Commentary Upon Philemon, Title page – Dedication
A COMMENTARIE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT PAVLE TO PHILEMON. Wherein, the Apoſtle handling a meane and low ſubiect, intreating for a Fraudulent and Fugitiue Seruant, mounteth aloft vntounto God, and deliuereth ſundry high Miſteries of true Religion, and the practiſe of Duties
oeconomicall.
Politicall.
Eccleſiaſticall.
As
Of Perſecution for Righteouſneſſe ſake.
Of Chriſtian Equity, and Moderation.
Of Gods free Grace forgiuing offences.
Of Houſhold Gouernment, and priuate poſſeſsions.
Of the Conuerſion of Sinners, and Communion of Saints.
Of Faith, and good workes.
Of Friendſhip, and Suretiſhip.
Of Prayer, and Hoſpitality.
Of the Goſpell, and Almes-deedes.
Of Gods Prouidence.
And of the force and fruit of the Miniſtery.
¶ Mouing all the Miniſters of the Goſpell, to a diligent labouring in the ſpirituall Haruest, and the people, to a conſcionable attending to the word of Saluation, as to Gods high and holy ordinance for our conuerſion, with aſſured hope of his wonderfull bleſſing; vponupon the ſound Preaching of the one, and the ſauing hearing of the other.
Written by WILLIAM ATTERSOLL, Miniſter of the word of God, at Isfield in Suſſex.
Luke 17. 3.
¶ Take heede to your ſelues: if thy Brother treſpaſſe againſt thee, rebuke him: and if he repent, forgiue him.
¶ Printed at London by William Iaggard. 1612.
TO THE RIGHT WORſhipfull Sir THOMAS PELHAM, Baronet, encreaſe of GRACE in this life, and eternall GLORIE in the life to come.
AGeſilaus King of Lacedemon, when one praiſed a certaine Orator that he could ſtretch out ſmall matters at large and length; and amplifie them with many words, both fitly and fully anſweared him, But I cannot aPlut. Apotheg.thinke him a good Shoo-maker, that would put a great and wide Shoo vponupon a ſlender foote. There be many I feare, who conſidering the ſhortneſſe of this preſent Epiſtle; and comparing it with the largeneſſe of my Expoſition, will bee ready to ſuppoſe and ſurmiſe, through the fore-ſtalling of their preiudicate Opinion, that to a little Citty I hauehave ſet vp wide Gates; and to a ſlender body, hauehave faſhioned a wide Garment; both which, are faulty and vnfit. But, if theſe partiall Iudges would weigh the cauſe aright, in iuſt and equal Ballances, without the corrupt affections of Malice, or Enuy, I doubt not, but they will rather thinke, that to a great Foot I hauehave fitted and applied a little Shoo.
For this Epiſtle Written to Philemon, though it be ſhort in words, and comprehended in a little compaſſe; yet, if wee regard and reſpect (as we ought to do) either the pithy and profound ſubſtance of the matter, or the cunning, or rather curious Art of Paul the writer, or the great and glorious Maieſty of God the Endighter, which ſhineth and ſheweth it ſelfe euen in the leaſt things; we ſhalbe conſtrained to confeſſe, that this is a right great Epiſtle, and as bMacrob. comment in Som. Scipion. lib. 2. cap. 5.one ſaith in another caſe, Verborum parua, ſed rerum foecunda, and the Interpretation of it very breefe, both in regard of the Worthineſſe of the Argument, and the Wiſedome of the Spirit that appeareth therein. A Diamond may be little, yet it is of great price. The eye is ſmall, yet it ſeeth farre. The heart is little, yet is it the life of the body. It pleaſeth God to ſhew forth the greatneſſe of his power in the leaſt works of his hands. And as Merchants that caſt Accounts, cVellei. Pateri. hyſter. lib. 1.comprize greater ſummes in ſhorter roome; ſo doth the Apoſtle handle moſt weighty Matters & Myſteries within the ſlender compaſſe of a few Verſes, that we ſhould rather weigh the worke, then number the words. He ſeemeth no where to reaſon more exquiſitely, and to deale more pregnantly then in this place. EueryEvery word almoſt hath the force of a Motiue; and ſeaſoning his cauſe with Wiſedome, and his doings with Art, he ſo creepeth into Philemons boſome, and cloſeth with him at a ſuddaine, that by no meanes hee can ſtart from him. Sometimes, by louing Titles; Sometimes by Artificiall inſinvations; Sometimes, by fauourable preuenting of Obiections; Sometimes, by Rhetoricall perſwaſions; Sometimes, by earneſt Preparations; Sometimes, by Charitable Mittigations; Sometimes, by ſtrong Obligations; Sometimes, by deepe Proteſtations; Sometimes, by fit Reuocations; and ſometimes by forcible Arguments, as it were by ſo many courteous Congies, and vehement Adiurations, hee dealeth and preuaileth in ſuch ſort with him: dLiuy hiſtor. lib. 45.as Popilius the Romaine Ambaſſador, againſt Antiochus King of Syria, who hauing deliuered his meſſage from the Senate, made a circle about him with his rod, and charged him to put off all delayes, and giuegive him preſent anſwere before hee departed out of it. Thus doth the Apoſtle lay his Net, and caſt his Chaine about Philemon, that he hampereth him faſt, and holdeth him cloſe, before he is aware of any ſuch matter.
