The Measures of Christian Obedience, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Sanction of the foregoing Laws.
The CONTENTS.
Of the Sanction of all the forementioned particular Laws. That they are bound upon us by our hopes of Heaven, and our fears of Hell. Of the Sanction of all the particular affirmative or commanding Laws.
NOW it is upon our obedience of all those Laws which are mentioned in the foregoing Chapters, that all our well-grounded hope of pardon, and a happy Sentence at the last Day depends. They are that Rule which God has fixt for the Proceedings at that Judgment whereby all of us will be doomed to live or dye eternally. There is not any one of them left naked and unguarded for men to transgress at pleasure, and yet to go unpunished: but the performance of every one is made necessary unto life, and the unrepented transgression of it threatned with eternal damnation.
And that it is so is plain from this, because almost the whole Body of them, viz. all those which are implyed in piety towards God, and in Justice, Charity and peaceableness towards men, are nothing else but instances and effects of Love, which is plainly necessary, and that in the greatest latitude. For the words of the Command are as comprehensive as can be. That thou mayest inherit eternal life, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; which plainly take in our whole affection towards God, and every part and expression of it: and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, which again implies all instances of love towards other men, seeing towards our own selves not any one is wanting: This do, and thou shalt live, Luke 10.25, 27, 28. So that in shewing of them all that they are natural effects of an universal love, I have shewn withal that they are necessary means of life and conditions of salvation.
This is a plain mark, whereby it is obvious and easie for us all to understand what Laws are necessary terms of life. For every mans heart can inform him what are the natural effects of love, they being such things as the meanest reason may discern, nay such as every mans affection will suggest to him. And because they are so, the Apostles themselves when they set down Catalogues of indispensable Laws, never descend to reckon up all particulars: but having plainly declared the absolute necessity of an ample and universal love in the general, they content themselves with naming some few instances of it, and leave the rest, which are like unto them, to be suggested to us by our own minds. And the same course they take in recounting those sins which are opposite to them, and which, without repentance, will certainly destroy us. Thus, for instance, in St Paul's Catalogue of damning sins, Gal. 5. he doth not trouble himself to name all particulars▪ but having mentioned several of them he concludes with this general intimation of the rest — and such like, vers. 21.
This way then of shewing the necessity of all the forementioned Laws, by shewing expresly that Love in the general is plainly necessary, and leaving it to mens own minds to collect of them all severally that they are natural effects of it; is sufficient in it self, and such as the Apostles of our Lord are wont to take up with: But because our belief of the necessity of our obedience in all the preceding particulars is of so great moment, and it is so infinitely our concern to be fixt and settled in it; I will here set down such express declarations of it in every one of them as are to be met with in the Scriptures.
And to begin with the several Classes of them in the same order wherein they are laid down; for sobriety, and all the particular Laws comprehended under it, we have their sanction set down, and the necessity of our obedience to them to our life and pardon expressed in the following Scriptures.
For the Law of humility and lowliness of mind, take these:
Put on as necessary qualifications of the elect of God, holy and beloved, Humility.humbleness of mind, Col. 3.12. It is this poverty and lowliness of Spirit which must prepare us for eternal happiness. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, Matth. 5.3. For, as our Saviour says, 'tis by learning of him who is meek and lowly that we shall find both here and hereafter rest to our souls, Matth. 11.29.
And for all the rest, their Sanction is expressed in these ensuing places.
Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life, John 6.27.Heavenly-mindedness. This is a necessary evidence of our being risen with Christ now at present; If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth, Col. 3.1, 2; and a necessary condition to our being blessed with him for ever hereafter; the blessedness which our Saviour pronounces being to those which hunger and thirst after righteousness, Matth. 5.6.
Add to temperance patience, Temperance, Patience.for he that lacketh these is blind, and shall not be looked on as a new man, seeing he has forgot that he was purged from his old sins, 2 Pet. 1.6, 9. The fruit of the Spirit, saith St Paul, Continence.is temperance or aforeign.continence, and it is against this among others, that there is no Law to condemn it, Gal. 5.23. And to the Hebrews he says, that they have need of patience to inherit the promises of life and happiness, Heb. 10.36; and therefore they must not cast away, but hold fast their confidence, or couragious and bforeign.open owning even of a suffering Religion, which hath great recompence of reward, ver. 35. It bring to them only who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and immortality, that God will give eternal life, Rom. 2.7.
