Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. Of Friendship, familiaritie, familie and Fathers.
THe friendship with the wicked is such, that to saue themselues they wil endanger their friends: as we see in the King of Israel with Iehosaphat, 2. Chron. 18. 19.
2 Wee must beware that wee neuer further sinne, but if wee loueloveFriendship. God, wee must louelove them whom God loueth, and hate them whom God hateth, Psalme 15. 4. 139. 21. 22. how dare many then, hand ouer head, and without choise, bee friendes and ioyne in league with Gods enemies? Prouerbs 29. 27.
3 We may hauehave familiaritie with some, in whom, though there be no great louelove of religion,Note▪ yet there is no misliking of religion, nor louelove of heresies: But our acquaintāce must be in outward things, wee must beware our league proceed neither to the worship of God, nor matter of mariage.
4 The sinne of the master of the familie, indangereth the state of the whole familie, asFamilie. wee see in Abimelech.
5 It is the duty of seruants to couenant with their masters, that they may so serue them,Seruants. as that they may serue God.
6 When wee hauehave met our friends and hauehave done our ciuil dutie of salutation, we must not there rest, but proceed to talke of spirituall matters that we may edifie one another.
7 He is a diuell that is euill among good; but he is good, that is good among euill.
8 We become often hardned in our hearts in the companie of the godly, because weeNote. presume too much one of the goodnes of another.Presumption
9 It is a good thing to hauehave the acquaintance of a good man for a good cause.
10 Moses taketh Aaron and Hur with him, knowing his owne infirmities, though otherwise we see hee was a man of rare graces and great strength. So it is often saide of the Prophets, that they had euer some with them, and the Apostles are sent by two and two to preach, that one might help another Christs also sometimes takes Peter and Iohn, not that he had neede so to doe, but because he would leaue vsus an example, which we must follow, being ready to vse all helps for our infirmities which the Lord shal offer vntounto vsus. We must not stay in our selues but vse the aduice of others: for this cause it is saide, that two hauehave better wages than one, and that if one fall, the other may raise him vp. Where we see thatNote▪ when men agree together one grace of God doth set on fire another, and the more the better, if they consent together; for a threefold cord is not easily broken: yea though wee take such to vsus as are inferiour to vsus in gifts, yet if they be faithfull, the Lord by them may helpe vsus: as Hur was farre inferiour to Moses, and yet Moses was strengthened by him.Exod. 17. …2▪ 24 14. And where as Moses in prayer takes but two with him, wee learne to make a choise of our companie, for that but few being faithfull may more profit vsus and preuaile with God, than a great multitude which hauehave but a shew in them.
11 Great is the louelove of nature, Ioseph could not dissemble it, for that hee was faine to bee alone, that he might more freely breake foorth in teares to his breathrē. Yea euen that rough Esau when he saw his brother Iacob a farre off his heart melted in him. And like asThe louelove of brethren. no affection of louelove and liking is so vehement whilest it lasteth, so no contention is so bitter and so deadly as that of brethren. A Christall broken will neuer be set together againe: and there is no water will prooue so exceeding colde as that which hath been once heate.Simile. Wherefore let men endeuour by all meanes to cherish naturall affection, and the ratherAffection. 2. Tim. 3. 3. for that the spirit of God prophecieth that in the last dayes men shall want naturall affection.
12 Fathers wee commonly count and call them of whom wee are by nature, or vnderunder whom we are by gouernment, whether ecclesiasticall or ciuill: or behind whom we are in age and in gifts. Augustine consesseth he rebelled against his father in heauen, when he refusedOf Fathers▪ Ioh…. the instruction of his mother on earth: for though thē saith he) I could not see what shee did, yet now I see, that thou O Lord speakest, and not shee alone, and thy instruction was refused when her teaching was neglected. Needfull it is then for fathers to bee taught of God, who for that they bee fathers are to bee heard wherein they doe teach from God. Ciuill fathers are carefully to furnish themselues with knowledge, that they may learne to know when to strike and when not to strike: for if they strike when God doth not command them, what are they better than murtherers? If they strike not when God commandeth, what doe they but charge vponupon themselues the sinne and punishment of others.
13 That our spirituall fathers had need of God to be their teacher, if euer they meane to teach aright, who will not grant? vponupon whom if God vouchsafeth sound learning, it is as water powred to the rootes of an Oliue tree, from whence is shed out the moysture to all the branches: or as a dew falling vponupon the mountaines, where the raine resteth not, butSimile. trickleth downe into the neather skirts, and make the vallies florish as the fieldes which God hath blessed. Greene wits are as greene wood, though they are beautiful to the shewe,Ignorance of old age. yet in triall they are discouered; yet if the younger sort be ignorant, the ancient in dayes may instruct them: but if the gray heads be ignorant, who shall reade them the rules of instruction? If youth offend, the aged will rebuke them; but if the aged offend, who shall tell them▪ If they count it contempt to be taught & admonished by their inferiours, their contempt shall confound them with shame of conscience, to see, how in steed of being honoured for their age and yeeres, they grow to bee despised for their ignorance and manners most vnseemly.
14 It is a good thing, and a rare, in writing to our friends, to admonish them of their sinnes.