Commentary Upon Philemon, To the reader
To the Reader.
IT was well ſaid, aPlini. ſecund. Epiſt. 6. lib. 1.that the first duty of a Writer is, that he read ouer his owne Title, and cast backe his eyes to conſider what he began to write: who, if hee dwell vponupon the matter, is not to be accounted long: but if he wander and ſtraggle from it, eueryevery ſentence is too too long and tedious. The Epistle with which I deale, I confeſſe, is ſhort: the Commentary which I hauehave written vponupon it, long: howbeit, I hauehave bin carefull to remember the former rule, and to keep me cloſe to the preſent ſubiect, and therefore hope to obtain pardon with patience. One of the Ancients ſaid of Carthage, that contended ſo much and ſo long with Rome, in emulation for greatneſſe and Empire; It is better to ſay nothing, then to ſpeake a little. Much more may this be ſaid of this Noble and Diuine Epistle, wherein the Apoſtle doth ſo diſcouer his affections, and ſtirre vp the affections of others, that too much cannot be ſpoken of it.
Touching the Epiſtles of Paule, ſome were written vntounto whole Churches; as that to the Romanes, Corinthians, Galathians, &c. Other were written to particular perſons; as two vntounto Timothy; one to Titus; and this to Philemon. Notwithstanding, we must vnderſtand, that howſoeuer they were priuately directed to certaine men, yet they were inspired of God, and penned by the Apoſtle, for the benefit of the whole Church. For if respect had onelyonly beene had to thoſe, vntounto whom they were purpoſely and principally intended, many thinges bCaluin. comment. in 1. Timoth.might hauehave bin ſpared, which are eueryevery where disperſed and handled in them. This appeareth expreſly in the Epiſtle to Titus; the which, albeit it carry his Name alone, whom Paule left in Candy cTitus 1, 5.To redreſſe the thinges that remaine: yet the ſcope of Paul was, to profit the whole Church, as we ſee in the finiſhing of the matter, when he ſhutteth vp the whole in this manner; dTitus 3, 15.Grace be with you all. The Inſcription is to one, but the concluſion is made to many, euen all the elect. So ought wee to apply vntounto our ſelues, ſuch heauenly inſtructions as are handled in this Epiſtle, no leſſe, then if it were particularly ſent vntounto eueryevery one of vsus from God.
The Bookes of the New-Teſtament, may be ranged and ordered into three ſorts; whereof part are Hiſtoricall, part Doctrinall, and part Propheticall, to omit the eAthanaſ. in Synopſi.diſtributions of others. The Hyſtoricall are ſo called, becauſe they deſcribe the History of Christ our Sauiour, as the foure Euangeliſts; or of the Apoſtles and the Church gathered by them; as the Actes of the Apoſtles. The Dogmaticall are ſuch, as are called the Epiſtles of the Apostles, not that ſuch fParaeus comment. vponupon the Epiſtle to the Rom.as comprehend the Hiſtory of Chriſt, doe not alſo containe the Doctrine of Christ, and of ſaluation by Chriſt, but becauſe theſe doe moſt especially handle the ſame. True it is, the Apoſtles laboured in preaching the Gospell, and publiſhing it by liuely voyce, in what places, and to what perſons, and at what times ſoeuer they could; but becauſe they could not alwaies dwell among the Churches, and guide them with their preſence which once they had planted, neither yet were able to ſee them all in the face and to speake vntounto them mouth to mouth: it pleaſed God to moue them, and direct them to ſet downe in writing (compiled in forme of Epiſtles) the ſum of Chriſtian Doctrine touching piety toward God, Faith in Chriſt, and louelove toward men: but moſt especially concerning the miſerable eſtate of man through his fall, and of the remedies of this miſery: concerning the Perſon and Offices of Chriſt the mediator; concerning the benefit of free Iuſtification by Christ and of the liuely fruits thereof, which ought to ſhine forth in all them that are Iuſtified. The Propheticall Booke, is onelyonly the Reuelation of Iohn, which vnderunder certaine Types, foretelleth the ſtate of the Church to come, both the combats which it ſhall endure, and the victory which it ſhall receiue.