Dearly Beloved, Chastity.I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, to vanquish and destroy it, 1 Pet. 2.11. This abstinence is one chief thing which we were called to at our Call to Christianity. God hath not called us to uncleanness, saith St Paul, but unto holiness, or cforeign.purity and cleanness. For this is the will of God which you are first to perform before you expect his reward, your purity or sanctification, and particularly in one instance, wherein you are so generally defective, that you abstain from fornication, and every one of you possess his Vessel or Body in purity or sanctification and honour. And this Commandment you know we gave you by the Lord Jesus's order, so that whosoever among you despiseth it, despiseth not man, but God, 1 Thess. 4.2, 3, 4, 7, 8. For the wisdom which cometh from above, and which must carry us thither, is in the first place pure or dforeign.chast, James 3.17.
Love not the world, nor the things of the world; for if any man love the world, Contempt of the world.the love of the Father is not in him, 1 John 2.15. For the esteem and friendship of the world is in very deed downright enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God, James 4.4. Godliness, if it be joined with contentment, is great gain, saith St Paul, 1 Tim. 6.6. And our being content with such things as we have, Contentment.is reckoned a part of that Grace whereby we must serve God acceptably, and be secured from his wrath, who, where he is angred, is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.28. to the fifth Verse of the thirteenth Chapter.
Self-denial. Taking up the Cross.Christ said unto them all, If any man will come after me, and be accounted one of my Disciples, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me, Luke 9.23.Mortification. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body, saith St Paul, you shall live, Rom. 8.13. Yea, its affections and desires, as well as its sinful actions, are to be deaded and brought under. For they that are Christ's, whom he will own for his at the last Day, and reward accordingly, have crucified the Flesh with the affections and eRom. 13.14.lusts or desires thereof, Gal. 5.24.
They who would not be accounted in Gods judgment as Children of the night and of darkness, Sobriety.St Paul says plainly,Watchfulness. must watch and be sober, 1 Thess. 5.5, 6. For watching is necessary unto bliss, Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching, Luke 12.37.Diligence. And give diligence to make your calling and election sure, saith St Peter, for this is one of those things which if you do, you shall never fall either from your duty, or your reward, 2 Pet. 1.10.
Thus are all the particular Laws recited in the first Class, sobriety, expresly bound upon us by all our hopes of Heaven; and our obedience to them plainly necessary to our life and pardon when we come to be judged according to them.
And the Sanction is the same for all the Particulars of the second Class, our piety towards God, Piety.as will appear by the following Scriptures.
Them that honour me, saith God, I will honour, Honour.or make honourable; but they who despise me, shall, on the other hand, be as lightly set by, 1 Sam. 2.30.Worship. And if any man be a worshipper of God, him, said the man who had received his sight most truly, he heareth, John 9.31.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, Faith.but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16.16. For this is the will of him that sent me, saith our Saviour, that whosoever believeth on me may have everlasting life, John 6.40. And what we hear of Faith is also said of Knowledge: For this is life eternal, saith Christ,Knowledge. to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John 17.3.
The good things which neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, i. e. the joys of Heaven, are laid up for those who love God, 1 Cor. 2.9. And if any man love God, Love.the same is known or accepted by him, 1 Cor. 8.3.
It is he who believes Christs promises, or hopes on him, Hope.that shall never be ashamed, Rom. 10.11. And we trust in God, saith St Paul, who is the Saviour of all men, Trust.especially of those that believe or trust in him, 1 Tim. 4.10. And a cheerful dependence upon Gods Providence for our food, and maintenance, Dependence.&c. and not being sollicitous about them, is one of the Particulars of Christ's Law, Matth. 6.25, the sanction whereof is expressed in the fifth Chapter in these words, He who breaks the least o… these Commandments, shall be least in the Kingdom o… Heaven, i. e. according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, he shall be none at all, ver. 19.
Prayer.Pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5.17. It is this that must bring all blessings down upon us. For the promise is, Ask and you shall have, Matth. 7.7. But no Petition being put up, no Grant can in reason be expected, You have not, saith St James, because you ask not, James 4.2.
Fear.Gods mercy is on all that fear him, Luke 1.50. I will warn you, saith our Saviour, whom you shall fear; fear God, who after he hath killed hath yet further power to cast you into Hell; if you are fearless and contemptuous, I say unto you, Fear him, Luke 12.5.
