BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT: Preached in Oxford for the union of some, and now published with larger meditations for the unity of all in this Church and Commonwealth: With An Apology of the use of Fathers, and Secular learning in Sermons. By EGEON ASKEW of Queen's College. Acts 7. 26. Sirs, ye are brethren: why do ye wrong one to another? LONDON, Printed for GEORGE BISHOP. 1605. TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN AND MIGHTY MONARCH, JAMES, by the grace of God, King of Great BRITAIN, France and Ireland, Defender of the true Catholic and ancient Faith, etc. MOst religious & renowned Prince, when I duly consider what a son of peace your Majesty hath been, * His majesties speech to the Parliament. Keeping peace and amity with all, yea an heir of reconciliation, in whose royal person, those two princely houses are united: as also what a Father of peace and peacemaking reconciler, outwardly of our enemies, inwardly of ourselves, your Majesty continueth; I cannot but judge your Majesty is the Solomon, in whose peaceable days Gods house shall be finished, when thus peace is tied to your person. In regard of our civil union, seeing your sacred person hath joined the wood of Israel and judah in one tree, that they shall be no more two peoples, neither be divided henceforth any more into two kingdoms, as the * Ez●k. 37. Prophet speaketh, I thought it seasonable to write of Reconciling of Brethren. And in respect of our Ecclesiastical union, sith your sacred self hath been our peace, in breaking down this partition wall of ceremonies and rites in this Church; so making of two one, and reconciling both to one God, slaying hatred thereby: I thought it bounden duty, and presumed to dedicate to the Reconciler of Christendom a work of Brotherly Reconcilement. An argument (gracious Sovereign) if ever and for any, now and for us, most needful and necessary, when not only the bands of brotherhood are dissolved among brethren, but sons also (as prophesied our Saviour) rise against their reverend fathers. How much the rather may I hope your royal clemency will put forth a gracious hand, and receive this Dove into the ark, that comes (shall I say from the waters of affliction?) with an Olive branch of peace and reconcilement in her mouth, sith she finds no rest for the sole of her foot, but on the ark of your testimony! wherein I rest, beseeching God still to bless you, with the head of Solomon, the heart of David, and hand of Gedeon; and fructify may he your work of union and Brotherly Reconcilement, that in this body humorisme purged out, in the feamelesse coat schism sewed up, and men in orders (indeed out of all order) brought into order, God may be served in verity by this Church, and preserved in unity till the coming of his son Christ jesus unto judgement. Amen. Greenwich this 27. of April. 1605. Your majesties most humble and loyal subject, EGEON ASKEW. A Preface to the Christian Reader. Beloved Christian, as a time was a 2. Tim. 4. 3. foretold, when men's ears would itch b Act. 17. 21. Athenian-like, for new things: so have they now according to their lusts, got them an heap of Writers, and there is no end in making many books, — tenet insanabile multos Scribendi cacoëthes, said a c Inuenal. Sat. Satirist of his days: and in ours we daily see voluntary offerers bring so much to the building of the tabernacle, that unless Moses should forbid them, Presses would be oppressed, and the world not contain the books that should be written. Wherein, as I cannot but tax our obscene Pamphleteers, who, ad prelum tanquam praelium, run to the Press as the horse rusheth into battle, where they are wounded with their own quills, when they publish their imperfections, and subscribe to their own folly: so gladly them I would excite, to bring their grain to the market, who d Prou. 10. 14. lay up knowledge in their heart, as that e Prou. 11. 26. hoarder did his corn in the ark: or wrap up their gifts in paper, as did the slothful servant his talon in a napkin, and make their commonplace books bigger, as he did his barns, where they may lay up in store their fruits for many years: for this night may they fetch away thy soul from thee, and then whose shall those things be that so long thou hast provided? Whosoever art called to labour in the vineyard, resolve with the master of the vine, joh. 9 4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. And seeing there is a voice by f Luk. 1. 63. Gal 4. 20. writing, as well as by speaking; and a preaching by g Amboverbun praedicant, hic quidem scripto, ille verò voce: & praedicandi scientia utrovis modo juuat, seu per manum, seu per linguam operetur. Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Str. pag. 1. pen, as by tongue: how can we think, but that the h 1. Cor. 9 16. neglect is attended on with a woe, and negligence with a ⁱ curse, when by neither we preach the Gospel? jer. 48. 10. In which respect, as it stands them upon, whose tongue like Zacharies is not unloosed, to ask with him for writing books, and write, saying: (for though their tongue cleave to the roof of their mouth, yet should not their right hand also forget her cunning:) So may they think it an k Pulchrum esse & honestum existimo, ijs etiam quiposteà faturi sunt bovos silios relinquere: ac filii qoidem corporum: animae autem sunt foetus, orationes▪ Clem. Alex. ibi. honest and comely thing, to leave good children of their mind to posterity, seeing sons are but of the body from mortal seed, and good books from the soul by the immortal seed of God's word. Are they too simple? why he who by the mouth of an Ass forbade the foolishness of a Prophet, hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Are they too weak in themselves? His power is made perfect through weakness: and he, who with five stones in David's sling overthrew strong Goliath, hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty things. Are they vile or despised among men? Why he who by the sound of Rams horns overturned the walls of jericho, hath chosen the vice and despised things of the world to bring to nought things that are; so mighty through God, though weak in themselves, are the weapons of their warfare, to cast down holds, and every thing that is exalted against Christ. Wherein, though the living spirit of speech quickeneth most, more than the dead letter of writing, whence Paul himself wished for writing, to speak unto the Galathians, that he might change his voice of the pen into a tongue, Gal. 4. 20. Yet when their bodily presence is weak, and their speech of no value, their writings may be forcible and strong. Neither let all think, 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 stir up spiritual Fathers to present their young samuel's 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 fear their oblation (though of goats hair) shall be rejected, when infirmissima, the weakest things are as necessary for the spiritual, as that was for the material 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 etiam Epicuro quoque qui estprinceps & author impietatis, quin etiam Hipponacti & Archilocho tam turpiter scribere concedendum est: ei autem qui veritatem praedicat, prohibendum est posteris utilitatem relinquere. lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus, to refuse the writings of good men & studious, & admit or licence them that are neither. Neither need any fear that of ours, which he addeth of his days. For my part, when I saw many rich men, cast of their superfluity so much into the Lord's treasury, I thought the widows farthing would be needless, and once resolved with m Lib. 3. adu. Pelag. Jerome in like case, to surcease from this work, lest I should pour water into the sea, or carry wood into the forest, as he speaketh, aut enim eadem dicerem ex superfluo: for that that is, hath been, and there is now no new thing under the Sun, aut si nova voluerim dicere, à clarissimo ingenio occupata sunt meliora. And indeed, to speak truth, this diseased Sermon, like the poor cripple at Bethesda, had kept its couch to the death, had not an Angel at a certain season, that troubled the water, put it down into the pool, and made it walk abroad. Whose first conception as it was sudden and too present: so, like the untimely fruit of a woman that perisheth before it seethe the Sun, might the womb have been its tomb, or at most like the Ephemeron Seg niùs irritant animos demissa per aures: Quàm quae sunr oculis subiecta sidelibus. Horat. have lived but one day, but that thinking it would profit more by the eye, than it did by the ear, many reasons forced me to publish it to the eye of the world, that was privately spoken in the ear of a College. Some it may be will ask me, — Amphora cepit Institui, current rota cur urceus exit? Horat. Why I extend it to a book 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 living water, but because of short meditation I had nothing to draw with, I have now drawn deeper of jacob's well, filled my water pot to the brim, and this abortive issue hath re-entered (as it were) into the womb, and been borne again. In whose second birth, I have, as Galen speaks of nurses, or midwives framed the unfashioned feature and limbs of this infant, before I durst presume to bring it to the church, and christian it in the Press with the name of a book. An argument (dear Christian) most needful for these jarring and uncharitable times: wherein I beseech my ecclesiastical brethren, in the bowels of Motives to Ministers, that they preach faith that worketh through love, and join necessity of works with their doctrine of faith. Christ jesus, that they would preach faith that worketh through love, and adjoin to their doctrine of faith the necessity of good works: more than some do, who by beating solely on sole faith, have made her solitary. O ye Priests and Ministers of my God, remember, the high Priest carried pomegranates as well as bells, and a pomegranate for every bell, when he went into the sanctuary of the Lord, Exod. 28. And so the high priest of our profession, his doctrine still was, Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire, Mat. 7. Those beasts in Ezekiel's vision, whereby the four Evangelists are prefigured, as not only ancient 1. The practice of Christ and his Apostlas. Fathers, but moderns observe, had hands as well as wings, and an hand for every wing, Ezek. 1. It was the Apostles, and even S. Paul's practice, who, and where, and to whom he stood most on justification by faith only, as in his Epistles to the Romans and the people of Galatia, when in the former part he had laid that good foundation of faith, omitted not in the latter end to build thereon gold, silver, and precious stones of good works. It was his strait charge to Titus, and in him to all Preachers: this 2. Paul's precept. is a true saying, and these things I would thou shouldst affirm, That they which have believed in God, might be careful to show forth good works; these are good and profitable unto men. I may adjoin what he addeth, And let ours also learn to show forth good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. Tit. 3. 8. 14. A doctrine, as necessary in all ages, so most needful in our times, 3. These lose and uncharitable t●●es. wherein works are changed of many into words, walking in goodness into talking of God, hands into tongues, and hearts into ears; that to cure the superstition, we neglect true devotion; and to avoid the opinion 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 other of many. Wherein the disease of our forefathers heads is so dangerously fallen upon our hearts, that whereas they having good hearts and b●d heads, being but children in understanding, might truly cry with the Shunamites boy, Mine head, mine head, and their mother could not help them. We having good heads and bad hearts, may cry out with jeremy in another meaning, My belly, my belly, I am pained at the heart: and every where barren faith like Rachel crying, Give me children, or else I die, give me works, or I am but a dead faith; yea she weary for her children, and will not be comforted because they are not. How much the rather should spiritual fathers open by these means 4▪ The slander of our Church. the womb of barren faith again, with whom as it did with old Sarai, it ceaseth to be after the manner of women, that God may take away her slander of barrenness and her rebuke among women: and having her quiver full of these arrows, she may be blessed before God, and not be ashamed when she speaketh with her enemies in the gate. A precept Apostolical, not duly enough practised of some, who A reproof of solifidian Preachers that teach faith alone to be sufficient to salvation think to make faith fruitful, as Gardeners do their Walnut tree, by still beating on the bowl▪ Whose tantum crede, only believe and thou shalt be saved, hath taught many to turn the grace of God into wantonness, & resolve with Eunomius, that faith without works will serve the turn. Of whose blind zeal and indiscreet speaking, good works like those workers may complain, Exod. 5. The Lord look upon you and judge, for ye have made our savour to stink among the inhabitants of the land, in that ye have put a sword in their hand for to slay us. O then Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their works? Get ye to your burdens. Lay upon the people the number of works which they did in time past, diminish nothing thereof, for they be idle, therefore they cry, saying, Only believe and we shall be saved, for all things are possible to him that believeth. Which 4. motives, as still they forced me in my speech to bid our Rebecca meet her spouse with bracelets as well as with ear-rings, seeing not the hearers of the law, but the doers thereof are justified before him, Rom. 2. 13. so▪ moved they me now to pen a tract (most needful for our times) of Brotherly Reconcilement, whereof none ancient or recent hath particularly (that I know) written or divulged, that james works might be joined with Paul's faith, and faith work through love in all Christian professors. Wherein, si fortè mihi vitio detur (as m Epist. in lib. d● Instit. reip. Patricius apologized his citing of many authors) if perchance I be blamed, especially of these idle make-bates, and gaping or idle cavillers, that I have taken most things out of Greek and Latin writers, and apply them to mine own use, I must answer them as he did such men, Me parum admodum fidei rebus meis facturum fui●se, si solùm authoritate mea niterer. And beside, it is the custom of all writers to mingle other men's things with their own, Tum ut certiora scribant, tum ut gratius iucundiusque legantur: or as n Idem ibid. Aphranius being accused that he had taken much out of Menander; I confess (saith he) I have taken, not only out of him, but out of every one that agreed to my matter, Quodcunque me non posse facere meliùs credidi. If next the Scriptures I have preferred the ancient Fathers to their children, Genus hoc sermonum positum in hominum veterum authoritate & eorum illustrium plus (nescio quo pacto) videtur habere gravitatis, as o De Amicit. Tully in like case spoke of his citing the ancient, 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 have I relied on men of yesterday, lest my word might want warrant, but on the ancient especially, that the multitude of years might teach wisdom in this tract: whereof, as I may truly like q Prefat ad lect. in lib. civil. doct. Lipsius of his sententious centons, confess omnia nostra esse & nihil, that all and nothing is mine: so justly do I fear the authors whom I cite, may return Marshal's apostrophe upon me, Sed malè dum recitas, incipit esse tuum, and their liquor running through so mean a channel, hath lost much of his sweetness. But of the manner enough or too Hunc ser●are modum nost●i novere libelli, Mart. much: for the matter itself, howsoever this mean book hath learned this mean, parcere personis, dicere de vitijs, yet some (as he r Lips. ibid. speaketh of that his book) homines malè acuti & callidi sensisse aut scripsisse me volent, quae per somnum non sensi non scripsi, will think I meant that which never came in my mind, referuntque pleraque omnia ad hoc unum aewm, & quae nos communiter diximus, sic volunt accip● 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: o angues, o viperae, fugio vos, fugio, & tamen vix effugio. Howbeit I may safely avouch with Saint s Ad Nepot. de vita Cleric. Jerome, Nullum laesi, nullius nomen mea scripturâ designatum est. Neminem specialiter meus sermo pulsavit. Generalis de vitijs disputatio est: qui mihi irasci volverit, ipse de se quòd talis sit confite bitur. I have striven against no man, but only his strife; maligned no man, but his malice; nor envied any, but his envy. Scio me offensurum esse quamplurimos, as t Ier●m. epist. ad rustic. Mo●ach. he said in like case, qui generalem de vitijs disputationem in suam referunt contumeliam, and they shall gain but what he addeth, Et dum mihi irascuntur, suam indicant conscientiam, multoque peius de se quàm de me judicant. Ego enim neminem nominabo: nec veteris comoediae licentia certas personas eligam atque perstringam. He subnecteth a good medicine for such sore backs, Prudentis viri est dissimulare, imo emendare quod in se intelligat, & indignari sibi magis quàm mihi, nec in monitorem maledicta regerere, saith jerom. Touching them that are loving & friendly to their brethren, as Plutarch when he offered his book of Brotherly love unto Nigrinus and Quintus agreeing brethren, said, Ad quae libellus cohortatur, ea vos iam agentes testimonio potiùs ornari quam officij admoneri videbimini: so this little book of Brotherly Reconcilement shall rather bear witness of their unity, then entreat them to that which willingly they do. For them that are factious folk and contentious, I easily understand I shall not please them, as u Ci●. ad A●tic 8. 15. Facilè intelligo p●gnandi cupudis hominibus me non satisface●e. he speaketh: howsoever, I pass little to be judged of such, or of man's judgement when I judge not myself. Only thee (gentle Reader) I would entreat, that what Socrates thought of Heraclitus his obscure book, thou wouldst charitably think and say of mine, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what I understood is good, and I hope that which I have not understood. * Quin & ampliùs fitis tog●ti pro indulgend● venia, si ●licubi repe●etis nos aliquos imperere, aut cavillis incessere, quum alias hunc morem non habeamus. Etsi alicubi propter zelum adversus haereses, & ad avertendos lectores, exacerbati dixerimu● aliquos deceptores, aut circulatores aut miseros homine●▪ ignoscite: Epiphan. pra fat. in lib. haeres. If thou shalt find I touch some kind of men, and deride their ridiculous customs, which is not my wont, let me crave pardon for my want. If in hate and heat against the spirit of singularity and schism, and to avert the readers therefrom, being provoked, I have called some deceivers of minds, Puritans or Pruritans, bear with this zeal also: Ipsa enim necessitas adversus huius certaminis doctrinas instans, talem nobis sudorem efficit, & ut lectores avertantur, as saith Epiphanius in not unlike case, I did it because sinful schism is impudent; and having a whores▪ forehead, will not be ashamed till we spit in her face. In which respect, as I cannot hope for better acceptance of my widows mite than did x Prooem. in lib. 2. comment. in Oscam. Alij quasi parva contemnunt & quicquid dixerimus contrectare despici●it. Alij odio nominis nostri non res sed personas considerā●, magisque aliorum silentium quàm nostrum studium probant. Sunt quae audacter nos facere asserant etc. Quidam in eo se disertos arbitrantur & doctos, si alieno operi detrahant, etc. Jerome, of his much, cast into the treasury. Some will despise it as a thing of no value, and whatsoever we writ, disdain to read it: Others in hatred of our name consider the person not the thing, & more commend others silence then our endeavour: some count us bold for handling a matter never written of before: some think themselves skilful and learned, if they can detract from other men's labours, & non quid ipsi possint, sed quid nos non pos●umus dijudicent: so may I justly wish with Lucilius, that neither the best nor worst learned might be my readers, because they understand nothing at all, and these more than perchance I do mean. Cicer. y lib. 2. de Orat. Perseum non curo legere, Laelium volo: Perseus is too learned, honest and not unlearned Laelius I wish for my Reader. And now thee I entreat (good Christian) if thou hast not written, suspend thy censure, till thou know what it is to write and be buried in a dead letter of less delight and persuasion: if thou hast written, yet suspend thy judgement, till thou meet with a matter wherein thou hast every man, and yet none for thy help. It is an easy matter to change an Author è Graeco in Latinum from his Athenian cloak into a Roman gown. A more easy matter, like Chrysippus, to take Euripides his Medea, and concealing his name, make it our own Tragedy, as some do. I speak not this to tax others, or commend myself: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, was the brag of a proud Painter: that thought be far from my heart: only I tell Momus, Carpere vel noli nostra vel ede tua. If I have done well, Martial, Epigr. and as the story required, it is the thing that I desired: let God have the praise, thee the profit, and me the pains. But if I have spoken slenderly and barely, (as thou shalt perceive) it is that I could. The God of peace enlighten thine understanding, and sanctify thee throughout, that after thou hast enjoyed the peace of conscience, thou mayst possess that eternal peace of God in the heavens. Amen. Thine in the Lord, Aegeon Askew. BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT. MATH. 5. 