Commentary Upon Philemon — William Attersoll

Commentary Upon Philemon · William Attersoll

6 That the fellowſhip of thy faith may be made effectuall, & that whatſoeuer good thing is in you through Chriſt Ieſus may be knowne.

7 For wee hauehave great ioy and conſolation in thy louelove, becauſe by thee Brother, the Saints bowels are comforted.

The method and meaning of the words.IN this place we hauehave the ſhutting vp of the entrance of this Epiſtle. Wee heard before how Paul gaue thanks to God for Philemon, he praied for him, & that daily: he praiſed greatly his Faith toward Chriſt, and his LoueLove toward the Saints, that is, the poore and diſtreſſed chriſtians. Theſe words do depend vponupon the fourth verſe. For we muſt know that the Apoſtle goeth not on in the praiſe and commendation of Philemon begun in the former verſe, magnifying his Faith and LoueLove whereof hee had heard by the report of the Church; but they agree with that which he had ſpoken before; namely, that he is mindfull of him in his Prayers. For, if it bee asked, for what cauſe did hee pray for Philemon? The anſwer is, to the end that his Faith ſhewing forth good fruites might not be found counterfetted, but approued to be true. We hauehave therefore in theſe two verſes, theſe two things to conſider; firſt, what was the matter of his prayers, what was the ſubſtaunce and contents of them; to wit, that he might manifeſt his Faith, not to lye ydle, but to be extended to others. Secondly, the reaſon why he made that, the matter of his praiers, & wherefore he prayeth that his faith might be effectual. Touching the firſt point, which is the matter of his praiers, he craued two things; firſt, that his faith might bee made common to many, & the benefit of it might comfortably flow to the refreſhing of many ſoules. For although faith hauehave her ſecret and hidden dwelling in the hart, yet the fruits of it are imparted to others: Secondly, that it might be effectual; now faith is effectual when it worketh by LoueLove, & bringeth foorth good works to the releeuing of others; as if the Apoſtle ſhold hauehave ſaid, that thy Faith by communicating it ſelfe to others, & not remaining with thy ſelfe alone, may more & more ſhew the vertue, force, and power therof, in al goodnes. Thus he praieth not only for grace, but for the increaſe of grace to be giuen vntounto him. Then he declareth wherein this effectuall faith ſtandeth & conſiſteth; to wit, in the acknowledging of thoſe good things which were in him, that ſo they may be brought into the light to be ſeen of al men, & to be felt of thoſe that were in need. For the apoſtle Iames (as we hauehave ſhewed) calleth that not an effectual or liuing faith, tIames 2, 20.but a dead & idle faith, which is not declared and profeſſed by works. In the laſt place he addeth (through Ieſus Chriſt) wherby he meaneth, that whatſoeuer good thing we hauehave in vsus, we hauehave it by chriſt without whom we hauehave nothing that is good. Touching the ſecond point, which is the reaſon why he praieth for an effectuall Faith in him, becauſe the louelove that appeared to be in him, had wrought great ioy and gladneſſe of hart in him, which louelove of his he commendeth by the effect, The bowels of the Saints were comforted through him. This fact of his, the Apoſtle commendeth, firſt, by the conſideration of the perſons to whō his louelove was manifeſted, not to thoſe out of the church, but to the ſaints. For charity to the Saints is to be commended, inaſmuch, as it cannot be beſtowed on a better ſubiect; they do ſtand in the place of Chriſt, who accepteth of our louelove & liberality as extended toward himſelfe. Secondly, his louelove is commended by the name of bowels, wherby the extreame neceſſity of the Saints is ſignified, who were (as it were) pained in their bowels and inward parts. Now, the great pouerty & penury of thoſe vponupon whom we beſtow our charity, increaſeth and maketh it the greater. Thirdly, uMath. 11, 28the word of comforting, refreſhing, and cherriſhing the heart, is a matter of great commendation. For it is no ſmal thing to comfort and ſtrengthen the weak and feeble, and to giuegive reſt to the ſoul & body, that hath bin toſt & trobled with much affliction. Thus doth the Apoſtle ſet forth the fruits of Philemons louelove moſt effectualy. This is to be obſerued of vsus concerning the method and meaning of theſe words, which are thus much in effect; If thou wouldeſt more fully know the cauſe of my giuing thanks, and the remembrance of thee in my praiers, ſurely it is this, that as God in mercy hath beſtowed vponupon thee a true ſauing faith, ſo my earneſt deſire and humble requeſt is vntounto him, that the offices, fruits, and duties of thy faith may bee more and more communicated and fitted to the benefit of the poore Saints; that ſo whatſoeuer good thing is to be found in thee through the grace and working of Ieſus Chriſt, may bee acknowledged, manifeſted, and publiſhed abroade, to the glory of God, the comfort of the faithful, and the prouocation of others. For indeed thy louelove giueth me great occaſion of much ioy, becauſe thou (my brother) doſt not only cheere the Saints, and reioyceſt them, but cauſe their very harts and bowels, euen their ſecret and inward parts to be refreſhed & reioyced. Diuers points to be obſerued out of theſe Verſes.But before we handle the doctrines ariſing in this diuiſion, it ſhal not be amiſſe a litle to examine the force of the words, and the maner that Paule hath obſerued in the penning of them. Firſt obſerue, that he ſaith not ſimply, thy faith may bee made effectuall, but [The fellowſhip of thy Faith] that the fruit thereof might redown and returne to many. Secondly, he ſaith not barely [That his Faith might be knowne,] but [EueryEvery good thing,] that is; eueryevery grace that was in his heart, becauſe when Faith is made knowne to others, and brought into ſight & open light: many other guifts of the Holy-Ghoſt are made knowne, as LoueLove, Patience, Liberality, and ſuch like. For the grace of Faith is neuer alone in the heart, but is garded with a troope and company of all other vertues, and when it commeth as it were out of the doores, it commeth abroad with a band and traine of all other graces. Thirdly, he declareth the author and cauſe of all theſe bleſſings, from whence they proceed, to wit; from Chriſt, that we ſhold learne not to thinke or ſpeake of any benefite, without making mention of Chriſt. Fourthly, he draweth an argument or reaſon why hee prayed for the efficacy of his Faith, from the former experience of his LoueLove, which was as effectuall as his Faith, teaching that the experience of grace already giuen, ſhould mooue vsus to begge and craue the encreaſe of that Grace, and a perſeuerance and continuance in that grace: and therefore, wee muſt not bee ſo ſimple or ſenceleſſe to imagine, when we ſee grace beſtowed vponupon any man, that we hauehave no more neede to pray for the encreaſing and growing of that grace. For, wee muſt know, that there are degrees of grace, there is a firſt Grace, there is a ſecond Grace. Now, that Grace may bee multiplyed, and a continuall encreaſe and acceſſe to it may be added: we muſt make daily praiers, we muſt pray that we may hauehave Faith, and when we hauehave it, we muſt not be ſecure, but pray that it may be effectuall and working by louelove. Laſt of al, in the commending of Philemons liberality, xTheophil. in hunc locum.he dooth not nakedly ſay, that [he gaue to the poore,] but [To the poore Saints,] for all that are poore, are not poore Saints; many are poore that are wretched and vngodly, and hauehave no part of ſanctification: neither doth he ſay onelyonly, that he gaue to the Saints, but he refreſhed them; and not only that he refreſhed the Saints, but the very bowels of the Saints. Now let vsus come to the Doctrines.

That the fellowſhip of thy Faith may bee made effectuall. Heere the Apoſtle remembreth the matter and ſubſtance of his prayer, what it was that hee beſought and requeſted of God; where we ſee hee affirmeth that it conſiſted in this, that the fruits of his Faith might be encreaſed, & continually augmented. Doctrine 1. It is our dutie to ſtirre vp our ſelus & others to increaſe in good things.We learne from this place, that it is the duty of all men, earneſtly to deſire, wiſh, and procure the good of others, and to ſtirre vp our ſelues & others to encreaſe in the graces of Gods ſpirit. The growing and proceeding of our brethren in the beſt things ſhould be ſought for of vsus. When Moſes had word brought vntounto him, that ſom in the hoſt did propheſy; that is, had receiued notable gifts of the ſpirit, for the guiding and directing of his people, he ſaide, aNum. 12, 29I would to God, that not only theſe, but that all the Lords people were Prophets, and that he would poure out his ſpirit vponupon them. The Apoſtle writing to the Theſſalonians, ſaith, b1 Theſſ. 4, 1.Furthermore, I beſeech you Brethren, and exhort you in the Lord Ieſus, that ye encreaſe more and more, as ye hauehave receiued of vsus how yee ought to walke, and to pleaſe God. They had encreaſed already exceedingly, they had gained in the Faith, and were growne to a perfect age, they receiue this Teſtimony and commendation, c1 Theſſ. 1, 6, 7, 8. & 2, 13. & 5, 1, 2. & 4, 9, 10. & 3, 10, 11that they became followers of the Apoſtles & of the Lord; They receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the Holy-Ghoſt; They were as enſamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia, from them ſounded out the word into al quarters; they receiued it, not as the word of men, but as it is indeede the word of God, which worketh in them that beleeue. Touching the times and ſeaſons, he had no neede to write vntounto them, becauſe they knew perfectly that the day of the Lord ſhould come as a theef in the night Touching brotherly louelove, they had no neede he ſhould write vntounto them, for they were taught of God to louelove one another: & yet he prayeth to God ſtill to encreaſe them, and make them abound in louelove one towardes another, and toward all men; yea, he deſired exceedingly night and day, that he might ſee their face, and might accompliſh that was lacking in their faith. Heereunto tendeth the exhortation that Paule giueth to Timothy, d1 Tim. 4, 14 15.Deſpiſe not the gift that is in thee, which was giuen thee by propheſie, with the laying on of the hands of the company of the Elderſhip: theſe things exerciſe, and giuegive thy ſelfe vntounto them, that it may be ſeene how thou profiteſt among all men. When the writer to the Hebrewes had reprooued the ſluggiſhneſſe of that people, hee addeth, eHeb. 6, 1.Therefore leauing the Doctrine of the beginning of Chriſt, let vsus be led forward vntounto perfection, not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead-workes, and of Faith toward God. All theſe places of Scripture ſerue to teach vsus the truth of this Doctrine, that we muſt all labour to perfection, that wee may be perfect, as our heauenly Father is perfect, and endeuour to drawe on others to perfection.

Reaſon 1.Let vsus ſee the Reaſons. Firſt, Chriſtian profeſſion is a way, in which men muſt not ſtand ſtill, but muſt walke and go forward in the way, they muſt not ſtay in one eſtate, but be alwayes ſtirring forward. So when the Apoſtle had exhorted the Theſſalonians to encreaſe more and more, hee addeth, f1 Theſſ. 4, 1.As yee hauehave receiued of vsus, how ye ought to walke, and to pleaſe God. We are now in this life in our iourney, we muſt not thinke that we are come to our iournies end, which cannot be before our liues end. As then they that hauehave a great iourney to go, do not reſt till they come to their iourneyes end, ſo muſt it be with vsus, we muſt make haſt on our way, and be ſwift in our race. The way which we are to go is our profeſſion: the Traueller that entreth into the way, is eueryevery true Chriſtian, the end of our iourney is the entrance into life; the iudge of our going, and giuer of the victory, is God. He that ſtandeth ſtil can neuer come at his iournyes end, it is he that goeth in his way, & runneth in his race, that ſhall receiue the crowne of euerlaſting happineſſe.

Reaſon 2.Secondly, Chriſtians are compared to Children. Children are alwayes growing in age, encreaſing in ſtature, going forwarde in knowledge and in Wiſedome; if they do not proſper and proceede, we commonly call them and account them Vrchins and Changelings. So muſt wee grow in grace, vntill we come to a perfect aged man in Chriſt. The Prophet ſpeaking of the faithfull that were zealous in the worſhip of God, ſaith, gPſal. 84, 7.They goe from ſtrength to ſtrength. So the Apoſtle exhorteth, that we h1 Cor. 14, 20.ſhould not be Children in vnderſtanding, but as concerning maliciouſneſſe we ſhould be Children, but in vnderſtanding we ſhould be of ripe age. He would hauehave vsus as Children, and he would not hauehave vsus as Children: he would hauehave vsus Children in malice, but he would not hauehave vsus Children in knowledge. Wee ſee they fall out iTerent. in Hecyr pueri inter ſeſe quàm pro leuibus noxis iras gerunt.for light offences, becauſe the minde is weake that ruleth and guideth them: one word will raiſe anger, and another word will make them friends, and therefore though they fall out quickly, yet their falling out is farre from malice, and they are eaſily reconciled. Thus hee would hauehave vsus to bee children, but in wiſedome, in knowledge, and in vnderſtanding, he would hauehave vsus to be of ripe age, & proceede in theſe gifts, as we do in our yeares. No mans life ſtandeth at a ſtay, let vsus encreaſe in the other as we doo in this, that ſo the graces of God may bee perfected in vsus.

Reaſon 3.Thirdly, we muſt ſo walke in our way, and haſten to our iournies end, that we may obtaine the prize. Hee that k1 Cor. 9, 25. Math, 24, 13. Reuel. 2, 26, 27. & 3, 5, 12.ouer-commerh and holdeth out to the latter end, onelyonly ſhall bee ſaued. Hee that giueth ouer, is a faint ſouldier, a weake Worke-man, a ſlow runner, a feeble wraſtler. We muſt ſo fight, that we may ouercome, we muſt ſo worke that we may reſt, we muſt ſo runne that we may obtaine, we muſt ſo wraſtle that we may receiue the Crown, we muſt ſo proue Maiſteries, that wee may win the victory. Staying in one ſtate is a token of reprobation and reiection from God, they are caſt into a ſpirite of ſlumber and drowſineſſe, they ſleep in ſecurity, and cannot ſee their way. This did the Prophet propheſie, and this doth the Apoſtle teſtifie to be true concerning Iſraell, lRom 11, 8.God hath giuen them the ſpirit of ſlumber: eyes, that they ſhould not ſee, and eares, that they ſhould not heare vntounto this day. Seeing then that our profeſſion is the way wherein we are to walke toward the heauenly Ieruſalem, ſeeing we muſt be like Children that grow in age and yeares, and laſtly ſeeing we muſt labour to obtaine the Crowne, to winne the victory, to receiue the price, and to get the wages; it followeth, that we all muſt endeuour to go forward, and to bring others forward toward the Kingdome of Heauen.

Ʋſe 1.The vſes remaine to be handled, that we may hauehave the profit of this Doctrine. Firſt we learne, that God hath a iuſt action and ſuit to commence againſt all idle bellies, and vnprofitable Drones, that be Truants and no proficients in the Schoole of Chriſt. The church of God is the Schoole of Chrſt, he is the Maiſter, all of vsus are or ſhould be his Schollers. We are brought forth into the world, that when we come to yeares of vnderſtanding, we may be Schollers in his Schoole. If any of vsus put our Children to a free Schoole to be taught, if they ſhould ſtill ſtay and ſtand in the loweſt forme, and neuer a whit proceede in learning, we would iudge them either void of ordinary diligence, or deſtitute of ordinary capacity. We looke when we ſet them to Schoole, that they ſhould encreaſe in learning. We hauehave a common prouerbe, that Schollers of all other hauehave the beſt conſcience, that whereas others neuer thinke they hauehave enough, they thinke they hauehave to much for their mony. But let vsus ſee how it fareth with vsus, who are likewiſe Schollers in the beſt Schoole that euer was, the Church of God: and hauehave the beſt Maſter that euer was; to wit, Chriſt himſelfe. God hath put vsus to Schoole to learne at the mouth of Chriſt, who hath committed vsus to Paſtors and teachers, as to his Deputies to be inſtructed. It is required of vsus, that we grow in knowledge, in faith, in zeale, in obedience, and in all the workes of ſanctification. If we be good Schollers, we muſt grow forward and aſcend higher, we muſt proceed from grace to grace, and from one ſtep to another. But alaſſe, how many are there in our congregations, who hauing liued vnderunder the Goſpell, that offereth ſaluation to men all the daies of their life, and continued ten, twenty, thirty, forty yeares, hearing the word of God ſounding in their eares, mEphe 4, 14.yet are no wiſer in Religion then a young Child, and are no forwarder then when they firſt ſtepped and entred into the Schoole-houſe of God. I doubt not but they are wiſe in matters of the world, but in the booke of God and in matters of their ſaluation they hauehave no knowledge. They receiue the grace of God in vaine, and are Dunſes and Dwarfes in this Schoole of Chriſt; without growing and encreaſing in Godlineſſe. They are not in truth able to ſay vntounto their owne Soules, I hauehave receiued ſome greater meaſure of knowledge, I hauehave attained better ſtrength of Faith, I hauehave found ſome increaſe in Godlineſſe, I hauehave felt ſome care and conſcience to pleaſe God. Nay we may truely ſay, that many are more ignorant in knowledge, more lewd in life, more backward in good thinges, more prophane in heart, more contemning the word of God, and loathing the meanes of ſaluation, then they were in the beginning of their dayes. This is our eſtate and condition, moſt lamentable and fearefull, and yet wee can complaine of Idle boyes and ſluggiſh Schollers, that thinke they take to much learning for their money, and neuer conſider that we are the men, and that the prouerbe concerneth our ſelues. God will enter into iudgement with vsus, and if we be not learners in his Schoole, he will remoue vsus and diſcharge vsus out of his Schoole. It had beene better for vsus that we had neuer knowne God, that we had neuer receiued his truth; nay, it had beene better for vsus that we had neuer beene borne, or beene borne Turkes and Canibals, Pagans and Infidels, then to hauehave the Goſpell among vsus, and not to heare it; or to heare it, and not to learne by it: or to learne by it, and not to obey it and grow daily in the practiſe of it. This appeareth by the greeuous threatnings denounced by Chriſt our Sauiour againſt thoſe Citties where his word had beene preached and profeſſed, and his great miracles had beene wrought and ſhewed, nMat. 11. 21. 22. 23. 24.Woe be to thee Corazin, woe be to thee Bethſaida, for if the great workes which were done in you: had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon, they had repented long agone in ſackecloth and aſhes, but I ſay vntounto you, it ſhall be eaſier for them at the day of iudgement then for you. And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp vntounto Heauen, ſhalt be brought downe to Hell, for if the great workes which hauehave beene done in thee, had beene done among them of Sodome, they had remained to this day. But I ſay vntounto you, that it ſhall be eaſier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement; then for thee. He compareth heere Corazin and Bethſaida, with Tyre and Sydon: likewiſe Capernaum, with Sodom; that is, the places where Chriſt had dwelled, where the Goſpell had beene offered, where many of his miracles had beene manifeſted, with ſuch Citties as neuer had the Law, neuer heard the Goſpell, neuer ſaw the Prophets, neuer knew the Doctrine of ſaluation, but liued in ignorance and in idolatry. And in this compariſon he teacheth that ſuch Townes and Villages as hauehave had the preaching of the word, and the miniſtry of the Goſpell among them, ſhall receiue greater puniſhment in the day of iudgement then other poore blind wretches that neuer had theſe meanes offered vntounto them. We would all of vsus thinke it a very harſh and homely compariſon, and farre from all likely-hood of truth, if I ſhould compare vsus, euen vsus of Iſfield, with Sodome and Gomorrah, wee know oEzek. 16. 49.how foule and filthy theſe places were, we confeſſe they are loathſome in our eyes, and odious in our eares, we know that for their wickedneſſe they pGen. 19, …4.were deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone from heauen: and yet I ſay vntounto you in the name of God, from the warrant of his ſacred word by which we ſhall all be iudged, that if we liue in this contempt of the truth that is preached vntounto vsus, and do not bring forth the fruits of the Goſpell, it had been better we had beene borne Sodomites and Gomorrheans, for our iudgement ſhall be greater, and our puniſhment heauier, becauſe our ſinne is heinouſer. No ſinne greater then the contempt of the Goſpel, as no mercy is greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the Goſpell, and therefore no reward of ſinne ſhall be more horrible; So that we may truely ſay from the mouth of Chriſt, it ſhall be eaſier for Sodome in the day of iudgement, then for our Village. Let vsus apply this to our ſelues, and lay it to our heartes to worke in vsus true repentance. Corazin, Bethſaida, and Capernaum had many priuiledges, and might glory as much as we in the fauours vouchſafed vntounto them, and yet they are vpbraided by Chriſt with their vnthanke-fulneſſe toward the Goſpell, ſo that the caſe of Sodome is made better. Take heed therefore leaſt we contemne the Goſpell, and ſo committing one of the greateſt ſinnes wee make our ſelues guilty of the greateſt iudgementes that can fal vponupon mankind. The contempt of the Goſpell, hath brought the heauy hand of God vponupon the Iewes that were Gods owne people. Let vsus not be high minded, we are no whit better: but rather feare leaſt God ſpare not vsus, and tremble vnderunder his grieuous, but yet righteous iudgements, who ſpareth not thoſe that are deere vntounto him when they ſinne againſt him.

