Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A34014
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Charity commended, or, A catholick Christian soberly instructed by J.C.
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Collop, John.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing C5391; ESTC R16883
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68,489
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162
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conformity to that which might deform them Weak calumny nor proud ignorance draws so black a veil as we cannot discern the Lawn sleeves if their own impious ambition have sullyed them I have tears to wash rather then dirt to cast with others and by going backward would willingly draw a sheet of Lawn candid with innocence over the nakednesse of these Fathers and not with cursed Sons expose their shame Those Foxes which call'd these grapes in Gods Vineyard â—owr were they who could not reach them Dog-like in the night of clouded reason bark at the Moon who could not come near its height and lustre no rich man turns Leveller who introduc'd a parity in the Church were those whose deficiencies lent no possibilities of their officeâ— they call'd to the hills with Mahomet to come down to them but finding their labours irrite they would not like him take the pains to go up by degrees of perfection but set the rabble to Levell Episcopacy was made for a remedy to Schism if we will believe Saint Hierom the remedy taken away it can be no wonder if Paroxisms of Schism do concusse and discompose the tranquillity of the body of Religion yet though I venerate Episcopacy as much as I hate a disease I could not love idlenesse in pompous Pageantrie solemn ignorance blazon'd with power ambition and vanity dress'd up with formalities should I believe a St. Ambrose in a non aliunde haereses abortae â—ut nata schismata quam inde quod sacerdotes non veneranur Yet a devont Saint Gregory a holy Polycarp an indefatigable Saint Austine a learned Nazianzen eloquent Chrysostom a meek Cyprian and a resolute Saint Ambrose c. Such Bishops as these shining in sanctity of life and doctrine in the might of the Bridegrooms absence would irradiate Christs Spouse and not in their diocesses like to prodigious Meteors show more of distance and terror then of light and Celestiall virtues if the Primitive Copy be so blotted that it cannot bee taken out I should be sorry and those Lawn sleeves I could love whited with innocence I could not approve purpled with blood weâ— bogle at names neglect poor truth naked and yet may entertain her in a disguise superintendent may imply as much overseer as Bishop and Presbyter the Elder of the Church was a Bishop I shall not be troubled by what name wee are instructed to serve God or what stile we reject so we reject not him who is the high Bishop of our souls Sect. 45. Men of eminent parts are for Episcopacy and take away the golden ball of honor and preference and few will attain to the mark or any eminency of knowledge Men of indifferent call for parity conscious of their own defects of attaining any degree of excellence The inferior whom nature hudled up in hast and neither Art nor Knowledge rectifi'd are for the huddle that by violating the well link'd chain of Government disorder and confusion making inrodes they themselves indistinguish'd may passe in the croud and with these it is no wonder if How the Cobler or pragmaticall Iack the Sopeboyler have more friends and would find more Suffrages then Bishop Laud. The people by the Prerogative of nature act simply lose their judgements and dislike all but that which is but naught and there was not such varietie of beasts in the Ark as there is of beastiall natures in the rout but more especially when the beast turns censorious and even among the gentry there are some scarce a degree above them a company of Plebeian heads whose difference is in their cloths not understandings and therefore it is no wonder if in a multitude of such Councellors there may not be safety while folly hath more votaries then wisdom and voices not judgements are weigh'd knowledge may be easily outvoted and had not a Lord Protector interpos'd we by a fatall experience might have seen Church and State reform'd into nothing or a strange spirituall Government Hence the wiser Polititian hath made it tentare arcana Imperii treason and not unpolitick Princes have rather tollerated the Tyranny of Rome then lent occasion to their subiects to take a platform by Geneva for these popular reformations are so exact that if one stone be defective they seldom leave till they have pluck'd down the whole building in plebe nec veritas nec judicium inter faedam potentiuÌ„ a â—ulationem praeceps prostratorum odium manibus studâ—is incondâ—tis motibus omnia miscent Most are governed by Crude opinion and as they are inform'd like or dislike they know not what and do all in aemulation An Aristides Phocion Themistocles Camillus ' Coriolanus Scipio with whom merit is treason and virtue is guilt it is no wonder if they must be sacrific'd to the rabble as if it was even sin enough to have preserv'd the ingratefull He who silenc'd Rome and check'd the exorbitancy of Popery our incomparable Primate by polishing and filling up the Sciagraphy or rude draught of reformation to a lively resemblance of Primitive excellence falls by those he had preserv'd hee fenc'd the Church with discipline wall'd the City of God with Ceremonies against the incursions of irreligion and prophanesse and made the Church militant move in order like an Army with banners terrible to her enemies while by decent rites hee gave proportion and comlinesse to the Spouse presenting her to her King in a garment of divers colours If in Horace's justum tenacem propositi virum nor ardor câ—vium prava jubentium mente quatit solidâ best Characters Hee staid till the times grew up to him as no friend of his confess'd and would not be lur'd to the phancies of the times natus è qâ—erâ—n non èsalice and so not complying with every wind of error like a bending willow but a sturdy Oak of reformation giving shelter to the Sons of the Church against Roman tempests and phanaticks blasts though he was at length forc'd to yield to the Ax yet not to be cast into the fire for though he was numbred with the transgressors like him whom hee followed in the high-way of the Crosse his red evening I doubt not was the praecursor of a glorious day illuminated by the beams of the Sun of righteousnesse and howsoever that excellent though unfortunate Primate fell Saint Pauls will be a monument of his Charity which should the preposterous zeal of time deface his book against Fisher will be an Epitaph to expresse his constancy to Religion which maugre the iron teeth of time and black mouth'd Calamy or Calumny will continue and though many with weak jugdements and strong passions against these times have stoop'd to the Roman lure supposing conformity introduc'd here as a Phosphor or praecurfor of that glorious light call'd Popery yet I could never meet with any learn'd Romish Priest though acquainted with not a few that would not confesse that Rome had lost her greatest enemy and the English
