Two Treatises, Commentary on verse · Verse 18, 19
VERS. 18.
If hee hath wronged thee or owes thee ought, put that on mine account.
19.
I Paul I hauehave written it with mine owne hand, I will repay it: albeit I doe not ſay to thee, how thou oweſt vntounto mee euen thine owne ſelfe beſides.
THeſe words are a preuention of an obiection, that PHILEMON might make againſt the former reaſon on this manner. How ſhall I receiue againe ſuch an one as hee, that hath ſo deepely wronged me and mine eſtate, by pilfering and purloyning away my goods. It were too much fauour, now that I know and heare where hee is, to forbeare him, and not to bring him to ſhame and puniſhment. If for thy ſake I ouercome my ſelfe, ſo farre as to remit reuenge, may not that ſuffice, muſt I alſo receiue him, and that with louelove, who hath thus weakned mine eſtate, and waſted my ſubſtance. Anſ. Let not that dammage thou haſt ſuſtained, be one whit preiudiciall to my ſuit, I confeſſe hee hath wronged thee, and hurt thine eſtate; but rather then that ſhall ſtand in the way, I will engage my ſelfe to thee, to ſee that diſcharged, make it my debt, and put it vponupon mine account. I paſſe my word to thee, to ſee it payd. An honeſt mans word is as good as his bond, how much more an Apoſtles word. If thou wilt not take my word, as I make no queſtion but thou wilt, then for thy better aſſurance and ſecurity, loe heere a bill of mine hand, to ſee the debt anſwered, I Paul hauehave written it with mine owne hand, I will repay it. Yet I muſt needes adde one thing further, that I thinke thou wilt not bee ſo ſtrict to vrge mee with the payment thereof, neither haſt thou any great reaſon ſo to doe: for if thou but ſeriouſly conſidereſt, and caſteſt vp thine accounts, thou ſhalt finde that I am before hand with thee, and that thou art indebted to mee a farre greater matter then this comes to. So that in theſe words thus vnfolded, here are three things.
1. An acknowledgement of the wrong done to PHILEMON by ONESIMVS, and of a debt due to him.
2. An vndertaking of the debt, and a couenant of ſatisfaction by, and from PAVL.
3. But yet with a Reuocation, and bringing of the buſineſſe into the court of conſcience.
1. The acknowledgement is in thoſe words, If hee hath wronged thee, or owes thee ought, that is, I grant hee hath wronged thee, bee it confeſſed. In which acknowledgement, note the termes in which he acknowledges it, If he hath wronged; If he owes, not, If he hath ſtolne, rather vſing the name of Iniury then Theft.
The faults of repenting ſinners ſhould not be rehearſed Doct. and repeated, but with mollifying and mitigating Mildneſſe to bee vſed in naming the ſins of the penitent.termes PAVL knowes not how to call ONESIMVS a theefe or a runnagate, now hee is humbled for his ſinne, and become a new man. If the man be new, why ſhould the old names of his ſinnes remaine, and be caſt in his teeth? In a mans conuerſion olde things are paſſed away, and all things are become new. A new life and a new courſe ſhould not be diſgraced, nor diſcouraged with the odious rehearſalls of a mans olde ſinnes. Their ſinnes that hauehave repented, ſhould not bee rehearſed at all, but when there is ſome neceſſary cauſe; yea, and euen then without all rigidity and harſhneſſe of broad language, and in ſuch eaſie and gentle phraſe, as it may appeare, that wee are vnwilling but to remember what is paſt. Indeede, the repenting ſinner himſelfe, ſpeaking of his ſinnes, eſpecially in his confeſſions to God, thinkes he cannot hauehave termes odious enough, wherewithall to aggrauate his offences, he ſpeakes of them in the broadeſt and fowleſt manner he can: but yet when hee hath repented and teſtified the ſame, we muſt auoyd the harſhneſſe, and ſpeak of them in the eaſieſt māner we can. PAVL confeſſes of himſelfe more then LVKE reports of him, I was a blaſphemer & a perſecuter. 1 Tim, 1. 