An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 4 · Chapter 4 · Verse 5
Vers. 5.
Walke wisely towardes them that are without and redeeme the time.
These words are the second part of the exhortation, and concerne wise conuersation.
Walke] This is a metaphor borrowed from trauellers, and notes both action and progresse; hearing, and talking, and commending of God; seruants will not serue turne, but we must both practise and proceede.
There is a double race in the life of a man, one naturall, the other voluntarie, the one is the race of life, the other is the race of holy life, in the first men must runne whether they will or no, and come to the end of it: But the other will not be dispatched without great indeauour and constancie. As the most of vsus order the matter, the naturall race of life is almost runne out, before we once enter the lists of walking in the race of holy life, yea Gods children are so apt to sleepe and sit still and tire, that they need to be excited and called vponupon and incouraged in their race.
Walke foreign] A Christian is a peripateticke, so is Christ, so is the Diuell, so are Heretickes, so are Apostataes, so are worldly men, Christ walkes in the middest Reuel. 2.1. The Diuell walkes in the circumference round about Iob. 1. his motion is circular, and therefore fraudulent, and dangerous. The Apostata walke… backeward. The Hereticke walkes out on the right hand, the worldly man walkes on the left hand, enticed out of the way by worldly profits, pleasures, and lusts, OnelyOnly the true Christian walkes forward.
Wisely] Wisedome of conuersation must be considered two waies, 1. Generally. 2. With limitation to the respect of them that are without.
What it is to walke wisely.In generall to walke wisely hath in it 4. things.
1. To walke wisely is to walke orderly, and the order of conuersation hath in it 2. things▪ 1. A due respect of the precedencie of things so as wee must first prouide for heauen, and then for the earth, first learne to die and then to liue, first serue God and then our selues, and other men; first care for the soule and then for the bodie, first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes thereof, and then outward things.
2. It hath in it a carefull attendance to our calling with diligence, and constancie,foreign and patience 1. Cor. 7.17. 1. Thess. 4 11.12. & 2. Thess. 3.6.11. to walke inordinately is to walke vnwisely.
2. To walke wisely is to walke speedily, walke in the light while you hauehave the light, loose no opportunitie, delay no worke in haruest, Iob. 12.35.
3. To walke wisely is to walke vprightly and that for matter in the newnes of life Rom. 6.4. And for manner exactly, precisely, circumspectly, Ephes. 5.15.16.
4. To walke wisely is to walke surely, and he walkes surely.
He walkes surely that obserues 5. rules.1 That will liue where he may hauehave meanes for his soule, aswell as his bodie, he will not liue in darkenesse, but desires to be where he may hauehave the greatest light.
2. That makes the word the rule of his actions, and is sure of warrant from the Scripture for what he doth Deut. 4.5.6. this is to walke in the law, Psal. 119.1. according to the rule Gal 6.16.
3. That will not liue vnderunder any knowne threatning, will not venture to go on with wrath hanging ouer his head, he is none of those fooles, that will not vnderstand though the foundations of the earth be moued Psal. 82.5.
4. That walkes by faith and not by sight 2. Cor. 5.7. trusts not in things that may be seene, which are mutable, but labours to be clothed with the garments of Christs righteousnesse, he walkes not wisely that walkes nakedly, Reuel. 16 15. And for manner of assurance, he that is a wise man when he sees how carefull the men of the world are to make eueryevery thing sure, and what stirres there are for certainties in the things of the earth, he will not rest in probabilities for his soule, or in common hopes or presumptions, but will striue by all meanes to make his calling and election sure, he will not be led in a fooles paradise, and stand to the venture of his soule vponupon carnall coniectures Pro. 24.5.
5 That walkes in the way of the lest and not of the most, he will not be led by the example of the multitude, or frame his life according to the commonest opinions &c. 2. Cor. 12.15. Phil. 3.16.
Thus of wisedome of conuersation in the generall, here it is limitted to conuersing with one sort of men viz. Those that are without.