Vſe 2.Secondly, we are bound to vſe the meanes that may further theſe guiftes in vsus, that is, the miniſtry of the word, which being reuerently vſed, hath a promiſe of bleſſing. It is a light vntounto our feet and a lanthorne vntounto our paths, it ſetteth vsus in our way, and directeth vsus vntounto our iourneies end. The Apoſtle teacheth, q1 Cor 3. 6.that Paule planteth, Apollos watereth, but it is God that giueth the encreaſe; to wit, by the planting and watering of the Miniſters. The Husbandman tilleth and toyleth about his ground, he ſoweth his Corne, but he cannot make it ſpring vp, nor ſend the earely and latter raine. So is it with the Miniſters of the Goſpell, the Lordes Husbandmen, they muſt labour in his field which is the Church, that the people may grow in faith and grace. This reproueth thoſe that attend not to the ordinance of God, with care and diligence, but neglect the worke of the Lord in them. They will not ſuffer themſelues to be ploughed and tilled, that grace may grow in their hearts, as Corne doth in the Fieldes. They ſay they increaſe and proceed in the waies of Godlineſſe, but they will not vſe the meanes which God hath ordained, and therefore they do deceiue themſelues. He that heareth not at all, doth not grow at all: he that heareth negligently, groweth ſlowly in any good thing. For as we ſow, ſo we ſhall reape. Againe, this checketh the dulneſſe and drowſineſſe of ſuch, as when they hauehave begun in the ſpirit, would end in the fleſh, which ſay the word is profitable and neceſſary to gather a Church, but not to continue it; to begin faith, but when it is begun and begotten in vsus, we need not heare ſtill; we hauehave faith already by the preaching of the word; we ſhall not therefore need to frequent the preaching of it ſtill: we hauehave that wrought in vsus which the word is appointed to worke. Theſe men vnderunder a colour of hauing faith, do ſcorne and deride the preaching of faith. But the word is not onelyonly the immortall ſeed to beget vsus, but wholeſome food to ſuſtaine vsus: it is milke for ſuch as are weake, and ſtrong meate for ſuch as are of riper yeares. He neuer had faith by the word, that ſeeketh not the ſtrengthning of it by the word. It is not enough to hauehave ſaith, but we muſt ſeeke the encreaſe and continuance of it; which is continued & preſerued by the ſame meanes that it is bred and ingenderd. This it it which the Apoſtle Peter teacheth in his firſt Epiſtle, r1 Pet 1, 23. with Chap 2, 2that being borne anew, not of mortall ſeed but of immortall, by the word of God, which liueth and endureth for euer, we ſhould as new borne babes deſire that ſincere milke, that we may grow thereby. Whereby we ſee, that he calleth the word immortall ſeed to regenerate vsus, and ſincere milke to nouriſh vsus, ſo that we hauehave as well our growing vp as our firſt birth by it, and there is a continuall vſe of the preaching of the word as well to men that are called aready, as to them that are to be called heereafter. For the end of preaching is, not onelyonly to conuert vsus, but to continue vsus: not onelyonly to raiſe vsus vp, but to vphold vsus: not onelyonly to beget vsus to the faith, but to ſtrengthen vsus in the faith: not onelyonly to giuegive the firſt life to vsus, but to renew vsus after our manifold ſlippes and often infirmities. We are euen in the ſtate of our regeneration as a ſhippe, which if it lye ſtill without vſe will rot in the Hauen, and if it be kept neuer ſo carefully, it will want rigging and repayring. So is it with eueryevery one of vsus in this life, ſPhil 3, 12.we hauehave not attained to perfection, we alwayes lacke ſomewhat, we ſtand in need of renewing and repairing, we muſt be mending that which is impayred, encreaſing that which is leſſened, reſtoring that which is decayed, and keeping in his courſe that which is rightly ordered.

So then we muſt acknowledge a perpetuall neceſſity of the word, to encreaſe in vsus the graces of Faith and Sanctification, which without vſe of the meanes are ſubiect, if not to dying, yet to decreaſing; if not to periſhing, yet to diminiſhing; if not to withering away, yet to a languiſhing and looſing of thoſe degrees that hauehave beene begun in vsus. Hence it is that the Lord ſaith, tEſay 27, 3.I the Lord doe keepe it, (that is, the Church which is the Vineyard of the Lord) I will water it eueryevery moment, leaſt any aſſayle it, I will keepe it night and day. It is not with the Miniſters of the word as it is with men of other Trades, who when they hauehave begun a worke and are departed from it, though they returne not to it in a long time, yet they find it in the ſame caſe uChriſoſt. homit. 13. ad popu Antioch.as they left it. The Gold-ſmith that hath melted his ſiluer in the fire, and caſt a veſſell in the mould, & begun to hammer it with his Tooles, if he lay it aſide at night, the next day when he commeth to his worke, he findeth it as he left it. The Carpenter that hath hewed his Timber, or the Maſon that hath ſquared his ſtones in what ſort ſoeuer they left their worke when they departed from it, in the ſame they are ſure to ſee it, it is not better, it is not worſe, but as it lay, ſo it continueth. And thus it is in all other Sciences. It is not ſo in the Art of hearing and teaching, we do not alwaies find the people as we left them, we labour to hauehave them reformed and made zealous; yet they are no ſooner departed, but the multitude of buſineſſe, the ſtrength of tentations, the corruptions of their nature, do ſo beſet them and beſiege them round about, whereby they are beguiled and enſnared, that they make the worke of reformation more hard and difficult then it was before. This made the Apoſtle Paule ſay of the Galathians, that he trauailed in birth againe with them vntill Chriſt were formed in them, and was affraid leaſt he had laboured among them in vaine, Gal. 4. 11. 19. This alſo made the Apoſtles conſent and agree together to viſit the Churches where they had preached the Goſpell, xActs 14. 22.to confirme them in the truth which they had receiued. For as we eate often for the reſtoring of the force of nature, and repairing of the decaies of the body: ſo it is our duty to heare often, for the making vp of the breaches and ruines that Sinne and Sathan hauehave made in our ſoules. We ſee by daily experience, that after our repentance & the renewing of our mindes, we are ſubiect to ſtumble and fal into ſinne, and ready to lye long in it, as men caſt into a deep and dead ſleepe, if we be not awaked with the Trumpet of the Lord in our eares. Dauid was by the ſubtilty of the enemy ſurprized, y2 Sam 12, 7. 13.and drawne to commit two horrible ſinnes, Adultery and murther, he lay a long ſpace ſecurely in them, vntill he was by the Prophet Nathan rouſed vp and recouered. Wherefore as there is a continuall vſe and exerciſe of repentance, ſo is there a continuall vſe of the preaching of the word, that we ſhould not ſtand at a ſtay, but encreaſe more and more, vntill we come to the fulneſſe of the perfect age of Chriſt Ieſus our Lord.

Vſe 3.Thirdly, ſeeing we ſhould deſire our owne profit and others, it condemneth three ſortes of men: firſt, ſuch as ſtand at a ſtay: ſecondly, ſuch as goe backward: thirdly, ſuch as enuy the good and growth of others in the beſt thinges. The firſt reprofe.Touching the firſt, we hauehave many that ſtand ſtill and moue not, they are caſt as it were into a dead ſleepe, call and cry vntounto them, lift vp thy voice as a Trumpet, they hauehave no eares to heare. If one come to a ſicke man, and feele his pulſes, yet cannot perceiue them to beate or ſtirre, we will ſay he is neere vntounto death, or in ſome extaſie: ſo is it with ſuch as hauehave the word of God preached vntounto them, if they be not moued by it to go forward, but we find them at the yeares end, where they were at the beginning, it is an euident ſigne of a ſpirituall lethargy and ſlumber, and that they are in danger of death. He is accounted an euill ſcholler that learneth not ſomewhat eueryevery day, but many thouſands remaine in the ſchoole-houſe of Chriſt, that are ſo farre from profiting eueryevery day, that they ſuffer whole weekes and moneths, and yeares to paſſe ouer their heads, without calling themſelues to an account what they hauehave learned that they knew not before, and wherein they yeeld obedience which they practiſed not before. If a man ſhould aske them, whether they hauehave bettered their knowledge, encreaſed their faith, furthered their ſanctification more this yeare then before, they cannot yeeld a reckoning of any acceſſe is come to any of their guifts. In this number are the greateſt ſort that liue among vsus, they are ſtanders, and not walkers: they are ſitters, and not mouers; where you left them this yeare, you ſhall be ſure to find them the next yeare, and many yeares after. They ſee the time of their life, and the yeares of their age proceed and haſten vntounto an end, yet they neuer endeauour to proceed in Godlineſſe, and to haſten to Gods Kingdome: whereas we ſhould all prouide, that as the outward man decayeth, ſo the inner man may be renewed; and as the body is weakened, ſo the ſpirit may be ſtrengthened. Wherefore let all ſuch know, that not to go forward, is to go backward: not to encreaſe, is to decreaſe: not to labour, is to loyter: not to go before, is to come behind; and not to proceed is not to profit, but to looſe all. Our Sauiour ſpeaking zMat 25, 18, 26, 27, 28, 29.of the ſeruant, to whom he had giuen one Talent that digged it in the earth, and hid his Maiſters money, ſaith: Thou euill ſeruant and ſlouthfull, thou kneweſt that I reape where I ſowed not, and gather where I ſtrewed not, thou oughteſt therfore to hauehave put my mony to the Exchangers, and then at my comming ſhould I hauehave receiued mine owne with aduantage: take therefore the Talent from him, and giuegive it vntounto him which hath ten Talents: for vntounto eueryevery man that hath, it ſhall be giuen, and he ſhall hauehave abundance, and from him that hath not, euen that he hath ſhall be taken away. Caſt therefore that vnprofitable ſeruant into vtter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Where we ſee, he went not backward, he loſt not that which he had, but he kept his owne, and yet he is called an vnprofitable ſeruant and is caſt into vtter darkneſſe. So the Apoſtle reproueth the Hebrewes, becauſe aHeb 5, 12.when as concerning the time they might be Teachers, yet they had need againe to be taught what are the firſt principles of the word of God, and were become ſuch as had need of milke and not of ſtrong meat. The ſecond reproofe.Secondly, it reproueth ſuch as runne a while and then giuegive ouer, ſo that al their righteouſneſſe is as a morning dew. Theſe are they which were zealous, but they returne to their old ſinnes, and ſtart away as if they had neuer beene the men. This the Apoſtle condemneth in the Galathians, bGal 5, 7.Chap. 5. Ye did runne well, who did let you that ye did not obey the truth? Hymeneus and Philetus were held to be great Chriſtians, and obtained a good report in the Church, c1 Tim 1 19, 20, and 2 Tim 2, 18.yet afterward they fell away, putting away a good conſcience, making ſhipwracke of faith, and ſaying that the reſurrection is paſt already, thereby ſhaking the foundation of religion as it were a maine pillar of the building, and ſo deſtroying the faith of certaine. In like manner he complaineth of Demas a great profeſſor of the Goſpell, d2 Tim 4, 10.that he had forſaken him, and embraced this preſent world. Good beginnings helpe not without good proceedings. If a man hauehave a long iourny to make, what auaileth it to go many miles, if he ſtand ſtill in the mid-way, he were as good neuer begin as not continue. We ſee this in Lots wife, ſhe went out of Sodom with her husband and ſeemed as forward as he, but in the end ſhe looked backe, eGen 19, 26.and was turned into a Pillar of Salt. We muſt forget that which is behind, we muſt not pauſe in our race, nor ſtay to take breath, vntill we come to the end of our courſe, when wee ſhall freely breath and reſt from all our laboures. We muſt therefore ſtriue and contend, that we may out-go not onelyonly others, but euen our ſelues. We muſt neuer ſtay our iourney, but alwaies haſten, and ſo eueryevery day amend our pace, that we runne more ſwiftly to day then we did yeſterday, and to morrow then we did to day. This the Apoſtle teacheth, ſetting downe the lawes to be obſerued in running, f1 Cor 9, 24.Know ye not that they which runne in a race, runne al, yet one receiueth the prize. So runne that ye may obtaine. And againe, If g2 Tim 2, 5.any man ſtriue for a Maiſtery, he is not crowned, except he ſtriue as he ought to do. Wee hauehave in the holy Scriptures many lawes to incite and prouoke vsus to walke, to goe forward, to runne, to ſtriue, to wraſtle, but we hauehave none to ſit ſtill, to be idle, to loyter, to be careleſſe and ſecure, like to thoſe that ſtood idle in the Market place, hMat 20, 6.to whom Chriſt ſaid, Why ſtand ye heere all the day idle. It is the will of God, that we ſhould alwaies make ſtrait ſteps with our feet in this life, that when we hauehave kept the faith and finiſhed our courſe, we may reſt from all our laboures. It is a wofull caſe, to runne, and neuer to come to the iourneyes end: to labour, and yet to reape no fruit of his labour. This made the Apoſtle ſay, i1 Cor 9, 26.I therefore ſo runne, not as vncertainly: ſo fight I, not as one that beateth the ayre. It is not enough to runne, except we runne well.

The third reproofe.Thirdly, it reproueth ſuch as enuy the good bleſſings of God vponupon their bretheren. For if we ſhould deſire their profit as well as our owne, and their encreaſe as wel as our owne, we ought not to repine at their good ſucceſſe in or heauenly. It is noted to the great praiſe and commendation of Moſes, that when Ioſhua enuied the guift of propheſie in the Elders, and would hauehave Moſes to forbid them, he anſweared, kNum. 11. 29Enuieſt thou for my ſake? Yea, would God that all the Lords people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his ſpirit vponupon them. He cared not what became of his owne credit and eſtimation among the people, ſo that God might be honored & glorified among them. The like mind was in Iohn Baptiſt, when his Diſciples tolde him that all men began to flocke after Chriſt, and to reſort to him, whereby they feared the fame of their Maiſter would decay, he ſaid vntounto them, lIoh. 3, 28, 30.Yee your ſelues are my witneſſes that I ſaid, I am not that Chriſt, but that I am ſent before him: hee muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe. The like wee ſee, when the Diſciples of Chriſt forbad him that caſt out deuils in Chriſts name, becauſe hee was not one of the Diſciples: for Chriſt ſaid vntounto them, mMark 9, 38.Forbid him not, for there is no man that can do a Myracle by my name, that can lightly ſpeake euill of me: whoſoeuer is not againſt vsus, is on our part. Let vsus take heede of this enuy, which is a greefe ariſing of another mans proſperity, alwayes ioyned with a ſecret kinde of malice towardes him that is enuied. This is a wilde plant ſpringing vp in the ſoule, which deſtroyeth true Charitie, reioyſing at the euill, and ſorrowing for the good that befalleth our Brethren. And howſoeuer enuie be noyſome and pernitious to others, it is more hurtfull to him that poſſeſſeth it, it tormenteth his minde, it waſteth his bodie, it fretteth his minde, it ſhortneth his dayes, and it deſtroyeth his ſoule. It ſetteth him on worke to backbite and ſlaunder his Neighbour, and to denie him all duties of humanity. So then, enuy, hatred, and back-byting, alwayes go together, as three Cankers, and euill ſores, that conſume the bodie, hurt the good Name, leſſen the guifts, and repine at the goods of our Brethren. And if it be euill to enuy the guifts of God, & our eye ſhould not bee euill, becauſe the Lords eye is good: Much more euill is it, to ſcorne, mocke, and diſgrace the guifts of God in his Seruants, as prophane Beaſts, and Heathniſh Atheiſts doo in theſe dayes, ſaying; you are an holy Brother, you are a Saint, you are a man of God. This ſitting downe in the ſeate of Scorners, is woorſe then dwelling in the foule and irkeſome Caue of enuie; and therefore, let vsus beware thereof. Let vsus praiſe the guiftes of GOD, in whomſoeuer wee finde them, whether in Friend or enemy.

Vſe 4.Laſtly, ſeeing we ſhould all ſeeke to profite our ſelues and others in godlyneſſe, we muſt know that it is our dutie to ſtirre vp the guifts of God in vsus, that we do not burie them as in a Graue: we muſt exerciſe the guifts that we hauehave by continuall practiſe. Vſe maketh men prompt and readie, want of vſe maketh men vntoward. Let vsus take heed we do not quench the ſpirite, and grieue him. The ſpirit of God is in many reſpectes reſembled to fire, which purgeth ſome things, conſumeth other things, and heateth other thinges. So doth the Spirit of God purge, conſume, and warme. It refineth and purifieth vsus as mettall is from droſſe, it waſteth and conſumeth ſinne in vsus as ſtraw and ſtubble, it kindleth in vsus the heate of zeale, and warmeth vsus when we are frozen in our ſinnes. Now, as the Spitit is compared to fire, ſo our ſins are likened to Water; Water wee know will quench the Fire, Sinne will quench the Spirit. Let vsus therefore blowe this Fire, let vsus kindle the Coales of it, let vsus ſtirre vppe the Brandes, and put more matter to it, that it die not. The Prieſtes in the time of the Law, nLeuit. 6, 5. & 9, 24. and 10, 1were appointed to maintaine the Fire vppon the Altar day and night, that it ſhould neuer goe out, becauſe it was from Heauen, and they were forbidden to offer ſtraunge Fire. So the Apoſtle warneth Timothy, and o2 Tim. 1, 6.putteth him in remembrance that hee ſtirre vp the guift of GOD which is in him, by the putting on of his handes. Obiection.But heere ſome man may Obiect; If the Spirit it ſelfe may be loſt, then much ſooner and eaſier the leſſer guifts? Anſwere.I anſwer, the Spirit of Faith and regeneration can neuer be quite loſt, for the faithfull and regenerate are begotten not of mortal, but of immortall ſeede; their knowledge is like the light of the Sun, the others are like the brightneſſe of the lightning, and flaſhing in the ayre, which ſhineth for a ſeaſon, and by and by vaniſheth and fadeth away. True it is, the beſt gifts may decay, but not die; they may be weakned, but not quite waſted; they may be leſſened, but not vtterly loſt. They may ſeem to periſh, and be wholy gone in time of tentation, as we ſee in Dauid, Peter, and many others, yet euen then they remaine in them, though not felt, as fire couered in the aſhes, or as the light ouer-ſhaddowed with a cloud. This the Apoſtle Iohn teſtifieth, ſaying; p1 Iohn 3, 9.Whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not, for his ſeede remayneth in him, neyther can hee ſinne, becauſe hee is borne of God. Where hee teacheth, that Faith and LoueLove of Holyneſſe are neuer loſt, which ſerueth to the comfort of the Godly, not to nouriſh ſecuritie of the Fleſh in themſelues.

