loue Ephes 5. 2. and so walke that not onely with Dauid we runne viam the common and Kings high way of his m Psal 10. 11 â—â— commandements and n Iames 2. royall law to blesse benefite and be beneuolent to our enemies Math. 5. 44. but walke also like him in o Psalme 119. 35 semitis in the pathes thereof which are the nearest and gainst way to heauen not as more wittily then wisely p Sâ—ellâ—â—narraâ— in Lâ—c. 3. 4. some distinguish his Euangelicall precepts and counsels for euen these q Ferus in Math 3. 3 semita are mandata Psalme 119. 35. that not onely we loue from our heart but so feruently without faining that as r Exod. â—2 32. Moses willed it for the Hebrewes Å¿ Rom. 9. 3. Paul wished it for the Israelites t Ios 2 2. Rahab ventured it for the spies v Iudges 10. Iudith indangered it for Israel x 1. Kings 18. 4. Obadiah hazarded it for the Prophets y Esther 4. 16 Ester for the Iewes z 1. Sam. 19. cap. 20. 33 Ionathan for Dauid a 1 Sam. 17. Dauid for his countrey b Iohn 13. 37 Peter promised it for Christ and Christ performed it to lay downe his life for his enemies Rom. 5. 6. so we also should walke in this path of loue that as hereby we perceiued his loue in that he layed downe his life for vs therefore ought we to lay downe our life for the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 16. then which as no man hath greater loue of heart then when he is willing to bestow his life for his friend Iohn 15. 13. so if like Christ who layed it downe voluntarily of himselfe without any taking it from him Iohn 10. 18. for he died c Bern. ser 3 de pacificat Marâ—a Non quia meruit nec quia Iudeus praualuit sed quia ipse voluit not because he deserued for he layed it downe for his sheepe verse 15. nor because the Iew preuailed for none could take it from him verse 18. but because he was willing for he layed it downe of himselfe Nec modo voluit oblatus est quia voluit oblatus est neither was he willing because to be offered but was offered because he was willing as d Ser in Feria â—ebâ— pâ—â—os de pâ—ss Dâ—m Bernard elsewhere speaketh If we could I say like Christ thus walke in loue of our hearts we should be perfect as he is perfect sith as Paul epitomizeth religion into faith and repentance Hebr. 6. 1. and Salomon repentance into feare God and keepe his commaundements Eccles 12. 13. so our Sauiour his ten commaundements into two of loue Marke 12. 31. and the Apostle e Auiâ— Pet. Mart. in Rom. 1â— those two of loue into this one of louing our neighbour Rom. 13. 9. to shew that this heartie loue of our foe is the castle-gate of religion the staires of repentance the tower and turret of faith the watch of the feare of God and the keepe of his commandements all which are wholly kept and fulfilled in one word which is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Gal. 5. 14. Wherefore if offending in many things thou canst not fulfill the royall law it is so large vis compendium seruandarum omnium legum wilt thou haue saith a f Arâ—t in Rom. 13 8. Writer a short cut to keepe all Monstrabo tibi Epitomen I will shew thee a compendious way Loue thy neighbour and thou shalt fulfill the royall law Iam. 2. 8. and praise God saith Austine with an instrument of tenne strings for as Iames said of him who failes in one point that he is guiltie of all so contrariwise may I say that he who fulfils this one point in some sort is guiltlesse of all And thus are we knowne to loue God when we loue our brother and cannot before him assure our hearts till our hearts be sure to the other For as g Dâ—roth deâ—â— 6. ne iudicemus proximum lines in a circle drawne to the circumference from the center the nearer they come the center whence they first proceeded the nearer needs must they come one to another the further off they go from it the more are they distant one from another so our liues in this great round as they haue their first being from that indiuisible center of whom and to whom are all things Rom. 11. 36 so the nearer they come him in loue the nearer must they needes in affection come one another And as euery one that loueth his brother loueth God also and is borne of him so he that hateth his brother hateth God and if he say he loueth him he is but a lyer 1. Ioh. 4. Howbeit if through naturall deprauation and humane infirmitie surripit ira Christiano anger as h Aug. Prâ—fat in Psal 25. one speaketh stealeth on thy heart and like that foule of the heauen catcheth away the seed of loue out of thy heart for i Idem hom 40. humanum est irasci vtinam ne hoc possemus yet must it not be kept so long in thy breast vt fiat pridiana that it liue past a day lest the mote of anger being fed in the night with the dew of suspition become a beame in the morning to put out the eye of reason For seeing k Hâ—rat Epist as an heathen well resembleth it Anger is like an head-strong horse which must not haue the reines lest he throw headloÌ„g his rider we had need curbe this heart-strong passion and perturbation of the mind lest it carry vs headlong into mischiefe and as we put bits in horses mouths that they should obey vs whereby we rule them in the right way so hunc fraenis hunc tu compesce caâ—ena its mouth also like horse and mule without vnderstanding must be holden with bit and bridle lest it fall vpon thee Which naturall edge and sharpe affection seeing it is whetted and sharpened by Satan on the stonie heart of man to wound the name or the person of his foe therefore our l Arist lib 4. Ethic. cap. 5. maister of moralitie sheweth Why against whom how when and how farre it may be drawne and vnsheathed Why in the offence of God and defence of goodnesse as m Exod. 32. 19 Moses waxed hot against Israel for their idolatrie against n Num. 16 15. Korah Dathan and Abiram for their conspiracie o 1. Sam. 19. 14 Elias against Israel for their Apostasie p Ier. 6. 11. Ieremie against the Iewes for their impietie and Christ looked angerly on their children for their obstinacie Mark 3. 5. Secondly if thou wouldst know against whom though thou carry this sword of anger in the sheath of thine heart yet like the minister of iustice Rom. 13. must thou draw it against not the good and them that do well but the bad and them that do euill And thus did holy
but spectare stand looking on this bright glorie and do as himselfe did we should be like our heauenly Father and children of the most highest Otherwise if without waterie eyes we cannot behold him to do as he did then are we bastards and not sonnes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this are Gods children knowne and the children of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3. 10. Noble mens sons saith q Chrysostome are not so well known by their chaine of gold as Gods children by this golden chaine of charitie Let all signe themselues with the signe of the crosse saith r Tract â— in Epist Ioan Austine let them answer Amen at thy giuing of thankes let all sing Alleluia let all be baptised let all go to church and heare Sermons yea let them build Cathedrall churches yet for all this the children of God are not discerned from the children of the diuell nisi sola charitate but onely by this reall charitie They which haue it are borne of God they which haue it not are not borne of God Magnum iudicium magna discretio so great a distinction it maketh betweene the children of God and the children of the diuell This marke saith Å¿ Comment â—â— Psal 103. lib. 15. de T 〈…〉 cap. 18. he the wicked cannot participate with vs they may be partakers of our baptisme they may communicate with vs at the supper of the Lord they may ioyne with vs in prayer they may be mixt with vs in the Church but this foe-feeding charitie they cannot participate with vs. For in this saith Christ Ioh. 13. and in this t August tract cit alone shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue this loue one towards another As if he had said it is S. u Tract 〈◊〉 â—uang Ioan. Austines paraphrase Other my gifts haue other with you which are not my children not onely nature life sense and reason but also the gift of tongues mysteries prophesie knowledge miraculous faith and such like but because they haue not this loue they shall profite them nothing And indeed deare Christian though thou speake with the tongue of men and Angels nay if like Herod thou haue the voice of God and not of man if thou had Prophesie with Saul if thou know all secrets with Iudas if thou had all knowledge with Scribes and Pharisees if thou had perfect faith with those diuel-driuers in the 7. of Mathew if thou gaue thy bodie to be burned with Arius these iffes and ands shall profite thee nothing if thou hast not this loue No no thy bloudie mind of Herod shall make thy tongue of Angels but sounding brasse and like a tinkling cymball it shall not profite thee thy persecuting mind of Saul shall turne thy spirit of prophesie into an euill spirit of frenzie it shall not profite thee thy trecherous mind of Iudas shall make thy knowledge of all secrets like Vrias letters which secretly he caried against himselfe it shall not profite thee thy enuious mind of Scribes and Pharisies shall make thy all knowledge a rod to beate thee with many moe stripes it shall not profite thee thy iniquitie-working of those miracle-mougers shall but cast a diuell out of others into thy selfe it shall not profite thee and thy scismatical spirit of Arius shall make the burning of thy body but the kindling of that fire which neuer shall be quenched it shall not profite thee Without this thou art not a sonne of Seth but of Caine not of Abraham but of Abadon not of grace but of wrath not of pitie but perdition not of Gods church but of the synagogue of Sathan not of the x Mat. 8. 12. vide Bez. annot maior king though outwardly of the kingdome not a sonne of God but of Sathan for in this and in this alone shall all men know that thou art his disciple if thou hast this loue to thine enemie But if thou be his child be like thy father who seeing he maketh not the sunne but his sunne to rise on thee and his raine to descend on thee it may teach thee saith y Lib. 1. de Sâ—r. dom in mont cap. 46. Saint Austine how bountifull to thy foes thou shouldst be of his basket whereof thou art but almner and an eleemosinarie thy selfe And seeing he maketh the one to arise on both good and euill and the other to descend on the iust and vniust it may lesson thee saith that x Tom. 4. lib. de salut dec cap. 46. Father to communicate thine almes thy beneficence thy good turnes thy charitie and all thy good to all both good and bad friends and foes Then which nothing will more make vs like our heauenly Father and therefore whereas Christ doth in many places warne vs of many things yet in no place saith a Tom. 5. Serm. viâ—tut progen vt confid Chrysostome he inferreth we shal be like our heauenly Father but where he speakes of doing good to our enemies And he puts vs in mind of our b Chrysost hom 20. in Mâ—t. 6. heauenly Father by this to shame vs if being borne of God and so royally descended we degenerate from our Fathers nature from the godly nature c 2. Pet. 1. 4. whereof we are partakers into brutish crueltie and by that to confound vs if being called to an heauenly conuersation we become vile with earthly affections Wherefore seeing this foe-feeding loue and reall reconcilement maketh vs children most like our heauenly Father let vs heare his voice who saith to his children as d 1. Cor. 4. Paul to his Corinthians I write not these things to shame you but as my beloued children I admonish you for though ye haue ten thousand instructors in Christ yet haue ye not many fathers and though ye call men on earth your fathers yet none but I am your heauenly Father for in Christ Iesus my sonne I haue begotten you through the Gospell Wherefore I pray you be ye followers of me e Eph. 5. â— be ye followers of God as deare children and walke in this loue As Christ hath loued vs. For if we cannot like Henock walke 2. Our elder brothers example with God nor treade in the steppes of our heauenly Father for who can take such a steppe of loue as did God from heauen his throne to earth his footstoole yet as that boy Ascanius followed his father non passibus aequis let vs follow him though with vnequall paces let vs walke with Christ our elder brother who in this path went before vs and left vs an example that we should follow his steppes 1. Pet. 2. 21. For as the oyle of loue wherewith he was annointed aboue his fellowes descended from this our head to all his members and went downe to his enemies as to the skirts of his clothing so in the sauour of that good oyntment should we runne euen with the oyle of gladnes to our foes and therefore shapeth
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the q Arist lib. 2. Rhâ—roric naturall man telleth Gentils and friendship worke through as the r Galat. 5. spirituall man teacheth Christians Let our friendship shew it selfe Å¿ Arist li. 8. Eâ—h c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beneuolence not latent and lurking but patent and working in the deeds of reconcilement and be reconciled not in word and tongue onely but in worke and in deede Yet here beloued must we not stay in these Sancta and holy 3. reconcilemet intentionaâ— places of vnitie where is but the candlesticke of concord and shewbread of friendship for there is a Iudas that can not onely kisse with his mouth but embrace too with his armes and workes of loue when his heart is farre from vs. And therefore thirdly this agreement must enter into the heart the holiest of all where is the hidden Manna and hidden man too the arke of this testimonie and the mercie-seate of reconcilement For as she said to Sampson How canst thou say I loue thee when thine heart is not with me Iudg. 16. so how canst thou truly affect and be friends with thy brother who staying him in the atrium and sanctuary of thy loue shuttest vp thy heart from him and scant once a yeare admittest him into this holiest of all The Lord by his Apostle commaunds thee this last but not least degree of agreement 1. Iohn 3. 18. Let vs loue not in word and like trecherous Ioab by workes deny it neither in tongue onely with traiterous Iudas to giue good words with our mouth and curse with our hearts but as in deed against the former so in truth that is sincerely from the heart against the latter saith Lyra on these words which is loue indeed out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1. 5. Christian without dissimulation saith t Rom. 12. 9. Paul brotherly without faining from a pure heart feruently saith v 1. Peter 1. 22. Peter For though men not onely speake with the tongue of men and Angels to their brethren but euen giue all their goods to their enemies yet as x Tract 6. â—n â—pi Ioan Austine out of Saint y 1. Corinth 13. Paul collecteth truly if they haue not this feruent loue out of a pure heart it profiteth them nothing because though it be in deed yet not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth not before God who seeth their hearts and knoweth their roote to be rottennesse but before men who iudging the tree by her fruite are eft soones deceiued with z August lib 21 de 〈◊〉 Deâ— ca. 5 apples of Sodome that seeme ripe to be taken but being rotten within turne to ashes and smote when they are touched Whereas then many exhibite their beneficence when their beneuolence is inhibited some like the a Mathew 6. 1. Pharisees to be seene of men and some like those b Luke 14. 12. feasters to receiue the like againe both these haue opus non veritatem saith a c Ferus in 1. IoaÌ„ 3. 18. writer they loue indeed before men who looke on the outside but not before God who beholdeth the inside of the platter whereas their left hand of worldly respect should not haue a finger in their giues of loue nor so much as know saith S. Austine what their right hand of pure conscience and sinceritie doth but as feruently to loue in God their friend so hartily for God their foe whose image and superscription he beareth Which loue of God aboue all seeing it begetteth the loue of our neighbor as our self Mat. 22. like d Ruth 1. 