Towards them that are without] Without are first all infidels,Who are without. that liue without the Church of Christ. 2 All Hipocrites that minde nothing but the gailding of the outside. 3 All wicked men in generall, that liue without God, without Christ, without hope in the world, 1. Cor. 5.12.13. Luk. 13.25. Reuel 22.15.
Here are two things I will but briefly touch, 1 That a Christian should be more carefull, how he behaues himselfe before wicked men then before godly men.Note. 2 It is to be noted that he saith not with them but towards them, it is one thing to walke with them and an other thing to walke towards them, the one notes a voluntary consorting with them, this the Apostle allowes not, the other notes a behauiour that is well framed when through necessitie, and calling we must hauehave to do with them.
But the maine thing is what we must do,The rules of conuersing in respect of wicked men. that we may carry our selues iustly towards wicked men? That this may be distinctly vnderstood, wicked men may be two waies considered, first as Spectators of our conuersation, Secondly, as parties in conuersing.
As they are Spectators and obserue vsus, there are 4. things which in godly discretion, we should make to shine before them.
1 All good faithfulnesse in our calling, 1. Thess. 4.11.12. 1. Tim. 6.1.
2 All humble subiection to those in authoritie shewing all meekenesse to all men, Tit. 3.1 2.
3 A mortified course of liuing, the Gentiles will say of such they are the seede of the blessed of the Lord, Isay. 61.9.
4 Concord and holy louelove amongst our selues, doing all things without reasonings and murmurings, Phil. 2.15.19.
As they are parties in conuersing they are two waies to be considered.
1 As they are euill men, but not iniurious and euill to vsus.
2 As they are both euill men and iniurious to vsus.
Towards the first sort our wisedome of conuersation must be shewed,
1 In the due obseruation of the circumstances, of lawfull things, for all lawfull things are not to be done at all times, and in all companies, and in all manners, indiscretion herein doth much harme eueryevery where.
2 In the skilfull applying of our selues, to winne them making vse of all opportunities, and speaking to them with all reuerence, deliberation, compassion instance &c. As may become the maiestie of Gods trueth and ordinances.
3 In the shunning of conceitednesse, peruersenesse, frowardnesse, and such like things, as doe maruellously prouoke a carnall minde, but approue our selues in all meekenesse of wisedome, It is a great wisedome in the vse of our knowledge, to expresse a constant meeknesse, Iam. 3.13.
4 In auoiding euill, 1. to them, 2. to our selues. To walke wisely in auoiding euils to them, is to be carefull that wee put no stumbling blocke before the blinde, but cut off all occasions of reproching or blaspheming. In auoiding euill to our selues by them, we must looke to three things: 1. That we be not infected or defiled by their company, either by needlesse presence, or by any kinde of consent to or approbation of their euils. 2. That we be not beguiled by committing our selues to them, and trusting faire pretences, Iob. 2.24. 3. That wee yeeld not to them to satisfie them in the least sinne: for tis not yeelding will draw them, but a pure conuersation with feare, 1. Pet. 3.12.
Towards the second sort of wicked men, viz: those that are euill, and are or are like to be iniurious to vsus, our wisdome of conuersation lieth in two things.
1 In a wise demeaning of our selues when they doe wrong or persecute vsus, shewing all firmnesse and vndaunted constancie, patience, reuerence, meeknesse, clemencie, and good conscience, 1. Pet. 3.13.14.15.16.
2 In a discreet preuention of our owne trouble as neere as we can. This wisdome Iacob shewed in his dealing with his brother Esau, when hee came out against him with foure hundred men, Gen. 32. And Samuel, when hee went to anoint Dauid, 1. Sam. 16. And Hushai when he saluted Absolon, 2. Sam. 26.15. And our Sauiour Christ, when he answered the tempting dilemmaes of the malicious Iewes. And Paul in his answere to the people about the high Priest, Act. 23.4. And when in the mutinie hee cried out hee was a Pharisie. Act. 23.6. It is noted as a wisdome in the prudent, in euill times to be silent, Amos 5.13. Tis not good prouoking euill men, nor safe to pull a Beare or a madde dogge by the eares.foreign. Tis the true ambition of a Christian, to meddle with his owne businesses, 1. Thess. 4 11.
