it and therefore might truly say with x Psalme 69. Dauid The rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me I payed them the things that I neuer tooke This he performed for vs sinners and said indeed for his enemies as Nisus for his friend Whom seeke ye Coram quem quaeritis adsum I am he whom ye seeke to be crucified Adsum qui feci in me conuertite ferrum O Rutuli I make my selfe sin for them y Esai 53. wound me for their transgressions breake me for their iniquities and lay the chastisement of their peace on me that by my stripes they may be healed Here for them z Esai 50. I giue my backe to the smiters my cheekes to the nippers and wil not hide my face from shame and spitting When sinfull man that like a wandring sheepe was caught in the briars and with the Ramme might haue truly bin sacrificed for this Isaac might truly haue replied Mea fraus omnis nihil iste nec fecit nec pâ—tuit he did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Quid meruisset ouis This sheepe and lambe of God what hath he done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house Thus the partition wall of ordinances betweene Iew and Gentile was broken downe by him who made of two people one man Ephes 2. Thus the partition wall of our a Esai 5â— sinnes which separated betweene vs both and our God was taken away by him who reconciled both to one God and preached peace to vs farre off and to them that were neare Thus our b Ios 17. 1â— Iosua made sinne or in-bred Cananite which c Rom 7. 18. 20 dwelleth in our mortall bodie and cannot quite be cast out d Rom. 6. tributary vnto vs that we may raigne ouer it and bring it into subiection This is the manifold loue of Christ to vs his enemies his reall loue his loue indeed with a witnesse and to witnesse it the more stileth he vs with al names of loue as seruants Iohn 15. 15. if that be too litle his friends if that be not enough his e Marke 3. 11 kinsmen if that be too little his f Math. 25. 40. brethren if that be not enough his g Math 12. 50. sisters if that be too farre off his h Marke 10. 15 children if that be not â—nough his i Luke 8. 21. mother if that be not enough his k Cant. 5. spouse which is the greatest and passing loue of women and all this to shew he loued vs with all kind of loues possible the seruants loue a friends loue kinsmens loue brethrens loue sisters loue childrens loue mothers loue and spouse-loue which is as strong as death and cannot be quenched with floods of water Cant. 8. 7. This was Christs loue to vs his enemies as high as heauen as deepe as the earth and hell it selfe as broade as the world and as long as life eternall Wherefore as him selfe spake of washing his Disciples feet Iohn 13. 14. Siego If I saith he I your Lord and Maister haue stouped to wash your feet ye ought also to wash one anothers feet for I haue giuen you an example that ye should do as I haue done to you so may I reason strongly with his Apostle Beloued if God if Christ so loued vs we ought also to loue one another 1. Iohn 4. 11. And indeed beloued Christian thou canst neuer loue truly and do good to thy foe vntil thou remembrest what Christ hath done for thee while thou wert his enemie Let this loue of Christ constraine thee then who commaunded it for thy practise and practised it for thine example If considering thine owne weaknesse and infirmitie Deficis sub praecepto comfortare in exemplo saith l Mâ—dit in Psal 56. Austine if thou thinkest the precept an hard saying to flesh and blood who can beare it be comforted in the example of him who performed it Christ did it as man in thine owne nature to teach thee he commaunds no impossibilities and he is present with thee vt praebeat auxilium qui praebuit exemplum saith that Father to m Cant 1. 3. Iohn 6. 6. draw thee after him who bids thee n 1. Pet. 2. Come follow his steppes Let vs runne when he draweth and let vs loue really our foes as he loued vs while we were not his friends If we cannot sic sicut so infinitely as he did vs for consider behold and see if euer there was loue sicut amor eius like his loue if we cannot go with him in his sicut and quantitie yet let vs runne after him in the sic and qualitie of his loue as o Tâ—m 1. Ser. 13 in cana Dom. Dilâ—â—te â—nuicem fieâ—t ego dâ—lexâ— vos â—â—c aduerbium sicut non quaâ—â—tatâ—s sed qualitatâ—s similâ—â—udâ—em notaâ— Idem ser 5. in caen Dâ—m Bernard doth distinguish Howbeit if we cannot walke with God nor follow our elder brother in his great steppes of loue yet let vs ambulare cum Dauide go cheeke by cheeke with Dauid our fellow-seruant who rendring good for euill to his arch-enemie Saul made him ashamed of his enmitie and heaped such coales of fire on his head that he kindled his affection to cry out in admiration Is this thy voice my sonne Dauid and weeping he lift vp his voice 3. Our fellow-seruants example and said to Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill and now thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with me for as much as when the Lord had enclosed me in thy hands thou killedst me not for who shall find his enemie at such aduantage and let him go free with a good turne Wherefore the Lord render thee good for that thou hast done to me this day 1. Sam. 24. Yea when afterward he repented of this repentance and with the dogge returned to his vomite yet Dauid againe ouercame his euill with goodnesse that he cryed out with a peccaui in his mouth I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will do thee no more harme because my soule was precious in thine eyes this day behold I haue done foolishly and erred exceedingly 1. Sam. 26. 21. With such loue was Dauid annointed when he was annointed with the horne of oyle to be king this was the strength of his loue when he had the oyle but not the horn when he was elected and not yet inducted into the kingdome and yet behold when after Sauls death he had gotten sceptrum pro pedo a scepter for a sheep-hooke and was taken from the sheepe-folds to feed Iaakob his people and Israel his inheritance when the Lord had now exalted his horne whereby he might extirpate Sauls house and roote out all his enemies yet asked he Zyba after Sauls death p 2 Sam â— â— saying Remaineth there yet none
their other wares into Egypt and to make their gaine x Lyra Tâ—st Aâ—ul â—n 〈◊〉 locum raised the price and sold him againe at second hand at a higher rate to Potiphar king Pharaohs steward vers 36. But though Ioseph whom they sold to be a bond-slaue in Egypt became afterward y Psal 105 21. lord ouer all Pharaohs house and ruler of all his substance yea gouernor throughout all the land of Egypt Gen. 45. 8. and was now armed with power to reuenge yet see how he recompenceth them good for euill see when his enemies did hunger how he fed them and when they were thirstie gaue them drinke For whereas they had z Gen. 37. â—â— stript him of his parti-coloured coate in recompence of that a Gen. 45. 2â— he gaue them all change of raiment he gaue them a measure running ouer into their bosome They sold him for twenty peeces of mony and put him in their purse and in recompence of that he would not sell them corne but gaue it them freely for nought and put their money in their sackes Gen. 42. 25. he gaue them a good measure pressed downe and shaken together They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread water of affliction Ge. 37. 24. and in lieu thereof he brought them into his owne lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and sent them dishes from his owne princely measse Gen. 43. 33. 34. and with what measure they had met to him he would not mete to them againe Holy Dauid trode the steps of good Ioseph for â— Dauiâ— when Saul had bent his bow and made readie the arrowes within his quiuer to b Psal 1â— 2. shoote at this vpright in heart and sweet singer of Israell yea when this fouler c 1. Sam. 26. â—0 hunted him like a partridge to the mountaines so that his soule was faine to aske for the wings of a Doue that he might â—lie away and be at rest yet see when his mortal foe was deliuered into his hand in the cauâ— where he couered his feet he would not lay hands on his enemie nor suffer his bloud-thirstie followers to fall vpon him but onely to giue his notice what he could haue done cut off the lap of his garment and rendred him good for euill as Saul himselfe confessed 1. Sam. 24. 18. Yea againe when he sound him asleepe in the field and tooke him napping he spared his life which was in his hand and to giue him a second warning took away his pot of water and his speare that was sticked at his bolster 1. Sam. 26. and therefore might this Doue safely contestate his harmlesse mind and innocent hands to Cushies accusation that he sought Sauls life Psal 7. O Lord my God if I haue done this thing or if there be any wickednesse in mine hands if I haue rewarded euill to him that had peace with me yea I haue deliuered him that without cause is mine enemie then then let mine enemie persecute my soule and take me yea let him treade my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust No no when he found but one Egyptian rouer in the field he gaue d 1. Sam. 30. 11 him bread to eate when he was hungrie and when he was thirstie he gaue his enemie drinke And as did Dauid so did his sonne and Lord Christ Iesus 5 Christ the sonne of righteousnes from whose brightnesse these starres borrowed this light of grace whose words of truth as they were instructions to their minds so were his workes and actions medicines and cures to the bodies of his deadly foes healing their sicke cleansing their leapers restoring their lame to their legs making their blind to see though they would not behold the light of the world making their deafe to heare though they stopped their eares at the wisedome of the world making their dumbe to speake though they blasphemed the God of the world Yea when their sinne was a bloudie sinne a scarlet sinne a crimson sinne Esa 1. 18. of a double die dyed in the threed being a seed of the wicked and corrupt children and dyed in the web be being a sinfull nation laden with iniquitie and therefore worthie of that double die morte morieirs of the first and second death yet how did he shed his most precious bloud to make their crimson sinnes like wooll and their scarlet sinnes white as snow Yea when with the malice of hell in greatest industrie they went about the act of his condemnation most mercifully with greater diligence he went about the worke of their saluation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice he swet water and bloud to wash their soules Thus the sunne of righteousnes shined on the euill and the good though it softened the waxe and hardened the clay Thus the raine of righteousnesse descended on the iust and vniust though the blessed earth brought forth herbes meete for the dresser and the reprobate ground briers and thornes whose end was to be burned Yea God the Father though he be debter to none doth benefite 6. God his foes to testifie his loue The Father of lights maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and the fountaine of grace sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5. 45. A blessing indeed not much esteemed nor iustly weighed as it ought euen of the godly themselues as e Zanch. lib 5. do Nat. Dei cap. 2. quaest 3. one noteth yet in it selfe of great estimate and value seeing by these two Sunne and raine all things as f Ib. c. 1. quaest 1. he noteth are begotten and bred and they be the parents of earthly blessings For seeing the whole condition of mans life dependeth on these two Christ did fitly instance in them saith g In hunc locum quast 353. Abulensis because the former being the cause of siccitie and heate the latter of moisture and frigiditie which foure qualities as our h Ariâ—â— lib. 2. de anâ—â— cap. 3. maister in the schoole of nature teacheth the food and nourishment of all liuing creatures they comprize omnia bona nostra al our earthly blessings as the causes of their effects by a synecdoche coÌ„preheÌ„d innumerable other benefites saith Caluin euen those which Musculus on these words recounteth that he giues life to the euill as to the good that he bestoweth necessaries for life on the euil as on the good that he hath giuen the earth to be inhabited of euill as of good for the i Psal earth hath he giuen to the children of men and k Acts 17. 26. made all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth his fire warmeth the bad as the good his bread doth feede and his wine drinke both alike his rayment doth clothe and his cattel serue both alike Yea the wicked his enemies receiue these blessings from his hand and almes-basket in greater abundance then
of the house of Saul on whom I may shew the mercie of God the mercie of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bountifulnesse and largesse not ordinarie but proceeding from most ardent affection as q Pet. Marâ—yr in hunc 〈◊〉 Martyr well obserueth And when Mephibosheth Sauls nephew was brought vnto him he said vnto him Feare not for I will surely shew thee kindnesse and will restore thee all the lands of Saul thy Father and thou shalt eate bread at my table continually and this beneficence to his enemies nephew presently he performed Indeed he well called it the mercie of God for he is kind to the vnkind and mercifull to the mercilesse man And thus with Dauid if our enemie hunger should we feed him and if he thirst giue him drink at our table though he feede and drinke vs with bread and water of affliction and like Dauids enemies giue vs gall in our meate and in our thirst giue vs vineger to drinke Psal 69. 21. Our loue must be miscricordia Dei the largesse of God who maketh his sunne rise on his enemies and with Dauid a man after Gods owne heart must we cause our sunne to shine on our foes and freely giue them dimidium spherae solem simul canis iram the halfe circuit with the sunne and anger of the dogge that is cor the heart and not like angry Doeg cause one sunne to rise on our friend Saul and our canis iram and bile on our foe Dauid nor affoord him a c of our beneficence and bountie This is not the mercy of God but of Publicans and sinners who loue lend and do good to their friends to receiue the like againe Luk. 6. This is loue bought and sold and mercenarie mercie which hath then verily receiued all its reward But now alas euery man saith like him in the 2. of Sam. 10. 2. I will shew kindnes to him who hath shewed me kindnesse before or as r Xenoph. lib. 2. de fact dict Sâ—cr Chaerephon answered Socrates I know how to vse my brother benefacienti benefacere to do one good turne for another but he that will wrong me in deed I neither can nor will do him good Thus our will cannot and our can hath no will nor water in it to giue him drinke if he thirst Like him in the Å¿ Plaut Auâ—â— Comedie in one hand we bring bread for our friend and in the other a stone for our foe in the one an egge for our louers and in the other a serpent for our loathers in the one a fish for our fauorites and in the other a scorpion for our scorners Which partiall affection if it onely were found in the taile and dregs of the people which like Moab are setled vpon their lees it were lesse lamentable but alas it is seene in the auncient and honorable man who is the head and like t I had lib. 24. Homers Iupiter hath two tunnes standing in the entrance of his pallace out of one setting abroach his fauours to his friends and out of the other his vials of wrath to his foes and giues them a drinke of deadly wine Yea which is most lamentable Balaam hath a blessing for his friends Come ye blessed and a curse for his foes Go ye cursed and to these when he stands on mount Gerizim dealeth abroad his blessings and to those on mount Ebal scattereth his cursings Wheras our tongue should blesse and our hand deale a blessing where the Lord hath euen cursed and do Gal. 5. good to all though specially to the houshold of faith to the one in God and to the other for Gods sake and say like our x Mat. 20. 