16 Naomi and Ruth they will not be parted but the daughter professeth to her mother as Ruth did to Naomi Whither thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and where thou diest I will die And therfore as those paire of Turtle-doues or two yong Pigeons were ioyntly a legall oblation for Christ Luk. 2. so must these two both together be an Euangelical sacrifice of Christians 1. Iohn 4. 21. And if the one Doue come alone without her mate she shal not be receiued into the ark of Gods rest nether wil he put forth his hand to receiue her vnlesse she bring an Oliue branch of peace in her mouth and of peace with all men Heb. 12. 14. Which two wings of charitie to vse the words of Saint e 〈◊〉 10. hom 27 Austine seeing as f â—â— Psal 10 4. elsewhere he noteth they are the two wings of the soule which were giuen to that Eagle the Church of God that she might flie from the Serpent into her place Apoc. 12. we should wish them the more and pray with Dauid that we had the wings of a Doue that we might flie away to the hill from whence commeth our helpe and be at rest because though these two be commanded loues and so a burden yet are they not g 1. Iohn 5. grieuous but as wings they are light Mat. 11. saith the Doue that was couered with siluer wings and her fethers like gold Onus est sed loue a burden they are but a light one saith h Sâ—r. 24. de 〈◊〉 Apost Austine and though commaundements of God yet not grieuous to the godly Non pondus ouerati sed alae volaturi not burdens such as beastes do carry but such as wings are to birds Portant illaâ— in terra portantur ab illis in câ—lum if these wings wee carry here on earth they will carry vs vp into heauen One tearmes them Pedes animae the two feete of the soule whereby she runneth the race that is set before her and walketh in loue on either whereof if she halt like lame i 2. Sam. 4. Mephibosheth she shall fall in the way or rather for her halting be turned out of the way And therefore confessed Paul himselfe that though he had the right foote of his soule to loue God so dearely as to giue his body to be burned and wanted yet the left foote of loue to his neighbour it would profit him nothing 1. Corinth 13. Teaching vs thereby to make straight stâ—ppes not with one foote alone but with both our feete in following as holinesse toward God so peace with all men least that which is halting be turned out of the way Hebr. 12 13. 14. Like the two blessed k Iohn 20. 4. Apostles Peter and Iohn they must runne to Christ both together though the loue of God like the beloued Disciple must runne before For as the Apostle hath l Ephes 6. 15. shod both our feet with the preparation of peace to run the way of his commandements so this is the way through which thou must run vnto life That he which loueth God should loue his brother also 1. Ioh. 4. 21. and that by good propottion seeing we must not halt in the way but make straite steppes with our feete nor hoppe but walke in
blow the thought onely of murder is in thine heart and thou art counted a murderer before him who asketh especially the heart Ille viuit tu occidisti he is aliue and yet thou hast killed him quantum ad te attinet occidisti quem odisti to thy power hast thou slaine him whom thou hatest And therfore are these two hatred and murder coupled together as yoke-fellowes in that long teame of beastly workes of the flesh which draw men to perdition Rom. 1. 29. Gal. 5. 21. And as the father and the son deuill and euill differ but a letter so the mother and the daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are no more nor so much distinct in deed when she like concupiscence hath conceiued and bringeth forth sinne in the act but both are counted murder before God and according to the p Ezek. 16. 44. prouerb As is the mother so is the daughter For as q Lib. â— nat hist cap. 23 Plinie noteth of the Adders that coniuga vagantur nec nisi cum compare vita est they go by twoes and liue together by couples in such mutuall companionship that when the one is killed the other burning with reuenge pursueth her fellowes foe and by a certaine knowledge infesteth him alone in any prease of people Euen so saith Austine the concupiscible and irascible faculties and it is more true of hatred and murder like two Adders they go coupled together in such a linke of loue that when enuy is wounded with griefe of the mind murder steps vp in anger from the heart and reuengeth her quarrel and so makes enuie guiltie and accessary to murder when she is the principall Wherefore let vs not breed that viper in our breasts which will eate through our tender bowels of mercie kindnes long-sufferance and forgiuenesse Let vs not carry that fire in our bosome which will set vs on fire of hell Let vs rub off that rust which consumeth as a canker Let vs pull out that stone out of our hearts which rotteth the fruite of the spirit Let vs not suffer that worme to lie at the roote of our hearts which gnaweth and withereth the righteous plant but rather cherish the worme of remorse in our conscience whose gnawing makes the red tree white and our scarlet sinne white as wooll And that rather considering the season let vs do it the season I say that it is now time we should arise from sleeping in malice and letting so oft the Sunne set on our wrath For now is our saluation nearer then when we beleeued it Magni solit dies celebramus r August 〈◊〉 supracitat saith Austine preaching this day of this duty of forgiuing Now we keepe the festiuall of the great Sunne and Sonne of God the birth day of our Sauiour and great Sunday of the Sonne of righteousnesse Let vs now then in this Sunne-shine of grace cast off and hang foorth that our cloake of maliciousnesse 1. Pet. 2. 16. that the moth of malice may perish when it feeleth the Sunne And let not the Sunne which riseth on the good and euill go downe vpon thy wrath lest the Sun of righteousnesse saith Austine who riseth to the iust alone set to thy soule and going downe vpon thy wrath leaue thee in tenebris interioribus eijciendum in tenebras exteriores in the internall darknesse of the mind to be cast into that externall and eternall darknesse of both bodie and soule at the day of wrath And if that terror cannot shake loue from thy heart toward thy foes yet shold the good that cometh from these euill ones the light that shineth out of this darknesse and the heate that commeth from this burning fire in self-selfe-loue and pitie of thy selfe induce thee to loue them For whether indeed they haue power corporally to afflict they exercise thy patience or onely by strange opinions oppugne thee they exercise thy wisedome as Å¿ Lib. 8. de 〈◊〉 Dei cap. 51. Austine speakes of the enemies of the Church in generall And in that thou louest them they exercise thy beneficence in giuing and in forgiuing thy beneuolence For as he t Quid. lib. 2. de Trist said of him whom he had offended Si non peccassem quid tu concedere posses Materiam veniae sors tibi nostra dedit So art thou to loue them because in doing wrong they haue giueÌ„ thee matter of remitting yea as u Lib. 8. Ethie cap. 1. Aristotle truly said that as friends were needfull to our earthly blessednes as namely both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for custodie of our goods to ayde vs against theeues or robbers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the vse of our bountifulnesse and liberalitie so are foes as truly necessarie to our heauenly happinesse both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keepe vs as the Psalmist speakes from the great offence and deterre vs like those thornes Hos 2. from the paths of impietie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the vse also and trafficke of our loue of whose bellies as one speaketh we may make bagges as we are commanded Luk. 12. 33. to lay vp treasure in heauen where neither theeues breake through nor steale For touching this custodie as x Lib. 5. Hexa cap. 8. Ambrose reports of the Oister that while she is tossed by the Crabbe in the waues of the sea she so claspeth her shell from her foe that then she is least in daunger of deuouring but when without feare of her foe she layeth open her selfe to the Sunne on the shore then comes the Crab and putting a stone betweene the lippes of her shell thrusts in safely the cleyes and pickes out her fish Euen so while we are tossed to and fro like those faithfull ones Heb. 10. 33. by crabbed men and regredient back-sliders they make vs in their storme pull our cloake and roabe of righteousnesse neare vnto vs and walke warily to them that are without lest like Cham seeing our nakednesse they sport at our priuie faultes And if we be not in perils of these waters or with y 2. Cor. 11 26. Paul in perils among false brethren if without feare of a foe and suspitioÌ„ of the Crab we theÌ„ lay open our nakednesse in the Sun-shine of friendship and prosperity and giue occasion to the aduersaries to speake euill and feed on our inward corruption who keepe themselues close and marke our steps when they lay waite for our soule And such Crabs that tossed Dauid made him claspe his shell and shut vp the doore of his lips lest he should offend in his toung while the vngodly his foes were in his sight Psal 39. 1. When some about Scipio with no small ioy auouched that the common-wealth of Rome was now in safest state sith they had vanquished the Carthaginians and conquered the inhabitants of Pontus No z Plut. lib. de cap. ex iâ—imic vâ—lit said wise Scipio we are now in greater danger then
punisheth that double iniquitie beholding the painted sepulcher within full of all rottennesse and filthinesse will giue it according to its wayes and most secret pathes Ier. 17. 10. It was a precept of amitie but in deed the bane of heartie and true loue giuen by an b â—urip in Hyppolit heathen that loue should be mediocris indifferent and meane dwelling in teeth Intendere vt possis facile aut remittere that being but luke-warme betweene hot and cold thou maist spue it out vpon occasion And it was a prescript for friendship fathered on c Cuer lib de anâ—â—t Bias Ama tanquam osurus loue but a litle that thou maist loath when thou list and haue thine affection at commaund as the Chamaelion her colour The former euen d Plutarch could correct Let vs practise this precept my friend Euripides saith he in enmitie not in amitie and commaund our broyles and contentions that they be mediocres in meane and moderacion neither go further then the teeth to diue into the heart Intendere vt possis facilè remittere that leauing out this aut thou maist easily intend to remit them And Scipio checking the latter could neuer be perswaded that Bias one of the seuen wisemen of Greece should speake so wickedly but rather some ambitious statist or false hearted politician who like the weathercoâ—k would turne with the wind for aduantage and swimme with the tide of prosperitie till it begin to ebbe For certainly as womans affection is commonly so plaine without hypocrisie that Vel te ardenter amat vel te capitaliter odit as the c Maâ—t 〈◊〉 Poet speaketh Her loue is either passing admirable 2. Sam. 1. 26. or her hatred and malice greatest Eccles 25. 14. 15. 17. so he that commaundeth loue without faining and from a pure heart without malice and feruently without mediocritie 1. Pet. 1. 22. wil â—â—ue this luke-warme loue out of his mouth and wisheth it were either hot or cold Apoc. 3. 15. 16. He hath prescribed you a better luke-warme loue Loue your enemies from the heart Luke 6. 35. and so loue them that ye forgiue each one from your hearts Their trespasses Forgiue saith Christ si quid if ye haue any 4. matter what All their trespasses thing against any man f Guaah homil 95. in Math 6. Mark 11. 25. any thing that offendeth word or deed small or great heauy or light saith an Homelist Any thing about the goods of the body If a man smite you on the face if a man bring you into bondage yea if a man deuoure you Any thing about the goods of the mind If a man exalt himselfe aboue you or of the goods of prosperity If he take your goods 2. Cor. 11. that as certaine beasts of good concoction and sound health digest Serpents and Scorpions yea stones themselues calore spiritus through the heate of their spirits and stomacke as g Iâ—th de cap ex 〈…〉 c. vtdâ—t Plutarch noteth so our stomackes through zeale of the spirit broke with h Math. 23. 33. Christ a generation of vipers and with his i Marke 16. Disciples meeting with Serpents and Scorpions feele no harme yea with k Act. 7. 60. Stephen l Acts 14. 19. 2. Corinth 11. Paul and m 2. Sam 16. 6 Dauid digest euen stones through feruent loue which endureth all things 1. Cor. 13. that our loue to our brethren like our mothers loue to her spouse Cantic 8. be strong as death which conquereth all things cruell as the graue which deuoureth al things whose fiery coles and flame of God much water cannot quench nor the floods drowne it that triumphing ouer all offences we may challenge all kind of iniuries with Saint n Rom. 8. 35. Paul What shall separate vs from loue shal tribulation of them that trouble vs or anguish of them that grieue vs or persecution of them that hate vs or famine of them that starue vs or nakednesse of them that strippe vs or sword of them that smite vs No in all these things we are more then conquerors and are perswaded that death of our friends nor life of our foes nor Angels of men nor principalities of diuels nor powers of darknesse nor things present that we suffer nor things to come that we endure nor height of enuie nor depth of malice nor any other creature of offence shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God and our neighbor commanded by Christ Iesus our Lord. But alas it is most lamentable complaineth o Ser. 168. dâ— Temp. Austine vpon these words that whereas these Saints could not with torments be separated froÌ„ loue nos otiosis fabulis we often with idle words of a foe are deuided from charitie and eftsoones with the least detraction and reuile of euery silly wretch we so relinguish loue that not onely many dayes but euen moneths and yeares too perhaps we will not speake to him nor come to his house to eate of his bread Perchance thou repliest Mine enemie hath made me sustaine so great losses and done so much wrong that I cannot in reason forgiue him O wretch doest thou marke how greatly man hath trespassed against thee and doest thou not consider how grieuously thou hast sinned against God If thou search and sift thy conscience truly thou hast without satisfaction committed greater sinnes against God then man hath done against thee and with what face askest thou the forgiuenesse of much who wilt not forgiue a little O remember what no comparison there is betweene pence and talents an hundred and ten thousand sinne how great against God and offence how little against man this is not worthy to name on the same day with that and therefore though Dauid had offended Bath-sheba and Vriah 2. Sam. 11. yet only for offending against God cried he out at his repentance Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done this euil in thy sight Psa 51. Remember how farre thou seruant art inferior to thy Lord who yet bids thee forgiue as he forgiueth thee Eph. 4. 32. as he forgiueth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities Psal 103. p Rom. 5. 12. 14. actuall as originall q Rom. 6. 12. raigning as seruile r 1. Corint 6 18 externall as internall of the Å¿ 2. Cor. 7 1. bodie as of the spirit t 1. Tim. 5. 20. publike as priuate v Verse 24. 25. open as secret of x Iames 2. 9. 10 commission as omission of y infirmitie as z Gal. 6. 1. ignorance wicked deeds a Acts 3 17. as idle words the breach of the b Mat. 22. great as lesse commaundement c Esai 1. 18. cartropes as cords of iniquitie as vanitie d Math. 5 21 22 killing as anger e Verse 28 27 adulterie as lust f Verse 33. 34. forswearing as swearing g Verse 38. 39. reuenge as resistance h Verse 43.