The Heretickes that liued in former times, raiſed vp from the pit of hell, by Satan himſelfe to diſturbe and deſtroy the faith of many, hauehave called ſundry of theſe Cannonicall Bookes of Holy Scripture into Queſtion, and reiected them altogether, as Baſtards or counterfeits. Fauſtus the Maniche (as S. Auguſtine witneſſeth) was not aſhamed to open his blaſphemous gAug. cont. Fauſt. lib. 33. cap. 3.mouth, and affirme, that many things in the New Teſtament were falſe. The Ebionites would receiue onelyonly the Gospell according to Mathew, the other three hIren. lib. 1. ca. 26.they deſpiſed and refuſed. The Marcionites, another deteſtable and damned ſect, vſed onelyonly Lukes Goſpell, and that alſo they miſerably iEpiph. haereſ. 42.mangled according to their owne diuelliſh fancie. The Acts of the Apoſtles, and Paules Epistles, were ſet at naught, and flatly refuſed by the kEuſeb hyſt. lib. 4. cap. 29.Tatians, and other Heretickes called Seueriani, as Euſebius maketh mention in his Hiſtory. Both the Epiſtles written vntounto Timothy, that to Titus, lHierom. praef. in Tit.and the Hebrewes, were cast away by Marcian and Baſilides: for whatſoeuer they ſaw to croſſe mTertul. lib. 5. aduerſus Marcian.and contradict their Hereſies, they raſed out of the Canon, and would not receiue it as authenticall. Among all which, this is to be obſerued, that ſuch as did admit (as Diuine) any of the Epiſtles, did neuer deny the authoritie of this Epiſtle to Philemon. Some indeed hauehave renounced the Epiſtle to the Hebrues: ſome, the latter Epiſtle of Peter: ſome, the Epiſtle of Iames: ſome, the Epiſtles to Timothy and Titus; and other, the two latter familiar Epiſtles of Iohn: but no Hereticke was ſo forſaken of God, or euer grew to be ſo deſperate, to contemne and ſet light by this Epiſtle, if euer he admitted and accepted the credit of any. Which plainly declareth the Maieſty that ſhineth in this little and ſhort Letter, wherein Paule by his Diuine eloquence and pithineſſe of argument, doeth euen rauiſh and astoniſh all the Readers thereof.
To the end this may the better appeare, let vsus as in a Table ſet before our eyes nThe contents and cheefe heads of this Epiſtle.the chiefe heads and contents of this Epiſtle, and view with how cunning a penne or Penſill, the principall parts thereof are drawne, together with the profite ariſing from thence; following the example of them, which when they bidde any gueſſe to Dinner or Supper, are wont firſt to declare what ſhall be their cheare, & how many Diſhes they ſhall hauehave, praying them to take it in good worth, and to looke for neither better nor worſe, then hath beene mentioned. In like manner, beeing determined to make a feaſt, and hauing prouided a Banquet, which I hauehave ſet forth, and inuited the courteous & Chriſtian Reader, that will come and taſt of it: I dare be bold to promiſe, that the Meate is good and wholeſome. What foode ſoeuer is found that cannot pleaſe the taſt of a well-affected ſtomacke, I confeſſe the fault is in the Cooke that hath prepared and dreſſed it. I would therefore entreat thee to accept of theſe three Diſhes, and to conſider, the perſon that was the writer; the perſon to whom he writeth; and the perſon for whom he writeth. The perſon that penned it, was Paule the Apoſtle: the perſon to whom it was written, was Philemon the Maister: the perſon for whom hee wrote, was Oneſimus the Seruant. Ʋpon theſe three, as on certaine pillers, ſtand the maine drift and purpoſe of this whole Epiſtle heere expounded.