13. heauenly Father who doth good to friend and foe Friend I do thee no wrong I will giue to this other as much as to thee Let no man say vnto me saith y Homil. de Dauid Saul Chrysostome I haue a wicked an vngodly a desperate and an incorrigible enemie whatsoeuer thou shalt say yet is he not worse then was Saul who once and againe nay being often preserued by Dauid whose life a thousand wayes he sought yet for all so many benefites perseuered in his malice What therefore hast thou to accuse thy foe of that he hath taken part of thy land that he hath wronged thee in thy grounds that he hath transgressed the bounds of his house that he hath wiled away thy seruants that he hath offered thee violence that he hath detained thy goods vnlawfully that he hath beggered thee but yet he hath not taken away thy life which Saul did attempt But and if he hath laboured to take away thy life peraduenture he durst it but once not twice not often as Saul did indeuor But if this once or twice or thrice or often he assayed yet not rewarded of thee with so many good turnes as Saul was of Dauid yet not preserued and his life saued when once again he had falne into thy hands And if thou hast done all this to thine enemie yet Dauid excelleth thee that he vnder the law performed this thou vnder the Gospell of peace God spake to him and commaunded this but by his Prophets to thee hath he enioyned it by his onely Sonne Heb. 1. He came as it were but to mount Sinai to burning fire to blacknesse and darknesse to serue in the oldnesse of the letter but thou art come to mount Sion and to Iesus the Mediator of a better testament stablished on better promises to serue in the newnesse of the spirit Heb. 12. He was but a son of Agar the bondwoman I meane the law which ingendred vnto bondage but thou art a sonne of the freewoman Sara the Gospell which is free that libertie wherwith Christ hath made vs free Gal. 4. He was directed but with the law a 2. Pet 1. 19. light shining in a darke place and had but a a Psal 119. lanterne for his feet to be a light to his paths but thou art led by that day-starre the Gospell which like the Wisemens starre goeth before thee to Christ yea thou art directed by the Sun of righteousnes himselfe who saith to the Follow my steppes and loue thine enemies as I haue loued thee O if Dauid saith that Father had heard Christs precept Do good to your enemies Mat. 5. or the Lords prayer Forgiue men their trespasses as your Father shall forgiue yours Mat. 6. or the iudgement of the mercilesse debter that would not forgiue his fellow-seruant an hundred pence when his master had forgiueÌ„ him ten thousand talents Mat. 18. or Christ giuing his life for his enemies Mat. 20. or his innumerable sermons of louing and helping our foes Luk. 6. how great would his loue haue bene with these who without them did so recompence his arch-enemie Saul and reward his posteritie Here is an example for vs to follow euen the Publicanes and sinners do good to those who do good to them
innocent bloud yet at the last iudgement shall returne to iustice to render tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest 2. Thes 1. And when the Iudge of the world shall exalt himselfe to render the proud after their deseruing then will he recompence these men their wickednes and destroy them in their owne malice yea the Lord our God shal destroy them Till which time of iudgement we must put vp our sword of reuenge into his sheath as I said of patience and of long-suffering and commit our reuenge to whom we committed our reward our hope and our hauen of rest whereto till then like his disciples on the lake must we saile with a contrarie weather of doing good for euill Mat. 5. 44. So sailed the maister and Pilot of his ship against the raging and tossing waues of Iudaea for when they went about his death and temporall destruction he went about their life and eternall saluation when they crowned him with thornes he stroue to crowne them with glorie when they gaue him vineger to drinke on a stalke of Hyssope he gaue them his bloud to drinke to purge them with Hyssope as Dauid speaketh and make them whiter then snow Psal 51. Thus sailed the Apostles and mariners themselues we are persecuted and buffeted and we suffer it 1. Cor. 4. and thus all passengers bound for heauen the hauen of their hope and harbor of their rest like Pauls mariners Act. 27. must keepe a straight course though wind and weather be contrarie do good to them that hurt you Luk. 6. 27. Wrest not then this sword of reuengeance out of his hand to whom vengeance belongeth lest thou grieue and make sad the spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. Euen bloudthirstie Esau would not be auenged on Iaakob so long as his father was aliue lest it should grieue old Isaac and bring his gray head with sorrow to the graue Gen. 27. 41. And must lesse must thou auenge thee to grieue the holy spirit of God who hath begotten thee lest thou bring not the l Dan. 7. 22. auncient of dayes to his graue who is the m Ios 3. 10. liuing God and n Deut. 32. 40. liueth for euer but thy selfe to Sheol the graue of hell and pit of destruction Thou sayest thou wouldst beate and kill such a foe if it were not for his maister whose cloth he weareth and whose cognisance he beareth And how darst thou murther or beate his seruant whether blessed or cursed whether of the o Mat. 25. 34. 41 right hand or left whether like the p Mat. 8. 9. Centurions seruants of going or comming go ye cursed or come ye blessed for these q Ier. 25. 9. also are his attendants to serue him which beare his badge yea the very image of himselfe How darst thou clippe the Lords coine and deface that image and superscription which his owne finger hath stamped on them whether pure or reprobate siluer whether currant gold or counterfeit slippes seeing he hath such compassion on them that he will auenge the bloud of all his seruants Deut. 32. 36. and 34. Neither must thou thinke it more lawfull to beate or misuse minimum sanctorum as the r Ephes 3. 18. Apostle speaketh the least in his kingdome Mat. 11. 11. though he were blacke as the spouse speaketh euen the scull in his kitchin and of-scouring of all things for whatsoeuer is done to the least of his he counts it done to himselfe Mat. 25. yea the but touching of them is the touching of him yea of his dearest part his eye and of that the most precious peece the very apple of his eye Zac. 2. 8. Nay if thou knewest him to be a vessell of earth and drosse to dishonour and not of gold and siluer to the honour of his maker yet how darest thou dash him in peeces like a potters vessell seeing he beareth the image of him that created him I say the image of God that created him For though when first he coyned man of the earth and stamped vpon him his owne image of Å¿ Iâ—â— in Gâ—â— 1. 26. essence to be a nature eternall and spirituall in soule and of the qualities of t Eph. 4. 24. holinesse and righteousnesse whereby he is partaker of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1. and of his attributes of power to be his Viceroy in this inferior world Gen. 2. 26. Psal 8. 6. Though I say when he first stamped this three-fold image on man Gen. 5. 1. man by his fall Eph 4. 2â— Col. 3. â—0 defaced that of holinesse and righteousnes and imprinted his owne image of another stampe which was vnrighteousnesse and impuritie in his posteritie Vers 3. yet in respect of the two other parts of this print spirituall eternitie of soule and powerfull soueraigntie in bodie ouer creatures euery man without exception carieth the image of God 1. Cor. 11. 7. and though he be but brasse and as I said reprobate siluer Quilibet effigiem Caesaris assis habet Euery asse and idiot hath the image and superscription of this heauenly Caesar and Emperor of the world Which seeing by man-slaughter and murther by wrath and reuenge thou wholy doest deface as his essence to thy power of eternall being in killing his body though thou canâ—t not kill his soule as it is of those diuine qualities by blasting his fruit in the blade and cutting off his growth and ripening in holinesse and righteousnesse to the image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. And thirdly his soueraigntie and Lordship that his kingdome ouer creatures by thy meanes is now departed from him This shold so bridle thine hand from breaking downe this image as it kept x 1. Sam. 24. 7. Dauid from laying hands on Saul because he was the Lords annointed We reuerence and dare not deface the kings picture in which his resemblings and disposition maiestie is but partly deciphered and how then may we aduenture to destroyman who as y Iam. 3 â— Iames speaks is made after the similitude of God in essence and qualtie and power of his creator And this if thou doest what may we thinke but that as Sathan shewed his hatred to God when he destroyed Christ the z Col. 1. 15. image of the inuisible God and a Heb. 1. 3. the engrauen forme of his person so thou hatest him that did beget when thus thou defacest him that is begotten 1. Ioh. 5. What can be imagined if charitie were thy Iudge but as the Pardale sheweth her malice to man when in * Basil serm de ira 〈◊〉 wrath she teareth that paper wherein she seeth his picture so thou bewrayest thy hatred to God when thou destroyest man wherein thou beholdest his image 1. Ioh. 4. Wherefore as he said of the body of wicked Iezabell Let vs vse her honourably for she is a kings daughter by procreation 2. King 9. so must thou not dishonorably misuse man
ad verbum in his funeral oration on Saint Basill 12. That Basill the Great in a large treatise to his nephewes 12 Basill of this very argument and question Quomodo ex Gentilium doctrinis proficiant to whom Caluin for probation of this point u Comment in 1. 〈◊〉 15. 3â— in Tit. 1. 12. twise referreth vs counselleth them wisely that they indeede fasten not their opinions as it were the ankers of their ships on prophane authors but picke out of them those things that are profitable leauing the rest To euerlasting life he doubteth not but the sacred volumes by hidden mysteries sufficiently instruct them yet for their age they could hardly attaine the deep meanings thereof for helpe whereof he aduiseth them to looke in other bookes that dissent not altogether from the scriptures as in shadowes and glasses to helpe the eyes and sight of their mind in better vnderstanding the other following their example who first exercising in fence-schooles learne how to stand and strike before they come to the lifts And seeing saith he ye vndergo the greatest combate and need all helpes and preparations thereunto Poetu Oratoribus omnibus hominibus vtendum vnde futura sit aeliqua vtilitas quae ad anunae aedificatione faciat Ye must vse Poets Orators and all authors from whom any profit may be got which maketh for edification of the soul For as Fullers lay some ground-colour before they die purple and bring on the last and best tincture so must we first be grounded in these prophane Writers before we can open the Scriptures Wherefore if there be any agreement betweene the Scriptures and heathen Authors vobis illorum valdè conferet notitia the knowledge of them will much helpe you in vnderstanding the other He addeth For as vnto trees laden with fruite folia nihilominùs ramis coniuncta quendam ferunt ornatum the leaues neuerthelesse adde some ornament and grace so that excellent truth and fruit of the spirit non ab re exteriore sapientia circundatur sicut folijs quibusdam fructum aspectum non intempestiuum praebentibus iâ— is not vnfitly apparelled with this outward wisedome of the world as with leaues making the fruite shew more pleasant and delightsome And thus saith he is it shewen that prophane learning is not altogether vnprofitable to the soule of man After he wisheth them not to take their choice at randon and esteeme all alike but as in gathering and plucking Roses we auoide the prickles so in their sayings taking the good we must leaue that which is naught Or follow the Bees who neither fall on euery flower nor take all of that whereon they light but that only which they neede so we neither vse all authors for obscene railing and wanton Poets he leaues to the stage nor all things which any say but those only that shew vs the sayings and doings of good men and to follow them in both he aduiseth Thus farre S. Basil Wherefore if in his iudgement secular learning must accompanie Theologie to beautifie it as leaues on the trees do garnish the fruite this mistresse he meaneth should not come abroad without her waiting maide behind her Else why should Caluin for vse of it in Sermons twise referre vs to this treatise of S. Basil 13 Ierome as he was the rende-vouz of all Authors so like 13 Ierome that Centurion and Captaine had he them at command for his purpose x Ierom. Ehist ad Magnum Orat. Rom. who being asked of the great Orator Romanus why he vsed secular learning in Diuinitie answereth thus and apologizeth himself Thou wouldst neuer haue asked this saith he Romanus if thou hadst read the holy Scriptures and their interpreters for who can be ignorant that in Moses and the Prophets some things are taken out of the bookes of the Gentiles Paeule himselfe vsed it thrice for he had learned of Dauid to wrest the sword out of his enemies hand and cut off the head of Goliah with his owne blade He had read in Deuteronomie cap. 21. that the captiue-womans head must be shauen her lockes lopped her nailes pared and then be taken home for his wife What maruell is it therefore if I also desire secular knowledge for its comelinesse of speech for its beautiful parts and cutting away whatsoeuer of her is dead as idolatrie pleasure error and lust make of a captiue handmaide an Israelitish woman mixtos purissimo corpori vernaculos ex ea genero Domino Sabaoth O sea tooke him a wife of fornications Gomer the daughter of Diblaim and she bare him a sonne whom she called Izreel that is the seed of God And in the end of that Epistle as if he had bene exercised with the obiection of our times whether it be lawfull when no controuersie is in hand he telleth him he would not haue him mistake his meaning Contra Gentes hoc esse licitum in alijs disputationibus dissimulandum that it is onely lawful in disputations against the Gentiles or aduersaries and in other discourses to be lefâ— for almost all the books of the auncient except those who with Epicurus and his followers neuer learned them Eruditionis doctrinaeque plenissimi sunt are stuffed full of secular learning Wherefore he desireth him to admonish Calphurnius Ne vescentium dentibus edentulus inuideat oculos caprarum talpa contemnat That he enuic not them that can eate because he himselfe wants teeth nor contemne the eyes of goates and them that can see well because he himselfe is a Want And this allusion of the captiue woman he y Tom. 3. Epist ad Damas Epist ad Pammach oft citeth for this purpose as do also some z Hugâ— in Tit. 1. 12. Kimedonâ— lib. 2. cap. 3. de author scrip modernes If thou seest saith he in his Epistle vnto Pammach among the enemies a comely captiue woman that is secular learning and art taken with her beautie shaue her head cut away illecebras crinium and the ornaments of words with her dead nailes wash her in the sope of the Prophets put off her garments wherein she was taken and resting with her say Her left hand is vnder mine head and her right hand doth embrace me Et mulâ—os tibi foetus captiua dabit ac de Moabitide efficictur Israelitâ—s and this captiue shall beare thee many children and of a Moabitish become an Israelitish woman But that Father Lib. 13. in Ezec. 44. 22. on those words The Priest shall take a widow for his wife that is the widow of a Priest he speaketh by way of allegoricall allusion excellently to this purpose The Priest is allowed to take not only a virgin of the house of Israel saith he who is brought vp in the house of God in the law and the Prophets that is the wisedome of the Scripture of which wife we read Pro. 4. 6. but the Priest must take a widow who hath bene the wife of another Priest namely
BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT Preached in Oxford for the vnion of some and now published with larger meditations for the vnitie of all in this Church and Common-wealth With An Apologie of the vse of Fathers and Secular learning in Sermons By EGEON ASKEVV of Queenes Colledge Acts 7. 26. Sirs ye are brethren why do ye wrong one to another LONDON Printed for GEORGE BISHOP 1605. TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN AND MIGHTIE MONARCH IAMES by the grace of God King of Great BRITAINE France and Ireland Defender of the true Catholike and auncient Faith c. MOst religious renowned Prince when I duly consider what a sonne of peace your Maiestie hath bene * His Maiesties speech to the Parliament Keeping peace and amitie with all yea an heire of reconciliation in whose royall person those two princely houses are vnited as also what a Father of peace and peace-making reconciler outwardly of our enemies inwardly of our selues your Maiestie continueth I cannot but iudge your Maiestie is the Salomon in whose peaceable dayes Gods house shall be finished when thus peace is tied to your person In regard of our ciuill vnion seeing your sacred person hath ioyned the wood of Israel and Iudah in one tree that they shall be no more two peoples neither be diuided henceforth any more into two kingdomes as the * Ezâ—k 37. Prophet speaketh I thought it seasonable to write of Reconciling of Brethren And in respect of our Ecclesiasticall vnion sith your sacred selfe hath bene our peace in breaking downe this partition wall of ceremonies and rites in this Church so making of two one and reconciling both to one God slaying hatred thereby I thought it bounden dutie and presumed to dedicate to the Reconciler of Christendome a worke of Brotherly Reconcilement An argument gracious Soueraigne if euer and for any now and for vs most needful and necessary when not onely the bands of brotherhood are dissolued among brethren but sonnes also as prophesied our Sauiour rise against their reuerend fathers How much the rather may I hope your royall clemencie will put forth a gracious hand and receiue this Doue into the arke that comes shal I say from the waters of affliction with an Oliue branch of peace and reconcilement in her mouth sith she findes no rest for the sole of her foote but on the arke of your testimonie wherein I rest beseeching God still to blesse you with the head of Salomon the heart of Dauid and hand of Gedeon and fructifie may he your work of vnion and Brotherly Reconcilement that in this bodie humorisme purged out in the feamelesse coate scisme sewed vp and men in orders indeed out of all order brought into order God may be serued in verity by this Church and preserued in vnitie till the coming of his sonne Christ Iesus vnto iudgement Amen Greenwich this 27. of Aprill 1605. Your Maiesties most humble and loyall subiect EGEON ASKEVV A Preface to the Christian Reader BEloued Christian as a time was a 2. Tim. 4. 3. foretold when mens eares would itch b Act. 17. 21. Athenian-like for new things so haue they now according to their lustes got them an heape of Writers and there is no end in making many bookes tenet insanabile multos Scribendi cacoëthes said a c Inuenal Sat. Satyrist of his dayes and in ours we daily see voluntarie offerers bring so much to the building of the tabernacle that vnlesse Moses should forbid them Presses would be oppressed and the world not containe the bookes that should be written Wherein as I cannot but taxe our obscene Pamphleters who ad prelum tanquam praelium runne to the Presse as the horse rusheth into battel where they are wounded with their owne quils when they publish their imperfections and subscribe to their owne folly so gladly them I would excite to bring their graine to the market who d Prou. 10. 14. lay vp knowledge in their heart as that e Prou. 11. 26. hoorder did his corne in the arke or wrappe vp their gifts in paper as did the slouthfull seruant his talent in a napkin and make their common-place bookes bigger as he did his barnes where they may lay vp in store their fruites for many yeares for this night may they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be that so long thou hast prouided Whosoeuer art called to labour in the vineyard resolue with the maister of the vine Ioh. 9. 4. I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke And seeing there is a voice by f Luk. 1. 63. Gal 4. 20. writing as well as by speaking and a preaching by g AmboverbuÌ„ praedicant hic quidem scripto ille verò voce praedicandi scieÌ„tia vtrouis modo iuuat seu per manum seu per linguam operetur Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Str. pag. 1. pen as by tongue how can we thinke but that the h 1. Cor. 9. 16. neglect is attended on with a woe and negligence with a i curse when by neither we preach the Gospell Ier. 48. 10. In which respect as it stands them vpon whose tongue like Zacharies is not vnloosed to aske with him for writing bookes and write saying for though their tongue cleaue to the roofe of their mouth yet should not their right hand also forget her cunning So may they thinke it an k Pulchrum esse honestuÌ„ existimo ijs etiam quiposteà faturi sunt bouos silios relinquere ac filij qoidem corporum animae autem sunt foetus orationes Clem. Alex. ibi honest and comely thing to leaue good children of their mind to posteritie seeing sonnes are but of the bodie froÌ„ mortall seed and good bookes from the soule by the immortall seede of Gods word Are they too simple why he who by the mouth of an Asse forbad the foolishnesse of a Prophet hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise Are they too weake in themselues His power is made perfect through weakenesse and he who with fiue stones in Dauids sling ouerthrew strong Goliah hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mightie things Are they vile or despised among men Why he who by the sound of Rammes hornes ouerturned the wals of Iericho hath chosen the vise and despised things of the world to bring to nought things that are so mightie through God though weake in themselues are the weapons of their warfare to cast downe holds and euery thing that is exalted against Christ Wherin though the liuing spirit of speech quickeneth most more then the dead letter of writing whence Paule himselfe wished for writing to speake vnto the Galathians that he might change his voice of the pen into a tongue Gal. 4. 20. Yet when their bodily presence is weake and their speech of no value their writings may be forcible and strong Neither let all
Homil. 11. in Mat. 5. oper imperfect Chrysostome He hath hurt me and I haue not offended him and therefore ought he to come to me and not I to go to him O saith that Father for I suppose such a golden saying must needes proceed from a * i. A golden mouth Chrysostome though it be counted a bastard O saith he if thy Lord for the greater glorie of thy saluation commands thee to make Go to thine offendor friendship with thine offendor being by him hurt thou oughtest rather first to intreat him that thou maist get of thy Lord a double reward One because thou sufferedst the wrong another because thou first soughtest reconcilement For if thou hast offended therfore intreated him God will pardon thy fault sath first thou intreatedst him yet no reward shalt thou haue because being faulty thou besoughtest him but if he hath wronged thee and yet thou first wentest to him for agreement thou shalt haue great reward Hasten therefore to preuent thine enemie lest thou foreslowing that oportunitie of gaine he go before thee and catch thy reward Yea Christ himselfe saith that z Chrysost hâ—m 17. in Mat 5. sic Theophilan Mat. 5. 24. Father Lâ—sâ—m remittit sends the offended to his brother for peace and seemes to say to him rather then to the offending these words of my text Go to thy brother if he hath ought against thee he addeth not iustly or iniustly but agree with thine aduersarie whether he be the plaintife or defendant as the word in the Syriacke imports a Iunius in Syriac Test Mat. 5 25. both Neither saith he reconcile thy brother to thee as if he onely sent him who had offended but to shew that he dismisseth the offended to his brother he speakes in the passiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go thy way and be reconciled which agreeth offendendi offenso to both parties whether offending or offended as b Harâ— Euan. cap â—1 Chemnitius obserueth on my Text. Which as he there doth but insinuate so plainely expresseth he this meaning Mat. 18. 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee saith Christ go thou vnto him So Abraham who had not offended Lot but was wronged by him and his heardmen went to him for peace and first sought reconcilement Gen. 13. 8. So c Gen. â—1 44. Laban with Iaakob d Gen. 32. 33 Iaakob with Esau e Gen. 45. 1. 2. 3. Ioseph with his offending brethren first begins to make friendship Yea God himselfe first seekes reconcilement with his enemies which dwell on the earth 2. Cor. 5. 19. God in Christ saith the Apostle reconciled the world to himselfe not God was reconciled or reconciled himselfe but he was the first mouer of this peace the agent of this amitie and reconciled the world vnto himselfe yea commeth vnto them by his ambassadors beseeching and praying his enemies to be reconciled as if he intreated them to be forgiuen and pardoned of their transgressions Seeing then the King of kings goeth to his rebellious subiects for vnitie the Creator to the creature loue it selfe to hatred it selfe the potter to his vessell of earth God to man the Almightie to a worme crawling betweene heauen and earth let vs be followers of God as deare children and find them who sought vs not and manifest our selues to them that asked not after vs yea all the day long stretch foorth our hands of fellowship and friendship vnto a gaine-saying people I haue heard some bragge saith f Tom. 5. serm diligamus omnes â—id persequentes Chrysostome that they went not againe to them who but once did not respect them which yet their Lord sibi gloriae duxit counted his great glorie For how often did men spit at him how often did they despise him whom neuerthelesse he neglected not to beseech often with teares as he did Ierusalem quoties volui how often would I haue reconciled thee and thou wouldst not And in imitation of thy Sauiour say thou of thy brother I will neuer desist to winne thee from hatred though an hundred times I get the repulse For indeed as g Xenoph ibid. Socrates told the younger and it may be offended brother so doth thy Sauior here to thee If I thought him fitter then thee to begin this vnion I would haue commaunded him to go to his brother but seeing thou art more like to effect it I say vnto thee If thy brother trespasse against thee go thou vnto him to seeke reconcilement Go then like the Doue with an oliue branch of peace in thy mouth Is it peace my brother is thine heart vpright toward me as mine is toward thee Seeke him sollicite him in the Apostles phrase Peace be to this house to this chamber to this studie and if the sonne of peace be there it shall rest vpon him if not it shall returne to thee againe Go offender how meane soeuer go offended how great soeuer ye be go your way in the spirit of meeknesse and as h Gen. 43. 11. Iacob aduised his sonnes Arise go to the man and take of the best fruite of the land in your vessell loue peace long-suffering gentlenesse and meeknesse the fruites of the spirit and bring the man a present that which ye haue taken carrie backe in your hands that wrong which ye haue done carrie in your mouths lest it were some ouersight arise and go againe to the man and God almightie giue you grace and fauour in the sight of the man that he may deliuer you your brother Go thy way As thus thou art dismissed from the altar to seeke reconcilement 2. General part when first so must thou not returne to offer there thy gift till first thou be reconciled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first be reconciled and then come and offer thy gift O the admirable goodnesse of God and ineffable loue towards men saith i Homil 17. in Mat. 5. 24. Chrysostome on these words He neglecteth his owne honour that he may moue charitie towards thy neighbour Let my seruice be interrupted saith he that thy loue may be restored therefore bids he not after thou hast offered or before thou offer but thy gift being brought to the altar and sacrifice beginning go thy way leaue there thine offering before the altar and first first be reconciled to thy brother Whereby saith that Father he teacheth vs that he counts charitie the most acceptable oblation of Christians and without it no Christian sacrifice he will accept For hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and The doctrine sacrifices as when his voyce is obeyed Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to harken then the fat of rammes 1. Sam. 15. 22. Heare ô my people saith k Psal 507. God to the Iewes and I will speake hearken ô Israell for I will testifie against thee l Vers 8. I will not reprooue thee for thine oblations and burnt offerings because they were