thinke that such as they are in word by letters when they are absent such can they be with S. Paul when they are present with the people 2. Corint 10. All which considerations as they may stirre vp spirituall Fathers to present their young Samuels to the temple of the Lord by the mouth of which babes and sucklings his praise may be made more perfect among men so sith the tabernacle is not quite finished free offerers need not feare their oblation though of goates haire shall be reiected when infirmissima the weakest things are as necessarie for the spirituall as that was for the materiall tabernacle of the Lord. It were ridiculous saith l Ridiculum certe fuerit corum qui sunt boni ac studiosi scriptis repudiatis eos qui tales non sunt componentes admittere Sed Theopompo quidem Timaeo qui fabulas maledicta componunt praetereà etiaÌ„ Epicuro quoque qui estprinceps author impietatis quin etiam Hipponacti Archilocho tam turpiter scribere coÌ„cedendum est ei autem qui veritatem praedicat prohibendum est posteris vtilitateÌ„ relinquere lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus to refuse the writings of good men studious admit or liceÌ„ce theÌ„ that are neither Neither need any feare that of ours which he addeth of his dayes For my part when I saw many rich men cast of their superfluity so much into the Lords treasurie I thought the widowes farthing would be needlesse and once resolued with m Lib. 3. adu Pelag. Ierome in like case to surcease from this worke lest I should poure water into the sea or carie wood into the forrest as he speaketh aut enim eadem dicereÌ„ ex superfluo for that that is hath bene and there is now no new thing vnder the Sunne aut si noua voluerim dicere à clarissimo ingenio occupata sunt meliora And indeed to speake truth this diseased Sermon like the poore creeple at Bethesda had kept its couch to the death had not an Angell at a certaine season that trobled the water put it downe into the poole and made it walke abroad Whos 's first conception as it was sudden and too present so like the vntimely fruite of a woman that perisheth before it seeth the Sunne might the wombe haue bene its tombe or at most like the Ephemeron Seg niùs irritaÌ„t animos demissa per aures Quà m quae sunr oculis subiecta sidelibus Horat. haue liued but one day but that thinking it would profite more by the eye then it did by the eare many reasons forced me to publish it to the eye of the world that was priuatly spoken in the eare of a Colledge Some it may be will aske me Amphora cepit Institui currente rota cur vrceus exit Horat. Why I extend it to a booke that was intended but a Sermon and propose a pitcher what I purposed but a kanne Indeed like the woman of Samaria I brought a pitcher at first to the well of liuing water but because of short meditation I had nothing to draw with I haue now drawne deeper of Iaakobs well filled my water pot to the brim and this abortiue issue hath reentred as it were into the wombe and bene borne againe In whose second birth I haue as Galen speakes of nurces or mid-wiues framed the vnfashioned feature and lims of this infant before I durst presume to bring it to the church and christen it in the Presse with the name of a booke An argument deare Christian most needfull for these iarring and vncharitable times wherein I beseech my ecclesiasticall brethren in the bowels of Motiues to Ministers that they preach faith that worketh through loue and ioyne necessity of works with their doctrine of faith Christ Iesus that they would preach faith that worketh through loue and adioyne to their doctrine of faith the necessitie of good workes more then some do who by beating solely on sole faith haue made her solitarie O ye Priests and Ministers of my God remember the high Priest caried pomegranates as well as bels and a pomegranate for euery bell when he went into the sanctuary of the Lord Exod. 28. And so the high priest of our profession his doctrine still was Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire Mat. 7. Those beasts in Ezekiels vision whereby the foure Euangelists are prefigured as not onely auncient 1. The practise of Christ and his Apostlas Fathers but modernes obserue had hands as well as wings and an hand for euery wing Ezek. 1. It was the Apostles and euen S. Pauls practise who and where and to whom he stood most on iustification by faith onely as in his Epistles to the Romanes and the people of Galatia when in the former part he had layed that good foundation of faith omitted not in the latter end to build thereon gold siluer and precious stones of good workes It was his straite charge to Titus and in him to al Preachers this 2. Pauls precept is a true saying and these things I would thou shouldst affirme That they which haue beleeued in God might be carefull to shew forth good workes these are good and profitable vnto men I may adioyne what he addeth And let ours also learne to shew forth good workes for necessary vses that they be not vnfruitfull Tit. 3. 8. 14. A doctrine as necessary in all ages so most needfull in our times 3. These loose and vncharitable tâ—â—es wherein workes are changed of many into words walking in goodnes into talking of God hands into tongues and hearts into eares that to cure the superstition we neglect true deuâ—tion and to auoid the opinioÌ„ of meant we cast off the care of well doing that the faith which was wont to be in words of any is now scarce found in the otheâ— of many Wherein the disease of our forefathers heads is so dangerously fallen vpon our hearts that whereas they hauing good hearts and bâ—d heads being but children in vnderstanding might truly crie with the Shunamites boy Mine head mine head and their mother could not helpe them We hauing good heads and bad hearts may cry out with Ieremy in another meaning My belly my belly I am pained at the heart and euery where barren faith like Rachel crying Giue me children or else I die giue me workes or I am but a dead faith yea she weepeth for her children and will not be comforted because they are not How much the rather should spiritual fathers open by these meanes 4 The slandâ—r of our Church the wombe of barren faith again with whom as it did with old Sarai it ceaseth to be after the maner of women that God may take away her slander of barrennesse and her rebuke among women and hauing her quiuer full of these arrowes she may be blessed before God and not be ashamed when she speaketh with her
enemies in the gate A precept Apostolicall not duly enough practised of some who A reproofe of solifidiaÌ„ Preachers that teach faith alone to be sufficient to saluation thinke to make faith fruitfull as Gardeners do their Walnut tree by still beating on the bole Whose tantum crede only beleeue and thou shalt be saued hath taught many to turne the grace of God into wantonnes resolue with Eunomius that faith without works wil serue the turne Of whose blind zeale and indiscreet speaking good works like those workers may complaine Exod. 5. The Lord looke vpon you and iudge for ye haue made our sauour to stinke among the inhabitants of the land in that ye haue put a sword in their hand for to slay vs. O then Moses and Aaron why cause ye the people to cease from their workes Get ye to your burdens Lay vpon the people the number of works which they did in time past diminish nothing therof for they be idle therfore they cry saying Only beleeue and we shall be saued for all things are possible to him that beleeueth Which 4. motiues as still they forced me in my speech to bid our Rebecca meet her spouse with bracelets as wel as with eare-rings seeing not the hearers of the law but the doers thereof are iustified before him Rom. 2. 13. so moued they me now to pen a tract most needfull for our times of Brotherly Reconcilement whereof none auncient or recent hath particularly that I know written or diuulged that Iames workes might be ioyned with Pauls faith and faith worke through loue in all Christian professors Wherein si fortè mihi vitio detur as m Epist in lib. dâ— Instit reip Patricius apologized his citing of many authors if perchance I be blamed especially of these idle make-bates and gaping or idle cauillers that I haue taken most things out of Greeke and Latine writers and apply them to mine owne vse I must answer them as he did such men Me parum admodum fidei rebus meis facturum fuiâ—se si solùm authoritate mea niterer And beside it is the custome of all writers to mingle other mens things with their owne Tum vt certiora scribant tum vt gratius iucundiusque legantur or as n Idem ibid. Aphranius being accused that he had taken much out of Menander I confesse saith he I haue taken not onely out of him but out of euery one that agreed to my matter Quodcunque me non posse facere meliùs credidi If next the Scriptures I haue preferred the auncient Fathers to their children Genus hoc sermonum positum in hominum veterum authoritate eorum illustrium plus nescio quo pacto videtur habere grauitatis as o De Amicit. Tully in like case spake of his citing the auncient Neque omnem sermonem tribuimus Tithono ne parum esset authoritatis sed M. Catoni seni quo maiorem authoritatem haberet oratio as p De Senect elsewhere he speaketh Neither haue I relied on men of yesterday least my word might want warrant but on the auncient especially that the multitude of yeares might teach wisedome in this tract whereof as I may truly like q Prefat ad lect in lib. ciuil doct Lipsius of his sententious centons confesse omnia nostra esse nihil that all and nothing is mine so iustly do I feare the authors whom I cite may returne Martials apostrophe vpon me Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuum and their licour running through so meane a chanell hath lost much of his sweetnesse But of the manner enough or too Hunc serâ—are modum nostâ—i nouere libelli Mart. much for the matter it selfe howsoeuer this meane booke hath learned this meane parcere personis dicere de vitijs yet some as he r Lips ibid. speaketh of that his booke homines malè acuti callidi sensisse aut scripsisse me volent quae per somnuÌ„ non sensi non scripsi wil thinke I meant that which neuer came in my mind referuntque pleraque omnia ad hoc vnum aeuum quae nos communiter diximus sic volunt accipâ— quasi in Titium aut Scium dicta Imo vates etiam agunt non lectores nec sumunt à nobis sensum sed adferunt mentem aliquam adfingunt ex sua mente ô angues ô viperae fugio vos fugio tamen vix effugio Howbeit I may safely auouch with Saint Å¿ Ad Nepot de vita Cleric Ierome Nullum laesi nullius nomen mea scripturâ designatum est Neminem specialiter meus sermo pulsauit Generalis de vitijs disputatio est qui mihi irasci voluerit ipse de se quòd talis sit confite bitur I haue striueÌ„ against no man but onely his strife maligned no man but his malice nor enuied any but his enuie Scio me offensurum esse quamplurimos as t Ierâ—m epist ad rustic Moâ—ach he said in like case qui generalem de vitijs disputationem in suam referunt contumeliam and they shall gaine but what he addeth Et dum mihi irascuntur suam indicant conscientiam multoque peius de se quà m de me iudicant Ego enim neminem nominabo nec veteris comoediae licentia certas personas eligam atque perstringam He subnecteth a good medicine for such sore backes Prudentis viri est dissimulare imo emendare quod in se intelligat indignari sibi magis quà m mihi nec in monitorem maledicta regerere saith Ierom. Touching them that are louing friendly to their brethren as Plutarch when he offered his booke of Brotherly loue vnto Nigrinus and Quintus agreeing brethren sayd Ad quae libellus cohortatur ea vos iam agentes testimonio potiùs ornari quaÌ„ officij admoneri videbimini so this little book of Brotherly Reconcilement shal rather beare witnes of their vnitie then intreate them to that which willingly they do For them that are factious folk and contentious I easily vnderstand I shall not please them as u Ciâ— ad Aâ—tic 8. 15. Facilè intelligo pâ—gnandi cupudis hominibus me noÌ„ satisfaceâ—e he speaketh howsoeuer I passe little to be iudged of such or of mans iudgement when I iudge not my selfe Onely thee gentle Reader I would intreate that what Socrates thought of Heraclitus his obscure booke thou wouldst charitably thinke and say of mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what I vnderstood is good and I hope that which I haue not vnderstood * Quin ampliùs fitis togâ—ti pro indulgendâ— venia si â—licubi repeâ—etis nos aliquos imperere aut cauillis incessere quum alias hunc morem non habeamus Etsi alicubi propter zelum aduersus haereses ad auertendos lectores exacerbati dixerimuâ— aliquos deceptores aut circulatores aut miseros homineâ— ignoscite Epiphan pra fat in lib. haeres If thou shalt find I touch some kind
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
waue tossing thy ship like that of the disciples Mat. 8. is in ieopardie of wracke and readie to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience And why so saith that Father because Christ within thee is asleepe awake him vp therefore stirre vp his gift that is in thee and crie Maister saue for we perish These raging waues shall but coole thy concupiscence like Iordan wash away thy leprosie and heale thy infirmities like the poole of Bethesda with Israell thou shalt safely passe thorough the middest of them and the wicked with Pharao shall be drowned in those waues thorough which they persecute and pursue thee They may dash into thy boate and fill it full that thou maiest be like to perish but they shall not swallow vp nor deuoure thee for thy head is still aboue these waters and though the waues of the sea rage horribly yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier saith Dauid Psal 93. 4. yea thine owne head shall be aboue these waues swell they neuer so much as Dauid did assure him He shall set me vp vpon a rocke and now shall he lift vp mine head aboue mine aduersaries round about me Psal 27. 6. Onely like the disciples a Mark. â— 41. call on him who being alone the true Aeolus can more then he commaund the winds and waues of the sea and they obey him he will rebuke the wind and say to these raging waues Tantâne vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri Iam câ—lum terramque meo sine numine venti Miscere tantas audetis tollere fluctus Peace and bestill and so will there be a great calme for he b Psal only stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of his waues and the madnesse of his people Howsoeuer it be these waues heare not his voice nor will cease from their raging yet as the disciples in their shippe rowed through the waues of Genezareth with a contrarie wind Mark 6. 48. so must we in this shippe saile through these raging waues with that contrary breath 1. Pet. 3 9. Not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse Christ the Pilot and maister of the shippe hath charged all passengers bound for heauen to saile with this contrarie wind Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Luk. 6. 28. Et quam id sanctè praecepit tam integre serâ—auit saith a c Sal 〈…〉 lib. 3. exemp cap. â— Writer His word and his worke like mercie and truth met together his praecept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other For when the Iewes cryed d 〈◊〉 â—â— â— Crucifige he cryed e 〈◊〉 3â— Ignosce O wonder saith f pas D 〈…〉 Bernard Iud â—i clamâ—nt crucifige ille conclamat ignosce ò charitas patiens sed compations The Iewes cry crucifie him and he outcries Father pardon them ô patient and compassionate loue Being beaten with rods crowned with thornes pierced with nailes nayled to the crosse filled with reproches vnmindfull of all his grieâ—es he prayeth for his persecutors This Lambe of God as a sheepe was dumbe before his shearer coram tondentem yea coram occidente obmutuit not onely before his shearer but euen before his slayer and butcher was he dumbe saith g Homil. 