Conclusions of Peace, Part 10
My sonne, as being the wordes of Salomon considered.
NOw if we consider them as they be the wordes of Salomon, somthing more may be gathered from them, for as God was the Authour, so Salomon was the publisher, God is our father indeede, Salomon is but Gods minister, and speaks like a father to all, that of all he might win some, Salomon was a king, yet he giueth counsell like a Preacher, and teacheth men how to order their liues according to the word of god, and therefore he calleth himselfe a Preacher. So should rulers and men in authoritie giuegive their inferiours Eccle. 1. 1.counsell like Preachers, and though they be not Preachers by office, yet by their graue counsell and holy aduise, they may and ought to be Preachers, and so should all men be. But now if men speake like Polititians, and can giuegive craftie counsell to serue all mens turnes, they are the men: but if any speake like a holy Christian, or like a diuine, or like a Preacher, he is acconted a Puritane, a foole, and called a Preacher in derision, well, Salomon though he be a king, and no Preacher, yet he giueth the charge on the Iudgment seat like a diuine, and he counselleth like a Preacher indeed, but he speaketh like a father, and from a fathers affection, with desire not to shew himselfe, but to profit his auditors and his readers, therefore see how he tempereth his counsels, and his doctrine, with wordes of louelove, saying, My sonne, as if that were the onelyonly way to win men to God. So when the Apostle would make Gala. 4. 19.the Galathians in louelove with his doctrine, he calleth them his children, yea, his litle children, this is to teach al teachers how to make their doctrine most profitable vntounto their auditors, they hauehave put vponupon them the persons of fathers, therefore with a fatherly affection they must teach the Lords people and humble them as children, especially weake ones, which are but comming on. But those that are falling away and sinne of mallice and wilfullnesse, are to be handled after another maner, and therefore it is that Salomon in this booke hath so much adoe with fooles and scorners, though he speake to some as to babes, and children. And that kind of teaching, is of louelove too, and from the spirite of God, yea when Paule ratled vp Elymas the sorserer, calling him a man full of subtiltie and mischeife, Act. 13. 9. 10.a child of the deuill, an enemie of all righteousnesse, and a peruerter of the straight waies of the Lord, it is said of him that he was full of the holy ghost. As this doth not patronise bitternesse of spirite, or vnseemely rayling in any: so it serueth to proue, that a minister of GOD may sometime (as occasion serueth) deale roundly in laying open of sin, and seuerely thunder the iudgment of God, neither can we without sinne charge him with railing or malice, or choller (as the manner of some is) to charge the preachers of the word of God. My sonne, saith Salomon: to teach vsus that wee must speake with a louing and kinde affection, but not with a couetous and vainglorious affection, if euer wee will winne men to God: My sonne, saith Salomon, to teach vsus that whether we teach doctrine, or correct maners, or reprooue sinne, or denounce iudgements, we should first see that there be that kinde affection in vsus towardes the parties with whō we hauehave to deale, which is in fathers towards their children: and that fatherly louelove will sweeten all our reprehensions, and all our admonitions, & make them in time go down into the stomack, if they were as bitter as any pils, if men be not whollie giuen ouer of God. My brethren, (saith S. Paul) in all his Epistles: as if he made as much reckoning of them as of himselfe, and to shewe them that he wished them to do nothing, but that hee himselfe woulde helpe them in it, and doe it with them. You hauehave manie instructors, and teachers 1. Cor. 4. 15. 16.(saith the Apostle) but not many fathers, but in Christ Iesus I hauehave begotten you through the Gospell: wherefore I pray you be followers of me: to teach vsus how to make the people become our followers: Oh the louelove, the patience, the faithfulnesse, and the wisedome of a father, how great is it? or ought it to be towards his children? so great should be the louelove, the patience, the faithfulnesse and the wisedome of the minister of God: As S. Paul teacheth Timothie for want whereof much 1. Tim. 6. 11.learning and eloquence is shewed: 2. Tim. 2, 24. 25.many argumentes and aucthorities are spent, many admonitions and doctrines are deliuered both publiquely and priuately, by Ministers and Magistrates, and of all sorts, and little or no fruite come vp after, because the affection is not first sanctified by the spirite of louelove. This is also a lesson for vsus, if we be housholders, or maisters of families, (for they must be preachers too in their families after a sort) if wee woulde hauehave our counsell and correction doe good, with those that are vnderunder our gouernment: let them see our tender affection, and a fathers louelove both in our words and deedes.