13. LVKE reports of him Acts 9. that hee breathed out threatnings, but not that hee breathed out blaſphemies. If GOD hauehave hauehave remitted, why ſhould we retain? why ſhould not we pardon where hee doth? How doth it appeare that wee pardon, when wee ſpeake with the harſheſt and rougheſt, of an offendor. How gently doth the Scripture ſpeake of DAVIDS fowle fact after his repentance, He was a man after GODS owne heart in all things, ſaue in the matter of Vriah, 1 King. 15. 5. both forgetting many offences, and ſpeaking of that groſſe one with an eaſie phraſe, ſaue in the matter of Vriah, not ſaue in the murther of Vriah; It is good in the praiſes of our brethren, to giuegive them the full of their deſart, but in their falls vponupon their repentance, to bee compaſſionate and gentle. But we are moſt commonly of a cleane contrary diſpoſition; In praiſes we hauehave our diminuent and extenuating termes; in offences, yea after repentance, wee hauehave the gift of amplification. To ſpeake eaſily in a mans praiſes, as it argues enuy; ſo to ſpeak harſhly of a repenters offences, argues rigor and ſeuerity. How many of vsus hauehave the elder brothers euill eye and euill tongue, Luk. 15. 15. The Prodigalls father, after his ſons repentance, neither tels him of ryoting, nor whoring; but onelyonly this, This my ſon was dead, and is aliue; he was loſt, and is found. How eaſily and like a father ſpeakes hee of his ſonnes groſſe miſdemeanours? But how ſpeaks the elder brother? ſurely broadly enough, and not like a brother: for as hee can neither brooke to call him brother, but this thy ſonne, ſo neither ſpares hee to ſpeake plainely, and with the moſt odious aggrauating termes, But when this thy ſonne was come, which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots, &c. Hee broadly charges him with ryot, and whoredome at once. But Chriſtian moderation teaches more milde language and carriage towards poore penitent ſinners. It is good to turne this vindictiue edge vponupon our owne ſinnes, and to ſet them out to the full in our confeſſions. If this ſharp edge were more vſed againſt our owne ſinnes, other mens ſhould finde and feele it farre more blunt. But becauſe the backe edge is toward our ſelues, therefore is the ſharp edge againſt others.
If hee owes thee ought: PAVL then acknowledges Doct. 2 that ONESIMVS was indebted to PHILEMON, by Communion of Saints makes not a community of goods.reaſon of that wrong done him. The Communion of Saints then makes not an abſolute community of goods. For were the right of mens goods common, ONESIMVS now being become a Chriſtian, was vponupon thoſe tearmes to hauehave beene forgiuen the debt, and PAVL needed not to hauehave beene ouer officious, in taking the debt vponupon himſelfe. That community of the Anabaptiſts, takes away the diſtinction of borrower and lender, of debitour and creditour. Though, as before wee ſayd, the Saints hauehave all things common, yet this communion preiudices not their priuate rights and poſſeſſions. Priuate poſſeſſions will ſtand with the Saints Communion. Elſe from this Community might ONESIMVS, or PAVL for him, hauehave pleaded an Immunity both from reſtitution and puniſhment. If IOHN BAPTIST had beene an Anabaptiſt, he would both hauehave condemned the ſouldiers for their callings, and hauehave commended, or at leaſt not hauehave condemned them for their courſes. Luk. 3. 14. For what wrong or violence is it for a man to take that, to which hee hath as good a right as another? If goods be common, he does another no violence, that takes his goods. And to what end doth the Apoſtle eueryevery where ſo ſtirre vp men to the duty of Almes, if hee allowed this community, in which eueryevery man might be his own caruer, & releeue himſelfe as his need was. There is no place for almes, where all are ioynt and equall owners. Our Sauiour teaches to pray for our daily bread, and PAVL enioynes men to eat their owne bread, 2 Theſſ. 