Exposition Upon 1 Peter, Biblical exegesis · Chapter 5 · Verse 2
Verse 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready minde.
THe first duty required of Ministers, is laid down in these words,
Feed the flock of God which is among you,] Feed, namely, by preaching the word soundly and diligently; The flock of God, namely, The whole company which is under your charge, which is not yours, but Gods, and that whether by creation, as all are, or by redemption, as some are. Which is among you, or dependeth on you for Instruction, Comfort and Direction.
Feed] This implies divers things, as
1. That Ministers must preach the Word of God:Ministers must preach the word. Now preaching is an opening of the Scriptures (wherein as many things be dark and hard to be understood, which God hath done in his great wisdom, to stir up unto the search hereof;1 Cor. 14. 3. so there are wholsom instructions to be gathered,2 Tim. 4. 2. which every one cannot finde out) and an applying thereof, for doctrine, conviction, instruction, correction, comfort, &c. this preaching is feeding.Ioh. 21. 16, 27 This is often required, as Mat. 28. 20. Mark 16. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2.1 Cor. 9. 16. its the note of a Ministers love to God and Christ Jesus; and the Apostle calls for a wo on himself if he did not preach:Eph. 4. 11. This is the Ordinance of God to convert souls, by working Faith and Regeneration,Mat. 13. 24. Acts 26. 18. Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. & 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1, 23. This is the means to edifie and build up,Neh. 8. 8. and therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the ancient Ordinance of God, ever since the people so desired it, Exod. 20. 19. whereof we have examples both in the Old Testament, as of Ezra, &c. and in the New,Acts 2. 41. as of John Baptist, our Savior Christ, the Apostles, &c. This hath been powerful to this end, and by this was the world subdued, and this God is pleased yet to use.
1. This condemneth the Church of Rome, Use 1.which maketh a company of Ministers, but not to preach: If they can say Mass, and therein offer Christ (as they say) as a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the quick and the dead, that's enough.
2. It condemneth all among our selves (whereof there yet remain too many in this Land) that are in the room of Ministers,Use 2. but feed not, either cannot or will not preach the Word; such are no feeders, but starvers,See Hos. 4. 6. blinde leaders of the blinde, Soul-slayers, blood-suckers, yea, worse then Cannibals, as living of the blood of Souls, whereas these live on mans Flesh; Davids abstaining from drinking of the water of the well of Bethlehem, for which he longed so much, as being purchased at such a rate, may condemn these men: How can they escape the forementioned wo, 1 Cor. 9? shall they not have the reward of the idle and unprofitable Servant, to be bound hand and foot, &c? Howsoever they are to be reputed as Ministers, and their actions be not nullities, but may be sanctified to the people of God; yet not being sent of God, that is, gifted, and apt to teach, they are no true Ministers of God; neither can they be said to be good men, unless they be good in their special calling: They are indeed in the room of Watchmen, but are blinde, and cannot discern the enemy, therefore suffer the people to be surprised; Husbandmen, but have no skill to plow up a fallow ground-heart, to sow, weed, &c. Builders, but cannot tell which way to hew a stick or stone for the Lords building; Labourers, but take no pains; Soldiers, but rather betray their people to the Enemy, then fight for them: Some of them be good fellows, and set on the great pot, and keep a good house (which yet all do not) and so think all well; but what though they fill mens bellies, if in the mean time they starve their souls? nay, though they live quietly, keep hospitality, make peace among their Neighbors, yet they do not their duty if they Preach not: O that they would give themselves to be feeders, or else take to themselves any other calling, rather then for a little advantage, lose their own and peoples souls! what a foolish bargain make they for a little piece of the world,See Matth. 16. 26. a mite in comparison, to damn both their own and the souls of others?
Object. But they read the word,Obj. and is not that sufficient?
Ans. Reading both private and Ministerial,Sol. is of great use, but there's no small difference between the same and Preaching; when the Word is onelyonly read, people neither understand it, nor have they power or will to apply it to themselves.Acts 8. 31.