〈◊〉 laâ—d vâ—â—gin Bernard When he was thus vilified and reuiled he reuiled not againe when he thus suffered he threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously saith his Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 23. And see what he committed to that righteous Iudge Father forgiue them for they know not what they do O loue of God passing all vnderstanding He now hung vpon the crosse compassed with his mortall enemies destitute of his owne friends mocked with taunts loaded with obloquies now readie to giue vp the last gaspe and yet as vnmindfull of himselfe and mindfull of his foes he prayeth for them he complained he was forsaken of his Father and he forsakes not his enemies he was crucified by them and he intreateth his Father for them he saw their treason and he excused it by their ignorance he felt their deadly hate and he sued for their pardon O loue strong as death ô heate of loue cruell as the graue which neuer had enough of tortures which neuer said Ho but still cryed Giue giue The bloud indeed of Christ saith h Lib. 13. moral cap 21. Gregorie is well said by the i Heb. 12. 24. Apostle to speake better things then that of Abel for the bloud of Abel k Gen. 4. 10. called for vengeance but the bloud of Iesus for forgiuenesse Father forgiue them Here is an example for thee thou tossed with waues Exemplum sume vnicum atque omnium praestantissimum Take the most excellent and onely example which if a man rightly obserue saith l Loco supracitat Sabellicus he may become far more like God himselfe then a man He shall be perfect as his heauenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. 48. He hath left vs an example * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2. â— 1. a copie to write our alphabet and Christs-crosse rowes after that we should follow his steps when we are reuiled not to reuile againe For how small are our sufferings of rebuke in comparison of his passions of reproch saith m Lib de conflict vit virt cap 9. Austine He willingly sustained reuilings derisions contumelies buffets spittings scourges thornes yea the ignominious crosses and we miserable wretches to our confusion and shame of face are wearied and faint with one word we are with one word of reproch cast downe and deiected Seeing then that his name was like oyntment of loue powred out Cant. 1. 2. which blasphemies reproches and reuilings those dead flies could not cause to stinke nor putrifie the oyntment of this Apothecarie as n Loco supracit Bernard out of o Eccles 10. 1. Salomon alludeth let vs runne in the sauour of this oyntment powred out on our head and running downe to the skirts of his clothing and lowest members of his bodie Let vs be followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe Thou wilt say perhaps How can I do this which the Lord could do But marke saith p Serm. 170. de Temp. Austine who did it euen thy Sauiour as he was man and remember where he performed it euen vpon the crosse in midst of all his torments and reproches where he shewed himselfe like a citie on an hill for al to behold as an example of humilitie in blessing their blasphemers He could haue prayed for them in silence sed tis non haberes exemplum but thou then shouldst not haue had an example Neuerthelesse if thou canst not learne of thy Lord who was humble and meeke yet imitate Stephen thy fellow-seruant who saith thee in Paules words Be ye followers of me
it and with the auncient Fathers our moderne expositors by like correspondence then collect it and his charge hereof is plaine without deducement and peremptory without insinuation verse 44. where he exacteth of all not 1. Test onely the diligite of the heart the treasurer of loue Loue your enemies nor only the benedicite of the tongue loues broker and interpreter blesse them that curse you but also and chiefly the benefacite of the hand which is loues factor and agent Do good to them that hate you In which triple iniunction me thinkes our Sauior sets man like a clock whose primum mouens and master wheele only must not go right within nor the bell alone sound true aboue but the hand also point straight without For thus f Math. 12. 34. out of the abundance of the hart both the mouth speaketh and hand worketh Mat. 15. 19. And therefore he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 7. 20. the keeper of man as a clocke he seeing all the motions of his heart to be out of course and onely euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all day long Genes 9. 5. for the motion and setting of the wheele within he saith to the heart Loue your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell aboue he saith to the tongue Blesse them that curse you and chiefly for the pointing of the hand and index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you And although this bell as it did in Ioab sound right aboue yet if the hand smite and point wrong without it is not onely an argument ad hominem g 1. Sam. 16. 7. to him that lookes on the oâ—â—ward appearance as a passenger on the Diall but euen ad Deum too to him that seeth not as a man seeth but beholdeth the heart and h Ier. 17. 10. tryeth the reines that the clocke goes wrong within that all the thoughts and turning wheeles of the heart yea all the imaginations and palpitations all the momentanie motions of this watch be out of course who sith he will censure with eternall doome and iudge euery man secundum opera as the phrase in Scripture still runneth according to his handi-worke and will iudge the spirituall i Luk. 13. 7. fig-tree as he did that earthly fig-tree Mark 11. 13. not according to its leaues but fruite which it beareth doubtlesse the hand and branch of the tree which bringeth foorth the fruit of peace is most required in brotherly reconcilement And therefore as God himselfe who beholdeth the wheele within and trieth the reines asketh of his enemies their heart Giue me thy heart Prou. 23. 26. so man which lookes onely on the outward appearance and iudgeth of the clocke by the diall asketh the hand of his enemie as Glaucus k Homer Iliaâ— lib. 6. and Diomedes when they would make sure amitie each to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or they gaue right hands of fellowship to manifest their agreement as we say to our foe Giue me thy hand if thou wilt be friends As if nature had taught man the reason that to reintegrate amitie the hands are therefore mutually giuen because their deedes are not onely the signes but factors of friendship and must therefore do good to them that hurt them His ambassadour Saint Paul requireth the like beneficence â— Test of the hand toward his enemies Roman 12. 20. If thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke vnder which two tearms of bread and water say the l Mart Calâ— Illyr Gualth Myl. in hunc lâ—cuâ— learned he comprehendeth all kind of corporall maintenance as in m Gâ—n 21. â—4 2. Reg â— 22. 23. Scripture the Hebraisme doth vsually imply as he promised his friend in the comedie n Terent. H 〈…〉 act 1. Sceâ— â— aut consolando aut consilio aut re iuuero I will either sustaine thee with comfort or ayde thee with counsell or maintaine thee with my goods And to our abilitie this must we do abundantly to our enemie for we must coaceruate and heape these benefites vpon him as coales on his head And therefore Salomon who had this praecept at first-hand from the Almighty bids thee giue him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread Pr. 25. 2â— which vsually in o As Ge. 3. 19. 18 5. 21. 14. 31. â—4 35. 25. 43. 25. Exod 2 20 18. 12. Deut. 8. 3 and many moe places of both Testaments Scripture by an Hebraisme importeth any or all kind of sustenance being panis with the Latines of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth all implyeth there any thing necessarie to his maintenance as in the Lords prayer it doth comprehend Matth. 6. 11. And this beneficence as it must be largeous and liberall so must it be tenderly with loue toward our enemies and therefore for feeding the Apostle vseth the emphaticall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as p Annot. in Rom. 12. 20. Erasmus well obserues signifieth either fauourably to feede with a soppe dipped in the dish as Christ did Iudas at the supper or to carue for him and cut his meate small at the table as we do for him whom we fauour at the feast yea so to feed him as to q Steph. Thesaur Grac ling. Bez Annot. maâ—or in 1. Cor. 13. 3. put meate into his mouth as nurces do to infants and keepers to their patients or as some feed birds which cannot swallow the graine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith r Lib. 8. hist animal cap. 3. Aristotle if one feed them and put it into their mouth And this is the bountifull beneficence which we are commanded louingly to prohibite to our enemie if he hunger Examples or if he thirst practised in some resemblance by our father Abraham who gaue iarring Lot the choice of his owne inheritance 1. Abraham to buy peace thereby Gen. 13. practised by his children who walked in the steppes of their father Abraham practised by Å¿ Gen. 32. 14. 15 Iacob who sent presents to his hostile brother Esau who 2. Iaakob sought his life euen two hundreth she goates and twenty hee-goates two hundred ewes and twenty rammes thirtie milch camels with their colts fortie kine and ten bullockes twentie she-ashes and ten foales to see if by these gifts of loue he might heape coales of fire on his head as indeed he did Gen. 33. practised â— Ioseph by good Ioseph his sonne who when of t Theodoreâ— quest 93. in Gen. enuie because he was his fathers darling and youngest by birth the sonne of Rachel eminent in vertue and preferred before them his brethren profered his sale to the merchants of Midian and u Calâ—iâ— in Gen. 37. 28. they went away and would not buy him then they sold him to the Ismaelites for twenty peeces of siluer Gen. 37. 28. and they to get by the bargaine caried him with
his children do enioy as both l Iob 21 6 ad â—â— Iob and m Psal 7â— 3. aâ— 15. Dauid with admiration complained he giueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 25. all things to all kind of persons n 1. Tim 4. 10. He is the Sauiour of all men temporally as he saueth both man and beast Psal 36. 6. though specially and eternally of them that beleeue o Ephes 5 13. of his body p Mat 1 21. and of his people He maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and his raine to fall on the vniust though specially on the good he maketh his q Mal 4. 2. Sunne of righteousnesse to shine and sendeth downe the r Ioâ—l 2. â—â— raine of righteousnesse vpon the iust euen the first and the latter raine as the Prophet speaketh the first raine of precedent and the latter raine of subsequent grace as Å¿ Ju lac 5. 7. Hugo moralizeth those words the first raine of present grace and the latter raine of future glorie Rom. 6. 22. The fruite in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Thus common blessings and good turnes God himselfe bestoweth on his ennmies euill men and vniust to testifie his loue and reconcile them to their Creator Howbeit if any miscreant of them all shall open his mouth against heauen and barking at the Sunne pleade against his bountifull benefactor that the Sunne and raine are not his speciall fauours to them but indifferent and generall donatiues due by the law of nature and necessitie let him know from the mouth of wisedome that these are not natures donation but Gods donatiues they are * â—orâ—â— his Sunne and his raine saith our Sauiour as t Lib. 1. de fer Dom. in mont cap. 46 Austine well obserues and this possessiue his sheweth that not nature but the God of nature is the owner and possessor of them as Musculus wel noteth Neither are they the blessings of fate and necessitie falling on his enemies by his leaue and permission as Erasmus miâ—rendred that word Exoriri sinit he giueth leaue and suffereth the Sunne to rise on the euill and vniust though in his notes on this place better obseruing the force of the word he maketh God not onely a permissite but an efficient cause of them both for Christ saith not his Father suffereth the Sunne to rise and raine to descend but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being as v Bez. Cheâ—â—it Pisca in hunc locum some obserue in the forme of the coniugation of Hiphil with the Hebrewes it intendeth the words as the Syriacke and our English translator well rendred them He maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and sendeth raine on the vniust Though these naturall effects then of sun-shine and raining in themselues be necessary and determinate from the x Gen. 1. 7. 18. day of their creation wherein he gaue them a law which shall not be broken Psal 148. 6. yet in God their author their Lord and director are they wholy free and spontaneous saith y Totaliter liberi spontanti in Mat. 5. Abulensis and waite on his word to execute his will as the Psalmist speaketh And though the wicked impute them to necessitie nature and destinie and extenuating his bountie and loue vpbraide him with vnkindnesse like them in the first of Malachy Wherein hast thou loued vs yet are they in truth his greater fauours toward the euil and vniust then to the godly and iust men because by their enmitie and rebellion they are farther from deseruing them as noteth Abulensis Foolishnesse then was the wisedome of that wise and disputer of the world z S 〈…〉 lib. 4 de benefic ca. 20. â—â— 28. who confessed that indeed Sceleratis sol oritur Deus quaedam in vniuersum humano generi dedit à quibus excluditur nemo that the Sunne ariseth on the euill and vniust and God hath communicated somethings to mankind indifferently and in generall from which none are excluded but the wicked saith he being mixt with the godly of necessitie receiue them Quia ex corpore singulos non potuerunt because they could not misse the vngodly nor single out the godly to bestow theÌ„selues on them alone and therefore God being forced by necessitie of this mixture thought it better to let them fall on the wicked for the godlies sake then to depriue the godly of these blessings for the wicked and vngodly No thou errest Seneca not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God These two parentblessings fall not on the euill by any such necessitie of commixture with the godly as thou supposest The Almightie can withhold his Sunne from the wicked and send a black darknes for three dayes in all the land of Egypt that no man saw another neither rose vp from his place in three daies when the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Exod. 10. 22. And he can withhold his raine froÌ„ the euil vniust for three yeares and sixe moneths at Elias intreatie send it againe at his Prophets request Iam. 5. 17. as himselfe auoucheth by the mouth of his Prophet I haue withholden the raine from you and haue caused it to raine vpon one citie and haue not caused it to raine vpon another citie one peece was rained vpon and the peece wherupon it rained not withered Amos 4. 7. We see then God himselfe though debter to no man yet beneficiall and bounteous dayly to his enemies to shew them his fauour and friendship Thus the starres and Saints of God haue caused their face and fauour to shine on their foes thus the Sunne of righteousnesse himselfe shined on the wicked and thus the Father of lights maketh his sunne to arise on the euill whose steppes thou shouldst follow to feede thine enemy if he hunger and to giue him drinke if he thirst The reason of which doctrine Saint Paul from Salomon subnecteth The reason of the doctrine For in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head Rom. 12. 20. not for his greater iudgement as most imagine saith a Tom. 3. lib. 1. aduer Pelagian Saint Ierome but for his amendment and repentance that being ouercome at length with thy good turnes and inflamed with the heate of thy loue Inimicus esse desinat he leaue off wrath and let go displeasure Some indeed are wont saith b Ser. 168. de Temp. Austine to take this precept to satisfie their fury and satiate their reuenge resoluing with themselues Behold I feed mine enemy vt ardeat in aeternum that I may heape coales of hell fire on his head but we must not follow the killing letter but the spirit that giueth life for thou shalt thus heape coales of fire on his head that when thou often from thine heart doest good to thine enemie though he be wicked cruel barbarous and bloody yet seeing thy continuall beneficence he will be at length