24. Go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother. THose a Mat. 23. 13. Porters of the kingdom, who had taken away the Key of knowledge, Luke 11. did with their forged gloss (that b Bulling. conc. 39 in Apoc 9 1. Doctrina adulterata est clavis adulterina. false key) so wrest the lock and sense of the Law, that sooner they could enter those c Deuter. 29. 29. secreta jehovae, the privy chamber of God's secret counsel, then open these revelata, the presence-chamber of his revealed will. For whereas Law was not only d Rom. 7. 12. holy, to bind the hand from the action of bloodshed, Leuit. 19 18. but e Vers. 14. spiritual also to bridle the heart from the affection of hatred, vers. 17. the Scribes and expounders of the Law (whose f jer. 8. 8. pen it seems taught falsehood by tradition) misconstruing the turbulent passions of anger, malice, and envy (as g Bellar. lib 1. da statu p●ccat c. 3. 9 12. Papists now do) to be but h Chrysost Homil. 11. open imp. in Math. 5. sic glossord. Calvin. muscul. Chem. Aret. Bez. Pisc. Ferus & Quill. in Mat. 5. expon. least matters of the law, Mat. 5. 19 20. restrained by their gloss the sixth precept, Thou shalt not kill, to the outward act of murder, vers. 21. and openly professed out of, not i Math 23. 2. Moses chair, but their stool of k Psalm 94. 20. wickedness, whereon they imagined mischief for a law, yea publicly proclaimed (as if not l 2. Corint. 3. 15. their heart alone, but m Acts 28. 27. eyes too, in reading of n Leu. 19 17. 18. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, nor remember injuries. Moses had been covered with a veil) that this outward action of killing only, and not these inward motions of the mind were forbidden in this commandment, as o Nic. Lyra in Exod. 20. 17. & Mat. 5. ●● Lyra a jew by offspring out of their own p Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 13. Antiquarian well observes. Thus these text-corrupting glosers staying their superficial knowledge in the utter court and dead letter of this precept, nor once entering into the spirit, and holiest of all, measured murder but with the span of a bloody hand; and meet out homicide with the Esay a 58. 4. stroke of the fist of wickedness. Thus like the●● b Esay 8. 17. fathers they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉ng to the dead: and Mez 〈…〉- like 〈◊〉 the living spirit of this precept to the dead letter of the law, they stifled the life thereof with the dead character, they murdered its soul with the kill letter, and made the commandment of God of no authority by their glozing tradition. Wherefore our Lord thinking it now time to put to his hand, seeing they had destroyed his law, purgeth it from their glosses, as he did the c Mat. 21. 12. Temple of the buyers and sellers: and opening with his Key of knowledge the meaning of his Father's will, quickeneth the dead letter of this precept with the spirit of truth; who laying his axe not only to the hands and branches of the tree; but even to the heart the root of bitterness, both chains up thereby an Herodian d Luk. 13. 31. 32. fox from violence or blood, and in him also takes the e Cant. 2. 15. vid jun. & Fen. little foxes, anger, hatred and malice, which lurking in the den of his heart would eftsoons destroy the vine, and like f judg. 15. 4. 5. sampson's foxes set all on fire: proclaiming with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from heaven, that even an ireful heart, a disdaining gesture, and a reviling tongue, as well as bloody hands, are guilty of murder and culpable of judgement. Ver. 22. But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be guilty of judgement: and whosoever saith to his brother, Raca, shall be guilty of a Council: and whosoever shall say Fool, shall be guilty of the gebenna of fire. This heavenly gardener (if so with g john 20 15. Coherence of the text. Mary I may suppose him) having thus extirpated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and plucked up murder by the roots, in weeding out those Fibras and roots of bitterness, vers. 22: he now plants the herb h Plin. hist.. 〈◊〉 lib. 14 cap. 19 Philanthropos or brotherly love in the ground of their hearts, vers. 23. 24. to cure their malice, the King's evil of the soul (so i In Eph 4. chrysostom calls it) as that vegetive healeth the King's evil of the body, as k Rimb. D 〈…〉. l. 4 plant. ca 74. Herbalists observe. Where seeing the l M●st in Mat. 5. 23. ● pharisees to misconceive like their m Esay●●. ●. 〈◊〉 ancestors, that the Almighty would be pleased with their legal oblations, though their hearts as the others hands were full of blood: he prescious of their thoughts, preventeth their excuse, and doth anticipate their supposal in the sequent verses, If then thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember'st that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift: agree with thine adversary quickly, etc. The brief and sum whereof I have here selected for the theme of my future discourse, Go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother: paralele whereto in sense are these words immediately subnected, vers. 25. Agree with thine adversary quickly; for agree, here is be reconciled; for adversary, brother; for quickly, first. In which precept of our Saviour, we may observe The general division of the text. a dismission from the altar, Go thy way: secondly, a commission of two, be reconciled to thy brother: thirdly, this without all intermission, first, Go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother. Touching the first, if this dismission seem so indefinite, that like First, the dismission, go thy way. a john 6. 68 Peter thou askest, Master, to whom shall I go? He tells thee thy whole arrant, Mat. 18. 15, If thy brother trespass against thee, go thou unto him, and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he hear thee, thou hast won thy brother. If thy brother of generation or regeneration by nature or grace, trespass in word or deed, saith a b Aret. in hunc locum, & Bez. writer, by injury or conturnely, saith the c Interl. in hunc locum. gloss, against thee, that thou d Aug. ser. 16. de verb. Dom. only knowest it; go, if he be absent, beyond the sea (saith e Lib. 1. de serm. Dom. in monte cap. 20. Austin) that much water must not quench the fiery coals of thy love, nor the floods drown it: but go, non pedibus corporis, sed motibus animi, though not with the sole of thy feet, yet with the feet of thy soul; and at least ( f Ibid. cap 20. saith he) thou must resolve with thyself that so soon as opportunity of Go. going unto him shall offer itself, thou wilt be reconciled. But if propinquity of place will opportune thine intent, go thou servant with reverence to thy master, thou companion lovingly to thy fellow, thou master with authority to thy servant, saith a g Guiliad. in Mat. 18 15. Thou. writer. But vade mansuetus go in all meekness, with a cool temper of rebated heat: for as fire cannot be quenched with fire, so neither (saith h Homil. 59 in Gen. 33. chrysostom) can fury be allayed with fury, sith meekness and lenity assuageth the hot fit of anger, as water extinguisheth combustion. And indeed the reason why in quenching civil garboils and domestical combustions, we often for water add fuel to the fire, and oil to the flame, is, quod ira 〈…〉 irati ipsi obiurgamus, saith an i Plut. de ira cohibend. heathen, because in our anger 〈◊〉 chide our brother's anger: Et quae per iram sunt peccata in ea per iram 〈◊〉, and under pretence of correction, in our anger r●ufige the office which through his anger he gave us: as if one could see a Matthew 7. 45 clearly to pluck out the more in his brother's eye, who hath a beam in his own. Hence some heathens would not adventure their speech in reproof or command, till their fury was past and anger abared. It was the lesson of Athenodorus the famous Philosopher, which at his departure from Rome he gave to Octavius: Si succencere contingit o Imperator, etc. If thou chance to be angry o Emperor (saith b Plut. Apoth. in sinc. he) say over the 24. letters of the Greek Alphabet before thou burst forth into speech. Hence others durst not in their rage trust their hands with the rod, nor would fit corrections among their families, nor come with a rod when they could not in the spirit of meekness: Caederem te nis●ir ascerer, I would beat thee if I were not angry, said c Senec. lib. 1. de ira. cap. 15. Socrates to his servant: Non ausus est se irae committere, saith my Author, he durst not trust himself with anger. Plat● his scholar took out that lesson in his practice, d Senec. lib. 3. de ira. cap. 12. who being angry with his boy, and laying him on the block with full intent to beat him, when he had lift up his hand to fetch a blow, perceiving himself in some passion of anger, held it in suspense and would not strike: but being asked of one by, what he did, Exigo poenas ab homine iracundo, saith he, I am punishing an angry man and correcting his anger, Speusippus beat thou this youth for I am angry. e Plut. de ser. num. vindict. Architas of Tarentum was not unlike, who having found all things wrong in his field, perceiving himself grieved in mind towards his Steward, touched him not then, but only said departing: It is happy for thee that I am angry: or (as f Lib. de ira. cap. 18. L 〈…〉 tius doth relate it) Silly fellow, whom I had killed with blows, if I were not angry. If these Moralists, Philosophers of discretion, durst not in heat of their wrath proceed to correction of their servants, (which yet may seem peculiar and an act legitimate for anger) lest they should exceed the golden mean of correction and economical justice▪ much less may we in ou● bile and choleric passions march furiously like jehu to admonition of our brother, (which should be the purveyor of peace) lest for building we break down, for planting pluck up. & for salving his malady, gall the sores & ulcers of his soul: and therefore in policy and wisdom of the spirit sends the Apostle Lenity before, as Admonitions harbinger, to prepare for his coming. 2. Tim. 2. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in meekness not fury, God's servant must instruct, lest when admonition comes to be entertained, they will not receive him, because his behaviour is, as if he would go further. But of this more anon. To him. As thou like a good Physician must come, not with To him. coals but coolers, to allay the fever of thy brother's fury: so in discretion of time must thou seasonably apply thy medicinable instruction. For as Physicians forbidden (saith a Lib. 3. de ira. Seneca) to apply prescripts and medicines cùm morbus in accessu est, ac saevit, when the hot fit cometh, and paroxysm gins to rage: but then opportunely cùm se remittit, when it slaketh its extremity. So that Physician of the hot ague of anger, b Idem ibid. prescribeth this season for her receipt, not to admonish her when the hot fit is upon her, sed ubi tempore coeperit esse levior, when by some protraction of time her extreme heat and hate is abated. Primam iram non audebimus oratione mulcere, we dare not (saith c Senec. lib. 3. d●. ira, cap. 39 he) prescribe any receipt, or minister any precept to anger in her fit: he gives the reason, Surda est & amen, it is then deaf and mad, and will take no receipt, no not the balm of Gilead: but whether thou pipe unto her or lament, sing of mercy or judgement, like the deaf adder she stoppeth her eared, and will refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely, Psal. 58. 4. It was both deaf and mad in those stiffnecked Jews at Stephen's reproof, Act. 7. Deaf, for when their hearts braced for anger, they stopped their ears saith Saint Luke: and mad, for they ran upon him like mad dogs all at 〈…〉 e, and gnashed their teeth: though causelessly both deaf and 〈◊〉 at his now d Act. 7. coming to them with a rod, since e Act. 6. before with the spirit of meekness he could not prevail. Which season for angers cure we should the rather observe, because though all other evils of the body (saith f De ira cohib. Plutarch) admit remedies when the malady rageth, yet anger brooks no medicine when the mind outrageth, but like a fired house fills all full of smoke and fire, that none can see for the one, no● for fear of the other dare come to quench it. And therefore when Rebekah saw Esau on fire of hell, that he fumed toward his brother for the blessing, (Gen. 27. 42.) she wisely advised her son jaakob not then to go unto him and tell him his fault, but (as the a Rom. 12. 19 Apostle speaks) dare locum irae, to give place for a while to his wrath, vers. 43. My son (saith she) hear my voice, arise and fly to Haran to my brother Laban, and tarry with him awhile till thy brother's fierceness be assuaged, and then I will send for thee again. Right so (saith b Lib. 2. de jaakob & Esau, ca 4 Ambrose) if any through envy threaten and menace his brother, let patience like Rebekah (who by her counsel kept both the one brother from danger, and the other from his mischief) advise and persuade us to give place for a while to the rage of wrath, till seasonably we may mitigate her fury. And then indeed as jaakob when his brother's heat and hate was allayed, presented him fitly with c Gen. 32. 20. gifts, and with fair d Vers. 18. & cap. 33. 4. speeches appeased his wrath: so shall we observe the e Eccles. 3. 5. 7. Wise man's opportunity of time: To embrace and to be far from embracing; to keep silence and to speak, and our words thus spoken fitly for f Cicer. lib. 2. de Orat. time, person, and place, shall be like apples of gold with pictures of silver, Pro. 25. 11. The g ovid. lib. 1. de remed. heathen could see this in the twilight of nature: — accendas vitia irritesque vetando, Tempo ribus si non aggrediare suis. If thou do not in their right season reprove vices, especially wrath and anger, thou mayst sooner kindle than quench them by correction; and therefore his advice is from nature's oracle to reprovers Dum furor in cursu est currenti caede furori. (he spoke it of love, but must more in hatred be observed.) Forbear to rebuke men in their fury and violent passions, for Impatiens animus nec adhuc tractabilis arte Respuit atque odio verba monentis habet, the impatient mind which is yet untractable hateth to be reform, and will cast thy words behind him: Aggrediar melius tum cùm sua vulnera tangi jam sinet, & veris vocibus aptus erit. The fittest time to pacify his wrath will be, when being somewhat appeased, he will suffer his sores to be touched and admit instruction: lest his ulcers (saith Serm. a 2. de resur. Dom. Bernard) being angered and exasperated more Phrenetici non solùm repellat, sed & mordere tentet medici manum, Like a mad man, not only he reject thy physic, but even seek to bite the hand of his Physician. It was a caveat given the primitive Church, and observed by ancient Fathers in those bloody times, Non corripere furentem tyrannum, not to rebuke a tyrant in his fury, lest that should more incense his rage against the Church. Which Christian policy (I think) they learned of Saint Paul, who in his Epistle to the Romans did not so much as touch Nero their bloud-thirsting Emperor, (but willed b Rom. 13. 1. every soul be subject to his power) lest that Lion (as wisely not in that, but truly in c 2. Tim. 4. 17. another Epistle he termed him) being awaked by reproof, should roar after his prey, and seek whom he might devour: only he willeth Timothy to pray for the appeasing of such wrathful Tyrants and Kings, that they might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, 1. Tim. 2. 2. Our Saviour hath prescribed each reprover a semblable caveat, Mat. 7. 6. Give not holy things to dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, Why? lest they tread them under their feet, (saih he) and turn again all to rend you. By holy things and pearls he meaneth d Piscat. in Mat. 7. 6. schol. holy admonitions, called holy things, e August. lib. 2. de serm Dom. in mont. cap. 31. because they must not be spilled; and pearls, because not contemned: and these must not be misspent and spilled on dogs and swine, which in their woodness f Calvin. harm. evang. in Mat. 7. 6. admit no medicine, but g Chrysost. op. imperfect. hom. 17. in Mat. 7. vomit up their rancour at reproof, and by wholesome admonition become more sick then salved thereby, lest not only like swine they tread them under foot, sed illorum prebitorem persequantur, calumnijs ipsum impetentes & iniurijs afficientes, saith h Cap. 43. Coment. in concord. Eu●ng. jansenius, lest as mad dogs they turn again all to rend you: only then must we pray for the ass●●aging of their impetuous fury, that God may give them repentance to know the truth, and come out of that snare of the devil to amendment of life, 2. Tim. 2. 25. The child and son of God by nature and grace hath in spiritual wisdom observed this caution, and in policy of the spirit eschewed for a season the rage and wrath of the furious, as i Gen. 27. 43. jaakob fled from Esau, k Exod. 2 15. Moses from Phara●, l 1. Sam 27. 1. 2 David from king Saul, m 1 King. 19 3. Elias from I●sabel, Act. a 9 25. 2. Cor. ●1. 33. Paul from the Damascens, b Luk. 4 30. joh. 11. 54. and Christ himself from the jews, nec defuit eis refugium & consolatio, saith a Father, neither wanted they in this flight comfort for a city of refuge: for c Gen. 29. 13. 14 jaakob found favour in Laban's house, d Exod. 2. 22. Moses a rich father in law, e 2. Sam. 2 4. David the kingdom, f 1 King. 19 5. Elias an Angel to feed him, g Act. 9 27. Paul spiritual brethren to comfort him, and Christ the comforter. All these gave place to wrath for a season, and when it came, most of them seeing the wrath of their enemies allayed, fitted opportunity to pacify their fury. Therefore the faults of offenders (saith * Lib. de const. vis & vur. c. 8. Austin) must eftsoons crave silence for a season, (he means anger, wrath and fury) Vt aptiori tempore corrigantur, That in fit time they may be corrected: Ne exasperatus increpatione non proficiat, sed magis ex correptione scandalnm sumat, Lest the party exasperated by rebuke be not bettered, but more scandalised by unseasonable reproof. And this he thinks discretum silentium, a discreet silence, and * Augu lib 1. de Cinis. De●. cap. 9 consilium charitatis, the counsel of charity, and policy of the spirit. For as the * Carbo ad Pru 〈…〉. si● Hebr. cold and dead coal (saith Solomon) is to a burning coal, Pro. 26. 20. that is, augmenteth the heat (saith Hugo), so though thy heat be cooled, and thine anger dead out, yet if thou come to thy brother in the heat and flame of his fury, thou shalt but lay sticks upon his fire (saith Syracides) and increase the flame, Eccles. 8. 3. therefore his advice is wise, vers. 10. Kindle not the coals of sins when thou rebukest them, lest thou be burnt in the fiery flames of their sins. Neither offer to make friendship (saith Solomon) with the wrathful man, or man in his wrath, nor walk with the furious man lest thou learn his ways, and receive destruction to thyself, Prou. 22. 24. the frenzy and strength of anger like the city Ai (Josh. 8. 5.) must be won by retiring from it for a season. Go then to thy patient, not in his impatiency and hot fit of fury, but when the fever slacketh, and the heat is abated, and then Phisitian-like apply thy medicine to his malady, and Tell him his fault, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, reprove him, saith h Math 18. 15. Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell him his fault. sharply rebuke him, saith i Luke 17. 3. Luke. The Apostle in his charge to k 2. Timoth. 4. 2 Timothy joineth both these together, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, reprove, rebuke, as if he had said, after rebuke, where first reproof will not prevail, and then power in wine to search, when oil cannot salve. But in this private parley of pacification, the former must qualify the later, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprove him, or (as our english translation moderately rendereth that word) Tell him his fault, that is, saith l Comment. in Mat. 18. 15. Aretius, Lay his trespass before his eyes, the ground of his fault, the quality and quantity of his offence. Non quaerendo quid reprehendas, sed videndo quid corrigas, (saith m Serm. 16. d● verb. Dom. Austin) not prying what thou canst reprove, but marking what thou mayst amend. For n Chrysost. hom. 61. in Mat. 18. Christ here saith not, accuse, rebuke, ask satisfaction and punishment, but tell him his fault; as if he had said, o Brent. in Lex. 17. 