For conclusion, as wee hauehave seene what it is to walke wisely in the affirmatiue, so we must be informed what this wisdome hath not in it. It hath not in it a relinquishing of pietie or holinesse in the whole, or any part, to keepe peace with wicked men, Heb. 12.14. It hath not in it a forsaking of fidelitie in the discharge of our duties. Amos must not leaue the Court, though Amaziah tell him it is his wisest way. M…chaiah must not flatter Ahab because the 400. Prophets did. Lastly, to walke wisely is not to walke craftily and deceitfully; for such wisdome of serpents is required, as may stand with the innocencie of Doues.
Redeeme the time.] To redeeme signifies either to recouer what is lost, or to buy what is wanting. It is vsually a metaphor borrowed from Merchants buying and selling of commodities. Time signifies either space of time, or the opportunitie of time: both may be heere retained.
In generall, as time is taken for space of time, there are diuers things may be obserued.Six things obserued concerning the redeeming of time. 1. That time is a commoditie. 2. That a Christian is a Merchant by calling. 3. That as any are more wise, the more they know the worth of time, Eph. 5.15.16. 4. That a Christian findes the want of time. 5. That if he were prouident, time for holy duties might be bought. 6. Not to trade for time is a great fault, and yet an vsuall fault, and comes to passe because men hauehave no stocke of grace to imploy, or they hauehave neuer serued a prentiship to learne how to vse time, or else they hauehave had such extraordinarie losses, they cannot set vp againe; they hauehave so often made shipwracke of time by misse spending it, that they cannot now well set themselues in a course to vse it well.
Againe, if time be taken for opportunitie, we may obserue
Foure considerations of the opportunitie of time.1 That there is a season, an opportunitie, a due time: God hath his haruest for iudgement, Matth. 13.30. his season for temporall blessings, as for the dew of heauen, and the fruits of the earth, Act. 14.17. so hee hath for the manifesting of his will by preaching, Tit. 1.3. for iustification, Rom. 3.26 fo… the testification of our iustification,foreign. 1. Tim. 2.6. for merciemercy, and deliuerance▪ and the helpe of Sion, Psal. 102.13. and for saluation spirituall and eternall, 2. Cor. 6.2. Finally, there is a season both for man to doe good, Psal. 1.3. and to receiue good, Isa. 55.8.
2 That this opportunitie is not obuious, not ordinarie, nor easie, and eueryevery where to be had. EueryEvery day in the yeare is not the Faire day, nor eueryevery day in the weeke the Market day.
3 When opportunitie is offered, we must not neglect it, or lose it. Ministers must preach while the doore is open: the people must walke while they hauehave the light:foreign.Rom. 12.11. Seruing the opportunitie. so we must all pray in eueryevery opportunitie, foreign, Eph. 6.18. Luk. 21.36.
4 We must aduantage our selues by spirituall opportunities, though it be with our losse and paines. We should not thinke much to be at some losse for Gods wares, as well as mens; and wee must be content to trauell as well to the market of our soules, as of our bodies.
In particular, concerning redeeming of time, consider 1. what time is lost, 2. how time is to be redeemed, 3. how it must be vsed when it is redeemed, 4. the vses.
For the first,What time is lost. all time is lost, that is spent idly, or in the superfluous feeding of nature, either by food, or sleepe, or in ill companie, or in the seruice of sinne, and the lusts of the flesh, or in the seruice of the world, or superfluous cares about profits, or icies about pleasures; yea the time is lost that is spent in Gods worship, where it is done idolatrously, superstitiously, ignorantly, carelesly, hypocritically, &c.
