Two Treatises, Commentary on verse · Verse 13, 14
VERS. 13. 14.
Whom I would hauehave retained with me, that in thy ſtead he might hauehave ministred vntounto me in the bonds of the Goſpell.
But without thy mind I would doe nothing, that this thy benefit might not be as of conſtraint, but willingly.
HERE is the preuenting of another Obiection. In the Anſwer whereof, is, as in the former, included an Argument, to further his Petition.
Theſe things which thou ſaydſt in the former Obiect. Verſe, may ſeeme neither to agree with themſelues, nor with that which thou ſaydſt immediately before in the eleuenth Verſe. If he be both ſo tender vntounto thee as thine owne bowels, and ſo profitable as thou makeſt ſhew of, it is maruell thou couldeſt ſo eaſily part with him. This thy ſo ſoone ſending of him away, giueth iuſt cauſe of ſuſpition, that rather thou art wearie of him, and wouldeſt gladly be rid of him, and that in truth there is no ſuch holy change in him, as thou makeſt faire of.
Wearie of him? No: faine would I hauehave retayned Anſw. him, that he might hauehave miniſtred vntounto me; but I had nothing to doe with another mans ſeruant, without his Maſters mind: And therefore, not knowing how you would hauehave liked the keeping of that ſeruant, I was content to part with him, and ſend him to you, who hauehave greateſt right to him.
In the Anſwer there are two things.
Firſt, a remouall of the falſe cauſe of ſending ONESIMVS, which PHILEMON might ſurmiſe; namely, that he was a burden to the Apoſtle, being ſtill the ſame old ONESIMVS that he was before. The Apoſtle affirmeth the contrarie, Whom I would hauehave retained; ſhewing withall, what reaſon he had to hauehave retained him, that in thy ſtead he might hauehave miniſtred vntounto me in the bonds of the Goſpell. Where he ſhewes two commodities that would hauehave come by retaining him; firſt his owne, that he might hauehave ministred to me; ſecondly, PHILEMONS, in thy ſtead. PHILEMON by this meanes had beene freed of a burden which he was bound to vndergoe, namely, miniſtring to PAVL.
The ſecond thing in his Anſwer, is the ſetting downe of the true cauſe why he ſent him, in the 14. Verſe, But without thy mind I would doe nothing. He was ignorant of PHILEMONS mind, and ſo hee might hauehave kept and vſed his ſeruant againſt his liking: The which hee ſheweth would not hauehave beene well, by the commoditie that thence would hauehave enſued. The benefit of ONESIMVS miniſtring would hauehave beene forced, and not free; where hee implyes thus much, That if he were willing to ſend him back, he was not againſt it; yea he would rather hauehave it ſo, then he ſhould be hardly dealt with at home.
For the firſt part of this Anſwer, from thence we learne,
Firſt, With how faſt a glue Chriſtians hearts are Doct 1 faſtened one to another, that they cannot be ſeuered The vnion of Chriſtian hearts.without great ſence of griefe; and if it were poſſible, they would enioy alwayes the bodily preſence each of other, liuing and dying together. But more eſpecially is this affection betwixt Miniſters and the true members of the Church, ſpecially thoſe whom they hauehave conuerted by their Miniſterie. See this affection in PAVL towards the Romans, 1. 10, 11. and Theſſalonians, 1. Theſſ. 2. and Galat. 4. 20.
A iuſt rebuke to ſuch Non-reſidents, that hauehave not this affection to their Flockes; that doe willingly diuorce themſelues from them, comming onelyonly amongſt them (ſometimes) to reape the fruits of the Earth, and not thoſe fruits whereof PAVL ſpeaketh, Rom. 1. 10. the reaping whereof was that which made him ſo deſirous to ſee the Romans.
And as Miniſters are thus affected to their people; ſo, the people to them. See the example of the Epheſians, Acts 20. towards PAVL; and of LIDIA, Acts 16. Of the Demoniacke, Luk. 8. 38. And of whole Multitudes, Luk. 4. 42. toward our Sauiour; of ELISHA to ELIAS, readie to be rapt vp, and many ſuch like. But many, in theſe dayes, are rather like the Gadarens, louing the Miniſters roome better then their companie.