In the 7. of Luke it is said of the Luke 7 8.Centurion, that hee had many seruauntes vnderunder his aucthoritie, and they were all at his becke, most readie to obey him in anie thing that he set them about: but how did hee bring them to any such good order? surely it is said that his seruants were deere vntounto him: that is, hee made a speciall reckoning of them, and was a father vntounto them. So let all maisters, make a reckoning of their seruants: for if thy seruant can perceiue that he is deere vntounto thee, thou shalt in time worke him like wax to thine owne minde, except hee hath solde himselfe to worke wickednesse.
If thou be a husband and wouldst win thy wife to God, or if thou be a wife, and wouldest winne thy husband to God, draw you on one another with the sweet words of louelove, speaking kindly one to another, because gentle wordes doe pacifie anger, as water quencheth fire. Remember Pro. 15. 1.what counsell the auncient counsellors of Salomon gaue vntounto Rehoboam king of Israel, that hee 1. Kin. 12, 7.might winne the heartes of the people: speake kindly vntounto them, saide they, and they will serue thee for euer after. So, speake one to another in kinde wordes, and you will louelove one another for euer after. Wordes spoken in season (saith Salomon) are Pro. 25. 11.like apples of gold with pictures of siluer: what wordes more seasonable than wordes of louelove and kindenesse? but wordes of despight and reproch, are alwaies out of season, and shall neuer do good. Sometime one worde of kindenesse may giuegive grace vntounto all the rest of the speech: and one worde of reproch and despight may spill all thy counsell, if it be neuer so graue, and godly otherwise: for a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe.
This we see by daily experience, if a man say but (thou) to some one, he cannot beare it, doest (thou me) will hee say againe? An other againe will take some one worde more to heart, than all the rest: oh that same one word (will hee say) went to my verie heart. The Iewes which hated the Lord Iesus, woulde not vouchsafe to giuegive him his name, when they talked of him, or with him; but to shew their vtter dislike of him, they vsed to say, Is this he, or art thou hee that wilt doe such a thing, Is not this hee, whom they Ioh. 7. 15. 35go about to kill? They woulde not say, Is not this Iesus Christ? or the sonne of God? Againe, whither will hee go that we shall not finde him? This is a most despightfull kinde of speaking, and doth bewray a bundance of malice, that is hidden in the heart. And is it not so betweene some Husbandes and Wiues, and their neighbours? they coulde speake one to another, but disdaine and anger will not suffer the one to affoord vntounto the other their names and their titles, least they shoulde be put in minde of those dueties which these names require, whereout Sathan sucketh no small aduauntage; and these are like the spirituall Iewes. Whereas manie times the verie name of husband or wife, or brother, or sister, or neighbour, or sonne, or seruaunt, or maister, doth helpe not a little to persuade the minde, and to win the affection: yea the verie mentioning of those names doth oftentimes leaue a print of duety behind in the conscience. Many think themselues sufficiently discharged if they speake the truth: It is no matter they thinke after what maner it be done; thinking to preuaile by boysterous terms, nicke-names, and wordes of disgrace, but they are deceiued: for if termes of louelove, and kindnesse will not preuaile, words of reproch and hatred, shall neuer preuaile, except it be to make thinges worse, and this will be the end of it, while they doe so vnkindly hunt one another, the diuell doth hunt them both, vntill both of them become a praie vntounto the diuell, like men which make themselues a pray vntounto the Lawyers, while they striue to eate vp one another at law.