For the second, wee must distinguish of times, and the persons that hauehave time to sell, and the kindes of redeeming. There is time past: this cannot be brought backe againe by any price; but yet wee may contract with time present, for some allowance towards the losse of time past. There is also time to come.How time may bee bought againe. And heere is first a time of glory to come, and a great bargaine to be made: and for the buying of this, heauen must suffer violence, and we should throng and crowde into the market to procure it, by praier, hearing, faith, almesdeeds, &c. For though it be onelyonly Christs merits that deserues it, yet these things we must doe for the assurance of it. Besides, there is a time of sorrowes to come: as sure as we hauehave had our daies of sinne, wee shall hauehave daies of sorrow and torment. This time is to be bought out with repentance, watching, fasting, praying, strong cries, by all meanes endeuouring to make our peace, and flie from the anger to come.
But time present is the commoditie we are with all carefulnesse to redeeme. The deuill and the world hauehave time, our callings hauehave time, and God is a great Lord of time. Time out of the deuils hands and the worlds must be redeemed, by violent ablation: time from our callings wee must redeeme by permutation, only making an exchange, and allowing time for godlinesse. In the first and chiefe place, time of God we must buy, both the space of time to repent in, and the opportunitie of time, both for the giuing, and the efficacie of the meanes: and for this we must both offer and tender the sacrifice of Christ, to pacifie for time lost, and procure acceptation; and also wee must offer vp our selues, soules and bodies, vponupon the seruice of opportunities, humbling our soules to walke with our God.
3 When wee hauehave bought time,How time must be vsed when it is bought. wee must be carefull to vse it well: and heerein a principall respect is to be had vntounto the soule; for all this merchandise is for the vse of the soule especially, and for religious ends. And thus we must spend some time in mortification, 1. Pet. 4.1.2. and some part in searching the Scriptures, lest that be said of vsus which was said of the Iewes, that whereas concerning the time they might hauehave beene teachers, they did need againe to be taught the very principles, they were so in expert in the word of righteousnesse, Heb. 5.12. Much time should be spent in the workes of pietie, abounding in the worke of the Lord as wee abound in time. Some time should be spent in workes of merciemercy, both spirituall (instructing, comforting, exhorting, admonishing, &c.) and corporall, (in feeding, clothing, visiting, &c.) Generally our time should be spent in well doing, Gal. 6.9. And as for time for worldly businesses, we should obserue the Apostles rule: They that hauehave wiues should be as they that hauehave none, and they that weepe as though they wept not, and they that reioice as though they reioiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that vse the world as though they vsed it not, for the fashion of the world goeth away, 1. Cor. 7.29.30.
The vse of all is for reproofe of the most of vsus: for some of vsus sinne against the seasons and opportunities of Gods grace, some against the very space of time. Men transgresse against opportunitie two waies; first, by ignorance of the signes of the seasons, Matth. 16.3. secondly, by a wilfull neglect of the opportunitie of grace when we hauehave them. There are many things might mooue vsus to redeeme the time in this respect.Motiues to redeeme time. 1. We hauehave our times appointed, and the bounds of our habitation assigned, Act. 17.26. 2. The times will not bee alwaies faire; there are perillous times, times of sorrow, anguish, sicknesse, tentation, want, losse, feare, perplexitie, yea wee may purpose, promise, expect time of healing and curing, when we shall be deceiued, and finde a time of trouble, Ier. 14.19. Besides, Christ in the opportunities of grace is but a little while with men. There is a prime of a mans life, yea a prime of eueryevery mans ministerie, Ioh. 7.33. Further, the Kingdome of God in the mercies of it may be wholly taken away, if we bring not fruit in time of fruit, Matth. 21.34.41. Lastly, this is a very prouoking sinne: for if God giuegive a space to repent, and men will not know the day of their visitation, most an end God casts such into a bed of affliction, after they hauehave stretched themselues vponupon the bed of securitie, Reuel. 2.21.22. Luk. 19.43.44. Yea many of Gods children are greatly to blame, in neglecting the opportunities of assurance of grace: and therefore because they are so carelesse in making their calling and election sure, this forsaking of the promise of God is scourged afterwards with comfortlesse sorrowes, arising from such a sense of their corruptions, as makes them for a long time seeme to be depriued of all grace and mercy, Heb. 4.1.