[The fellowſhip or communication of thy Faith.] Heere we ſee how the Apoſtle in the matter of his Prayer which hee vſed for Philemon, intreated for the communicating and fellowſhip of his gifts, that is, that they ſhould flow and yſſue out, to the good and benefit, to the profit and bettering of others. Doctrine 2. The guiftes which we hauehave receiued, muſt tend to the good of othersThis teacheth vsus, that the guifts and bleſsings of God, whether temporall or eternall, beſtowed vponupon any, muſt not lye hid or dead, but be vſed and employed to the good of others, and ſo yeelde a fellowſhip and communion to others. Whatſoeuer good things we hauehave receyued, we muſt hauehave them, not for our ſelues alone, but for the good of others. This we are taught in the Parable of the Scribe taught of God, vntounto the Kingdome of Heauen, qMath. 13, 52 and 25, 14. Luke 19, 13.hee is likened to an Houſe-holder, which bringeth foorth out of his Treaſure, thinges both new and old. His olde and new ſtore muſt not be kept to himſelfe, but be brought forth, and ſerue for his fellow Seruants.

So in the parable propounded, Luke 19. this appeareth; A certaine Noble-man went into a farre Countrey, to receiue for himſelfe a Kingdome, and ſo to come againe: and hee called his tenne Seruants, and deliuered vntounto them tenne peeces of Money, and ſayde vntounto them, Occupy till I come. And afterwarde, the first came, ſaying; Lorde, thy peece hath encreaſed tenne peeces: and the ſecond ſayde, thy peece hath encreaſed fiue peeces. The Apoſtle likewiſe ſheweth, that all the guifts of Wiſedome, Knowledge, Faith, Propheſying, the guiftes of healing, the operation of great works, the diſcerning of ſpirits, the diuerſity of toongs, the interpretation of tongues r1 Cor. 12, 7.are diſtributed to eueryevery man ſeuerally to profit withall, and for the good of the whole body. And ſpeaking of ſuch as hauehave temporall thinges, hee chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor truſt in vncertaine riches, but in the liuing God who giueth vsus abundantly all things to enioy, that they do good, and be rich in Good-workes, and bee ready to diſtribute and communicate. All bleſsings therefore are to bee communicated and diſtributed to others, they ought not to be laid vp in a Napkin, or be buried in the earth, or be couered vnderunder a buſhell, as the manner of many men is.

Reaſon 1.The Reaſons of this truth, are to be ſought out and conſidered of vsus. Firſt, we are ſeruants vntounto all, to do them good, and to further their ſaluation. True it is, the faithfull are moſt free, being ſet at liberty by Chriſt from the curſſe of the Lawe, and from the Dominion of ſinne, according vntounto the ſaying of Chriſt. Iohn 8. If the Sonne make ſIohn 8, 36.you free, you ſhall bee free indeede. Notwithſtanding this freedome, it is a part of their dignity to be the ſeruants of God, and a part of their duty to bee ſeruants to men, to ſeeke their good, to procure their benefite, to further their edification, and to finiſh their ſaluation. This is it which the Apoſtle Paule ſetteth downe, 1 Cor. 9, 19. Though I bee free from all Men, yet hauehave I made my ſelfe Seruant vntounto all Men, that I may winne the more. Wee are brought into the World, to doo good to others, and to be as Candles to giuegive light to others, rather then to our ſelues. This made the ſame Apoſtle in another place ſay, u1 Cor 4, 5.We preach not our ſelues, but Chriſt Ieſus the Lord, and our ſelues your ſeruants for Ieſus ſake. If then, the Miniſters be the ſeruants of the Church, and all men Seruauntes one toward another; wee muſt in all thinges ſhew our ſelues Seruants, by ſeruing the neceſsities, and ſeeking the good of all our Bretheren amongſt whom we liue.

Reaſon 2.Secondly, we are members of the ſame body, and therefore in this reſpect ſhould profit one another. We ſee it is ſo in euerie part of our bodye; the eye ſeeth not for it ſelfe, the head inuenteth not for it ſelfe, the hand worketh not for it ſelfe, the foote walketh not for it ſelfe, but they do theſe duties for the whole body. Thus it ought to be among all the faithfull; if Chriſt Ieſus be our head, we muſt bee affected as mutuall members one to another. So the Apoſtle teacheth, that as the x1 Cor. 12, 12bodie is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the bodie, which is one, though they be many, yet are but one bodie; euen ſo, is Chriſt. And afterwarde, If one member ſuffer, all ſuffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it. If then we had Faith to beleeue, that we are neerely ioyned together, one to another, as members of one body, we would faithfully employ our ſelues to the good and comfort one of another.

Reaſon 3.Thirdly, we are all of vsus Stewards and diſpoſers of the manifold graces of God. For God being as a great Noble-man that hath a great houſe, ruleth all things in it by his Steward. So hath God committed his goods to vsus, and made vsus Stewards of his family, to Miniſter in ſeaſon to all in the Houſholde; and he will take an account how we vſe them, when it ſhal be ſaide to vsus, GiueGive an account of thy Stewardſhip, for thou mayſt be no longer Steward. This is the reaſon vrged by the Apoſtle Peter, y1 Pet. 4, 10.Let eueryevery man as he hath receiued the guift, minister the ſame one to another, as good diſpoſers of the manifold grace of GOD. Seeing then, we are made Seruants, Members, and Stewards, to ſerue one to another, to helpe one another, and to Miniſter one to another, we are bound to reſpect the faithfull as our fellow-ſeruants, to doo them good as our fellowe members, and procure their benefite as partes of the ſame Family with vsus.

Ʋſe 1.The Doctrine beeing thus cleared by ſtore of witneſſes, and by ſtrength of Reaſons, let vsus not paſſe from it, vntill we ſee the Vſes of it. Firſt of all, this teacheth vsus to remember and minde the benefit and good of others, and not onelyonly to deſire, but to effect the ſame, as much as we can, eſpecially their eternal good. It is a good thing to doo good vntounto the bodies of our Bretheren; but the cheefeſt good is to doe good to their ſoules. There is none of vsus but hauehave receiued ſome guift, and by the vſe thereof may do ſome good. God indeed with a liberall hand diſtributed his bleſsings, hee hath not dealt couetouſly, niggardly, and ſparingly toward vsus; but liberally, richly, bountifully. He hath giuen all his goods among vsus all, hee hath not giuen all to eueryevery one, but he hath beſtowed ſome to one, and ſome to another, in one meaſure to this man, in another meaſure to that man. But howſoeuer the number of our guifts bee ſmall, and the meaſure of them little, yet no man hath ſo ſmall a number, or ſo little a meaſure, but hee may gaine ſome glorie to God the giuer of them, and doo ſome good to his Brethren by the vſe of them.

We ſee in the Parable, he that had receyued fiue Talents, encreaſed fiue other Talents; and hee that had receyued two Talents, gained other two alſo; and theſe are called good and faithfull Seruants. The Apoſtle Paule writing to the Phillippians, zPhil. 2, 4.Looke not euerie man on his owne thinges, but euerie Man alſo on the thinges of other men. Heereby ſuch are reprooued, as are Louers of them-ſelues, inuent for them-ſelues, care for them-ſelues, labour for themſelues, and do the duties of their calling for themſelues: theſe doo not mind or meane any good to the Church, or to their poore Brethren, they care for nothing but their owne aduantage.

Ʋſe 2.Secondly, ſeeing ſuch are reproued as hauehave gifts, and yet vſe them not but hide them, and ſo diminiſh them by ydleneſſe & want of conſcience. Such as vſe their gifts, do encreaſe them; ſuch as vſe them not, decreaſe and diminiſh them. The firſt reproofe.It is the iuſt iudgement of God vponupon all vnconſcionable perſons, that hauehave receiued gifts in a great meaſure, & neuer imploy them or beſtow them to the profit of others; they hauehave their gifts taken from them, their knowledg is diminiſhed, their iudgement corrupted, their memory decayed, their zeale quenched, their diligence abated. We ſee this in the Miniſters of the Goſpell, who are made able and apt to teach, who are filled and furniſhed with gifts anſwereable to their calling, to do good in their places, when they grow ſloathfull, and ſpend their dayes without care and conſcience of their duties, they are infatuated of God, and abhorred of men, they run into groſſe errors, and are made ridiculous euen to children. This is it which the Prophet long ago propheſied, and threatned from God to fal vponupon theſe proud & prophane men, aZach 11, 17O Idoll Shepheard, that leaueth the flocke, the ſword ſhall be vponupon his arme, and vponupon his right eye: his arme ſhall he cleane dried vp, and his right eye ſhall bee vtterly darkned. The like we may ſay alſo of the people, who hauehave profited by the preaching of the Goſpell, and gathered much inſtruction, to their great comfort, when they beginne to ſtand at a ſtay, and to ceaſe the courſe into which they are entred; all things go backward with them, they becom luke-warme, they hauehave leſſe knowledge (I ſpeake of many of our profeſſors) then they had; ten, yea twentie yeares agoe: their zeale is turned into coldneſſe, their forwardneſſe into backwardneſſe, their Prayers into pleaſures, their earneſtneſſe into negligence, their louelove into loathing, their hearing into dulneſſe and deafeneſſe, their eares aie ſtopped, and are made hard and heauie; they were wont to draw others to the exerciſes of Religion, but nowe themſelues ſtand in neede to be haled and pulled vntounto them: they were woont to light a Candle, and lead the way to others, now their light is put out, and they remaine in darkneſſe themſelues.

Theſe men through their benumming and back-ſliding, cauſe the name of God to be euill ſpoken of, raiſe a ſcandall vponupon their profeſſion, bring an euil name vponupon the word, and open the mouths of wretched men to ſpeak againſt true Religion, and all thoſe that do embrace it. True Religion is a woorthy worke, and a great building, it requireth harde labour, great patience, much ſtriuing, and long continuance, whereof our Sauiour Chriſt putteth vsus in mind, when he ſaith, bLuke 14, 28. 29.Which of you, minding to builde a Tower, ſitteth not down before, and counteth the cost, whether he hauehave ſufficient to performe it, leaſt that after he hath laide the foundation, and is not able to performe it, all that behold it begin to mocke nim, ſaying; This man began to build, & was not able to make an end. Wherefore, it ſtandeth all Paſtors & people vponupon, to remember from whence they are falne, and to do their firſt workes, leſt God come againſt them in his anger, and vex them in his fore diſpleaſure. The calling of the Miniſtery is an high calling; it is one of the higheſt callings; but if wee make it a calling of eaſe and ydleneſſe, feeding our ſelues, and not teaching the people, we diſgrace our office, and make it moſt vile with God and men. This is it which our Sauiour expreſſeth vnderunder the compariſon of Salt, when hee ſaith, cLuke 14, 35.Salt is good, but if Salt hauehave loſt his ſauour wherwith ſhall it be ſalted? It is neither meet for the Land, not yet for the Dunghill, but men caſt it out. All other things, though corrupted and ſpoyled, yet retaine ſome other vſe; as we ſee in Wine when it is ſower, in a Tree when it is dead and withered, and in ſtraw when it is rotten, they are turned into other vſes; but if dBerent. in Luke 14.the Salt be vnſauoury, it is good for nothing, it is hurtfull for the Land, it is vnprofitable for the Dunghil, no reckoning or account is to be made of it, eSocrat. lib. 3. cap. 13.but to be troden vnderunder foot as vnſauoury. So then, ſuch as are made Ouer-ſeers of others to teach the Church, and watch ouer the people of God, are reproued, being idle & ſlothfull, and ſuch as will take no paines in inſtructing thoſe that are committed vntounto them. Let Miniſtets be diligent and watchfull to doe the duties of their calling: let them preach the worde in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon; let them beware of ſluggiſhneſſe and ſlothfulneſſe. Al ſuch as are idle and negligent, are not worthy to be maintained, they vſurpe that hire which they receiue, they hauehave no right or interreſt to liue of the Goſpell, that doe not preach the Goſpell; they hauehave no iuſt title to eate the milke of the flocke, that do not feede the Sheepe, albeit they may claim their wages by the Lawes of men, yet they are no better in the account of the high God, then Theeues and robbers that liue by ruine and ſpoyle of the people, fGal. 6. 6.who are partakers of all their goods, and yet like wrongfull vſurpers, they wil not teach them in the word; yea the good ordinances of men require, that ſuch as receiue wages ſhould doo the worke, and ſuch as take the hire, ſhould take the paines.

If any man hauehave an houſe to build, if he ſee the Carpenter and Maſon idle, and do nothing, ſo that the frame to bee ſet vp, is in no greater forwardneſſe in the end of the yeare, then it was in the beginning, will hee pay them their wages? Or if we hauehave any buſineſſe to do, will we pay the workemen before the worke be finiſhed, or if they let it alone and leaue it vndone? And ſhall it go worſe with the people of God, then all other that hire labourers to labor for them? Or ſhall they alone be conſtrained, to maintaine and ſuſtaine ydle Lubbers and loyterers that can do nothing, or will do nothing, more then a Child of ſeauen yeares old may do as well as themſelues? We are the Lordes Builders, and ſpirituall Maſons to build his Church; we are his husbandmen to Till his ground; we are Shepheards to feede his flocke. It is out dutie to frame his building, and eueryevery day to adde ſomewhat to the building. It is our duty to Plough vp the fallow ground, and ſow the precious ſeed of the word among them, that they may grow thereby. It is our dutie to feed his Sheepe with wholeſome food, and to lead them into greene paſtures. If we bee not carefull to do our worke, there is no reaſon we ſhould receiue his wages; and if we care not to diſcharge the duty, we cannot with a good Conſcience take a penny: if we will be at no paines, what warrant hauehave we to make any gaines by our ydleneſſe. God hath prouided for vsus a liberall allowance; hee requireth of the people a cheereful performance thereof, and he chargeth the miniſters to hauehave a carefull remembrance to labour in the Lordes harueſt, that ſo they may eate their owne bread, and not liue by the ſweate of other mens browes. It is a generall rule deliuered by the Apoſtle, binding all perſons and degrees of men, g2 Theſ. 3, 10 11.Euen when we were with you, this we warned you of, that if there were any which would not worke, that he ſhould not eate: for wee heare, that there are ſome which walke among you inordinately, and worke not at all, &c. Let all ſuch therefore, as are negligent in the work of the Lord, and ſtand ydle without employment, conſider, that as God hath giuen no guifts to be ydle, but to be vſed, ſo he would hauehave no ydle perſons to bee maintained, he doth grudge them their meate, he dooth not allow them a Morſell of bread, he regardeth not though they ſtarue, that will not ſet their handes to labour. For, he inhibiteth and forbiddeth his Church and people, to beſtowe any thing vppon ſluggards, or to giuegive them any ſuccour, to the end, that the forcible weapon of neceſſity may conſtraine them to ſet their hand to worke, and alſo to buſie themſelues in the Calling which they profeſſe. And this ſtandeth with exceeding great equitie, and good reaſon. For, what is meate, but the rewarde of Labour? And what is the Wages which they hauehave, but the recompence of the Worke? Or, what is hyre, but onelyonly the reward of paines-taking?

Now, he that doth no good, but is vnprofitable to mankind, and is not dilligent in his buſineſſe, what right or reaſon is it, that he ſhould be rewarded as a Labourer? The ſecond reproofe.Moreouer, they are heere reprooued, that vſe their guiftes …o the hurt and hinderance of others. For, if ſuch be iuſtly blamed and condemned, as hide their guifts to their hinderance, and vſe them not to the benefit of others, they are much worſe, that abuſe them vntounto euill, that vſe their wit to vndermine the ignorant, their wiſedom to beguile the ſimple, their learning to ſubuert the truth, their knowledge to ouerthrow the faith, their riches to vndoo the poor, their credit to croſſe iuſtice, their authority to diſdain, their ſtrength to oppreſſe the weake, their power to contemne others, and eueryevery gift to the diſhonor of the giuer, as the Serpent did his wilineſſe to deceiue. Theſe are al like mad men armed. It were better that a mad man had no armour and weapon, then that he ſhould vſe, or rather abuſe them, to the death and deſtruction of others: ſo it were better theſe men wanted theſe guiftes, then that they ſhould prophane them to the diſhonour of God, to the hurt of others, and to the bringing of a fearfull iudgement vponupon their owne ſoules. It were better to do nothing, then to do euill; as we ſay, it is better to be ydle, then to be ill occupied. It were better to let the ſword reſt in the ſcabbard, then to drawe it out to wound the innocent; to let our riches corrupt, and our garments be moth-eaten, and our treaſure be cankred, then we weare them with pride, & waſt them in drunkenneſſe, whoredome, and all wickedneſſe. We muſt one day giuegive an account vntounto God, both what we hauehave receiued, and howe wee hauehave beſtowed that which we hauehave receiued. If the Marchant that hath had his Factor in a ſtrange Country, waſting his goods committed to him on harlots, and in riotous liuing, will call him to an account how hee hath ſpent his time, and miſpent his goods; ſhall wee not thinke that the eternall God will ſummon vsus before the barre of his iudgement ſeate, to giuegive in a reckoning & an exact account what we hauehave done with ſuch guifts as he hath lent vsus, and how we hauehave beſtowed them?