Touching the firſt, oThe perſon of the Writer of the Epiſtle.which is Paul the Writer, he doth not ſtile himſelf in this place, as commonly he vſeth; An Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt, but The Priſoner of Chriſt, and declareth that he begat Oneſimus to the Faith, in Priſon. It is honourable to the Saintes to ſuffer for the truthes ſake. The Apoſtles reioyced that they were pActes 5, 41. Iames 1, 2.Counted worthy to endure afflictions and troubles in a good cauſe. They endured impriſonment as Martyrs, not as Malefactors; as Preachers of the Goſpell, r1 Pet. 1, 15not As Buſie-bodies in other mens matters; as doers of good, not as euill doers; neuer ceaſing to further the ſaluation of others, euen when their bodies were reſtrained of libertie: and yet in this want of enlargement, they were mighty in deede and word, to worke the conuerſion of ſuch as reſorted vntounto them, verifying the ſaying of the Apoſtle. 2. Tim. 2. 9. ſ2 Tim. 2, 9.I ſuffer trouble vntounto bondes, but the word of God is not bound. Whiles he pleaded his cauſe in Chaines, tActes 16, 28hee had Almoſt caught Agrippa in the Chaine of the Gospell, and wonne him to the Faith. When he was come to Rome, he would not be idle, uAct. 28, 17, 23.but called the chiefe of the Iewes together, and then expounded vntounto them the way of Saluation, teſtifying the Kingdome of God, and perſwading them thoſe thinges that concerne Ieſus, both out of the Law of Moſes, and out of the Prophets, from morning to night. Thus doth one ſay moſt truely of him; When he was bound, he was ſtronger then they that bound him: when he was a Captiue, he was freer then they that kept him: and when his Iudges examined him, he examined them, and ſet them at libertie that were vnderunder the thraldome of ſinne and Sathan. It is truely ſaid of the Wiſe-man; xProu. 11, 30 Dan. 12, 3.He that winneth Soules is wiſe, and ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and ſuch as turne many to righteouſnes, ſhall ſhine as the Starres for euer and euer. This wiſedome is no where to be found, no where to be ſought, no where to be learned, but in the Word of GOD, which is the wiſedome of God, and the power of God. So then we ſee, it is not the puniſhment that maketh a Martyr, but the cauſe. Some are puniſhed as Malefactors: ſome dye as Martyrs. Ioſeph was caſt into the ſame yGene. 39, 20 and 40, 3.Priſon, with the Butler and Baker of King Pharaoh: They ſuffered impriſonment in the ſame place, but the cauſe was not one for which they ſuffered. Ioſephs Maiſter tooke him and put him in Priſon, in the place where the kings Priſoners lay bound; and there he was in Priſon; but becauſe it was in a good cauſe, and for a good conſcience, the Lord was with him, and ſhewed him mercy, and got him fauour in the ſight of the Maiſter of the Priſon. The like we might ſay of Paule and Sylas, who were not onelyonly beaten with Rods, but clapped vppe in cloſe Priſon with Malefactors; but they were not without comfort in their ſufferings, zActes 16, 25For At midnight they prayed and ſung Pſalmes vntounto God, ſo that the reſt of the Priſoners heard them. They ſuffered a2 Tim. 2, 9.As euill doers, but not for euill doing. And albeit they were Priſoners, yet they were Christian Priſoners: and when the body was ready to be offered, and the time of their departure drew neere, forgat bAuguſt ſer. de Sanct. Cypr.not their Apoſtolicall care of the Churches, and watchfulneſſe ouer the Lordes Flocke; yea, we ſee Paule in this place, forgetteth not a baſe Seruant, as ſhall bee ſhewed afterward.
Touching the ſecond point, cThe perſon to whom Paul writeth.we are to conſider the perſon to whom Paule writeth; which is, to Philemon, crauing at his hands the fruit of Chriſtian Equitie and Moderation, to forgiue him that had offended him, according to the doctrine of the common Maiſter of them both, Ieſus Chriſt. Luke 17. dLuk. 17. 3, 4Take heede to your ſelues, if thy Brother treſpaſſe againſt thee, rebuke him: and if hee repent, forgiue him: and though hee ſinne againſt thee ſeauen times in a day, and ſeauen times in a day turne againe to thee, ſaying; It repenteth mee, Thou ſhalt forgiue him. It is a great vertue in thee, if thou eIſidor. lib. 2. ſoliloqu.wrong not him, of whom thou art wronged: It is great Fortitude, if when thou art wronged, thou remit it: It is great Glory, if thou be willing to ſpare him, whom thou hadst power and ability to hurt. As Chriſt taught forgiueneſſe to others, ſo he practiſed his owne Doctrine, and fLuke 23, 34.prayed for thoſe that were his perſecuters. Philemon had bin greatly wronged by his falſe and theeuiſh ſeruant, yet Paul craueth pardon for him vponupon his repentance toward God, and his ſubmiſſion toward his Maiſter. It is the Doctrine of the gThe doctrine of the Nouatiā Heretickes.Nouatian Heretickes, to deny hope of fauour and forgiueneſſe to ſuch as are fallen; againſt whom Cyprian hath written a learned Epiſtle; hCypri. ad Nouatian. haeretic.whereby they go about to kill, whereas they ſhould cure them that are wounded, and to ſwallow vp them in deſpaire, whom they ought to raiſe vp with comfort. For they alledge, that Chriſt threatneth, kMath. 10, 33Whoſoeuer ſhall deny him before men, them will he deny before his Father which is in heauen. But he vnderstandeth ſuch as perſeuer in it without repentance, denying him vntounto the end, and forſaking him vntounto the death, ſuch indeede he will diſclaime and deny in the kingdome of his Father; which plainely appeareth by the contrary, in the oppoſite Member going before, lMath. 10, 32.where he promiſeth, that Whoſoeuer ſhall confeſſe him before men, them will hee alſo confeſſe before his Father which is in Heauen; whereby hee meaneth ſuch as continue in that confeſſion, and are faithfull without ſtarting backward.