Reading is as a rich and costly garment folded up,Differences between Reading and Preaching. Preaching when its open and held out by the four Corners: In reading we see it full of Majesty, but when its unfolded by Preaching, we wonder at so much matter in so few words:Of this argument read Attersol on Phil. pag. 208. Reading is as the whole loaf, Preaching as the cutting of it in pieces, where every man hath his portion divided;The Preachers Plea, p. 114. to 180. Greenham on Heb. 13. 17. Its as the cracking of the nut, and finding out the kernel: This difference will appear plainly by comparing the knowledge and practice of those which live under those which are onelyonly Readers, with theirs which live under faithful and diligent Preachers.
3. For people,Downham of the duty and dignity of Ministers. 1. If they have not this feeding at their Ministers hands, they must count themselves grievously wronged, & complain to God, as being ready to starve, and pray earnestly, and complain to them that be in place to right such things,Gibson on 1 Cor. 9. yea, and that much more then if they were wronged in respect of their Temporal Estate: But woful world!Use 3. most people care not for this, are well enough content, complain not hereof;The 1. branch. If their Ministers do but use them well in their Tythes, they can swallow down any thing else, nay, in numbers of places the people like such best; we may know by the Market folks, how the Market goes: Ask of those you meet with as you travel, what Ministers they have; what's their usual Answer? If he be a Reader, We have an honest peaceable man; true, he doth not Preach, but he doth what he can, and we can desire no more of him, &c. but if he be a Preacher, then, We have a troublesome man; some say he is learned, but howsoever he hath troubled us all, we were as quiet as could be till he came, but now there is such finding of faults, and such new orders, as we are even weary of both; and thus they had rather have one that will let them go on snorting in their sins, not reproving them, then a faithful Minister that seeks to pull them out of the fire; pitiful Creatures! If the King should make weekly allowance to a Town, and the under Officers should defraud them of it, would they not complain? God hath appointed the preaching of his Word for the food of souls; This is not distributed by divers, who would seem entrusted herewith, and yet who openeth his mouth in this case? God would have us to be Seers, but the world would have us either to be stark blinde, that we should see nothing amiss to reprove in them, or purblinde at least, to see nothing but foul sins that stare men in the face;Isaiah 58. 1. for their pride, covetousness, or neglect of duties, they must not meddle therewith: God would have us cry aloud, and set the Trumpet to our mouth, and rebuke the world of sin, but the world would have us either dumb dogs that should not bark at all, either in hope of a crust, or fear of a blow, or else at least to bark at none, but strange and monstrous sins.The 2. branch. 2. If they be fed, they must look to profit thereby; If their Ministers prepare for them good and wholsome food, they also must prepare themselves, and bring a good stomack, and take it in well, by diligent hearing, digesting it by meditation and conference, that they may grow thereby: O woful people in many places, that have excellent Preachers, and as good feeding as may be, and yet have lean ill-favored and mishapen souls (being inwardly as Pharaoh's seven kine appeared outwardly) as if they had never had a good meals meat; whence is this? some will not come to Church, where the food is; some come, but presently fall asleep; some have their stomacks so cloyed, that they have no appetite; others put it out like wanton children: These are authors of their own wo, their blood shall be on their own heads, what answer will they make to God, when they shall be called to an account for this? what a grief is this to Gods Ministers? when they have made their provision, they are gladest if their guests come, and have good stomacks, that nothing be lost. 3. While their Minister is feeding them carefully,The 3. branch. they must be careful to feed him with necessary and convenient maintenance, that he may not be troubled or distracted:Simile. If a sitting Hen should go much from her nest to seek for food for her self, the eggs could not but chill: If Ministers should not be maintained, how could they go on in this great work? contrarily, how many purloin from their Ministers? how many endeavor to get their Tythes at an under-rate, &c? Doth their Minister feed them carefully, and should not they allow him to the utmost? should not they be as careful of him, as he is or ought to be of them? how else shall he maintain himself and his family? how else keep hospitality, and be helpful to the poor? how else succor poor Christians, Schollars, and Strangers that resort to him fo… succor? A good Minister had need be a Treasurer helping to so many good uses.