The third reproofe.Thirdly, they are here alſo reproued, which bar and lock vp ſuch guifts of ſuch, as might be profitable to the Church and Common-wealth, which ſuffer them not to imploy their guifts, that deſire to imploy them, which doo little good themſelues, and yet hinder thoſe that would do good. The Dogge that lyeth in the manger, will not eate the Hay himſelfe, nor ſuffer the Oxe that laboureth to eate of it. So we hauehave lamentable experience of ſuch men, or rather Beaſts, as open not their own mouths, but hauehave learned to ſhut the mouthes of others that would preach the goſpell. Theſe are like to Amazia, that proud Prieſt of Bethel, that falſely informed the King againſt the true Prophet of God Amos, and charged him to hold his peace, aAmos 7. 10, 12.hee ſent to Ieroboam king of Iſrael, ſaying; Amos hath conſpired against thee in the midſt of the houſe of Iſrael, the Land is not able to beare his words. And hee ſaide to Amos, O thou the Seer, flee thou away into the Land of Iudah, and there eate thy Bread, and propheſy there, but propheſie no more at Bethel, for it is the Kinges Chappell, and it is the Kings Court. Theſe are like to the cruell Prieſts and Prophets, that ſuffered not bIer. 26, 8. & 38, 6.Ieremiah to publiſh the word of the Lord, but ſtopped his mouth, and clapt him vp in priſon, and if their rage had not bin repreſſed, and their malice reſtrained, they woulde not hauehave reſted, till they had put him to death, and brought him to deſtruction. He was as a ſilly Lambe in the iawes and clawes of blood-ſucking Wolues, and led vntounto the ſlaughter, hee ſought not anie reuenge againſt them, but onelyonly ſaid, cIer. 26, 14. 15As for me, bohold I am in your hands, do with me as ye thinke good and right: but know ye for certaine, that if ye put mee to death, ye ſhall ſurely bring innocent blood vponupon your ſelues, and vponupon this Citty, and vponupon the Inhabitants thereof, for of a truth the Lord hath ſent me vntounto you, to ſpeak all theſe words in your eares. Theſe are like to the dActs 4, 17. and 5, 28.chiefe Prieſt and Phariſies, who threatned and charged the Apoſtles that they ſhould thenceforth ſpeake or teach no man in Chriſts name; but they anſweared, We ought rather to obey God then men. And againe, Whether it be right in the ſight of God to obey you rather then God, iudge ye. Theſe are like to that ambitious Diotrephes, mentioned by the Apoſtle Iohn in his third Epiſtle. e3 Iohn 9, 10who as hee loued to hauehave the preheminence among them, ſo hee pratled againſt the true ſeruants of God with malicious words, and not therewith content, neither hee himſelfe receiueth the Brethren, but forbiddeth them that woulde receiue them, and thruſteth them out of the Church. It is an horrible ſinne to take away the preaching of Gods word from men. For whatſoeuer men pretend to excuſe their ſinne, and what Figge leaues ſoeuer they patch together to couer their ſhame, they are guilty of the deſtruction and damnation of ſo many ſoules, as by them might hauehave bin inſtructed. Iudas was guilty of an hainous ſinne for betraying and deliuering the body of one innocent to a temporall death: but theſe ſhall be arraigned of high treaſon againſt Ieſus Chriſt, who betray many thouſand ſoules into the hands of Satan, and throw them into the iawes of death, euen of eternall death. Such are the bloody Papiſts, which deny the vſe of the ſcriptures to the people, and debarre them of the meanes of getting knowledge. And ſuch are all carnall Goſpellers, which thinke the preaching of the Goſpel, to be a needleſſe and ſuperfluous thing, and account the people to hauehave ſufficient, ſo that they hauehave a praying Miniſtry alone, and the ſeruice read diſtinctly among them. Let vsus therefore take heede, that we doo not ſtoppe the courſe of the Goſpell, or put out the light that would ſhine into our hearts, but rather further (with all our power) the trueth that God hath ſet vp among vsus, and ſpread abroad his ſauing health, that ſo glory may be gained to his name.

The fourth reproofe.Laſtly, it reprooueth the neglect of employing the gifts of God beſtowed vponupon them; that is, in the people. Whether God hauehave giuen vsus ſpiritual graces or temporall bleſsings, we muſt take heede how we vſe them. We are readie to heare, and willing to learne the faults of the Miniſters; yea, we can ſpeak of them our ſelues, and talke of them all day long; wee can tell that ſome vſe not their guifts to the good of the Church, others abuſe them to the hurt of the Church: but neuer conſider how themſelues employ their owne guifts, or what account they ſhall giuegive to God that hath beſtowed them. The benefite of them, is not in hauing of them, but in the vſing of them; not in the enioying, but in the employing; not in the poſſeſsing, but in the practiſing. Not to vſe them, is all one as if we had them not. For, as the couetous man wanteth as well the things that he hath, as thoſe which he hath not, ſo doo theſe ſluggards receiue the grace of God in vaine, which hauehave the vſe of thoſe thinges they enioy, no more then of thoſe things which they hauehave not obtained. This made the Apoſtle ſay, fHeb. 6, 11, 12We deſire that euerie one of you ſhew the ſame diligence, to the full aſſurance of hope vntounto the end, that ye be not ſloathfull, but followers of them which through Faith and Patience inherit the promiſes. God is conſtrained oftentimes to take away the means that he ſendeth for our good, whē we make no good vſe of them; he taketh away good Paſtors, he ſendeth & ſetteth vp euill Paſtors in their roomes, when we do not profit, nor are careful to make others profit by vsus. This the Prophet Zacharie denounceth from the mouth of the Lord, gZach. 17, 16I will raiſe vp a Shepheard in the Land, which ſhall not looke for the thing that is loſt, nor ſeeke the tender Lambes, nor healt that that is hurt, nor feede that which ſtandeth vp, but he ſhall eate the fleſh of the fat, and teare the clawes in peeces. This alſo Chriſt our Sauiour teacheth in the Goſpell, hMath. 13, 12Whoſoeuer hath, to him ſhall be giuen, and he ſhall hauehave abundance: but whoſoeuer hath not, from him ſhall be taken away, euen that he hath.

Furthermore, in the parable of the man, that going into a farre Countrey, called vntounto him his ſeruants, and deliuered vntounto them his goods; we ſee that the euil ſeruant, that hauing receiued a Talent hid it in the ground, & brought onelyonly a Talent to his Maiſter againe, hath iMath 25, 28.that taken from him, and it is giuen to him that had gotten and gained fiue Talents. It is accounted an euill Tree, not that onelyonly which bringeth forth euill fruit, but that alſo which bringeth forth no fruit. It is accounted euill ground, not onelyonly that which beareth Thornes and Briars, but that alſo which bringeth forth no Corne for the vſe of man. He is accounted an vniuſt ſteward, not onelyonly that waſteth his Maiſters goods & conuerteth thē to his own vſe, but he that keepeth them ſafe and ſound without imployment, which he had receiued to lay out, to diſpenſe and to diſtribute. He is accounted an euill ſeruant, not onelyonly that ſelleth to others or reſerueth to himſelfe his Maiſters Corne which he ſhould hauehave ſowed in the earth, that it might hauehave brought forth great increaſe and a plentifull Harueſt, but he that keepeth it by him, and in the end deliuereth it backe in the ſame manner and meaſure that he tooke it. So are we vnfaithfull ſeruants, vniuſt Stewards, and euill beſtowers of our Maiſters mony, if we let it lye by vsus, and do not imploy it to ſome gaine. If then they be blamed and vnrewarded that gaine nothing, what ſhall they be eſteemed, that looſe the Stocke, and daſh away the principall. Againe, if God hauehave giuen vntounto vsus this worldes good, he requireth of vsus to do good with it, to helpe thoſe that are in want, and to diſtribute to the neceſſities of the Saintes. Hath God beene liberall to vsus, that we ſhould be hand-bound and heart-bound vntounto others? He hath left the poore with vsus, that we ſhould be in ſtead of God to them, kExod 4, 16.as Moſes is ſaid to be giuen to Aaron in Gods ſtead as a wiſe Councellor, ſo we are appointed to be vntounto them as a wiſe diſtributer, ſupplying that which is wanting vntounto them. How ſhould God giuegive much vntounto vsus, when for his ſake we will not giuegive a little. If we were in their caſe and condition, and had experience how great the miſery of want is, and how heauy the burden of pouerty is, we would be willing to be refreſhed, comforted, and eaſed: lMat 7, 12.Therefore whatſoeuer ye would that men ſhould do to you, euen ſo do ye to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Whatſoeuer we do vntounto them, ſhall not be vnregarded, or vnrewarded: we ſow it in a fruitfull ground, and we ſhall reape it againe with great encreaſe.

Vſe 3.Laſtly, ſeeing we muſt imploy that which we hauehave receiued to the benefite of others, it ſerueth greatly to comfort ſuch as hauehave beene careful to communicate to others rhoſe thinges that they hauehave receiued, and to make them partakers of the ſame comfort that they hauehave reaped by them. It is a bleſſed thing when men hauehave endeuoured to their power to benefit others, to exhort them, to admoniſh them, to comfort them, to refreſh them, and hauehave vſed our guiftes to the profit of our bretheren. O what a wonderfull comfort and conſolation ſhall it be vntounto vsus when we muſt leaue this world and go the way of all fleſh, to remember that we hauehave not ſpared to do good to others, wee hauehave not failed to benifit others, we hauehave not ceaſed to ſcatter abroad a part of that which we hauehave gathered. Let vsus lay this to our heartes and apply it to our conſciences, both we that are the Miniſters and you that are the people. If we that are made watchmen ouer the Citty of God, and ouerſeers of the Church, ſhall to the vtmoſt of our power imploy our guifts and ſpend our ſelues to giuegive light to others, God will not forget the labour of our hands, but great ſhall be our reward in heauen, according to the promiſe mentioned in Daniell the Prophet, mDan 12, 3.They that be wiſe ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the Firmament, and they that turne many to righteouſneſſe ſhall ſhine as the Starres for euer and euer. Heereunto accordeth the anſwere of Chriſt to the queſtion of Peter, nLuk 12, 42, 43.Who is a faithfull Steward and wiſe, whom the Maiſter ſhall make Ruler ouer his houſhold, to giuegive them their portion of meat in ſeaſon? Bleſſed is that ſeruant whom his Maiſter when he commeth ſhall find ſo doing. We ſhall find more comfort of conſcience and ioy of heart, and gladneſſe of ſpirit, when we depart this life, that we hauehave beene faithfull in that little committed to our truſt, and made others partakers of it as well as our ſelues, then if wee had great abundance of earthly bleſsings, and were owners of the whole world.

The like comfort ſhall all faithfull people of God find, that hauehave diſtributed their Maiſters goodes, they ſhall receiue their reward, according vntounto their worke. We ſee the harueſt is anſwereable to the ſeed time, and they ſhal reap as they hauehave ſowed. Then they ſhall taſt the ſweetneſſe, and reap the comfort of their labor, beſtowed in applying themſelues to the profit of others. Their laſt day ſhall be a bleſſed day vntounto them, when they ſhall finde God as readie to communicate vntounto them his glory, as they hauehave bin to do to others their duty, and to beſtow vponupon them the fruits of mercy, and the works of charity. The greateſt good is to ſeeke to gaine their ſoules; the next, is to giuegive to their bodies. On the other ſide, howe vncomfortable ſhall that day of our leparture be, how wofull and full of trouble, bringing horror of conſcience, vexation of ſpirit, and confuſion of face: Woe then, woe (I ſay) to all idle Miniſters, and ſluggiſh people, that when they are to bee gathered vntounto their Fathers, and ly vponupon their death beds, cannot remember what good they hauehave done, but ſhall bee troubled and tormented with the conſideration of this, what good they might hauehave done, that they might hauehave beene fruitfull trees, but hauehave beene barren; Good ground, but hauehave beene euill. Theſe men hauehave nothing elſe to muſe and meditate vponupon, but how they hauehave ſpent whol dayes and nights, whole moneths and yeares, in eating and drinking, in feaſting and company, in pleaſures and paſtimes, in ſurfetting and drunkennes, and what comfort ſhall their poore diſtreſſed ſoule, and languiſhing bodye, feele in that day, but crie out with a lamentable cry, and a pittifull howling, able to mooue the ſtones, and to pierce the rockes, that all is vanity, and then condemne their folly, that hauehave placed their happineſſe in this vnhappineſſe, and the ioy of their ſpirit, in this ſorrow of their heart. For, if that be true which the Prophet ſaith, oPſal. 128, 1, 2 Prou. 10, 4.Bleſſed is euerie one that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his wayes: when thou eateſt the labours of thine hands, thou ſhalt be bleſſed, and it ſhall be well with thee: It is no doubt as true, that ſuch as eate not the fruit of their labors, but eate the fruite of their lazineſſe and loytering, are accurſſed. This is it which our Sauiour addeth, pLuke 12, 45 46.If that ſeruant ſay in his heart, My Maiſter doth deferre his comming, and ſhall begin to ſmite the Seruants and Maidens, and to eate and drinke, and to be drunken; The Maiſter of that ſeruant will come on a day, when he thinketh not, and at an houre when he is not ware of, and will cut him off, and giuegive him his portion with the vnbeleeuers, & that Seruant that knew his Maiſters will, and prepared not himſelfe, neither did according to his will, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Where he teacheth, that as eternall life is the reward of diligence, and diſcharge of our duty, ſo is eternal deſtruction the wages of all idle bellies.

Such as do no good to others ſhall know at the laſt that they hauehave indeed done no good vntounto themſelues. The more ſeruiceable wee hauehave beene to others, the more profitable ſhall we be in the end to our ſelues, and the comfort of all ſhall be felt in our hearts, when wee ſhall ſay with the Apoſtle, q2 Tim. 4, 7, 8I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, I hauehave kept the Faith, henceforth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous iudge ſhall giuegive me at that day, and not to mee onelyonly, but vntounto all them alſo that louelove his appearing. A notable example heereof, wee hauehave in Obadiah, who was Gouernor of Ahabs houſe, when he ſaw himſelfe in diſtreſſe of famine, & in fear leaſt Eliah ſhould depart, he called to remembrance the fruits of his Faith, the worſhip of God, and the fauour ſhewed to his children, and heerein hee was comforted. When Iezebel r1 Kin. 18, 13ſlew the Prophets of the Lord, he hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets by fifties in a Caue, and fed them with bread and water. Let vsus therefore neuer bee without ſuch arguments to comfort vsus, wee ſhall finde the benefit of them when we are in trouble, and eſpecially when we are going out of the world.

[And that whatſoeuer good thing is in you through Chriſt Ieſus may be knowne.] The Apoſtle in theſe wordes, mentioneth this to be the cauſe, why he would hauehave the guifts of God beſtowed vponupon Philemon, to be communicated to others, becauſe by that meanes, they might be made knowne to others, and acknowledged by others, and ſo ſpread abroad farre and neere. Doctrine 3. The goodneſſe of God toward our ſelues or other muſt be made knowne.Wee learne from hence, that it is the duty of eueryevery one to manifeſt and ſhew forth, yea, to ſpread abroad and to ſpeake of the guifts of God beſtowed vponupon themſelues and others. When God is good toward vsus, and diſtributeth his graces among vsus, we muſt be ready to confeſſe and acknowledge them, when we feele them in our ſelues, or ſee them in others. This our Sauiour aMat 5, 16.teacheth Math. 5. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen. Thus the ſpirit of God in the Scriptures remembreth the righteouſneſſe of Noah, the faith and obedience of Abraham, the patience of Iob, the chaſtity of Ioſeph, the meekneſſe of Moſes, the ſingle heart of Dauid, the ſincerity of Nathaniell, the labours of Paule, the repentance of Peter, the reſtitution of Zacheus. Chriſt Ieſus publiſheth the graces of God that ſhined in Iohn Baptiſt, bIohn 5, 35.he ſaith he was a burning and ſhining Candle, and that they would for a ſeaſon hauehave reioyced in his light. The Apoſtle declareth c1 Tim 4 14.that the faith of the Romanes is publiſhed throughout the whole world. The praiſe of Timothy was noyſed and notifyed in the Church, wherof Paule putteth him in mind to make his proceedings anſwearable to his beginnings and to the hope that was conceiued of him, c1 Tim 4 14.Deſpiſe not the guift that is in thee, which was giuen thee by prohecie, with the laying on of the handes of the company of the Elderſhip. So likewiſe the fact of Mary, annointing the body of Chriſt, and working a good worke vponupon him to bury him, is commanded to be made knowne, and not kept ſecret, dMat 26, 13.Verily I ſay vntounto you, whereſoeuer this Goſpell ſhall be preached throughout all the world, there ſhall alſo this that ſhe hath done be ſpoken off, for a memoriall of her. Thus the Apoſtle remembreth the e1 Theſ 1, 3.effectuall faith, and diligent louelove, and the patience of that hope in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt which was in the Theſſalonians. So he recordeth and commendeth the liberallity that was in them of Macedonia toward the poore Saintes at Ieruſalem that were in diſtreſſe. All which Teſtimonies ſerue to teach vsus, that it is our duty to publiſh the guifes of God vponupon vsus or our bretheren, not to hide them: to ſpread them abroad, not to ſmother them: to make them knowne, not to couer and conceale them to our ſelues.

Reaſon 1.And albeit theſe examples may be ſufficient to moue vsus to embrace this as a certain truth, yet we hauehave ſundry reaſons yeelded in the Scriputre farther to confirme it vntounto vsus. Firſt, to the end that Gods graces being ſeene & knowne he may be glorified and bleſſed for them, who is the author and giuer of them. It ought to be our chiefeſt deſire and ſtudy, that God may hauehave his praiſe and glory among vsus. This is that reaſon which Chriſt our Sauiour pointeth out vntounto vsus, when he commandeth vsus to ſhew forth our good workes in our life, fMat 5, 16.that God our Father may be glorified which is in heauen. One end of good workes is the glory of God. They can neuer pleaſe him, vnleſſe they ayme at that marke, and tend to that end. This the Apoſtle Peter teacheth, g1 Pet 2.HaueHave your conuerſation honeſt among the Gentiles, that they which ſpeake euill of you as of euill doers, may by your good workes which they ſhall ſee, glorifie God in the day of viſitation. The glory of men and the magnifying of their name is not to be ſought after; but of God, to whom all glory is due.

Reaſon 2.Secondly, we are to make knowne the guiftes of God in our ſelues or in others, becauſe the more they be knowne, and the farther they are ſpread, the larger praiſe and more aboundant thankſgiuing may be giuen vntounto God and yeelded to his name by many. The rendring of thankes vntounto him is a ſacrifice that ſmelleth ſweetly in his Noſtrils. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the liberallity of the Corinthians, and exhorting them to the workes of mercy, he vſeth this reaſon, that by beholding of them, not only the godly are refreſhed, but God is glorified, h1 Cor. 9, 11, 12.That on all parts ye may be made rich vntounto all liberalitie, which cauſeth thorough vsus thankeſgiuing vntounto God, for the miniſtration of this ſeruice, not onelyonly ſupplieth the neceſſities of the Saints, but alſo abundantly cauſeth many to giuegive thankes to God. The reaſon is direct, and of great force.

Reaſon 3.Thirdly, in reſpect of others, becauſe the more the goodneſſe and graces of God are ſpoken of, and the more largely they are diſperſed, the mo by that meanes may be prouoked & ſtirred vp to an imitation and following of their example, and to a treading in their ſteps. This is another end that we ought to reſpect in publiſhing the mercies of God to draw others to do the like, and to prouoke them as by an holy emulation of their godlineſſe. Hence it is, that the Apoſtle ſtirring vp the Corinthians to a bountifull helping of the Saints at Ieruſalem, he ſetteth before them the example of the Churches of Macedonia, that they ſhould follow them, i2 Cor. 8, 1, 2.We do you alſo, to wit Bretheren, of the grace of God beſtowed vponupon the Churches of Macedonia, becauſe in great triall of affliction their ioy abounded, and their moſt extreame pouertie abounded vntounto their rich liberality. Hauing ſet before them this glaſſe to looke vponupon, and in it to beholde themſelues, that albeit the Macedonians themſelues had heauie burdens laide vponupon them, and many charges of their owne that preſſed them down, whereby they were made poore, yea extreame poore, yet they hung not backe, but were forward according to their power, yea, beyond their power to ſuccour others. He exhorteth the Corinthians heereupon, kVerſe 7.That as they abounded in euerie thing, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and in all dilligence, and in their louelove toward the Apoſtles, euen ſo they ſhould ſhew themſelues to abound in this grace alſo. Likewiſe hee commendeth the Theſſalonians, that they became followers of them, l1 Theſ. 1, 6. 7And receiued the word in much affliction, with ioy of the Holy-Ghoſt, ſo that they were as enſamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia, and in Achaia. So when he hath proued that Abrahams Faith mRo 4, 22, 23was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe, he addeth; Now it is not written for him only, but alſo for vsus, to whom it ſhall be imputed, which beleeue in him that raiſed vp Ieſus our Lord from the dead. So then, if we lay theſe things together, & conſider the perſon of God, of the Church, and of others, that God is to bee glorified, that the faythfull muſt hauehave their mouthes opened to praiſe him, and that all others muſt bee prouoked by our good example; in all theſe reſpects we learne, that whenſoeuer God beſtoweth his guifts, and we taſt of his graces, or others are made partakers of his goodneſſe, we muſt be carefull to make the ſame knowne to othets.