not alway before me m 9. I will take no bullocke out of thine house nor he-goates out of thy folds n 10. For all the beasts of the forrest are mine and so are the cattle vpon a thousand hils o 11. I know all the foules vpon the mountaines and the wild beasts are all mine p 12. If I were hungrie I would not tell thee for the world is mine and all that is therein q 13. Thinkest thou that I will eate buls flesh or drinke the bloud of goates No no r 14. offer praise rather vnto thy God and pay thy voweâ— vnto the most high For as he is not a God of the dead letter but rather of the quickening spirit so he reiects this shadow till the substance doth come Almightie God in the first of Esay forgot his owne people to be the children of Iaakob because they forgot this oblation of loue to be the sacrifice of a God Heare the word of the Lord ye Princes of Sodome saith Å¿ Esa 1. 10. he hearken to the law of God ô people of Gomorrhe and asketh them in iealousie as hot aâ— fire t Vers 11. What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of your burnt offerings of rammes and the fat of fed beasts I desire not the bloud of bullockes nor oâ— lambes nor of goates 12. When ye come to appeare before me who required this at your hands to tread in my courts x 13. Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquitie nor your solemne assemblies y 14. My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto me I am wearie to â—eare them z 15. And wheâ— ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though ye make many prayers I will not heare for youâ— hands are full of bloud This was the hearbe and roote of bitternesse that put death in the pot this was the dead flie that putrified their oyntment and made their sweet odours and incense to stink Thus loathed he the fat of their fed beasts when their heart was as fat as brawn Thus spued he out the bloud of their bullockes when their hands were full of bloud Thus refused he the flesh of their lambes when vnder this sheepes clothing they were rauening wolues Thus checked he their treading in his courts when entring into his house they looked not to their feete but gaue the sacrifice of fooles Thus abhorred he their new Moones when the old man of malice was not chaunged nor the new man of charitie put on Thus hated he their appointed feasts when they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feasts of loue Thus their sweet perfumes stinked in the nostrels of the most high and their incense incensed his wrath when their hands were full of bloud And as he began that Prophesie of Esai in this first so in the a Esa 66. 3. last Chapter with the same tune he ends it He that killeth a bullocke is abhominable as if he slue a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe regarded as if he cuts off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation approued as if he offered swines bloud He that remembreth incense is accepted as if he blessed an idoll when his hart or as hands are full of bloud For he desired mercie more then sacrifice and this knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Hos 6. 6. Thus he that is rather a God of the quickening spirit then of the dead letter requireth more the quickening spirit of loue then the dead carcase of any sacrifice whatsoeuer I hate and abhorre your feast dayes saith b Amos 5. 2â— the Lord and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies c vers 22. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and meat offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts d 23. Take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melodie of thy vials till e 24. iudgement runne downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mightie riuer Wherewithall then shall I come before the Lord saith his Prophet in the person of the people and bow my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeare old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule No no he hath shewed thee ô man what indeed is good and what the Lord requireth rather of thee surely to do iustly and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Mich. 6. 8. This shal please the Lord better saith Dauid then a bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Psal 69. 31. And to loue God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices saith Dauids sonne and Lord Mark 12. 33. Therefore would f Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. Abel be in charitie with Cain before he offered therefore would g Gen. 33. 3. 4. 20. Iaakob be reconciled to Esau before he sacrificed therefore would h Psal 26 6. Dauid wash his hands in innocencie before he went to the altar therefore would i Act. 10. 11. Peter be in charitie with the Gentils before he preached therefore would k Rom. 10. 1. Paul be in charitie with the Iewes before he prayed For l 1. Cor. 13 3. almes without loue it is not accepted m Mat. 7. 22. Prophesie without loue it is not respected knowledge without loue it is not approued miracles without loue they are not regarded burning martyrdome without loue it is as if it freezed prayer without loue it is reiected Esa 1. 15. yea it is abhominable Prou. 28. 9. nay no lesse then abhomination it selfe to the Lord Prou. 15. 8. And it is impious that a wicked man in thought or deed shall come to pray as the vaine n Hesiâ—d lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. ex Plat. Cicer. lib. 2. de legib heathen could obserue This loue then is the fire which purified Abels offering for want whereof putrified Cains oblation this is it which so iudged between the cleane and vncleane that wheâ— two were sacrificing at the altar the one was receiued and the other refused This is the sweet incense which perfumeth our sacrifice of praise and praying and setteth them foorth as the incense and the lifting vp of our hands as an euening sacrifice This is the ointment boxe of Spikenard which sweetneth the calues of our lips and maketh them better then a bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes This is the salt which like that in the o
Leuit. 2. 13. law must season our sacrifice without which it is vnsauourie Mark 9. 49. and without this like the Iewes in the Prophet Hos 5. 6 we shal go with our sheepe and our bullockes I meane our p Heb. 13. 15. prayers the calues of our lippes Hos 14. to seeke the Lord and shall not find him for he will withdraw himselfe from vs and though we stretch out our hands he will hide his eyes from vs though we make many prayers he will not heare if our hands be * Esa 1. 15. full of bloud The reason whereof our Sauiour gaue the woman of Samaria God which is a spirit will be worshipped in spirit and the houre cometh and now is saith the Lord when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for euen such and none other requireth he to worship him Ioh. 4. 24. Whether then we offer the sacrifice of prayer or thanksgiuing 1 Vse exhorting to vniue before we pray in this must we lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 2. 8. and in that out of one mouth must not proceed blessing of God and cursing of our neighbour Iam. 3. 16. For q Eccles 34. 15 when one prayeth and another curseth whose voice will the Lord heare And indeed how canst thou aske God forgiuenesse of thy sins when thou wilt not forgiue man his offences How canst thou beg reconcilement with thy heauenly Father when thou art not reconciled on earth to thy brother How darest thou offer him a sacrifice of praise in those lips which are full of cursing and bitternesse He will aske thee saith r Serm. 16. de verb. Dom. Austine What hast thou here brought me Offers munus tuum non es munus Dei thou offerest me thy gift and giuest not me thy selfe for an offering Thou prayest against thy selfe and through malice makest thy prayers frustrate before thou doest make them they are sinne because not of faith they are not of faith because they wrought not through loue For if charitie be as Å¿ Serm. 24. in Cant. Bernard speaketh quaedam anima fidei as it were the soule of faith or as the t Iam. 2 26. Apostle more truly teacheth spiritus fidei the breath and pulse of faith whereby we may feele if she be aliue and see if the maid be not dead but sleepeth surely the diuorce of these two which God hath so coupled together cannot be possible but like Naomi and Ruth they will liue and die together And therefore if thy prayer be not of faith which worketh through loue it doth but solemnize the funerall of thy faith which thou before killedst through hatred And as it was no maruell saith that Father if Cain slue his brother who had killed his owne faith and brotherly loue before so no wonder if God respected not his offering whose person he for that cause despised Quia etsi nec dum fratricida iam tamen fideicidae teâ—ebatur because though not yet he had killed his only brother yet now had he slaine his owne faith whose carcase and cation made his sacrifice stinke in the nostrils of the Almightie This then saith u Ser. 166. da Temp. Austine is the bond of peace which both clerickes and laickes must bring with their sacrifice sine qua non suscipitur sacerdotis oratio nec plâ—bis oblario without which neither the Priests prayer nor the peoples praise is accepted with God For seeing we must as well with one mind as one mouth praise and pray God the Father of Iesus Christ Roman 15. 6. surely vnlesse both like those x Apoc. 8. 3. odours which were the prayers of the Saints be kindled with this heauenly fire they cannot ascend to the Lord of hosts neither thence will he smell a sweet sauour of rest For as the Saints are said to praise God in choro Psal 149. that is in vnitie of loue as the y Interlinear in hunc Psalm Glosse descants on it and to sing praises vnto him with timbrell and harpe in signe of concord and consort of loue as Lyra harpes on those instruments of musicke so must we with the elders Apoc. 5. 8. when we offer vp these odours the prayers of the Saints haue euery one his harpe which is a symbole of harmonie as z Comment in Apoc. 5. 8. Aretius obserues and sing with one consort and consent of spirits before our voice shall be heard or our prayers get a blessing of the Lord. And therefore when the Psalmist exhorted euery Leuite in the temple to praise the Lord Psal 134. 1. 2. he tels them the blessing of the Lord is not giuen vnto them therefore till they all be one vers 3. The Lord blesse thee not the Lord blesse ye but the Lord blesse thee out of Sion Plures hortatur vt benedicant ipse vnum benedicit saith a Euerrat in Psal 133. 3. Austine he exhorts many to blesse the Lord and he blesseth not them till they all become one Therefore came Christ to his disciples with a blessing of comfort when on the sea they were rowing together Mat. 14. 27. Therefore came he to his Apostles with a blessing of peace when in vnitie they were assembled together Ioh. 20. 19. Therefore sent he not them the holy Ghost till with one accord they were gathered together Act. 2. 1. Therefore filled he his Saints with the holy Ghost when in one soule and one heart they conuersed together Act. 4. 31. So true was his promise which he made to them all Verily I say vnto you that if two of you 〈◊〉 shal with harmony agree in any thing vpon earth whatsoeuer ye shall desire it shall be giuen you for where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them Math. 18. 19. And so needful it is that before we do offer the calues of our lips to our God we be first vnited and reconciled to our brother Et quam diu illum placare non possumus nescio an consequenter muner a nostra offeramus Deo and so long as we cannot pacifie and appease him I cannot tell saith b Coment in Mat. 5. 24. Ierome whether after we may offer our gifts of praise and prayer vnto God And if this sacrifice without precedent vnitie be not accepted 2. vse exhorting to charitie before we communicate much lesse maist thou hope for acceptance of thy selfe if when thou receiuest the bodie of the Lord thou be not first reconciled to thy brother For if like the factious Corinthians when ye come together in the Church to receiue there be dissentions among you the Apostle tels you this is not to eate the Lords body but to eate of the bread and drinke of the cup vnworthily to your owne damnation 1. Cor. 11. 29. Let a man therefore first examine himselfe of his brotherly loue and reconcilement and till then not dare to eate
sweetly of peace then they bent their bow and made readie their arrowes within the quiuer to shoote at this vpright in heart When he spake to them of peace they prepared themselues vnto battell Psal 120. 7. Ieremy when he preached conuersion and prayed for their rebellions these bow-men of Belial bent vp their bow and shot out their arrowes euen bitter words Come and let vs imagine soâ— deuice against Ieremie come and let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heedâ— to any of his words Ier. 18. 18. Stephen when he preached peace to the stif-necked Iewes they had bent and drawne it so farre that they brake their bow their hearts * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acâ— 1. 54. burst for anger saith By dogges S. Luke and they could not shoote an arrow of bitter words but gâ—ashed at him with their teeth and threw bow quiuer and all at this bird they ranne vpon him all at once Thus the bird while she singeth of peace is smitten by these archers which then prepare themselues to battell Sometime the holy Ghost compareth them to dogs Psal 22 16. Many dogs are come about me saith Dauid Who are these dogs saith Austine but they qui canine more latrant nihil illis fit lâ—trant who had nought done to them and yet barke at their brother Quid fecit cani transiens via◠〈◊〉 tamen tatrat what hurt did he the dogge which did but go on his way and yet he barkes at the passenger It may seeme indeed an vncouth name for them and they will aske me as did Hazael 2. King 8. Am I a dogge that I should do this thing howbeit seeing with x 2. Sam. 16. Shimei they barke at a Dauid and with that Cinicke snarle at euery man they may be tearmed with the one conuiciorum câ—nâ—s and with the other be called a dead dogge For as we y Plin. noc hist lib. y cap. 2. reade of some monsters in Scythia which though they haue mans feature beneath yet hauing canina capita heads like dogs whose speech is no other but barking may truly be tearmed dogges So we reade in the Psalmes that although Dauids reuilers were men in shape that could talke Psal 59. 7. yet he saith they barked like dogs vers 6. And thus indeed they grin like a dogge as did z Psal 52. Doeg against Dauid Like the dogge they * Cauina litera iram indicat I at their brethren with that snarler in the a Terent. Adel. Act. 2. Seâ— 1. Comedie Vah quibus illum lacerarem modis Sublimem medium arripereâ— capite primum in terram statuerem Adolescenti ipsi eriperem oculos post hac praecipitem darem Caeteros ruerem agerem raperem tunderem prosternerem Thus they who dare not imbrue their hands for law and statute binds them yet die their tongues for they are their owne and who is Lord ouer them in the bloud of their brethren I wish that as these dumbe dogs cannot barke against the wolfe Esa 56. so they could not snarle at the sheepe neither Sometime the holy Ghost likeneth them to the raging sea 3. By the raging sea Esa 57. 