Now on the other side, if teachers must shew themselues like Fathers, then by the same lawe the people must shew themselues like children. If the minister must for his parte seeke them with a fathers affection; then they for their parte must not be wanting with a sonnelike affection. His authoritie for God bindeth them to reuerēce him as the minister of God, & to obay him as if God himselfe did commaund them, for for they are embassadours for Christ or in Christs stead, and do entreate 2. Cor. 5. 20.vsus to be reconciled vntounto God. And in the 2. Cor. 5. 20. the Apostle saith that God doth beseech vsus through them: We must know then, when Gods minister in the excercise of his ministerie doth persuade, God doth persuade, when he doth threaten vsus, God doth threaten vsus, when he doth promise vsus any thing, God doth promise it, when he doth shew patience, it is Gods patience, if he doth forbeare thee, God doth forbeare thee, and all this is done for thy good, therefore they that abuse the ministers patience, (as he is a minister) do abuse Gods patience, which God vseth towards vsus for no other purpose, but to draw vsus to repentance; which if we abuse to serue our own turn, we do but heape vntounto our selues wrath, against the day of Rom. 2. 4.wrath.
Your murmurings are not against vsus (saith Moses) but against God. Exod. 16. 7.He that receiueth me, saith Christ, &c. Mat. 10. 40.He that despiseth you, despiseth me.
Therefore touch not mine annointed 1. Chr. 16. 22(saith God) and do my Prophets no harme, because they Psa. 105. 15.are my Prophets, not to prophesie vntounto me, but for me vntounto you. Are we now at libertie (thinke we) to here them or not to heare them, at our pleasure? because some speake roughlye, and some smoothlye, may we now (without sinne) censure the preachers of the word, buy and sell them behinde their backes, or gibe and iest at them with our mouthes? may we descant and play vponupon their wordes (as the maner of some is) and escape in the end? may we ly in waite for them and betray them? may we smite them with our tongues, as the Iewes do smite Ieremie? may we thinke any thing, wel gotten that is gottē from them? 2. Sam. 2. 26Or may we make more account of any, yea of the oddest companion in the worlde, than of Gods minister. May any thinke to doe this, and a great deale more, which is vsed in the world, and not to be called to account for it one day? Will there not be bitternes in the end? as Abner said to Ioab. But stay, thou art a father and hast children, and doest trye by all waies and meanes to do them good, what if thy child shuld mock thee or iest at thee, when thou doest speak in earnest to him for his good, wouldst thou be contented? what if he should turne his backe vponupon thee in contempt and goe his way, when thou callest him? Or what if he should turne againe and smite thee, when thou doest reproue him for his faulte? but what if he should betray thee into the handes of his enemies? wouldst not thou thinke thy cost well bestowed vponupon him? wouldst thou take pleasure in such a monster? Nay, wouldst thou not wish rather that he had neuer seene the sunne? But if a child ought not so to handle his naturall parentes which hauehave begotten him, and brought him forth into the worlde, shall any man thinke it lawfull so to handle his spiritual father by whom he is begotten to God, and brought vp to the hope of life euerlasting.
The eye (saith Salomon) that mocketh his father, & despiseth the Pro. 30. 17.instruction of his mother, let the Rauens of the valley pickè it out and the young Eagles deuoure it. But the eye that mocketh the counsell of God his heauenly father, or despiseth the instruction of Gods minister his spirituall father, let the Deuils of hel picke that out, and except he repent let the infernall Spirits deuour it.
But some will say, if he were learned as other men be, if he were of yeares and grauitie as some men be, if he were a good fellow as some men be, if he would flatter & please as some men do, if he would preach seldome, as some men doe, if he were in place of authoritie as some men be, and did come with countenaunce and credite, as some men do, then would we heare him and reuerence him, and regard him, and maintaine him, as now we do not.