Againe, many men sinne egregiously against the very space of time, in that they hauehave much leisure and time, and fill it vp with little or no good imploiment. Their estate, that hauehave meanes to liue without labour, is vsually accounted an estate of great ease and happinesse. But indeed it is an estate of much danger: for the men that abound in time without imploiment, are liable to many temptations and lusts; besides, they are subiect to almost continuall hardnesse of heart and deadnesse of spirit: for it is the labouring seruant that enters into his masters ioy. Adde, that men that abound with leisure, are easily drawne by the inticements of ill company, and much intangled with the sports and pleasures of the world. Sometimes such persons grow into great habit of suspitiousnesse, waiwardnesse, filled with worldly passions and discontentments: sometimes they prooue great medlers in other folkes businesse.
The remedie for these persons, whether men or women, is to exercise themselues in some kinde of profitable imploiment, and to labour so as some way to see the fruit of it, to eat their owne bread; but especially they should bee abundant in the worke of the Lord, they should double their imploiment in reading, hearing, conference, mortification, merciemercy, &c.
Thus of wise conuersation.
Let your speech be gratious alwaies, and pondred with salt, that ye may &c.
Godly communication is heere exhorted vntounto: and for order, heere is a precept, Let your speech &c. 2. the end of the precept, that ye may know how &c. In the precept concerning our speech obserue, 1. the properties of speech, which are two; 1. they must be gratious, 2. poudred with salt, and then note the continuance how long the precept is in force, and that is alwaies.
In generall wee so heare that we must looke to our words aswell as our workes, and therefore they are far wide that say their tongues are their owne who shall controle them Psal. 12.4.
From Coherence I obserue, that he walkes not wisely that talkes not wisely, for euill words corrupt good manners, neither may he be accounted an honest man of life that is an euill man in tongue.
The vse is for triall for if God make vsus new Creatures, hee giues vsus new tongues, and if he turne the people to him by true repentance, he doth returne vntounto them a pure language, NoteZepha. 3.9 and therefore if any man seemeth to be religious and refraineth not his tongue this mans religion is in vaine.
Let] It is not arbitrarie (we may looke to our words if we will) but it is a …lat precept and so a matter indispensible.
Your] God is no respecter of persons, he forbids vngracious wanton and idle words, in Gentlemen and Gentlewomen aswell as in poore men and Laborers, he dislikes it in Masters and Parents, aswell as in Children and Seruants, it is as ill for the Master to spend his time in idle talke &c. as for the Seruant.
Gracious] Our words may be said to be gracious 3. waies. First if we respect the cause.Obseruations concerning gracious speech. 2 If we respect the subiect. 3 If we respect the effect. In respect of the cause good words are well said to be gracious, 1 Because they flowe from the free grace of God without our merit: for wee doe not deserue so much as to be trusted with one good word. Reason yeelds vsus conceits and nature an instrument to speake by,Note but it is the God of nature that of his free grace giues vsus good words. 2 Our words ought to proceed from some grace of God in the heart, as from knowledge, faith, ioy, sorrow, louelove, feare, desire &c. and in this sense when they are in the tongue, carrie still the name of the fountaine whence they flow. Againe, our words must be gracious in respect of the subiect, the matter we must talke of, must be of good things, or religious matters, words of instruction, comfort, faith, hope &c. but especially our words should be seasoned with the daily memorie and mention of Gods grace to vsus in Christ aPsal. 40.11.. 3. Our words ought to be gracious in respect of the effect such as tend to build vp and minister grace to the hearers bEph. 4.29., yea gracious words are faire words, and faire words are first gracefull words, wordes of thankefulnesse. 2. Inoffensiue words, not railing, bitter, slandering blasphemous or filthy words, nay not iesting words that are intended to prouoke irritate disgrace and bite. 3. Seasonable words cPro. 15.23.. 4 Wholesome words, not filthy rotten communication dEph. 4.29..