20. which cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt They should be indeed aequor euen a calme as naturally is the sea but when anger as b Lib. de ira Deâ— cap. 5. Lactantius noteth falleth vpon their minds like that boisterous wind in the first of Ionah it causeth a mightie tempest it raiseth the waues and altereth the whole state of these men the eyes they waxe fierce the mouth it trembleth the tongue it faltereth the teeth they gnash and like that sea which wrought and was troublous neither could be calmed by any prayer till Ionas was cast out More implacably in this raging then that that if Ionas were cast out of the shippe to the mercie of these raging waues If one with Ruff. Eccles hist Iob. 2. cap. 9. Nâ—zianzene who because at Constantinople he laboured more aboundantly then they all gloâ—â—am subsequnta est inuidia was enuied for his paines and vrged by proscriptions to giâ—e ouer his place If for my sake saith he this tempest is vpon you take me and cast me into the sea so shall it be calme â—â—to you If he were cast out into the sea it wold not cease from her raging but her waters would cast vp mire and dirt and these raging waues of the sea the d Iud. 13. Apostle there baptiseth them with that name would still fome out their owne shame For as one waue thrusts away his fellow vndâque expellitur vnda and castâ— his mire and dirt vpon the next so these would spâ—e their fome one vpon another if they wanted a rocke whereon to beate and disgorge it And therefore as Plutarch in his booke De capienda ex inimicis vtilitate aduiseth such raging waters to keep still some enemies on whom they may disgorge their cholericke affections lest for want of other vessels they cast vpon their friends So politickly wise was his counsell who like e Plutarch de capiend ex iniâ—â—c vtilit reip gerend pracept AElian var. hist lib. 14. cap 25. Onomademus in the sedition at Chios aduised his fellowes of the stronger part that they should not expell all their aduersaries of the other faction alioqui periculum feret ne omnibus amicis sublatis cum amicis ipsis extiturae essent controuersiae Else I feare saith he if we haue no enemies to wreake on we wreake one vpon another and fall out by the eares among our selues O that these raging waues would remember how much they mire themselues while they cast vp their dirt vpon another For though the sea raging in a tempest casteth vp mire and dirt yet here iâ— the difference saith f Diâ—l de ira â—ohib Plutarch Mare tunc purgatur the sea is then purged of her froth which is spâ—ma maris the fome and scumme the spuing and spittle of the sea but the heart when it raging with wrath casteth her stomacke of dirtie speeches â—â— dicentis primum conspurcant saith he False testimonies slaunders reuiling and backbiting these coming out of the hart within through the mouth first defile a man Mark 7. 23. and fome out first their owne shame Iud. 13. Thus in my triple description these archers bolt out their arrowes at their brethrens name thus the tongue of these dogs is red through the same thus these raging waues fome out their owne shame Whose proscription that I may in briefe proclaime let me 2 their prâ—scription shew these archers Gods arrow of vengeance stemd with iudgment and feathered with swift destruction God shall suddenly shoote at them with a swift arrow saith Dauid that they shall be wounded Psal 64. 7. Their sword shall go through their owne heart their bow shall be broken and their arrowes shal be rooted out These dogs that
as I am of Christ whom when the stif-necked Iewes q stoned triplici lapidatione with a triple stoning with stonie r Vers 5â— hearts which burst for anger with stonie mouthes which y 5â— gnashed at him with their teeth and with z 5â— stonie hands which rained showers of stones vpon him as Austine speaketh yet he a 60. prayed for them Lord lay not this sin to their charge Nay see how he prayed for these his reuilers saith b Serm. supracit Austine When he prayed for himselfe he c Act. 7. 59. compared with 60. stood on his feet because the iust when he prayeth for himself is easily heard but when he prayed for his enemies he kneeled downe to shew that he prayed with all earnestnesse and intention of spirit yea whereas for himselfe he did but call on God saying Lord Iesus receiue my soule for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cryed out and that with a loude voice with all vehemencie and contention of voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge and when he had spent the last breath for them to his God when he had thus spoken he slept Whose name Stephanus as it signifieth a crowne so coronam accepit suo sibi nomine impositam saith Austine he hath gotten that d 1. Pet. 5. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incorruptible crowne of glorie sutable to his name As sailed the maister and Pilot Christ Iesus with his seruant and first Martyr Stephen so rowed the Apostles mariners of this shippe with a contrarie wind with a contrarie breath 1. Cor. 4. We are reuiled and we blesse we are blasphemed and euill spoken of and we vse gentle words And the maister hath charged all passengers for heauen like Paules e Act. 27 4. mariners to keepe a straight course though the winds be contrarie Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that reuile you and say all manner of euill against you Mat. 5. 44. Pray for thy most virulent reuiler to morrow of a blasphemer he may become a blesser and thou f Prou. 27. 1. knowst not what a day may bring forth He that is now thine enemy in slaundering railing and reuiling thee may to morrow be conuerted to repentance saith g homil 6. Austine and thy fellow Citizen in heauenly Ierusalem and perhaps greater therein then thy selfe Saul was Stephens greatest foe for it was too little for him to stone him with his owne hands alone omnium manâ—bus lapidabat saith that Father he stoned him with all their hands that threw stones in keeping their clothes that better they might throw and yet behold with that contrarie breath with that one prayer of Stephen was he of a foe made a friend of Saul a Paul of a persecutor a preacher of an impostor a pastor a doctor of a seducer of a pirate a prelate of a blasphemer a blesser of a theefe a shepheard and of a wolfe a sheepe of Christs fold therefore saith h Ibid. that excellent Father Non homo sed peccator te insequitur roga pro homine vt extinguat Deus peccatorem cùm enim mortuus fuerit peccator tibi homo non aduersabitur not the man but the sinner doth pursue thee pray for the man that God may take away the sinner for when the sinner is dead the man shall not impugne thee Thy i Chrysolog ser 139. brother rageth impute it to his sicknesse ascribe febri non fratri ascribe it to the feuer and not to thy brother dabisque prudenter infirmitat culpam fratri veniam and thou shalt wisely lay the fault on his infirmitie and giue pardon to thy brother seeing it is onely the feauer of his soule that thus hateth thee saith k August tract 8. in Epist Ioan. a Father Away then with your quid pro quo and rebuke for rebuke It was the wicked resolution of that requiter in the l Terent. And. Act. 5. scâ—n 4. Comedie Si mihi pergit quae non vult dicere ea quae non vult audiet If he begin I will declare his deedes which he doth praâ—ling against vs with malitious words as the m 3. Ioh. 10. Apostle spake of Dâ—trephes in a better requitall It is that resolute retalâ—ation of naturall men n Hom. I haâ— lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then shalt heare againe such words as thou speakest men so farre past shame that as Aeneas told brawling o Ibid. Achilles we may heare them scold in the eares of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen like women that scold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they go in the open streete Thus are our hearts not soft to breake the force of reproch which is obiected but hard and stonie to send backe and resound the eccho of rebuke like p Plut. reip gerenâ— praecept Epaminondas who hearing Callistratus vpbraid the Thebans with Oedipus his parricide who killed his father and the Graecians with the murder of Orestes who slue his mother rendred this rebuke for rebuke 〈◊〉 verò ipsos à nobis â—iectos reâ—ipistis But ye receiued them when we for this did exile them Or like q Mâ—râ—â— AE 〈…〉 Vâ—later Aâ—thr lib. 14. cap. 2. Phocion on whome Demades crying out The Athenians will kill thee when they begin to be mad But they will kill thee replied Phocion when they begin to be wise Not much vnlike that great gâ—rd of Crassus the Orator whom when Domitius taunted with weeping for the death of a Lamprey which he fed in a pond But thou replied Crassus shedst not a teare at the buriall of thy three wiues Which quipping and taunting speech as it is but the â—ome of wit so is such iesting iustly censured by the holy Ghost for foolish talking Eph. 5. 4. Seeing it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 29. as it were a stinking breath which as Phisitions obserue is a signe of inward putrifaction and when our throates are thus open sepulchers Psalme 5. 9. to belch out such vnsauory breath it is an argument that like graues we are full of dead mens bones within and all filthinesse and our inward parts are very wickednesse Lastly to conclude this point as we must not render rebuke for rebuke so neither blasphemie for blasphemie nor curse for curse but blesse them that curse vs. I know indeed Dauid wished euill vnto his enemies and prayed for their ruine Psaâ—me 69. And when Sauls flatterers like miscreants combined their tongues to accuse him with one voice to the King he did imprecate and wish euil to those foes Psa 109. He prayeth against their person vers 6. 7. 8. Set thou an vngodly man to be ruler ouer him and let Satan stand at his right hand when sentence is giuen vpon him let him be condemned and let his prayer be turned into sinne let his dayes be sew and let another take his office He bent his tongue like a bow and shot
himselfe cruell to his young ones as if they were not his are those which like u Exod. 2. Moses his parents expose their owne sonne to the waues of the riuer yet cry these peace peace and would be called peace-makers that so steale they might that blessing from their heauenly Father in the apparell of Christ the elder brother But indeed they are pacidici non pacifici saith x Iab 1 de conuers ad Cleric cap. 31. Bernard they speake vnto vs of peace but in truth prepare themselues to battell for they say and do not Vtinam tamen nostri etsi non facerent saltem dicerent saith that Father Would God ours though they do not yet would say well and know the things that belong to their peace But as a y 〈◊〉 Râ—dâ—â—ph Tâ—ssouâ— Scrapâ— reâ—g lib. 2. Generall of the Franciscane Friers reprehending that societies life learning truly spake of them My deare brethren saith he from the first beginning of our Order and religion conscientia conscience did flourish but honestie decaying by little and little the first syllable is lost and scientia science or knowledge alone remained but now by our faults the first syllable being taken away againe we remaine pure entia blockes stockes and images so I feare me some Praefect of English Franciscans or Benedictines rather as they count themselues and would be called viewing their mores scientiam how they are liu'd and learn'd may as iustly complaine not with z Beza Epist him that they haue multum scientiae parum conscientiae much science and little conscience but of losse of both syllables with the Prophet Esa 1. 5. The whole heart is heauie and the whole head is sicke and the disease of the head is falen vpon the hart that the child in vnderstaÌ„ding may cry with the a 2. King 4. 19. Shunamites boy Mine head mine head and his mother cannot mend him and the man of ripe age in malitiousnesse may complaine with b Ier. 4. 19. Ieremie in another meaning My belly my belly I am pained at the very heart mine heart is troubled within me for from the sole of the foote to the top of the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds in the head swellings in the heart and in the other parts sores full of all corruption And if they either had like those c Rom. 10. â— Iewes conscientiam sine scientia zeale and loue without knowledge we might hope they would be simple as Doues without gall and looke to their hart or if they had lost onely the first syllable of their conscience and had scientiam sine conscientia like the d 1. Cor. â— r. â— Corinths knowledge without loue we might expect they would be wise as serpents to defend and look to their head but seeing like those Franciscanes they haue lost both syllables of their conscience strange that in Paradise a place of puritie shold neither grow the tree of life nor the tree of knowledge that only they remain pura entia pure and meare things as that gouernor spake of them statues and images e Psal 115. which haue heads and vnderstand not nor know the way of peace hands and handle not the works of charitie and deedes of reconcilement I will not adde with the Prophet They that made them and set them vp are like vnto them but so are all they that put any trust in them I wish as these golden images are set vp in the temple by them who commit the greatest idolatrie in setting vp such images in the Church of God and adored by their simple Saints though it be but as the people honoured the Asse that caryed Isis with a non tibi sed religioni not because they are pure siluer but like Caesars f Mat. 22. brasse penny Caesaris effigiem qui libet assis habet Asses may haue Caesars image and superscription so they wold not like Nebuchadnezzars g Dan. 3. golden image procure the death of them who in wisdome like Daniel fall not downe and worship them I wish that as the h Plu. comment de sort Roman Romaines though they erected not a temple to Wisedome nor Temperance nor Patience nor Magnanimitie nor Continence yet builded a temple to Concord so though they build not themselues as a i 1. Pet. 2. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 19. spirituall temple to those vertues and goddesses of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. to Faith nor Temperance nor Long-suffering nor Gentlenesse nor Peace nor Meeknesse nor Goodnesse yet Charitati templum facerent they would edifie themselues in loue and build themselues a temple to Concord and Charitie And though they build her a temple yet is it not founded in faith nor her walles reared and raised vp with Hope nor her roofe perfected by Charitie as Saint Austine speaketh They brag of Concord and cry to all men peace peace when there is no peace for in their titular temple of Concord they sacrifice their brethren like sheepe on the altar of their heart and yet cry they Templum pacis templum pacis peace peace where there is no peace Like k Plut in vit Tyber Grac. L. Opimius the Consul who slue 3000. of the faction of the Gracchi and yet forsooth built a temple to the goddesse Concord But what was this else quà m irrisio Deorum to mocke the God of peace saith l Lib. 3. de â—ru Dei cap. 25. Austine to build a temple to that goddesse who if she had bin in the citie it had not bene rent with so many dissentions Cur enim si rebus gestis congruere voluerunt non ibi potiùs aedem Discordiae fabricarunt For if they would haue done sutable to their deedes why rather erected they not a chappell to Discord Thus face-taking friendship oft comes in sheepes clothing when within she is a rauening Wolfe for by her fruits ye shall know her Thus masked malice vnder the vizard vnder the habite of amitie faineth her selfe to be another when indeed she is the m 1 King 14. wife of Ieroboam of fighting against and chiding And he that like old n Gen. 〈◊〉 1. Isaac is dimme-sighted may be easily deceiued with the voice of Iaakob and faire tongue of supplanters till he feele the rough hands of Esau Yea Ahijah the Prophet himselfe for the dimnesse of his eyes may be cousened with her disguise till the Lord reueale it vnto him saying Behold the wife of Ieroboam comming in vnto thee and faining her selfe to be another and then can he vnmaske this mistresse and tell her who she is assoone as she entreth the doore of his eare or his eye Come in thou wife of Ieroboam why fainest thou thus thy selfe to be another I am come vnto thee with heauie newes Yea charitie that is neither simple nor subtill as Bias spake wisely of her or rather not onely simple as a doue to thinke no euill but also wise as