Ʋſe 1.The Vſes are now to be ſtood vponupon. Firſt, we ſee there may be ſomtimes a fooliſh modeſty in concealing thoſe good things which ſhould bee vttered and publiſhed, if they may further the cauſe of Religion, or prouoke others to godlineſſe, or bring glory to God. God is not aſhamed of vsus, to bee called our God, and to do vsus good; let vsus not therefore be aſhamed to acknowledg him to be good vntounto vsus, and confeſſe his goodneſſe to the ſonnes of men. We ſee how men are not aſhamed to make knowne their vngodlineſſe, and proclaime it openly with brazen faces; they glorie in it as at a triumph, & neuer bluſh at any thing. Let vsus therefore be bold to ſpeake of good things, & account it our dutie to ſound out alowd the graces that wee hauehave receiued. It is to great niceneſſe to hide Gods glory and our guifts. This was the cauſe, why Paule mentioned his labors, his calling, his knowledge, his paines, his n2 Cor. 12, 2.viſions, his reuelations, when the falſe Apoſtles extolled them-ſelues aboue him, to the reproach of his perſon, to the ſlander of his calling, to the diſgrace of the Goſpell, and to the diſhonor of God. This compelled and conſtrained him not to be ſilent in his owne cauſe, or rather in the cauſe of God and his Goſpell. For, albeit his enemies ſeemed onelyonly to contemne him, and ſet his perſon at naught, yet the contempt reached farther, and thorough his ſides they gaue a blow and a wound to the truth it ſelfe, we muſt not be ſo diſſolute and careleſſe to neglect what eueryevery one ſpeaketh of vsus, but be iealous of our credit and maintaine our good name, eſpecially when our ſincerity and Gods verity are ioyned together. We ſee how Samuell before all the people o1 Sam 12, 3.proteſted his innocency in his life, and vprightneſſe in his calling, becauſe the Iſralites had reiected him and brought his miniſtry into queſtion. There was a a time when Chriſt would not hauehave himſelfe and his workes knowne; to wit, when the knowledge might hinder him and his preaching, but he pMat 10, 27.commanded his Apoſtles to ſpeake that in the light which he had told them in darkneſſe, and to preach that in the houſe toppes, which he told them in the eare. This ſerueth to condemne thoſe that derogate from the godly, and diminiſh the graces that God hath giuen vntounto them, and beſtowed vponupon them. For howſoeuer the notes of Godlineſſe are ſtamped vponupon them, and the guiftes of God do ſhine as brightly as the light of the Sunne in them, whereby they are marked to be his, and knowne to belong vntounto him, yet they wil leſſen and extenuate them and as it were clip the Princes Coyne, that ſo they may be diſgraced. This is a manifeſt note of a Child of the Deuill, and of repreſenting his Image. For as the names giuen to Sathan deſcribe his nature, ſo the word (Deuill) in the orriginall tongue which the holy Ghoſt vſeth, qReuel 22, 10ſignifieth a falſe accuſer, a carper, a cauiller, a diſgracer, a ſlanderer, one that by all means ſeeketh to deface the truth and thoſe that vphold and ſupport it. Thus the nature of our ſpirituall aduerſity is notably painted and purtraied out vntounto vsus. His whole practiſe ſtandeth in falſe accuſations, wrongfull imputations, and wilfull calumniations of God to man, and of man to God. He falſely accuſed God to our firſt parents, in the beginning, rGen 3, 5.to enuy their good eſtate, and therefore of malice forbad them the Tree of the knowledge of good and euil. He falſely accuſed Iob to ſerue God; sIob 1, 9, 10. 11.in hipocriſie, not in ſincerity; with ſhew of the body, not with ſingleneſſe of heart; to be ſeene of men, not to approue himſelfe with an vpright conſcience in the preſence of God. Theſe quallities of the Deuill are to be found in all the wicked. If you talke and reaſon with them, of ſuch as truely feare God, either they will cenſure them as Hipocrits, and falſely accuſe them not to be the perſons which they make profeſſion to be, or elſe they will detract from them and diminiſh thoſe guiftes that God hath abundantly beſtowed vponupon them. Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe could not eſcape this viperous brood, who was accuſed by the Deuils ofſpring, and the Children of darkneſſe, the Scribes and Phariſies, to be a Samaritan, to hauehave a Deuill, to be a Drunkard, to be a Seducer, a Blaſphemer, and what not? So was it with his Apoſtles, they were filled with the holy Ghoſt, and endued with the guiftes of tongues, yet they felt the ſmart of this rod, and were wounded with this ſharpe ſword, they were accounted Deceiuers, accuſed as Drunkards, ſlaunderd as Diſturbers of the common peace, and reuiled as Traitors, and Rebels againſt Caeſar, for the Diſciple muſt not looke to be tIohn 15, 20.aboue his Maiſter, nor the ſeruant greater then his Lord. Theſe reuilings and reproaches are not peculiar to Chriſt and his Apoſtles, but common to all the faithfull and true beleeuers in his name, they taſt of the ſame cup, and hauehave the like meaſure meaſured vntounto them. They are ſlandered and backbited, they are reuiled and taunted for the truthes ſake. But let all ſuch carpers and cauilers looke to themſelues and take heed to their eſtate, uIohn 8, 44.they reſemble their father whoſe workes they doe, and they ſhew themſelues to be petty-Sathans, and very Deuils incarnate. Now ſuch as are the Children of the Deuill, muſt look to hauehave their portion with the Deuill, and his Angels. Let vsus therefore be ready to magnifie the mercies of God toward our bretheren; let vsus ſpeake of the praiſes of him that hath giuen them; let vsus remember what God hath done for vsus and others; and eſpecially let vsus beware that we do not diſgrace them and their guiftes, which tendeth to the diſhonour of him that gaue them. For as Salomon ſaith, xProu. 17, 5. and 14, 31.He that mocketh the poore, reprocheth him that made him: ſo is it true, that whoſoeuer contemneth and deſpiſeth, reuileth and treadeth vnderunder his foot the Godly, adorned from the Throne of God with the precious graces of his ſpirit, he reproueth and reproacheth God himſelfe y1 Iohn 2, 29who hath giuen that annointing which they hauehave receiued of him. Thus we ſee how we are to behaue our ſelues in reſpect of Gods guiftes; we muſt not be aſhamed to confeſſe them, but we muſt be both aſhamed and afraid to deface them, and ſo to defraud God of his honour due vntounto him.

Ʋſe 2.Secondly, ſeeing it is our duty, when God hath beene good vntounto vsus or others, to make knowne his goodneſſe: we learne heereby, how the Saintes of God may be rightly and religiouſly honoured of vsus, and remembred to their euerlaſting praiſe. It is our dutie to giuegive thankes to God, who hath bleſſed them with his graces, and gouerned them by his holy ſpirit, and to pray vntounto him ſo to direct vsus, & diſpoſe of our waies, that we may follow their godlines, & walk in their ſteps wherein they hauehave gone before vsus. True it is, the church of Rome go a great deale farther, and teach vsus to go further in the honoring of them then God alloweth, & the word approueth. For they lade them with the ſpoils of Chriſt, & take from him the royalties of his Prieſt-hood, & therfore indeed they do not honor them, but diſhonor and diſgrace them, when they decke them with feathers that are not theirs. Is there any good & godly man liuing on the face of the earth, that could bee content to hauehave theeues and robbers ſpoile other men of their goods, and bring them vntounto him, and if they offred them, would he accept and receiue them? If he would not receiue them as his owne, but refuſe & reiect them as belonging to others, how ſhold the bleſſed Virgin, the holy Apoſtles, and other Saintes of God, account thoſe ſacrilegious wretches to be their friends, which rob & ſpoile God of his honor, and thruſt Chriſt Ieſus our mediator from his office to beſtow vponupon thē? It is their honor to honor the ſame God with vsus, and to worſhip him. And it is our honoring of them, to giuegive all honor to God, by walking in thoſe wayes wherein they hauehave ledde vsus the way, and by following the light which they hauehave carried before vsus. And if we would know how to honour the Saints aright, and to giuegive them their due, zWherein the honour of the Saints conſiſteth.it conſiſteth in theſe pointes: Firſt, that God be magnified and praiſed in them: our praiſing of them muſt tend to the praiſing of him, who hath aduanced them, and crowned them with his gifts. God muſt be all in all to vsus, and his glorie muſt be preferred and ſought for of vsus. The Apoſtle remembring the Hiſtory of his owne calling and conuerſion, telleth that the Churches of the Iewes ſaide, aGal. 1, 22, 23Hee which perſecuted vsus in times paſt, now preacheth the Faith which before hee deſtroyed; and they glorified God for me. When they heard he was gained to the Goſpell, they conſidered therein, the power, goodneſſe, and merciemercy of God, and with ioy of heart, they gaue him thankes for it. Secondly, the Saints ſhould be honoured by an approbation of Gods guiftes in them, and by an honourable mention of them. For, ſeeing they hauehave vſed the gifts of God faithfully, he wil hauehave their gifts praiſed and extolled, and the Saints themſelues to be magnified & commended. So the Apoſtle mentioning his perſecuting of the church in the time of his ignorance, addeth, b1 Cor. 15, 10But by the grace of God I am that I am, and his grace which is in me, was not in vaine, but I laboured more aboundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. So in the Parable of the talents, they that vſed their talents well, & increaſed much by the vſe of them, do heare this to their great praiſe, cMath. 25, 21It is well done good ſeruant & faithfull, thou haſt bin faithfull in little, I will make thee Ruler ouer much, enter into thy Maiſters ioy. Moſes is reported to be dHeb 3, 5. & 11, 2.faithfull in all the houſe of God, as a ſeruanr, for a Witneſſe of the things which ſhold be ſpoken after. So the Holy Fathers are commended by the Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, who through their faith obtaind a good report. 3. They are honored of vsus by following of their liues, and by an imitation of their vertues, being as examples and patternes for vsus, to walke after. For this is the glorie of the Saints, if wee followe their Fayth, Hope, Charity, Patience, Doctrine, and other like graces that hauehave appeared in them. The Apoſtle willeth the Phillippians to be blameleſſe and pure, as the ſonnes of God without rebuke, in the midſt of a naughty and crooked Nation, ſhining among them as lights in the world: and he addeth, ePhil. 2, 16.Holding faſt the word of life, that I may reioyce in the day of Chriſt, that I hauehave not run in vain, neither hauehave laboured in vaine. And to this end dooth the Scripture make plentifull recorde of the graces of God, giuen to the Saintes, that our Faith might be ſtrengthened and confirmed, and wee encouraged in all wel-doing. This is the right manner of honouring the Saintes and faithfull Seruaunts of God, when God is honoured in them, and for them, when they are prayſed and commended, and when wee are ſtirred vp to good things by their example. As for Religious Worſhip of adoration and inuocation of them; it is not due vntounto them, it is proper to God, fReuel. 22, 9.and the Saints do not deſire it, or accept it. Wherefore, it is a notorious ſlaunder of the Church of Rome caſt out againſt vsus, that wee contemne and deſpiſe the Saints, that wee deface them, and ſet them at naught, whereas wee honour them as God hath commaunded them to bee honoured, and giuegive them that reuerence that he hath appointed. It were horrible impietie to ſpeake reproachfully, or to thinke vnreuerently of them whom GOD the Father honoureth, whome the Sonne acknowledgeth for his Bretheren and Heyres with him, whom the holy ſpirite calleth his Temple to dwell in. The Righteous gPſal. 112, 6. Prou. 10, 7. Luke 1, 48.ſhall bee had in euerlasting remembrance. The memoriall of the iuſt ſhall be bleſſed. The Virgin Marie ſaith, He hath looked vppon the poore degree of his ſeruant; for beholde, from henceforth ſhall all ages call me bleſſed. On the other ſide, The name of the wicked ſhall rot, hPſal. 109, 13and in the generation following, it ſhall be put out. But the Romain Church, vnderunder a falſe Title of honouring the Saints, doo hide and couer all their ſuperſtitions, and bring in their merites and mediation, vnderunder colour of doing reuerence vntounto them.

Now, the Scripture hath fore-warned vsus, that nothing falleth out more often or eaſily, then to erre and offend in honouring of the Saints. Chriſt reprooueth the Scribes and Phariſees, iMath. 23, 29who builded the tombs of the Prophets, and garniſhed the Sepulchres of the righteous, yet they bare mortall hatred to the Goſpel, and to the profeſſors of it. And he reproueth the Iewes, kIohn 8, 44.who magnified the memory of Abraham, and boaſted themſelues to bee his Children, yet they ſhewed themſelues to be the children of the deuill, and would not do the workes of Abraham. But we giuegive them ſufficient honor, when we publiſh their praiſes and gifts, and follow them in our liues, as they followed Chriſt the author and finiſher of our faith.

Vſe 3Thirdly, we muſt beware that vaine-glory be not the end which wee ſeeke for. We are to giuegive the glory to the Author, not to the Inſtrument; to God, not to man; to the Creator, not …o the Creature. When Herod was magnified by the vaine applauſe of the people, and honored for his great guifts as a God, lActs 12, 23.Immediately the Angell of the Lord ſmote him, becauſe hee gaue not glory vntounto God, ſo that he was eaten of Wormes, & gaue vp the ghost. This is it which Chriſt obiecteth to the Iewes, mIohn 5, 44.How can ye beleeue which receiue honor one of another, and ſeeke not the honour that commeth of God alone? Yea, this is it which he ſpeaketh of himſelfe, nIoh. 8, 50, 54I ſeeke not mine owne praiſe, but there is one that ſeeketh it, & iudgeth; if I honor my ſelfe, mine honour is nothing worth. This vain-glory heere contemned and condemned, is as ranke poiſon to infect, as a bitter roote to corrupt, and as filthy myre to defile our beſt workes, bee they neuer ſo excellent. What more heauenly worke, or profitable dutie can wee performe, then to pray vntounto God, and to call vppon his Name, for the prayer of a faithfull man auayleth verie much, if it bee feruent; yet, if it bee a Sacrifice offered with a vaine heart, it becommeth vnfruitfull. We aske, and wee obtaine not, becauſe we aske amiſſe. The like might be ſaide of almes & faſting, the one a fruite of Faith, the other a furtherance of Faith (for Charity teſtifyeth, faſting helpeth our Faith) if we performe them in hypocriſie, hunting after the praiſe of men, not deſiring the honour of God, wee may hauehave our reward from men, but we cannot receiue any reward from God. They ſhall hauehave the praiſe of men, they ſhall not hauehave the praiſe of God. For, as the children of the Prophets among many hearbes, gathered one that was bitter and dangerous, and ſhred it into the pot of pottage amongſt the reſt, who when they began to eate, cried out and ſaid, f2 King, 4, 40O thou man of God, death is in the pot: So if among the duties we perform to God, we mingle the vanity of our own hearts, and ſprinkle them with the darnell of our owne glory, wee may truely ſay, Death is in the worke. In all things that we do, we muſt ſeeke to ſet forth the glory of God. If any man miniſter g1 Pet. 4, 11.(ſaith Peter) let him do it as of the abilitie which God miniſtreth, that God in all things may be glorified through Ieſus Chriſt. Likewiſe, the Apoſtle Paule giueth this precept, h1 Cor, 10, 31Whether ye eate or drinke, or whatſoeuer yee do, doo all to the glorie of God. If wee ayme at any other end, we miſſe the marke, and marre the worke, how good and glorious ſoeuer, it may ſeeme to bee in the eyes of men. For, as God ſeeth not as man ſeeeth, ſo hee iudgeth not as man iudgeth: man looketh vppon the outward appearance, but GOD pondereth the hearts. This is it which Chriſt ſpake to the Phariſees, iLuke 16, 15.Ye are they which iustifye your ſelues before Men, but GOD knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is abhominable in the ſight of God. Let vsus therefore publiſh the guiftes of God vppon our ſelues and our Bretheren, not to the magnifying of our owne perſons, but to the extolling of his praiſes; and let vsus ſo ſpread abroad our graces, as that wee remember his glorie, that wrought them in vsus by his Spirite.

Verſe 7. [For we hauehave great ioy and conſolation in thy LoueLove.] Hitherto wee hauehave ſpoken of the matter of his Prayer: now let vsus ſee the reaſon why hee made this the matter thereof. For the Apoſtle might hauehave craued and asked of God many other things for him of God; yet he deſired that his faith might be communicated to many; and ſo bee manifeſted to bee effectuall, working by louelove. The reaſon heere rendered, is from the effect or fruite of his prayers, they were not vttered in the ayre, they fell not without profit & good ſucceſſe to the ground, but he felt great comfort and conſolation wrought in him by the workes of Philemon, performed to the glorie of God, to the praiſe of his Faith, and with the approbation of the church. Heere then he ſheweth, that he had occaſion offred him of great ioy and gladneſſe, in regard of the graces of God, effects of faith, & fruits of true piety, which he heard and knew to bee in Philemon. Doctrine 4. The ſpirituall graces of God beſtowed vponupon others, giuegive occaſiō of ioy to the Saints.From hence we learne, that ſpirituall bleſsings and graces of God beſtowed vponupon others, do giuegive iuſt occaſion to the Saints of God, of great gladneſſe and comfort. It is our dutie greatly to reioyce, when we ſee ſpirituall bleſsings in heauenly thinges, giuen to the Children of God. This trueth our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth in the Parables of the ſtray Sheep, of the loſt Groat, and of the prodigall Sonne. The Shepheard aLuke 15, 5, and 10, 31.hauing found his ſheep, layeth it on his ſhoulder with ioy, he commeth home, he calleth his friendes, ſaying, Reioyce with me, for I hauehave found my Sheep which was loſt. I ſay vntounto you, that likewiſe ioy ſhall be in heauen, for one ſinner that conuerteth, more then for ninety and nine iuſt men, which need none amendment of life. The poore woman hauing loſt a Groat, lighteth a Candle, ſweepeth the houſe, ſearcheth eueryevery corner, and when ſhe hath found it, ſhe gathereth together her neighbors, ſaying, Reioyce with me, for I hauehave found the Groat which I had loſt: wherevppon hee addeth; Likewiſe I ſay vntounto you, there is ioy in the preſence of the Angelles of God, for one ſinner that conuerteth. The Father of that riotous ſonne, which waſted his goods, hath compaſſion vponupon him, runneth to meete him, fell on his necke and kiſſed him, put apparrell on his back, a ring on his finger, and ſhooes on his feete, reproued his ſonne that enuied and repined at it, ſaying; let vsus eate and reioyce, it is meet we ſhould make merry and bee glad, for this thy Brother was dead, and is aliue againe; he was loſt, but hee is found. Heereunto commeth the Thankeſgiuing of Chriſt to his Father, when he ſaw the encreaſe of his Church, and the ouerthrowe of Satans kingdome, cLuke 10, 21That ſame houre reioyced Ieſus in the Spirite, and ſaide; I confeſſe vntounto thee Father, Lord of Heauen and earth, that thou haſt hid theſe thinges from the wiſe and vnderſtanding, and haſt reuealed them to Babes; euen ſo, Father, becauſe it ſo pleaſed thee. The Prophet Dauid reioyced with great ioy, when hee ſawe that the people d1 Chron. 29 9, 10.offred willingly vntounto the Lord with a perfect hart, & he bleſſed the Lord God of Iſrael. When the Iewes heard of the conuerſion of the Gentiles, & that the Holy ghoſt fell vponupon them, as vponupon themſelues at the beginning, eActs 11, 18.They held their peace and glorified God, ſaying; Then hath God alſo to the Gentiles, granted repentance vntounto life. When the apoſtle perceiued the notable zeal of the Theſſalonians, in receiuing & entertaining the goſpel not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God, f1 Theſ. 2, 19 20.he witneſſeth that they wer his hope & his ioy, his crown & his glory in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt at his comming. Likewiſe the Apoſtle Iohn g3 Iohn 4.reioyced greatly, when the Brethren teſtified of the truth that was in Gaius, & how he walked therein, Hee had no greater ioy then this, to heare that his ſons walked in the verity. Whereby we ſee, there ought to be great ioy amongſt the faithfull, when they ſee the Church proſper and flouriſh, and the graces of God to encreaſe among them.