3. Object not again contumelious terms; upbraid not the injury with reproachful words, but admonish him lovingly, reprove him friendly, and entreat him gently, that he do so no more evil entreat thee. Brethren (saith the Apostle) if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted, Gal. 6. 1. The Metaphor of restoring the Apostle borroweth from Surgeons or Bone-setters, (as p Heming. Aret. & Illyr. in Gal. 6. 1. some think) who softly handle a member out of joint, that more nimbly they may set it and restore the luxate member to his proper place: to teach them, who must Surgeon-like set and restore a member out of joint, to handle it warily and charily, with the spirit of meekness: that is, q Heming. ibid. not snappishly but gently, not with delusion but commiseration, not rigorously but meekly. And to induce thee thereto, the Apostle useth every word as a motive of meekness, for each is pregnant and persuasive saith r In hunc locum Illiricus. Brethren, whom sympathy should move to commiseration: if a man, whose human nature s Gen. 6. 5. Leuit. 6. 3. Hos. 6. ● as he is man, prone to err, slip, and be deceived, must of men be borne with and pitied: be overtaken, not through obstinatemalice, but Satan's subtlety and the flesh's infirmity: in any fault, which is no notorious fall from his God, but a slip toward his brother: you which are spiritual, t 1. Cor. 2. 15: discreet to judge all things, and u Rom. 15. 1. strong to bear the infirmity of the weak: restore such a one, not broken off from the body, but a little out of square: with the spirit of meekness, who himself being the comforter, is x Chrysostom. pleased with this lenity of reproof: y Calvin. with thy spirit of meekness, lest thy gesture be mild when thine heart is truculent and insulting: considering thyself, that thou art a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jam. 5. 17. man subject to like passions as he is, and must therefore have compassion on his infirmities, (as in natural passions z Heb. 2. 17. Christ our Lord was made in all things like his brethren, that he might be compassionate) that seeing thou mayst be tempted in all things that he is, thou mayst be touched with the feeling of his infirmities, as that holy father in Saint a Serm 2 de refur. Dom. Bernard, who hearing that his brother had trespassed against him, condoled his fall with this voice of pity, Ille hody & ego cras, he is fallen to day, and I shall (it may be) tomorrow: considering thyself by him, consider by thyself him, that is by thee, and mark every thing, saith Syracides, Eccles. 31. 15. Considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. Let us first consider saith b Lib 2 de serm Dom. in monte cap. 30. Austin, whether we have not, or had not, or might not have had the like fault: if none of these, yet tangat memoriam communis fragilitas, let us remember we are men subject to like passions, and there learn pity to temper our reproof to win a brother, and policy to cover the hook of admonition with the bait of pleasant speech, to catch a fish, and but tell him his fault. For although when with Peter, Luk. 5. we fish with the net to catch a multitude of fishes, we may and must utistrepitu & clamore, ut pisces cogantur in rete, as one speaks, c Esa. 58. 1. Cry aloud, and spare not to lift up our voice like a trumpet, and d Tit. 1. 13. rebuking them sharply, e Luk. 14. 23. compel them to come in, that his net may be full. (As he himself by this shouting drove those many jews into the net, and enclosed a great multitude of fishes, even three thousand souls, Act. 2. 41.) Yet when with him (Mat. 17.) we fish with an angle, Qua singularis est piscatio, & ad unum tantum piscem capiendum dirigitur, as the same author addeth, which is for one fish in particular, to convert a brother, and save a soul from death, we must not make great noise with rebuke, and outcries with reproof, but use silence and quietness of admonition: nor though we angle must we come with a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 4. 21. rod, but in the spirit of meekness; or if with the rod of the spirit, not bait our hook of admonition with judgement, and that f Mark. 9 44. worm that never dieth. Therefore do but tell him his fault saith Christ, restore him with the spirit of meekness saith his Apostle, count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother, 2. Thes. 3. 15. In this angling for one to win a brother, the heathen could see that clamours must be left, and the hook of reproof warily covered that no choler may appear. All care and diligence must be taken, saith g Cicer. lib. de Amu●t. he, Primum ut admonitio acorbitate, deinde obiurgatio contumeliae vacet, first that our admonition be void of bitterness, then that blaming be without reproach. And therefore h Dialog. de ira coh●b. Plutarch adviseth to use in this parley a point of Rhetoric, that if not translating the crime, yet extenuating his offence, we remove the fact farthest from contempt or violence, and rather impute it to some folly or lack of wit, to perturbation, to necessity, or some misfortune. For if thou bring him a glass only to show his deformity of life, allidet parieti, he will dash it against the wall, and his mote of anger will grow thereby to a beam of hatred, saith Austin. If thou blow the spark it will burn, if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched; and both these come from the mouth, saith the Wise man, Eceles. 28. 12. for as water cast into the fire when it flameth, extinguisheth the heat, so, saith i Homil. 50. in Gen. chrysostom, Verbum cum man suetudine prolatum, a word spoken with mildness cooleth the mind incensed with anger. Neither can the Physician (saith k Homil. 29 add pop. Ant●och. he) by all his sedulity suage so quickly his patient's fever, as the mild admonisher propriorum spiratione sermonum with the cooling breath of mild instruction allay the quartain yea quotidian ague of the impatients' anger. For whereas indeed the l Natura contumax est huma n●s animus, sequitur potius quam ducitur. Senec. lib. 1. d● clem cap. 24. mind of man is naturally stubborn, and rather willingly followeth, then with rough means will be led: and therefore Plus haec via proficitur, saith Seneca, it yieldeth with mildness, and with austerity rather breaketh than bendeth: so the same becoming more froward and perverse with perturbance, grows more impatient of check, and less hopeful to be won, Plus itaque proficit amica correptio quàm turbulenta accusatio, saith m Lib. 8. in Luc. 17. 3. Ambrose on these words: more therefore is anger assuaged by a friendly admonition then by a turbulent accusation. Tell him his fault then, and go to him not with a rod, but in the spirit of meekness; and surely such friendly breath warmed with coals of love, like summer air openeth the pores that itself may enter: but if it be too sharp like cold winter air, it obdurates the skin, shutteth the pores, and stoppeth its own ingress and entrance. Go not with a Prophet's denunciation, but with the Apostles obsecration; go not like Barrabas a son of confusion, but like Barnabas a son of consolation; go and power in not wine to exasperate his ulcers, but oil of love to salve his bile; go in the soft and still voice to angle for one fish, and go not in thunder and earthquake, but when thou shouldst drive a multitude into the net: if in either of these thou go to thy weak and fuming brother, with thy earthquake thou shalt break the bruised reed, and with thy strong wind inflame the smoking flax, do but tell him his fault. Between thee and him alone. Neither must this conference for concord, and parley of pacification be on the house tops before all Israel, but in the ear, between thee and him alone saith our Saviour: and therefore the Syriack Translator for reprove, useth a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abscondo. word which signifieth to reprove and hide, as a n Fabric. dict. Syrochald. Linguist observes. For indeed if thou divulge private injuries by a public reproof, thou art not a reprover but a betrayer saith o Serm. 16. de verb Dom. Austin: debate thy quarrel with thy neighbour alone, (the holy Ghost commands it by the mouth of Solomon) and discover not the secret to another, lest he that heareth thee put thee to shame, and thine infamy be irrevocable, Prou. 25. 9 For as p 1. Cor. 12. 23. nature bids every man put more comeliness on, and not publish his uncomely parts: so grace q Mat. 1. 19 taught joseph to cover Mary's secrets, and not make her a public example: and both may lesson thee to r Col. 3. 14. put on love s Mat. 22 12. the wedding garment, to t 1. Pet. 4. 8. cover a multitude of his private sins, nay all his trespasses, Prou. 10. 12. and rather with u Gen. 9 23. Shem and x Theodor. hist. o●●l. lib. 1. cap. 12 Constantine to cover with thy cloak his faults from the eye of others, then like cursed Cham, if not uncover with thy hand his shame to the eye, yet discover with thy tongue his nakedness to the ear of all men. And therefore must thou debate the matter between thee and him alone, ut fama conseruetur, saith y 2. 2. Quaest. 33 art. 7. Thomas and z Ju Mat. 18. quas●. 97. Tostatus discussing this by question, that his name be not defamed, and by open rebuke through shame apologize his offence, saith a Com. in Mat. 28. 15. Jerome, and Saint b Serm. 16. d● verb. Dom. Austin. And as Christ here by precept enjoineth us all to respect in private reprehensions the fame of our brethren: so have the godly practised it even in their public rebukes, and tendered the name of their sisters, witness Saint Luke, who uncovering Mary magdalen's faults, discovered not her name, but only saith, Behold there was a woman a sinner in the city, Luke 7. 37: but Saint Mark recounting her devout service and sweet ointments bestowed on Christ's burial, published her proper name: Mary Magdalen, saith he, not a woman, but Mary Magdalen brought sweet ointments that she might embalm him, Mark 16. 1. Contrary to the practice of some, dealing with their brother as the jews did with Christ, who being forced with common rumour and report to admire his miracles, yet of envy would at least conceal his name, Hic homo, This fellow doth many miracles, john 11. 47. not jesus of Nazareth, but this man: and, the c john 12. 19 world goeth after him. But when they wrote the title of his feigned crime on the tree, then of malice they published his name, and cried it at the cross, not with Hic homo, but jesus of Nazareth King of the jews, john 19 19 and that in three most famous tongues, Hebrew, Greek and Latin, that it might be understood and read of all men; yea in Capital letters they made it plain, that (as the d Abak. 2. 2. Prophet speaketh) all men might run and read it. Thou must rather follow thy heavenly Father, who reproving Psalm. 50. 22. the wrath of the wicked, to win him to peace, tells him as it were between them two alone, These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue, therefore thou thoughtest wickedly, that I am such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set before thee the things that thou hast done, not before others, but before thee, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before thine eyes, not in the sight of all men, or as the word, I will set, importeth * Calu. & M●ll. in Psal 50. 21. rather, I will show thee a catalogue of all thy sins: to teach us that we also show our brother only the bill of his offences, and not reckon the score before all men, lest he either for shame deny the debt, or in anger and impatience defer the payment, and run more on the score. Between thee and him alone. And if thus seasonably thou minister medicinable instruction to thy distempered brother, thou shalt cure his fever if he receive it, and shalt win thy brother, saith our Saviour. He saith not, thou shalt win satisfaction and recompense for his wrongs, but thou hast won thy brother, saith Hom. 62. in Mat. 18. 15. chrysostom: showing thee thereby that this enmity was loss and de●riment to you both, to the one of his brother, to the other of his own salvation, and by thy means both shall be recovered, an helpful brother to thyself, and an obedient son to his heavenly Father. This is Christ's dismission in my text, Go thy way, amplified by that whole arrant in the 18. of Matthew, If thy brother, by nature or grace, trespass, by word or deed, against thee, that thou only art conscious of his offence; go, in body, if he be near, or in mind if he be far remote: thou in thy tempered mood, to him in the season of his abated heat, & tell him his fault, in the spirit of meekness between thee and him alone, tendering his fame; that if he hear thee, thou mayst win thy brother. Thus Laban sought reconcilement with jaakob, Genes. 31. Examples of the doctrine. 44. jaakob with Esau, Gen. 33. jacob's children with joseph, Gen. 50. 17. and even cursing Shime● with David, 2. Sam. 19 19 And of all other, famous is that going of Abraham to Lot, who sought reconcilement of his nephew, and came to this quarreler like the Dove with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth, Gen. 13. Let there be I pray thee no strife between me and thee, neither between my herdsman and thine, for we are brethren, for we are brethren; and if these sugared words cannot win him to peace, see how he yieldeth him the choice of his own inheritance: Is not the whole land before thee, take which hand thou wilt, Pacis studio de suo iure cedit, saith f In Gen. 13. junius, He goes to buy peace with resignation of his own right▪ O si invenem aliquem Iuristam adhibuisset in consilium, saith g Coment. in Gen. 13. Luther, O if he had asked counsel of some young Lawyer, he would have advised him not to go to Lot for unity, but to law for the lot of his inheritance: he would have counseled him not to yield an inch, but have urged his right unto him, and * Apices legum. every jot and tittle of the law: that to him was made the promise of the land, that this right must be kept and defended, lest he injury not himself alone, but wrong his posterity, and impose perpetual bondage upon his children: an honest and fair speech in show, but because it maketh not for concord, it must be rejected, though it seem to be drawn from the bosom of the law. I wish our contentious te●●ers, Quibus trina non sufficiunt fora, (as use, reproving going to law, when we should go to our brother for faults and trespasses. Seneca speaketh of such) whose strife three Courts (I may add threescore terms) cannot decide, would follow Christ's precept or Abraham's practice, and go to their brother for peace, rather than to the bench for pacification. If their brother trepasse against h Lib. 2. de Ira. cap. 9 them, they go their way indeed, but the way of peace have they not known, when for trifles they go to law one with another. For as Christ here bids them go to their brother, so Solomon forbids them this going to the bench, Prou. 25. 8. Go not forth hastily to sue any man, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame, but debate the matter with thy neighbour. They go indeed, but they run when they were not sent, for our Saviour bids them stay at home, Math. 5. 40. If any man (saith Christ) will sue thee at the law and take away thy i Luke 6. 29. cloak, let him have thy coat also, which is nearer unto thee, yea thy very shirt, saith k Coment. in Mat 5. 40. Aretius. Let them hear the Apostles check, expounding his Master's meaning, 1. Corinthans 6. 7. Now this is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another, why rather suffer ye not wrong? why rather sustain ye not harm? If they will not hearken to the mouth of wisdom, what their Advocate with the Father teacheth, let them hear the tongue of policy, what the advocate for their brother pleadeth▪ let them both hear how with other men's mouths they bite and devour, yea consume one another, that if the Gospel cannot school them in this Christian precept, the Law, I say the law may be their schoolmaster to bring them to Christ: not that with the Anabaptists I make a question, whether Christians may go to law; for the Apostle allows it in lawful manner, 1. Cor. 6. 4. and the l P. Martyr. & Gualth. in 1. Cor. 6. quaest. an liceat Christianis judicio experiri. learned have put it out of question, no, Currat lex & ●●uat Rex, as the proverb ruuneth, The King by judgement 〈…〉eth the country, Prou. 29. 4. and we know it true of both divine and human, m 1. Tim. 1. 8. that the law is good if a man use it lawfully. But we should not go forth hastily to sue any man, saith Solomon not for toys and trifles saith Gualther, but use it as physic for those diseases which cannot otherwise be cured. For as he not only spends his purse, but spoils his constitution, that 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his stomach, which by a walk might be 〈◊〉 ●● he also not only mis-spendeth his 〈◊〉, bu● distempereth his mind, that goes to the Counsellor for every offence that he stomacketh, if by this going to his brother it might be amended. And indeed if n Lib. 3 d● Rep. Plato thought it a sign of a distempered body politic, when the citizens run much to physic, and go often to law: how much more are their minds out of temper, when for the one the Physicians shops (as he addeth) are needlessly, and for the other the Lawyers courts causelessly set open? The more blame and reproof deserveth he, who (as that Philosopher addeth) not only spends in law the greatest part of his life, being now a Plaintiff, now a Defendant, but in his foolish mind thinks to win credit and reputation by his strife; that though he wrong others with his will, yet by his wit can wrangle and wind out himself through his quirks of law, and draw others before Magistrates, Idque sapenumero exiguarum a●q●e vilissimarum rerum causa, and that often for very toys and trifles of offence: surely as such a one may kill his brother with the law, so shall he find it at his death a kill letter to his conscience, a dead letter to his good name, and may justly expect that wranglers Epitaph at 〈◊〉 specilog. in Pro. 20. 3. Milan to be set upon his tomb, joh. jac. Triultit●● qut nunquam qui●uit, nec alios quiescere passus est, hic tand● qui●scit ipse, Here rests he in mould, that took no rest for gold, nor suffered them to rest that would. How much rather shouldst thou follow p Pro. 3. 29 30. Salomon● advice, to intend no hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doth dwell by thee without fear; neither strive with 〈…〉 useless when he hath done thee no wrong: or if he hath done thee some wrong, yet go not forth hastily to sue any. Me thinks this good Physician counseleth thee to walk within doors, and take some kitchen physic of thy brother, before thou go to that hall physic, which will purge thy purse be so reit ease thy stomach. We see how our Saviour the best Physician, adviseth thee first to go to thy brother if he trespass against thee; and if he will not hear thee, then tell it to the Church, Math. 18. We see Abraham took this word Brother for his advocate to end strife betwixt him and Let: and we hear how many impo●etishe●●y long law (like the q Mark 5. 26. woman that was twelve years in the physicians hands) have suffered many things of many judicial Physicians, and have spent all that they had, and it availed them nothing, but became much worse, and at last were feign to take this Lawyer for their Attorney, as she did Christ her elder brother for her Physician. It is indeed these Possessives meum & tuum (propieties banished out of Plato his commonwealth) which sets us all by the ears, while every man looks on his own things, and not on the things of other also. Howbeit if that Christian community which those primitive Christians enjoyed, Acts 2. or if that unity of mind and heart, wherein they joined, Acts 4. or (as the r Aristot. lib. 8 Ethic. moral Philosopher could observe) if charity reigned among men, all laws and statutes should be superfluous, and lawmakers might hang up their net, or weave the spider's web to catch flies: but seeing neither that community among men (who look on their own things) nor yet common unity with them (who look not on the things of other men, but to lust after them) is so to be expected, but that some will sue thee forty coat, Math. 5. 40. yea strive with thee causeless when thou hast done him no wrong, and that nullo proposito lucro, contendendi tamen study, not so much for his profit contend, as for thy disprofit through contention, as an s Plut. lib. de Frat amor. heathen in his days observed of some: better it were for thee in policy and discretion to follow Saint Paul's counsel, Rather to suffer some wrong, rather to sustain some harm, than (as a t Beaux. harm. evang in Ma●. 5. 