Paul our wedding garment of loue according to his white robe of mercie Col. 3. 12. Now therefore saith he as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another sicut euen as Christ forgaue you As the elect of God that is if ye haue any internall seale to your soules of your election holy if any externall signe of sanctification to make it sure to your selues beloued if any experience of the loue of God to his Saints put on not for a forenoon like your cloake which in heat straight goes off againe nor for an houre like your hat which goes off at euery wrong that meetes you in the way but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put on f Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Col. 3. 12. neuer to put off againe the bowels of mercie toward the vnmercifull kindnesse toward the vnkind modestie toward the immodest meeknesse toward the cruell and long-suffering toward the hasti-minded man After whose example sicut euen as Christ forgaue and loued you his enemies as himselfe gaue them this new commandement Ioh. 13. that we loue another sicut euen as he loued vs that we loue one another A new commaundement g â—erus 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 13. because by him renewed from that Pharisaicall tradition h Mat. 5. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemie New because oftener and more excellently commaunded in the new then old Testament new because otherwise in the new then the old commanded in that with a sicut teipsum loue thy neighbour as thy selfe in this with a sicut â—go dilexi vos as I haue loued you that ye loue one another New because now confirmed with greater examples of God the Father and Christ his sonne new because though iudiciall and ceremoniall yet this euangelicall loue remaineth for euer and new because though to day discharged tomorrow it must be renewed to loue one another sicut euen as he loued vs. And what was the measure deare Christian of that sicut His Apostle meteth it out by foure adiuncts of our basenesse and demerit Christ when we were yet of no strength died for the vngodly Rom. 5. 6. Christ the onely Sonne of God died the most shamefull death of the crosse for vs when we were yet of no strength by nature yea sinners by profession yea vngodly by defection nay enemies by rebellion We had neither strength to stand in iudgement nor righteousnesse to satisfie the law nor godlinesse to moue mercie nor friendship to procure pardon and yet saith the Apostle yet notwithstanding or rather withstanding all these Christ when we were yet all these died for vs. Christ suffered saith i 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter the death most ignominious for sinnes the cause most odious the iust for the vniust the persons most vnequall that he might bring vs to God the end most glorious This sicut of his loue himself measureth out with a sic dilexit Ioh. 3. 16. as if he had bene sicke of loue as the spouse Cant. 2. 5. k speaketh and that sicknes of loue with those foure dimensions brâ—adth length heighth and depth of his loue Ephes 3. 18. himselfe meteth The onely Sonne of God there is the height was sent downe there is the depth into the world there is the breadth that it might haue euerlasting life without end there is the length of his loue Saint l Ser. t. de Adâ—â— Dom. Bernard measureth the quantitie of his loue with the same dimensions what was the cause sayth that Father Vt maiesâ—as tanta there is the height De tam longinquo there is the length Descenderet there is the depth In mundum locum tam indignum this is the breadth of his loue Quia misericordia magna quia miscratio multa quia charitas copiosa because his mercie reached vnto the clouds because his mercie was for euer without end because it reached to the deepe below because his mercie was ouer al his workes as the Psalmist speaketh it was a sic dilexit a loue-sicke affection strong as death that he should loue vs Tantus tantum tantillos tales he so great vs so little such enemies and with such loue saith m De dilig Dâ—o Bernard alluding to those foure dimensions of Saint Paul O that I had the tongue of men and Angels to decipher his loue to thee his enemie that this n 2. Cor. 5. 14. loue of Christ might constraine to do good to thy foes O remember we in the loines of our father Adam like strangers from God were going downe from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauen to hell and fel among theeues who robbed vs of our raiment and robe of righteousnesse O remember how they wounded vs so sore that from the top of the head to the sole of the foote there was no whole part in our bodies and soules but wounds and swellings and sores full of all corruption leauing vs not halfe like that traueller but quite dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and forget not deare Christian how then this good o Luke 10. 33. Samaritane as he iourneyed and came from the bosome of his father cured vs when both Priest and Leuite like Iobs friends Phisitions of no value passed by vs no eye pitied vs to do any thing vnto vs or to haue compassion vpon vs nay no creature in heauen or earth p Psal no man could deliuer his brother or make agreement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeem their soules so that they might let that alone for euer Then then this Sunne of righteousnesse being in the q Phil. 2. forme and glorie of God went backe ten degrees in our nature as the Sunne did in the diall of Ahaz and tooke on him the forme of a seruant that in the rags of our flesh he might Câ—drus-like tast death for his people He then came vnto vs when like r Ezek. 16. Israel we lay tumbling in our blood and bloodie sinnes bound vp our wounds and said Ye shall liue powred in not oile and wine but sweate and blood into our sores set vs on his owne beast nay Å¿ 1. Peter 2. 24 caried our sinnes on his owne body on the tree made prouision for vs and tooke out not two pence siluer and gold or t 1. Pet. 1. 18 19 corruptible things but his precious blood that great price of our redemption 1. Corinth 6. saying for man his enemie to his offended father like that good Samaritane to the host for the stranger Whatsoeuer he hath spent I will recompence it or as v Philem. 17. 18 Paul gaue his word to Philemon for his vagabond seruant Father if thou count our things common receiue him as my selfe if he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought that put on mine accounts I Iesus haue written it in blood with mine owne hand I will recompence
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
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
r Com. 3. 32. Machiuell one that hath done much euill to politicians of our age gaue his statist that one should neuer offer nonis benefiâ— ijs veterem iniuriarum obliuionenâ— inducere to benefite or do good to him whom notoriously he had wronged least saith that match-deuil who seldome found his match in euill he which neuer truly but fainedly wil be reconciled when thou art secure of his loue reuenge vpon aduantage but rather saith that Achitophel Insigni iniuria aduersarium viâ—la continue on doing him some notable wrong and keepe him still in enmitie least being forced by his friendship to trust him with thy selfe he deceiue thee at a lype But this wisedom of the flesh is enmitie against God and is twelue times infatuated by the wisedom of God Rom. 12. fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and holy Let loue be without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good Be affectioned to loue one another with brotherly kindnesse Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not Be of like affection one towards an other RecoÌ„pence to no man euill for euill If it be possible as much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath and which is the vpshot of all if thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill nor be led by Machiauell but ouercome euill with goodnesse Howbeit if neither our heauenly Fathers example nor Christ our elder brothers example nor Dauid our fellow-seruants samplar can moue vs to exceed either Publicanes and beastly men or the beasts of the field yet with Å¿ Heb. 11. â—6 Moses let vs haue respect to the recompence of reward seeing by this we t Mat. 5. 48. shall be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and haue great reward in heauen Luk. 6. 35. For whereas saith a u Cmys st Homis 18. in Mat. 5. Father he blessed the meeke but with inheriting the earth Mat. 5. 5. and the poore in spirit but with appropriating to them the kingdome and the mourners but with hope of future comfort and thirsters after righteousnesse but with satietie and fulnesse and the mercifull but with obtaining mercie and the pure in heart but with hope of seeing God and peace-makers but with the appellation of the children of God and sufferers for his sake but with fruition of the kingdome by this last of doing good to our enemies we shall not onely enioy all these but we shall be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and though these many vertues these many daughters haue done valiantly yet this surmounteth them all To helpe vp his enemie that lyeth vpon the ground and increase his former dignitie with good turnes could euen x Orat. pro M. Marcello Tully tell his Emperour Haec qui facit non ego illum cum summis viris comparo sed simillimum Deo iudico The deed of God and not of man he shall be perfect as his heauenly Father is perfect Perfectorum sunt ista saith y Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 73. Saint Austine this is not milke for babes but meate of strong men who are grown to the full age of Christs stature For see saith z Lâ—co cirat Ferâ—â— in Mac. 5. Chrysostome how he puts this as crowne on all the other vertues and addeth this the last as the perfection of all ye shall be perfect The ranges of this Iaakobs ladder he set downe before the first steppe is not to be angry the second is not to exasperate with behauiour the third not to reuile in speech the fourth not to do wrong in deed the fift not to requite euill the sixt not to resist iniurie the seuenth to beare it with patience the eight to prepare for more wrong then was offered the ninth to loue our enemies and lastly which is the end of all to pray for them and do them good and this is the toppe of the ladder that reacheth vp to heauen Which doctrine as it instructeth vs to loue our foes in deed 2 Vse in truth so reproueth it iustly them who loue in tongue onely and in word alone And as it requireth the hand of friendship in the tongue of friends so vnmasketh it all face-taking friendship which in word pretendeth amitie but in worke extendeth enmity to foes as they were their friends Grieuously complained Dauid of such familiar trecherie Psal 55. 12. It was not mine open enemie that did me this dishonour for then I could haue borne it Neither was it mine aduersarie that did exalt himselfe against me for then I would haue hid my selfe from him but it was thou my companion my guide and mine owne familiar friend which tooke sweet counsell together and walked together as friends My familiar friend whom I trusted which did eate with me hath lift vp his heele against me and laid great waite for me Psal 41. The Prophet Ieremie felt no lesse of false friendship Euen thy brethren saith God to his Prophet euen thy brethren and the house of thy father euen they haue dealt vnfaithfully with thee and they haue cryed out all together vpon thee beleeue them not though they speake faire to thee Ier. 12. 6. And therefore compareth Dauid them to bees Psal 118. They came about me like bees and very fitly faith a a Ioh. Hus in huâ—c locum Writer for the Bee as b Lab 5. de hist â—â—nal cap. 22. Aristotle noteth carieth hony in her mouth and a sting in her taile Such Bees were the Iewes to our head Christ Iesus saith Iohn Hus Mat. 22. Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God truly behold the hony in their mouthes tell vs therefore is it lawfull to giue Caesar tribute behold their sting in the tayle But he knew their thoughts and pulling the vizard of false friendship from their face Why temptye me saith he ye hypocrites And the dux of this swarme was no other but euen Iudas who was c Act. 1 16. guide to them that tooke Iesus He came to his Lord with hony in his mouth Aue d Mat. 26. 49. God saue thee maister but in his taile was a sting which cryed Caue God saue thee from me maisâ—er for he betrayed him with a kisse into their hands And see how our Sauiour in greaâ—est indignation vpbraideth his trecherie and vnkindnesse Iudas saith e Luk. 22. 48. he betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse Euery word is ponderous and an argument of vnkindnes Iudas what my steward and mine almner yea mine owne disciple Iudas surely he is not our enemy though he come with swords and staues Friend wherefore
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 lauer also of pure water to wash it of this vncleannesse And if when thou art readie to satisfie thy lust in the heate of reuenge thou wouldest but looke her face in the next sentence of S. Paul Neither in strife and enuying if thou wert not past grace it would make strife against thy strife enuie thy enuious mind hate thine owne hatred and maligne thine owne malice Or if thou requirest a comment on that text that r Tract 5. in epi. Ioann Father doth aduise thee to reade the first Epistle of Saint Iohn wherein charitie and loue is most commaunded and in no Epistle as he speaketh more commended For though the whole Scripture be an Å¿ Greg l. 4. ep 84 Epistle from God to man to loue the one aboue all and the other as himselfe Tract 8. in caÌ„d Math. 22. yet nulla hac Epistola ardentior est ad commendandam charitatem no Epistle is there more earnest and hotter for loue as he speaketh then this of the beloued Disciple who leaned so on the breast of Christ Iesus that he seemed to sucke the â—eates of his loue In which perfect law of libertie yet must thou not looke as that foole in Saint Iames beheld his naturall face in the glasse to forget when thou art gone what manner of one thou wast but as the framers of the Iewish Cabala adde this Selah to their reader at the end of euery sentence Reputa apud te consider what thou readest so must thou therein at euery period and precept of loue remember that Selah of our Sauiour Let him that readeth consider it Mathew 24. 15. But if thou be of that gracelesse spirit that with * Sozowâ—â—â— c. 17 Iulian the Apostate thou answerest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue read vnderstood and disallow it I must answer thee as Appollinarius did him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast read it indeed but not vnderstood it for if thou hadst thou wouldst not haue disallowed to obey it yet if thou dashest this glasse against the wall for shewing thee thy spots and blemishes of the mind if through pride of the flesh and worldly reputatioÌ„ thou refuse this humilitie of the spirit and as v Numb 2â— 27 Balaam the blind Seer beat the Asse for seeing the Angell staying him from going to curse which himself did not see so thy worldly wisedom checketh this x 1. Corinâ— 1. 1â— foolishnes of preaching for shewing thee this Angell which might stay thee from reuenge yet must thou thus be y 1. Corinâ— 3. 1â— a foole that thou maist be wise seeing this foolishnesse of God condemnes those wages of vnrighteousnesse in worldly wisedome as the Asse speaking with mans voice forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet 2. Pet. 2. 