This Philemon (to whom the Epiſtle is directed) was a Wealthy man, a Cittizen of Coloſſe, the Hoſt of the Church, who had a Seruant, named Oneſimus; he, hauing pilfered and purloyned ſome of his Maiſters goods, fled away from him and the Church that was in his houſe. For, whatſoeuer the care and diligence of the Gouernors be, lewd perſons do oftentimes ſhroud themſelues vnderunder their Roofe. But comming to Rome, no better then a fugitiue, hee heard Paule preach the Word, which is as eIer. 23, 29.an Hammer to breake in pieces the ſtony hearts of vnregenerate men, and fRom. 1, 16.the power of God to ſaluation, to all that beleeue; ſo that he acknowledged the falt he had committed, and deſired to be reconciled to his Maiſter, whom hee had offended. He being thus gained to the Faith, gGualt. hom. 1. in Philemon.and kindely and courteouſly entreated by Paule (Who becommeth all thinges to all men, h1 Cor. 9, 22that by all meanes he might ſaue ſome) is by him ſent back with theſe Letters of Commendation, and interceſſion for him, pleading his cauſe, as it were at the barre, effectually, crauing pardon for him earneſtly: and teaching iGualt. hom. 2 in Philemon.thereby, that no man (albeit of the loweſt ſort and condition) truly repenting, ought to be deſpiſed and contemned. He went away Vnprofitable, he returned Profitable; he went away kGualt. hom. 5 in Philemon.Peruerted, he returned Conuerted; hee went away a Seruant, he returned a Brother. Before he heard Paule preach, hee was a Theefe; but when he had heard him, he became as his Naturall Sonne, lPhile. ver. 10as he is not aſhamed to call him, and account him in this Epiſtle.
Queſtion.VponUpon this occaſion of this Seruants flying away, and be-taking himſelfe to his heeles, a queſtion may be demanded, which alſo of ſome mParaeus in Geneſ. cap. 39.is handled, whether it bee lawfull for bond-ſlaues that are bought with money (ſuch as the ſtate of Seruants in thoſe daies for the moſt part was) to runne away from their Maiſters, foraſmuch as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 7, 21. If thou mayeſt be free, vſe it rather. Where he willeth them to prefer freedom before bondage, and to be their owne men rather then anothers; and to be at liberty, rather then to be Seruants to the Honour and Humour of other men. Anſwere.I anſwere, ſuch practiſe is not to be any wayes allowed, vnleſſe they be oppreſſed with beaſtly and intollerable Tyranny, and bee denied meate and maintenance, whereby life is to be ſuſtained. For then their Maiſters that hauehave payed nTerent. in Andr. act 1. ſcen. 1a price for them ſhould bee defrauded, the Couenant or promiſe (that themſelues hauehave paſſed) ſhould be diſanulled, and themſelues beeing taken, ſhould thorough their owne miſdemeanor, be more cruelly handled, and kept in harder & ſtraighter durance. We ſee when Ioſeph was ſold by the Treachery of his enuious Brethren, and thereupon carried farre from oGeneſ. 39, 1his Fathers houſe, he behaued himſelfe with all Modeſty and Meekneſſe, he endured the croſſe with all patience, being laide in fetters where pPſal. 105, 18the Iron entred into his ſoule; he neuer attempted to make a wilfull eſcape, or to break open priſon (albeit it had been no hard matter to do it) leaſt while he thought to auoid the ſmoake, he ſhould fall into the fire: like vntounto Eſpops Fiſh, who being in the pan, leaped vponupon the coales. The Iſraelites when they were holden in qExod. chap. 1, and 2.Egypt in bondage and great ſlauery, neuer offered to make reſiſtance, but waited with all long ſuffering, vntill God ſent Moſes and Aaron to worke their deliuerance. The Doctrine of the Popiſh School-men alloweth in their deciding of caſes of