Vse is for reproofe.Vse And men sinne against this exhortation. 1 by omission of gracious words. But 2 they do worse that vse euill words. And 3 they are worse then the former two that vse their words to speake against grace and gracious courses eEph. 5.6.. But they are worst of all that louelove euill wordes, euen the wordes that may destroy either their owne soules, or the soules of others. 2 Heere is instruction, we must labour by all meanes, to get abilitie for a gracious speech, either to God by praier, or to men in conuersing with them, and to this end, first we must pray constantly and conscionably to God, to giuegive vsus gracious wordes. Secondly, we must get the law of grace into our hearts fPsal. 37.30.31., yea we should striue to be examples one to another, not onelyonly in faith, and conuersation, but in words also g1. Tim. 4.12., and if all Christians are charged to vse gracious speeches much more ministers, they should speake the words of God, they should keepe the patterne of wholesome words and stay all vaine babblings which increase to more vngodlines, and all words that fret as a canker.
Thus of the first propertie.
Powdred with salt] These are termes borrowed either from the vse of the Temple or from common and ciuill vse. In the Temple eueryevery sacrifice was salted with salt,Mark. 9. l…st so must eueryevery Christian (who is Gods sacrifice) be seasone… In the common life of man, meates that are to be kept long, must be powdered with salt, to drinke vp or drie out corruption, and to preserue sauour, so must a Christian be seasoned that will be kept to eternall life.
But first here is implied that the words of men are naturally corrupt, rotten, vnsauorie and hauehave great need of seasoning. The carnall mans wordes, are much after the humor and infection of his minde. The talke of the Couetous is vsually of his mammon, farme, oxen, bargaines, wares &c. The Epicures talke is vsually of his sports, dogges, cockes, horses, games, companions, or of his lusts. The Superstitious man talkes of his Dagon or the signe. of heauen.Note The Wrathfull man of his Aduersarie and wrong. The Ambitious man of his liuings, honors, offices, offers, hopes, or his owne parts and praises, to conclude the talke of all naturall men is but of naturall things, and as they are of the flesh, so their talke sauors nothing but fleshly things.
Salt] There is the salt of doctrine and thus Ministers are the salt of the earth. 2 There is the salt of mortification and so eueryevery Christian must hauehave salt in himselfe.Math. 9. last 3 There is the salt of discretion and this is the praise of the wise▪ none of these three may be heere excluded from our word. For first we must receiue lawes for our lippe, euen from Gods ministers. We must learne of them not only how to order our affections and life, but also how to speake, especially in matters of God and godlinesse. 2 Wee must mourne for the sinnes of the tongue aswell as for other sinnes. We must driue out the corruption that cleaues to our words with the salt of mortification. 3 We must make conscience of discretion in our words, he is a perfect man that is discreet in his words Iam. 3.2.Pro. 10.20. The tongue of the wise is as fiue siluer, and his heart guideth his tongue wisely and addeth doctrine to his lippes. The Vse is both for instruction and reproofe.Pro. 16.23. For instruction both to all Christians to season not onelyonly their words of praier to God, but also their speech in conuersing with men: and especially Ministers must hauehave salt in their tongues with all discretion and heedfulnesse looking to their words, and with all authoritie and meete seuerity of rebukes driue out corruption out of the hearers, they may, they must crie aloud and spare not, they must pouder them. Here likewise are those men to be reproued that hauehave beene often warned of their euill words and mend not.Quest. Q. But what should be the cause why some men that hauehave good affections and desires,Answ. and yet cannot get the victorie ouer euill words. Ans. It comes to passe 1 By reason of their ignorance of better words.The reasons why some men cannot leaue their euill words. 2 By custome in euill speech. 3 For want of constant taking of words of praier and confession to God. 4 By defect of mortification in the heart, their hearts are not sufficiently humbled, they are too sleightie in godly sorrow, out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and therefore their words are drossie and nought, because their hearts are little worth gPro. 10.20.. That these men may get victorie ouer their euill words (which vsually are against the third or the seuenth or the ninth commandement) they must do three things, first they must go to God constantly by praier,What they should do to get victory. beseeching him to open their lips▪ and set a watch before the doore of their mouth. 2 They must not faile to mourne ouer their offences in speech, in secret till they hauehave subdued them, afflicting themselues with voluntarie sorrowes for them. 3 They must striue by all meanes to accustome themselues in good speech, and gracious wordes, yea many professors are to be reproued for their words, for many times they are either too many, or too vaine and idle, or too false or too rash &c. Their words want much seasoning,Perseuerance a good word▪ as well as good workes. and it is a great fault to hauehave a heedlesse tongue.
