The Treasure of the Church, Lecture 11
The eleuenth Lecture.
Vers. 14. I hauehave giuen them thy word, and the world hath hated them.
NOw followeth another reason of our Sauiours prayer for his disciples, taken from the great perils which they are subiect vntounto, and their enemies which are set against them, which are the world: that is, the generation of the wicked. vers. 14. and euill or sinne, which is readie to catch hold vponupon the best in this life, from the which he desireth them to be kept, vers. 15.
In this verse two reasons are giuen of the hatred of the world▪ because they hauehave the word and professe the truth, because in respect of their righteous life, they shew themselues not to be of the world: for these two things the world cannot abide, Truth and Innocencie.
By the world here, neither the whole companie of men comprehending both good and bad, is vnderstood: as it is sometime taken, as Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in his first begotten Sonne into the world: nor yet for the number of the faithfull, which are also called the world, Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lambe of God, that taketh away the sinne of the world: but the vniuersall companie of the wicked onelyonly is here insinuated. As 1. Ioh. 5. 19. The whole world lieth in wickednesse.
We are here then taught,Doct. 1. that the faithfull in this life are hated for the word of God and the truths sake:The faithfull hated in the world. for nothing is more irkesome or vnpleasing vntounto them, then Gods word.
1. As the Prophet Isay speaketh of the people of his time: They would not heare the law of the Lord, which said vntounto the Seers, see not: and to the Prophets, prophesie not vntounto vsus right things, &c. prophecie errors.
2. Thus Ahab hated Micaiah, because he spake the truth vntounto him, and flattered him not, 1. King. 22. 8. For the same cause did Herodias procure Iohn Baptists death, because he would not dissemble with her in her sinne, Mark. 6. This was the cause of Saint Paules trouble at Ierusalem: they obiected against him, that the did teach against the law, and the temple Act. 21. 28.
3. Like as the Philistims striued with Isaacs seruants for the wels of water which they had digged, especially for one well of liuing or springing water, Genes. 26. 19. so do the children of the world contend with the faithfull about the waters of life, which issue frō the word. Therfore our Sauior saith: I am come to put fire on the earth, and what is my desire if it be already kindled? Luk. 12. 49. The word of God is as a fire, that enflameth the wicked, it maketh thē to rage and fume as though they were mad: as the people that could not endure to heare Saint Paule, but cast off their cloathes, and threw dust in the aire, Act. 22. 23.
4. The reason is euident: EueryEvery one that euill doth, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his euill deeds should be reproued, Ioh. 3. 20. The wicked cannot endure to be reproued, and therefore they abhorre the word that discouereth them: they are angrie with the looking glasse that bewrayeth the wrinkles and spots of their face: and as mad men that fall vponupon their phisitions that come to doe them good: like as the man that had an euil spirit, ranne vponupon those that came to adiure him, Act. 19. 16.
5. First we see what we are to iudge of those, and what they are to thinke of them selues,A dangerous thing to hate the seruants of God. which do hate any for their profession sake, or do repine at Gods ministers because of their admonitiōs, they are by the sentence of Christ, of the world. A fearefull thing it is when a man spurneth against the admonitiō of the word, which is especially the sin of great men. As Asa put the prophet Hanani in prison,1. Chro. 16. 10. because he rebuked him for trusting to the king of Aram; so did not Hezekiah, who being rebuked by the prophet for his rashnesse in shewing his treasures to the king of Babels seruants, said, the word of God is good which thou hast spoken, 2. Ki. 20. 9. Secondly, they whome God hath called to the profession of his word, must prepare themselues to beare many scoffes, tauntes, and crosses in the worlde, and to be hated for Christs sake. Our Sauiour was no sooner baptized and entred into his holie vocation, but presently he is assaulted and tempted of Sathan. Math. 4. The dragon is readie to deuoure the childe as soone as the mother is deliuered of it. Reuelat. 12. 4. And Sathan euen in our new birth would deuoure vsus, and choake vsus in the beginning. Origen well noteth vponupon the 17. of Exodus, that presently after the Israelites had eaten of Manna, and drunke of the rocke, then began the battell with Amalek; & tu ergo, cum coeperis manducare panem coelestem para te ad bellum: Hom. 11. in Exod.and thou also, saith he, when thou hast begunne to eate of the bread of heauen, make thy selfe readie for warre.
Because they are not of the world, Doct. 2.as I am not of the world. In this world we are all while we here liue; but of the world (if we will be Christs) we must not be.
1. What it is to be of the world, the Apostle sheweth: LoueLove not the world, nor the things of the world: If any mā louelove the world, the louelove of the father is not in him, 1. Ioh. 16. To be of the world then, is to louelove the vanities and corruptions thereof, to be altogether earthly minded, and addicted, to earthly things.
2. Lot though he were in Sodom, yet was he not of Sodome, For he was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked, 2. Pet. 2. 7. Nehemiah though he was in the king of Persia his court, and waited vponupon his table, yet his heart was at Ierusalem. Nehem. 2. 3. Daniel though in the land of captiuitie, yet opened his window to Ierusalem, Dan. 6. 10.
3. Like as the Doue being sent out of the Arke, finding no rest for the sole of her foote, returneth thither againe, Gen. 8. As the marines, though in the midst of the sea in bodie, yet in wish and desire are in the hauen, Psal. 107. 30. so though we are in the world, yet our desire and affection must not be vponupon it.
4. For the world passeth, and the lust thereof, 1. Iohn 2. 17. therfore it is in vaine to settle our desire vponupon vaine and transitorie things; and where our treasure is, there should be our heart: we should seek those things which are aboue, because Christ there sitteth at the right hand of God. Coloss. 3. 1.