16. Vincamur quò vincamus let vs here be conquered saith a z Nazian oraâ— 3. de paâ—e Father that we may ouercome seeing hîc vinci quam vincere est praestantius in this cause to loose is to winne the victorie as a Homil. â—5 iâ— Math. 1â— Chrysostome auerreth Go not forth to fight and thou hast wonne the field striue not and thou art crowned make thine aduersary admire thine inuincible patience that he may report himself without fight to be ouercome of thy long-sufferance and longanimitie And this is indeede the life of loue and soule of Christan charitie To loue of whom it is hated to honour of whom it is contemned to blesse of whoÌ„ it is cursed and to do good vnto him of whom it is persecuted wronged saith b Lib. de 〈◊〉 1. ca. 16. Austin if he be not the putatine father of that book For these are the true proprieties of loue saith Saint Paul it is patient it is courteous it seeketh not her owne it enuieth not and it is not prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And if it be patient saith â—â—b 5. super Luc. 6. Ambrose debet patientiam verberanti it must turne the other cheeke to him that smiteth Mat. 5. If it be curteous it must not render rebuke for rebuke 1. Pet. 3. 9. If it seeke not her owne it must not forbid to take the coate also Luk. 6. If it enuy not it must not hate her enemie Leuit. 19. If it be not prouoked to anger it must not be angrie without a cause Mat. 5. 22. and if it endure all things it should not resist iniurie Vers 39. Which saying if it seeme so hard to flesh bloud that she cannot heare it the Apostle sweeteneth her bitter potion with fiue comforts and counterpoisons 1. Pe. 2. For first this is thank-worthy and acceptable to God if a man endure griefe and wrong suffering wrongfully And if this hope of reward cannot induce vs let vs secondly consider that it is exacted as a dutie for hereunto are ye called to be d Rom. 8. 29. like the image of his Sonne and comformable to your head For what disproportion should this be that in the heads passion the members shold haue no coÌ„passion What analogie that the head should be crowned with thornes Mat. 27. and the members be crowned with rose-buds Wisedom 2. 8. What reason the head e Ioh 11. 33. 35. should haue that dolefull sympathie to f Rom. 12. 15. weep with them that weepe and the members that Stoicall apathie to feele no griefe and sorrow or rather that antipathie mentioned of some by g Homil. 53. ad pop Anâ—â—och Chrysostome To reioyce with him that wept and wept not with his eyes alone but with all his members tears of bloud and droppes of sweat as h Serm. 61. in Cant. Bernard speaketh And if his most pathetical crosses cannot crucifie vs with Christ which are Christians yet seeing thirdly he suffered for vs what reason but like Paul we suffer for Christ who hath left vs an ensample to follow his steppes to mount Caluarie And this so much more willingly should we i â— Pet. 3. 13. suffer with Christ because when he did no sinne neither was there found any guile in his mouth with the good k Luk 23 41. theefe we may truly confesse that we are indeed righteously here on the crosse of wrong-suffering and receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And if thou doest hope for reuenge thou must commit with Dauid thy cause vnto God the Iudge of right as Christ committed it to him that iudgeth righteously who seeing he is the auenger the auenger of Israell Psal 94. 1. he will in due time shew himselfe clearely though the wicked the wicked do long triumph though they speake disdainefully and make such proud boasting though they smite downe his people and trouble his heritage though they murther the widow and put the fatherlesse to death and say Tush the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iaakob regard it though they gather them together against the soule of the righteous condemne the
I none but such as I haue I giue and forgiue thee In all other good works some one sometime may pretend some colorable excuse saith g Serm. 61. de Temp. Austine but for loue none can excuse himselfe Some bodie may say vnto me I cannot fast but can he say truly I cannot loue he may say for my stomackes sake and owne infirmitie I cannot abstaine from wine or flesh-meate but can he iustly say I cannot loue Some man may say I cannot keepe my virginitie he may say he cannot sell all his goods and giue them to the poore but can he say truly I cannot loue and forgiue them that trespasse against me Let no man deceiue himselfe beloued brethren for God is not mocked nor deceiueth any for though there be many good workes which through humane infirmitie we cannot corporally performe it is too abhominable and a filthy excuse that in this worke of the mind either the lame or the deafe or maimed should for its wearisomnesse make excuse For in this worke of loue neither the feet labour in running nor the eyes with seeing nor the eares with hearing nor the hands in working It is not said vnto vs go ye to the East and seeke charitie saile to the West and ye shal find loue it is engrauen in our heart by that lawe of nature Do as ye would be done to Luk. 6. 13. Whosoeuer thou art this commandement of loue which he commaundeth thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it far off as h Deut. 30. 11. 12. Moses speaketh It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shal go for vs to heauen and bring it to vs that we may do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But loue is very neare vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart to giue it in forgiuing each one his brother Some man may say saith i Ser de Maâ—â—yr Leo I cannot watch I cannot fast I cannot giue all to the poore I cannot liue single but can he say I cannot loue It may be saith k H 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈…〉 d Maâ— 5. 44 Vâ—de tom 6. â—b 〈…〉 a Aâ—hmant â—â— 17. ser 59. dâ—â—â—p Austine that sometime thou hast not gold and siluer apparell or corne wine or oile in thine house to giue to the poore but what shadow of excuse canst thou pretend that thou hast not a penniworth of charitie a wedding garment of loue a graine of mustard-seed of amitie a drop of dilection and ointment of loue in thy coffer and wardrobe and garner and chalice and boxe of thy heart No no this is the tribute of loue wherewith all the world is taxed and all may go to be taxed euery man to his owne citie It is an easie offering alwayes at hand or at heart that with Isaac thou needst not aske but where is the Lambe for the oblation It is within which thou maist easily offer as of that which cost thee nothing In forgiuing each one From the heart For because man ofteÌ„ forgiues with his mouth â— manne◠〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter homines as l Hâ—â—d 〈…〉 rat Dom. Austine noteth and keepes hatred in his hart propter daemones and m Ierom lib. 3 an Math 18. 35. can say of his brother He knowes I beare him no euill will I will leaue him to God his Iudge I haue for my part forgiuen him for n Buâ—â—r enarra in Math. 18. 35. thus we wold often seeme to pardon our brother when we scarce from our hart forgiue him that we loue him as before yea o Tom. 1. ad epâ— Castor say in the Lords prayer Forgiue as we forgiue animo discrepante cum verbis oratione dissidente cum factis as Ierome noteth therefore Christ saith that Father taking away all hypocrisie and colour of fained peace commandeth to forgiue from our hearts And that if not from his precept yet after Gods example Qui remittit ex corde as Musculus on these words obserueth Who so forgiueth men from his heart that he p Ier. 31. 24. remembreth their trespasses no more but q Micha 7. 19 casteth them into the bottome of the sea and imputeth them not vnto them but couereth al their offences Psalme 32. 1. Which most motiue example of his Father his Apostle vrgeth as the strongest inducement Ephes 4. 32. Be ye tender hearted forgiuing one another But how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as God forgiues you And if this loue of God shed abroade in our hearts and r Mathew 3. 11 fire of the spirit like that purifying flame in the Å¿ Numb 31. 23. law cannot burne out all our drosse of malice till it be pure and take away all our tinne of hatred from the heart certainly it argueth we remaine full like those wicked Gentils Rom. 1. 29. of all vnrighteousnesse wickednesse maliciousnesse full of enuie murder and debate and poisonous affections of the heart For as we reade of Germanicus Caligula his father that when according to the t Suet. â—n Tyber cap. 75. vide comens Beroald custome of the Romanes who burned their Emperors bodies and other least being interred in forrame wars the enemie should dig them vp though his bodie was consumed in the fire yet his heart could not â—e prierced by the flame but lay vnburned among his bones because being opened it was found full of poison whose nature is such that dipt in poison it resisteth all fire as v Suet. in Calig cap 1. Tranquillus and x Li. 11. nat hist cap. 37. Plinie both obserue euen so and more then so if this fire of Gods spirit That he forgiueth vs from his heart kindle only our tongues and hands to loue our enemies in word and worke alone and inflame not our hearts also to loue them in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. it tels the searcher of the heart that yet for all this our heart is wicked and deceitfully malicious aboue all things and as y Iames 3. 8. Iames speaketh of as little a member full of deadly poison And though this stonie heart cannot be burned with this fire but lieth buried in the whited tombe of the body though this whited tombes rottennesse and ranc or appeare not to flesh and blood and men that go ouer it perceiue not for it is wicked and deceitfull aboue all things who can know it Ier. 17. 9. yet he who onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men 1. Kings 8. 39. z Iob 10. 4. hauing not carnall eyes nor seeing as man seeth a 1 Sam. 16. 7. looketh not like man on the outward appearance but beholdeth the heart yea so searcheth the heart and trieth the reines he I say who as Ierome speaketh is all eye when he seeth the hearts hypocrisie and all hand when he
the Partridge Ier. 17. 11. nourish the yong they brought not forth vnnaturall birds to their brood and cruel to their yong like the Ostrich in the wildernesse Lam. 4. which leaueth his brood in the earth and forgetteth that the foot might scatter them or that the wild beast might breake them he sheweth himself cruell to his yong ones as if they were not his and is without feare as if he trauelled in vaine Iob 39. These play Micipsa his pranke p Salust de bell Iugurth who hauing sons yet adopted Iugurtha to them and so set his children by the eares and for their supernaturall kindnesse to alients and vnnaturall to their owne they may perchance receiue q Fuâ—gos l. 7. c. 9. Velius Blessus his reward who hauing diuers sonnes yet adopted on his death bed one Regulus standing by because he was diligent about him in his sicknesse and often lapping him bad him beware of taking cold But this new heire forsooth hauing gotten the will made and witnessed Medicos hortabatur vt citò Blessum conficerent ne diutius aegritudinis molestia laboraret he loued this new-found father so well that he wished him in heauen and feed the Phisitions to kill him quickly and put Blessus out of his paine that the inheritance that night might be his What shall I say to these cruell Ostriches but admire with the Almightie the possibilitie of their memorable obliuion Is it possible r Esai 49. 15. Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe What shall I say to these vnnaturalists but from the God of nature pronounce that in not prouiding for their owne and namely for them of their houshold but especially for them of their owne bodies they denie the faith yea nature it self which hath taught a father to pitie his owne childreÌ„ Psal 103. and are worse then infidels 1. Tim. 5. 8. If Diogenes therefore to returne whence I digressed for his schollers fault gaue the master a blow on the cheeke and a checke in the eare Cur igitur sic instituis why teachest thou him not better maners then surely such fathers deserue a blow from his hands of iron who ouer-willing to the eldest or too wilfull to the yongest or vnwilling to all or mis-willing to any by these their sower grapes so set their childrens teeth on edge that they bite and deuoure one another Let them on their death-bed like departing Iaakob Gen. 49. call together all their sonnes into one and to Reuben to Beniamin to Dan and to Gad deuide their iust portions for auoidance of diuision Or let them follow that wise father in the parable who diuided his substance to his sonnes to preuent future contention Let them of Dan who giue nothing but iudgement learne that he would not without will die intestate but deuided his substance Let Reubenites who are all for the eldest learne that he gaue him not all but deuided his goods and so that he gaue his eldest but the inheritance Let Beniamites who are wholly for the yongest learne that he gaue him but the portion of goods that fel vnto him And lastly let them of the tribe of Gad who almost giue all or most to aliants learne that he deuided all to his sonnes for saith our Sauiour So he deuided vnto them his substance Luke 15. 12. Let them at then death bequeath concord to their children the best legacie in their wil semblable to Å¿ Plus de garris Scylurus the Scythian who at his death bid his sons bring him a sheafe of arrowes which he then gaue each one to break in peeces but wheÌ„ no one could do it himselfe pulling them out easily brake them one by one in their sight shewing them by this parable that which Salomon in his Prouerbes that a brother vnited to a brother is like an impregnable citie and their counsels like the barre of a pallace which cannot be broken or that I noted in the Preacher Two are better then one for either may helpe his fellow but woe vnto him that is alone for he falleth and hath not a second to helpe him vp And if one ouercome him two shall stand against him and a threefold cord like that bundle of arrowes is not easily broken Let them with t Xenop lib. 8. de Cyr. Pad Cyrus giue in their wils this legacie of vnitie to their sonnes and say with him Ye which are borne of the same seed of your father and nourished by the same milke of your mother brought vp in the same house beloued of the same parents and call on the same father and mother how should not ye aboue all men be most knit in friendship with this knot of nature breake not therefore these naturall bonds of loue wherewith the immortall God hath linked you as brethren Thus when in peace themselues go to their fathers they may leaue peace with their sonnes that as in their last will they giue them their goods so in their last and most effectuall affection they may bequeath them this goodnesse the best donatiue of their will as it was not least legacie in Christs testament and say at their departure as the Sauiour when he left the world Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you for else how can they enioy peace in heauen when they know their parts haue no peace on earth How can their soules sit in mirth at the supper of the Lambe when they know these parts of their bodie like wolues bite and deuoure another Which vnitie in life time rather should they labour to effect seeing the holy Ghost in giuing naturall brethren no peculiar charge in Scripture that I know of louing one another hath sent them to the schoole of nature to learne them this lesson in the members of their bodie For making no question of their loue which is the law of nature he forbeareth to bid brethreÌ„ loue only bids other meÌ„ loue as brethreÌ„ 1. Pet. 3. For as v Câ—teâ—r â—â— as pro Rosâ— Aâ—er Solon the lawgiuer of Greece being asked why he made no law in Athens nor ordained any punishmeÌ„t against paricides answered wisely because he thought none could be so vnnatural as to kil his father froÌ„ whoÌ„ he had being so neither our sole wise God of heauen made any peculiar law nor appropriated many particular punishments to fratricides in scripture because he might wel thinke none would be so monstrous in nature as to hate his owne flesh and slay his brother who is ferè alter almost himself And therefore whereas he gaue charge to all the houshold and all sorts of the family to shew mutuall loue and dutie Ephes 6. as children to parents and fathers to children seruants to masters and masters to their seruants he speaketh not a word of children among themselues as if he had bene ashamed to bid brethren be reconciled and loue one another And passing ouer it in silence