Peter being in the High-prieſts houſe, did deny his Maiſter that choſe him, not only to bee an Apoſtle, but to bee an elect veſſell, to preach the Goſpell both to Iewes and Gentiles; he denied him that bought him, and redeemed him; in word, with an Oath, with Curſing and Execration; yet hee returned and repented: hee went out from that wicked Company, and wept for his greeuous fall most bitterly. Many good Souldiers are ſometimes daunted at the ſight of their Enemies, and runne out of the Field like Cowards, not without ſome reproch and impeachment of their Man-hoode, who afterward gather ſtrength, and are aſhamed of their owne folly, both reſisting thoſe that fight against them moſt couragiouſly, and pleaſing the Captaine that hath made choiſe of them.
Hence it is, that the Lord proclaimeth Mercy, and reneweth his Couenant of forgiueneſſe to ſuch as turne vntounto him. The Prophet Ioel ſaith, Chapter 2. mIoel 2. 12, 13.Turne you vntounto mee with all your heart, with faſting, weeping, and mourning; Rent your hearts, and not your Garments, and turne vntounto the Lorde your God, for he is gracious and mercifull, ſlow to anger, & of great kindneſſe, and repenteth him of the euill. Heere is merciemercy offered, and a generall pardon publiſhed, which God will performe to all penitent perſons. Likewiſe, the Lord for better aſſurance, if we doubt of his word once vttered, ſaith by his Prophet Ezekiell, Chap. 33. nEzek. 33, 10, 11.O thou ſonne of man, ſpeake vntounto the houſe of Iſrael, Thus ye ſpeake and ſay; If our tranſgreſſions and our ſinnes be vppon vsus, and wee are conſumed becauſe of them, How ſhould we then liue? Thus do wicked perſons, when they heare of Gods Iudgements, c…ſt off all confidence in his mercies, and murmure at his threatninges. But what followeth? Say vntounto them, as I liue ſaith the Lord, I deſire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way, and liue: Turn you, turn you from your euil waies, for why will ye die, O ye houſe of Iſraell? When the ſinful woman came to Chriſt in the houſe of Simon the Phariſee, humbly confeſsing her ſins, & ſhedding abundance of teares for them, and by them both, testifying her louelove to Chriſt, he turned vntounto her, and ſaid, oLuke 7, 48.Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee. On her part, we ſee repentance, weeping, and Prayer; On Chriſts part, we ſee Forgiueneſſe offred, and pardon beſtowed. It is well ſaide of Cyprian, pCypr. epiſt. ad Nouat. haeret.Legimus & adoramus nec praetermittimus coeleſtem domini ſententiam, qua ait negaturum ſe negantem; nunquid & poenitentem? that is, we read, and reuerence, and do not go about to reuerſe the heauenly ſentence of the Lord, when he ſaith; I will denie him that denieth me: But doth he any where, or at any time ſay, he wil deny him that repenteth of his ſinnes from the bottome of his heart? Or doth he allow any to qRom. 14, 4.iudge another mans ſeruaunt, which ſtandeth or falleth to his owne Maiſter? This is it which maketh the Church Triumph in the experience and feeling of Gods Fauour and MercieMercy, Micah. 7, 8, 9. Reioyce not againſt mee, O mine enemy, though I fall, I ſhall ariſe. When I ſhall ſit in darkeneſſe, the Lorde will be a light vntounto me. For as the righteouſnes of the righteous rEzek. 18, 21 24.man, ſhal not deliuer him in the day of his tranſgreſsion, ſo the wickednes of the wicked man ſhal not hurt him, whenſoeuer he turneth frō his iniquity. Such is the care of God ouer the ſheep of his paſture, & his louelove toward thē, that he denounceth a fearful w… againſt the ſhepherds of Iſrael, that feed ſEzek. 34. 