a serpent to discerne all things and see what is euill could subscribe on the night this Epigram to the inscription of the Consuls o Plut. vit iv temple Actus vecors templum facit Concordiae bloudie and warrish hands build a temple to Concord And we in this wise charitie may iudge that though themselues they inscribe with the Temple of Concord though in their forehead and front like the p Exod. 28. High Priest they carrie the inscription of Holinesse to the Lord and amitie to their brother yet vocabulum opere destruxerunt saith q Comment in Mich. 7. Ierome though in words they professe it with their workes they denie it though they make a shew of loue yet haue they so denyed the power thereof that in their stonie heart like that r Act. 17. Athenian altar we may iudge is written Vnto the vnknowne God of Mars and malice of enmitie and enuie Å¿ Sâ—â—ll 1 enarr in Luk. 12. One compares them to Apothecarie boxes which are without titled with names of medicine and sweet hearbes when within there is nothing but Wormwood and Gall Aloes or poison And though like Ioab they haue titles of health Art thou in health my brother or like Iudas God saue thee maister yet do they flatter with their tongue saith Dauid for their inward parts are very wickednesse Pal. 5. 9. And when we open these bâ—xes we shall find them no lesse then full of those rootes of bitternesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. with the Paranomisia of which words Paul as one t Pisâ— at schol in R 〈…〉 â— 29 noteth was not more delighted then they are with the things themselues which they signifie I wish these men whose heart is so deceitfull and wicked aboue all things that none can know it had in their pretence of loue that fenestratum pectus glasse windowes in their breast which Momus in Plutarch looked for and found lacke of in the fabricke of mans bodie Tunc si mentes recluderentur possent aspici laniatus ictus as one u Tacit. Ann. 6. speaketh then should we see their malitious rancor in the heart like a Lion lurking in his den then should we see their mischiefe in the deepe of their hearts as it were a Lions whelpe lurking in secret places that he may rauish the poore then should we see their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart and a hart how they speak euery one deceitfully to his neighbor and flattering with their lips speake with a double heart Psal 12. 2. one heart in their mouth and another in their breast outwardly speaking one thing and inwardly thinking another saith Musculus on these words Then should we see how they x Thom. in hunc locum reioyce at our miserie when they seeme to bewaile our misfortune how they hate when they seeme to loue how they laugh when they seeme to lament our affliction But seeing nature hath not set that glasse window in their brest yet holdeth grace the y Iam. 1. glasse of the word before their eyes which being a z Heb. 4 12. discerner of the intents and secrets of the heart casteth such a reflexe of their inward meanings that in it as in a glasse we may behold not darkly but face to face what manner ones they are For euery one of them speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth but in his heart layeth waite for him Ierem. 9. 8. Wherefore let euery one take heed of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother saith the Prophet for euery brother wil vse deceit and euery such friend will deale deceitfully and euery one will deceiue his friend and not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly Whose mirie pits and filthie puddles though now they lye couered with sweetnesse of apparant sanctitie and loue like dirtie bogges couered with snow in winter yet when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall rise and breake foorth in no lesse heate then flaming fire then shal these vngodly melt at the presence of God saith the Psalmist as water at fire and snow at the Sunne and then shall he lighten things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of their heart manifest and when their snow is melted by that consuming fire and brightnesse of his comming then shall appeare their myrie places their pits and plots their Serpents subtiltie that lay hid vnder the Doues simplicitie And he before whom the graue it selfe is naked Iob 26. 6. shall open these whited tombes which appeare outward so beautifull and amiable to their brethren that men going ouer them perceiue not but are within full of dead mens bones of iniquitie and all filthinesse But to leaue this snow-coloured earth and earthly whitenesse to that finall melting by the Sunne of righteousnesse to leaue these Apothecary boxes whose ointment of loue those dead flies iniuries suspitions enmities truce warre and yet againe seeming peace as the seruant told Phaedria in the a Terent. 〈◊〉 act 1 scena 3. Comedie causeth it to putrifie and stinke in the nostrils of the Almightie to b Eccles 13. that last opening of all hearts and secret things To leaue these ambidexters Quiamant tanquam osuri as c Lâ—b de amiciâ— cap. 8. Austine out of Tully speakes who loue so and are friends to day that to morow they may be foes so friendly to al that faithful to none now praising and straight dispraising now fawning and presently biting to day ready to kisse and to morrow more ready to kill to leaue these ambidexters to him that wil reward them according to the work of their hands to leaue these fast and loose men to him that d Iob 5. 22. 23. catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse and maketh the counsell of the wicked foolish yea scattereth the deuises of the craftie so that their hands cannot accomplish their intended enterprise and to leaue lastly these masked hypocrites who in the theater of this world are now the diuels stage-players to that last catastrophe when they haue acted their parts of dissimulation Exite maledicti in ignem aeternum Go out ye cursed into euerlasting fire let all true reconciled friends as they pretend the shew and shadow so extend the bodie and substance of friendship and be reconciled indeede Which doctrine as it vnmasketh the face of hypocriticall 3. Vse Ioabs so bindeth it the hands of blood-thirstie Esawes vnder whatsoeuer their pretence of reuenge Whosoeuer shal smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also commands Christ our Lord and law-giuer And if any will sue thee at the law for thy coate let him haue thy cloake also and whosoeuer will compell thee to go a mile go with him twaine Math. 5. 39. Vnder which triple iniury of our person If any smite thee and of our good If any sue thee and of our body If
his home when in this world and cockpit of contention they haue made him pastime and sport Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the fable they fight eagerly for a toy and then comes the Kite the prince and chiefe foule that ruleth in the ayre rapit vtrosque bellatores and snatcheth away both these great warriers Thus like two Emmets in the mole-hill of this earth we fight for superioritie and then comes a Robin-red-breast and pickes vs both vp Thus when they should be k Iam. 1. 19. slow to wrath as God himselfe did not runne but onely walked to take vengeance on his enemie and deferred it too till euen and coole of the day Gen. 3. 8. they runne and prepare themselues to battell as l Psal 59. 6. Dauid speaketh of his enemies their feete runne to euil and they make hast to shed bloud Esa 59. 7. as if not heauen but hell were the prize of their race they so run that they may obtaine it And this they deferre not till euen and coole of the day but in the heate of their bloud hate of their brother and coole of their charitie they rise betimes and execute this iudgment in the morning Yea whereas the God of mercie came with Eheu to be auenged of his enemies Esa 1. 24. these men of murther come with aha aha There there so would we haue it Psalm and with that m 1. Sam. 17. challenger of Gath not prouoke alone but proclaime a combat I defie thee this day giue me a man that we may fight hand to hand that I may conquer or be quelled And wheras the prouoked resistant and defendant antagonist is oft as n Lâ—cocitat Gregory noteth withheld by good motions from answering his challenge and defiance the subtil aduersary of his soule brings to his minde the offered indignities and wrongs receiued and with exaggeration of each circumstance shewes them so intolerable that for most part being ashamed of his former patience and blushing at his first forbearance he lamenteth the time by-past of reuenge and with the dog returning to his vomite licketh vp his malice into his stomack which he had cast away like Hector in the o Homer Iliad lib â— Iliad who told Achilles that he had oft refused his challenge indeed but now I wil not flie thee saith he as I did before Now my courage prickes me forward to resist thee to thy face and stand to it manfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether I kill or be killed Now will I stay a man in my wound and a yong man in my hurt as cruell Lamech couragiously or rather outragiously vaunted Gen. 4. 23. Of which fire of contention and fury of reuenge as Satan is himselfe the kindling coale and principall prouoker so is the worlds reputatioÌ„ no lesse then the bellowes therof accessary a bettor for the pacate and peaceable man which is vnwilling to reuenge contemptus est omnibus he is contemned as truly ob obserued p Lib. 6. diu inst c. 18. Lactantius and despised of all And because he is thought not able or not manly to defend himselfe habetur pro segni inerti he is reputed a faint hearted lubber a coward without courage and a body without spirit and life in him But he that will reuenge his iniury Hic fortis hic strenuus iudicatur hunc colunt hunc venerantur omnes he is counted a stout man of stomacke all honour and reuerence his courage and feare him for a swash buckler and kilcow Which pointing of the finger Et dicier hic est this is the man of valour whetting his courage puts resolution in the sist reuenge in the hilts and bloudshed in the blade and this this is it which makes them resolue with those cutters in q Lib. 2 de Jea c. 32. Seneca Minus contemnemâ—r inquiunt sâ—vindscauerimus inturiam It is for our credit and renowne to put vp no wrong that is offered A r Beaux am 〈◊〉 Euangâ—◠〈◊〉 5. 44. late writer so complaines of the Noblemen of France who count it their greatest disgrace if they pocket vp the least iniury without some reuenge and thinke their honour is impeached yea touched as the apple of their eye if straightway they seeke not his death who hath wronged them Thus their Nobilitie refuseth the honour that commeth of God alone and seeke honour one of another I wish English hearts were not so infected with this French disease whose harts take no ease but while they meditate reuenge the temples of whose heads caÌ„not take any rest till they find out a place for reuenge whose eye-lids cannot sleep till they see reuenge and whose fingers itch till Satan haue taught their hands to warre and their fingers to fight his owne battels But the foolishnesse of the flesh cannot giue her an obiection which the wisedome of the spirit cannot answer who both by her law doth infatuate this wisedome Thou shalt not auenge nor be mindfull of wrong Leuit. 19. 18. and by her Gospell of peace counts it foolishnesse with God See that none recompence euill for euill vnto any man 1. Thess 5. 15. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord Rom. 12. He alone in the Magistrate who is his hand and sword-bearer before him carieth not this sword in vaine Rom. 13. And me thinkes the Almightie cries here like the true mother for her owne Mine it is mine let it not be deuided I will recompence saith the Lord. And therfore whosoeuer vsurping Gods right taketh this sword wresteth it so out of Gods hand shall perish with the sword saith Christ our Sauiour Math. 26. 52. For who so thus sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed saith God himselfe Gen. 9. 6. And if any kil with the sword he must be killed with the sword saith Christ his soâ— Apoc. 1â— 10. Not that Christian religion is vnfit for warre because it enioyneth peace as Machiuell once did obiect and maketh cowards because it perswardeth patience For as it bad Peter put vp his sword of priuate offence into his sheath of patience and long suffering Luke 22. 51. so willed it him before to sell his coate and buy a sword in publike defence vers 36. It maketh weaklings so valiant in Gods battell for religion that they put to slight the armies of the alients Heb. 11. 34. and yet stronglings such cowards in mans combat of reuenge as to giue place to wrath and not resist iniury Mat. 5. 39. But it giueth Å¿ Psalâ—e 9â— 13 patience in time of aduersitie and wrong vntill the pit be digged vp for the vngodly It teacheth vs with t Verse 1. 2. Dauid to commit all vengeance to God with a double attribute and Epitheton O God the auenger O God the auenger shew thy selfe clearely stand vp thou Iudge of the world and reward the proud after their deseruing How shall the wicked how shall the wicked triumph and make such proud boasting