conſcience, ſuch as are vniuſtly and wrongfully impriſoned, to eſcape for their liues if they can: and according to this determination, is the practiſe of the Papiſts. But this is no better then to reſiſt the Magiſtrate, rRom. 13, 2.vvhichwhich is the Ordinance of GOD, Rom. 13. The Apoſtles being clapt vp in priſon, neuer ſought occaſion and opportunity to deliuer themſelues, vntill God and Man deliuered them, and brought them forth: and ſometimes ſActs 5, 19. & 12, 7, 8.the Lord ſent his Angell from Heauen, to open the priſon doores, and to ſmite off their chaines, and to free them from the rage of their enemies. The Apoſtle Peter warneth Seruants to bee ſubiect to their Maiſters with all feare; not onelyonly to the good and courteous, but alſo to ſuch as are froward: and he giueth this Reaſon, t1 Pet. 2, 19.For this is thanke-worthy, if a man for Conſcience toward God, endure greefe, ſuffering wrongfully. Wee muſt commit our ſelues and our cauſes to God, and take heede we vſe not vnlawfull meanes to ſet our ſelues at liberty.
Now, concerning the counſell and direction of the Apoſtle, he perſwadeth no liberty but ſuch as is lawfull, euen to free themſelues from thraldome by all good and honeſt meanes, onelyonly that God ſhall put into their heads and hands. For, when Seruants were bought and ſold as Villaines, nay as brute Beaſts in the Market, and while their Maiſter had power ouer them of life and death, hee would hauehave all ſuch as are vnderunder the yoak, u1 Tim. 6, 1.Count their Maiſters worthy of all Honor, that the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill ſpoken of. When Paule and Silas were committed to cloſe priſon, as they ſung Pſalmes to God, xAct. 16, 25, 26.ſuddenly there was a great Earth-quake, and the Foundation of the Priſon was ſhaken, by and by all the doores opened, and euerie Mans bandes were looſed, ſo that they might without knowledge or diſturbance of any, hauehave eſcaped and gone their wayes; but being committed by authority, they remained as lawfull priſoners without euaſion.
Theſe thinges heere briefly touched, are largely intreated of in this Commentarie; touching the penning whereof, to leaue mine owne Labors to the Iudgement of the indifferent Reader, I cannot deny (but doo ingenuouſly confeſſe) that I hauehave benefited my ſelfe, and do deſire to benefit others, by other Authors, both Olde and New, whom I hauehave ſearched and peruſed, through whoſe trauailes I hauehave bin guided and directed in the way, and by whoſe eyes I hauehave ſeene into many particulers heere diſcuſſed. Concerning the ancient Writers, that hauehave the grayeſt haires, I cannot paſſe ouer Chryſostome and Theophylact, both Greeke Writers: Concerning the Moderne and later, Caluine, Beza, Illyricus, Rolloc, Piſcator, Hunnius, which (for Honors ſake) I name & remember. Among whom, ſome hauehave written ſhorter Annotations, others hauehave written fuller expoſitions, and al of them hauehave yeelded ſome matter and ſtuffe toward the erecting of this building. Neither is this any ſhame or reproach to acknowledge, yProlog. in Adelph.but rather a fruit of Iuſtice and Equity, to giuegive to eueryevery one his owne. Let no man therefore obiect, that I hauehave thruſt my Sickle into another mans Corne, or put mine hand into another mans Coffer, or ploughed my ground with another mans Heifer, or ſet to ſale other mens goods, as mine owne; much leſſe vpbraide with contumely and contempt, zHorat. lib. 1. epiſt. 3.the ſaying of the Poet:
Si forte ſuas repetitum venerit olim,
Grex anium plumas, moueat cornicula riſum,
Furtiuis nudata coloribus.
that is;
If euerie Fowle ſhall fetch her plumes againe,
The Naked Crow, ſhall ſtript of all remaine.