2. That Ministers must preach the Word soundly,Ministers must preach the Word soundly. they must not give stones instead of bread, for an egge, a Scorpion, for a fish, a Serpent, for food, Poyson: Not onelyonly they must not teach erroneous Doctrine, but also not brackish and unsavory points, that jar with Scripture, though not in the highest degree: They must not Preach mens inventions and Traditions (what is the chaff to the wheat?) not idle things, frothy stuff, &c. to the discouraging of the good, and heartening of the wicked:See Iohn 10▪ This were not to feed the flock, neither are we to follow or embrace any such Doctrine.
3. That Ministers must Preach diligently,Ministers must preach diligently. in season and out of season, watching every opportunity to do their people good, and that in regard of their manifold wants and great weaknesses.2 Tim. 4. 1… ▪
1. This rebukes them,Use 1. that having flocks, feed them but seldom, haply once a year, quarterly or monethly Sermons, they think more then enough.
2. It rebukes the woful backwardness of many people,Use 2. that howsoever wisdom cryeth and lifteth up her voyce in the streets,Luke 14. 18. yet for their Oxen and Farms will not intend this Market, count her wares but as dead commodities; How many worthy Ministers have been forced to give over their preaching for want of company, as others to preach to a few? O what lets have without us, besides our own untowardness to call home the uncalled at one time or other, to build up by little and little the good: Alas, even they that have been somewhat forward, are subject to decay, and to become worse again. A Ministers work is not like a Carpenters or Masons,Simile. as they leave it, they finde it, but he may leave some in a good minde, who yet within a while after are cooled or turned away.
The flock of God] These words are a reason,The second Reason Christians are Gods flock. whereby he enforceth his Exhortation. The people are the Lords, not ours; all are his by creation, but he hath a company in the world, who are his by another right,Acts 20. 28. namely, of Redemption, as being bought by the precious blood of Christ: O unspeakable price! They must therefore be dear to him, for such things as costs us much, we much set by: If God gave his Sons blood for them, his Spirit to them, and prepareth Heaven for them, then they be dear to him; therefore he will call to a strict account for Souls, not one shall perish, but he will have account how, and by whose default. The King will have account of every of his Subjects (even the meanest) how he comes to his end, so will the Lord of Souls.
1. This teacheth all men to take heed of Souls,Use 1. they meddle with Jewels, with costly Ware, when they meddle with them: Woful is the state of all unconscionable Patrons, that to incroach a great part of the Livings in their gift, put in of Jeroboam Priests, when the Souls of Congregations were at their mercy to save or destroy them; woful also is the state of such, whom they thus put in.
2. Let Ministers do their duties,Use 2. as they that must be called to an account,Iohn 21. 16. for their flock be the Lords, his Sheep, his Lambs, but …ost use them not as if they were the Lords.See Ezek. 34. 10.
3. This teacheth people to submit themselves to the guidance,Use 3. direction, teaching and government of their Shepherds, whom God hath set over them: They must be content to be kept within the fold, to be kept from rank places that would rot them, to be kept in bare pasture,Iohn 10. 27. to be often dressed, &c. As sheep follow their Shepherds voyce,Heb. 13. 17. so must Gods people the whistle of Gods Word by his Ministers.
3. This rebukes numbers which will not be kept in,Use 4. but stray where they list: These straglers will fall into the Devils mouth, they will run into the rank rotten places of unlawful profits and pleasures; do what Ministers can, they will not be dressed, &c. Thus thousands dye of the rot, and of other deadly diseases, notwithstanding all the care of the most diligent Shepherds; these be none of Christs sheep, his follow the mouth of his under-Shepherds, and lose nothing by it, as who shall have eternal life; but these be Goats, and its easie to know their place, where it will be, even on the left hand, to hear their doleful doom.
