The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 25
§. XXV. Our carriage to the Godly in ſom… particuler caſe of falling, weakneſſe or ſtrength.
THe former rules that concerneOur duty to the brethren in caſes of falling, weakeneſſe o… ſtrength the affection and offices of brotherly louelove belong to the brethren in eueryevery eſtate; there remaine ſuch directions to bee deliuered as reſpect our carriage towards them as ſet in ſome certaine condition, as if they bee weake or ſtrong, or fallen into ſome offences. We take the laſt firſt and for our help in ſo hard a taske we find our text in the Epiſtle of Iude verſe 22. 23. of rare vſe, wherein the Chriſtian is admoniſhed that hee is ſet in the Church for an helpe, a Phiſician, and an Inſtrumentall Sauiour of his brother, if hee ſee him ouertaken with any fault, and that hee is indowed with gifts and graces for the edification of thoſe with whom he conuerſeth, and becauſe there is required in eueryevery one that vndertaketh ſo great a worke, ſome competent skill and good affection; for if ignorance to diſtingniſh of patience and medicines, and wre…chleſneſſe be vnfit for a Phyſician to the body, much more to the ſoule: the words doe fully direct vntounto the rules of cure, And of ſo…s hauehave compaſſion, and others ſaue, with feare plucking them out of the fire, The maner of vſing them, Putting a difference, Hating euen the garments ſpotted with the fleſh.
The maner of vſing theſe rules of cure concerne the Chriſtian that would recouer his brother fallen, or ſupport him in falling, where he is directed; How to begin the cure, he muſt put a difference, How to be diſpoſed in the whole, he muſt hate the garments ſpotted with the fleſh.
1 Firſt then thou muſt learne to put a difference, it is Chriſtian wiſedome to diſtinguiſh between ſinne and ſinne, offender and offender, For as all patients are not alike diſeaſed, ſo all tranſgreſſors doe not alike offend: is thy brother fallen into any ſinne, thou art bound to put forth thy hand to ſaue him; but firſt conſider aright the nature of his fall; obſerue then that,
Chriſtians offend either in opinion or in parctice:
In opinion, and theſe. 1. In the foundation. 2. In matters of leſſe moment,
In the foundation, and that, firſt of ignorance and blind zeale, both the ſeducer and ſeduced.
Secondly, of malice and obſtinately.
In matters of leſſe moment, and there making a rent or ſchiſme or holding the vnitie of the ſpirit in the bond of peace.
In practice: ſo ſome ſinne,
1 Of ignorant and infirmity, in leſſe, in greater points.
2 Of habit and preſumption, groſſely, and ſo fall into foule vices or extrem omiſſions Some ſinne publikely, or priuately.
2 Thou haſt then rightly put a difference in thy iudgment, when thou haſt d…ſcerned hereby how thy brother is falle…. Now proceed to apply the rules of cure, if thy brother hauehave offended in matters of opinion, that are of leſſe moment and hauehave made no rent, or be it he hath offended in practiſe of ignorance, or infirmity, then ſee the rule of meckeneſſe and Chriſtian ſoftneſſe, hauehave Compaſſion on him, If in matters fundamentall, whether of blind zeale or …bſtinate heate, or in other leſſer points, yet making diuiſions; if in practiſe groſſely whether into fowle vices or extreame omiſſions, be his faults publike or priuate, ſee the rule of Chriſtian ſ…uerity, they are in the fire, in danger of burning. Oh ſaue them with feare, pulling them out.
Aduice right Chriſtian and diuine, behold the rules of cure, and apply them againe to each part, that thou maiſt ſee how to expreſſe thy meekeneſſe and ſeuerity, putting alſo therein a difference, aſwell as to whom and when: for ſo the words are put indifferently into the midſt as being the life of the whole worke and eueryevery part of it.
3 For thy meekeneſſe conſider
1 In what things to be expreſſed towards each or the rules▪
2 How or with what affection, with compaſſion.
The rules are theſe,
If hee offend in matters of opinion which raſe not the foundation, and diſquieteth not the peace of the Church: walke with …im in the vnity of the common faith and pathes of holy life, which both hauehave already attained vntounto, and doubt not but God will reueale vntounto him that thing wherein he is otherwiſe minded. Phil. 3. 15.
If …e hauehave fallen in matters of holy life through ignorance or infirmity reſtore him by the ſp…rit of meekeneſſe Gal. 6. 1. conſidering thy ſelfe leſt thou alſo be tempted, beare his burden, and ſo fulfill the Law of Chriſt.
The affection with which thou muſt bee touched in the practice of theſe rules is Compaſſion, foreign (to vſe Saint Auſtines words) when there is compaſſio miſeriae, non ſimulatio miſericordiae, a feeling of their miſery, not a feigning of mercy, this will giuegive the due …incture to thy carriage herein.
4 For thy ſeuerity conſider 1 The rules, 2 The right carriage in the practice of them, for The end, to ſaue them.
The affection of the heart, feare.
The holy violence, where the cauſe alſo is intimated; they are in the fire, plucke them out.
The rules are theſe,
If hee offend in the fundamentalls▪ of blind zeale and ignorance, or being ſeduced.