5. First though we be not of the world,Against separation from the Church. yet must we not goe otherwise out of the world, then God hath appointed: as they doe, which pretending corruptions of the place, where they liue, do breake out into schismes, & separate themselues from the fellowship of Christs Church: we must not thus go out of the world, but rather leaue it by the sequestring of our desire, thē separating of our bodies. The Apostle saith, HaueHave no fellowship with the vnfruitful workes of darknes, but reproue them rather, Ephes. 5. 11. thus shall we not be of the world, though we liue in it. Peter and Iohn refused not to go vp to the temple though it were then much abused and abounded with corruption. Augustine to this point saith well,Cont. Cres…. lib. 3. cap. 35. Verbo & disciplina Domini emendo quod possum, tolero quod non possum; fugio paleam, ne hoc sim, non aream, ne nihil sim: I by the word and discipline amend whom I can, whom I cannot I suffer; I flee the chaffe that I be not such, not the flore lest I be nothing.
Secondly,3. degrees of worldly men. if we will assure our selues that we be Christs, we must be like him: as he is not of the world, so neither must we: neither to set our desire vpō the world: for if we be risen with Christ, we must seeke those things that are aboue, Col. 3. 1. nor to fashiō our selues to the world, Rom. 12. 2. as many do which conforme themselues to the custome of the world, nor to warre after the flesh and world, 2. Cor. 10. 3. that is to become patrons and defenders of the corruptions of the world; for these three to affect and desire, to follow and be conformable to the world, to patronize and defend it, are though not in the same measure and degree, the cognisance of corrupt and worldly men.
Verse 15.Doct. 3. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou keepe them from euill. It is not then lawfull for the seruants of God, in regard of the great miseries and trauels of this life, to wish presently to be out of the world, but rather to pray vntounto God that they may be kept in the world, and that their life may be preserued to serue God and liue vntounto his praise.
1. The Church of God thus complaineth, Thou hast abated my strength in the way, and shortened my dayes: and I said, O my God, take me not away in the middest of mine age, Psal. 102. 23. 24. The faithfull desire rather that their dayes may be prolonged to Gods pleasure.
2. It was the foolish wish of the murmuring and disobedient Israelites: Wold God we had died in the land of Aegypt, or in this wildernesse would God we were dead, Num. 14. 1. Iob also herein shewed himselfe impatient: Why died I not in the birth, why died I not when I came out of the womb, Iob 3. 11. Neither was Elias that great prophet altogether blameles, who being persecuted of Iesabel, was wearie of his life, and desired to die, and said, It is enough O Lord, take away my soule, for I am no better then my fathers, 1. King. 14. 4.
3. Like as the vnprofitable seruant is reproued, because he hid his talent in the earth, and put it not forth to aduantage: Math. 25. 25. so they are vnprofitable, which desire their bodies (before their time) to be raked vp in the earth, and not to liue to set forth Gods glorie. Like as it were a foolish course, when as house is decaied and droppeth through, to pull it quite downe, and not to seeke to repaire it rather: so is it with them that would hauehave their crasie bodies, broken with the cares and troubles of this life, to be wholly dissolued, rather then to be strengthned with grace against temptation.
4. The reason, why we should not desire to be taken out of this world, but to be kept from euill in the world, the Prophet sheweth: I shall not die, but liue and declare the workes of the Lord. Psal. 118 17. Be benificiall to thy seruant, that I may liue and keepe thy vvord: Psal. 119. 17. The desire which we hauehave vntounto Gods glorie should make vsus willing to continue in Gods seruice among the liuing.
5. First:Life not corruptly to be desired. by this doctrine two corrupt affections are discouered: the one, when any man desireth life with a corrupt minde, as that he may liue to grow rich, or to increase in honor, or to be reuenged of his enemie, or such like: as Ambrose noteth vponupon those words:Serm. 20. in Psal. 119. Psal. 119. 154. Quicken me because of thy word: Alius propter diuitias viuere cupit, alius propter filios, hic propter verbum viuificari cupit: One desireth to liue because of their riches, another because of their children, but the Prophet onelyonly would liue for Gods word sake.
The other affection reproued,Against a pre posterous desire of death. is when one waxeth wearie of the world, not for any desire he hath to God, but because of his sorrow and trouble, to desire with Saint Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ is a good affection: so that our particular in seeking our owne perfectiō yeeld to the generall in furthering the Churches consolation, as Saint Paul doth moderate his desire, who though it were best of all for him to be loosed, yet wisheth to abide in the slesh for the furtherance of the Churches ioy. Phil. 1. 23. 24.
Likewise we are taught by this rule, when affliction commeth, and temptation assaileth vsus, to pray rather for strength to resist, then for riddance, not at all to feele it: Saint Paul praying, that the temptation might depart from him which he felt in his flesh, was not therein heard, but receiued this answere, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is made perfect through nesse: Our Sauiour prayed for Peter, not that he should not at all be winnowed of Sathan, for how then should he come foorth as cleane wheate, but that his faith faile him not, Luk. 20. 31. Saint Paul al…o saith, that he was deliuered from the mouth of the Lion▪ from the cruell rage of Nero the persecuting Emperour: but he was not sure so to be deliuered still from externall persecution: but he saith confidently: The Lord will deliuer me from eueryevery euill worke, & preserue me vntounto his heauenly kingdome, 2. Timoth. 4. 18. He was sure to be kept from euill, as here our Sauiour prayeth for his disciples but not to be deliuered from the troubles of the world: and the same also is the hope and confidence of eueryevery faithfull man.