Secondly, From the end, whereby PAVL was Doct. 2 moued to deſire ONESIMVS companie with him ſtill. That he might miniſter to me in thy ſtead, in the Bonds of the Goſpell. We learne, that it is the dutie of euerie one of vsus, both in our owne perſons, and in thoſe that belong vntounto vsus, to be helpefull to the afflicted members of Chriſt, ſpecially for the Truth. A verie ſtrong Reaſon whereof, the Apoſtle layeth downe, calling his Bonds the Bonds of the Goſpell, in a moſt elegant kind of ſpeech; not ſo much by a Metonymie of the Cauſe, as I take it, becauſe the Goſpell procured him thoſe Bonds, but to ſignifie a further matter vntounto vsus, namely, that in him, the Goſpell it ſelfe, in a manner, was bound, though not in it ſelfe: For like a Mightie SAMSON, it will breake all Bonds whatſoeuer; and the Word of God cannot be bound, 2. Timoth. 3. yet in the endeuour of the Aduerſaries.
Therefore let vsus not thinke, when a Miniſter of the Goſpell is caſt into Priſon for any Truth of the Goſpell, that it is onelyonly the Miniſters owne Cauſe; nay, it is the common Cauſe of the Church: for through his ſides, they ſtrike at the Goſpell it ſelfe; which is to be reſpected of vsus all. And therefore, if wee be wanting to him, wee forſake the Goſpell, and ſo Chriſt himſelfe, who one day will ſay vntounto vsus, I was in Priſon, and yee viſited me not.
For the ſecond part of his Anſwer in the foureteenth Verſe, thence we learne,
Firſt, That the authoritie of Maſters ouer their Doct. ſeruants, and ſo by like proportion, of Kings ouer Religion aboliſhes not ciuill gouernment.their ſubiects, is not taken away by Chriſtian Religion, but ſtill remaines in force, confirmed rather, then any thing impaired. ONESIMVS his conuerſion to the Faith, gaue him no manumiſſion and libertie from his Maſters ſeruice. PAVL here plainly acknowledgeth, that PHILEMON was ſpecially intereſted in ONESIMVS; and therefore, not knowing his mind, hee would not retaine him: and the benefit of ONESIMVS his miniſtring to him, is called PHILEMONS, That thy benefit might not be, &c.
Seruants then, and all inferiors, muſt learne ſtill to acknowledge their Superiours and Gouernours, and not vnderunder the pretence of Religion, to ſhake off that yoke which God hath layed vponupon them, and which, in truth, Religion faſteneth moſt ſurely vponupon them. If before Religion, Maſter and Seruant, Prince and People, were out of ioynt, Religion comming, ſets them in, and eſtabliſheth both the King in his Throne, and the Maſter of a priuate Family, in that his authoritie ouer his Houſehold. This was a Doctrine, that many ſeruants in the Apoſtles dayes could not well brooke; alledging, That if their Maſters were Infidels, then it was not fit, that they who are Chriſtians, ſhould ſerue ſuch, being, in regard of their Chriſtian calling, aboue them; and if they were beleeuers, then they were their equalls. The Anabaptiſts likewiſe at this day oppoſe this Doctrine, who would hauehave the Goſpel crie downe all Ciuill Policie. But here we plainely ſee the diſtinction betweene Maſter and Seruant, yea, ſuch a Seruant as is a Bondſlaue, whoſe life is in the hands of his Maſter, to be confirmed: and ſurely, euen this kind of Bondage may ſtill ſtand, being vſed with MercieMercy and Moderation. Arguments may be theſe:
Firſt, If we looke to the firſt originall, it will not ſeeme vnreaſonable. Now, the firſt originall, was the ſauing of thoſe whom they ſubdued in the Warres; Whence comes the Latine word, Servus, quia in bello ſeruatus, becauſe he was preſerued in the Warre, taken captiue, and his life ſpared. Now, that ſuch mens ſeruice and ſubiection may be in a farre lower degree then other Seruants, who onelyonly we hire for Money, may very well ſtand with equitie.
Secondly, The Iewes being captiued, and become NEBVCHADNEZZARS ſlaues, are commanded by God to quiet themſelues in that ſtate, and willingly to ſubiect themſelues to the Lordſhip of the Babylonians.
Thirdly, ABRAHAM had ſuch in his houſe, Geneſ. 17. and the Iewes were permitted to hauehave ſuch, Leuit. 25. 45.
Fourthly, The Apoſtles in their Epiſtles impoſe ſubiection vponupon Seruants, moſt of them then being Bondſlaues; ſee 1. Cor. 7. 21. Art thou called, being a Bondman? Care not for it: but eueryevery man abide in that calling wherein he was called. But many things are obiected to the contrarie.
Firſt, That in the ſame place, 1. Cor. 7. Be not ſeruants Obiect. of men.
That is, in regard of Conſcience, which knoweth Anſw. no other Lord then Chriſt; but not otherwiſe.
