. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen IN the 24. verse is the fourth part of this Chapter which is the Apostolicall Benediction and because the latter part of the 20. Verse is of the same sound I haue ioyned them together In this Benediction we haue the blessing which he wisheth to them which is Grace The Authour of this blessing whose grace The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ The parties to whom he wisheth Grace to them all Be with you all and the Ratification Amen The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ By Grace I here vnderstand with Peter Martyr The Diuine fauour with the rich effects thereof called the Grace of our Lord Iesus both because he fauoureth vs himselfe and also because he hath purchased for vs the fauour of God Be with you All All is added in the 24. verse which was vnderstood in the 20. Amen of this word see Rom. 11.36 This is the seale of Pauls Epistles Obser 1 and the token whereby by they are knowne 2. Thes 3.17.18 as he saith in the second to the Thessalonians In the stead of the ancient concluding of letters Farewell Saint Paul wisheth vnto them to whom he writes the Grace of Christ for without this all health of body little auaileth And he aboue all the rest was the Preacher of Grace being from a Persecutor receiued to so much Grace and looke what he receiued he earnestly wisheth to others Chrysostome obserues that Saint Paul layes the foundation of his Epistle in Grace Obser 2 beginning with Grace to you and Peace c. Chap. 1.7 and here he finisheth with Grace bee with you thereby shewing that our Iustification Sanctification Election Vocation Power to resist Satan to his bruising vnder our feete and all is of Grace The Best thing we can wish to our selues Obser 3 or our friends is the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ To bee gracious with earthly Princes is something but to be gracious with God in Christ surpasseth all For this is vnchangeable and in the houre of death when the fauour of Kings can stand vs in little stead then This will be able to comfort vs and to let vs out of this world into the Kingdome of Heauen VERSE 25. Now to him that is of Power to stablish you according to my Gospell and the preaching of Iesus Christ according to the Reuelation of the Mysterie which was kept secret since the World beganne 26. But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandement of the Euerlasting God made knowne to all Nations for the obedience of Faith 27. To God only wise bee glory through Iesus Christ for euer Amen IN these words is the last part of this Chapter of the conclusion and of the whole Epistle which is a Doxology or an acknowledgment of glory to God Where we haue the summe To God be glory and the Amplification from diuers Arguments From a description of God in which two things are attributed to him for the which he giues him glory The first is power the second Wisedome His Power set downe with the effect of it v. 25. To him that is of power to establish you Corroboration in Grace is by the Power of God Obser and this is to be vnderstood with the Exclusiue onely which is added to his wisedome v. 27. For such is the power of the Deuill and our weakenesse that vnlesse God himselfe who is Omnipotent did establish vs we must needs vtterly fall away This establishing is amplified from the instrument