4.themſelus, & not the flock: he chargeth them that they did eate the fat, and clothed themſelues with the wooll, but the weak they hauehave not ſtrengthned, the ſicke they hauehave not healed, neither hauehave they bound vp the broken, nor brought againe that which was driuen away, neither hauehave they ſought that which was loſt, but with rigour and cruelty hauehave they ruled them. Ezek. 34. To conclude this point, our Sauiour ſheweth, that when a man, hauing an hundred Sheepe, hath lost one of them, he leaueth ninety and nine in the Wilderneſſe, and goeth after that which is gone astray, vntill he finde it, uLuke 15, 4, 7, 10.and then Hee layeth it on his ſhoulders with ioy, and carrieth it home to the ſheepefold, I ſay vntounto you, that ioy ſhall be in heauen, euen in the preſence of the Angelles of God, for one ſinner that conuerteth. Seeing then, the Lord Ieſus (who is the LORD of life) teacheth in the Goſpell, that there is ſo great ioy in Heauen for a penitent ſinner, xCypri. lib. 2. epiſt. 12.how great ioy ought there to be on earth, when wee ſee the kingdome of God enlarged, and a fellow member pulled out of the iawes of Satan, whom he had holden captiue, and taken as a prey to deuoure and deſtroy for euer? It is the end of Christs comming, yLuke 19, 10.To ſeeke and to ſaue that which was loſt, Luke 19, 10. And ſeeing our gracious God is ſo ready to remit offences done against him; who are we, and of what matter or mettall are we made, that are ſo hard-hearted, and ſtif-necked, and implacable againſt our Bretheren? Wee are taught to aske forgiueneſſe, zMath. 6, 11, and 18, 35.as we Forgiue: and in the Parable of the miſerable and mercileſſe ſeruant propounded, Math. 18. Who being forgiuen ten thouſand Talents, refuſed to forgiue his fellow an hundred pence, was deliuered to the Tormentors, till he ſhould pay all that was due to his Lord: We are taught, that in like manner ſhall our heauenly Father do vntounto vsus, except we forgiue from our hearts each one to his Brother, their Treſpaſſes.
This Doctrine doth the Apoſtle publiſh at large in this Epiſtle, crauing pardon at the hands of Philemon, for his penitent and proſtrate ſeruant, not doubting but as God had forgiuen him, and giuen him repentance, ſo hee alſo for his part would remit the treſpaſſe and iniury done vntounto himſelfe. Thus wee ſee what to iudge of theſe Nouatians, aAug. de haereſ. cap. 38.who are indeede the true Puritans, and contrary to the whole courſe of the Scriptures, deny repentance and reconciliation, to ſuch men as after baptiſme (through infirmity, and force of perſecution, and feare of daunger) doe yeeld ſo farre, as to deny the faith. We hauehave a noble example of Gods notable compaſsion toward ſuch as offend of frailty and weakneſſe in Peter, who was receiued to mercy: and Christ would neuer hauehave ſaide, bMath. 18, 18Whatſoeuer ye looſe on earth, ſhall be looſed in heauen, if ſuch perſons as repent were altogether to bee barred out of the boſom of the Church. Can theſe proud spirites then be the Diſciples of Chriſt, cDanae de haereſ. page 97.that are harder and ſtraiter laced then their maister? Thus they fruſtrate true repentance, & take away all admonitions both publick & priuat, which are of great force to reclaime and recouer a ſinner.
The third and last point remaineth. For, as we hauehave conſidered the perſon that writeth this Epistle, and the perſon to whom it is written, ſo we are dThe perſon for whom this Epiſtle is written.to marke the perſon for whom it is written, to wit; for Oneſimus a ſeruant, a fugitiue ſeruant, a falſe ſeruant, a fraudulent ſeruant. A baſe and meane ſubiect for the Apoſtle to handle, howbeit penned in ſo high and heauenly a manner, and contriued with ſuch exquiſit Art, and excellent Iudgement, that it ouer-reacheth the meanneſſe of the matter, and leaueth no excuſe that Philemon could alledge to wind himſelf from him, and manifesteth the ſpeciall care that Paul had, of this poore penitent perſon. It is recorded of eIn the works of Maiſter Greenham.M. Fox of bleſſed Memory, when one told him that a certain man (of none of the greatest or highest callings) who had receiued much comfort from him in the dayes of his trouble, was deſirous to acknowledge his thankefulneſſe toward him, and asked him whether he remembred ſuch a one? He anſwered; I remember him well: I tell you, I forget Lords and Ladies to remember ſuch.