3. 12. If wee may hauehave bread of our owne, why not all other things of our owne. Indeede the Apoſtle wiſhes vsus ſo to buy, as though wee poſſeſſed not, and to vſe this world, as though wee vſed it not, 1 Cor. 7. 30. 31. But hee doth no more forbid poſſeſſions in the world, then the vſe of the world. If not lawfull to poſſeſſe, then not lawfull to vſe the world; and if lawfull to vſe, then lawfull to poſſeſſe. The Apoſtle forbids not poſſeſſing in, but being poſſeſſed of the world, It remaines, that they that hauehave wiues be as they that hauehave none, ſaith the Apoſtle in the ſame place. Now doth hee (thinke wee) thereby giuegive liberty to vncleanneſſe, and proſtitute other mens wiues by a Nicolaitan community? Nothing leſſe, for verſ. 2. of the ſame chapter, hee enioynes eueryevery man to hauehave his owne wife, and eueryevery woman to hauehave her owne husband. He therfore no more allowes community of goods, then of wiues. The drift of that place ſutes with that parable, wherein one pleads hee had bought a farme, when his farme had bought him: another, that hee had married a wife, when his wife had married him, and teaches not a community, but an holy kinde of neglect of all earthly things, and to hauehave our conuerſion in heauen, while wee liue heere on earth.
2. The vndertaking of the debt. That is in theſe words, Put that on mine account, I Paul hauehave written it with mine owne hand, I will repay it. He vndertakes it by giuing him a bill of his hand. If there were no remedy, but ſatisfaction muſt be made, though yet hee hoped for a remiſſion, then hee vndertakes for him, hee will bee his ſurety, and make the debt his owne.
It is not vnlawfull for one man to become ſurety Doct. 1 for another. It is a worke of mercy, and a worke Suretiſhip lawfull, but with cautions.which not onelyonly may be done, but ſometimes muſt be done. So IVDAH became ſurety to his father for BENIAMIN Gen. 43. 9. I will bee ſurety for him, of mine hand ſhalt thou require him. So the good Samaritan vndertooke, and became ſurety for the wounded man. Luk. 10. 35. And Heb. 7. 22. CHRIST became our Surety. Had it beene vnlawfull, though PAVL hoped for remiſſion, yet would he hauehave abſtained from all appearance of euill, and would not hauehave engaged himſelfe for ONESIMVS. It is a poynt indeed, in which men may miſcarry on both hands, both by an ouer great forwardneſſe to wrong themſelues, and an ouer great backwardneſſe in helping others. Heere therefore wee muſt remember ſome cautions in the practiſe of this poynt. For true charity is alwayes guided by the wiſdome of God to walke betweene credulity and ſuſpicion, ſo as neither to wrong a mans ſelfe, nor yet others in the neglect of any duty of louelove. The cautions to be obſerued therefore, are in regard
1. Of the perſon for whom we are bound.
2. Of the perſon to whom we are bound.
3. Of the perſon himſelfe that is bound, and becomes ſurety.
1. For the perſon for whom we are ſureties: we muſt be ſure he be no ſtranger to vsus. Pro. 11. 15. Hee that becomes ſurety for a ſtranger, ſhall be ſore broken; but he that hates ſuretiſhip, namely raſh ſuretiſhip for ſtrangers, is ſure. Prou. 20. 16. Take his garment that is ſurety for a ſtranger. Therefore is it worth our nothing, to ſee how SALOMON ioynes thoſe two verſes together, Prou. 27. 12. 13. a prudent man ſees euen the plague and danger of raſh ſuretiſhip, and hides himſelfe by a wiſe refuſall, whereas going on raſhly, are puniſhed with the loſſe of their garments and goods. It is therefore requiſite heere to remember theſe cautions.
1. That wee know him: that hee bee not a ſtranger, in regard of our knowledge of his perſon: for though hee may bee one happily, for whom a man may ſafely vndertake, yet is it neither wiſdome nor diſcretion for a man, to be ſo ouer officious, to be bound for he knowes not whom.
