The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 19
That they may dwell with me, and serue mee.
THE Prophet hauing shewed what choise he would make of his publike officers and priuate seruants, here sheweth how hee would fauour them, and how much he would make of them when they were chosen. Hee had promised to approue of, and to aduance, not simply the honorable, but the faithfull, and the honourable, not for their noble birth, but for vertue, and (therefore) not prophane Nobles, nor the sonnes of nobles, that be fooles, but the wise in heart, and godly in conuersation: here hee promiseth that such shall dwel with him in his Court, and attend vponupon him in his counsels of state. Hee that walketh in the perfect way, saith the Prophet; that is, who walketh in righteousnesse, and not crookedly in his sins, hee, hee, (for hee doubleth the speech) as if hee should say, hee, and no other, shall be my seruant, or be put in office and place by me. This is the Prophets meaning, where, that vvhichwhich moued him to stand thus affected to men of good conscience, and holy conuersation, was the fauour that God beareth to such, and that hee might louelove where the Lord had loued first. These are greatly beloued of God… and bring his letters of commendation in their behalfe, requiring godly Princes and al Christian Magistrates and Masters, as they fauour him, to care for them, and (therefore) hee promiseth to settle his affections where God had setled his, and to respect where he hath had respect.
From whence this doctrine and Note ariseth,Doct. that we must set our hearts vponupon those that vvalke in the truth, and are faithfull: that is, wee must cherish the good, and fauour the righteous. The Good will that we beare to God, we must shew by dealing well with those that bee his, Psal. 16.3. For, it is a marke of those that shall be saued, that they honour those that feare the Lord, Psal. 15.4. that is, they defend and preferre those that be good, as they ought to oppose vntounto, and put down the vnrighteous. Then, as we must not flatter the wicked for their wealth, so wee must not despise the godly because they are poore. Salomon saith, the fauour of a King is toward a wise seruant, Prou. 14.35. the meaning is, a Magistrate hath not a better seale in his bosome then this, that hee loues the wise God in a wise hearted Christian, defends him against the oppositions of the wicked, is a wall vntounto him, and a recompence, and in his good race giueth him, both at his setting forth, and while he striueth lawfully, his due applause and garland of praise. In the 1 Ioh. 3.14. it is made a signe of our translation from death to life, that wee louelove the brethren, that is, the godly, delighting in them, and fauouring them.
The Reasons.
Wee must honour those whom God honoureth, and louelove where hee loueth: but his eyes are vponupon those that feare him, and he loueth the righteous, Psal. 34.15. Such (therefore) must we louelove: also, vertue maketh honourable, not the gold ring, Iam. 2.2. and honour is the adiunct of verine, not birth nor externall pompe, wanting vertue. Secondly, he that loueth him that begate, must needs louelove him that is begotten of him, 1 Iohn 5.1. that is, he that loueth God in his being, wil louelove man in his image. He that loueth the Father will louelove that Childe who is most like vntounto him, and hee that regardeth the Master, will receiue the meanest whom hee shall send for the Masters sake. How (then) can wee louelove God, and hate the good that are so like him? or reuerence Gods maiestie, and despise his image? and honour our Master when vvee reuile his seruants? Thirdly, that vvhichwhich wee owe to God in these debts of outward fauour, delight, bountie, and louelove, wee must pay to him in the hand of his Saints, and such as excell in goodnesse, Psal. 16.2.3. and, what wee doe to the least of these, we doe it to him, Mat. 25.40. wouldest thou (then) doe any thing for God? nay, vvouldest thou doe much for God? do that much for a good man. Wouldest thou take Christ part? then take part with a Christian: or, vvouldest thou receiue Christ? then reiect not a Christian. Fourthly, the World, that is, the companie of them who are not Citizens of Heauen, louelove those who are of the World, Iohn 15.19. therfore (contrarily) they who are not of the world, will louelove those whom the world hateth.
Vses.