They smite downe thy people and trouble thine heritage It teacheth the oppressed to rely on his iustice that he will v Verse 23. recompence the vngodly their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice It telleth vs God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth euen the Lord of anger The Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and he reserueth wrath for his enemies Naum 1. 2. And therefore he that taketh and vsurpeth the sword shall perish with the sword and Gods vengeance still auengeth mans reuenge Because Edome x Ezek. 25. 12. 13 14 15. saith the Lord God hath done euill by taking his vengeance vpon the house of Iudah and hath committed great offence and renenged himselfe vpon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also execute my vengeance vpon Edome they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God And because the Philistimes haue executed vengeance and reuenged themselues with a despitefull heart to destroy it for the old hatred therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I will stretch out mine hand vpon the Philistimes and I will cut off the Cherethims and destroy the remnant of the sea coast and I will execute great vengeance vpon them with rebukes of mine indignation and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shal lay my vengeance vpon them And thus God reuenged them according to their handy-worke in weight and measure his eternall for their temporall vengeance and measured to them againe as they measured to Iuda yea a measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer gaue he backe againe into their bosome Et libet hominem vindicare and hath any man now lust and courage to be reuenged saith y Tom. 10. ser 42 â— Orat. Dâ—â— Austine why stay the Lords leysure The holy Martyrs whose blood was powred forth vnto death are not yet auenged Apo. 6. but they that is their blood alone like the blood of Abel crieth with a loud voice How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth and it was answered vnto them That they should rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruants and brethren that should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled Yea Christ himselfe is not yet all this while reuenged on his enemies but henceforth from his passion he tarieth till his enemies be made his footstoole Heb. 10. 13. At his bitter passion when he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously righteously indeed for he smote his sonnes enemies in laying his wished blood vpon them and he smote them on the hinder parts for it is to this day vpon their children and hath put them to a perpetuall shame Thus tarieth the head with his members the Lords leysure who is that auenger of Israell and will recompence euery man at length according to his workes Who are we then asketh z Ibid. Austin that we should seeke reuenge If God should seeke it of vs vbi remaneremus what should become of vs and where should we remaine He whom a Prou. seuen times in a day yea dayly and hourely wee offend will not be auenged on vs and shall we seeke vengeance on man who hath wronged vs b Luke 17. 4. seuen times in a day yea though c Math. 18. 2â— seuentie times seuen times iniuried vs fellow seruants Beare then and forbeare aduiseth a graue d Seâ—â— l. 3. de Ira c. vlâ— Philosopher behold euen now is death comming which will make you equall What doest thou fighting and stabbing him doest thou wish any thing but his death whom thou wouldest reuenge Etiam morietur why he shall surely die thou loosest but thy labour Facere vis quod futurum est Like those blood-thirstie e Acts 23. 14. Iewes thou vowest with an oath that thou wilt neither eate nor drinke till thou hast killed him And whereas like a f 2. Timot. 2. 3. â— souldier of Iesus Christ as euery Christian is called in this warfare 2. Cor. 10. 4 he is here placed by his captaine in his stand and vocation in which g 1. Coâ—in 7. 10 calling he must stand and abide till he be called away as the h Math. 2. Angell told Ioseph Be there till I bring thee word as if thou hadst the i Math. â— 9. Centurions commaund thou sayest to this souldier Go and he goeth and sendest him from his station Iniussu Imperatoris without his Captaines leaue and Generals commaund Yea whereas his soule is cooped vp in his earthly tabernacle like a bird that is kept vp in a cage with Caine thou dissoluest his tabernacle and violently breakest the cage that his soule before she be called may flie as a bird vnto the hill Wherefore haue rather patience in the time of aduersitie vntill the pit be digged vp for the vngodly O tarrie thou the Lords leasure yet a while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie long to fet him away Meane while let his soule like k Act. 12. Peter lie in the prison of his bodie wherein it is imprisoned till thy God send his Angell to smite him on the side with sicknes that her chaines fall off and then shall she come out of prison wherein she was fettered and death the iron gate that leadeth to the holy citie shall then open to her of it owne accord The consideration of which motiues if it enter not thy mind yet nosce teipsum consider but thy selfe how nature hath framed thee a peaceable creature and thou wilt hardly seeke reuenge For whereas as the l Pliâ— nat hist lib. 7. proâ—m naturalist well obserues she hath giuen her younger sonnes I meane other creatures which are but her base-borne couerings as bucklers to defend and as weapons to offend their foe as shels to the fishes of the sea knottie barkes to trees of the forrest hard hides to the beasts of the field stings to the Bees bristles to Hogges and to Hedge-hogs their prickes rough haire to Bears feathers to birds scales to fishes and fleeces to the sheepe yea as the m Arist lib. 3. depart animal cap. 1. oracle of nature further addes stings to the Serpents spurres to Cocks horns to many beasts teeth and tusks to Elephants and Bores arma vel ad inuadendum vel defendendum their weapons of offence or armor of defence as he speaketh this mother hath brought foorth man though not her eldest sonne yet the beginning of her strength the excellencie of her dignitie and the excellencie of power vnweaponed vnarmed vnfenced and naked saith Plinie as the God n Gen. 2. 25. of nature first created him and since o Iob. 1. 21. Eccles 5. 14. returneth naked into the womb of his mother the earth as naked as he came from the belly of his mother yea nudissimum
â—4 hating as not louing talents as pence ten thousand as an hundred the beame as the mote and the worke of thy bodie as the thought of thy mind Euery sinne he forgiueth vnto men Math. 12. 31. saue onely that sinne of sinnes against the holy Ghost verse 32. which is impossible to be forgiuen because these cannot possibly repent Hebr. 6. 6. And if God thus forgiue thee all the debt oughtest not thou to haue like pittie on thy fellow seruant euen as the Lord hath on thee O remember the mercilesse debter Math. 18. whom when his Lord had forgiuen ten thousand talents of sinnes he would not forgiue his fellow an hundred pence of offences See how his master weigheth him in the ballance to aggrauate i Io Ferus come in Mat. 18 lib. 3 〈…〉 etan idem euery circumstance of his vnthanfulnesse first vnthankfull when his Lords remission was yet in his eare and that seruant departed k Chrys nâ—m 62 in Mat. 18. to his debter 2. he vseth so hardly not a stranger but found out one of his fellowes 3. not for any great summe for he ought him but an hundred pence 4. he exacteth the debt not with words alone but layd hands on him and tooke him by the throate 5. though his Lord forbare him in patience yet he wold not spare his fellow an houre Pay me that thou owest 6. though his Lord heard his intreatie he would not be intreated of his fellow who fell downe at his feete and besought him and he would not 7. he wold not be moued with that very prayer of his fellow wherewith he wrung pittie from his master Appease thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all 8. so soone as his fellow craued respite he cast him into prison till he should pay the debt But what doth he scape thus the hand of his Lord No no then his maister called him and vpbraideth his monstrous ingratitude O euil seruant I forgaue thee all the debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had of thee And see his eternal punishment So his master was wroth we reade not he was so for his owne debt saith Chrysostome nor gaue him this terme of euill seruant and deliuered him to the â—ayler till he should pay all that was due to him Not that he exacted the debt of those talents which before he had forgiuen him as our aduersaries hence collecting after iustification and forgiuenes their final fal peruert this scripture to their owne destruction No parables as noteth l Sapâ—as dixi non ad verbum exponenâ—â—esse parabolas ne mulia sequatur absurda homil 48. in Mat. 13. non oportet cuÌ„â—tacuriosè in parabolis scrutars nec nimi â— in singulis verbu cura perangi sâ—d quum quid per parabolam intendie didicerimus ande vâ—â—litate colleeÌ„da nihil est vlterius anxio conatu iâ—â—â—stigaÌ„duÌ„ Chrys hom 65. in Mat. 20. Chrysostome must not be racked beyond their intent and meaning And the Papists by pressing them too hard straine out of these teates blood in stead of sincere milke as when they get this parable by the end they ring it so deepe that they turne the clapper as one m Greenb â—a 48 traâ—t minister speaketh but the Lord casts this euill seruant into hell for the debt of n Hug laâ—s in hâ—rc locum ingratitude and vnmercifulnesse to his fellow which was as great by equall proportion as the benefite of forgiuenesse which he had before receiued seeing to whom much is forgiuen he should loue as much Luke 7. and to whom much is giuen of him shall be no lesse required And our Sauiour in the end of all giueth vs the kernell of this nut and the spirit of his letter So likewise saith he shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses whatsoeuer This parable is the glasse wherein al may behold their face what maner of ones they are But as Stella spake of that of the vniust Iudge Luk. 18. so may I wish of this parable of the mercilesse seruant Math. 18. Serui parabolam vtinam nos non faceremus historiam would God this parable of the seruant we made not an historie Vtinaem nunc esset parabola non pro historia posset recenseri would God it were now but a parable and might not be related for a storie But I feare from the proposition I may assume with Saint o 1. Cor 6. 11. Paul Such are some of you and particularize with p 2. Sam. 12. Nathan to many one in particular Thou art the man who hope remâ—ssion of talents from their Lord and will not forgiue pence to their brethren Or if when their Sunne is going downe they forgiue all before men at the houre of their death yet remittunt culpam non poenam as one speaketh they say I forgiue all in this will and testament q Lauat in Ezec. 35. 5. Odia inimicitias quasi per manus liberis suis tradunt They bequeath their hatred and malice by tradition to the handes of their sonnes and make them haeredes paterni odij as noteth r Lib. de irae cap. 34. Seneca heires of their fathers hatred paralel with the children of Esau Obadiah 1. which remembring the old quarrell of their Grandfire Esau with Iacob for the blessing as heires of his malice caryed a perpetuall hatred against the children of Israell Ezechiel 35. vers 5. Amos 1. vers 11. and cryed in the day of Hierusalem downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Psalm 137. Thus were they mindfull of their fore-father his enmitie quasi haereditate quadam retinuissent odium aduersus Israelem saith Lauater as if with his substance he had bequeathed his perpetual malice in his wil and left the rest of his hatred for his babes These men may be ashamed saith Å¿ Lib 15 Epist 95. Seneca not onely warring and iarring in their life but euen committing it to their children quasi haereditaria successiâ—ne as it were by haereditarie succession sith we see not the most sauage beasts deale so cruelly one with another I wish these Esaus at their death which haue learned that popish remission of the guilt and not the punishment of great offences would learne if not of bruite beasts whom they scorne yet of the Almightie himselfe who remitteth not onely the guilt in him whom he made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. 21. but also the punishment through him on whom he laid the chastisement of our peace and the iniquitie of vs all Esa 53. at least for shame let them learne of t Plut. Apoth AElian var. hist Phocion the Athenian who being asked at his vniust execution by a friend whether he would any thing to his sonne at home Nothing quoth he but that he neuer stomacke the
Å¿ Mat. 22. he said of the coine Whose image and superscription hath it whose badge and cognisance is this that you weare Satans why then giue to Satan that which is Satans ye serue not one Lord alone it seemes by your armes ye t Zeph. 1. 5. sweare by the Lord and by Malcham your u Hos 10 2. heart is diuided into an x Psal 12. 2. heart to your friends and an heart to your foes that ye halt betweene me and Satan If y 2. King 18. 21 he be your Lord go after him but if I be your one and only Lord come after me alone for z Luk. 16. 13. ye cannot serue vs two masters whose seruice is so a Gal. 5. 17. contrarie as the b Iam. 4. 4. amitie of the one is the enmitie of the other and whosoeuer will be a friend of Satan maketh himselfe the enemie of God this one Lord. O then ye seruants of my God leane not to Satan vnlesse ye will leaue this one Lord. Keepe not backe like c Act. 5. Ananias and Saphira part of his possession The sonne and Lord of Dauid like his d 2. Sam. 16. father will not be serued with followers whose beards are halfe shauen and with curtald wedding garments of loue He who requireth the whole heart and not the halfe Prou. 23. like the true e 1 King 3. 26. mother will not haue it diuided into parts but will haue all the heart all the soule and all the mind thrise all least a thought of malice should stay behind Math. 22. 37. For which seruice of your one Lord if doubting your reward ye resolue with them in Malachie 3. 14. It is in vaine to serue God and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandement and walked humbly before the Lord of hosts Therefore we count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered O tarrie the Lords leisure for his reward Erit tempus there will be there will be a time when he will discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked saith the Prophet betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Vers last He that waiteth on his Lord shall come to honour f Prou. 27. 18. saith Salomon Which though it oft be not so with our earthly Lords yet the Lord will not forget his people nor forsake them that be godly Thou Lord saith Dauid hast neuer failed them that serue thee Psal But as he promised his followers a reward and appointed vnto them a kingdome because they had continued with him and followed him in the regeneration Luke 22. so will this one Lord if him alone ye serue in loue giue you the kingdome when that great donatiue shall fall into his hand for you to receiue it Howbeit if this one Lord cannot linke fellow seruants in loue yet the One faith wherein all we serue him should knit the faithfull 3. Linke One faith in affection Where by faith whether we vnderstand that faith in God Mark 11. 22. by which g Rom. 5. 1. hand we receiue h Rom. 6. 23. that gift of God and i 1. Tim. 6. 12. lay hold on eternall life or that faith of God Apocal. 14. 12. by which seed of the word we conceiue this hope of that kingdome as k Aquit Zench in Ephes 4. 4. some do them both either of them is so specifically one in the obiect of one Lord which they apprehend though neither numerically one in the subiects wherein they are comprehended that they should linke the subiects together wherein they dwell to this one Lord whereon they worke And touching the former though each man hath his owne One faith in God particular faith by which alone he shall liue Abak 2. 4. which in S. Paul is not numerically one with the faith of his Titus yet haue they both one faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. which specifically is one and called a common faith to them both in respect of the obiect vers 4. and still through the Scripture termed in the singular number the faith of the Saints whether Iewes or Gentiles For howsoeuer that Apostle may seeme vnto some to distinguish Two doubtfull places expounded the Iewes faith from the faith of the Gentiles in saying One God shall iustifie circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith and through Former faith vncircumcision Rom. 3. 