2. That we know his condition, meanes and ability, whether his ſufficiency bee ſuch as may free and ſecure a man from ſuch ſnares and nets, as ſuretiſhip brings commonly with it.
3. That we know him to be one religious, of the houſhold of faith, that makes conſcience of his dealings, one whoſe fidelity and integrity may plead for him. A mans neighbour muſt bee a ſtranger in this caſe, if ſo bee hee bee a ſtranger from the Common-wealth of Iſrael. It were no ſtrange thing if ſuch an one ſhould giuegive thee the ſlip, and leaue thee in the lurch. It were ſtrange, being a ſtranger, if hee ſhould deale otherwiſe.
4. That wee know the reaſon and cauſe of his neede of our ſuretiſhip. If his neceſſities hauehave been brought vponupon him by the immediate hand of GOD, for the cauſes of GOD, and the Church, without his owne careleſneſſe, negligence in his calling, or vaine waſting of his ſubſtance, then heere is place for this duty, ſome other things following being anſwerable: otherwiſe, if intemperancy, negligence, hauehave beene the cauſes, then let the ſame hand bring him out, that brought him into debt.
2. For the perſon to whom wee are bound and become ſurety. Surely, it were to bee wiſhed, that ſo neere as could bee, he might not alſo bee a ſtranger, which SALOMON ſeemes to caution, Prou. 6. 1. for thy neighbour, to a ſtranger. For howſoeuer the ſurety is ſo to make his account, that be the creditor what he will bee, good or bad, that hee is to ſee the debt payd, yet it is a great deale better to fall into the hands of a PHILEMON, then of NABAL, of a religious then a rigorous perſon. It being alwayes to be preſumed that the conſcience of the ſame commandement, which made the one vponupon good grounds to become ſurety, will alſo mooue the other vponupon the ſame grounds to ſhew pitty, either in remitting part of the debt, or at leaſt in forbearing the rigorous exaction of the whole at once, and in giuing the longer day of payment. For ſurely, ſo much doth that ſpeech ſeeme to import. Prou. 20. 16. Take his garment that is ſurety for a ſtranger, that is, if a man bee ſo ſilly and ſo raſh, to bee a ſurety for one hee knowes not, or knowes to be a vile perſon, and that by vile courſes hath brought himſelfe into neceſſity neuer ſpare ſuch an one, let him abide the ſmart of it, and learne to pledge honeſter men. Therefore it followes on the contrary, Take not his garment that is ſurety for one that is no ſtranger; but vponupon iuſt and lawfull grounds, in pitty and commiſeration of a poore Saint, became his ſurety. Take not his garment, doe not exact the full: but beare thou part of the burden, and help thou alſo to releeue that poore man for whom the other is become ſurety.
3. For a mans ſelfe that is to become ſurety. Firſt, be not ouer haſty to thruſt thy ſelfe in, be not to forward to offer thy ſelfe, Prou. 17. 18. A man voyd of vnderſtanding ſtrikes hands, and becomes ſurety before his friend, that is, before his friend deſires and ſeekes for it. Heerein is more haſt then good ſpeed. Secondly, when thou vndertakeſt, and becommeſt ſurety for another, let it bee for no more then thou art willing and well able to part withall. A man is not bound to plucke a thorne out of another mans foot, to put it into his owne; Thou muſt louelove thy neighbor as thy ſelf, but not better then thy ſelf, to raiſe him with thine owne ruine. EueryEvery ſurety that vndertakes for another, makes the debt his owne, and hee ſtands in conſcience charged withall. This is cleere Gen. 44. 32. 33. Doubtleſſe thy ſeruant became ſurety for the childe to my father, and ſayd, If I bring him not vntounto thee againe, then will I beare the blame vntounto my father for euer. Now therefore I pray thee, let thy ſeruant bide for the childe, as a ſeruant to my Lord, and let the childe goe vp with his brethren. This would bee well thought vponupon, by ſuch as are ſureties, before they become bound. Now then conſider, what is the ſumme, tell it out in ready money, and looke well on it, and bethinke thy ſelfe whether thou art able to part with it, whether will it not breake thy backe, cracke thine eſtate, vndoe thy children, and make thy life vncomfortable. If it will, then Bee not thou of them that touch the hand, nor among them that are ſurety for debts; If thou haſt nothing to pay, why cauſeſt thou that he ſhould take thy bed from vnderunder thee? Prou. 22. 27. No law requires that a man ſhould lie in the ſtreets, to let another lie in his bed. Therefore in this caſe, whatſoeuer and how good ſoeuer the grounds may bee, yet keepe out of of the ſnare. Rather giuegive what thou art able out of thine eſtate, preſently to releeue his wants, then ſo to cracke thine eſtate, as to come into want and miſery thy ſelfe.