Again, By Flock, the whole company that is under a Ministers charge being to be understood, thus much may be noted, that
A Minister must have regard to all his people,Ministers are to regard all their people▪ even to the meanest, from the one end of the Church to the other: No Shepherd will willingly lose the least sheep of his fold; and good Husbands and Housewives do not onelyonly look to their Silver Vessels, but to those of Brass, Pewter, Stone, Wood; so must we take care of all, look to all.
1. This rebukes those Ministers which preach so loftily,Use 1. and in divers tongues, and after such a fashion, as is quite beyond the reach of most, and onelyonly apply themselves to a few of the chief, rather in ostentation seeking themselves, then Gods glory, or the peoples souls: It were unreasonable for a Minister to preach, if his voyce could not be heard of the one half, so is it to be heard, if not understood; five words are better being understood,1 Cor. 14. 19. then many in an unknown tongue. A Ministers glory is to stoop to the capacity of the meanest; what's the end of preaching, but that people may understand and be affected? have not the poor souls as well as the chief? yea, it may be they are most dear to God, for the poor receive the Gospel.
2. This teacheth all to give ear and yield obedience to the Word;Use 2. This must the poor do, this also the rich: But O the woful carelesness of the one, contempt of the other! for the poor, they sit at the lower end, and regard nothing, come but seldom, and think their poverty excuseth them, which should indeed provoke them more unto obedience; They live as if they had no souls, all for the belly and back, but regard no good thing universally; for the rich, they think their greatness may excuse them, and that this subjection doth not become their place and rank, whereas the more riches, the more greatness, &c. they should be the more obedient.
Which is among you,] Or dependeth upon you. Here note,
1. That its Gods minde,Every Congregation is to have a several Pastor. that every particular Congregation should have a several Pastor over them, and so did the Apostles take order in their times.
2. That a Minster must attend to that charge over which the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer;Every Pastor is to look to his own charge He is not bound to other flocks, but to his own; not but that one Minister may help another in case of special need, not neglecting his own, but his main care must be for his own.
1. This rebuketh those that lying in Universities,Use 1. Cities, or great mens Houses, regard not the people that depend on them; Their people depend on them for instruction, comfort, direction, &c. and their lips should preserve knowledge, now if they be dry Nurses, Wells without water, they do but deceive their people, their people trust to a broken reed.
2. People must respect those Ministers which are set over them;Use 2. If their gifts be competent, and they teach them the truth, they must not dishonor them, but pray for them, hearten them, frequent their Sermons, &c. As Ministers must attend their own people, so people must attend their own Ministers; even a Minister that is sincere and careful, though of meaner gifts, may yet be fitter to do good in his own place then a stranger, because he knows their state and condition best, and we may also look for Gods blessing on the labors of such: As poor folks Children with their plain and slender dyet,Simile. are yet as lusty, well liking, strong and comely, as they that are rich, having all abundance and variety: Men must not say, I can edifie better by another, or I cannot edifie by him, they must labor to edifie, and God will give a blessing; If at other times other helps are offered, people are to embrace them, and be thankful for them, but without contempt of their own Minister.