Reaſon 1.The Reaſons are many that confirme this vntounto vsus. Firſt, the glory & praiſe of God is much increaſed, which ſhold comfort the harts, & reioice the ſpirits of the Saints. The more wee abound with ſpiritual bleſſings in heauenly things, the more God is honored, and his name glorified. This the Apoſtle teacheth, ſpeaking of the releeuing of the Church at Ieruſalem, h2 Cor. 9, 12.The miniſtration of this ſeruice, not only ſupplieth the neceſſities of the Saintes, but alſo abundantly cauſeth manie to giuegive thankes to God. Where hee ſheweth his ioy, that he receiued and conceiued for their voluntary ſubmiſſion to the Goſpell, and compaſſion to the brethren; this was a ſpeciall cauſe, that God was praiſed; this miniſtered greater gladneſſe to him, then that the Saints were comforted and releeued.

Reaſon 2.Secondly, the general good of the church muſt lead vsus to this duty, & cauſe vsus to reioyce, which next vntounto God ſhold be deareſt to vsus. For whē we ſee the Church encreaſe, and many ſoules of many men & women ſaued, when we ſee their hearts conuerted, & regeneration wrought in them, ſo that they begin to liue to God, who before in the time of their ignorance liued to themſelus, to ſin, to condemnation: who can hauehave ſuch hearts of Flint, or of Iron as not to be moued with ioy, & euen tickled with a ſweet meditation of Gods mercy, beholding the enlarging of the kingdom of Chriſt. The prophet reioyſed to ſee the people willingly affected, & religiouſly minded iPſal. 122, 1, 2to go to the houſe of the Lord, Becauſe Ieruſalem did thereby proſper, peace was within her wals and proſperitie within her pallaces. Where he ſheweth, that his reioyſing was for the wealth and welfare of the houſe of God.

Reaſon 3.Thirdly, the Ordinances and Lawes of God are walked in and obſerued, & ſo his bleſsings procured and obtained. For, if we hearken & obey his voice, we hauehave a promiſe to be reſpected and rewarded. Such as walke in the Statutes & commandements of the Lord to do them, ſhalbe bleſſed in the houſe, in the field, in the City, in body, in ſoule, in temporall things, in ſpiritual thinges. Now, when God is obeyed, men ſhould reioyce and be glad; and when his Lawes are broken, they ſhould be much greeued and troubled. The Apoſtle Iohn writing to an elect Lady k2 Iohn 4.reioyced greatly, that hee found of her children, walking in truth, as they had receiued a cōmandement of the lord. On the other ſide, wee ſee Dauids lPſal. 119, 136eyes did guſh out with Riuers of teares, becauſe Wicked men kept not his Lawes. Theſe Reaſons, beeing duely waighed, and rightly conſidered, do teach vsus, that Gods bleſſings beſtowed vppon our Bretheren, muſt miniſter matter of ioy, and great comfort vntounto vsus.

Ʋſe 1.Let vsus now proceede to the handling of the Vſes, that wee may hauehave the benefit of this Doctrine, and not ſuffer it to paſſe from vsus without profit. Firſt of all, ſeeing Gods graces vponupon others muſt worke ioy in our ſelues, we learn the truth of that article of our faith, which al profeſſe to beleeue, but many do not vnderſtand, to wit, the communion of Saints. There is a double communion, mWhat the munion of Saints is, which we beleeue.one which we hauehave with Chriſt; the other, which the church hath among themſelues, & the former is the cauſe of the latter. For Chriſt our head, hath giuen himſelfe vntounto vsus, whereby we hauehave the right of adoption, the imputation of his righteouſneſſe, and a title to the kingdome of heauen. From hence, as from a fountaine, iſſueth that communion which all the members, both in heauen & earth, hauehave among themſelues, howſoeuer ſeuered in place one from another, howſoeuer the one ſort be dead, the other liuing; & howſoeuer the one ſort is triumphant, the other Militant. Our Brethren in heauen wiſh well to the Church, pray for it generall, deſire the perfect conſummation of it, and craue the full and finall deliuerance of it from all troubles. The Apoſtle bringeth them in, ſpeaking on this maner, nReuel 6, 10.How long Lord, holy & true! Doeſt not thou iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth. True it is, they know not, they ſee not, they heare not what things are done vponupon the face of the earth, and therefore they cannot pray in particular, for the particular conditions and perſons of men. On the other ſide, we who liue vppon the earth oPhil. 3, 20.hauehave our conuerſation in heauen, our minds, our harts, & ſoules, are there; we do in our deſires and affections conuerſe with them, we pray to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt. Our Communion among our ſelues conſiſteth in three things; firſt, in the affection of the heart; ſecondly, in the gifts of the ſpirit; thirdly, in the vſe of temporall riches. The firſt in heart, when we are ſo linked and coupled together, that we are like affectioned one to another, ſo that when one is greeued, the reſt are greeued; and when one reioyceth, the reſt are refreſhed. The Euangeliſt deſcribing the eſtate of Chriſtes Church, ſaith, pActs 4, 32.The multitude of them that beleeued, were of one heart, and of one ſoule. The Heathen wiſh well to their owne blood and kindred, but wee muſt wiſh well to all Chriſtians, as to our ſelues; we muſt not onelyonly know & heare of, but feele their miſeries, and mourne with them that mourne; we muſt not tell them as newes, but lay them to our hearts. The ſecond branch is in the bleſsings of God beſtowed vponupon vsus, we muſt impart to our Brethren our ſpirituall gifts, we muſt teach them by our example, we muſt aduiſe them by our Counſell, we muſt guide them by our admonition, we muſt ſtirre them vp by our exhortation, we muſt raiſe them vp by our comforts, we muſt helpe them by our Prayers. The third part of our communion qGalat. 6. 10.ſtandeth in temporal thinges, when wee are content not onelyonly to leaue our ſuperfluities, but euen to ſpend our ſelues for the good of our fellow-members; wee muſt be readie to feede the hungry, to cloath the naked, to harbour the harbourleſſe, which are not onelyonly of our owne fleſh, but of our owne faith; not onelyonly cloathed with the ſame Nature, but adorned with the ſame Name. This is the communion which wee profeſſe and beleeue, and is confirmed and concluded in this place.

Vſe 2.Secondly, we learn to deſire the beſt guifts, that we may reioyce and comfort the godly. For, when we profit in good things, we chear the harts and minds of al the faithful. EueryEvery liuing thing hath his proſpering & proceeding, and is known to hauehave life in it by encreaſing from one degree of perfection to another. The graſſe ſpringeth, the plant ſhouteth, the corn floriſheth, the tree groweth. If we hauehave any life in vsus of Gods Spirit, & be not as graſſe that is withered, as plants that are dead, as Corne that is blaſted, and as trees that are plucked vp by the roots, we muſt go forward from one meaſure of grace to another, from a leſſer to a greater. This ſerueth to reprooue ſundry abuſes, and to meet with many corruptions that abide and abound among vsus. Firſt, it condemneth ſuch as delight to offend, to grieue, and vexe the Saints of God. For, if we ſhould ſeeke to reioyce and comfort them, and to Miniſter all occaſion of ioy vntounto them, then we are not to diſcomfort and trouble them, wee are not to worke ſorrow and anguiſh in them. The eſtate of theſe offenſiue liuers, is fearefull, as Chriſt our rMath. 18, 7.Sauiour declareth. Woe vntounto the world becauſe of offences, for it muſt needs be that offences ſhall come, but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth: whoſoeuer ſhall offend one of theſe little ones which beleeue in me, it were better for him, that a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. Wee ought to giuegive no offence eyther to Iew or Gentile, or to the Church of God, for woe ſhall bee to them that offend their Brethren, that greeue the Spirit of God, and cauſe the enemies of our Faith to blaſpheme. Secondly, it reprooueth ſuch as conuerſe onelyonly with the vngodly, and can be merry onelyonly in their company. The Children of God hauehave alwayes accounted it a great croſſe and vexation to dwell with ſuch as are leud in their courſe of life, and are bare and barren in good things. The Prophet ſaith, ſPſal. 120, 5.Woe is me that I remaine in Meſhech, and dwell in the Tents of Kedar. It is an heape of miſeries, and a verie repreſentation of Hell, to be continually vexed, and exceedingly greeued with their wicked conuerſation. Iuſt Lot was vexed with the t2 Pet. 2, 7, 8.vncleane conuerſation of the wicked; for hee being righteous and dwelling among them, in hearing and ſeeing, vexed his righteous ſoule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes. And in what place almoſt now can a man liue, where all kinde of vile and vicious dealing is not practiſed, where all vncleanneſſe of life is not vſed? There is great comfort in the ſociety of the faithfull, and not only great comfort, but great profit. The Wiſeman teacheth, uProu. 13, 20.That he which walketh with the wiſe, ſhall bee wiſe, but a Companion of fooles ſhall be worſe. On the other ſide, the company of the wicked is accompanied with danger. It is a preſumption of our own ſtrength, to thruſt our ſelues among wicked companions. Such as are continually in the Sun, muſt needs be Sun-burnt. Such as walke in the miſt, muſt needes bee berayed: ſuch as touch pitch, cannot but be defiled: ſo, ſuch as abide in bad company, liue in places of danger, by reaſon of the infection of ſinne, of the weakeneſſe of the fleſh, of the forſaking of God, and of the power and liberty that Sathan hath in ſuch places where he ſetteth vp his Throne. For whereſoeuer ſinne is practiſed, defended, and maintained, where it couereth the earth as water doth the Sea, there the Deuill xReuel. 2, 13.raigneth; there he keepeth his court, there hee hath his reſidence & remaineth, there he poſſeſſeth al things. So long therefore, as we keepe company with thoſe that commit ſinne with greedineſſe, and runne on in their euill courſes without controulement, wee ſhall be ſure to learne their wayes, and are in daunger to receiue deſtruction to our ſoules.

Thirdly, it reprooueth thoſe that go backeward in their profeſsion, that are corrupt trees and without fruite, twice dead and plucked vp by the roots. Where ſhall we in theſe daies find matter of ioy to comfort our ſelues, when godlineſſe ſo much decayeth, and wickedneſſe is ſet aloft? The Apoſtle ſayth notably to the Corinthians, y2 Cor. 2, 31.I feare leaſt when I come againe, my God abaſe me among you, and I ſhal bewaile many of them which hauehave ſinned alreadie, and hauehave not repented of the vncleanneſſe, & fornication, & wantonnes which they hauehave committed. Suffer me a little to paint out vntounto you in his colours, the vnclean leproſie, and filthy morphew, that hath by ſprading ſo diſfigured the face of this world, as it is made odious in the eyes and iudgments of al that hauehave any light of Gods ſpirit to diſcerne it. If we conſider the times wherein we liue, wee may truely ſay, they are the perilous ſeaſons yLuk 18. 8. 1 Tim 3, 1, 2.foreſhewed by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, when faith is ſcarce found vponupon the earth. What can we heare or ſee in any company to which we reſort, and not be either greeued, or guilty? For when we behold iniquity practiſed without feare, & maintained without ſhame, if we be not greeued at the committing of it, we are made guilty of it. If all Recordes were ſearched from the beginning, and a narrow vew of other times taken, it would be found by experience (our helpes and meanes greater then theirs conſidered) that we ouermatch them all, in all kind of prophaneſſe and abominations. As forſwearing, lying, whoring, pride, Atheiſme, wantonneſſe, looſeneſſe, vnmercifulneſſe, oppreſſion, coueteouſneſſe, ſacriledge, luxury, drunkenneſſe, enuy, Hipocriſie, malice, contempt of the word, and ſuch like, they hauehave ouerſpread the whole world as a running ſoare, as a fretting Canker, and as a loathſome vlcer, whereby our age is become as the dregs and lees of all that hauehave gone before vsus; yea, as a common ſinke that receiueth all filthineſſe and corruption into it. If any obiect, there was neuer more light of knowledge then is in our daies, and that the word was neuer ſo plainely and plentifully preached. I anſwere, if it be granted that the light of knowledge is wonderfull great, yet it is alſo as true that there was neuer more darkneſſe of impiety, neuer moe miſtes of vngodlineſſe, then now remain among vsus; ſo that it ſeemeth our greatneſſe of knowledge, ſerueth to no other purpoſe, then to add to the greatneſſe of our condemnation. We are growne worſe then our predecſſors and forefathers, becauſe if there had not been ſuch light, there could not be ſuch darkneſſe. If we had beene blind and not ſeen the light, we ſhould not hauehave ſo greatly ſinned. Thus our Sauiour ſpeaketh to ſome of the Phariſies, zIoh 9, 41,If ye were blind, ye ſhould not hauehave ſinne, but now ye ſay, we ſee, therefore your ſinne remaineth. The Sunne of the Goſpell, hauing ſhined vponupon our mariſh groundes, hath raiſed theſe ſtenches, and giuen li…e and growth to theſe monſters. For where the Goſpell doth not ſoften, it hardneth; where it worketh not conuerſion, it worketh confuſion; where it effecteth no good, it maketh men worſe, yea, worſe then Tyre and Sidon, worſe then Sodome and Gomorah. Thus truth compelleth me, and wofull experience conſtraineth me, to be a witneſſe of that I would not if I could otherwiſe chuſe touching the common corruption and iniquity of our age. Obiection.But ſome man may ſay, the goodneſſe of our profeſſors will make amends; and heale this ſoare; yea, make a full recompence of the former diſorders and abuſes. Anſwere.Indeed I acknowledge with all thankfulneſſe and reioyſing, that God hath his Church, and choſen flocke among vsus, contrary to the opinion and practiſe of ſuch as hauehave made a rent and ſeparation from vsus. But although we hauehave a true Church of Chriſt with vsus, it is a little flocke, a ſmall remnant, a gathering after the Harueſt, a gleaning after the vintage. It is an hard matter to finde a true Iſralite in whoſe heart is no guile. They are rare handes that are free from the contagions of the times, and pure from the ſpots of filthineſſe now raigning. We may take vp the complaint of the Prophet, aMica 7, 4.The beſt of them is a briar, and the moſt righteous of them ts ſharper then a Thorny heage. A man would hauehave thought, he might hauehave ingaged his life, and pawned his ſoule for the ſincerity of ſome, whom now we may behold to be gone as farre as Demas was, in the louelove of this world. Their louelove to the Saintes, their zeale to the word, their affection to the Miniſters, ſeemed to be ſuch, that no man doubted but their names were written in the booke of life; who now ſeeme to be raſed out of that booke which God hath written. They indured the bitterneſſe of the Croſſe, they deſpiſed the ſhame of the world, they ſuffered the taunts of the wicked, who now are ſet downe in the ſeate of the ſcornefull, and are become luke-warme in their profeſſion. Selfe-louelove hath quenched brotherly louelove, mercy is ſwallowed vp through hardneſſe of heart, compaſſion is turned into ſenceleſneſſe, yea all ciuill and iuſt dealing ſeeme to hauehave taken their Winges and to be fled vp into heauen, or elſe to be ſunke downe into the Center of the earth, and to hauehave left the ſociety of our new Chriſtians. It is now accounted a raſhneſſe, an heat of youth; yea, a ſinne worthy of ſharpe puniſhment, to ſtand to the rule and line of the word. If a man giuegive but a looke toward the Goſpell, and do not profeſſe himſelfe an open enemy vntounto it: if he ſhew the leaſt entertainment to the truth, and do not ſet himſelfe againſt the profeſſors of it, though he be a common Gameſter, a rioteous liuer, an vſurer, an incrocher, and oppreſſor; he hath the name and title of a good Chriſtian, he hath the praiſe and commendation of a good profeſſor. What ioy therefore can the Children of God hauehave in ſuch workes of darkneſſe, and in ſuch workers of iniquity. We may wiſh with the Prophet, bIer 9, 1.that our head were full of water, and our eyes a Fountaine of teares, to weepe day and night for the deſolation and deſtruction that hangeth ouer their heads. The Huſbandman taketh no pleaſure to ſee Tares and Darnel grow in his field, in ſtead of good Corne. The Gardiner cannot without greefe behold weedes ſpring vp in his Garden in ſtead of wholeſome Hearbes. So when we ſee the Church of God, to bring forth Chaffe inſtead of Wheat; Beanes, inſtead of Fruit; vice in ſtead of vertue, and ſinne in ſtead of righteouſneſſe; what greater greefe can ariſe in our heartes, or what greater ſorrow can be wrought in vsus? If we greeue through the wickedneſſe of our waies, and prophaneneſſe of our liues the Children of God; we likewiſe greeue the ſpirit of God, and quench ſuch good motions as are inſpired into vsus.

Vſe 3.Laſtly, it is our duty to ſeeke the good and proſperity of the Church, by all good meanes, and to draw them and moue them, to embrace the waies of ſaluation. This duty hath many branches growing from it. For ſeeing Gods graces beſtowed, giuegive occaſion of great ioy, it ought to teach vsus to exhort one an other, to comfort them that are comfortleſſe, to reproue them that goe aſtray, to pray for our bretheren, to ſeeke to gaine and winne them to the faith; and when they are gained and wonne, to reioyce vnfainedly at their conuerſion, and if we ſee any hope of their repentance and turning to God, to conuerſe with them and not to be aſhamed of their company. Certainly, he is not truely conuerted himſelfe, that doth not reioyce at the conuerſion of others. He neuer knew what true repentance meaneth, that conceiueth no ioy at the repentance of others. He is ignorant of the way of ſaluation, that is not greatly delighted and comforted, when others begin to be ſaued: that we ſay of them, as Chriſt doth of Zaccheus, cLuk 19, 9.This day is ſaluation come to this houſe, foraſmuch as he is alſo become the ſonne of Abraham. This doth directly reproue foure ſortes of men. The firſt reproofe.Firſt, ſuch as reioyce in thoſe that will ſinne with them and runne into all exceſſe of riot with them. Great is the delight that ſinners take in the ſociety and company one of another. They ioyne hand in hand together, it is their ſolace and paſtime to agree together as bretheren in euill, it is as meat and drinke vntounto them to follow after vngodlineſſe. Chriſt teacheth, that the Angels in Heauen reioyce for one ſinner that repenteth. Our ioy ariſeth vponupon their repentance. Their turning to God worketh our reioyſing.