The Wiſeman teacheth, aEccle. 1, 9, 10There is no new thing vnderunder the Sun, is there any thing whereof one may ſay: Behold this, it is new? It hath bin already in the old time that was before vsus. The Heathē man ſaw this, & could ſay:
Nihil est iam dictum quod non ſit dictum prius:
that is;
There nothing is, or ſaide, or ſeene;
Before our times, that hath not beene.
The Apoſtle writing to the Corinthians, ſaith, b1 Cor. 3, 22.All things are yours, whether it be Paules, or Apollos, or Cephas, &c. all are helpes allowed and appointed vntounto vsus to bring vsus vntounto Chriſt. It is no ſmall comfort to Trauellers cBucan. praef. in Inſtitu. Theolog.to tread and trace the footſteps of ſuch as hauehave walked the right way before them. In like manner, it is no ſmall profit and pleaſure to me, grounded vponupon the euidence of the trueth, to hauehave followed the examples of learned and approoued Authours, that hauehave laboured faithfully in the Vineyard of the Lord, and lighted a Candle vntounto others.
This Expoſition (ſuch as it is) I preſume to offer vntounto your Worſhip, not fearing your Iudgement in the allowance, nor doubting of your fauour in the acceptance thereof, and therefore grounding my ſelfe vponupon it, I regard not the cenſure of Carpers and Cauillers, who hauehave nothing to grace themſelues, but by ſeeking the diſgrace of others; nor yet any thing to raiſe themſelues a great name, but by taking away others good name: ſo that as one ſaith well, dScaliger. exercit. in fine.Ex alieni nominis ruina gradum ſibi faciunt ad gloriam ſuam. They will diſlike either the perſon, or the matter, or the ſtile, or the allegations, or they know not what, and care not what, ſo it be ſomewhat. The proofes vſed are too many, the Reaſons too large, the Vſes too vehement; yea, nothing can pleaſe them, that pleaſe them-ſelues in their owne conceits. If I ſhould craue pardon for my ſlippes in this Expoſition, or for my boldneſſe in this Dedication, I ſhould therein alſo open the mouths of many, to tax me of vanity, and reproue me of folly. For, when Albinus, who wrote an Hiſtory of the Roman Offices in the Greek tongue, requeſted the Readers in the Praeface, to beare with him if they found any imperfections and wants in his worke, M. Cato the Cenſor anſwered when he read it, ePlut. in the life of Cato.Doubtleſſe he had deſerued pardon indeed, if he had bin forced to write his Story: but he is a Trifler that had rather aske pardon for his fault, then to be without fault. For men are wont fMacrob. Saturn. lib. 1. in Praefat.to deſire forgiueneſſe either when they erre at vnwares, or when they commit a fault by conſtraint & compulſion from ſuch as hauehave authority ouer them, whom they cannot or dare not deny. Such ſeuere and ſharpe Iudges I am like to light vponupon, who will demand the queſtion of me, what I meane to plead for pardon? For, who compelled mee to make the fault for which I craue fauour? And why I did not rather keepe my ſelfe from offending, then deſire the forgiueneſſe of the offence?