Secondly, Bondage is a fruit of Sinne, from Obiect. which we are freed, that are in Chriſt.
Sickneſſe, Death, and all temporall puniſhments Anſw. ſtill remaine, which alſo are fruits of Sinne. But as in them, ſo likewiſe in Bondage, the Curſe is taken away to Gods children.
Thirdly, EueryEvery man was made to the Image of Obiect. God, which is, to hauehave Dominion, and cannot ſtand with Bondage.
The Argument is not good: for EVE was made Anſw. to the Image of God, and yet ſubiect to her Husband: So the Image of God in vsus, taketh not away all ſubiection, but onelyonly ſuch a ſubiection, as taketh away all Dominion. The Wife, for all her ſubiection to her Husband, yet hath authoritie ouer her Children and Seruants, which is a part of Gods Image in her. So the baſeſt Slaue that is, though in Bondage to his Maſter, yet hath Dominion ouer the Creatures, which is a part of Gods Image in him.
Fourthly, God ſaid onelyonly at the beginning, HaueHave Obiect. Dominion ouer the Creatures, and not one man ouer another.
Thoſe wordes are ſpoken to ADAM and EVE Anſw. onelyonly, there being then no other men beſides themſelues, ouer whom they ſhould hauehave rule. But in the fifth Commandement, a part of the Law of nature, written in both their hearts, God ſaid, Honour thy Father and Mother, and there was dominion of one man ouer another eſtabliſhed. And though ſuch a dominion, as is ouer bond-ſlaues, were not confirmed by the Law of nature remayning pure, yet it is not againſt the Law of corrupted nature, a fruit whereof is bondage.
Fifthly, Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man but louelove, Obiect. therefore not ſubiection, much leſſe bondage.
That place is directly againſt them: for whereas Anſw. the Apoſtle had ſaid before, GiueGive tribute to whom tribute, honour to whom honour, feare to whom feare belongeth, and many of the lawleſſe Libertines of thoſe times, would be readie to obiect that the Law required nothing but louelove of them, and therefore they were not bound to any ſuch ſubiection; the Apoſtle takes hold of that which they obiected, that they owe nothing but louelove, and retorts it vponupon them in this manner. Why, I aske no more at your hands, then this, to pay the debt of louelove; for louelove is the fulfilling of the whole Law: this will make you giuegive eueryevery man his due; you that are Subiects, tribute to the Magiſtrate; Seruants, feare and reuerence to their Maſters.
Sixthly, they alleage thoſe places, Gal. 3. verſ. 24. Obiect. Coloſſ. 3. &c. where diſtinction of bond and free is taken away, and all are made one in Chriſt.
They are taken away from the ſpirituall body of Anſw. Chriſt, which is the Church, conſiſting of the Elect onelyonly, but not from the outward bodies and ſocieties of men vponupon earth; for then, if the Apoſtles meaning were ſo, there ſhould be no diſtinction neither of Countries, nor of Sexes, there ſhould be neither Scythian or Barbarian, there ſhould be neither Male nor Female. And it is true, there is no conſideration of theſe either Countries or Sexes in the inuiſible body of Chriſt, but in our ciuill life we ſee manifeſtly that there is.
Secondly, from the end that made PAVL, not to Doct. retayne ONESIMVS, without knowing PHILEMONS mind, (leſt thy benefit ſhould hauehave beene of conſtraint, and not willingly) we learne that the grace of a benefit is voluntarineſſe, the freeneſſe of the mind, and the openneſſe of the heart.
This was that which ſo commended the widdowes Mites, and therefore we muſt all learne by PAVLS example, not to extort any kindneſſe from our friends againſt their wills: for it is the mind that is worth all, and is to be accounted of vsus far aboue the benefit it ſelfe. And when occaſion is offered to vsus of ſhewing any kindneſſe to our friends, ſpecially in the workes of beneficence to the poore, then this willing Spirit is to be ſought for, that we doe it not grudging and with indiſpoſed hearts. 2. Cor. 9. 7. And if this willing and cheerefull Spirit be required in thoſe ſeruices wee doe to our Brethren, how much more in thoſe we doe to God. No man might offer to the Tabernacle, but he whoſe ſpirit moued him, Exod. 25. Many of vsus come to the Congregation to pray, heare, and doe ſuch like religious actions, and herein we reſt.
But it is not ſufficient to doe them, vnleſſe they come from vsus vninforced. When then thou commeſt to the Church with a dull and dead ſpirit, as a Beare to the ſtake, more for ſhame of the world, and obedience to the Magiſtrates Law, then for any deſire to glorifie God, what thanks canſt thou looke for at his hands?