Taking the oversight thereof,] Ministers must oversee and look into their flocks.Another duty of the Ministers of God: Its not enough to preach, yea soundly and diligently, but they must besides take a particular view and oversight of their flock, marking and looking into (by themselves and others) the conversation and behavior of their people,See Prov. 27. 23. and applying themselves to them accordingly in admonition,Iohn 10. 3. exhortation,Acts 20. 28. comfort: As Watchmen, they must continually look to prevent,Simile. descry, and disapoint the Enemy: As Nurses, they must not onelyonly feed their Children, but have also a careful eye over them; should they leave them, they might peradventure go together by the ears, scratch one another, fall into the fire, wander out, fall into the water, &c. No, they must have continual work with them; as to take them up, being fallen; wash them, being soul; chide and part them, when they wrangle and fight: As Shepherds, they must not onelyonly drive or lead out their Sheep to Pasture, but view and mark them at going out and coming into the Fold, having also all day long their eyes on them, fetching home those that wander, binding up those that are hurt, &c. If a Minister know any of his people riotous or prophane, he must rebuke them; If any out of the way, admonish them; he must hearten them that be in a good course to go on still, and must comfort them that languish under their sins, temptations and fears; in a word, deal with every one as the cause requireth: As they say of a Begger, he is never out of his way; so its true of a Minister in his own Parish, he is never out of his way, but wheresoever he goeth, there is some work, and whomsoever he meeteth with, he hath something to say to him: If he be a riotous son, a disobedient servant, an idle person, one that comes not to Church, or that behaves himself rudely therein, there's occasion offered to rebuke and admonish: But if it be some zealous Christian, or some beginning to wax faint, or some in affliction, there's occasion offered to exhort and comfort: The like may be said when he goes to see or sit with any of his people, whether poor or rich, and amongst those he may finde some staggering in judgement, ready to be seduced by Brownists, Papists, Anabaptists, &c. whom he must have an eye to: Thus he may help his publique Ministery: Thus prevent and remedy many things amiss; Thus their peoples consciences cannot but be convinced, whereas what is spoken in the publique Ministery, many take not to themselves: Thus Ministers shall know the better how to Preach aptly, according to their peoples necessities, who else shall but preach generally and uncertainly: his Ministery is also the more like to prevail, when he comes home close to the peoples hearts, and toucheth their very faults; thus also shall he know the better whom to admit to the Sacrament: All the discommodity is, that having rebuked or admonished men of any faults in private, and coming to reprove such things in publique, they think he points at them, and galls them, and so they stomack him, and cannot away with him; but its onelyonly thus with some few proud persons, or rich men, who therefore must have the less said to them in private, and that they shall get by their frowardness.
1. This rebukes those Ministers that be absent from their people usually or continually:Use 1. How can these take care of them, that come not at them above once in a Quarter, except they could indent with the Devil, never to trouble their people, or tempt them in their absence, or tell them when he would be busie with them, &c. If they say they care for them by another, so they shall go to Heaven by another, but be in danger to go to Hell in their own persons. Besides, either he is fit to care for them (and then why hath he not the wages that doth the work?) or he is not fit, and then how will they answer that to God?
2. It rebukes those also that living among their people,Use 2. yet care not thus, but think themselves discharged that they meet them at Church on the Sabbath, and then preach them a Sermon, whereas all the week after they consider not of them, nay, scarce visit the sick, but either are so entangled with cares and businesses of the world,See 2 Tim. 2. 4. that they cannot, or so addicted to their pleasures, that they will not minde this; Thus they are less fit for Preaching, do the less good, and receive all at a venture to the Sacrament, which is a fearful thing.
3. As people must be careful for their Ministers (who had need of no worldly care hanging on them) that they may attend on their care of them;Use 3. so they must be willing that their Ministers have a care of them, and deal privately with them and theirs.
This many cannot away with, but would that the Minister should content himself with seeing them at Church, but not to look into their behavior in their Families, or to pry into their lives, or deal privately or particularly; who yet if they have a shepherd, look that he should diligently tend their sheep all day, and look to them particularly, as well as feed them; they should be glad when the Minister will come to their Houses, and sit with them, conferring with them and theirs of heavenly things, &c. But if they should know when he would come, they would be sure to be out of the way; this is a sign of an ill conscience, that they cannot abide the tryal, and (which is worse) of a bad heart that is not willing to mend.
But there's another extremity, when people will expect too much at the Ministers hands, as to visit them at their houses more often then the largeness of the place, and his strength and time will permit, which though it be a good fault and a rare, & therefore to be much born with (for there is nothing more comely in the world, then to see Ministers delight in their peoples company, and people in theirs, and thereupon to be much together) yet it must be done as it may stand with the publique; There must be convenient time to Preach, that we may not come unpreparedly; and if a Minister Preach also on the week days, he cannot have much time for private, especially in a great and wide Parish.