Vse 1.An instruction to delight in goodnes, and to louelove righteousnesse: so will we louelove and delight in the owners of these things, that is, wee will louelove their names and reioyce in their persons. For, wherefore doe vvee louelove a worldling, but because wee are in our disposition, worldlings? and why doe men companie with drunkards, but because they bee affected as drunkards are, and louelove as drunkards doe? And so, if wee vvere truly good, we could not be familiar vvith an euill person, and wee would reioyce in the Communion of Saints: if vvee loued vertue, vve would single our selues to those that louelove to doe well; at least, we vvould not in our daily familiaritie, espouse our selues to those vvho hauehave another husband then Christ, and other dowers that they trust to then the dower of Heauen. If vve reioyced in goodnesse, would wee delight to be vvhere vve shall heare little goodnes, and much euill? vvould a man, when his prouision is spent, goe vvhere is no market, and not vvhere hee may helpe himselfe with varietie of Markets? doe wee not seeke rich friends because vvee need them, and they can helpe vsus? and shall vvee spend our time in the company of beggarly Christians that cannot helpe vsus to God, nor any vvay furnish vsus for heauen?
A reproofe to those who grace Swaggerers,Vse 2. and disgrace the simple because they cannot swagger, nor creepe into fauour by flatterie, and sycophancie, and such courses. We may not honour such with our companie, and shall vvee speake good of euill, to honour them! Esa. 5.20. As farre as we beleeue the Communion of Saints, so farre vve should separate from them, else our practise is against our faith: and, shall vve cast in our lots with them for respects in flesh, and praise them in their sinnes? Is it any credit to grace a theefe and robber? and, what more credit; nay, what greater discredit and shame for a Christian to take pleasure in, and to grace tha… fellowship that robbeth God of his honour, and would robbe a childe of God of his saluation? Then, as sin hath made them vile to the Church and odi…s to God: so eueryevery good man, vvho is a member of the true Church, and seruant of the liuing GOD, should thinke of them and vse them. But, as the image in Daniel had the head of gold, when the feet were yron and clay, Daniel 2.32.33. so the golden societie of the Saints that should, as the head of fine gold, be and liue without the mixture of the vngodly, is made in many places, a very Idoll, strangely compounded: for, the head is gold, the rest are clay and yron. They that can make Idols of vsus in our vein…, and will flatter vsus in our sinnes, shall (though they be neuer so vnworthy otherwayes) bee made our companions and dearest louers and friends. And, if there be a Cedar in the Towne in which vve dwell, though a Cedar but in worldly stature, and in goodnesse a bramble, we rather combine in societie with that pricking briar, then with those meeke ones that feare the Lord, and doe reuerence to his Name. The reason is, the smoake of pride loueth to be climbing, till it vanish by a high minde, that goeth before the fall, Prouerb. 16.18. And, this is it that maketh our proud Christians to looke with such disdaine vponupon those that are of low degree, though their vertues deserue their best countenance; vvhere yet they honour the apparell and externall habit of persons in high place, though their vices deserue contempt, and their names no good report. Indeed, so long as vve be in the world, we shal not chose, but sometimes must keepe some kinde of companie with such, yet wee may chuse to grace them, & to take pleasure in them, and though we cannot in body, yet wee should alwayes in affection separate from them.
A terrour (therefore) to the wicked,Vse 3. who (though they flourish in the world) yet they wither and grow vile in the estimation of eueryevery good man. Gods children must hold them base, though the worlds children thinke them precious. For the world loueth them, but with the enmitie of God. People salute them, but with disdaine, and, at feasts they hauehave the chiefe roome, but no place in heauen.
A comfort to those vvho lye open to all contempt for their profession.Vse 4. For the world may despise them, but good men are bound to honor them. The wicked may vnhouse them, but they shal dwell in the hearts of Gods children. Vile persons may euill entreate them, but good Magistrates will saue them from wrong, and punish those that wrong them. Scorners may mocke so meane a type of honor in those who are content to be f…oles for Christ, but Dauid, and such as Dauid is, vvill praise them as wise, and vse them as companions … Other wicked persons protested against, follow.