Wherefore, leauing theſe raſh and rigorous Cenſors of other mens doings, I come to declare the cauſes that hauehave induced me to offer the expoſition of this Epiſtle vntounto you, and to paſſe it vnderunder your Worſhips name. For to whom doth a Treatiſe of Godlineſſe more fitly agree, then to him that profeſſeth Godlineſſe, and hath the power of it dwelling in his heart? Or to whom ſhould I commend the Patronage of the truth, better then to him that is a fauorer and louer of the truth, and of ſuch as fauour and louelove the trueth? Beſides, as I hauehave heeretofore taſted of your kindneſſe and bountifulneſſe toward me, which I euer eſteemed as a debt lying vponupon me, ſo I hauehave beene deſirous to leaue a perpetuall Teſtimony to others, of a thankefull heart. I am not able to recompence like for like, but may rather ſay with the Apoſtle, gActs 3, 6.Siluer and Gold hauehave I none, but ſuch as I hauehave I giuegive vntounto you: and ſo much the more I will alwaies be ready to follow the example of Paul, who when he had receiued mercy at the hands of Oneſiphorus, he praied vntounto God to render backe into his boſom the fruits of his louelove beſtowed vponupon him, h2 Tim. 1, 16 17, 18.The Lord ſhew mercy vntounto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me, and was not aſhamed of my chaine: but when he was at Rome, he ſought me out very diligently, & found me. The Lord grant vntounto him, that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day, &c. So my erneſt prayer to God, euen the Father of all mercy, and God of al conſolation, is, & euer ſhal be, to ſhew mercy for your mercy, & louelove for your louelove, & to preſerue you vntounto his heauenly kingdom. And I beſeech you oftentimes to Meditate vponupon the 71. Pſalme, which as it was compoſed by the Prophet in his latter time, ſo he oftentimes craueth of God to be with him, & to keepe him ſafe, now that his head was hoare, and his haires gray, iPſal. 71, 5, 9, 17, 18.Thou art my hope, O Lord God, euen my truſt from my youth: caſt me not off in the time of age, forſake me not whē my ſtrength faileth. And afterward, O God, thou haſt taught me from my youth, euen vntill now, therefore will I tell of thy wonderous workes, yea euen vntounto mine old age and gray head, O God, forſake me not, vntill I hauehave declared thine arme vntounto this generation, and thy power to al them that ſhal come. For, a man may fall away from God, as well through the doting of age, as through the luſtes of youth. Be faithfull vntounto the death, & you ſhal receiue the crown of life: continue vntounto the end, ſo ſhall you be ſafe. The Wiſe-man teacheth, that the daies will come, when we ſhall ſay, wee hauehave no pleaſure in them, kEccle. 12, 3.when the keepers of the houſe ſhall tremble, that is; the hands which ſafegard the body from iniuries, ſhall ſhake as in a palſie: The ſtrong men ſhall bow themſelues, that is, the legges, which are as a ſtrong Staffe, or as a firme Piller, to ſuſtaine and beare vp the weight of the body, ſhall begin to faile and waxe feeble: The Grinders ſhall ceaſe; that is, the teeth appointed to chew the meate, eyther waxe looſe, or elſe are loſt: They waxe darke that looke out of the windowes; that is, the eyes of the body (which are as the Windowes of the houſe to giuegive light) lLiuy. lib. 5. in the Oration of Licinius Caluus Pliny. lib. 7. cap. 50.ſhall decay and grow weaker and weaker, that they cannot behold the brightneſſe of the Sunne: The doores ſhall be ſhut without by the baſe ſound of the Grinders; that is, the Lippes which are as two Doores or Gates, ſhall ſcarce bee able to open themſelues, being become ſtiffe: He ſhall riſe vp at the voyce of the Bird, that is, the leaſt noyſe ſhall be able to awake him, he that while he was young ſlept ſoundly, ſo that the ſound of a Trumpet coulde hardly mooue him, is now by the crowing of the Cocke, or the chirping of a Bird, raiſed and diſquieted: All the daughters of ſinging ſhall be abaſed; that is, the eares and other Inſtruments of Muſicke ſhall be ſo weakned and dulled, that they ſhall take no pleaſure nor delight therein, m2 Sa. 19, 36.as Barzillai confeſſeth vntounto Dauid: alſo They ſhall be affraid of the high thing, that is; when once they grow crooked with age, eueryevery plaine way will ſeeme rough; and eueryevery ſtone, a Mountaine vntounto them. And the Almond tree ſhall flouriſh: that is, their head ſhall be renowned with the comely ornament of white haires, as the beautifull Bloſſomes of an Almond Tree, &c. Thus doth the Wiſe-man deſcribe the diſcommodities and difficulties of old age, which approacheth vntounto vsus all, and will in the end ouertake vsus, to the end we ſhould learne to remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth. The Lord God Almighty, who is the ancient of daies, deliuer you from eueryevery euill worke, and bleſſe you and yours more and more with al ſpirituall bleſſings in heauenly things, that as you beare the Image of his Eternity, ſo you may be partaker of eternall Glory, Amen.
Yours to commaund, WILLIAM ATTERSOLL.