Many there are, that are aſhamed of ſuch as are of low degree, whom notwithſtanding God loueth, for whom the Sauior of the world died, and to whom the word of ſaluation is preached. When the Church was in Abrahams houſe, it conſiſted not onelyonly of ſuch eGen. 17, 12.as were borne in his houſe, but of ſuch alſo as were bought with his money, of any ſtranger that was not of his ſeed: and when the Lord gaue vntounto him the ſeale of his Couenant, he commanded him to circumciſe not only himſelfe and his ſonne; his Steward, and the cheefeſt partes of his family, but eueryevery male, euen the leaſt and lowest that lodged vnderunder his roofe. As then the Wiſe-man ſaith in the Prouerbes, fProu. 17. 5.Hee that mocketh the poore, reproacheth him that made him; ſo he that deſpiſeth a ſeruant, becauſe he is a ſeruant, diſhonoreth God that made him a ſeruant. Hence it is, that the gTitus 3, 9, 10Apostle chargeth ſuch to be ſubiect to their Maiſters, and pleaſe them in all things, not anſwering againe: neither pickers, but that they ſhew al faithfulneſſe, that they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in al things. They are therefore, through pride and diſdaine not a little deceiued, but wander wide out of the way, that thinke religion commeth not downe ſo low as vntounto ſeruants, that Gods prouidence vouchſafeth not to respect them, & that it booteth not to giuegive them any inſtruction. True it is, God hath eſtabliſhed by his owne ordinance, a difference betweene the Mayſter and the Seruant, as our Sauiour sheweth, Luke 17. hLuke 17, 7, 8Who is it alſo of you, that hauing a ſeruant ploughing or feeding Cattle, woulde ſay vntounto him by and by when he were come from the field, Go, and ſit downe at table? And would not rather ſay vntounto him, Dreſſe wherewith I may ſup, and gird thy ſelf and ſerue me, til I hauehave eaten and drunken, and afterward eat thou, & drink thou? &c. The Goſpell doth not aboliſh the diſtinction betweene man and man; betweene high and low; betweene Maiſter and Seruant; yea, when they are al beleeuers, as is plentifully handled in this Commentary: howbeit the writ of partition is not ſo great, nor the wall of ſeparation ſo farre diſtant betweene them, wee ſhould thinke the Lorde careth for the one, and contemneth the other, who made them both, preſerueth them both, redeemed them both, ſanctifieth them both, and will glorifie them both. This did Iob wiſely iIob 31, 13.conſider, Chap. 31. If I did contemn the iudgement of my ſeruant, & of my Maid, when he did contend with me, what then ſhal I do when God ſtandeth vp? And when he ſhal viſit me, what ſhal I anſwere? He that hath made me in the womb, hath he not made him? Hath not he alone faſhioned vsus in the womb?
The Heathen, that ſaw nothing but by looking through the windowes of nature (themſelues being meerely naturall men) tooke vppon them their iuſt and lawfull defence, and pleaded for them at the bar of reaſon (when they were vſed oftentimes no otherwiſe then the Beaſts and Cattle) that Maſter and ſeruant had kMacrob. lib. 1 Saturn. cap. 11.one & the ſame beginning, were noriſhed with the ſame Elements, did draw in the ſame aire, did tread vponupon the ſame ground, and returned in the end into the ſame earth. Yea, their plea for them went a great deale farther, Though they are bondmen, yet they are men: & albeit they are ſeruants, yet they are our fellow-ſeruants. He is indeed become a ſeruant, but it is through neceſsity; A Seruant in bodie, but a Free-man in minde. And peraduentuee the Maiſter himſelfe that ruleth ouer him, may be more ſlauiſh then he. He that is a Drudge or ſeruant to his owne luſts, to Wrath, to Enuy, to Couetouſneſſe, to Ambition, lCicer parad. 5.is a right ſeruant, obeying most foule and filthy Masters, and none a baſer Bondman then ſuch a one. He is a true Maiſter, and a right Free-man, that hath learned mPlut. deſuperſtitione.to rule ouer his owne affections, ſuch a man is ſtronger then he that ruleth a Citty. The other are ſeruants againſt their willes, but theſe ſerue and obey as most vile vaſſals, willingly; neither do they deſire freedome.