It is lawfull and iuſt, in ciuill contracts and commerce, to giuegive and to take mutuall and formall aſſurance. It is no breach of the bond of charity, to aske, demand, and take bonds and obligatory bills, for the aſſurance of a mans owne. Perſons to whom wee lend being ſubiect to mortality, if the Lord ſhould take them away before the time that the debt is due, how will it appeare that it was due, and how ſhall a man come by his owne againe. Bonds, writings, and inſtruments of that kinde hauehave euer beene in vſe among the people of GOD, Ier. 32. 9. 10. 11. 12. and Luk. 16. 5. 6. 7. A neceſſary courſe to preſerue charity and peace.
The third poynt, the Reuocation. Albeit I doe not ſay to thee, that thou oweſt vntounto me euen thine owne ſelfe beſides.] In which words hee ſecretly and modeſtly intimates vntounto PHILEMON, what great things hee had done for him in his conuerſion, ſo great as made PHILEMON a debtor, not onelyonly of his goods, but of himſelfe.
Learne from the Apoſtles example, with what Doct. modeſty wee ſhould mention that which makes for Modeſty muſt be vſed in mentioning our own praiſes.our owne praiſe. PAVL doth not in open words glory, that he hath beene the meanes and inſtrument of his conuerſion, that he may thanke him for bringing him both to the knowledge & hope of a better life, but only ſecretly, & ſo modeſtly glances at it. So great is the difference between an Apoſtolical and a Thraſonicall ſpirit. Such is the modeſty of ſelfedenying religion, that it loues not to ſpeake of his owne deeds, much leſſe to vaunt of them, and when vponupon iuſt cauſe it is forced thereunto, yet it is either onelyonly with glancing intimations, and with couert termes, or elſe in the perſon of another. 2 Cor. 12. 2. 5. I knew a man, &c. of ſuch an one will I glory of my ſelfe I will not glory. And yet was hee the man of whom he might glory. Or elſe with ſome checkes and abaſements. Hence that ſo frequent parentheſis, I ſpeake as a foole. 2 Cor. 11. Let another mans mouth praiſe thee, and not thine owne. Prou 27. 2. Yea, an humble heart loues not to heare it's owne praiſe out of anothers mouth, much leſſe to ſpeake it with it's owne. MARY trembled, or was troubled at the ſaying of the Angell, wherein ſhee was magnified. Luk. 1. 29. Good hearts ſucke not in their own praiſes with a bibbing eare, neither flatter themſelues when flattered by others, neither ſuffer themſelues like pitchers to be held by the eares, much leſſe doe they make their owne mouths the trumpets to ſound forth their owne acts, nor their own tongues their penſills to paint forth their own deeds. Heerin appeared the modeſt ſpirit of SAMSON after that honourable & renowned action, in the ſlaughter of the Lyon: the text notes his modeſty, Iudg. 14. 6. That he told neither his father nor his mother what hee had done. If he kept it cloſe from them at home, how much more from others. Had ſome proud ſpirit done but halfe ſo much, SAMSONS Lyon roared not lowder, then they would hauehave vaunted of the fact, and HERCVLES-like would hauehave walked vp and downe in the Lyons skinne, to giuegive the world notice of their puiſſance. MATTHEWES modeſty is alſo worth the noting, in the penning of the hiſtory of his owne entertainment hee gaue CHRIST. LVKE reporting that hiſtory, ſayes of him, Luk. 5. 29. That hee made CHRIST a great feaſt in his owne houſe. But MATTHEW mentions neither great nor feaſt, nor his owne houſe: but onelyonly this, As Ieſus ſate at meat in the houſe. Matth. 9. 