40. writer noteth) for to win thy coat, to lose thy cloak, and other clothes also: for adiudicent tibi licet tunicam (saith he of their Lawyers) non prius tamen quam & pallium & omnia tua exsuxerint, although they adjudge thee thy coat, yet not before they have themselves gotten thy cloak and all thou hast. I speak not this to dam up the currant of justice in legitimate decisions, but only to persuade by Christ's precept and Abraham's practice to go to thy brother who hath offended thee, before thou run to the bar for mends of the offence. I speak it, not to give this water any passage in the Court, no not a little, least like that water in v Cap. 47. Ezechiel, at first it be but to the ankles, but afterward grow up to the knees, and after to the loins, and in fine prove a river which cannot be passed over. For the beginner of strife openeth the waters, faith Solomon; therefore or ever the contention be meddled with, leave off, Prou. 17. 14. I speak it to persuade thee to stand pausing at this river Rubicon with x Suet. in vita Cas.. 〈◊〉. 31. ● C●sar, before thou plunge thyself in this water of Marah & contention, Etiam adhuc regredi possum●●, Brother yet we may go back again to our home, and not open the waters upon ourselves: Quod si ponticulum transierimus, omnia ●●mis agenda erunt: But if we pass through this river, we cannot go back till one or rather both be undone. Take heed then of opening these waters, beware of Caesar's rash resolution, Eatur quo inimicorum 〈◊〉 vo●at ●acta est alta, Let me go whither mine adversaries trespass calleth me, the dice is thrown, come what will come of the hazard and chance: perchance ye shall both play so long at the bar till the box have all. Neither speak I this to censure the plea of the faithful Advocates, but only to dissuade wranglers from their unlawful lawing; and rather go to their brother for the wrong, lest they meet with an ambidexter Attorney, who like him taxed in the Epigram. z Martial. lib. 1. Epigram. 96. Quod cl●ma● semper, quod agentibus obstrepis Heli, No● facis hoc gratis; accipis ut taceas: Either furbisheth up an old rotten cause with colour of troth, and with clamorous eloquence sets a good face on a bad matter, or through mercenary silence betrays undertaken equity: much like a Aul. Gell. l. 11 n●ct. attic. cap. 9 Demosthenes the Counsellor, who being entertained in the plea of the Athenians against the Ambassadors of Miletum, first day indeed pleaded hard against them, but when at night they had bribed him, uti ne contradiceret, that he would not plead against their cause; the next court day coming forth to the citizens with much fur about his neck, he told them & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pati, that he had caught a cold, and had so lost his voice that he could not speak a word against the Milesians. No Demosthenes (cried one of the company) Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pateris, thou hast not caught cold but gold, and that hath taken away thy voice. Neither concealed be afterwards this corruption, but vaunted of it proudly, saith mine author; for ask Aristademus the actor, for how much he sold his speech, and he told him for a talon; but I (saith he) have sold my silence for more. I speak this, that thou wouldst rather go to thy brother and make up the breach at home, then to it, that for stopping up one hole in thy state, will perchance make a greater gap in thy condition. For howsoever our gracious Sovereign (as the report goes) hath limited fees, and bounded the dependence of cases in the Court, yet thou perchance may either meet with one of those sour insatiable b Prou. 30. 16. gluttons, which cry, Give, give, and never say, It is enough: or at least with one that can spin out the thread of a suit so long, till thou wilt want waif: or if he weave the web to day, can by craft like Penelope, unweave it to morrow. Thou mayst meet with a procrastinating, or rather proterminating Advocate, who like him Prou. 3. 28. will say unto thee every day, Come again to morrow, & will procure thy strife till the next, when this term he might procure thy peace, because he hath an action to thy purse, as the adversary to thy land: Saepe causas tam diu deferunt, ut litigantibus plusquam totum auferant, saith c De visit. hum. conduit. Innocentius of such pleaders, Often they defer the cases so long, that they beggar their clients: he gives the reason, quia maior est expensarum sumptus quàm sententiae fructus, because they spend more in the plea than the judgement and sentence will profit them: Nec terminantur negotia pauperum (saith he) quousque eorum marsupia sint evacuata, neither is the poor man's suit ended till his purse be drawn dry. Not as though all delaying of suits were altogether to be condemned, saith d Coment. in 1. C●r. 6. quaest. supra cit. Peter Martyr: for often in courts of judgement many things by delay are detected, which through the craft and subtlety of wranglers were concealed: and as truth is the daughter of time, so may a judge like e Cic. lib. 1. Offic. Maximus, who (cunctando restituit rem) by deferring of judgement bring things to light which were hid in darkness. Which protraction of cases should yet so deter you from the bar, ne litigatores expilentur, as he speaketh, lest the suitors purse be peeled: that rather ye should go to your brother to beg, then to the bar to buy peace at so high a rate. The cost and charges whereof did so affright Themistocles, that f Aelian. var. hist. lib. 9 ca 18. he plainly confessed, that if one showed him two ways, the one leading to hell, and the other to the bar, he would far more willingly take that way which leadeth to hell; too sharp a censure indeed against the court of justice. I rather from Christ here advise thee, that if thy b●other trespass against thee, first go unto him for amends, or if he hath aught against thee pro contumeli● affectione, pro corporali l●sione, pro fam● denigratione, pro anim● l●sione, pro temper alium substractione, as g Co 〈…〉 ns▪ in Mat. 5. 24. Hugo speaketh, either for hurting him in his body, or impeaching him in his name, or impairing him in his soul, or impoverishing him▪ in his goods▪ go thy way unto him first. And thou litigious quarreler, who hadst rather ride an hundred miles to the law, then go a furlong to thy brother for agreement, let me say unto thee, as our Saviour doth in the next words to my text: Agree with thine adversary quickly, if thou canst not quickly, before two or three friends or daies-men at home, yet while thou art in the way with him in thy long journey, lest thine adversary deliver thee to the law, and the law deliver thee to the corrupted Advocate: verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast spent the uttermost farthing. Go to thy brother. The private profit whereof, as it may much allure us, so 2. Use, exhorting to go unto our brother. should our Lords command more enforce us thereunto; and that also be more forcible to all, seeing it comes with such emphatical authority, as, I say unto you, I who created you of nothing, I who redeemed you with my dearest blood, I who will crown you with glory if you obey, or clothe you with confusion if ye disobey my voice, I say unto you. This I, Abraham heard before the law, and in obedience thereof went to his brother for agreement, and showed thereby the effect of this law written in his heart: to shame Christian gospelers, if in this they follow not the steps of their father Abraham, who have both a menacing law to threaten the with judgement if they neglect, & a promising Gospel to reward them with mercy, if they hearken to the voice of this I. This one letter from Absalon's mouth was more persuasive to his seruant● in wicked designs, than all the tongues of men and angels besides▪ 2. Sam. ●3. Go and do it, Ego s●m qui pr●cipi●, for it is I that command you, and they obeyed him. It was but a bare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the tongue of Pythag●ras, which being tied to the ●ares of his scholars, like a small rudder, turned about the whole ship whither soever that governor lusted. It was I say unto you from the Centurion's mouth, that enforced soldiers to their duty, though a froward and stubborn generation, Mat. 8. 9 I say to one, go, and he goeth: and to another, come, and he cometh: and to my servant, do this, and he doth it. And surely as he spoke to the woman of Samaria, joh. 4. If thou knewest or remember'st rather who it is that saith unto thee, Go thy way to thy brother, if thou dost not run when he bids thee go, more art thou disobedient than Absalon's servants, more refractory than Pythagoras' scholars, and more undutiful than barbarous soldiers to their Lord, their master, and their Captain. Howbeit, if neither our Lords command whose will is our law, nor the practice of his servants whose steps we should follow, can induce us hereunto, yet for shame of our profession, and discredit of our Gospel, let Christians tread the steps of heathenish and ethnic folk; who but mere moralists, without divine law to instruct their understandings, without promising Gospel to reward their well doings, if in this point of Christianity they prevent us, shall go before us into the kingdom of heaven, and rise up in judgement at the last day and condemn us. We read, that h Plut. de ir● cohib. Aristippus the Philosopher in some choler raging towards Aeschines, when one by asked him, where is now your love and amity Aristippus? It is indeed asleep (quoth he) but I am endeavouring to wake it up again: and soon after meeting with Aeschines his said enemy, What (saith he) Aeschines seem I to thee altogether so desperate, ungracious, and incurable, that you think me unworthy of reproof for mine offence? No marvel replied the other, if thou being more discreet in all other things than I, didst in this also first move unity, and see what was best to be done. Though sometime with Aristippus we raise up our dead love, and waken our sleeping charity toward our brethren, yet in this to go to our foes and entreat agreement, we often come short of the pagan Philosopher; when his brother in a certain brawl threatened i Pl●tarch. ib. Euclid vengeance for his trespass, Peream, nisi te ulciscar, let me perish if I revenge not this wrong: he replied with words of oil, soft as butter, Ipse ve●●peream, nisi te ad c●ncordiam reconciliem, but let me perish, if I reconcile thee not unto me▪ If thus the Gentiles which have not the law▪ do by nature the things of the law, as the k Rom. 2. 14. Apostle speaketh, shall they not judge us who rest in the law, and know his will, nor only have this l 2. Pet. 2. 19 candle to be a m Psal. 1●9. lantern to our feet, but have also the day-star of the Gospel to go before us to Christ? Wherein yet it is a world to see, how the wisdom of the flesh beholding her wealth, & glory, and the bright angel before her, is afraid to go, and like balaam's Ass stands still when she is driven. For as H 〈…〉 l. 18. in Mat. chrysostom noted a ridiculous Go greater ones to the less. custom in some fools, Qui expectant ut priùs salutentur ab ob 〈…〉 s, whose greatness expecteth that others first put off to them, or else they salute not the obvious, deeming (as o Arbore●s in Ma●h. another observeth) that their authority is impeached, their glory eclipsed, their dignity vilified, and their greatness diminished, if they prevent others in giving good-day. So is it as notable a folly in some men of note, when they stand so much upon their standing, that they deem it disgrace to their person, pre-eminence, and place, if they make themselves so cheap, as to become prolocutors for peace to their subordinate's. Wherein yet if they either remembered, that p Prou. 15. 33. humility goeth before honour, they would with Zach●●s come down from their height, and be q Rom. 12. 16. not high minded, but make themselves equal to them of the lower sort, and r Ma●ch. 23. ●2. humble themselves that they might be exalted: or if they considered the nature of honour, that it is s Arist. lib. 1. ethic. cap. 5. rather in the giver then in the receiver thereof, as their Philosopher teacheth, they would at the Rom. 12. 10. Apostles advice: In giving honour g● one before another for agreement; and count it a man's honour with Solomon, to cease from strife, Prou. 20. 3. And if Abraham would so descend from his greatness, as to go to Lot for agreement, the father of the faithful to a then faithless son, the heir of the promise to a brother without inheritance, the superior to the in●eriour, the signior to the junior, the uncle to his nephew, the master to his scholar, a Prophet and a Priest to a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. no●ice in knowledge, as a S●lu●e. ●●arrat in Gen. 13. Writer speaketh; surely whosoever will be the children of Abraham, must follow the steps of their father Abraham, and though elder, higher▪ and more learned, go first to their brother with oblivion of their years▪ descent from their dignity, and ignorance of their learning in this behalf. Neither must we with Charecrates in x Xenophon. l●. 2. de fa●t. & dict. Socrat. Xenophon plead Go lesser once to the great. iunioritie and indiscretion of years, expecting the elder to begin reconcilement: whom when Socrates by many reasons urged to speak first to his brother Ch●rephon, and prevent him with conditions of peace, Thou speakest absurdly Socrates, saith he, who willest me that am junior to begin, seeing good manners require that the elder go before. What? replied Socrates, doth not the junior when he meets him give his senior the wall, and riseth at his coming to offer him the better place? An times incipere ne turpe appareat, si prior fratri tuo benè agas? Art thou afraid to begin, lest it redound to thy shame if thou prevent thy brother in well doing? No, no, (beloved brethren) good manners it is in this, to go before our betters, and no shame to prevent our elders in well doing. Our Saviour without exception of age, degree, place, or person, sends each offender to seek reconcilement of his brother. Yea but thou repliest: (saith y Homil. 11. in Mat. 5. oper. imperfect. chrysostom) He hath hurt me, and I have not offended him, and therefore ought he to come to me, and not I to go to him. O, saith that Father, (for I suppose such a golden saying must needs proceed from a * i. A golden mouth. chrysostom, though it be counted a bastard) OH saith he, if thy Lord for the greater glory of thy salvation commands thee to make Go to thine offendor. friendship with thine offendor, being by him hurt, thou oughtest rather first to entreat him, that thou mayst get of thy Lord a double reward. One, because thou suffered'st the wrong: another, because thou first soughtest reconcilement. For if thou hast offended▪ & therefore entreated him, God will pardon thy fault, saith first thou intreatedst him, yet no reward shalt thou have, because being faulty thou besoughtest him: but if he hath wronged thee, and yet thou first goest to him for agreement, thou shalt have great reward. Hasten therefore to prevent thine enemy, lest thou foreslowing that opportunity of gain, he go before thee and catch thy reward. Yea Christ himself (saith that z Chrysost.▪ h●m. 17. in Mat 5. sic Theophilan Mat. 5. 24. Father) L●s●m remittit, sends the offended to his brother for peace, and seems to say to him, rather than to the offending these words of my text, Go to thy brother, if he hath aught against thee, he addeth not, justly, or injustly, but agree with thine adversary, whether he be the plaintiff or defendant, as the word in the Syriac imports a junius in Syriac. Test. Mat. 5 25. both. Neither saith he, reconcile thy brother to thee, as if he only sent him who had offended, but to show that he dismisseth the offended to his brother: he speaks in the passive, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, go thy way and be reconciled: which agreeth offendendi & offenso to both parties, whether offending or offended, as b Har●. evan. cap ●1. Chemnitius observeth on my Text. Which as he there doth but insinuate, so plainly expresseth he this meaning Mat. 18. 15. If thy brother trespass against thee (saith Christ) go thou unto him. So Abraham who had not offended Lot, but was wronged by him and his herdmen, went to him for peace, and first sought reconcilement, Gen. 13. 8. So c Gen. ●1. 44. Laban with jaakob, d Gen. 32. & 33 jaakob with Esau, e Gen. 45. 1. 2. 3. joseph with his offending brethren, first gins to make friendship. Yea God himself first seeks reconcilement with his enemies which dwell on the earth, 2. Cor. 5. 19 God in Christ (saith the Apostle) reconciled the world to himself, not God was reconciled, or reconciled himself, but he was the first mover of this peace, the agent of this amity, and reconciled the world unto himself, yea cometh unto them by his ambassadors, beseeching and praying his enemies to be reconciled; as if he entreated them to be forgiven and pardoned of their transgressions. Seeing then the King of kings goeth to his rebellious subjects for unity, the Creator to the creature, love itself to hatred itself, the potter to his vessel of earth, God to man, the Almighty to a worm crawling between heaven and earth; let us be followers of God as dear children, and find them who sought us not, and manifest ourselves to them that asked not after us, yea all the day long stretch forth our hands of fellowship and friendship unto a gainsaying people. I have heard some brag (saith f Tom. 5. serm. diligamus omnes ●id persequentes chrysostom) that they went not again to them, who but once did not respect them, which yet their Lord sibi gloriae duxit, counted his great glory. For how often did men spit at him? how often did they despise him? whom nevertheless he neglected not to beseech often with tears, as he did jerusalem, quoties volui, how often would I have reconciled thee, and thou wouldst not? And in imitation of thy Saviour say thou of thy brother, I will never desist to win thee from hatred, though an hundred times I get the repulse. For indeed as g Xenoph ibid. Socrates told the younger, and (it may be) offended brother, so doth thy Saviour here to thee; If I thought him fit than thee to begin this union, I would have commanded him to go to his brother: but seeing thou art more like to effect it, I say unto thee, If thy brother trespass against thee, go thou unto him to seek reconcilement. Go then like the Dove with an olive branch of peace in thy mouth: Is it peace my brother, is thine heart upright toward me, as mine is toward thee? Seek him, solicit him in the Apostles phrase, Peace be to this house, to this chamber, to this study; and if the son of peace be there, it shall rest upon him; if not, it shall return to thee again. Go offender, how mean soever; go offended, how great soever ye be: go your way in the spirit of meekness, and as h Gen. 43. 11. jacob advised his sons, Arise, go to the man, and take of the best fruit of the land in your vessel, love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, and meekness, the fruits of the spirit, and bring the man a present: that which ye have taken, carry back in your hands; that wrong which ye have done, carry in your mouths, lest it were some oversight: arise and go again to the man, and God almighty give you grace and favour in the sight of the man, that he may deliver you your brother: Go thy way. As thus thou art dismissed from the altar to seek reconcilement, 2. General part when, first. so must thou not return to offer there thy gift, till first thou be reconciled: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: first be reconciled, and then come and offer thy gift. O the admirable goodness of God, and ineffable love towards men, saith i Homil 17. in Mat. 5. 24. chrysostom on these words: He neglecteth his own honour, that he may move charity towards thy neighbour. Let my service be interrupted (saith he) that thy love may be restored: therefore bids he not, after thou hast offered, or before thou offer: but, thy gift being brought to the altar, and sacrifice beginning, go thy way, leave there thine offering before the altar, and first, first be reconciled to thy brother. Whereby (saith that Father) he teacheth us, that he counts charity the most acceptable oblation of Christians, and without it no Christian sacrifice he will accept. For hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and The doctrine. sacrifices as when his voice is obeyed? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of rams, 1. Sam. 15. 22. Hear o my people (saith k Psal. 507. God to the jews) and I will speak, hearken o Israel for I will testify against thee, l Vers. 8. I will not reprove thee for thine oblations and burnt offerings because they were not alway before me. m 9 I will take no bullock out of thine house, nor he-goates out of thy folds. n 10. For all the beasts of the forest are mine, and so are the cattle upon a thousand hills, o 11. I know all the fowls upon the mountains, and the wild beasts are all mine. p 12. If I were hungry I would not tell thee, for the world is mine and all that is therein. q 13. Thinkest thou that I will eat bulls flesh, or drink the blood of goats? No, no, r 14. offer praise rather unto thy God, and pay thy vowe● unto the most high. For as he is not a God of the dead letter but rather of the quickening spirit, so he rejects this shadow till the substance doth come. Almighty God in the first of Esay forgot his own people to be the children of jaakob, because they forgot this oblation of love to be the sacrifice of a God. Hear the word of the Lord ye Princes of Sodom, (saith s Esa 1. 