Thankfulness.In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you, 1 Thess. 5.18. It is one part of our walking as Children of the light, to give thanks always, and in all things, to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephes. 5.8, 20. And the Apostle's exhortation is, Offer to God the Sacrifice of Praise continually, giving thanks to his Name; and that because we have no abiding City, but seek one to come, Heb. 13.14, 15.
Zeal.The Church of Laodicea, to the end that she may be rich and cloathed, is advised to be zealous and to repent, Rev. 3.18, 19. And one effect of a godly sorrow and a saving repentance, St Paul saith, is zeal for God and goodness, 2 Cor. 7.11.
Obedience.In Christ Jesus or the Christian Religion, neither Circumcision fGal. 5.6. & 6.13.availeth any thing, nor Vncircumcision; but keeping of the Commandments of God, 1 Cor. 7.19. For it is this only that gives right to life and happiness, Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, Rev. 22.14.
S…bjection or Resignedness.Our Fathers after the flesh corrected us, and we gave them reverence, and shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? Heb. 12.9.
And thus are all the Particulars of this second Class of Duties, Piety, bound upon us with the same sanction as the former, and our obedience to them all made necessary to our being pardoned at the last Day, and eternally rewarded by them.
And the same is further true of the Duties of the third Class, righteousness towards our Neighbour.Righteousness.
For as for the necessity of Justice, St Paul is clear,Justice. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another, Rom. 13.8. For if you wrong and defraud one another, saith the same Apostle, know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.8, 9.
And as for all the particular Laws of Charity, Charity.their necessity will appear from what follows.
Be kindly affectioned one to another, Goodness or Kindness. Brotherly kindness. Honour of our Brethren for their Vertues. Vindicating their injured reputation. Alms-giving. Hospitality. Speaking well of enemies. Congratulatio…. Compassion. Vnity. Assability. Condescension.as if you were of the same blood and gforeign.near Kindred, with brotherly love, in honour hPhil. 2.3.preferring one another for your Vertues before your selves; and much more vindicating each other from the unjust aspersions of others. Distributing or iforeign.communicating to the necessity of Saints; given to, or earnestly kforeign.pursuing hospitality; Bless or lforeign.speak well of them which persecute you; Bless, and curse not. Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, in congratulation; and weep with them that weep, in mGal. 6.2. & 1 Pet. 3.8, 11, 12.compassion. Be of the same mind one towards another; mind not state and high things, but be affable and condescend, by nforeign.going even out of your way to bear them company, to men of low estate. Recompence to no man evil for evil; but if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, Doing good to enemies.give him drink, Rom. 12.10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20. All which Precepts, with several others delivered in that Chapter, he gave in Command, as he tells them, through the Grace or Authority of Apostleship, which is here and oRom. 1.5. & 15.15. Ephes. 3.8.elsewhere called Grace, given unto him, ver. 3; and that is a plain proof of their indispensable necessity. For he that despiseth you Apostles, says our Saviour, despiseth me, Luke 10.16. And if the transgression and disobedience of the Law of Moses spoken to him only by Angels in the Mount, received a just recompence of reward, such Offenders dying pHeb. 10.28.without mercy; how shall we escape the same death or greater if we neglect, and much more if we despise, so great a means of salvation as Christs Gospel and his Laws are, which was at first spoken to us by the Lord Jesus himself, who is far above all Angels, and was afterwards confirmed to us by his Apostles, or them that heard him, Heb. 2.2, 3.
Gentleness. Placableness. Mercifulness.The wisdom from above, and which must bring us thither, is gentle, easie to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, James 3.17. And St Paul bids the Colossians to put on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, these Vertues; viz. bowels of qJames 2.13.mercies, kindness or rforeign.courtesy, Courtesie. Meekness. Long-suffering. Forgiving injuries.meekness, long-suffering or forbearing one another, and sMat. 6.14, 15.forgiving one another; If any man hath a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so do ye, Col. 3.12, 13, 15. The fruits of the Spirit, saith the same Apostle, are love, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness; against such there is no condemning force of any Law, Gal. 5.22, 23.