Not by constraint but willingly,] Ministers are not by constraint, but willingly to perform their duties towards their people.Now for the maner; A Minister is not to perform the forementioned duties by constraint (as for fear of Gods wrath, mens Laws or shame, &c.) but willingly: To do by constraint is base and servile, what any doth thus, they do but homely, no better then needs must; and besides, what hope of Gods blessing can they expect upon such work?1 Cor. 9. 17. God loves a willing heart, and a chearful doer:2 Cor. 5. 14. There's a constraint that is good, whereof the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, The love of Christ hath constrained me, &c. namely, because Christ hath pardoned my sins, dyed for me, hath called me to this high and holy calling, to be his Ambassador to his people, hath entrusted me with the souls of his People, &c. I will therefore in all and every these respects▪ do my duty in the most faithful and careful maner that I can, neither can I do otherwise; other constraint is base: A man cannot endure his Servant should thus do his work, much less the Lord, who hath no need of any man; and if one do it not, he can set up another at his pleasure.
1. This rebukes those that never Preach,Use 1. but so often as they are bound by Law, once a monethmonth, or once a quarter, as also those who for avoiding the shame of dumb idols, step up and do a little, but like hirelings, who have no love to their work, are at it in body, their mindes being far therefrom.
2. It may perswade all Ministers to readiness and willingnes in our duty private and publique,Use 2. when we finde any loathness to our study, and drousiness therein; lets think what an honorable Calling ours is, and that whereas others are employed on earthly things: ours is in the Scriptures, searching in the rich Treasures of the Word, and dealing altogether in Spiritual and Holy things; and again, what a trust is laid up with us, and what weight lyeth upon us, and what a reward remaineth for us; we serve a good Master, in an excellent work, in the assurance of most rich wages.
3. People must learn also to do their duty,Use 3. not by constraint but willingly; Thus must they reverence their Ministers, hear them, obey their Ministery, allow them maintenance; but how grudgingly do most pay their Tythes, which is for want of finding good by the Word; They should so take part of the Ministers Spiritual things, as they may put themselves into his debt, and see cause to allow him means: O suffer not any of the tenth part to cleave to your fingers, neither seek to enrich your selves hereby, but by the remaining nine parts: whoso think to enrich themselves by working on the Lords day, or keeping back their Tythes, deceive themselves, they shall not prosper: Be the Minister good or bad, give him willingly all the Law gives him; If he do not his duty, he shall answer for it: Be not you Trespassers also, stoppage is no payment; but if he be a sufficient and painful Minister, your custom will not priviledge you from paying him his due by Gods appointment, you must give him his due to the utmost, and he is worthy of it: But O the woful covetousness and corruption of men in this behalf! They think any thing enough for a Minister, though it be but from hand to mouth, whereas they look to encrease themselves, and think their Trade bad, and themselves ill Husbands, if they leave not store to their Posterity.
Not of filthy lucre, Ministers must not perform their duties for filthy lucre, but of a ready minde.but of a ready minde,] Its not enough to do our duty willingly, for so we may do for filthy lucre and gain, but it must be of a ready minde, even the love of God, and zeal of his glory, and the care of the peoples Salvation, and winning them to God; It were a base thing that lucre should set us on work, or any thing else, but those high and holy ends.
Obj. None would preach but for their maintenance,Obj. they look for it.
Sol. Suppose it to be so,Sol. yet many preach, and have not half the maintenance they spend where they live, but either spend of that little God gave them by their friends,2 Cor. 11. 8. or else rob other Churches (as the Apostle speaketh) to preach to them: but its one thing to be set on work for gain, and another to expect an honest and necessary mainteinance, which is a necessary help to the doing of the duty, and without which it cannot be well done; It comes in, I say, by the by, as a necessary help to the duty,1 Cor. 9. 10. not as the end that sets on work thereto: And its Gods Ordinance, that they that preach the Gospel should be maintained thereby; yea, if a man had maintenance of his own, he were not bound in these days,See Isaiah 56▪ 10, 11. and among an able people to preach of his own cost,Ier. 6. 13. but might expect the recompence of his labors, and ye… do not this duty for filthy lucre.Mic. 3. 5.