Now imagin that thy child should make such an apoligie for himsefe, when he hath dishonored thee, and say, father do not meruaile, though I regard you not more than I do, for you are but a young man, you are but a plain man, you are but a poore man, you are but a simple man, and hauehave no learning, I hauehave more learning than you, and can teach you, what though you giuegive me meate and drinke, & apparell, what though you hauehave brought me vp to learning, yet it is not in such plentifull and fine maner as some hauehave, nor you do not handle me so daintilie, nor make so much of me as some do vse their children, &c. Therfore I care not for you, if you had these properties as you hauehave not, I would regard you as now I doe not. The application hereof I leaue to eueryevery mans conscience, but this let eueryevery one be assured of, that he which despiseth Gods minister, despiseth his father, and he that betrayeth Gods minister, that begat him to the faith, betrayeth his father. And will not God be auenged of such vnkindnes, yea the heauy iudgmēt of God shall pursue such vnkinde and vnnaturall beasts, vntill they be rooted out of the earth, and the memorial of them shall perish. Elisha seeing Elias ready to depart, cryed 2. Kin. 3. 12.My father, my father, the horsmen of Israel, and the chariots of the same, but now Elah is accounted and vsed of some, as if he were the sootstooles of Israel, and the chairs of the same, howbeit Eliah, there be that hauehave thee in singular account for thy workes sake, and be of good comfort, for so long as the poor widow of Sarepta hath any oyle left in her cruse, or meale in her barrell, thou shalt not want, & Ioash king of 2. Kin. 13. 14.Israel will no doubt come and visite Elisha when he is sicke, yet some (I must needes say) are at this point, they will giuegive Ezechiel the hearing, and when the Preacher hath done, he may goe shake his eares, as men vse their wine caskes, and fig frailes, when they are emptied, they are turned out of the dores.
The Phisition for his phisicke, is esteemed of his patients, the lawyer for his law, is esteemed of his clients, the seruing man for his badge is esteemed for his maisters sake, the iester with his iests is esteemed of his companions, and the foole with his bable, is regarded among fooles, and shall not Gods minister for his workes sake, be esteemed of amongst the sonnes of God? If Preachers were lawyers, or Phisitions, they should be often consulted with and in better sort than they be, or if Preachers were players, and their blacke gownes turned into blew coates with a badge on the sleeue, doubtles the chiefest of the towne would heare them, and they should lacke no audience, if we be sicke in body, send for this doctour, and that doctoure: both shall be heard without controllment, yea, and shall they not vse vsus at their pleasure? If we hauehave a sute at law, we retaine this counseller, & that counseller, we suspect our owne skill, and they shall order the matter as they list, but many mens soules are sicke to death, being ready to yeeld vp the Ghost, and to go to hell, but the phisitions of the soule, are seldome or neuer sent for, and eueryevery one is able (for the most part) to appoint the preacher his text, how he shall hādle it for matter and maner, this was no fit text (saith one) this was ill handled and worse applied (saith another) why doth he not preach vponupon the Epistle and the Gospell (saith another) one saith, there he went besides his text, another saith, he stood too long, or hee spake plainely, another saith, he hath a bad vtterance, and spits much, another saith, this is too high for me, I cannot vnderstand him, another saith, this is common stuffe, I knew this before, some say, what hath he to doe with Maiestrates, must he be medling with the Maiestrates office, some say, what neede he speake against images, what hurt do they, some say, he neuer speaks any Latin, I warrant you he is no scholler, and another is much troubled in his conscience, because the preacher hath gathered notes out of other mens workes, but if he hath any notes before him in his bookes, to helpe his memorie, Oh, that is a haynous matter, and then he is fallen into a deepe pit indeede, let him get out as well as he can, for poore Ioseph was neuer in such a pit as this is. EueryEvery one is cunning in the preachers office, if he be neuer so ignorant, and commonly the more ignorant, the more presumptuous. The Lord open our eyes, and touch our heartes, that we may repent, before his wrath flame out vponupon vsus, for the greate contempt of this his holy and heauenly ordenaunce.