The description which St Paul gives of Charity is this, Charity suffers long in great meekness before it be provoked, and is kind or t1 Pet. 3.8.12.courteous towards all men; is not puffed up with supercilious and haughty behaviour, for men do not assume state over those persons whom they love,Affability. but is lowly and affable; doth not behave it self unseemly or uforeign.contumeliously, but with much respect and civility; seeks not her own Praise and Glory at other mens cost or discredit; is not easily provoked or not provoked to the xforeign. Mercifulness.height, but mixes mercifulness with anger, opposite to rigour; rejoyces or yforeign.congratulates the truth or sincerity and integrity of men; and as for their infirmities, it bears or zforeign.covers and conceals all things that are defective; believes all things to their advantage,Covering mens defects. in putting the most candid and favourable sence upon any thing which they do or say;Candor. and where there is no excuse for the present, it hopeth all things good for the future; and for injuries offered to it self, it is not hasty and vindictive,Patience▪ but patiently endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5, 6, 7. And for the necessity of that Charity which includes all these, St Paul is express in the same Chapter; when he tells us that although he have all faith and all knowledg, and bestow all his goods to feed the poor, yea and give his Body to be burned in Martyrdom; if still he have not Charity in all these other effects, and in that latitude wherein it is here described, it profiteth him nothing, ver. 2, 3.
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless or aforeign. Speaking good of enemies. Doing good … them. Praying for… them.speak all the good you can of them that curse or reproach you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you, that by this means you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven, Matth. 5.44, 45. Which Laws are of the number of those which are contained in Christ's Sermon on the Mount, at the beginning whereof he declared, that whosoever should break the least of his Commandments which he was then about to deliver, and should teach men to do so too; he should be least or none at all in the Kingdom of Heaven, ver. 19.
Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour, Friendly reproof.and not suffer sin to rest upon him: I am the Lord, who will surely punish thee, if thou neglect this, Lev. 19.17, 18. But when any man by such charitable admonition doth convent a Sinner from the errour of his way, let him for his encouragement know this, says St James, that he shall save a soul of him who is reproved from death, and besides that, shall hide also a multitude of his own sins, James 5.19, 20. And as for the method of performing this, what course we are to take, and how far we are to proceed in it: our Saviour has set that down, according to what had obtained in the bTheir practice in this Case is thus described; Qui arguit socium suum, debet primùm hoc sacere placide inter se & ipsum solum verbis mollibus, ita ut non pudesaciat eum. Si resipiscit, b…xe est; sin, debet eum acriter arguere, & pudesacere inter se & ipsum. Si non resipiscit, debet adhibere Socios, ipsúm que coram illis pudore afficere; si nec modo qui… …uam proficit, debet eum pud…sacere coram multis, ejúsque delictum publicare. Nam certe detegendi sunt Hypocrit…e. Lib. Musar. as it is ci…ed by Dru… …, Not. ad loc.Jewish custom, Matth. 18. For there in the case of cVerse 21.private injuries, which are no fit Subject of Church censures that are exercised only upon open and scandalous Sinners, he prescribes thus; If thy Brother shall trespass against thee, take this course to reclaim him: Go first and tell him of his fault privately between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, and amend upon thy admonition, thy work is done, and without any more ado thou hast gained thy Brother. But if he be not to be won thus easily, and will not hear thee admonishing him thus privately by thy self alone; then give not over, but go one step further; take with thee one or two more to join with thee in thy admonition, that by the authority of their concurrence he may be the more prevail'd upon, and that the reproof now appearing, not in thy mouth alone, but also in the mouths of thy two or three Witnesses, every word may have the more effect, and be the firmlier established. And if he shall be incorrigible still, and neglect to hear both thee and them too; yet give him not over for a lost man, but try one means more, which is the last that I enjoin thee: Pick out a select Assembly and choice Company of men, who are more in number than thou tookest before, and tell it unto that Church or dforeign.Assembly, and reprove him before all them. But if he prove obstinate against this last means, and neglect to hear them; then thou hast discharged thy self, and needest to look no further after him, but mayest let him be unto thee thenceforward as a lost and hardened man, whose Conversion thou art no longer bound in vain to labour after, such as we are wont to express by a heathen man and a Publican, ver. 15, 16, 17.