1. This rebuketh those that heap living upon living,Use 1. that they may live wealthily and at ease, doing little of the work, and taking small care of their calling.
2. Those which do no good in their places (who yet are very cunning to gather in their commodities,Use 2. and to make as much of their peoples as they can) but follow Farming and Lawing, as if they were meer Farmers, Grasiers, or Atturneys; they eat the fat, and cloath themselves with the fleece, but do not at all regard their peoples good.
3. Such vagabond and vagrant rogues that go up and down with a set Sermon or two which they have got by heart,Use 3. and coming into by places, offer themselves to Preach, falling in the end of their Sermons to make known their necessities, by reason of great losses, as by fire, or the like, all being notorious lyes; These be notorious rogues, fitter for the Whipping-post then any place else: O but you disgrace that calling! No, I speak against these scabs and scurfs that disgrace it, for some of those were never in the Ministery, but boldly have taken this course without calling or warrant; some it may be have been in the Ministery, but for their base and detestable behavior, have been cast out, and now take this course; Those are notorious drunkards, Gamesters, Whoremasters, as hath been proved.
4. Such as desire to preach at many Funerals,Use 4. and there for a little see set their tongues and consciences to sale, in saying they care not what, sometimes without, sometimes against their knowledge.
5. Such as having a great man in their Parish,Use 5. dare not displease him by preaching the truth, but double and faulter, serving their turn for advantage.
O that we would set Gods glory and our peoples good before our eyes, as the mark whereat we are to aym; covetousness is a base sin in any, but chiefly in a Minister: How shall he teach others to depend on God, or teach the Doctrine of Gods providence, that is himself perplexed with worldly cares? how can he preach against covetousness in others, who is himself covetous?
6. For People,Use 6. they must not reverence and make much of their Ministers, for filthy lucre, and because they let them good penyworths, but for their Office, Gifts and Care. Note we further, that
As we are to do good duties after a right maner,Duties are to be done with a willing heart. as in hearing with an honest heart, praying, with lifting up pure hands, without wrath or doubting,Isa. 1. 11, &c. and 58. 3. receiving the Sacrament after due preparation, &c. (else how glorious soever the outside be, they are abomination in Gods sight, and encrease our condemnation; So we must particularly do the same with a willing heart; so were the offerings of the people towards the building of the Tabernacle and Temple: All our duties to God, his Ministers, the poor, all works of mercy, &c. must be thus done.
Again,No man is to follow any calling meerly for gain. that no man ought to do the duties of his calling, or go to his work meerly for gain, so that if it were not for it, he would not follow his calling: These be servants and drudges to Mammon, so do Heathens and Turks, but Christians ought to go to their work, because God hath so appointed,Eccles. 1. 13. and for the good of the Church and Commonwealth, his gain must come in on the by, as it shall please God to send it; but we ought to follow our calling, as the means God hath appointed to keep us from idleness, and to humble us thereby, and we might be instruments of the common good.
No doubt most men offend God greatly this way,Use. yea, good Christians go not to their work in Faith, as they ought, nor so single-heartedly as they should, but are carried along by profit; therefore some when they cannot encrease as they have and would, then give over their callings, and live idelly of the sweat of other mens brows, by Usury, &c. most never regard the common good, but their own private advantage.Most of the gain of the world is filthy gain.
Filthy lucre,] Not that all gain (for so lucre signifieth) is evil or filthy, yet so he calls gain, to shew us, that most of the gain of the world is filthy gain; though to the most of the world, all is fish that comes to net, and gotten by hook or crook, right or wrong is cleanly enough, though never so filthy: Indeed, hungry dogs will eat dirty things, and draff is good enough for swine; we must learn to keep our selves clear of filthy lucre.