30. from which diuerse prepositioÌ„s in l As Rom. 11. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 1. Cor. 11. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other places m Lib. 3. in Ro. 3. 30. Origen here proposeth some diuersitie yet is not this spokeÌ„ saith n Lib. de spirit lit cap. 29. Austine to make anie difference between the faiths of these two nations as if of and as though through faith did really differ for as here he auerreth circumcision shall be iustified of faith so elsewhere he auoucheth that God wil iustifie the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith also Gal. 3. 8. And as here he affirmeth that vncircumcision shall be iustified by faith so elsewhere he confirmeth that the Iewes shall be iustified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise by faith Gal. 2. 16. But this one faith shadowed vnder these two prepositions whether it was thus spoken ad veritateÌ„ locutionis as that Father noteth as Pharaoh his dreame though one in o Gen 41. 25. matter was doubled in manner p Vers 31. because the thing was certaine and of importance or whether it was to increase and exaggerate the thing as Martyr thinketh with these two diuerse phrases as q Col. 1. 16. All things were created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him and through him elsewhere he doth in another cause or whether as Ierome iudgeth he would rather change the phrase theÌ„ ingeminate the same as r 1. Cor. 12. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. elsewhere he doth in one verse or to checke the Iewes supposed reall difference of their iustification from the Gentiles by a verball difference as with Caluin I rather thinke surely though these prepositions be diuerse yet the propositions are the same as generally most ancient and late writers do agree As if when the Iewes looked for a difference from his mouth he should haue said And will you needs haue one here is all God will iustifie the Iewes of faith through faith the Gentiles which differ but in word Or those of faith saith Caluin because they were borne heires of the couenant and receiued it ex patribus of their fathers Rom. 9. and these by faith because it was to them aduentitious and through the fall of the Iewes Rom. 11. 11. â—atter doubtâ—ll place There also may seeme one faith of the Iewes and another of Gentiles where the Apostle saith By the Gospell the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from
aduantage or as z Fâ—â—â—er in Câ—â—t 215. some expound it that can cogge a die with craft for aduantage whereby they lie in wait to deceiue the simple And therfore as spiritual fathers must forbeare to cary them vp and downe with diuers and strange doctrines Hebr. 13. 9. so must they if they wil beare and beget children of peace be them selues the messengers and fathers of peace least their life cast their doctrine in the teeth with that reproch Rom. 2. 21. Thou which teachest another peace teachest thou not thy selfe and thou that preachest a man shold not â—ar in the house doest thou warre in the temple of God For as a Orata de reconcil Monac Nazianzene said wittily of Zacharies silence the strings of whose tongue his son Iohn Baptists birth vnloosed non decebat vt pater vocis sileret cum vox progrederetur it was not meet the father who had begotten a b Iohn 3. 23. voice and a crier should himselfe remaine silent so neither is it fit the spirituall father who begeteth peace in his people should continue himselfe an vnpeaceable pastor From which whether strife of words in his doctriue or railing and enuie in life the two Two motiues vnto peace in preaching daughters of teaching otherwise 1. Tim. 6. 3. how can I better disswade my fellow-seruant then insinuate with Saint Paul that while in the one he takes no heed to himself and attends not to his doctrine in the other he shall neither saue himself nor those 1. 〈◊〉 of himselfe that heare him 1. Tim 4. 16. For though he swell with the abundance of supposed reuelations in the profunditie of his knowledge yet that science puffes him but vp saith the Apostle â—e 4 and like a bladder with a pricke of his conscience shall he ineuocably shrinke being destitute of true wisedome and corrupt in his mind And if thus he sit in c Math. 23. 1. Moses chaire to his people and in that d Psal 1. 1. seate of wickednesse to fellow-pastors he may happâ—ly saue his flocke by preaching to others but shall be a cast-away himselfe in not consenting with his fellowes 1. Cor. 9. And â—â—deed if his doctrine crie peace peace to his people when there is no peace in him with other Preachers as he is but like the Cooke dressing meate for others and e Heb 6 tasts not himselfe of the good word of God so shal he be like Noahs carpenters that made the Arke to saue others and perished themselues in the floud For if thus like Mercurie he point out the way of peace to others which himselfe doth not walke he shall be that vnwise wittie man which hath instructed many and yet is vnprofitable to him selfe Eccles 37. 18. yea so vnprofitable as although like the water of Baptisme saith f Homil. 27. Gregory he wash away by Gods grace the sinnes of other men and send them to heauen ipse tamen in cloacas descendet yet shall him selfe like it goe downe into the sincke of sinne and pit of perdition that all men may truly crie of him as they did of g Math. 27 4â— Christ vntruly He saued others but himselfe he cannot saue and himself at his end most wretchedly complaine h Caâ—â— 1. â— They made me the keeper of others vines but I kept not mine owne vine 2. Sauing them that heare him Which the rather he should attend seeing as by strife enuie and hatred which come of strange questions and teaching otherwise he shall not saue himselfe so his sheepe refusing to drink of his troubled water he shall hardly saue those that heare him Wherein sith loquere vt videam speake in the pulpit that I may see it in thy practise is still thy peoples voice to their Pastor as they said to the chiefe shepheard of our soules i Ioh. 6. 30. quid facis quid operaris vt videamus credamus tibi What doest thou worke that we may see and beleeue thee surely thy flocke like k Gen. 30. 38. 3â— Iaakobs sheepe in drinking of thy water will conceiue of the immortall seede like the rods I meane examples and workes that are before their eyes And therefore as Christ the arch-shepheard l Act. 1. 1. first wrought and then taught m Luk. 24. 1â— first was mightie in deed and then powerfull in word and wrought that in thirtie yeares which after he taught but in three as first in theÌ„ shewed the blessednesse of pouertie and then taught in these n Luk. 6. 20. Blessed are the poore first wept in the cratch and then taught o Verse 21. Blessed are they that weep first himselfe hungred and then taught p Verse 22. Blessed are the hungrie first would be persecuted into Egypt and then taught Blessed are the persecuted for my sake to make his doctrine more effectuall so these sub-shepheards pro-pastors too if they will perswade Israel to go the way of peace into the promised land must like the q Deut. 1. 25. spiers that searched that countrie shew them first the good fruite thereof in their hands before they preach and bring them word It is a good land which the Lord doeth giue you go vp and possesse it For as r Epist ad Hâ—r 〈◊〉 Cyprian said truly in the person of our people If when I aske a fellow-traueller the right way to our country he point me out one and go himselfe another I will not regard his words that he speaketh but follow his paths that he walketh Which yet neither he nor I speake from him to stay anie from going the way of peace which at the pointing of Mercury they should runne though it go not before them but to tell the leaders of the people whose works should be miracles to conduct as their words are oracles to instruct that vnlesse with Å¿ Phil. 3 17. Paule theâ— can say Be ye followers of me and walke so as ye haue vs for an example they will not follow peace nor ensue it And indeed etsi â—ultis projunt dicendo quae non faciunt pluribus tamen prodessent faciendo quae dicunt although they winne many by saying as they do not yet should they gaine more by doing as they say saith t Lib. 4. de doctr Christ cap. 27. S. Austâ—ne And therefore as the house Cocke saith u Pâ—stoâ—al part 4. cap. 6. Gregory the bâ—tter to waken others by his crow of day to make them rise to their labour first waketh him selfe thoroughly by clapping of his wings so he who is the watchman of Israel the better to waken others with that day-crow of Paule Rom. 13. Hora nunc est nos è somno expergisci It is now the houre we should arise from sleepe must first waken him selfe thoroughly with these two wings of taking heed to himselfe and to doctrine before he crie y Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from
euery side and are trauelling homeward to our heauenly Father in the promised land let vs like fellow-citizens of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and countrimen of one kingdome sticke fast together in a straunge land Our Ioseph hath charged vs his brethren b Gen. â—5 24. fall not out by the way fall not out in thought word or deed by the way about your victuals and prouision about your sackes and your money about your Ins and your lodgings about baiting in this earthly pilgrimage And if ye chaunce here to fall out agree with your aduersarie quickly while ye are in the way Mat. 5. 25. for seeing by many tribulations we must enter into this kingdome and hope of our calling as the children of Israell went thorough fire and water into a wealthie place let common daunger of this red sea vnite our hearts for a common hope of the hauen that like fellow-swimmers we support one another through loue and hold them vp that they sinke not We c â—lin lib. 8. nat hist cap. 32. reade of the Harts that when they passe the sea to an Island for pasture the strongest swimme foremost to beare vp on their hanches the heads of the weaker and when they are wearie the hindmost sustaine them Which louing nature of the Harts perchance Salomon meant saith d Lib 83. quâ—st 71. Ser. 21. dâ— ver Apost Austine Prou. 5. 19. where he calleth the Hind amicissimam most friendly or as the Hebrew ceruam amicitiae the Hind or Hart of amitie Such Harts saith that e In Psal 129. locâ— câ—t Father often applying this storie should Christians be one to another that while they passe these waters of affliction to their fortunate Iland and Capê bonê Speranzê their Cape of good hope They which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please themselues alone Rom. 15. 1. They must beare one anothers burden of miserie and so fulfill the law Gal. 6. 2. though euery one must beare his owne burthen of transgression Versâ— And then indeed as the Harts by mutuall supportance in common daunger safely attaine the hauen and make not shipwrack in the sea Quia quasi nauis est illis charitas because charitie as he speaketh is their ship their hope their dread-nought which conuoyeth them ouer So we communicating our helpe in communitie of perill shall in this shippe of charitie which supporteth all arriue safe at heauen the hauen of this hope For as the Church of God is semblable to f Act. 27. Paules shippe wherein we must saile to these Faire hauens so must there be in this sea-fare which g Lib. â— Ethic. cap. 12. Aristotle requireth in euery shippe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the amitie of fellow-sailers which common daunger hanging ouer them as it did in Ionahs fellowes Christs disciples and Paules mariners should effect And as their shippe continued they friendly in it would saue them all but the boat were it kept in to it would loose all Act. 27. 31. euen so while we continue with one accord in the temple the Church of God tyed to the anker of this Hope will saue vs all and like the arke land vs on the mount of Armenia but if any forsaking the ship and the fellowship we haue among our selues as the manner of some is shall flie into the cocke-boate of his priuate humor and spirit of singularitie it endaungereth him to make shippewracke of faith and a good conscience Wherefore as wisely did they in their course who cut off the boate and let it fall away lest the mariners leauing the shippe should cause a wracke of the rest so was it their wisedome of the spirit who haue cut off the spirit of singularitie least many flying from the Church should make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience Wherefore seeing the tenure of this Hope and inheritance we hold in capite in our head Christ Iesus surely as at his farewel he left vs here in peace Peace I leaue with you Iohn 14. so vnlesse at his returne he find vs in peace this Hope his peace he will not giue vnto vs. Peace I leaue with you and if you keepe it till I come my peace I giue vnto you Nec dum capaces estis saith h Ser. 4. in vâ—gâ—â— nat Dom. Bernard in his person interim relinquo vobis viam pacis tunc dabo patriaÌ„ pacis Ye are not yet capable of the end of this hope in the meane time I leaue you the way of peace and after your iourney wil giue you this Hope the country of peace In the way to this hopefull inheritance in the world ye shal haue affliction but theÌ„ in me ye shal haue peace Reioyce in the Lord saith i Ibid. Bernard that here ye receiue the gifts of his left hand but now I say againe reioyce yea alway reioyce in the Lord that then ye shall haue this hope and rewards of his right hand for in his left hand is but riches honor and peace externall but in his right hand is eternal peace and length of dayes Prou. 3. 16. These be the two armes of the bridegroome saith k Ser. 4. de â—â—â—â—uent Dom. he wherin his hopeful spouse resting said of her husband His left hand is vnder my head and his right hand doth embrace me Can. 2. 6. His left hand of peace externall was vnder her head before his right hand of this Hope and eternall peace did embrace her Laeua quidem leuat dextra suscipit saith Bernard laeua medetur iustificat dextra amplectitur beatificat in laeua eius merita in dextra verò praemia continentur in dextra deliciae in laeua sunt medicinae This is the reward of the right hand which he bestoweth on them that kisse his left hand of peace this is the hopefull inheritance and substance which that father in the Gospell will deuide to his sonnes that are not at diuision This is the countrey of good hope which the Prince of peace in heauen wil giue to his spouse of peace in earth In this mariage dinner indeed on earth which is but a feast of desponsation here oft wants wine of comfort peace and here is great store euen sixe water pots of affliction but in that mariage supper of the Lamb which is the feast of copulation when he shal take her to himself the Bridegroome will turne that water into wine Iohn 16 Ye now sorrow saith he but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy O that the consideration of this country of peace wold draw and drag vs along the way of peace O that we would reioyce againe and againe I say reioyce on earth in this hope of reioycing in the Lord alwayes in heauen When he shall fill vs all with loue of â—ll without iealousie of any peace without distention and ioy without enuie and emulation Where he shall fill animam rationalem sapientia