There is no question but that many things might be better handled than oftentimes they are. But for the sinnes of the people it commeth to passe, that many times (if not generally) the Lord doth strengthen the meditations of the minister, he dulleth his wits, and maketh his tounge to cleaue fast to the roofe of his mouth, giuing no edge to his doctrine, no comfort to his studies, nor any blessing to his labours. But the cause hereof may be, and no doubt is partly in the speaker, and partly in the hearer, and want of prayer in both is the cause thereof, this knew the Apostle well inongh, and therefore he doth earnestly exhort the Ephesians in al their praiers Eph. 6. 18. 19to pray for him, that the dore of vtterance and boldnesse might be opened vntounto him. And againe he prayeth for the Ephesians that God would giuegive vntounto them, the spirite of wisdome and reuelation in the knowledge of God, and that the eys Eph. 1. 16. 17of their vnderstanding might be enlightened, &c. This is to teach both minister and people to commend one another vntounto God in prayer, for well may Iacob prepare a present for his brother Esau, but God must giuegive him, and his present, fauour in the Gen. 32. 11. 13.eyes of his brother, and that he must pray, for we should pray before we go out of our houses, that the Lord would be mercifull both to our owne sinnes, and the sinnes of the teacher, we should pray that God would direct him in the deliuery of his message, and assist vsus in the receiuing of the same, we should pray that God wold sāctifie both his affections in speaking, & our affections in hearing, to the greatest glory of God, and our owne mutuall comfort, and that the Lord would giuegive to both all such graces as he knoweth best to be most needefull for vsus, we ought not to rush into Gods house as into an Alehouse, or to a market, the man of God ought not to speake in Gods place, as if he were telling a tale at the table, for Cursed is he that doth Gods works neglegently, saith the Prophet Ieremie, Ier. 48. 10.neither ought we to heare, as if we heard a fidlers song, but with al feare and reuerence we should come, as into the presence of God, and his Angels, & so we do, for what health can we hauehave, when we handle the foode of our soules with vnwashen handes? What blessing can we hope for, when our sinnes doe call for a curse? What fruite can we looke for, when we sow among the thornes? What reformation can there be, where there is no resolution to amend? What feare of God, when we respect only a man? What comfort is there in heauenly thinges, when our minds are set vponupon earthly matters? And finally, what peace can we possesse in our consciences, when our whole life is a warre against God? as Iehu said to Iehoram, What peace canst thou looke for, 2. Kin. 9. 22.when the whoredomes and witchcraftes of thy mother Iezabell, are yet great in number? Therefore let vsus wash and be cleane, that is, let vsus repent and amend, and then let vsus goe about the holy things of God.
If we can not be so cleane as we should, (as Who can say his heart is Pro. 20. 9.cleane) yet let vsus take heede that we refuse not the holy thinges of God, but striue by prayer, and waite for the Lordes worke in the vse of the same, and the Lord will in the end fulfill our desire, yea let vsus striue Gen. 38.with God, as Iacob wrestled with the Angell, it may be that at the first we shall be deceiued as Iacob was, and if we continue wrestling, it may be we shall get some more blowes than we had before, as Iacob did, and what if we halt more than we did before, as Iacob did, yet let vsus continue and not giuegive ouer, and be we sure we shall find a blessing in the end as Iacob did, and when that blessing is gone, let vsus wrestle againe with him and he wil blesse vsus again, yea, for eueryevery one that will wrestle with the Lord by prayer, he hath a blessing in store, so often as they come. For the Lord is not like Isaac, who when he had blessed one of his sonnes could not blesse the other. But when God hath blessed Mat. 5. 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8. 9.the poore in spirite, he will blesse those that mourne for their sinnes, when he hath blessed the mourners for sinne, he will blesse the meeke harted, when he hath blessed them, then he hath a blessing for those which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, when he hath blessed them, he hath a blessing for the mercifull and simple in heart, when he hath blessed them, he will blesse the peacemakers, he will also blesse the persecuted and those that are reuiled, slaundered, and euill spoken of for righteousnesse sake, shall be blessed.
And thus hauehave we heard, how to teach and how to learne. And thus much of these wordes, My sonne, both as they be the words of God, and the words of Salomon.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Burton, Conclusions of Peace (1594)