10. he) hearken to the law of God o people of Gomorrhe: and asketh them in jealousy as hot a● fire, t Vers. 11. What have I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord? I am full of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts. I desire not the blood of bullocks, nor o● lambs, nor of goats. 12. When ye come to appear before me who required this at your hands to tread in my courts? x 13. Bring no more oblations in vain: incense is an abomination unto me: I cannot suffer your new Moons, nor sabbaths, nor solemn days, (it is iniquity) nor your solemn assemblies. y 14. My soul hateth your new Moons, and your appointed feasts: they are a burden unto me, I am weary to ●eare them. z 15. And whe● ye shall stretch out your hands. I will hide mine eyes from you and though ye make many prayers, I will not hear, for you● hands are full of blood. This was the herb and root of bitterness that put death in the pot; this was the dead fly that putrefied their ointment, and made their sweet odours and incense to stink. Thus loathed he the fat of their fed beasts, when their heart was as fat as brawn. Thus spewed he out the blood of their bullocks, when their hands were full of blood. Thus refused he the flesh of their lambs, when under this sheeps clothing they were ravening wolves. Thus checked he their treading in his courts, when entering into his house they looked not to their feet, but gave the sacrifice of fools. Thus abhorred he their new Moons, when the old man of malice was not changed, nor the new man of charity put on. Thus hated he their appointed feasts, when they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, feasts of love. Thus their sweet perfumes stinked in the nostrils of the most high: and their incense incensed his wrath when their hands were full of blood. And as he began that prophesy of isaiah in this first, so in the a Esa 66. 3. last Chapter with the same tune he ends it: He that killeth a bullock is abominable as if he slew a man: he that sacrificeth a sheep, regarded as if he cuts off a dog's neck: he that offereth an oblation approved as if he offered swine's blood: He that remembreth incense, is accepted, as if he blessed an idol, when his heart or as hands are full of blood. For he desired mercy more than sacrifice, and this knowledge of God more than burnt offerings, Hos. 6. 6. Thus he that is rather a God of the quickening spirit then of the dead letter, requireth more the quickening spirit of love, than the dead carcase of any sacrifice whatsoever. I hate and abhor your feast days, (saith b Amos 5. 2●. the Lord) and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. c vers. 22. Though ye offer me burned offerings and meat offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. d 23. Take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs, for I will not hear the melody of thy vials, till e 24. judgement run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty river. Wherewithal then shall I come before the Lord (saith his Prophet in the person of the people) and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calves of a year old? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? shall I give my first borne for my transgression, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? No, no, he hath showed thee, o man, what indeed is good, and what the Lord requireth rather of thee, surely to do justly, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God, Mich. 6. 8. This shall please the Lord better (saith David) than a bullock that hath horns and hooves, Psal. 69. 31. And to love God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself, is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices, saith David's son and Lord, Mark. 12. 33. Therefore would f Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. Abel be in charity with Cain before he offered: therefore would g Gen. 33. 3. 4. 20. jaakob be reconciled to Esau before he sacrificed: therefore would h Psal. 26 6. David wash his hands in innocency before he went to the altar: therefore would i Act. 10. & 11. Peter be in charity with the Gentiles before he preached: therefore would k Rom. 10. 1. Paul be in charity with the jews before he prayed. For l 1. Cor. 13 3. alms without love, it is not accepted: m Mat. 7. 22. Prophesy without love, it is not respected: knowledge without love, it is not approved: miracles without love, they are not regarded: burning martyrdom without love, it is as if it freezed: prayer without love, it is rejected, Esa. 1. 15. yea it is abominable, Prou. 28. 9 nay no less than abomination itself to the Lord, Prou. 15. 8. And it is impious that a wicked man in thought or deed shall come to pray, as the vain n Hesi●d. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plat. & ex Plat. Cicer. lib. 2. de legib. heathen could observe. This love than is the fire which purified Abel's offering, for want whereof putrefied cain's oblation: this is it which so judged between the clean and unclean, that whe● two were sacrificing at the altar, the one was received and the other refused. This is the sweet incense which perfumeth our sacrifice of praise and praying, and setteth them forth as the incense, and the lifting up of our hands as an evening sacrifice. This is the ointment & box of Spikenard which sweeteneth the calves of our lips, and maketh them better than a bullock that hath horns and hooves. This is the salt which like that in the o levit. 2. 13. law must season our sacrifice, without which it is unsavoury, Mark. 9 49. and without this (like the jews in the Prophet Hos. 5. 6) we shall go with our sheep and our bullocks (I mean our p Heb. 13. 15. prayers the calves of our lips, Hos. 14.) to seek the Lord and shall not find him, for he will withdraw himself from us: and though we stretch out our hands, he will hide his eyes from us: & though we make many prayers, he will not hear, if our hands be * Esa. 1. 15. full of blood. The reason whereof our Saviour gave the woman of Samaria: God which is a spirit, will be worshipped in spirit, and the hour cometh and now is (saith the Lord) when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for even such and none other requireth he to worship him, joh. 4. 24. Whether then we offer the sacrifice of prayer or thanksgiving, 1 Use, exhorting to unive before we pray in this must we lift up 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, jam. 3. 16. For q Eccles 34. 15 when one prayeth and another curseth, whose voice will the Lord hear? And indeed how canst thou ask God forgiveness of thy sins, when thou wilt not forgive man his offences? How canst thou beg reconcilement with thy heavenly 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 bitterness? He will ask thee (saith r Serm. 16. de verb. Dom. Austin) What hast thou here brought me? Offers munus tuum, & non es munus Dei, thou offerest me thy gift, and givest not me thyself for an offering. Thou prayest against thyself, and through malice makest thy prayers frustrate before thou dost make them: they are sin because not of faith; they are not of faith, because they wrought not through love. For if charity be (as s Serm. 24. in Cant. Bernard speaketh) quaedam anima fidei, as it were the soul of faith, or as the t jam. 2 26. Apostle more truly teacheth, spiritus fidei, the breath and pulse of faith, whereby we may feel if she be alive, and see if the maid be not dead but sleepeth, surely the divorce of these two which God hath so coupled together cannot be possible, but like Naomi and Ruth, they will live and die together. And therefore if thy prayer be not of faith which worketh through love, it doth but solemnize the funeral of thy faith, which thou before killed'st through hatred. And as it was no marvel (saith that Father) if Cain slew his brother, who had killed his own faith and brotherly love 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 te●ebatur, because though not yet he had killed his only brother, yet now had he slain his own faith, whose carcase and cation made his sacrifice stink in the nostrils of the Almighty. This then (saith u Ser. 166. da Temp. Austin) is the bond of peace, which both clerics and laics must bring with their sacrifice, sine qua non suscipitur sacerdotis oratio, nec pl●bis oblario, without which neither the Priests prayer, nor the people's praise is accepted with God. For seeing we must as well with one mind as one mouth praise and pray God the Father of jesus Christ, Roman. 15. 6. surely unless both (like those x Apoc. 8. 3. odours which were the prayers of the Saints) be kindled with this heavenly fire, they cannot ascend to the Lord of hosts, neither thence will he smell a sweet savour of rest. For as the Saints are said to praise God in choro, Psal. 149. that is, in unity of love, as the y Interlinear. in hunc Psalm. Gloss descants on it, and to sing praises unto him with timbrel and harp, in sign of concord and consort of love, as Lyra haps on those instruments of music: so must we with the elders, Apoc. 5. 8. when we offer up these odours the prayers of the Saints, have every one his harp, (which is a symbol of harmony, as z Comment. in Apoc. 5. 8. Aretius observes) 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 every Levite in the temple to praise the Lord, Psal. 134. 1. 2. he tells them, the blessing of the Lord is not given unto them therefore, till they all be one, vers. 3. The Lord bless thee, not, the Lord bless ye, but the Lord bless thee out of Zion. Plures hortatur ut benedicant, & ipse unum benedicit, saith a Euerrat. in Psal. 133. 3. Austin, he exhorts many to bless 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 unity they were assembled together, joh. 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 soul and one heart they conversed together, Act. 4. 31. So true was his promise which he made to them all, Verily I say unto you, that if two of you 〈◊〉 shall with harmony agree in any thing upon earth, whatsoever ye shall desire, it shall be given you, for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Math. 18. 19 And so needful it is that before we do offer the calves of our lips to our God, we be first united 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 pacify and appease him, I cannot tell (saith b Coment. in Mat. 5. 24. Jerome) whether after we may offer our gifts of praise and prayer unto God. And if this sacrifice without precedent unity be not accepted, 2. use, exhorting to charity before we communicate. much less mayst thou hope for acceptance of thyself, if when thou receivest the body 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 receive, there be dissensions among you, the Apostle tells you, this is not to eat the Lords body, but to eat of the bread and drink of the cup unworthily to your own damnation, 1. Cor. 11. 29. Let a man therefore first examine himself of his brotherly love and reconcilement; and till than not dare to eat of this bread and drink of this cup. We c Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 1. read that the ancient Romans ordained a feast, whereat men at enmity were reconciled: & if any jar was risen up among them, apud sacra mensae tollebantur, the breach was made up at that solemn feast by their friends, which therefore they termed Charistia. The Saints in the Apostolical times (whether they learned it from Christ's supper before the communion, or from the Apostles as most suppose) at their receiving of the Lords Supper, had their feasts also, 1. Cor. 11. 21. which S. Jude termeth d Jude 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, feasts of love, and the faithful continued them in the Primitive Church, as the ancient e Tertul. apollog. 39 adverse. Gent. just. Mart. ap. 2. Fathers observe, wherein they ate their meat together with singleness of heart, that so they might examine their mutual charity when they received. Though we have not those Agapas, yet have we this great feast of love, before which the Apostle requireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, brotherly love, which we must examine before we eat of this bread and drink of this c●p. 1. Cor. 11. 28. For if the jews might not eat the paschal Lamb, unless their loins were first girded up, their shoes on their feet, and their staves in their hands, Exod. 12. 11. much less may we eat of our passover, which is f 1. Cor. 5. 7. Christ sacrificed for us, unless our loins be first girded about with verity, our feet shod with the Gospel of peace, and the sword of the spirit in our hands, Eph. 6. 14. And therefore let us keep this feast (saith Paul) not with old leaven, neither in the leaven of maliciousness and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, 1. Cor. 5. 8. as the jews while their feast lasted might eat none but bread unleavened. It is salomon's lesson to every invited guest at a carnal supper, Prou. 23. 1. When thou comest to eat with a Prince, consider diligently what is set before thee, or (as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will carry in g Mercer. in Prou. 2. 31. Two motives to examine ourselves of charity before the communion. both genders) quis & quid, consider who and what is set before thee. And indeed whether we consider the feast-maker himself, with whom we sit at this table as invited guests: or his most precious body and blood set before us to our salvation if worthily, or to our damnation if unworthily we receive it; we had need to take heed to our foot when we enter into the house of God, that we put off our shoes and sandals, our injuries and scandals, seeing the place whereon we stand is so holy ground. 1. The feast-maker. And for the Prince with whom we eat, seeing he is King of kings, at whose mess we sit (saith h Hom. 3. in Ephes. 2. chrysostom) whereof even the Angels are attendants, with what diligence should we consider him who is set before us? If joseph durst not come being invited of Pharaoh, till he had first shaven his head and changed his raiment, Gen. 41. 14. how dare we come to this supper of the Lamb, before we have cut off excrementa malitiae, those i jam. 1. 21. excrements or superfluity of maliciousness, and k Ephes. 4. 24. put on the new man of a wedding garment of charity? And if jacob's sons did with such diligence address and make ready themselves, because at noon they should dine with joseph their princely brother, Gen. 43. how should we first prepare ourselves, seeing we are to eat at the Lords table, who searcheth his guests if any want the wedding garment of l Greg. hom. 38. in Euangel. love? Mat. 22. 11. We know him that hath said: — absentem qui rodit amicum, Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi. He that back biteth his brother, shall not sit at my table. And Christ himself hath pronounced of such guests, They shall Luke 14. 24. not taste of my Supper. He will not take the children's bread and cast it to whelps. He will not give these holy things to dogs, which return to their vomit of rancour: nor cast these pearls before swine, which go again with the sow to her wallowing in the mire. But as those dogs and these swine he excludes from the holy city and supper of the Lamb, Apoc. 22. so from the holy communion and supper of the Lord, 1. Cor. 11. with that Noli me tangere of the m Col. 2. 21. Apostle, touch not, taste not, handle not. For albeit malicious judas he admitted to his former supper of the paschal lamb, joh. 13. 26. yet excluded he judas from this last supper of the Lamb of God, which was the banquet (as it were) of the former, & sent him out with this prohibition, That thou dost do quickly, v. 27. & as soon he had received the sop n Mat. 25. 23. dipped in the dish of the paschal lamb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he went out immediately, saith john, vers. 30. before the supper of the sacrament: and though he was at supper with the Lord, non interfuit coenae, yet was he not at the Supper of the Lord, as o Lib. 1. cap. 16. de cultu Dei externo, de caenae Dom. & cap. 19 in 4. precept. Zanchius sufficiently proveth. Or if he admitted judas to this table (as some suppose) yet accepit panem Domini, non panem Dominum saith p Tract. 59 in joh. evang. Austin, he received not the bread of life, but the bread of the Lord which he ate to his own damnation, and after the sop Satan entered into him, vers. 27. Wherefore if the Lord would not talk at mount Sinai with the children of Israel, till first they had sanctified themselves, and washed their clothes, Exod. 19 10. much less may we look for access to his own table, if we be not sanctified through love, but come to eat with unwashen hands. And if for their eating of the paschal Lamb, they must first put away from their houses the q Exod. 12. 15. leaven of bread: much more should we in keeping this fast of the true passover, purge out of our minds the old leaven of maliciousness, 1. Cor. 5. 7. And this we, rather than they that, because though by prescript he bid them eat theirs with sour herbs, Exod. 12. 8. yet us by precept he forbids to eat ours with roots of bitterness, Heb. 12. 15. wherefore let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, crying and evil speaking be put from among you, with all maliciousness, Ephes. 4. 31. Howbeit if the Prince's person, at whose table we sit, we regard 2 The feast itself. not, but bring our leaven of malice to furnish out his table of unleavened bread, and our viols of wrath to mix his cup of salvation, as if we meant to drink of the cup of the Lord and of that r 1. Cor. 10. 21 cup of devils; to be partakers of the Lords table and the table of devils: yet should we at last consider what is set before us, the body and blood of this Lord, which like the s 2. Sam. 6. 6. ark must not be touched with unprepared hands. For seeing this supper is like that feast of reconcilement, Leuit. 23. 27. and a feast of charity, surely we should first be reconciled, and examine ourselves therein before we eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Yea sith as we eat of one loaf made of many grains, and drink of one wine of many grapes: so we that are many are one bread and one blood, because we are all partakers of one bread and one cup, 1. Cor. 10. 17. doubtless this communion of bread and wine should cause a common union of body and spirit, that we be all of one mouth and one mind. We t Sallust. coniurat. Catalin. & Florus lib. 4 ca 1 read of Catiline, that to make his conspirators of one wicked will and affection, he caused them all to drink each to other goblets of wine mixed with man's blood, that consanguinity of one cup which nature had not given, might unite their affections. And seeing contrariwise our Saviour to make his followers of one mind and of one accord in the Lord, hath made them drink of one cup of wine mystically mixed with no other but his own blood, saying, u Mat. 26 27. Bibite ex hoc omnes, drink ye all of this, this is my blood of the new testament: surely, this cup of blessing whereby we are made drink into one spirit, (1. Cor. 12.) should more combine the hearts of Christians, than their cup of deadly wine did the hands of those conspirators. But if not the communion of his blood, which we come all to participate, can fore-unite us: yet seeing this new wine of the master of the feast (who in this blood of the grape gives us the grape of his blood to drink, and keeps the good wine till last) must not be put into old vessels, Mat. 9 17. into uncleansed bodies saith x Serm. 11. in Psal. 118. lit. 11. vers. 3. Ambrose: y 1. Thes 4. 4. let every man know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour, in charity and love, that no man oppress or defraud his brother in any matter, but z 2 Tim. 1. 21. first purge himself from the rust of malice and canker of envy, that he may be a vessel not of wood or earth, but of gold and of silver, a vessel unto honour, sanctified and cleansed, meet and prepared for the blood of the Lord. Let us take this cup of his blood with pure hands, without wrath, and not with hands full of blood. Let us put this new wine into new vessels, that so both may be preserved. Let no man dare to put it into old vessels, ne corpus scindatur & gratia fundatur saith a Loco supracit. Ambrose, lest the vessel of his body break, yea perish, and the wine of his grace be spilled. Experience may teach thee, sincerum est nisi vas quodcunque infundis, arescit: That unless be scoured from rust and made clean, whatsoever thou pourest in doth wax sour and tasteth of the cask: and let truth persuade thee, that if thou pourest this wine into a rusty stomach and cankered mind, it will turn to vinegar, and be bitter in thy belly as the gall of Asps, and the poison of Dagons. If thou usest but a little of this wine with a stomach to thy brother, and in such often infirmities of thy soul, it will prove like b Deut. 32. 32. 33. the vine of Sodom and Gomorrha, as the grapes of gall, and the clusters thereof bitter to set thy teeth on edge. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of maliciousness, and receive with meekness the word, the essential word to be grafted in you, which is able to save your souls. And if there be any of the generation of vipers, under whose tongue is the poison of Asps, and in his heart the gall of Dragons, let him first cast up his malice, lest he poison this drink to his own destruction: let him imitate the serpent (saith c Tom. 3. lib. 1. haeres. 37. Epiphanius and d Tom. 1. de modo benè vivend. ser. 28. de commun. Bernard) which when she comes to drink of the river, Non accipit secum venenum, sed in latibulo relinquit, brings not her poison with her, but leaves it behind her in her hole, lest infecting her drink she interfect herself. Proinde & ipsi hoc miremur, saith Epiphanius, let us also in this be wise as serpents, ut quando ad sacram Ecclesiam, aut ad preces, aut ad mysteria venerimus, malitiam & inimicitiam in cogitationibus nostris ne feramus: That when we come to the Sermon or to prayers, or to receive these mysteries of bread and wine, we bring not our malice and hatred in our breasts. Let us examine our love, and cast up our malice before we drink of this cup, lest by unworthy receiving we poison the wine, and drink our own damnation. For as the corporal meat and drink (saith a Chrysostom. ●om. 3. homil de prodit. Juda. Father) if it find a stomach, opplet adversis humoribus, with raw and indigested humours, hindereth more the concoction of those crudities, and hurteth both their digestions: so this spiritual repast of bread and wine, if it find a mind fraught with hatred and malice, it will more hinder the health of his soul, and hasten the death of his body. Witness those factious and malicious Corinth's, who did eat this supper with an humorous stomach toward their brethren, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Paul: For this very cause many are weak, and sick among you, and many sleep in their graves, 1. Cor. 11. 30. Wherefore before thou comest to this fountain, that is, to the communion of the body and blood of Christ, imitate the serpent saith Bernard, and cast up thy poison, that is, thy hatred, thy anger, thy malice, thy envy, thy evil will, and thy hurtful thoughts from thy heart, lest thou come to eat and drink thy damnation. Only let us be rather innocent as doves, then wise as serpents, to resume our former poison, lest if, once having escaped from this filthiness of the world, we be yet entangled therein again and overcome, the latter end with us be worse than the beginning. 2. Pet. 2. Wherein it is to be feared, that as f Plus reip. gene●d. pracept. Themistocles and Aristides so often as they went Ambassadors, or to lead an army together: Inimicitiam in finibus patriae deposuerunt, reversique domum, came resumpserunt, Laid down their mutual hatred in the borders of the country, and left their enmity behind them till they came home, and then resumed their old grudge again: so many when they go with their brother to the supper of the Lord, leave their malice and hatred at home, or perchance at the Church's door, and when they come out, with the serpent resume their poison again, with the dog return to their vomit, and with the sow that washed, to their wallowing in the mire. But let such revolters and levers of their first love know, that g Ferus lib. 2. in Math. 12. 45. Stella in. Luc. 1● 26. as a relapse in corporal diseases is most dangerous, so this of the soul is so desperate, ut si relabantur, that if they fall back again and return to their vomit, it is impossible they should be restored by repentance, Heb. 6. 6. seeing they crucify again to themselves the Son of God, and make a mock of him in this Supper. For if we thus sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, we tread under foot the Son of God, and count the blood of the Testament as an unholy thing, wherewith we were sanctified; and then there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire, which shall devour the adversaries of of God and their brethren. Heb. ●0. 26. Wherefore as h john 5. 14. Christ when he had healed him that had been sick eight and thirty years, like a good Physician prescribed him a diet for fear of relapse: so when thou hast cast up thy malitiam seculi (as the Prophet calls it) thy long and inveterate malice before the communion, keep a good diet, and a good stomach for digestion of any wrong, lest thou fall back again. Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The unclean spirit of malice is now gone out of thee, man, take heed, if after the sop Satan re-enter into thee, if at his return to his house he find it empty, without the love of thy neighbour, swept i Are●. 〈◊〉. in Math. 12. 441 from faith, hope and charity, and garnished with hypocritical colour of good will, then will he bring with him seven other spirits worse than himself, which will enter in and dwell there; and the end of that man is worse than the 〈…〉 ginning, k Mark 14. 15. Mat. 12. 45. But thou (beloved brother) like that good host in the Gospel, show thou thy Saviour the upper chamber of thy heart, trimmed and prepared for his body, for this is the lodging where he will eat the passover with his Disciples. And seeing thou art not worthy he should come under the roof of thy mouth, take heed lest thy mouth eat unworthily. Let us open this gate, that the King of glory may enter in. Let us sweep and garnish this house (saith l Ser. 1●5. de Temp●re. Austin) for the receiving the Lords body: let us adorn it with divers flowers of Christian virtues. Let us fill all the house with sweet and precious ointments of chastity, with the incense of love and compunction, with the balm of benevolence, and the sweet perfume of charity, Vt tam beatus hospes nitido delectatus hospitio, stabilem a● perpetuam in nobis factat mansionem, that so blessed a guest delighted with his neat and sweet lodging, may abide with us for ever, and say, Here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein. And as m Math. 27. 59 60. joseph put Christ's body in a new sepulchre, and wrapped it not only in clean clothes, but in linen, nay in a syndone, which is the finest and purest linen: so let us put his glorified body in new hearts, in pure minds, which are pure from the blood of all men. And if there hath been any jar betwixt us and our brother, let us at least follow n V●l. Max. lib. 4. cap. 2. Scipio and Tiberius Gracchus, Qui ad cuius mensa sacra odio dissidentes venerant, ab ea & amicitia & affinitate iuncti discesserunt: let us at this table bury all our hatred that it never rise again, otherwise like judas we receive not his body to life, but his bread to damnation: neither find we the body of the Lord, but like john 20. 6. 7. them light upon the napkin and clothes wherein it was wrapped. Go thy way then, and first, first be reconciled before thou come to offer thy gift. So much of the intermission of sacrifice till thou be reconciled first. The third general point, is a commission or joining of two, 3. general part: commission. Division. Be reconciled to thy brother. Wherein we may observe both an act of Reconciliation, and the party, with our brother. First touching this act; as there is (saith p Ser. 2. de pao● ad frat ●n erem●. Austin) pax oris, operis Be reconciled. & linguae, a peace of tongue, hand and heart: so when that peace is broken, there must be (saith that q Ser. 9 ad frat. in er●m●. Father) a triple reconcilement, Verbo, facto & animo, in word, in work and in will. And therefore our Saviour to his precedent division of a threefold breach, by anger in the mind, disdain in the gesture, and reviling in the tongue, vers. 22. proportioneth a triple reconcilement, and paralele agreement, in tongue, hand and heart, all three implicitly wrapped in this * ●pso reconc●li 〈…〉 vocabul●. one word of reconcilement, saith Com. r in Math. 5. 24. Musculus vers. 29. but by more equal correspondence (as I think) intended and implied in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if he hath aught against thee, that is, saith s Oper. imper. ●om. 111. in Mat. 5. 23. chrysostom, when he is angry with thee in heart, or saith to thee Raca, grieving thee by gesture, or calleth thee fool, vexing thee in speech: if he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any of these three against thee, be thou reconciled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to each of these three: and therefore that t Ibid. Father meeting out a just portion of reconcilement to the proportion of the offence, counter poiseth both with this equality and aequilibrium, Qualis praecessit offensio, talis debet sequi reconciliatio, wherein was the offence, therein should be the reconcilement. If (saith v Jbid. he) thou hast offended him in thought, be reconciled in thought: if thou hast offended him in words, be reconciled in words: if thou hast hurt him in deeds, pacify him by deeds. Yea our Saviour himself having censured a threefold breach, in heart, behaviour, Triple reconcilement. and speech with our brethren, vers. 22. not only by analogy inferreth a correspondent agreement in my text, when▪ he saith Be reconciled, as out of chrysostom & Musculus I have showed: but explicitly proportioneth a threefold reconcilement to these three, vers. 44. first as a Priest, the peace and reconcilement of the heart, Love your enemies. Secondly as a Prophet, the peace and agreement of the tongue, Bless them that curse you. Thirdly as a King, peace and reconciliation in works, Do good to them that hate you. The beloved Disciple, an Evangelist in his Gospel, an Apostle in his Epistles, and a Prophet in his Apocalyps, prescribeth from his master's breast this trinity of unity, 1. john 3. 18. Let us not love in word or tongue only, but in works and in truth from the heart. And all these three of necessity here must be meant, seeing friendship requireth benevolence of the heart, beneficence of the hand, and concord of the tongue, as our * Arist. lib. 9 8. th●●. cap. 4. master of morality teacheth from the oracle of reason. Wherefore treading in the steps of our blessed Saviour, his holy Apostle, the gravest ancient Fathers, our soundest modern interpreters, in the way of truth and natural reason, give me leave (without censure of y Eccles. 19 24. that fine subtlety, but unrighteous wresting of the law) to note here, and hereafter handle a triple reconciliation, and that in the order and method of Saint john, first verbal, secondly real, thirdly intentional reconcilement. For the first Verbapacis, words of peace must we give our offensive 1. Reconcilement verbal. or offended brother, to move and win him to concord: our speech must be gracious alway, and powdered with salt, Col. 4. 6. and like that word z 2. Cor. 5. 19 20. of reconciliation, beseech and pray our enemies for Christ's sake to be reconciled, as before in the dismission, Go thy way, and tell him his fault, I have at large declared. Thus Abraham having not the law written in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of his heart, did by grace the things of the law, and showed the effect of this law written in his heart: for when such brawling and debate was risen betwixt his and Lot's herdsmen about grazing and pasture, that their master Lot (like our quarreling Gentles) counting his servants supposed injury his own indignity, began to be inflamed; Abraham that blessed peacemaker comes to him like the Dove with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth, Gen. 13. Let there be (I pray thee) no strife between me and thee, neither between mine herdmen and thine herdsmen, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? If thou wilt take the left hand, than I will go to the right: or if thou wilt go to the right hand, than I will take the left. He a Chrys. hom. 33. in Gen. 13. 8. saith not, What stir is this my Nephew? Dare thy servants or any of thy household open their mouth or mutter against me and my substance? Do they not remember how far they are inferior to us? Whence hast thou so great abundance? was it not from my care and provision? Who made thee thus eminent and glorious among men? did not I, who was to thee in stead of all? I was a father to thee in all things, and dost thou thus requite my service and charges? Did I for this hope always take thee for my companion in my journey? Be it so that nothing which I have done for thee come into thy mind, oughtest thou not at leastwise to honour my crown of age, and reverence my hoary hairs? No, Abraham saith none of these things, saith chrysostom, but parleth for peace with words of meekness and speeches of pacification. And although Lot (as a b Philo lib. 1 de Abraham●. jew noteth) was Amicus suspectae fidei, no constant but a wavering friend, who often * Contemptim & superbè. proudly and disdainfully used Abraham, yet see (saith chrysostom) how with fair words he entreats his agreement; and prayeth him be reconciled. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee, neither between my herdmen & thine. Amputavit fibiam discordiae, ne contagium so reperet, saith c Lib. 1. ad. ●. erred. cap. 3. Ambrose, he crusheth the serpent in the head, lest it creep and bring in the tail: he letteth not the root of bitterness spring up and trouble them, lest many therewith be defiled. And if entreaty will not persuade refractory Lot, yet see what reasons he urgeth to induce him to concord: We are brethren, saith he, brethren in the flesh, and kinsfolks by blood, brethren in the spirit and consorts in religion, in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation, for yet the Canaanites and Perizzites dwell in this land, whose dissensions our discord will unite, whose idolatry this staining of our religion will advantage, and cause these wicked nations to blaspheme the God of Abraham. And if this inducement cannot draw, yet see with what a strong motive he haileth him to unity, as with a threefold cord. Is not the whole land before thee? take which hand of my inheritance thou wilt choose: and thus pacificis verbis with peaceable words he would decide the controversy, and end the former strife, saith Philo. This was the precept of God to Laban toward his offensive shepherd, d Gen. 31. 1●. Take heed that thou speak not to jaakob ought save good: and therefore e Vers. 44. he said unto him, Come and let us make a covenant of peace, I and thou, which may be a witness between me and thee. This was jacob's practise to his brother Esau who sought his life, for he spoke unto him mildly by the mouth of his f Gen. 32. 18. 19 20. servants, and submissively by his g Gen. 33. own. Let me find grace in the eyes of my Lord, for I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God. And by these means he accepted him, and was reconciled. For indeed a soft answer putteth away wrath, saith Solomon, The reason of the doctrine. Prou. 15. 1. or (as with Jerome most read it) breaketh wrath. A Metaphor (me thinks) borrowed from two in a combat: wherein he compareth a soft answer to a soft buckler of a subtle champion, which accepting the blow into itself, so breaketh the weapon, that the adversary giveth over. For a Prince ( b Prou. 25. 15. saith he) is p●c●ified by 〈◊〉, and a soft tongue breaketh the ●oner, as 〈◊〉 doth the f●●ce of a stone that as thrown against it. When the Ephramites contended with G●deou for not calling them to ●arre against the M●di●nites, he gave them this soft answer, that k Vers. 2. he preferred their exploits so far above his own, as the gl●●ing of grapes of Ephraim was better than the vintage of Abi●ner. And when he had spoken these words (saith the l Vers. 3. t●xt) their wrathful spirits abated toward him. For as there is curatie lingua, a cure that the tongue caused do on its patiented, Prou. 15. 4. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith an old m Erasm chil. 3. c●nt. 1. adag. 100 Poet: Fair language is a Physician for the disease of anger, which is impatient, as that towne-Clearke of Ephesus, Ille regit dictis animos & pectora mulcet, with his soft answer appeased the rage of those seditious Citizens, Act. 19 ●5. Which doctrine of verbal reconcilement, as Christ straightly 2 uses of this doctrine. prescribes it, and the faithful have offectually practised it: so may it yield us two of the n 2. Tim. 3. 16. Scriptures vse●: one of instruction, to use words of peace to win our brethren. Another of reprehension, to deter us from words of hatred to wound our brethren. In application of which medicines, if I power in more wine of reproof into old festered sores, as a biting corrosive to eat up the dead, than oil of exhortation into bleeding wounds, as a lenitive to supple the living flesh, the o 1. Cor. 4 21. Apostles practice may warrant my doing, who came to exhort p Rom 15. 14. obedient Romans' with the q Verse 30. spirit of meekness, and came to the r Gal. 3. 1. foolish Galatians with a rod, and prepared a rod for the f●●les, back, as the Wiseman speaketh. His charge to s 2. Tim. 4 2. Tinnibit may discharge me of censure, if I exhort the private sinner, and rebuke them that sin openly, that the rest may fear. The t Act. 2. 3. cloven tongues may apologize me, if with u Verse 37. 38. Peter I sing not of mercy alone, but of judgement also. The x Heb. 4. 12. two eaged sword may defend me, if I use its double edge of y August. lib. 20 de 〈◊〉. Dei, cap. 21. & in Ap●c. 1. 16. both Testaments to mourn with the law, as well as to pipe with the Gospel: if I use its double edge to cut z Chrysostem. hoful. 26. in Matth 10. off either the sin or the sinner; as it is also two edged, because it a Aquin. in. ●eb. 4. 12. reformeth the will, as well as informeth the understanding. Wherefore let none think I make myself a trespasser, and break down by reproof, the things which before I builded by exhortation: if with jer. b ● jeremy I build and break down, plant and pluck up. For as the repairer of that breach in jerusalems' wall, had a trowel in one hand to build, and a sword in the other to cut down all resistance, Neh. 4. 17. so the restorer of the breach of peace among the living stones of jerusalem above, must both exhort with wholesome doctrine, and rebuke the gainsayers and all gaine-doers too, Tit. 1. 9 1. Use, exhorting either party to reconcile his brother with gentle speeches. This doctrine then (beloved in Christ jesus) may first lesson us from Christ's precept and Abraham's practice, to entreat peace with our offending brother: which better we shall effect, if we insult not over his offence (saith c Lib. de frat. amore. Plutarch) with speeches of reproach or aggravation of the wrong, but in pity and commiseration of his person, lessen and extenuate his offence, by imputing it to folly rather than contempt: to necessity of offending rather then to obstinacy of the offender: and to perturbation rather than wilful malice and malevolence. If he hath slandered, backbited, railed or spoken evil of thee, saith d Lib. 2 d● ira cap. 23. Seneca, think whether thou hast not done so before, remember how thou hast spoken evil of many; and the same is salomon's advise: Give not thine heart to all the words that men speak, for oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast spoken evil of others, Eccles. 7. 23. 24. Let us think (saith that grave Philosopher) that some do not injure us, but requite our wrong, and (as it were) make restitution. Others do it prone and propense thereunto: some ignorantly: and those that do it wittingly and willingly were by us forced thereunto: either he slipped through urbanity and pleasantness of jesting, or he said this not to harm us, but because he could not effect his purpose without our repulse. Who so would thus retire into himself, how just occasion of offence his tongue hath given to others, should quicken and extenuate his offenders speeches, and give him verba remissionis, words of forgiveness, which is indeed the word of reconciliation. This word of remission our Saviour thought the best means Offended to forgive. to win him from discord, and therefore commands thee to forgive him his offence if he do repent, Luk. 17. 3. forbearing one another, and forgiving one another: if any man have a quarrel to another, Col. 3. 13. And albeit man's corrupt nature requireth a par pari in his recompense; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and saith like S●●nio, in the e T 〈…〉. Adol. ●●●. 2. si●●. 2. Comedy, Neque tac verbis solnes unquam quod mihi re malefecoris: I will not take thy payment of good words, for thy debt of evil deeds. Yet should we not (saith an f Plut. de fr●●. 〈◊〉. heathen) thus neglect the offender, nor reject his entreaty: but as we offending do antevertere deprecatione iram, prevent wrath by deprecation: so should we offended deprecationem danda venia, anticipate their entreaty by giving the pardon of their offence. When jacob's children had loaded their brother with reproaches and injuries, at their peccavi, it repenteth us, he forgave them, and spoke kindly unto them, Gen. 50. 21. We g 〈◊〉. in o 〈…〉 vi●a. 〈◊〉. 