So long as men flatter themſelues in their ſinnes, and proceed in their euill doing, no matter of ioy is offered vntounto vsus. The ſecond reproofe.Secondly, ſuch as ſeeke to draw them to euill, to vanity, and to all vngodlineſſe, (a common ſickneſſe that raigneth in our daies,) when men entiſe one another to euil. Theſe men beare the Image of the Deuil, and are transformed into his likeneſſe. For how can they gaine their bretheren to Godlineſſe, that are meanes to ſeduce them and ſo to bring them to all vngodlineſſe. Hence it is that Salomon councelleth vsus, dProu 1, 10.when ſinners entiſe vsus, not to conſent vntounto them. It is a greeuous ſinne to be an entiſer, but it ſhall not excuſe him that is entiſed. Let vsus therefore know, that we muſt exhort one an other to piety, not to impiety, and further one another to ſaluation, not to condemnation; & bring one another to heauen, not to hell. The thirde reproofe.Thirdly, it teprooueth thoſe that enuy and murmure at the calling of our Brethren to Repentaunce, and at their bringing into the Kingdome of Chriſt. This corrupt affection was in Ioſhua, eNum. 11, 29.who repined that the Elders had the guift of propheſie beſtowed vponupon them, as well as Moſes. This was in fIonas 4, 1, 2.Ionah, when he had preached to the Niniuites, and ſaw the great mercy of God in ſparing of them, and not deſtroying them according to hls preaching, and their deſeruinges, was angry, and it diſpleaſed him exceedingly. He regarded his owne credit and eſtimation among men, more then their conuerſion and preſeruation. This was in the elder Brother of the riotous and prodigall Sonne, gLuke 15, 31when he ſaw the ioy of his Father, at the receiuing of his Childe, and his readineſſe to forgiue, he was angry and would not go in. But his Father perſwadeth him, that there is no cauſe why he ſhould be grieued, inaſmuch as he is not himſelfe hindered or indamaged by this receyuing of his Brother into fauour; and reproueth him, in that hauing no regard of his brother, he is ſorry for the common ioy conceiued of his returne. That ioy did offend him, whereof he ſhould hauehave bin a Companion. Theſe two Reaſons are to be noted and obſerued, to root vp all enuy and malice out of our hearts, conſidering that we looſe nothing, whenſoeuer God doth graciouſly receiue into fauour, thoſe which through ſinne were falne from him, & that it is haughtineſſe without godlineſſe; greefe without mercy; and cruelty without compaſsion; not to reioyce and be glad, when we ſee any of our fellow ſeruants reſtored from death to life, raiſed from ſinne to righteouſneſſe; and found, who before were loſt. He then is vnrighteous and vngodly, who enuyeth his brother receiued into fauour, and he doth peruerſely and maliciouſly, which doth murmure at the mercy of God vponupon our brethren. The fourth reproofe.Fourthly, it condemneth ſuch as faile in the former duty, that neuer exhort their brethren to godlineſſe, neuer diſſwade them from ſinne, neuer comfort thoſe that are in miſery, neuer praying for them that are in diſtreſſe, neuer deſire God to be good vntounto them, neuer reioyce with them, when God hath ſhewed merciemercy.

We liue in theſe times, when the hand of God is ſtretched out againſt many of our brethren, they are reſtrained and ſhut vp by the contagion of plague & peſtilence. This their woful condition, doth cal vponupon vsus, and crie vntounto vsus, to be mindfull of them, and to pray to God our common Father, to hauehave pittie vponupon them, to call in his arrowes that he hath ſhot againſt them, to remember his olde mercies, that he was wont to ſhew to his inheritance. The Prophet exhorteth and ſtirreth vp the people hPſal. 122, 6. and 51, 9.to pray for the peace of Ieruſalem: and that dutie which he requireth of others, he daily practiſeth himſelf, praying vntounto GOD to bee fauourable to Syon, and to builde the Walles of Ieruſalem, according to his good pleaſure. Let vsus examine our ſelues, whether this affection bee found in vsus, and learne to teſtifie our LoueLove towards them, by procuring their good and ſafetie. When wee are in miſerie, our deſire is to taſte of the kindneſſe and compaſsion of our Brethren. Let vsus bee as carefull to promote their happineſſe. God is readie to heare vsus, his eares are open vntounto our Prayers, ſo that wee plainely bewray, that wee ſhall remaine without feeling and ſence of their miſerie, vnleſſe wee pray vntounto him for them, who is the God of all MercieMercy, and the Father of all Conſolation.

[Becauſe by thee (Brother) the Bowelles of the Saints are refreſhed.] Theſe Wordes, are a reaſon rendered of the words going before, declaring wherefore he had great ioy and conſolation in his louelove, becauſe the needie Members of Chriſt were ſuccoured by him. This tendeth to the praiſe of Philemon, who by his Charitie and mercifull dealing toward the poore Saints, did continually refreſh and comfort the bowelles of them that wanted. Doctrine 5. The workes of mercy, are to be ſhewed toward the poore Saintes.Wee learne from hence, that the workes of mercy and compaſſion, are to be ſhewed toward the poore Saintes. It is our duty to be bountifull and liberall, to thoſe that are in neceſſity. This Doctrine is proued and confirmed vntounto vsus by ſundry commandements, and examples in the word of God. Heereunto commeth the charge giuen by Moſes, aDeut 15, 7.If one of thy bretheren with thee be poore, within any of thy Gates, in thy Land, which the Lord thy God giueth thee, thou ſhalt not harden thy heart, nor ſhut thine hand from thy poore brother, but thou ſhalt open thine hand vntounto him, and ſhalt lend him ſufficient for his neede which he hath. Likewiſe Salomon ſaith, bEccle 11, 1, 2.Caſt thy bread vponupon the waters for after many daies thou ſhalt find it, giuegive a portion to ſeuen, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what euill ſhall be vponupon the earth. Alſo the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, to the ſame purpoſe, cHeb 13, 16.To do good and to diſtribute forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is pleaſed. The examples of the Children of God that hauehave gone before vsus in the perfourmance of this duty are many, both in the old and new Teſtament. It is recorded to the perpetuall praiſe and commendation d1 King 18, 13.of Obadiah, that he hid the Prophets of God in a Caue, from the cruelty of Ieſabell, and ſuſtained them with food, and miniſtred all thinges neceſſary vntounto them. The like we ſee in Iob, eIob 31, 16.who reſtrained not the poore of their deſire, nor cauſed the eyes of the Widdow to faile, he ſaw not any periſh for want of clothing, nor any poore without couering; his loynes bleſſed him, becauſe he was warmed with the fleece of his ſheepe. The widdow of f1 King 17, 10.Zarephath releeued Eliah in the Famine. The Apoſtle commendeth Oneſiphorus, g2 Tim 1, 16.becauſe he oft refreſhed him, and was not aſhamed of his Chaine, but when he was at Rome he ſought him out very diligently and found him. The Euangeliſt Luke in the Actes of the Apoſtles declareth, that Tabitha hAct 9, 36. 39, and 10, 2.was full of good workes and almes which ſhe did, for ſhe made many Coates and Garments to couer the Saintes. Cornelius is reported to be a deuout man, and one that feared God with al his houſhold, which gaue much almes to the people, and prayſed God continually. All theſe Teſtimonies of holy Scripture teach vsus, that to do good, to yeeld releefe, and to miniſter comfort vntounto men, eſpecially to the Saintes of God, is a neceſſary duty belonging to all the ſeruants of God.

Reaſon 1.Now as we hauehave heard ſundry commandements and examples to moue vsus heereunto, ſo diuerſe reaſons may be produced to confirme the ſame vntounto vsus. The wiſe man in the booke of Eccleſiaſtes is plentifull in this argument. Firſt, he preſſeth vponupon vsus this duty, in reſpect of the rich reward that ſhall be rendred to thoſe that are mercifull to the poore. For exhorting all men to iEccl 11, 1.caſt their bread vponupon the Waters, that is, euen where it ſeemeth to be loſt, & where no hope of recompence remaineth: he giueth this reaſon: for after many daies thou ſhalt finde it. And in the booke of the Prouerbes he ſaith, kProu 19, 17. Mat 10, 42.He that hath mercy vponupon the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord, and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen. When one lendeth to an honeſt man he feareth no loſſe, but hopeth to receiue againe; much more may we be aſſured that God himſelfe will reſtore and repay, who is not as the ſonnes of men, that he ſhould delude or deceiue vsus.

Reaſon 2.Secondly, he moueth vsus to the fruites of Charity and compaſſion, from the conſideration of the vncertainty and vanity of all things, inſomuch as albeit we know what is preſent, we are ignorant of that which is to come. All things in this life are mutable and vncertain. 1 The life of man is vncertaine, we know not how ſhort a time we hauehave to liue and to exerciſe our liberallity. Wee know not what one lProu 27, 1.day may bring forth, and that one minute and moment may cut off all opportunity to ſhew mercy. 2 It is vncertaine, whether the riches, which now we hauehave in plenty and abundance, ſhall continue and abide with vsus. The Apoſtle calleth Riches by this title; m1 Tim 6, 17vncertaine riches, and Salomon ſaith, nProu 23, 5.Wilt thou caſt thine eyes vponupon them which are nothing? For Riches taketh her to her Winges as an Eagle, and flyeth into the heauen. Who was to be compared with Iob, among all the men of the Eaſt, yet ſuddainly he was ſtripped of them, and made one of the pooreſt. It is vncertaine, what our eſtate and condition may be, and to what neceſſity our ſelues may come, wee may be brought to that extremity, that we may ſtand in need of the help of others, and be conſtrained to aske almes, and begge our releefe of them, when as we by the righteous iudgement of God ſhal find rich men ſo affected toward vsus, as others hauehave found vsus, when we had the goods of this world. Laſtly, it is vncertaine what thy ſonne and heire will prooue, thou knoweſt not whether he will riotouſly waſt, and prodigally conſume all that thou haſt left, which thou haſt gotten with care and trauell, or whether a ſtranger ſhall enter vponupon thy labours, and vſurpe that which is not his owne. This is that reaſon which Salomon ſetteth downe in his Eccleſiaſtes, oEccl. 11, 2.GiueGive a portion to ſeauen, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what euill ſhall be vponupon the earth. In all theſe conſiderations, being compaſſed about, and hemmed in on eueryevery ſide with a worlde of vncertainties, it ſtandeth vsus vponupon to follow the counſel and aduiſe of Chriſt our Sauiour, pLuke 16, 9who willeth vsus to make vsus friends with the riches of iniquitie, that when wee ſhall want, they may receiue vsus into euerlaſting habitations, which is not ſpoken of goods euilly and wrongfully gotten, but of goods that may be wickedly and wrongfully taken from vsus by open force, or ſecret fraud; by violence of Robbers, by pretence of right, by colour of Lawe, or by the power of the oppreſſor.

Reaſon 3.Thirdly, the poore cannot recompence and repay again that which is beſtowed vponupon them, but God himſelfe will reſtore it ſeauen fold into thy boſome. We muſt heerein imitate our Heauenly Father, who is readie to ſhew mercy to all. This is the precept of Chriſt, qMat. 5, 42, 45GiueGive to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee, turne not away, &c. that ye may be the Children of your heauenly Father, for he maketh his Sonne to ariſe on the euill, and the good, & ſendeth raine on the iuſt and vniuſt. So likewiſe it behooueth vsus, to follow the example of Chriſt, r2 Cor. 8, 9.Who beeing rich, for our ſakes became poore, that wee thorough his pouerty might be made rich. This was the greateſt grace and merciemercy that could be ſhewed.

Reaſon 4.Fourthly, the poore hauehave beene in all ages, and ſhall alwayes remain with vsus to the end of the world, to the end that their bowels may feele our refreſhing, and their loynes bleſſe vsus, and pray for vsus. For, if it had pleaſed God, hee could hauehave made all men rich, and none to ſtand in need of the ayde and aſsiſtance of others; but this difference in degrees among men, placing ſome aboue, and others beneath, making ſome rich, and others poore, ſetting ſome on high, and others low, ſerueth moſt for the aduancement of his glory, and the maintaining of fellowſhip and friendſhip, of concord and vnity one with another. If all were rich, and abounded in outward wealth, we ſhould neither know God, nor our ſelues, nor our Brethren: we would be ready to ſay, ſProu. 30, 9.Who is the Lord? We would be ready to diſdaine and deſpiſe our Bretheren. If all were poore, and in neceſsity, there would be nothing but robbing, ſtealing, periury, and all confuſion. Wherefore, it is the ordinance of God, that ſome ſhould be rich, and ſome poore, ſome wealthy, and others in want. Hee maketh ſome poore, to exerciſe their patience, and to try howe they will beare that burden, and behaue themſelues vnderunder the croſſe. He maketh others rich to exerciſe our merciemercy, to be obiectes of our pitty and compaſsion, and that we ſhould neuer want ſome occaſions to ſhew forth the fruits of a liuely faith. Seeing therefore, we ſhal receiue a great aduantage in this life, and be recompenced at the reſurrection of the iuſt; ſeeing we are vncertain what ſhal happen heereafter, and know not what euill may fall vppon the earth: ſeeing wee are commanded to follow the example of God the Father, who is good to al, and of Chriſt his ſonne, who being rich, made himſelfe poore, and of no reputation, and laſtly, ſeeing we muſt alway hauehave the poore to exerciſe the workes of mercy, and to releeue their miſery; it followeth, that we are to diſtribute the outward bleſſings of this life to thoſe that be in want and ſtand in need of comfort.

Ʋſe 1.The Doctrine being thus cleered and confirmed, let vsus ſee the vſes that ariſe from hence. Firſt, this being ſo neceſſary a duty required of all men, it teacheth a difference betweene the Heathen and Chriſtian religion. The Heatheniſh Religion neuer tooke order for the poore, nor required any compaſſion toward them; but the profeſſion of Chriſt, chargeth this duty vponupon all true beleeuers, and teacheth that iudgement ſhalbe without mercy, to thoſe that ſhew not mercy. When Paule departed from the reſt of the Apoſtles at Ieruſalem, they tGala. 2, 10.warned him onelyonly that he ſhould remember the poore, which thing alſo he was diligent to doe. But this was neuer remembred, nor regarded, nor intended among the Nations that were vnbeleeuers. True it is, the Painims and Philoſophers, hauehave held and deliuered many morrall inſtructions, and ſpoken well of Iuſtice, Temperance, Clemency, Prudence, and Friendſhip, of obedience toward parents, of Gentleneſſe toward men, of liberality toward the poore, of louelove toward our Country, of Loialty toward Princes, and ſuch other vertues. He that ſhould deny uAntimachia. preface before the ſecond booketheir precepts in part to be wel ſpoken, and in part to be wel practiſed, ſhould do them great wrong. But the Chriſtian Religion, as it hath all theſe in common with them, approuing and allowing of them; yea, not diſdaining to read their bookes and to learne ſuch Doctrine of them as they hauehave left in writing, ſo it hath lanched out a great deale deeper, and entred farther, and conſidered better of the precepts of good life, and the practiſe of good manners, then the Heathen and Infidels hauehave done. It was a rule of one of the wiſeſt among the Gentiles, xPlato.that we are not borne onelyonly for our ſelues, but that our birth is partly for our Country, partly for our Parents, and partly for our friendes. A goodly and Golden ſentence much admired, and greatly commended, and oftentimes alleaged. But if it be compared with the Doctrine of Chriſt, and the duty of all Chriſtians, it will be found maimed in his limmes, and defectiue in his parts, neither hauing a good beginning, nor making a perfect ending. For firſt of all, he preſcribeth that our Charity ſhould be imployed toward our ſelues, which they hauehave well marked, allowed, and followed, which ſay, that a well ordered Charity beginneth at himſelfe. But this is farre from the Doctrine of Chiſt and his Apoſtles. Chriſt himſelfe cōmandeth vsus yMat 22, 39.to louelove our Neigh-as our ſelues, and Paule teacheth z1 Cor 13, 5.that Charity ſeeketh not her owne things. Againe, he maketh mention of our Country, of our parents, and of our friends, and rangeth them into good order, but what becommeth of the poore? where or in what place of this notable ſentence doth he place them? he ſpeaketh not of them at all, let them ſhift as they can, they are quite forgotten, the Philoſophers Charity ſtretcheth not to them; let them ſinke or ſwimme, liue or die, feed or ſtarue, it was all one to him and to that Religion that he beleeued. And indeed a poore perſon in the time of the Painims had no other meanes to liue and ſuſtaine himſelfe and his family, then to ſell himſelfe as a ſlaue to him that would buy him, if no man were found that would buy him, he periſhed for hunger, and died through want and famine. True it is, when they ſaw ſome men with their eyes languiſhing in miſery, and heard them with their eares pitifully complaining in their extremity, they were ſometimes touched with commiſeration and compaſſion toward poore perſons, but they neuer called or accounted this duty of humanity a vertue, but onelyonly an humane paſſion or naturall affection. Furthermore, they neuer builded or erected any Hoſpitalls or houſes of refreſhing to lodge and nouriſh the poore, neither had the Princes their Almoners, to diſtribute their Almes as Chriſtians hauehave. When a Child was borne miſhapen and euill-formed among them, it was killed; aHalicarnaſſ. Rom. Antiq. lib. 2.yea, it was not onelyonly allowed, but commanded, to ſtifle and ſtrangle it, that it ſhould not be brought vp: a cruelty and inhumanity againſt Nature, and a deſpite and iniury done to the Creator, who created them, and formed them in their Mothers wombe. They made account of poore men as they did of Beaſts; for alas, as thoſe poore wretches came into the Market place, & ſet themſelues to ſale, as men do their Cattle, ſo ſuch as bought them, ſtanding there at offer & proffer, had full poſſeſſion to do with them what they would, they had power to kill their bondmen at their pleaſure, when, and how, and for what cauſe they thought good, and were not ſubiect to giuegive any account of their death, and for their ſo dooing. They did ordinarily ſlay their ſlaues and Seruants, when they became vnprofitable bDion in Auguſto.vntounto them, and reſerued ſuch as were ſtrong to labour, and able to doo them ſeruice. Moreouer, they ſet vp ſundrie Theaters for Combates, to offer pleaſure, and make paſtime to the Beholders, and cauſed their poore Slaues to band themſelues in two partes, one againſt another: then, they brought them forth, cauſing them furiouſly to ſet one vponupon another with naked ſwordes, and with naked bodies, none of them being furniſhed with any defenſiue Armour; and the people aſſembled to ſee this moſt vngodly ſport, laughed at it, and tooke no leſſe pleaſure to looke vppon it, then wee take pleaſure to ſee Cockes fight one with another.