We are not to esteeme of men by their estate, or (as we ſay commonly) by their fortunes, but by their manners. We may alter our maners, nSene. Trag. in Traad.our condition we cannot alwayes. He is no great wiſe man, that purpoſing to buy an horſe, looketh not vponupon him, but contenteth himſelfe to view onelyonly the Bridle and Saddle: ſo is he as ſimple and ſhallow, which iudgeth of a man by putting on a gay coat, or by the wearing of a precious garment, or by the condition of his outwarde perſon, and not by the inward Guiftes and Ornaments of the minde. Abigaile is renowned for a Woman q1 Sam. 25, 3.of ſingular wiſedome, and that worthily, yet ſhe diſdained not the counſel of her ſeruants. Naaman was Captaine of the King of Aram, yet he refuſed not the aduiſe of his attendants, that waited vponupon him. Theſe perſons iudged it to be no diſgrace or diſparagement to their high calling, nor any ſawcineſſe in their ſeruants, to preſume to teach them, and tell them their duty; nay, without guiding themſelues by them, and following their direction, the one had beene expoſed to miſerable ſlaughter, the other had returned in the vncleanneſſe of his leproſie; whereas by this meanes the one was preſerued, the other was cleanſed. It is therefore an vntrue and vnſauourie Prouerbe, that rA wicked and witleſſe Prouerbe.A man keepeth in his houſe ſo manie enemies, as ſeruants: for we hauehave them not enemies, but we make them ſo, when we behaue our ſelues toward them tyrannouſly, cruelly, contumeliouſly, ſpightfully, & outragiouſly, ſMacr. Satur. lib. 1. cap. 11.doing against them ſo much as we dare do, not ſo much only as we ought to do: not conſidering how lawfull it is, but how powerfull we are, & how weake they are. All the prophane Histories, are full of worthy examples of many Seruants, who are commended for their trust and faithfulneſſe; Wittineſſe, and Courage; Might and Magnanimity to all poſterity, and hauehave not doubted to giuegive their liues to death, in their Maisters quarrell. It is not therefore much to bee maruelled at, that the Apostle, perceiuing how tHeb. 4, 12.Mighty the word had bin in Operation vponupon Philemons Seruant, doth account him as his Sonne, and ſeeketh to reconcile him to his Maister; in which reſpect, he was willing and deſirous to hauehave uPhile. 13, 14kept him with him, to Miniſter vntounto him. He claimeth ſome authoritie ouer him, being his spirituall Father: howbeit, becauſe he was not only his Sonne, but alſo another mans Seruant, he would not retaine him without his Maisters knowledge. Let them not therefore for their low degree be contemned, nor hauehave the meanes of instruction denied vntounto them.
Thus I hauehave ſet downe to thy view (Christian Reader) the ſcope of this Epiſtle: wherein the Apoſtle (in a narrow compaſſe) doth couch together many Mysteries of our Religion, which I hauehave laboured to lay open in this Commentary. And howſoeuer the worke is growne in bigneſſe, & extended in length vnderunder mine hands more then at the first I purpoſed and intended, yet I hope the manner of handling heerein obſerued, ſhall eaſily recompence thy labour bestowed in reading. I cannot in few words comprehend the matters that are heere and there disperſed throughout the Booke. Among many other, theſe points are principally handled. Touching affliction for the truth, and perſecution for righteouſneſſe ſake. Touching Christian Equity and Moderation: Touching Gods free grace, & forgiuing offences: Touching houſhold Gouernment and Priuate poſſeſſions: Touching the conuerſion of Sinners, and the Communion of Saintes: Touching Faith, and Good Workes: Touching Friendſhip and Surety-ſhip: Touching Prayer and Hoſpitality: Touching the Goſpell and Almeſ-deeds: Touching Gods prouidence, and of the force & fruite of the Ministry: as is more at large to be ſeen in the Table of the doctrines. Accept (I pray thee) the paines I hauehave taken in the diſcuſsing of theſe points, pardon the eſcapes (if any be) into which I hauehave fallen, as in trauelling ſo long a iourney, it is eaſie to fall into a ſlumber: and whereſoeuer thou vnderſtandeſt the hand of God to hauehave beene with me in publiſhing the truth, giuegive him the glory, & aſcribe the praiſe vntounto his great name, to whoſe grace & goodneſſe, I commend thee.
Thine in our common Sauiour, William Atterſoll.