he seemes to vse his Apostles x Areâ— in 1. The. 4. 9. preterition 1. Thess 4. 9. But touching brotherly loue ye need not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of God by nature to loue one another and making no doubt of doing that and that thing verily ye do to all the brethren he onely intreateth them to abound therein But we beseech you that ye increase it more and more But alas naturall brethren haue more now then called that 2. vse reproofe into question whereof the father and God of nature made no question whose precept of this loue as it is rare so fratruâ—â— quoque gratia rara est their practise also is as rare as an heathen in his dayes could obserue For now y Lâ—beâ— de frat amor Plutarch his experience may be our schoole-master to bring vs to many who become brothers with strangers and strange with their brethren sinfull friends with aliants in gluttonie and drunkennesse and yet vnfriendly to their brethren in eating and drinking tolerate their sinnes with pleasure and delight and yet bitter to theirs count their slips intolerable yea whereas they passe away houses and lands to their harlots yet striue with their brethren for the floore of an house an angle of ground and foote of a field nay whereas they nourish and loue their angrie dogges their fierce horses their spotted beasts their toyish Apes and their cruell Lions they brooke not anger nor tolerate fiercenesse nor beare with blemishes nor pardon childishnes nor suffer haughtinesse in their brethren which though greatest they tolerate in bruite beasts and for which things alone they dearely loue them A brother indeed offended is harder to winne then a strong câ—tie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their contentions saith z Prouer. 18. 19. Salomon like the barre of a castle which cannot be decided Ruthfull examples as of Iaakob and Esau Isaac and Ismael Eteocles and Polynices Chaerephon and Chaerocrates as I noted before and dayly is notorious in domesticall experience manifest this truth to be too true The reason and cause of which irreparable breach is giuen from the a Arist l. 7. Polit Oracle of reason Because not onely not to be holpen but greatly hurt by them of whom we thinke helpe due by nature not so much dissolueth as breaketh the knot of natural affectioÌ„ For the nearer as elswhere b Lib. 8. Ethi c. 9 he noteth is the cause of coniunctioÌ„ and bond of vnitie the greater must needs be the wrong which doth dissipate it and greater the disiunction of them therefore deuided In least matters to be deceiued by a fellow and companion is most abominable saith c Orat. pro Rosc Amer. Tully because that which he thought he adioyned for an help against others helping others against him doth cut him to the quicke and breake the heart-strings of affection Caesars wound that his sonne Brutus gaue him went nearer to his heart then all the stabs of his foes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what thou also my sonne Brutus made him crie like Dauid Psal 55. If mine enemie had done me this dishonor I could haue borne it but it was euen thou my companion my guide and mine owne familiar friend And to imply his greater wrong he doth explicate their nearer vnitie We tooke sweete counsell together and walked in the house of God as friends and this cause of disiunction of vnitie from so neare coniunction of amitie he cannot let passe without imprecation to his trechery Let death come hastily vpon them and let them go downe quick into hell for wickednesse is in their dwellings and among them For as things which are ioyned saith d Lâ—b â— de frat amor Plutarch though the glue be melted may be recombined when a bodily substance rent in sunder can hardly be reioyned so loue of men after falling out may be reintegrated when brethren of one bodie seuered one from the other can with difficultie be reconciled Neuerthelesse brotherly loue as out of e De 〈◊〉 Nazianzene I noted like the graffe or cience of a tree though it be broken off from the stocke may be ingrafted againe but seeing the coales of this hatred are fiery coales and a vehement flame which no water can put out nor floods can drowne take heed of heating this Asbestos which being once incensed no water no not of teares can quench And seeing this amitie is the chiefe and head of all knit by so many sinewes and arteries of nature beware of breaking its neck bone which can so hardly be knit againe And let all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed how they f Iudg â—â— follow the way of Caine g 1. Iohn â— 12. who was of that wicked one and slue his brother least that woe which ouertooke him ouerturne them hauing warre in his heart he gaue good words with his mouth and spake h Ferus in Gen. â— 8. friendly to his brother Gen. 4. 8. See his hypocrisie to oportune place for his murderous intent he perswades him to walke into the field see his policie not into Paradise a place of puritie that abounded with fruite but into the field And where indeed should his brother be slaine but in the barren field saith i Lâ—b 2 de Caâ—â— Abel cap â— Ambrose where there wanted fruite Oportunitie of place fitting his purpose he rose vp and slue his brother Behold his crueltie O audacious abominable and wretched mind and whatsoeuer can be said is too little saith a k Châ—ysost 〈◊〉 19. 1. Gen. 4. Father How did not thine hand tremble at this deed how could it hold thy sword and strike a blow at thine owne bowels Thou art thy fathers eldest sonne the beginning of his weaknesse and heire of his sinnes the patriarke of murderers thou hast not a second man to quarrell with on earth beside thy father and thou wilt slay thy brother that thou maist not be a brother and kill the fourth part of all mankind with a blow But see how the Iudge of all the world arraigneth this murderer at the barre of his iustice Where is thy brother And at his conuention see his churlish answer I cannot tell am I my brothers keeper as if he had bid God go seeke him if he would any thing with him And see in what admiration of the fact he examineth the offender What hast thou done oh what hast thou done The voice though not of thy murdered brother yet of thy brothers blood yea of his bloods of his possible posteritie whom thou hast slaine in the loynes of their father Abel not onely speaketh but crieth vnto me for vengeance How long Lord holy and true doest thou not auenge our blood on him that dwelleth on the earth Yea it crieth from the earth which followeth thy murder for her sonne for her inhabitant and for her keeper and see his triple iudgement according to her three-fold accusation
Iudgement in his soule Thou art cursed from the earth iudgement in his goods The earth which opened her mouth to receiue his blood from thine hand mistrusting no harme from brothers which were but two on the earth l Ambr. lib. 2. de Caâ—â— Abel c. 10. Nam quomodo poterat suspectare parrâ—â—dium quae adhuc not viderat homicidium for how could it suspect brotherly murder which had not yet seene man-slaughter the earth is cursed for thy sake not as it was to thy father Adam to giue m Gen. 3. 17. no fruite without his sweate and labour but when thou shalt till the ground it shall not yeeld thee henceforth her strength And thirdly iudgement in his bodie a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be in the earth And after sentence see how this condemned caitife is caried from the barre with despaire of mercy My sinne is greater then can be pardoned with horror of iudgement My punishment is greater then can be borne and with terror of conscience Behold thou hast cast me this day from the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me But of whom saith that n Ambr. lib 2. de Caâ—â— Abel cap 9. Father was he afraid to be slaine that had none with him on earth but his parents He might feare iustly the incursions of natural brute beasts who more beastly had broken the course of nature he might feare rightly the teeth of wild beasts who brutishly had fleshed them with mans blood yea the blood of his brother He could not presume of the subiection of fowles who had taught them that a man might be killed He might now also feare the hands of his parents who had taught them that parricide might be committed and that they would learne to practise a murder who had taught him the precept in their original sinne This is Cains punishment in his person and yet see the taint of his blood in al his postetitie whom Noes flood washt away saith o Lib. 15 de â—iâ— Dâ— cap. 20. Austin from the face of the earth when it could not wash away their scarlet sinne of blood double died both in Caine the threed and in his of-spring the cloth and garment of vengeance whom the holy Ghost deigneth not to name in reciting the catalogue of Adams posteritie Gen. 5. for the face of the Lord is against them that did euill to cut off saith Dauid their remembrance from the earth For he would not take them in his mouth nor make mention of their names within his lippes as if that curse of the Lord had fallen on his progenie Psal 109. Let his posteritie be destroyed and in the next generation let his name be cleane put out O that all Caines which thirst the bloud of their Abel that all Ismaels which persecute their Isaac that all Esaus which pursue their Iaacob to the death would beware to follow the way of Caine that they might not perish in the gaine-saying of Core Are they Graecians or Barbarians wise or vnwise let those reade Plutarch a naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of brotherly loue and these their owne bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of lime-lime-loue how those brethren and twins of the bodie eyes eares hands and feet loue one another and for shame of their soules be reconciled to them who are flesh of their flesh and bone of their bones And surely if we yet looke further to the rocke whence we 2. Brother naturall in blood which is each man are hewne and to the hole of the pit whence we were digged if we consider Adam our father and Eue that bare vs we shall find that we haue all this p Iunius Polan in Mal. 2. 10 one father Mal. 2. 10. and all this one mother who is mater omnium viuentium Gen. 3. 20. aut iustiùs morientium as one q Ferus in Gen. 3. 20. cals her the mother of all men liuing or rather dead while they liue in her trespasses and sinnes and all men therefore brethren Gen. 9. 5. and this brotherly kinred of men made by him who made all mankind of one bloud Act. 17. 26. For as r Ser. 1. de â—eâ—uâ— Leo truly said of neighbour that euery man whether friend or foe bond or free is our neighbour so fratrem vt proximum vel omne hominum genus accipere debemus saith Å¿ Lib 2. in Zâ—c cap. 7. Ierome and Saint t Lib 2. locut de Exod. Austine Euery man is our brother by nature as our neighbor in the vse of naturall things Through which coniunction of mankind the very heathen u Cic lib. 1. Ossâ— could see in the twilight of nature that certaine duties of amitie and fellowship are naturally due from all men euery one to other and therefore x AEsch â—rat cont â—â—sâ—ph Arist lib. â—â—hetor ad Theâ—â—ect vsed the name neighbour as our Sauiour doth here brother generally for all men And indeed seeing as y Homil 51. ad Pop. Antioch 1. The greater world preacheth concord and vnity to man Chrysostome well noteth the God of all hath giuen all but one house the world to be domesticos naturae the houshold of nature that father of lights hath light all but one candle the Sunne to be filios lucis iust and vniust children of that light seeing he that spreadeth it out like a curtaine hath couered all but with one canapie and roofe of heauen to be one family of loue And seeing the feeder of euery liuing thing hath spread all but one table the earth at which boord we are all companions of one bread and drinke all of one cup the ayre doubtlesse this communitie of naturall things should breed such a common vnitie in nature as should make men in this one house to be of one mind and sons of one light to walke in loue as children of the light and the familie vnder one roofe to walke in this house of God as familiar friends and companions at one table to eate their meate together with singlenesse of heart as it vnited those Saints because they had all things common Act. 2. 44. Which communion of all things naturall if it cannot knit men in one with these bonds of nature yet beholding the common vnion of all things amongst themselues the musicke of this harmonie should breed concord and peace in man the son of peace For whether we lift vp our eyes to heauen aboue behold it is there the heauens declare the glorie of God in their peace and the firmament sheweth his handi-worke or whether we cast our eyes on the earth below behold also it is there both preaching peace to his people and to his Saints that they turne not againe Wherefore as z Prou. 6. Salomon sent the sluggard to the pismire as his schoole-maister to bring him to labour a Esâ— 1. Esau the vngratefull to the oxe and asse to learne
ioy as well as him that got fiue Math. 25. as l Hoâ—â— 31. in 1. Cor. 12. Chrysostome obserueth on these words Wherefore seeing a litle one sooner entreth his straite gate then a Camell through that eye of a needle and when they are entred that narrow doore the first may be last and the least become the greatest m Rom. 14 10. Cur contemnis fratreÌ„ tuum why doest thou despise thy brother because he is here thine inferior And let them who as n Gen. 16. Agar because she had coÌ„ceiued before Sara despised her mistris hauing conceiued their owne worth and with child with selfe-conceit are swolne and puft vp in the heart that they are somewhat when indeed they are nothing Gal. 6. 3. Let none that excell be desirous of vaine glorie prouoking one another enuying one another Gal. 5. 26. but in meeknesse of spirit esteeme other better then himselfe Phil. 2. 3. And sith all inequalitie is with danger of discord among ciuill societies when all cannot be equall he that excelleth his fellow saith an o Plut. li. de frat amor heathen should if not communicate with his brother his things that are excellent yet friendly adopt him into part of his glorie As Pollux imparted his immortalitie to Castor and became partly mortall with his brother for auoiding dissention That as in gathering Manna he that gathered much had no more and he that gathered little had no lesse then his fellow Exod. 16. 18 so vpon like condition as in another sense the p 2. Corint 8. 14 Apostle speakes your abundance may supply their lacke and their want be for your abundance that there may be equalitie Which modest demission as it taketh away inequalitie the corrupter of concord so it is put by S. Paul as the preseruer of ciuill amitie when we are not high minded either with Caesar to brooke no peace or with Pompey no mate but make our selues equal with them of the lower sort Rom. 12. 16. When Plutarch was sent Embassador with his colleague to the Proconsull as of himselfe q Reâ—p gerend praecep he reports and by occasion of his fellowes stay in the way was forced to dispatch all the businesse alone to his great commendation when at his returne he was giuing an account of the arrant his father standing by tooke him aside and warned him he should not say profectus sum but profecti sumus and diximus not dixi not I but we were Embassadors and we said thus to the gouernor and after this manner in his relation communicate all parts of the businesse with his fellow for auoiding of enuie and discontentment And indeed when the eye or the head in dispatch of ciuill affaires admit the hand or the feete into part of their glorie as r 2. Corinth 5. Paul did the Apostles in that spirituall ambassage with Nos legatione fungimur and the Apostles their brethren in the Acts without whose consent they decreed not this making of our selues equal with them of the lower sort maketh a consort of minds which are vnequal But if in singularitie of spirit we be so high minded as to arrogate what he assumed in the 63. of Esai I alone haue done it and of all the people there was not one with me this arrogancy of Nebuchadnezzars Å¿ Dan. 4. 