Take heed lest by any means this Christian Liberty of yours become a stumbling Block or scandal to those that are weak, by seducing and encouraging them,Restraining our Christian Liberty for our weak Brothers edification. on the authority of your example, to do that against their Conscience, which you, who know more, do according to it; and so through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish, for whom Christ dyed: But when ye sin so against the Brethren, and by such unrestrained liberty wound their weak Consciences, you sin against Christ, 1 Cor 8.9, 11, 12. It is a most uncharitable thing, and without Charity all things else will profit nothing, 1 Cor. 13.3; For if thy Brother be grieved or scandalized with thy liberty in meat or other things; now walkest thou not charitably if for all that thou abstain not from it; destroy not him therefore with thy meat, for whom Christ dyed, Rom. 14.15. But if any man will still be prone to give offence, his Sentence is severe and dreadful.Rom. 14.22. For he that shall offend or scandalize one of these little Ones which believe 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, Matth. 18.6.
And thus are all the particular Laws of Charity and Justice also imposed with the same strictness, and under the same necessity with the former.
And that the sanction is the same in the Particulars of the next Class, viz. Peace;Peace. will appear by what follows.
Follow peace with all men, Peace.without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 12.14. It is not enough that we accept of it when it is offered, but we must enquire it out, and seek after it; nay if it be denied us at first, we must endeavour after it still, and ensue it when it flyes from us; and that not coldly or carelesly, with weak desires, or little industry; but with the greatest concern and utmost diligence that possibly we can. He that will love life and see good days, saith St Peter, let him seek peace and ensue it, 1 Pet. 3.10, 11. Be of the same e1 Pet. 3.8. Phil. 2.1, 2. Concord. Condescension.mind, saith St Paul among those Laws which he enjoins by his Apostolical Authority, Rom. 12. one towards another; mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. If it be possible, and as much as in you lies, Peaceableness.live peaceably with all men, ver. 16, 18. Yea, we must pay dear for it rather than want it, and bear long, and suffer much from men before we contend with them, and use all arts and shew all kindness to pacifie and reconcile them. Not rendring evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing or benediction, knowing this, That we are thereunto called in Christianity, that from our Lord Christ, who was so exemplary for it, we should inherit this Vertue of fforeign.speaking well and kindly of men, or blessing, 1 Pet. 3.9. I say unto you, says our Saviour, resist not the evil or injurious gforeign.man, which is the way to inflame and consummate contention, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, Forbearance or Long-suffering.turn to him the other also; and if any man will sue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, bear a little more, and rather than contend with him, let him have thy Cloak also, Mat. 5.39, 40. Which Precepts, with all the others delivered in that Sermon, are bound upon us, as was observed, under the forfeiture of all right to happiness and Heaven, ver. 19.
The wisdom which cometh from above, and which must raise us thither, is peaceable, saith St James, Jam. 3.17. And St Paul reckons it as one of the Commandments which were given to the Thessalonians by the Lord Jesus, that they should study, even so as to be hforeign Quietness.ambitious of it, to be quiet or to acquiesce in their present state, and not to interrupt the quiet and tranquillity of other men,Doing our own business. and to do their own business, 1 Thess. 4.2, 11.
The method of procuring pardon for injustice is prescribed thus in the Law of Moses; Satisfying for injuries.If a man commit a trespass against another man, and be guilty, he shall come and recompence his trespass with the Principle thereof, and over and above that, iLuke 19.8.add unto it the fifth part thereof more, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed, Numb. 5.6, 7. And Christ, although he do not define the particular proportion of the compensation, doth yet establish this satisfaction and reconciliation of our selves to our injured Brother in the general, as an indispensable Duty, without which nothing, not our very Prayers or Oblations, shall be accepted. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee, having been injured by thee; leave there thy gift, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, by giving him satisfaction for thy offence, and then come and offer thy gift, Matth. 5.23, 24. Which Command is moreover one of those whose sanctions is the loss of Heaven, ver. 19.
Blessed are the Peace-makers; for they shall be, Peace-making.called the Children of God, Matth. 5.9.
And thus we see of all the Laws which make any thing due to God, our selves, or all mankind in general; whether they are instances of sobriety, piety, justice, charity, or peace: that our obedience unto them all is made necessary unto life, and that they are bound upon us by all our hopes of happiness and Heaven.
And the sanction is the same for all those Laws which make some things due in particular relations likewise.