10. That a man would imagine it as ſoone to hauehave beene in another mans, as in MATTHEWES houſe; neither by his words can any gather, that hee ſo much as feaſted CHRIST, much leſſe that hee made a great feaſt. Often doe holy writers put that vponupon record, which may ſeeme to blemiſh them in plaine and cleere manner, if they report what makes for their praiſe, it is done couertly and cloſely; as IOHN writing of himſelfe, ſpeakes as of another. Ioh. 13. 23. That there was leaning on Ieſus boſome, one of his Diſciples whom Ieſus loued. They that louelove not to hide their ſinnes, yet louelove to hide their owne praiſes. This ſauours not of a carnall ſpirit A carnall ſpirit is a boaſting and a vaunting ſpirit, that loues both to heare and tell what ſeemes to make for it's owne praiſe and honor. Such a ſpirit was NEBVCHADNEZZARS. Dan. 4. Is not this great Babel, that I hauehave built for the houſe of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Maieſtie. Baſe worme, how like a God? yea, the King of Tyrus dares take the name of God, and vaunt of his owne great wiſdome and vnderſtanding, whereby he hath gotten his riches, Ezek. 28. The Phariſie cannot pray, but he muſt tell GOD of his great works, Luk. 18. He cannot giuegive almes, but he muſt hauehave a trumpet to tell men, Matth. 6. Moſt men will proclaime eueryevery one his owne goodneſſe, but a faithfull man who can finde? Prou. 20. 6. If they that proclaime their owne goodneſſe were faithfull, where might they not be found, a man might finde the Phariſie to bee faithfull by his trumpet. Learne wee then this humble modeſty of the Apoſtle, we loſe our praiſe while vaine gloriouſly we ſeeke it, and GOD ſeekes it whileſt we in humility ſeeke it not. Ioh. 8. 50. I ſeeke not mine owne glory, there is one that ſeeketh and iudgeth. As on the contrary, if wee ſeeke our owne glory, there is one that ſeeth and iudgeth.
See how deepely people ſtand indebted to their Doct. 2 Miniſters. The benefit that doth accrue from a The deepe engagement of people to their Miniſters.faithfull Miniſtry, is more then can bee recompenced with all a mans ſubſtance. See who are the greateſt creditors, and the greateſt debtors that are. Thou oweſt vntounto me euen thy ſelfe. People owe not onelyonly their goods, Gal. 6. 6. but euen themſelues. How many are there, whoſe righteouſnes comes ſhort of the righteouſne of the Phariſies, I pay tithe of all that I poſſeſſe, Luk. 18. 12. Many pay the tithes not of all they poſſeſſe, as being afrayd happily of being Phariſaicall, though PAVLS precept enioyne no leſſe, Gal. 6. 6. but onelyonly thinke they owe the tith of goods legally tithable, and paying thoſe (though no better then thoſe Iewes, Malac. 3. 8.) how richly think they that they hauehave diſcharged their debt due to their Miniſters. But bee it, that thou indeede doeſt faithfully diſcharge the debt of maintenance, and art not therein wanting; yet one thing is yet wanting, Thou oweſt euen thine owne ſelfe, Thou art ſtill in debt. Therefore the Galatians would hauehave plucked out their eyes, to hauehave done PAVL good. Gal. 4. 15. And no maruell: good reaſon that men ſhould owe themſelues to thoſe, who ſpend euen themſelues for them. And I will gladly ſpend, and bee ſpent for you, 2 Cor. 12. 15. And ſo deare are people to their carefull paſtours, that they could bee content not onelyonly to ſpend their paines and bodies in preaching, but if it were poſſible euen to deale their very ſoule vntounto them, 1 Theſſ. 2. 7. 