27 read of julius Caesar, though an heathen and an Emperor, that he never conceived so great displeasure and privy grudge against man's speeches, which upon offered occasion he would not willingly lay away: for when Caius calvus after his infamous Epigrams against him, made suit by his friends for his friendship again, ultrò ac prior ad cum scripsit, of his own accord he first wrote to him for reconcilement. Yea when Catullus the virulent Poet, who defamed him with some opprobrious verses, came to make him satisfaction, adhibuit coenae, he bade him to supper, and would not forsake his father's Inn wherein he was wont to lodge. And when h S●●●l. lib. 5. exemp. cap. 3. Caius Memmius his professed enemy, whose bitter invectives he answered, stood to be Consul, suffragator extitit, he gave him his voice to be Consul. Go then to heathenish Caesar thou Christian, learn● & consider his ways, who having no guide of the sanctifying spirit, nor governor of grace, forgot yet, & forgave his detractors, their ignominious libels, bitter invectives, slanderous railings and revilings. Shall a wild Olive tree growing upon the barren mounts of Gilboa and nature, where neither dew of the spirit, nor rain of grace falleth, bear such fruit: and shalt not thou, a green olive tree in the house of God, planted beside the waters of comfort, bring forth this fruit of the spirit? And as when thou art offended, thou must win him with Offender to confess. that word of reconcilement, I forgive thee: so must thou when thou art offensive woe him with that speech of submission, I confess unto thee: or else with David when thou labourest for peace, and speakest to him thereof, he will prepare unto battle, that thou shalt not win thy brother. A brother offended (saith Solomon) is harder to win then a strong city, and their contentions are like the bar of a palace which cannot be broken off. Woeful examples, as of jaakob and Esau, Isaac and Isma●l, Eteocles and Polynices, Charephon and Chaerecrates, and many other both civil and spiritual brethren, manifest this truth of the Wiseman. The i Plut. d● Pra●. a●er. heathen man yields a reason, because great and weighty must needs be the causes which dissipate and lose so near conjunction, whence their breach becomes irreconcilable. For as things (saith he) compact and joined, though the glue be melted, may again be recombined and knit together: but a bodily substance which nature hath united, if it be cleft can hardly be glued together, and be rejoined: so amity which use hath contracted, after breach may easily be reintegrated: but brethren which are most near united in body or corporation, if they be rend asunder can hardly be reconciled, nor more recovered, than an hand cut off, or an eye plucked out. Nevertheless if thou come with this peccavi and confession in thy mouth, brotherly love (as a k Greg. N 〈…〉 de per. orat. 2. Father resembles it) is like the gra●●e or cience of a tree, which though it be plucked off from the stock, may be afterward engrafted and bear fruit again. Therefore when scandal is given, sends our Saviour the stumbling block to his brother with this peccaus in his mouth, It repenteth me, Luke 17. 4. And as the Lord would have all offenders to be penitentiaries, so his Apostle confessors to their brethren, james 5. 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another. And although Quidam insultant instantque submissis (as l Lib. 3. de Na. cap. 9 Seneca speaketh) some base natures insult and tread on them who lie prostrate at their feet for their favour: yet quosdam preces vincunt (as he noteth) good dispositions are overcome with entreaty of forgiveness; and like their heavenly father 1. Kin. 21. taking notice of their submission, will say, Seest thou how he is humbled before me? because he submitteth himself before me, I will accept him. joseph's brethren who had sold him, came to their brother with Forgive now we pray thee 〈…〉 respass● of thy servants, and he was appeased, Gen. 50. 17. Rebellious m 2. Sam. 19 19 Shimei who cursed David, came to him with a prostrate confession▪ Let not my Lord (saith he) impute wickedness unto me, nor remember the thing that thy servant did wickedly, that the King should take it to heart, for thy servant knoweth that I have done amiss, and he forgave him. Yea the vain heathens have sucked these juices from the teats of nature. When Antilochus in n Illad. lib. 23. Homer had incensed M●n●laus, and through some contention provoked his displeasure; by submission of person, and confession of offence he recovered his former favour: I will yield to thee Men●laus, saith he, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for I am far thy junior and inferior person, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and thou my elder and my better, thou knowest the temerity of youth and what be the faults of young men. And with these words of submission be so appeased his fury, that Me●elaus yielded unto him, and confessed (saith the Poet) that Antilochus had overcome his rage, and done that which no Grecian could have done but he. And thus even the worst natures, like the unrighteous judge, with importunity may be won. But alas, how many of us come short of joseph's brethren, nay wicked Shimei, and think it disgrace to acknowledge our faults, but either apologize them through pride, or extenuate them through shame? Surely they shall be our judges: and if we come short of this heathenish pagan Antilochus, Nostri causa doloris erit, he shall rise up in judgement and condemn us at the last day. How many (saith o Homil 40. Austin) have offended their brethren, and will not acknowledge their faults, nor say Forgive me? Non crubu●runt peccare, & crubescunt rogart: non crubescunt de iniquitate, & cruboscunt de humilitate: they blush not to offend them, and yet are ashamed to crave pardon: they blush not at iniquity, and yet are ashamed of humility. But I say to all men and women (saith he) small and great, laics and clerics, if ye shall find that ye have spoken that which ye should not have spoken, confess your fault, ask forgiveness of your brethren, do it, be not ashamed to beg pardon. But as Agamemnon in p Iliad. lib. 19 Homer, excusing himself laid all his jar with Achilles on Ate, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I am not the cause or author of this garboil (saith he) but Ate; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which wrongeth all men: so many that are nocent and offensive, translate the crime from themselves by denial, and impute to the innocent and harmless: worse herein then that Grecian captain, that whereas he made but Ate the evil spirit the cause of that discord, they say like q 1. King. 18. Ahab it is à ●e, it is thou my brother that troublest Israel, when it is themselves and their father's house: and thus make they their brother the kindler of that fire, whereof themselves were the coal and bellows to inflame. Which men, as they rather wound then win their brethren; so may such virulent 2. Use. tongues here justly be reproved, which cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speaking against the righteous, condemn the innocent blood. David was pestered with the hissing of such serpents, Psal. 109. 1. Hold not my tongue O God, for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue: they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. For my friendship they were mine enemies, they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my good will. job had his part of such friends, r job. 19 2. 3. How long will ye vence my soul, and torment me with words? Ye have now ten times reproached me, and are not ashamed: ye are impudent toward me. s chap. 16. ●●. They have opened their mouths upon me, and smitten me on the cheek with reproach: they gather themselves together against me. t jer. 18. 1●. jeremy felt as much of their virulency: Come let us imagine some device against jeremy: come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. Christ himself could not escape the scourge of their tongue: u john 7. 20. Thou hast a devil. In reprehension of which men, suffer me first to set down a description of them; then a 1. their description. proscription for them: and lastly a prescription against them and their bi●ing tongues. jeremy points them out by archers: O that 1. by Archers. I had in the wilderness a cottage of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go from them, for they be all adulterers, and an assembly of rebels, For they have bend their tongue like a bow for lies, their tongue is as an arrow shot out, jer. 9 2. 3. 8. David sets down all the weapons of their warfare, Psal. 37. 14. The wicked have drawn their sword, and have beat their bow to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be upright in conversation. It is worth much observance, how the holy Ghost here resembleth their tongue both to a sword and a bow, as x Psalm. 57 5. & Psal. 64. 3. elsewhere he often doth. The y jeremy. 46. 9 Lydians weapon of offence was a sword, and the Lybians was a bow: but these God's archers (as z job. 16. 13. job calleth them) or rather the devils archers (as a 〈◊〉. 3. in Psal. 36. Origen terms them) like that king of Israel (2. King. 6. 22) fight gladio & arcu, with the sword and with the bow: Arcu eminus sanciant absentes, gladio cominus vulnerans praesentes, saith a writer: He that is near (as the b Ezek. 6. 12. Prophet speaks) shall fall by their sword, and he that is far off shall die by their pestilent arrow. As David here paints them, so having been the but and mark of their aim, he points them out Psal. 11. 2. Ecce, L●e the wicked bend their bow, and make ready their arrows within the quiver, that they may secretly shoot at the upright in heart. Which metaphor and allegory Origen fitly thus expounds: the bow (saith he) is their tongue, the arrows are their intents and devices, or (as David expounds it) bitter words, and the quiver is their heart: Ve●e●at is gravida sagittis, full of poisoned shafts. They draw their arrows of bitter words out of the quiver of their heart (for d Mat. 12. 34. out of the abundance of their heart their mouth speaketh, and e Math. 15. 18. those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart) and they shoot them out with their tongue, which they bend up to wound their brethren: yea they aim them so cunningly, that not like f 1. Sam. 20. 20. jonathan they shoot at thrice three arrows on either side and miss the mark; but like g Z●sim. lib. 2. in fine vid. Menelaus' Colonel of the Armenian archers, they can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at one lose shoot oft three arrows, and hit three men at once. And so long as there is a Cain in Adam's house, a Char● in noah's family, a Dethan in Moses policy, and an Absolom in David's house, so long will they shoot out their arrows, even bitter words, feathered with swift revenge, and headed with wildfire of contention. For as God (saith h L●co supracia. Origen) did set his bow in the clouds for a sign and covenant of peace, that such deluge should be no more, but such stormy tempest should hereafter surcease, Gen. 9 13. 16. so contrariwise the devil hath set his bow in these i jud. 1●. clouds without water, to suscitate and stir up tempests, to trouble serenity and calmness in the soul of others, to discomfit peace, to make garboils and war, to raise up whirlwinds and storms: and such clouds are carried about with a tempest, to whom the black darkness is reserved for ever, 2. Pet. 2. 17. For when thou seest one passionibus agitatum, tossed of contrary winds, and carried headlong in his passions, that he rove and rave with his tongue: Doubt not (saith that Father) but that the devil hath bend that man's tongue for his bow, and shooteth out for his arrows that man's bitter words to hit them which are true of heart. And their virulent arrows were less poisonous, if only in secret as our * Psal. 11. ●. English readeth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 70. translate, in obscura luna, as Austin with others render it: if only they shot their arrows at the darkness of the Moon and eclipse of the Church: but seeing as archers shoot at the white in a but, so they shoot at the k Apoc. 4. 4. white raiment of the Elders, of * Vide. Are●. ● Apec. 3. 4. whom the Lord himself hath said: They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy, Apoc. 3. 4. Seeing they shoot at the virtue and innocency of their brethren, at the l Psal. 11. ●. upright in heart, at the m Psal. 37. 14. upright in conversation, at the n Psal. 64 ● innocent in soul, (as David who was their white complained) surely as the bow in these clouds is opposite and against the Sun, so like that fool who shot his arrows against the Sun, they do but shoot against the sun of righteousness. Such o jun. in Gen. 49. 23. Isti iaculaeteres costinendo ad eum velut seopum perd●re eum ●●nati sun●. archers shot against joseph as at a white, whom they meant to hit and strike dead. The archers grieved him, and shot against him, and hateth him, saith old jaakob, Gen. 49. 23. Those archers were his brethren, saith p In hunc loc●. Abulensis, even his own brethren, saith q Homil. 67. in Gen. 49. 23. Chrysost●me, who conspiring together against him, accused him with joint consent to their Father, grieved him, shot against him, and hated him; they grieved him iniuria operis: they shot against him blasphemia oris: and they hated him invidia cordis, saith Hugo: with injury of the hand, blasphemy of the tongue, and malice of the heart. But his bow abode strong, and the arms of his hands were strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of jaakob, saith his father, vers. 24. This indeed i● 〈◊〉 understood of Iosoph● brethren, saith Lyr●, but mystically must be meant of other insolent young men, who vex with their tongues any who is not like to themselves: young men indeed and children in understanding, but in maliciousness of ripe years (as r 1. Cor. 14. ●0. the Apostle count● their age) whose tongue in preaching peace and glad tidings, is like the s Gen. 9 13. 16. rainbow without an arrow and chosen sh●●●: the bend of their bow like the arch of that, (as t Zauch. lib. 3. de oper. err●. ●ap. 3. one observes) is then turned from us, their quiver is then empty and their tongue starts aside like a broken bow; but like the children of Ephtaim, carrying bows in the day of battle and contention: L● the● they hand their bow (saith David,) and make ready their arrows within the quivet, that secretly they may hit them which are upright in heart, to smite the bird while she singeth of peace; and like that fouler in the fable, to wound the Eagle with that shaft which was feathered with her own quill. David the sweet finger of Israel, unless he would fly away to the mountains and be at rest, could not escape the holts of these fools, but when like the Nightingale he sung sweetly of peace, than they bent their bow and made ready their arrows within the quiver to shoot at this upright in heart: When he spoke to them of peace, they prepared themselves unto battle, Psal. 120. 7. jeremy when he preached conversion, and prayed for their rebellions, these bowmen of Belial bend up their bow, and shot out their arrows, even bitter words: Come and let us imagine so●▪ device against jeremy, come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed● to any of his words, jer. 18. 18. Stephen when he preached peace to the stiffnecked jews, they had bend and drawn it so far, that they broke their bow: their hearts * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & Ac● 1. 54. burst for anger, saith By dogs. S. Luke, and they could not shoot an arrow of bitter words: but gnashed at him with their teeth, and threw bow, quiver and all at this bird, they ran upon him all at once. Thus the bird while she singeth of peace, is smitten by these archers, which then prepare themselves to battle. Sometime the holy Ghost compareth them to dogs, Psal. 22 16. Many dogs are come about me, saith David. Who are these dogs saith Austin, but they qui canine more latrant, nihil illis fit & latrant: who had nought done to them, and yet bark at their brother? Quid fecit cani transiens via● 〈◊〉? tamen tatrat: what hurt did he the dog which did but go on his way? and yet he barks at the passenger? It may seem indeed an uncouth name for them, and they will ask me as did Hazael, 2. King. 8. Am I a dog that I should do this thing? howbeit seeing with x 2. Sam. 16. Shimei they bark at a David, and with that Cynic snarl at every man, they may be termed with the one conviciorum c●n●s, and with the other be called a dead dog. For as we y Plin. noc. hist. lib. y cap. 2. read of some monsters in Scythia, which though they have man's feature beneath, yet having canina capita, heads like dogs, whose speech is no other but barking, may truly be termed dogs. So we read in the Psalms, that although David's revilers were men in shape that could talk, Psal. 59 7. yet he saith they barked like dogs, vers. 6. And thus indeed, they grin like a dog as did z Psal. 52. Doeg against David. Like the dog they * Cavina litera iram indicat. I at their brethren with that snarler in the a Terent. Adel. Act. 2. Se●. 1. Comedy: Vah, quibus illum lacerarem modis? Sublimem medium arripere●, & capite primum in terram statuerem: Adolescenti ipsi eriperem oculos: post hac praecipitem darem, Caeteros ruerem, agerem, raperem, tunderem, & prosternerem. Thus they who dare not imbrue their hands, (for law and statute binds them) yet die their tongues (for they are their own, and who is Lord over them) in the blood of their brethren. I wish that as these dumb dogs cannot bark against the wolf, Esa. 56. so they could not snarl at the sheep neither. Sometime the holy Ghost likeneth them to the raging sea, 3. By the raging sea. (Esa. 57 20.) which cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. They should be indeed aequor, even a calm as naturally is the sea: but when anger (as b Lib. de ira De●, cap. 5. Lactantius noteth) falleth upon their minds, like that boisterous wind in the first of jonah, it causeth a mighty tempest, it raiseth the waves, and altereth the whole state of these men, the eyes they wax fierce, the mouth it trembleth, the tongue it faltereth, the teeth they gnash, and like that sea which wrought and was troublous, neither could be calmed by any prayer till jonas was cast out. More implacably in this raging then that, that if jonas were cast out of the ship to the mercy of these raging waves. If one with Ruff. Eccles. hist. job. 2. cap. 9 N●zianzene, who because at Constantinople he laboured more abundantly than they all, glo●●am subsequnta est invidia was envied for his pains, and urged by proscriptions to gi●e over his place. If for my sake (saith he) this tempest is upon you, take me and cast me into the sea, so shall it be calm ●●to you. If he were cast out into the sea, it would not cease from her raging, but her waters would cast up mire and dirt, and these raging waves of the sea (the d jud. 13. Apostle there baptizeth them with that name) would still foam out their own shame. For as one wave thrusts away his fellow, undâque expellitur unda, and cast● his mire and dirt upon the next: so these would sp●e their foam one upon another, if they wanted a rock whereon to beat and disgorge it. And therefore as Plutarch in his book De capienda ex inimicis utilitate, adviseth such raging waters to keep still some enemies, on whom they may disgorge their choleric affections, lest for want of other vessels, they cast upon their friends: So politicly wise was his counsel, who like e Plutarch. de capiend. ex ini●●c. utilit. & reip. gerend. pracept. & AElian. var. hist. lib. 14. cap 25. Onomademus in the sedition at Chios, advised his fellows of the stronger part, that they should not expel all their adversaries of the other faction, alioqui periculum feret, ne omnibus amicis sublatis, cum amicis ipsis extiturae essent controversiae: Else I fear (saith he) if we have no enemies to wreak on, we wreak one upon another, and fall out by the ears among ourselves. O that these raging waves would remember how much they mire themselves, while they cast up their dirt upon another. For though the sea raging in a tempest casteth up mire and dirt, yet here i● the difference (saith f Di●l. de ira ●ohib. Plutarch) Mare tunc purgatur, the sea is then purged of her froth, which is sp●ma maris, the foam and scum, the spewing and spittle of the sea: but the heart when it raging with wrath casteth her stomach of dirty speeches, ●● dicentis primum conspurcant, saith he, False testimonies, slanders, reviling and backbiting, these coming out of the heart within through the mouth, first defile a man, Mark. 7. 23. and foam out first their own shame, jud. 13. Thus in my triple description, these archers bolt out their arrows at their brethren's name: thus the tongue of these dogs is red through the same: thus these raging waves foam out their own shame. Whose proscription that I may in brief proclaim, let me 2 their pr●scription. show these archers Gods arrow of vengeance, stemd with judgement, and feathered with swift destruction. God shall suddenly shoot at them with a swift arrow (saith David) that they shall be wounded, Psal. 64. 