Thus we ſee what the Religion of theſe Panims and Miſcreants was, barbarous, beaſtly, bloody, defiled with all cruelty, contrary to al pitty and piety, regarding the poor no more then brute beaſts, and making no more account of them, but for their ſeruice they drew from them, and for the want they had of them. For among all the morral precepts which they taught and deliuered, we neuer read that they ſpake any thing, that they preſcribed or perſwaded any thing touching the poore, nor that they euer eſtabliſhed any good pollicy to helpe them. Notwithſtanding, it agreeth well with naturall reaſon, that eueryevery one do good to his like. And it is a ſound principle confeſſed among all, cLamprid. in Atexan.What thou wouldeſt not ſhould be done to thee, do it not vntounto another: but we muſt do to another, as we would he ſhould do vntounto vsus. But the Religion which is called the Chriſtian religion goeth farther, and beginneth where nature leaueth vsus: It teacheth vsus to reſpect the poore as our own fleſh, to regard them as the members of Chriſt, to account of them as of thoſe that beare the Image of God, to releeue them as heires of the Kingdome of Heauen, and to remember that the Lorde Ieſus accepteth and rewardeth that which is done vntounto them, as doone vntounto himſelfe. So then, no man can denie, but all men muſt confeſſe, that the Chriſtian Religion is in all points more excellent and perfect, then all other Religions, which are of Men, and ſauour of the Fleſh.

Vſe 2Secondly, ſeeing the works of merciemercy muſt be ſhewed to the poore Saints, it reproueth thoſe that are wearie and backward in doing good, and hauehave no care to releeue them that liue in great pouerty and penury. We ſee manie that are bountifull, and (as I may ſay) prodigall and waſtfull in pampering of themſelues, and feaſting the Rich, which hauehave no neede, and ſtande not in want, but are ſparing and faſt-handed towardes the poore. Theſe are like vntounto the Rich man, that was cladde in Purple, dLuke 16, 19and fared deliciouſly euerie day, but woulde not yeelde vntounto poore Lazarus, the Crummes and Offals that came from his Table. This is a great vanitie, to gaine praiſe and commendation from the Worlde, to bee great Cheere-makers to the rich, and to bee miſerable to the poore and needie. Indeede, it is no ſinne to entertaine thy rich Friendes, and to Feaſt thy Kinſ-folkes, eGen. 18, 26as Abraham did Abimelech; but the other to feede the poore, rather then to Feaſt the rich, ought to be more common, and is approued to be more commendable. But ſuch as follow all riot, and liue in all exceſſe, are moſt hard-harted toward the poore. For diuelliſh prodigality and Chriſtian liberality, cannot ſtande together. Such as waſt their goods in riotous liuing, thinke it ill ſpent that is giuen to the poore, eſpecially that which is beſtowed vponupon the poore Saints. We ſaw this in the rich Glutton, who abounding in outward bleſsings, would communicate nothing to Lazarus, as full of wants as he was of ſores. Wee hauehave heereof a liuely picture, ſet vppe to bee ſeene in the Sodomites, fEzek. 16, 49who exceeding in exceſſe of pride, and fulneſſe of Bread, offended there-withall in contempt of the poore, and weakning the hand of the ndeeie. Behold the practiſe of all that ſpend and waſt their wealth in drunkenneſſe, ſurfetting, and ſuch like wickedneſſe, it greeueth them more to giuegive a penny to good vſes, then to lauiſh and daſh away a pound, in following and feeding their beaſtly humors; whereby God is diſhonoured, the poore are robbed, their bodyes are diſfigured, their good Name is impaired, and their ſoules are endaungered for euer.

There is no man, gObiections of miſerable men againſt liberality.that delighteth in any ſinne, hut hee hath pretence and excuſe for his ſinne. The ſloathfull ſeruant that hid his Maiſters Talent and treaſure committed vntounto him, alledged this for himſelf, hMath. 25, 44I knew that thou waſt an hard man, which reapeſt where thou ſowedſt not, and gathereſt where thou ſtrowedſt not. So the ſluggard ſaith, iProu. 22, 13.There is a Lyon without, I ſhall be ſlaine in the ſtreet. In like manner, ſuch as are miſerable and mercileſſe toward the poore members of Chriſt, are readie to couer their ſhame, though it be with Figge-leaues; to dawbe vp their hardneſſe of heart, though it bee with vntempered morter, and to paint their hypocriſie, though it be with deceitfull and fading colours. Let vsus ſee what their Obiections are, hindering their liberality, and ſhutting their handes, or rather their hearts from this compaſsion, ſo often commanded of God, and ſo much practiſed of the godly. Obiection.Firſt, they ſay, they cannot do that which they deſire, they fear that they themſelues may want, if they ſhold be liberal in giuing. Anſwere.I anſwer, this proceedeth from the bitter root of infidelity. God hath promiſed to rewarde the liberall giuer, but theſe men hauehave not hearts to beleeue him, & to conſider that he is true of his word. They thinke that by giuing almes they ſhall be waſted, but the ſpirite of God pronounceth, that their wealth ſhalbe increaſed. He that giueth to the poore, kProu. 28. 27 and 11, 25.lendeth to the Lord, & ſhall neuer lacke. The liberal perſon ſhal hauehave plenty, and hee that watereth ſhal hauehave raine. There is that ſcattereth, and more is encreaſed, but he that ſpareth more then is meet, ſurely commeth to pouerty. Whatſoeuer is beſtowed vponupon the poore, is accounted as giuen to Chriſt, who is a rich Rewarder of all that ſeeke him. Hence it is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, l2 Cor. 9, 9, 10Hee hath diſperſed abroad, and hath giuen to the poor, his beneuolence remaineth for euer; alſo, he that findeth ſeed to the ſower, will miniſter likewiſe Bread for food, and multiply your ſeed, and encreaſe the fruites of your beneuolence. The Wiſe man teacheth, that if our bread and our bountifulneſſe were caſt vponupon the waters, yet after many dayes we ſhall finde them againe. The Husbandman caſteth his ſeed in the earth, and burieth it almoſt an whole year before hee receiueth & reapeth the fruit of that he hath ſowne. Therefore, let not thoſe that vſe to giuegive releefe to others, feare that they ſhall want the releefe of others. Obiection.Again, others plead and pretend that they are poore and needie themſelues, they are rather conſtrained to receiue, then to giuegive; to take, then to diſtribute; to accept, then to beſtow; for he that hath but little, cannot miniſter to others. But this cannot excuſe the neglect of this dutie. Anſwere.Let ſuch knowe, that if there bee a willing minde, m2 Cor. 12.A Man is accepted according to that which hee hath, and not according to that which hee hath not. The poore Widdowe mentioned in the Goſpell, caſt but one Mite into the Treeſury, and yet that which ſhe gaue of her penurie, nLuke 21, 3.was more reſpected of Chriſt, then all the aboundance of the Rich. The Churches of Macedonia, were themſelues o2 Cor. 8, 9.in extream neceſsity, and in great pouertie, yet ſent releefe to others, aboue their abilitie. They that were conuerted to the Faith, after Chriſtes aſcenſion, diminiſhed their owne ſubſtance, when they ſolde their poſſeſsions, oActs 4, 5.and diſtributed the money among the poore, according to the neceſsities of eueryevery one. Euerie man is bound to miniſter to his neighbour, and to ſupply his wantes as God hath enabled him. Obiection 3.Thirdly, others alledge for themſelues, that they hauehave a great charge and heauy burthen lying vppon their ſhoulders, they muſt prouide for Wife and Children, they hauehave Father and Mother, and Kindered to releeue, and if they ſhould not ſuſtaine them, they are made worſe then Infidels, and hauehave denied the Faith. Anſwere.Theſe ſhiftes cannot ſerue our turne, nor iuſtifie vsus in our euill doing. True it is, theſe thinges muſt bee done, but the other muſt not bee left vndone. The Church gathered by Peters preaching after Chriſts aſcending into Heauen, not onelyonly ſpent of their ſuperfluity, but ſolde their patrimonie to releeue the poore, yet no doubt they had Wife and Children of their owne to prouide for. So no doubt had the Macedonians, who not onelyonly according to their power, but alſo beyond their power, were willing to doo others good. Wee muſt commit our Children vntounto him that hath promiſed to bee a Father vntounto them. Hee hath promiſed, that he will not leaue vsus, nor forſake vsus, but be our deliuerer, pHeb. 13.So that vvee ſhall not feare what Man can doo vntounto vsus. Wee hauehave a full aſſuraunce of his worde, That the righteous qPſal. 37, 25.ſhall not bee forſaken, nor his ſeede begge their Bread.

Such therefore, as ſet their hearts to prepare and prouide much for their poſterity, do withdraw themſelues commonly from helping the poore, and by this meanes do oftentimes bring a curſe vponupon their owne goods, ſo that ſome of their Children, or of their Childrens Children riotouſly waſt them, & make hauocke of all moſt vnthriftily. Obiection 4.Fourthly, ſome there are, that hang backe, and will giuegive no Almes, becauſe the poore are lewde and wicked, they are Idle and abuſe their almes, they hauehave bad tongues, and are vnthankful perſons towards ſuch as releeue them. Anſwere.I aunſwere, wee muſt in our giuing reſpect more the Commaundement of God, then the perſonnes of men: and though it fall out, that their tongues curſſe vsus, yet if wee ſuccour them in their neceſſitie, the loynes of the poore ſhall bleſſe vsus, and wee ſhall thereby heape Coales of fire vponupon their head, and make them aſhamed of their euill. We are likewiſe commaunded to louelove our Neighbor, it is not mentioned in the goſpell, that we ſhould not louelove him except he bee godly. We are commaunded to ſet before vsus the example of God, rMath. 5.Who maketh the Sun to ſhine, & rain to fall vponupon the iuſt and vniuſt, vponupon the godly and the vngodly, that ſo we may bee perfect, as our heauenly Father is perfect.

Againe, the Apoſtle Paule hauing taught, that ydle perſonnes which will not labour ſhould not eate, ſ2 Theſ. 3, 13.addeth one thing further to bee practiſed, That we ſhould not bee wearie of well-dooing. Let vsus not therefore ſo much looke vponupon the perſon of the men, as conſider the greatneſſe of their want: Let vsus not looke for a recompence from them, but from him that hath promiſed vntounto vsus, that a Cuppe of colde Water ſhall bee reſpected, and rewarded by him. This is it which Salomon meaneth, Eccles. 11, 3. when hee ſayeth, tEccles. 11, 3If the Clowdes bee full, they will poure foorth Raine vppon the Earth, and if the Tree do fall towardes the South, or towardet the North, in the place that the Tree falleth, there it ſhall bee. In this place, the Wiſeman perſwadeth the Church to liberality toward the poore; the Clowds, when they are full of water, doo not keepe it to themſelues, but poure it on the earth that gapeth for the raine, as if it were a thirſt, and openeth his mouth to bee refreſhed; ſo when men are laden with wealth, they are bound to cheriſh their bretheren, as it were pined away with hunger & third. Then he preuenteth that obiection which Couetous men make, to ſtay their hands from ſhewing merciemercy, and to ſhut vp their compaſsion from the needy, becauſe they are wicked and vnworthy of any fauour, that they will abuſe it to Whoredome, to Drunkenneſſe, and to exceſſe. For, hee telleth them of the profite and reward, that they ſhall receiue, becauſe as the Tree, howſoeuer it falleth, on the right hande, or on the left, on the North, or on the South, it skilleth not, ſeeing it becommeth the owners, and it falleth to him; ſo the bountifulneſſe of good men, whether it bee giuen to the worthy or vnworthy, to the faithfull or vnfaithfull, ſhall turne to his benefite that beſtowed it. To conclude, euerie Chriſtian man, muſt hauehave the Spirite of Chriſt, uRom. 8, 9.if hee bee his; hee that hath not the Spirite of Chriſt, he is none of his. But Chriſt is mercifull, and therefore wee muſt be mercifull.

Vſe 3.Laſtly, ſeeing it belongeth to thoſe that hauehave the goods of this world, out of their plenty to ſupply the wants of the poore, it belongeth vntounto vsus to hauehave an earneſt care and dilligence to prouide for the poore, eſpecially, the poore Saints. This dutie and diligence was in the Apoſtle Paule, as it is expreſſed, Rom. 15. where it is xRom. 15, 25 28.ſaide, That he Ministred to the Saintes at Ieruſalem, and withall, that hee gaue himſelfe no rest in this, vntill hee had ſealed this fruite vntounto them; that is, till hee ſaw it done and effected, according to his deſire. It is not enough for vsus, to giuegive good wordes, or to vtter from our mouthes good wiſhes, but we muſt in our ſeuerall places, and particular callings, do our vtmoſt endeuour, that releefe may euen be ſealed to our poore. It is not enough to giuegive to thoſe that aske and craue the fruite of our liberality, but we muſt learne to enquire of the wants of the Saints, and to ſearch what is their condition. It belongetb vntounto vsus, not onelyonly to hauehave eares prepared to heare, but to hauehave mouths opened, to aske of the welfare of thoſe that are in neceſſity. We would deſire to be ſo dealt with all our ſelues; and therefore let vsus be ſo minded toward our Brethren. This wee ſee in Abraham, yGen. 18, 19.hee ſtaied not till thoſe ſtrangers came into his houſe, til they deſired to be receiued & hauehave lodging, but he went out of his tent of his owne accord, to ſee whom hee could eſpy, that he might bring them to his houſe. So did Lot, zIudg. 19, 17.ſo dealt all the Fathers. Thus did Nehemiah, when he ſaw ſome of his brethren that were come from Ie…uſalem, aNehem. 1, 2.he asked them concerning the ſtate of the Church, and of the reſidue of the Captiuity. Wee muſt not alwayes waite, till we bee intreated and vrged to ſhew merciemercy, but offer it our ſelues, to teſtifie the willingneſſe of our hearts. Wee muſt not onelyonly readily giuegive our releefe when the poore require it, but goe vntounto them, ſearch them out, and call for them, whether they aske our Almes or not, whether they require our releefe or not. As Chriſt hath loued vsus, ſo let vsus louelove one another. Now, hee loued vsus being his enemies, when we neuer asked remiſſion of our ſinnes, for he was found of them that ſought him not, and ſhewed merciemercy to them that deſired it not, ſo ought wee alſo to deale with our Bretheren, not tarrying till they craue, but offering our Compaſſion. There hauehave euer beene poore, that make not their wants openly knowne, and are ſo deiected and reiected of many, that they are aſhamed to ſhew their neceſsity. This dutie requiring our earneſt care, to ſeeke after, and ſee to the wants of our poore Bretheren, reprooueth three ſorts of men. The firſt reproofe.Firſt, ſuch as helpe them only in words, but not in deedes; with their mouth, not wirh their hands; in outward ſhew, not by any true fruit of Charity. Such men doth the Apoſtle Iames note in his Epiſtle, bIam. 2, 15, 16who when they ſee a poor man, or a poore Woman, which wanteth bread to eate, and cloaths to put on, they ſay vntounto him; God help thee (poore man) and ſuccour thee, and ſend thee releefe, it is great pitty thou art no better prouided for. Theſe are deſtitute of a true Faith, which ſtandeth not in worde onelyonly: and the poore, notwithſtanding all theſe faire Wordes, and goodly promiſes, may ſtarue for colde, and die for thirſt, and perriſh for Famine, if they ſhould finde no better comfort, and if eueryevery man ſhould ſerue them after this ſort. It is a verie true ſaying of the Wiſe Salomon, A Man cProu. 25, 14.that boasteth of great liberality, is like Cloudes and Winde vvithout Raine. So the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith, d1 Iohn 3, 15.My little Children, let vsus not louelove in word, neyther in tongue onelyonly, but in deede, and in trueth. It is not enough for a man to ſay, hee will helpe and ſuccour his Neighbour, vnleſſe hee helpe him indeede.

The ſecond reproofe.Secondly, it reprooueth thoſe that do not rightly conſider what poore the Apoſtle meaneth, and ſetteth before vsus as obiects of our compaſſion. He doth not vnderſtande the ydle Begger, or ſturdy Rogue, or vagrant Companion, who not applying himſelfe in any lawfull calling, maketh a profeſſion of beggery, and liueth altogether vponupon the ſpoyle of other mens goodes, the profite of other mens labour, and the ſweate of other mens browes. Neither doth he meane ſuch manner of perſons, as are common and continually haunters of Ale-houſes, Vnthrifts, Spend-als, Carders, Dicers, Drunkards, which ſpend all the Weeke in going from one tipling place to another, hauing Wiues and Children at home, that want thoſe things which they waſt, and when they come vntounto them, they raile and rage as mad men, againſt thoſe they ſhoulde releeue. Theſe are excluded and wiped out of the roll and Regiſter of the poore Saints ſpoken of in this place, being worſe then e1 Tim. 5.Infidels, and denying the Faith. The Turkes and Sarazens ſhall riſe vp in iudgement againſt this wretched generation, and condemne them. But the Apoſtle pointeth out ſuch vntounto vsus, to be holpen and comforted, as albeit it hath pleaſed God not to beſtow ſo great a portion of worldly bleſsings vponupon them, as vponupon others, as the Artificer, the Handy-crafts man, and Day-Labourer, yet labour diligently in their Callings, and follow their Trades with all carefulneſſe to releeue them-ſelues, and to maintaine their Families, as thoſe that profeſſe the feare of God, and the Faith of Chriſt. VnderUnder this ranke, we may range poore Widdowes and Fatherleſſe Children, all aged and impotent perſons, ſuch …s are lame and diſeaſed, that would worke, but cannot; that deſire to labour, but are not able. It is the rule of the Apoſtle, that ought to take place in all Churches, f2 Theſ. 3, 10.That ſuch as will not take paines, muſt not eate. All thoſe, that through frailty of Child-hood, or weakeneſſe of Olde age, or impotencie of limbes, or greeuouſneſſe of ſickneſſe, or thorough greatneſſe of their charge, labouring according to the vtmoſt of their ſtrength, yet are not able to maintaine themſelues, muſt hauehave their wants ſupplied willingly and chearfully; not grudgingly and ſparingly, ſhewing our ſelues to hauehave a feeling of their neceſſities.

The third reproofe.Thirdly, it reprooueth ſuch as neuer open their mouths to know the eſtate of the poore Sain…s, or to enquire how they fare: Alas, how ſhould they offer their helpe of their owne accord, and open the bowels of pitty before they be entreated, that will depart from nothing, but vrged and conſtrained by force of Law, or taxation of others? Or how ſhould they extend their compaſsion to the poore that are abſent, who are like vntounto the rich man that deſpiſed Lazarus lying at his gate, and woulde not giuegive him the crums that fell from his table? It is noted to the great commendation of Dauid, that after the death of Saule, he ſought not reuenge vponupon his iſſue and poſterity, but did good to his childrens children, & ſaid; g2 Sam. 9, 1.Is there any left of the houſe of Saul, that I may ſhew mercy for Ionathans ſake? So ought we to ſeek out the ſeruants of God, and to finde out the poor, and to enquire after the diſtreſſed Saints, and ſay; Is there any of the poore yet left, to whom we may ſhew mercy for the Lordes ſake? For they repreſent the perſon of Chriſt: when they come vntounto vsus; Chriſt himſelfe commeth vntounto vsus; and when they aske of vsus, it is Chriſt that asketh of vsus, and ſaith; I am hungry, I am thirſty, I am naked, I am harbourleſſe; ſo that whatſoeuer we would do to Chriſt if he were with vsus, the ſame muſt wee do to them that are among vsus.

Commentary Upon Philemon, Exposition · Verses 6-7