27. possessiues breaketh the bond of amitie which t Phil. 2 4. not in selfe-loue should looke on its owne things but in brotherly loue on the things also of other men As the members haue the same care one for another 1. Cor. 12. 3. They must have the same care one for an other 25. For to detract from another saith an v Cic. lib. 3. Offic. cap. 3. heathen and to make his owne profit of anothers disprofit this is more against nature in ciuill associates then pouertie against riches then sorow against their mind yea then death it selfe against their bodie And if thus we shall desire to build with other mens ruines this is as if each member should think it best for its owne health to turne and conuert to it selfe the nutriment of another which weakneth the bodie and destroyeth the whole and euery one thus to seeke his owne good and not the good of many that they may be safe dissolueth the ioyntes of ciuill societie We reade in the fable that the other members mutining against the belly complained by their industrious care and seruice omnia ventro quaeri that all was for good of the belly as if the belly had bene their God whereas it quiet alone and idle in the midst did nothing at all Quam datis voluptatibus frui but enioy as speakes x 2. Pet. 1. 13. Peter of belli-gods the pleasures of sin for a season and counting it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season like that crammed chuffe Luke 12. said to it self Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares eate drink and take thy pastime oâ— y Luke 16. 19. with that sonne of Belial all for the belly being clothed in fine linnen fared well and delicately euery day whereas the other members like the rich mans seruant hauing filled his barne full was faine with poore Lazarus lying at his gate to be refreshed with the crummes and nutriment that fell from his table wherupon all conspiring that neither the eyes should prouide nor the feete fetch nor the hands reach nor the mouth receiue nor the teeth chaw meate for the belly in pining it with hunger they brought also themselues into extreame consumption With which naturall parable I wish all Philautians may be drawne from seeking their owne things alone as z Liu deca 1 la. Dion 〈◊〉 antiq Rom. lib. o. Menenius Agrippa the Romaine Orator with this apologue wonne the factious Commonaltie from mutinie against the Senate For seeing our immanent selfe-loue to our selues must be the measure of our transient loue to others as not onely a Math 22. 39. grace commaunds Christians but euen b â—â—rist 〈◊〉 cap. 4. nature teacheth all men it is most repuisite in ciuill amitie saith an c Câ—â— lib. 1. de leg heathen Vt nihilo sese plus quam alterum diligat that no man loue himselfe better then an other but that d Idem in 〈◊〉 as euery one by nature is louing to himselfe he naturally translate the same affection to others without which true amiable societie is not preserued But alas whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brotherly loue meteth back againe to others in the same measure that she measured to her selfe and loueth them sicut scipsam as her selfe now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-self-loue leaues out sicut the measure and loueth her selfe without measure that we may now turne round about and cry to all with Saint e Phil. 2. 21. Paul All seeke their owne and not the good of others or at the least with him in the Comedie f Ter. And. act 2.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yoke-fellowes to y Eccles 26. 7. draw both one way so these latter paire being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same spirit Phil. 2. 2. must needes also be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yoke-fellowes to mind one thing and draw both one way in their iudgements Thus were those former Christians of one heart and soule because they had this one spirit Act. 4. 32. This witnessed z Apol. ad Gent. Tertullian of those later Christians in his time Animo animaque miscemur We are of one heart of one mind and one iudgement because we haue one spirit And this is the nearest of all bonds that heauen and earth can afford For our God of peace to knit our affections bindeth vs with all cords of loue possible to be found First because men of one kingdome loue one another better then straungers that we might do so he made vs one kingdome 1. Pet. 2. not any of vs alients and forreiners but all of one commonwealth Ephes 2. 12. And because in one kingdome men of one citie commonly loue best that we might do so he made vs fellow-citizens and that with the Saints vers 19. And because in one towne factions do arise and domesticals loue more that we might do no lesse he made vs one houshold as there we may reade And because often mans enemies are they of his house and brethren of all the familie loue best that we might do likewise he made vs all brethren Mat. 23. And yet because brethren may iarre and the members neuer fall to warre that we might neuer fall out he made vs one bodie Ephes 4. And yet againe because the members of his bodie may be diuided and our soule is neuer at diuision that our minds wils and iudgements might for euer be vnited he gaue vs this one spirit which is the bond of peace Wherefore that with g Phil. 4. 3. the Apostle I may exhort I pray Euodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of one accord in the Lord. Let the bodie of Antichrist because it hath not this one spirit but like that mad bodie in the h Marke 5. 1. Gospell is possessed with a legion of euill spirits let her members beate one another as did his which cannot be bound with these chaines of vnitie as his could not with bands But seeing Christs bodie which ye are hath one spirit i 1. Cor. 1. 10. I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christs sake that ye all speake one thing that there be no dissentions among you but be ye knit together in one mind and in one iudgement k Ephes 4. 3. indeuouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace and rather because it is commaunded by One Lord. For though on earth there be many Lords yet vnto 4. link one Lord vs there is but one Lord Iesus Christ by whō are all things and we by him 1. Cor. 8. 6. who as he came in the l Luke 2. raigne of Augustus a time of peace and was brought from heauen with an m Verse 14. Angelicall song of peace so being indeed the n Esai 9. 6. Prince of peace at his returne to his Father left he his seruāts the cognisance of peace Ioh. 14. 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you For as malice is Satans liuerie whereby euen Caine is discerned to be of that wicked one 1. Iohn 3. 12. so is loue Christes badge by which each one is knowne to belong to this Lord vers 19. By this saith he shall all men know that ye are my disciples and seruants if ye loue one another Ioh. 13. 35. Not by crying Lord Lord not by casting out manie diuels not by doing anie great miracles in my name not by prophecying in my name Mat. 7. 22. not by speaking with the tongue of men and Angels not by hauing the gift of prophecie not by knowing al secrets al knowledge not by faith that cā remoue mountains not by feeding the poore with al your goods nor by giuing your bodies to be burned 1. Cor. 13. But in hoc cognoscent by this cognisance shall all men know ye are my seruants if ye loue one another Other that are wicked may haue all these gifts as before I haue shewed but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle by this badge are the children of God knowne the children of the diuell 1. Ioh. 3. 10. This was the badge whereby as the Scribes and Pharises o Acts 4. 13. knew by the boldnesse and learning of Peter and Iohn that they had bene with Christ so the heathen knew those primitiue saints to be Christians and belonged to Christ when they cried Vide vt inuicem se diligant See how these Christians loue one another Ipsi enim inuicem oderunt for they hated one another saith p Apol. 39. adu Gent Tertullian and shewed by their badge that they were of their father the diuell seeing the q Iohn 8. 44. lustes of their father they would do and be as readie to kill one another as we to die one for another lay downe our liues for the brethren Which badge of one Lord seeing to weare on one arme is not sufficient for them who like Publicans and sinners loue none but their friends Math. 5. 46. our prince of peace because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings will haue his seruants to weare it not onely on their breast but also on their back and loue their foes as well as their friends Math. 5. 44. A new commaundement saith this one Lord I giue vnto you that ye loue one another Ioh. 13. 34. But how one another Euen as I saith he haue loued you mine enemies that ye loue one another Know ye what I haue done to you Ye cal me Maister and Lord and ye do wel for so am I. If I then your Lord and maister haue washed your feete in loue to my foes ye ought also to wash one anothers feet These are beloued fellow-seruants the armes of your one Lord whereby ye may shew of what house ye come whether to one Lord as seruants yea as brethren ye belong Louers of their friends are to him but halfe a kinne yea are but his brethrē in law euen of their wrested law r Mat. 5 43. who taught to loue a friend and hate an enemie nay they are not allied to this one Lord vnlesse Publicans and sinners be his kinred Louers of their foes they are his nearest kinne euen his father and mother his sisters and his brethren Math. 12. 50. Now beloued in Christ Iesus sith this one Lord left vs his badge when he went to know vs to be his seruants when he returnes what will he say when he finds on our backes the marke of the Beast and on our breasts the badge of the diuel He will say to such Christians as
incipit esse in fronte quod latchat sub veste And surely sith Papists receiue Antichrists marke in their foreheads Apâ—c 13. 16. why should not Protestants contrariwise receiue Christs mark and signe in their foreheads Those that were saued in the cities destructioÌ„ Ezek. 9. were signed in their foreheads with T. which last letter of the Hebrue alphabet to this day vsed by the Samaritans hath the forme figure of Christs crosse which we make in our forheads as Ierome auoucheth the elect also who are saued from the power of hel Apoc. 7. are and must be sealed in their foreheads as the Angell auerreth I speake not now of the Popish abuse but of the right vse of it in baptisme I know some ancient did attribute too much therunto while h Laâ—tan lib. 4. cap 26. some thought it droue away diuels i Ruff. lib. 10. c. 8. others that it raised the dead k Epion haeres 30. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 3. some others that it expelled diabolical incantations that it l Niceph. lib 8. cap. 3. Euseb lib. 1 de vita Consta Niceph lib. 7. cap 37. gaue and caused great victories that it m Niceph. lib. eadem cap 32. August lib. 22. de ciuitat Dei cap 8. helped and healed diuers diseases that it n Procrâ—p apud Eâ—agrium lib. 4. cap 26. 27. quenched fires that it o Jerom. in vita Hi. ar appeased the raging of the sea that it p Sophron. in prat spirit expelled poison out of the cup and that it q Prudent Cath. hym 6. Cyril lib. 8. in Joan. cap. 17. expels all faults And the Papists who beleeue vse it to this end superstitiously abuse it But this is no reason ProtestaÌ„ts may not lawfully vse it because Papists â—nlawfully abuse it This is to giue aduantage to the aduersary who r Annot. in Tertustian calleth Caluinists Claudius TaurineÌ„sis his sectaries for this may be likened to * Abeant in malain rem Caluinistâ—e ait annot in Tertull. Abeant Iudai qui citra coninmelid ferre nequeunt transuersa in medium crucis festucas velligna quibus si proponeres ad solunt siue pe lem crucifixt mille aureos quos dâ—res ausereÌ„â—i mallet eorum qui 〈…〉 â—â—tam pauperimus tanta carere pecunia quam hoc paâ—io se ad maginem crucifixi inclinare ait Deâ— arben lib. de mâ—rib Iud. cap. 3 30. Iews who caÌ„not abide to see two peeces of wood laid crosse one ouer the other for whoÌ„ if any should lay downe a thousand crownes at the feete of the crucifixe promising to giue it them for stouping and bending to take it vp each of them though most poore and needy wold rather want so great a masse of mony then thus bend incline themselues toward the crucifixe Let me rather exhort al men or wisedome to preferre the Churches peace before their priuate credite And though some think it conscience to make a scisme in the Church and seuer themselues like those fiue Presbyters wherof Cyprian so complained yet as he addeth to some other Sed nemo vos filios ecclesiae de ecclesia tollat PereaÌ„t siâ—t soli qui perire voluerunt Extra ecclesiam soli remancant qui de ecclesia recâ—ssâ—ruÌ„t Soli cum Episcopis non sint qui contra Episcopos rebell 〈…〉 Conuirationis suae poenas soli subeant qui per Dei iudicia sentitiaÌ„ ceniurationis malignitatis suae subire meruerunt si quis autemâ— Felicissimi satellitum eius partes concesserit se haereticâ— factioni coniunxerit sciat se postea ecclesiam redire cum Episcopis plebe Christ communicare non posse saith Cyprian For alas whence are these wars and contentions among you are they not hence saith c S. Iames euen of your lusts that fight in your members Ye lust and haue not ye enuy and haue indignatioÌ„ because ye cannot obtain ye fight and warre because ye get nothing They would and will not they dissemble ambition vnder the cloake of dislike because the master of the feast bids them not Friend sit vp higher as of some here in his daies speaketh Ioannes d Lib. â— de mâ—gis curial c. 18 vâ—d Sarisburiensis And we haue many a Iohn who if he could be Sarisburienâ—ss wold preach the faith which before he destroied and retract like Paul When I was a little one I spake like a child I vnderstood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things 1. Cor. 13. 11. And as these mutine in the campe against the discipline of our warfare so other gregarij milites in doctrine sheath their pens like swords in the captaines of our boast For as e Plut. de garraâ— Antipater the Stoick when he neither could nor would dispute with Carneades that wise and learned Philosopher who oppugned the Stoickes wrote yet bitter bookes against him whence he was well called Calamoboas as pen-pratler so haue we some Stoical Antipaters sonnes fighting against the fathers of our Church whom selfe-loue as the f Torent Eunuc Act. 3. Scen 1. Parisite counselled Thraso to crosse Thais in euery word hath made contradict their fathers in euery point of least moment And though they cannot preach against them by mouth because the strings of their tongues are tyed vp yet dicere quae nequeunt scribere iussit amor seeming loue to the truth makes them loue what they cannot vtter and may be tearmed calamoboontes pen-preachers I wish these who haue the voice of Iaakob but indeed the hands of Esau that as their tongue iustly cleaues to the roofe of their mouth so they could not haue pen and paper to fight against their fathers but their right hand also might forget her cunning For certainely as they of Athens said truly of their diuisions Auximus Philippum nostris dissentionibus so haue we strengthened the Pope and Philips faction by these our dissentions and many as said our wise Salomon and liuing Librarie are drawne to be Papists by such factious behauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Lord it brings great sorrow to all Greekes said g Homer lib. 1. Iliad Nestor of the strife betwixt Agamemnon and Achilles it causeth much griefe to Gods Church when sonnes fight against their fathers greene heads against gray haires and men of yesterday crosse antiquitie when veritie doth concurre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly king Pryame and his sonnes the prince of darknesse and his children will laugh at it and other Troians our Romish enemies that trouble vs will reioyce at it Contention I graunt may oft fall among Christs Saints and fellow-souldiers of one faith as betweene Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. betwixt Paul and Peter Gal. 2. Cyprian and Cornelius Origen and African Chrysostome and Theophilus of Alexandria Epiphanius and Iohn of Ierusalem Ruffinus and Ierome Ierome and Austine Austine and