1 In meekeneſſe inſtruct him, if God peraduenture will giuegive him repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 25.
2 Be carefull to maintaine good work…s for neceſſary vſes, Tit. 3. 8 14.
3 Pray earneſtly and heartily for him, Rom▪ 10. 1. 2.
If as a ſeduce… … or of malice and obſtina…ely …e is then an heriticke and thy rule is that in 2 Ioh. 9. receiue him not to houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed, in his euill work. Tit. 3. 10. If the error be in matters of leſſer moment, and the party make a rent and ſciſme, thy rule is that in Rom. 16. 17. marke thoſe which cauſe diuiſions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye hauehave learned, and auoid them.
If it be in practice, that they are guilty of ſoule vices or extreame omiſſions, ſuch as that of Idleneſſe among the Theſſalonians.
1 Warne them in the beginning & reprooue them ſharply, 1 Theſſ. 5. 14.
2 If they amend not, reſtraine thy familiarity & be no companion for them, that all may ſee thou approoueſt not their vice and if the offendors may be aſhamed, 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Theſ. 3. 6, 14. yet not counting them as enemies, but eſteeming them as brethren.
If the fault be ſecret, obſerue our Sauiours rule: tell it him, betweene him and thee, if hee mend not, take two or three diſcreete godly perſons with thee, and againe rebuke him, if yet hee amend not, then open it, tell the Church of it, if he will not heare the Church, hold him as an heathen. Ma…. 18 15.
Now in thy practice of theſe rules, remember. Thy end in all thy carriage muſt be to ſaue thy brother not to ſhew thy skill to find faults, much leſſe to traduce or blemiſh him.
Thy heart muſt bee affected with feare, as thou wouldſt be if thou ſaweſt a man ready to bee drowned or fallen into the fire.
Thou muſt pull him out: doing this duty, with reſolution, not thinking, how will he take it, butforeign. looking on the danger hee is in, there is miſericordia puniens and crudelitas parc…ens, as S. Aug. ſpeaketh in the like caſe, a mercy puniſhing, and cruelty ſparing.
Thus oughteſt thou to carry thy ſelfe in the cure of thy brother fallen any way: only there is one thing more that diſpoſeth thee to the right vſage of theſe rules ſet downe in this place of Iude, viz that thou hate the garments ſpotted with the fleſh, that is Let thy heart bee truely and throughly affected with the hatred of al ſin in thy ſelf & others: the words are a double ſimilitude taken from the ceremoniall law. Lev. 5. 4. Numb. 9. where the infection of the Leproſy reſembling the infection of ſinne, is ſuch that it defiles the bed, the Chaire, the Leper ſa…e on, the the garments …e wore, the very things he ſpat on … ſuch like poiſ…n…ull contagion is ſinne, when thou haſt hereby conceiued of the infectious pollution of ſin, and how loathſome it maketh in the eyes of God and man, euen like any Leper, then ſhalt thou deale ſeriouſly and heartily with thy brother for his conuerſion and recouery. This is of great moment in all thy carriage, for faith Iunius on this place, perſonatae reprehenſiones frigent, plurim…mque intereſt exa…i… omnia, vt conſcientia fert, animuſ que , facias, an de induſtria. Reproofes which come from a man as hee acted a part in a play, are cold and dull, and it matters much whether thou doeſt things heartily, as thy mind and conſcience carrieth thee, or for the nonce onelyonly. Whereby againe conſider the words, and ſee how many things ought to b…e hated by the godly Chr…ſtian. 1 The ſinne or tranſgreſſio… 2 The fountaine and inſtrument of ſinne whereby it is affected, and that wherin it ſtickes, the fleſh. 3. The guilt of it. 4. The contagion. 5. The spo…t or blot which is as the footeſteppe it leaueth behind it, when the act is paſt. 6. The occaſion and appearance, the very garment, as 1 Theſſ. 5. 22. ſo Iacob did. Gen. 35. 4. with a minde thus affected and reſolued, proceed in the vſe of the former rules.
Towards the weake Chriſtian thy ca…riage muſt be thus:
1 Intangle him not with doubtfull diſputations, Rom. 14. 1.
2 Beare his weakeneſſes and meere frailties. Rom. 15. 1.
3 Pleaſe him and not thy ſelfe in the vſe or reſtraint of thy Chriſtian liberty, Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 9. 20. 21. 22. Gal. 5. 15.
4 Offend him not, nor put any ſtumbling blocke in hi… way, Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 10. 32.
5 Comfort and ſupport him. 1 Theſ. 5. 14.
6 Deſpiſe him not in his weakeneſſes, Rom. 14. 2.
Towards the ſtrong, be thus ordered.
1 Iudge him not in the vſe of his Chriſtian liberty, Rom. 14.
2 Acknowledge ſuch, 1 Cor. 16. 18.
3 Set them as patternes for imitation, Heb. 12. 1. Phil. 3. 17.
4 Submit your ſelues to them, to be aduiſed and admoniſhed, and your iudgement to theirs in doubtfull things, 1 Cor. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 5. 5.
So farre of our carriage towards the godly.