8. So being affectionately deſirous of you, we were willing to hauehave imparted vntounto you, not the Goſpell of God onelyonly, but alſo our owne ſoules, becauſe yee were deare vntounto vsus. Is it not reaſon, that ſo much ſhould be owing as was lent. If they lend & ſpend ſo much, no maruell if peoples debt bee ſo great. Nay, yet more, Miniſters doe not onelyonly giuegive themſelues vntounto, and ſpend themſelues for their people, thereby engaging them to the debt of themſelues, but euen doe giuegive people themſelues vntounto themſelues. We ſay of mad men, They are not themſelues, and being recouered, they are come to themſelues. So may it bee ſayd of perſons vnconuerted, that they are not themſelues, they are both out of their way, and out of their wits, and therefore of the repenting Prodigall it is ſayd, Luk. 15. 17. And when hee came to himſelfe. Now what brings men to themſelues, but the miniſtry of the word which brings men to repentance. If then Miniſters bring men to be themſelues, good reaſon that men ſhould owe euen themſelues vntounto them.
If the debt ſo great, the more ſhame for people, Vſe. the performance and payment is ſo poore. If thou oweſt thy ſelfe, then much more thy goods. The body is better then rayment, a mans ſelfe greater and better then all his outward goods. If then thou owe the greater, why doeſt thou withhold the leſſer. The acknowledgement of the greater debt, is in the payment of the leſſer: I ſeeke not yours, but you. 2 Cor. 12. 14. but yet Miniſters ſhould finde both vsus and ours, vsus in our obedience, ours in our recompence. The Galatians that would, if it had beene poſſible hauehave plucked out their eyes for PAVL, would neuer hauehave ſtucke to hauehave pluckt out their purſes to doe him good. Neuer thinke that they will plucke out their eyes for their Miniſters, that will not ſo much as open their eyes to looke compaſſionately vponupon their neceſſities. They hauehave great cauſe to ſuſpect that the Miniſtry hath not wrought vponupon their hearts, who acknowledge not the debt of their perſons; they acknowledge not that, that being taught, make not him that teaches partaker in all their goods.
The drift of this Reuocation being a full remiſſion Doct. 3 on PHILEMONS part to ONESIMVS, teaches Mercy to bee vſed in exacting of debts.mercy in exacting debts, where no ability of payment. If ONESIMVS had been able to hauehave reſtored, or repaied, or repaired the loſſe & dammage his maſter ſuſtained by him, PAVL would not hauehave thus pleaded for remiſſion, and offered himſelfe a ſurety for the payment. Euen the conſcience of GODS dealing with vsus, ſhould as well teach vsus moderation to our poore brethren, in forgiuing their debts, or forbearing at leaſt, as well as in forgiuing offences. How many mercileſſe creditors are there, that take the poore debtours by the throat, with rigid arreſt, Pay mee that thou oweſt mee, and hath no more mercy to forbeare, then the debtour hath ability to pay. It would goe hard with thee, if the Lord ſhould impriſon thee till thou hadſt payd the vtmoſt farthing. Bee yee mercifull, as your heauenly father is mercifull. Luk. 6. 36. Euen thy pecuniary debts, are but penny-debts to thoſe talents which hee hath pardoned thee. It is indeede a Parable which we finde, Luk. 7. 41. 42. but yet that creditors fact ſhould bee exemplary, who when his creditors had nothing to pay, he forgaue them both. If morgages, in caſes of extreame neceſſity, ought to bee releaſed, as we hauehave a cleare caſe, Neh. 5. 3. 11. then much more ought rigorous exaction of debts to be forborne,