For as for the Laws that bind us in the particular relation of Subjects to our Kings, Laws in the relation of Subjects to our Kings.their sanction appears plainly from these places:
Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers; for there is no Power but of God; Subjection.whosoever therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Wherefore you must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for Conscience sake. Render therefore to all their Dues; as these following are to Kings,Paying Tribute and Custom. Tribute to whom Tribute is due, Custom to whom Custom, Fear or Reverence to whom Fear, Reverence and Honour.Honour to whom i1 Pet. 2.17.Honour, Rom. 13.1, 2, 5, 7. And all these are only part of that Catalogue of Laws, which he begins to reckon up, and declares to them by his Apostolical Authority, chap. …2. ver. 3.
These things speak and exhort, rebuke with all Authority, and let no man despise thee, who shall surely be punished as a Contemner of Christ if he do.Obedience. Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers, to k1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15.obey Magistrates, Tit. 2. ver. ult. & chap. 3. ver. 1.
Prayer for Kings.I exhort therefore first of all that prayers of all sorts, supplications, intercessions, petitions, and giving of thanks be made for all Kings, and such as are in Authority; for this is in it self, and will render us good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2, 3; and a proof moreover of that good conscience which Timothy is charged to keep, chap. 1. ver. 19.
And for Fidelity and Allegiance, this may suffice to shew its necessity, that among the men of corrupt minds, who are reprobate concerning the Faith, and who should render the last times perillous, St Paul reckons Traitor… ▪ 2 Tim. 3.1, 4, 8.
So that as for all the forementioned Duties of this relation, we see their indispensable necessity, and that as ever we hope to be saved by them, we must perform and obey them.
And so it is in the particular Laws of the next relation, that of people towards their spiritual Governours, Laws in the relation of people to their Pastors.viz. their Bishops and Ministers, as is plain from these Texts following:
We beseech you, Brethren, Honour and Reverence for their works sake.to know them who labour among you, and are set over you in the Lord, and to esteem or honour them very highly, or lforeign.more than abundantly, in love for their works sake, 1 Thess. 5.12, 13. And this is one of those Precepts which are pressed upon them as they would be Children of light, and not of darkness, ver. 5; and as they are to avoid wrath and to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 9.
Let him who is taught or mforeign.catechized in the Word, communicate unto him that teacheth or catechizeth in all n1 Tim. 5.17, 18. 1 Cor. 9.4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14. Maintenance of Ministers. Obedience. Prayer for men.good things. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth in this and other things, that shall he also reap, Gal. 6.6, 7.
oforeign, Ignat. Ep. ad Smyrn. Ed. Voss. p. 6.Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves; for they watch for your souls. Pray for us, Heb. 13.17, 18. Which are part of those Precepts that are enjoined as the way whereby to serve God acceptably, who is a consuming fire to destroy and devour all that dare offend him, chap. 12.2. last verses.
And for the necessity of the several Laws in the particular relation of Husband and Wife;Laws in the relation of Husband and Wife. that will appear by what follows.
For as for that love which is strictly required betwixt them, it ought, says St Paul, agreeably to the words of God at the institution of Marriage, They two shall be one Flesh, to be such as people have for their own Bodies, Ephes. 5.28, 31. Which cannot imply less than an affectionate concern, Communicating in each others bliss or misery.and communicating in each others joy or sorrow; for if one member of a mans Body suffer, all the rest, as the Apostle observes, suffer with it; and if one be honoured, all the rest rejoyce with it: the Members all having the same care one for another, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26.Bearing each others infirmities. Praying for each other. And also a bearing with each others infirmities, as every man will do with those of his own Body; and praying for each other. And for particular Duties, we are told in the same fifth Chapter to the Ephesians, that the Husband must condescend and comply with his Wife, On the Husbands side, Condescension and Compliance.and part, not only with his own self-will but, even with his own life to serve her. Husbands love your Wives, saith he, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it. So ought men to love their Wives as their own Bodies. And how that is, we all experience, for no man ever yet hated his own Flesh, Providing for her. Protecting her.but protecteth it and provideth well and duly for it, or nourisheth and cherisheth it, ver. 25, 28, 29. In which love of his Wife as of his own Flesh, Flexible, winning Government.is implied moreover that his Government of her be pCol. 3.19.flexible and obliging; nothing being more contrary to our self-love, than to be commanded in peremptoriness and rigour. On the Wives side, Observance.And then as for the particular Duties of the Wife, she is bid to be observant, or to take care how to please her Husband, 1 Cor. 7.34. To submit her will to his, and to be ready to perform what he enjoins,Subjection. as she is to do what God commands her. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands, as unto the Lord: for the Husband is the Head of the Wife, as Christ is of the Church: therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ; so let the Wives be unto their own qTit. 2.5.15.Husbands in every thing, Ephes. 5.22, 23, 24. And this submission she must shew in respectful carriage, and such behaviour as argues in her a fear to give offence, Let the Wife see that she reverence her Husband, Reverence.ver. 33. And all these Commands enjoining Duties both on one side and on the other, which are delivered in that Chapter, are required as part of our walking as Children of the light, and proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, ver. 8, 10.