by their light to heaven they cannot to mortifie the flesh thus is not the way to quicken the spirit We must rather inform Eliah like in fiery chariots of zeal to mount up to heaven Lend them examples to live well not precepts to contend Christ would not own those spirits who would have fire come down from heaven to destroy adversaries He sent down fire from heaven to save not destroy his enemies in cloven tongues to divide truth not divide by falshood who are divided in their waies show whose footsteps they follow the Devill whose feet are cloven He whose fiery zeal for the least dissention calls his brother to do penance in ashes it must needs be so far from the spirit of God as it is manifest his alliance is with the old Serpent whose food is in the dust The holy Father told the revenge-meditating Catholicks against their blood-thirsty enemies the Arians in the reign of the good Theodosius that Christians are not to recompence evill for evill but blesse them that curse pray for them that despitefully use yet if they cannot arrive to this perfection yet must at least leave revenge to God who in his time will repay it God fan is in his hand I will not snatch it out where God hath an Harvest Belial will have a seeds-time the wicked one will sow tares by night men benighted in black and wicked waies are dispos'd to imbibe the seeds of error God grant the light of Heaven may so shine in us that men may be converted from the darknesse of their waies and we may pluck up error not them we must not question his wil who permits them to grow till harvest he that knows his own it shall be my onely endeavoâ—r he may own me for his and not for raising flames of contention here be cast into unquenchable fire hereafter I will not renounce Christ because a Judas bears him company nor any Christian communion because a Judas may have his hand in the dish but rather strive I my self prove no Traitor draw near with my lips my heart remote from him cry hail Master when I think to recrucifie him in his members Alasse poor souls though a Judas may veil impiety with kisses the irrepentant wretch will dissipate and discover his black soul naked I will note them that make contentions and avoid the contentions not the men till three or four times admonition if Physitians were to fly from the sick wee should gain little skill and have a poor profession Sect. 77. I can converse with a Jew with no passion beside a sorrow lend tears to mollifie him and not fire to obdurate and should he encounter my ear with a buffet and bid me turn the other to express Christianity I should not with that Christian with a do as you would be done by requite but by my Saviours example for my sake buffeted pray for him who knew not what he did it is a strange humour in some Christians to pray for the conversion of those Jewes they will not admit into their society to effect it by a peaceable cohabitation Wee might teach them by their Chà ldean Paraphrast their Messiah and by R. Jonathan or R. Shimeony Son of Ishas or R. Moses the Son of Nicar or R. Haccodesh shew how R. Shahadiahs 1200. years R. Solomon and R. Jehudas 1390. R. Elias 4230. years are expir'd and no Messias come Judas the Son of Marbaeus Theudas Arthronges Barchosba the Senior and Junior imposing even upon their Rabbies the Bethlem which they confesse to be the place of their Messiahs birth having now no being their groundlesse phancies may vanish like it while we show him who had a being with it who dy'd for his people whose hands and feet they pierced and for whose Vesture they cast lots who was humble and sat on an Asse after 62. weeks slain shewing the cause of their miseries because they sold the innocent for silver and the poor for shooes The same day Christ was taken their City taken entred at the Brook Cedron on the same feast day same time of the year thirty Jews sold for the price they sold him We might show their Rabbines their letter and learn their grave Fathers Christs Crosse row we could lend them light out of darknesse while even a Pagan could confesse aut Deus Naturae patitur aut machina mundi dissolvitur we could inform them by the rending of their Temple not to divide from the Church which open'd wide to instruct them of him who was ordain'd to enter into the holiest of holies even Christ Jesus the High Priest though they trifle about Nazarite and Nazareth wee could dilucidate who was Natsar the branch of the root of Jesse but oh in vain we may tell them of him who is love when we want it towards one another how can they believe us to be heirs when wee have lost his Legacy Defective not onely in dilection he bequeath'd his but even that love he commanded to enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ill savor in Jews so often inculcated as if lies could sweeten them and make not Christianity stink in their nostrills worse then they in ours for crucifying Christ. May all Christian Churches sweep their own doors from pride and malice and uncharitablenesse which are ingendred by trifling questions and unnecessary disputes the dirt and trash which clings to them and keeps them from entrance who are without Lo the Jews who look for a sign and Gentiles who inquire after wisdom may find both and all Christians by reforming themselves may act no lesse then miracles for the conversion of others Si ex avaritiae in liberalitatem transieris sâ—ccam mancam manum recuperasti si theatralibus ludis spretis relictisque caetos Ecclesiasticos petieris claudicanti pedi incolumitatem si oculos tuos ab alienâ forma meretricum aspectu revocaveris caecum te illuminasti si diabolicos cantus despexeris eorum loco spirituales Psalmos dediceris tum loqueris qui antea mutus esses haec maxima miracula signa eximia such signes and miracles as these might call home the Jews and bring in the plenitude of the Gentiles so may their souls desire to enter into our secrets and their glory be joyn'd to our assemblies while all Churches having their Lamps trimm'd with the oyl of good works by the light of faith may lead to the Bridegroom who biddeth the Bride come and if she hath not the soundnesse of interior charity all the gummes and spices of alms and prayers do not sweeten her breath to her divine Lover Odours after which the Bridegroom runneth smelleth them when he kisses her with the kisses of his mouth Sect. 78. It was the saying of the Doctor of the Gentiles If any man be contentious wee have no such custom nor the Churches of God I could wish those who call themselves the Churches of God had no such custom as being contentious fighting about