Thus of the properties of speech.
Alwaies] A Christian is bound to perseuerance in good words aswell as in good workes, he must talke gratiously, not only at some times for a passion as when he comes newly from the Sermon, or on the Sabboth day, not onelyonly in some companies, or in some arguments, but at all times and in all places watching to all the oportunities to glorifie God or profit others by his words.
Thus of the precept.
The end followes, that ye may know how to answere eueryevery one, in generall I obserue heere wo things, first that by speaking well wee learne to speake well. Secondly, that the soundest knowledge is experimentall, he doth not indeed know how to answere, that doth not in practise exercise himselfe in gracious wordes though he had all places of answere and arguments in his head.
To answere] To answere doth not alwaies import a question or demaund going before, but is sometimes taken for continuing to speake as Mat. 11.25. it is said our Sauiour answered and yet no demand went before; Some thinke it is a part for the whole, and one vse of words put for all vses, but I take it in the ordinarie sense as the word vsually imports, and so we answere either vnbeleeuers or beleeuers; concerning our Christian answere before vnbeleeuers there are 6 things may be here obserued.6 things concerning answering vnbeleeuers.
1 That true grace is sure to be opposed and such as truly feare God are sure of aduersaries.
2 That mortified men are the fittest to answere aduersaries, especially in causes of religion, such whose tongues and pens are seasoned with salt. coher.
3 That eueryevery Christian shall finde opposition. (ye)
4 That eueryevery Christian ought to answere for the truth, apologie is the fruit not of learning or wit only but of godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.10. (ye.)
5 That the truth hath all sorts of aduersaries, open and secret, at home and abroad, learned and vnlearned, Ministers and Magistrates, rich and poore, eueryevery one that is carnall hath a bolt to shoote at sincerity.
6 That it is not an easie or ordinarie skill to know how to answere well,7 Things required in answering well. for thereunto is required first deliberation, he that answeres a matter before hee heare it, it is folly and shame to him. Secondly, Praier Prouer. 16.1. Hab. 2 1. 3 Faith in Gods fauour and promise Math. 10.19. Psal. 119.41.42. 4 Discretion considering persons, time, place, occasions, one kinde of answer will not serue eueryevery sort of men, we answere in one manner to great men, in an other manner to learned men, in an other to ordinary men hPro. 25.11. & 26.4.6.. 5 Patience. 6 Humilitie. 7 i1. Pet. 3.15.16.A good conscience.
Thus of answering vnbeleeuers, concerning the answering of Beleeuers: here are these things to be obserued.
1 That Christians should propound their doubts one to another.4 things concerning answering Beleeuers.
2 That strong Christians should support the weake, and helpe them, and resolue them from time to time Rom. 2.19.
3 It is not an easie matter to giuegive a gracious seasonable and profitable answere.
4 That custome in gracious speech, breedes by Gods blessing, an abilitie to giuegive wise and sound iudgement, aduise and resolution, it is not wit, learning, authoritie &c. that breedes this skill.
Thus of the Exhortation.