Marriage is honourable, and the Bed undefiled; but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge, Heb. 13.4.Fidelity on both sides.
Wives are to be taught to be obedient to their own Husbands, Obedience on the Wives.that the Word of God or Doctrine of the Gospel be not blasphemed, Tit. 2.5. Let Wives be in subjection to their own Husbands. For with this in old time the holy women adorned themselves, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling and observing him as her Lord, whose Daughters ye are as long as you do well, and imitate her, but no longer, 1 Pet. 3.5, 6.
So that all the Laws in this relation are enjoined under the same necessity, and confirmed with the same sanction as the former.
And as for the Particulars of the next relation,Laws in the relation of Parents and Children. they are imposed with the same strictness.
For natural affection, the want of it St Paul affirms plainly makes men r2 Tim 3.3.worthy of death, Rom. 1.31.
The Children ought not to lay up sforeign. On the Parents side, Maintenance or Provision.Treasure or provide for the Parents, but the Parents for the Children, 2 Cor. 12.14. And if any man provide not for his own house, he hath denied the Faith of Christ, which indispensably enjoins it, nay despising such a notorious and necessary Precept of mere Nature, he is worse than any honest Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8.
Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath against you by a harsh and austere Government of them,Loving Government. but rule them in kindness and love; and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Religious …ducation.And ye Children on the other side tCol. ….20, 21.obey your Parents in the Lord, for this is right. uMat. 15.4. Obedience on the Childrens side. Honour.Honour your Father and Mother, that it may be well with you, Ephes. 6.1, 2, 3, 4. Which Precepts are of the number of those which he imposes on them as parts of their walking as Children of the light, and proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, Chap. 5.8, 10.
If any man have Children or Nephews, let them first learn to shew piety at home, and requite their Parents, for this is good and acceptable to God. Requiting their Parents.But if any man provide not for his own, especially those of his own house or Family, as Parents are in the first place, he hath denied the Faith, and in his unnatural actions is worse than an honest Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.4, 8.
And thus are all the Laws of this relation likewise established in the greatest strictness, and our obedience to them made plainly necessary to our bliss and happiness.
Laws in the relation of Brethren and Sisters.And as for the particular Laws of natural affection, and communicating upon occasion to each other of their Substance in the relation of Brethren and Sisters; they are proved to be necessary in the proof of the former: For the same places which require them in that relation, require them in this also.
Laws in the relation of Masters and Servants. On the Masters side, Maintenance.And then as for the Particulars of the last relation, viz. that of Masters and Servants; they are of equal necessity with all the foregoing.
If any man provide not for his own house, whereof Servants are one part, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8.
Just and equal Government.Masters, give unto your Servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven, who will punish your unequal dealing towards them, Col. 4.1. If I despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant when they argue in their own defence, and contend with me; what then shall I do when God rises up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Job 31.13, 14.
P…nctual payment of the wages of the Hireling.Thou shalt not oppress an hired Servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy Brethren, a Jew, or a Stranger, of the Gentiles. At his xLev. 19.13.Day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the Sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it, Deut. 24.14, 15. yJer. 22.13.Weep and howl, O ye rich men, says St James, for the miseries that shall come upon you; for behold the hire of the Labourers, who have reaped down your Fields, and which is of you keept back by fraud, crieth against you, and the Cries are entred into the ears of the Lord, who hearkens to them, and in great Justice will one Day avenge them, James 5.1, 4.
Ye Masters do the same things (viz. good, Religious instruction.whether as to their Bodies, in providing for them, or to their Souls, in religious instruction, with a good will, in expectation of a reward from the Lord) to your Servants, forbearing threatning; knowing that your Master also is in Heaven, Forbearing threatning.who has threatned you if ye neglect this necessary Duty, neither is there any respect of persons with him, Ephes. 6.8, 9.
Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke, On the Servants side, Honour.count their own Masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God be not blasphemed, as certainly it would upon their contrary practice. And if any man teach otherwise, he is proud, knowing nothing, 1 Tim. 6.1, 3, 4.
Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the Flesh; not with eye-service, Obedience.but in singleness or zforeign.sincerity of heart, without fraud or double dealing, as persons fearing God. And whatsoever you do, Hearty service.do it heartily, as to the Lord, not to men; knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for such your obedient practice, for, in thus serving them, you serve the Lord Christ, Col. 3.22, 23, 24. Servants obey your Masters with fear and trembling; Reverence.not with eye-service, as Men-pleasers, but from the heart, with goodwill, doing service as to the Lord, who commands this of you, and not only to men; knowing that whatsoever good or ill in this particular any man doth▪ the same shall he receive of the Lord, Ephes 6.5, 6, 7, 8.
Exhort Servants to be obedient to their own M…sters, Observance.and to please them well by all manner of observance in all things, Vindicating their inj…red reputation. Concealing their defects. Fidelity.either as to their reputation in vindicating it when 'tis injured, or concealing such defects as would stain and fully it, or their other interests: showing all good fidelity. For the Grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching them, as ever they hope to be saved by it, That denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, whereof the contrary practices to these are the effect and offspring, they should live soberly, &c. Tit. 2.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. And moreover, these Precepts are part of that sound Doctrine, which Titus is required to speak, ver. 1. in opposition to their Doctrine, who in the Verse before are said to be abominable, disobedient, and to every good work reprobate.
Servants be subject to your own Masters, with all fear or reverence; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the foreign.hard or hasty and froward. For this is thankworthy, if for Conscience towards God you patiently endure grief, suffering wrongfully. This is acceptable to God, and likewise necessary for you; for even hereunto were you called, that you may be like to Christ who has left you an example of such patient suffering, for this end, that you might follow his steps, 1 Pet. 2.18, 19, 20, 21, &c.
And thus are all the particular Laws of this last relation imposed in the same strictness of obligation, and under the same severe sanction with all the rest that went before.
And as for the Law of Baptism, and of the Lords Supper, and of Repentance and amendment whensoever we fail in any of the former, which are all the commanding Laws yet remaining; their necessity will appear from the Scriptures following.
Baptism.Except a man be born again of Water as well as of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, says Christ to Nicodemus, John 3.5. And when Christ sends his Apostles out to preach to all the World, that Doctrine which he commissions them to declare is this, He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved, Mark 16.16.
Take, eat, this is my Body: Lords Supper.Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, you do shew forth the Lords death, which you must do, till he come the second time to judge us, and to punish all impenitent Transgressors as well of this as of all his other Precepts, 1 Cor. 11.24, 25, 26. And this Command, he further says, he received of the Lord to deliver to them, ver. 23. And for the fuller proof of the necessity of this Sacrament, that is very remarkable, which, as some have observed, the Jewish Doctors have taken notice of, viz. that whereas God forbad twenty three things under pain of being cut off from the people to them who committed them; yet in the whole Old Testament there are but two things commanded under that penalty to those who should neglect them; and they are Circumcision and the Passover, which are Types and Figures of, and answer to our two Sacraments, Baptism and the Lords Supper. And for that necessity particularly of the Passover among the Jews, which answers to the Eucharist among us Christians, where, as the Apostle says, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5.7. we have a plain Text at the institution of it, Exod. 12. Whosoever, in the Feast of the Passover, eateth leavened Bread from the first Day to the eleventh Day; that soul shall be cut off from Israel, ver. 15.
Repentance and remission of sins thereupon is commanded to be preached to all Nations, Luke 24.47.Repentance. And as Christ ordered, so his Apostles practised. Repent, says St Peter in his first Sermon, and be baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2.38. But without this there is no mercy for any wilful Offenders; for except you repent, says our Saviour, you shall all perish, Luke 13.3.
And thus we have seen of all the commanding Laws particularly, that our obedience to every one of them is plainly necessary to our salvation. They are that Rule which God has fixt to measure out to us either Life or Death, and which at the last Day we must all be eternally acquitted or condemned by.