What is filthy lucre?Whats to be accounted filthy lucre. whatsoever is got basely by the neglecting any good duty towards God, our souls, our families, our brethren, is filthy gain; So whatsoever is gotten by any unlawful means, gain gotten by the breach of any of Gods commandments, as by society, and conversing familiarly with Idolaters against the second Commandment; so all gain gotten by oaths, charms, &c. all gain gotten by travel or working, or bargaining on the Lords day; all gain gotten by defrauding the Prince of his Taxes and Customs, or Ministers of their Tythes and Dues; all gain accrewing by oppression, withholding Corn from the poor, upon forfeitures, &c. all gain gotten by Whoredom on the womans part, or on the mans by winking thereat, so all of gain gotten by any kinde of fraud or deceit, as by bribery, gaming, and the like: So by selling things not useful, as Cards and Dice, or things not sellable, as Church livings, or things naught or mixt, or at unreasonable rates, or by false weights and measures; so in buying, taking hold of the necessity of a poor man; so in borrowing, not paying, whereof those subtile and wicked bankrupts are guilty, which break to enrich themselves; so lending upon usury, to the poor especially, letting rackt Rents; so in doing work, but not truly, or not at all, and yet taking the wages, whereof many Ministers are guilty; so in not paying wages, whereof not a few rich are guilty; so in Partnership, all unjust and unright gain by secret fraud or open violence; so all gain, by lying, and dissembling, and falshood, the common course of gaining in the world; so of Lawyers, pleading and setting a face upon bad and foul unjust matters for their fees, &c.
Do we examine our gain which we have had:Use. If it be filthy lucre, confess,Col. 3. 6. repent,1 Thess. 4. 6. and cry to God for mercy, and restore, else look for Gods vengeance,1 Cor. 6. 9. God will pursue it in themselves, and curse it that it will not abide to their posterity; and besides, they shall have no part with God:Matth. 16. 26. And then what shall it have profited them to have won the world, with the loss of their souls? yea, the time will come, either in the torment of their conscience in this world, or else at the day of fearful account, when they will be as glad to be rid of it again, as ever Judas was of his thirty pieces; he thought if he could get money, he were made, but when he had it, he was never so ill in his life as then: So was it with Achan, Gehazi, Ananias and Sapphira, &c. And for the time to come, let's beware lest any filthy lucre cleave to our fingers. Note further, That
Lightly the Scripture speaks not of riches,Vsually the Scriptures mention not riches but with some check. but with some checks; If but two words, one of them is to take off our mindes therefrom, as uncertain riches, deceiveable riches, unrighteous Mammon; Its hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and here filthy lucre:The Reasons. This is, that we should not set our hearts too much on them (whereunto we are very prone) but taking heed of covetousness, neither too greedily desire them, nor be insatiable in our desires, nor too sparing from our selves and families, nor niggardly to good and holy duties, nor having them, to set too much by them, or put our confidence in them, or be too much cast down in the loss of them, &c.
To this end,Means to help against covetousness, or the too much love of riches. 1. Consider, That covetousness is idolatry, and so a most hanious sin, withdraws our heart from God, is the root of all evil, will make a man break any Covenant; the bane of godliness, a throne that choaks the seed of the Word. 2. That our life stands not in them, much less our happiness; yea, that they are changeable, and which even Reprobates have in great abundance. 3. Seek after the favor of God and assurance of Salvation, and lay up a treasure in Heaven, and this will stay your stomack for these things: This hunger will starve the other hunger, when we have assurance of Salvation, it will stay us, as a man that hath well broke his fast, hath no great haste to his dinner; Heaven will fill the heart, the world cannot.
Obj. Obj.Why then are many Christians covetous?
Ans. Sol.Its not their goodness; If they had more faith, they would be less careful of the world, but if these be so, being assured of Heaven, what would they be, if they had no assurance thereof? 4. We must follow our Calling diligently,Heb. 13. 5. and cast our selves upon God, believing his promise; He will not fail us, neither forsake us.
Obj. Obj.But the world is hard, we must therefore follow it earnestly, which if we should not do, we should leave but little for our posterity.
Answ. Sol.If we have faith to depend upon God, he will give us by our lawful and moderate seeking, that blessing that shall be best and sufficient both for us and ours, and shall continue longer with our Posterity, then more gotten greedily.