7. Their sword shall go through their own heart, their bow shall be broken, and their arrows shall be rooted out. These dogs that cast up their rancour, and return to their vomit, that bark like a dog, and gnash their teeth at their brethren, shall be without the holy city, Apoc. 22. 15. g Mat. 8. 1●. where is nothing but howling and gnashing of teeth. These raging waves that cannot rest, as they have no internal, nor will have external, so shall they have no eternal peace and rest: h isaiah. 57 ●1. There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God. In tossing their brethren, they do but throw them on the rock which is higher than themselves, as i Psal. 61. ● David speaketh, and beat themselves on the rock Christ jesus, on which seeing they dash, it will break them in pieces, Math. 21. 44. And thou innocent Dove, whosoever art smitten with these 3. our prescription against these. archers, that I may give thee a prescription against their deadly arrows. When they whet their tongue like a sword, to slash in thy presence, and slice thy good name, keep thou thy mouth (like David) with a bridle, while these ungodly are in thy sight. Put up thy sword into his sheath, and suffer them thus far. Their tongue is indeed a sharp sword, Psalm 57 4. and cutteth like a sharp razor, saith David of Doegs tongue, Psal. 52. 2. Howbeit it shall but cut off thy hair and superfluous excrements, saith k E●orra●. in Psal. 51. Austin, and perchance thy l james 1. 3●. excrementa malitiae, the excrements and superfluity of maliciousness. Doeg was but David's barber to top off his crest and luxuriant locks, when he meant to cut his throat with this razor. Yea it shaved the head himself, Et te caluum factura est, saith that Father, and it shall but cut thee on Calvary with thy Christ. Or if these archers bend up their bow, to shoot at thee far off 1. archers. By suffering them in thine absence with their arrows, even bitter words: Ctyp●● p●ti●●●● frange magitt as contumelious, prabe sc●tum conscientiae contragladium linguae, is m Serm. 40. de modo bene 〈◊〉. Bernard's advice: for this take the complete armour of God for thine armour of defence, take the brest-place of righteousness against the sword of their tongue; the helmet of salvation, and the shield of faith, and a good conscience, wherewith you may quench all the fiery darts of these wicked, as n Hom. 3. in Psa. 36. Origen well applies it. Reject the reproaches of offered contumelies, saith o Serm. 42. de modo b●ne 〈◊〉. Bernard, by despising them conquer the rebukes of mockers, by dissembling them contemn the errors of detractors, though every one irritate thee, though he incite thee, though he exasperated, though he insult, though he rail and revile, though he accuse falsely, though he provoke thee to strife, though he challenge thee to quarrel, though he belch forth scoffing and taunts, though he injury and wrong thee, though he load thee with reproaches, T●● si●e, ●● ta●e, ●● dissimula, ●● contemn, ●● non loquaris, Hold thy tongue, keep silence, speak not, be damn with p Psalm 39 ●. David, keep thy mouth bridled while those ungodly are in thy sight, Vt capistro fren●tis a●entium ho●●●●um ignorantium, that with thy bit and bridle thou mayst hold the mouths of these horse and mule (which have no understanding) lest thy fall upon thee. Away then with Zophars retaliation; job 11. 1. Should not the multitude of words be answered? should men hold their peace at thy lies? and when thou mockest others, should none make thee ashamed? No, no. Thy Saviour chargeth thee to hold thy peace at their lies, or if to speak, to bless them that curse thee, Math. 5. 44. A grave q Se●●. ad Seren. cap. 19 Philosopher, even he can tell thee, that though these archers shoot out their arrows, yet a wise man will bear contumel●es, reproachful speeches, ignominies, and other disgraces as the clamour and shout of enemies, and will endure bitter words as shafts shot at random, rustling without wounding about thy helmet and headpiece; yea will stoutly sustain injuries, as wounds, some in the arms, and some stuck in his breast, without dejection. r ●●m. de Davide & Saul. chrysostom in this point gives thee a Christian resolution: Some body hath slandered thee, or railed on thine offence: this, if he said truly, correct; but if falsely, deride: if thou art conscious and guilty of his imputations, repent: if thou art not, contemn it. Nay neither contemn nor deride it, but be glad and rejoice when men causelessly revile thee, and say all manner of evil against thee falsely, for great in heaven is thy reward, Matthew 9 11. Or if these hawling Shimeiss snarl and bark at thy good name, contumelious words (saith a s jerom. prelog. super Mich. Father) must be heard as 2. Dogs. the barking of curs which are not regarded. Thou must dialogue with thyself in t Lib de Re 〈…〉 for●●it. Seneca his Soliloquio, and put on his resolution. Men speak evil of thee, but evil men. It would grieve me if Marcus Cato, if wise Laelius, if the other Cato, if either Scipio should speak so of me. Now to be disliked of evil men, is to be praised, their words 1. By not m●●king them. want credit, where the guilty condemn. Men speak evil of thee: it would grieve me if they did this from judgement, but now they do it of spleen. Men speak evil of thee, they cannot speak well of any. They do it, not that I deserve it, but that which is their custom: for some kind of dogs have it natural, that not so much of curstness as of custom they bark at passengers. And indeed the chief, if not only way to make them give over, is to take no notice of their barking, nor regard their baying. For as v Li. 28 hist not, c. 8. & l. 26. c. ●. Pliny observeth them, who wear a tongue under their foot, Non latrari à canibus, that they are not barked at by dogs: so the best means to stop their mouths also, is Linguam sub pede habere, to tread their tongue under foot, or not give heed to all words that men speak, as Solomon adviseth, Eccles. 7. 23. And therefore wisely did that x Doroth. ser. 7. d● accus. & re●● Father, who contemning all their railings, said, I use myself toward these, as travelers do at bawling curs. For it is not convenient (saith y Lib. 3. de Ir●. Seneca) to hear all that men say. Let many injuries and reproaches pass us, most whereof he receives not that taketh no notice of them. For who so is inquisitive what is said of him in private, he who searcheth out malignant speeches, though spoken in secret, disquieteth and ve●eth his own soul. And therefore z Senec. ib 2. ●● Ira. cap. 23. Caesar did wisely, when having in that civil garboil intercepted a packet of letters written to Pompey from his favourites, broke them not open, but burned them immediately. And though he could moderate his wrath, and in sobriety be angry at his followers, Malui● tamen non poss●, faith mine author, yet would he not know a cause that he might be angry. When one had unwares hit Cato in the bath, and came after to ask him forgiveness, I remember not (quoth he) that I was struck: Melius putavit non agnoscere quàm ignoscere, a Ibid cap. 32. saith▪ the same author. It was not without mystery (as some observe) that our Saviour when he should be b Math. 27. spitted on, buffeted and reviled, would be blindfold before, that as man he might not know his smiter and reviler, lest with c Act. 23. Paul he might be provoked to reply, as after he did when he beheld his smiter, john 18. Lessoning us (it may be) to blindfold the eyes of our understanding when we are smitten with the tongue, and be as stocks and images at reproach, which though they be railed on and reviled by their enemies of imagery, yet have ears and hear not, noses and smell not, hands and revenge not, feet and are not swift to shed blood, no nor so much as flow to wrath, neither is there any breath in their mouth to reply, Psal. 115. David was as deaf and dumb at reproach as any of these were, Psa. 38. 12, 13. They that seek after my life lay snares: and they that go about to do me evil, talk wicked things all day long: but I was as deaf (saith he) and heard not, and as one dumb, which doth not open his mouth: I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. They talked wicked things of him, not once, but all day long: and this innocent Do●e was so wise as a Serpent, that he stopped his ears, and refused to hear the voice of these blasphemous in chanters, charmed they never so skilfully. For both he was deaf at their reproaches▪ and as one that heard not the talebearer, who raiseth contention among brothers, Pro●er. 6. 19 Teaching us thereby, that not only we ourselves be deaf at revilings, but also neither hear it from the talebearer, without whom strife ceaseth, as without wood the fire is quenched, Proverb. 26. 20. And indeed seeing a d prover. 16. 2● talebearer maketh division among Princes, and (as the Greek interpreter reads it) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, divides friends themselves, we should not be talehearers, like khans (as Bion called them) which are carried up and down by the ears whithersoever their informer lusteth, nor take information from our intelligencers and Abish●●s, of the barking of these Shimeiss and dead dogs: for as they are forbid to walk about with tales among the people, Le●is. 19 16. so are we advised by wisdom, Eccles. 28. 13. to abhor the talebearer and double tongued, for such have destroyed many that were at peace; and who so hearkeneth unto it, shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly. Which the rather we should do, because when thus hucksterlike we take our notice at second hand, the reporters tongue proves oft that secunda lingua (as some read it) and addeth more than the first did relate. And therefore I wish that our talebearers, who never receive a voice which they do not resound, would like the c ovid. Me 〈…〉 echo, that true tell-tale, either carry nothing but what they heard, extremave verba remittant, or extenuate reproaches by an half relation. I wish these prattlers and busi-bodies in other men's matters, which like those f 1. Tim. 5 13. women in Ephesus, being idle, go from house to house speaking things which are not convenient, would follow Monica Saint Augustine's mother, who (as he g Lib. 9 Confess. cap. 9 confesseth) was such a peacemaker among disagreers, that when she heard many most bitter things spoken of the one party in the absence of the other, nihil alteri de altera proderet, would not disclose a word of the one side to the other, but that which might help their reconcilement. But we (as there he addeth) not only carry speeches of angry men to their enemies, but add to their sayings some root of bitterness, which putteth death in the pot. Whereas we should not only not stir up men's hatred by relation of truth, nor augment it by that word, which as wood increaseth the flame, but strive to extinguish it by welspeaking. And howsoever these informers, which like spies are sent out to note the weakness of the land, bring us of the fruit thereof in their mouths: yet should our ear, which trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat, be stopped at their report, with that of the Apostle, Touch not▪ taste not, handle not: or if we give ear, yet give not our mind to all words that men speak against us, Eccles. 7. 23. Wherefore let us not (if but the hem of our good name be touched) look back in wrath, and ask our informers Quis me tetigis? who hath touched me behind my back? least if there be no fear of God before our ears, Satan open our throats as sepulchres to send out Ephes. 4. 29. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, rotten speech, and stinking breath, which is a sign of inward corruption, and that our inward parts are very wickedness. Lest he tip our tongues with deceit to misconstrue; lest he put the poison of Asps under our lips to revile; lest he fill our mouths full of cursing and bitterness to reproach, and make our feet swift to shed blood. And thus taking no notice by our own ears or others tongues, we shall stop the mouths of these barkers, and be stayed ourselves from answering a fool to his folly, and barking again. A second prescript or counterpoison against their virulent 2. Not suspecting them. tongues, may be this, if we be not too suspicious of their baying at us. The cause of wrath indeed and toong-warre, is opinio iniurio (saith i Lib. 2. de J●a cap. 22 Seneca) conceit of injury, when too credulous we apply men's propositions in gross, and in our consciences assume what they proposed in general: yea eftsoons from very gesture and laughing, as k Ibid. cap. 23. ● he noteth, (so censuring, a phisiognomist is a suspicious conscience) we interpret worse than their words in charitable construction might import. When the men of Syria were at feud with the Romans', they sent them but these four letters by an Herald, S. P. Q. R. which in too much suspicion of defiance they misconstrued, Syris populis quis resistet? who will resist the people of Syria? And answering them back with the same characters, S. P. Q. R. too credulously they mis-expounded, Senatus populus que Romanus, the Senate and people of Rome. Which letters the Romans' after that conquest engraving as an emblem of triumph in the forefront of their Temple for all to read, a traveler reading them without understanding, and ask what they meant; one of the citizens expounded them by this question, Sancte Petre quare rides? Saint Peter why do you laugh? And answered the foolish question backward with as wise an answer: Rideo quia Papa sum: I laugh because I am a Pope. Thus witty malice in the Syrians and Romans' from not significancy collecteth enmity, charity in either (which thinketh not evil) might have expounded, Sapiens populus quaerit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wise men seek strength by unity. Thus the credulous stranger from darkness of letters conceived falsehood thereby. Charity (which rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the truth) might with Bede have interpreted them, Stultus populus quaerit Romam, Foolish people seek to Rome. And indeed, as sores and ulcers are grieved not only at a light touch, but even suspitione & dubio tactus, with suspicion and fear of being touched: so (saith l Lib. 3. de Ir●. cap. 10. Seneca) an exulcerate mind with misconceit of touching, is often aggrieved so far, that even a salutation, an epistle, a letter, a speech, and a question hath provoked them to enmity. And as small letters offend bad eyes, so least words, saith m Dial. de ●ra co●ib. Plutarch, I may say a Raca, yea an if and an and, or a no of contradiction, will grieve uncircumcised ea●es. Our ears are like Mice and Emmets, at which if one point but the finger, and offer but to touch them, they turn their mouths to bite us: Imbecilla se laedi putant si tanguntur: Silly things (saith n Senec lib. 2. de Ira. cap. 34. he) they think themselves hurt if they be but touched. A fault taxed by the Apostle in the wicked Gentiles, who were full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 1. 29. which the o Arist. l. 2. R●●. Philosopher defines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to take all things in the evil part, as our English translation well rendereth it. With which sinister affection Plutarch bitterly brandeth Herodotus in his book, entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Herodotus taking all things amiss. And I fear I may not only brand with Plutarch, but condemn with Paul, some wicked Gentiles, that are as he calleth them full of his Paronomasiaes', 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: so have they their minds opplete & gorged with this humour also: Et suspitiosi omnia ad contumeliam accipiunt, as he speaketh in the p Teren●. A●el●. Comedy, being too mistrust full and suspicious, take all things in the evil part▪ like q Seen ad Ser●. cap. 18. Caius the humanist, Qui omnia contumelias putabat, who thought every word was spoken to his disgrace: Et fuit sicut ferendarum impa●iens, ita faciendar●m cupidissimus, and was as unwilling to bear as forbear reproaches. The Apostle calls this suspitiones malas, evil r 1. Tim. 6. 4. surmises of corrupt minds, which when men's tongues like bells give an indefinite and not significant sound, imagine them ●o speak and mean whatsoever their guistie conscience frame●● in their s●●sie, and whispereth in the eure strange warriors are their lusts, fight in their members, which when the trumpet gives an unocrtaine sound, prepare their selves to battle. Wherhfore seeing (as s Lib. 2. de Ira. cap. 24. So●●ca truly avouched) credulity breedeth so much evil, his advice is heavenly, suspicion and conjecture, those two falcissima irritamenta, most false incitements of anger, must as roots of bitterness be weeded out of the ground of the heart: He saluted me not kindly, he broke off talk abruptly, he in●ited not me to supper, his countenance seemed averse, or he touched me darkly in his allusion; thus suspicion never wants an argument of enmity. Simplicitate op●● est & benigna eorum aestimatione, here the doves simplicity is better than the Serpent's subtlety: here to be simple without understanding is learned ignorance: here charity must censure, which believeth all things to be well meant, and thinketh not evil of an evil intent: for if thou truly be magnanimous, thou wilt never judge that contumely is offered thee: thou wilt ●●y of thine enemy, He hath not hurt me, but only had a mind to harm me. And this is true magnanimity, saith t Lib. 3. de Ira. cap. 25. Seneca, Non sentire se percussum, to say wisely with that fool in the 23. of Proverbs, They have strucken me, but I was not sick: they have beaten me, but I felt it not: or as v Plu●. de Ira 〈◊〉. Diogenes answered his informers of some that derided him, I am not derided. We x 〈◊〉. ●●. 2. de ira. cap. 24. supra 〈◊〉. must believe no report, but from our eyes relation, seeing our ears like false advertisers do oft misinform: and when our suspicion proves vain, let us chide our credulity: so our charity believing all things well meant, shall not be credulous to think evil: and so enduring all things of our foes, shall not be provoked to anger, 1. C●●●ith. 13. Howbeit if their barking be so clamorous, as if thou wouldst not, the very stones in the wall would hear; and so notorious, 3. By suffering them. that if thou didst not, the beam in the house would reply: the third way saith y ●● Ira. 〈◊〉. Plutarch, is peaceably to bridle thy mouth, and quietly compose thine affections, when thou perceivest foaming anger like the falling sickness to fall upon them. Suffer the evil man patiently saith Paul, as Christ and his servants in patience possessed their souls, with a meek spirit, when their enemies were possessed with an evil spirit of wrath, which cried out upon them, z Idem ibid. Socrates when he was reviled, was wont to slake and remit his voice, and smiling with his countenance, mildly to behold them. Antigonus' when he overheard his own soldiers roil on him near his tent and pavilion: Good Lord (quoth ●e) will ye not get ye further off and speak against us? a Seue●. lib 3. de ira, cap. 38. Cat● when he was pleading, and Zentulus had cast his stomach and uttered his mind in his face, only wiped it with a napkin: And I will avouch before all this company, Lentulus (saith he) that they are deceived who deny thee to have a mouth. Shall I say with the b jam. 5. 10. Apostle: Take, my brethren, the Prophets, nay if we take but these heathen for an example of long patience, we may count them blessed that endure. O remember c 2. Sa● 16. David's patience of Shimei his cursing: Let him alone, for the Lord hath hidden him curse David. But such Adder's poison (sayst thou) is under their lips, that as d Plu●. de ira cohib serpents inflame them with heat, whom they bite with the tongue: so e jam. 3. 6. their tongue being set on hell fire, will set on fire the course of nature: and thou complainedst with f Psal. 39 3. David, that though long thou hast been dumb and kept silence, yet it is now pain and grief unto thee, thy heart is hot within thee, and when the fire kindled thou spakest with thy tongue. Indeed the tongue is fire, and an unruly beast which no man can tame: behold how great a matter this little fire kindleth: parvum est & magna cupit (as g Tom. 1. de inter Dom. cap. 61. Bernard speaketh of the heart as little a member) vix ad unius milui refectionem sufficere posset, & totus mu●dus ●i non sufficit: It is but a little member, and yet boas●eth of great things, saith james, it would not serve a crow for her breakfast, and yet is it no less than a world of iniquity. Therewith rightly bless we God, and therewith unrighteously curse we men. It is grand malum aut grand bonum, non habet medium, saith h Comment. in Psal. 119. Jerome: No mean it brooketh, but death or life are in the power of the tongue, Prou. 18. 21. And therefore when Amasis the Egyptian king requested 〈◊〉 to reserve the best and worst piece of the sacrifice which he slew, linguam ●●stulit, he took the tongue of the beast, saith i In 〈◊〉. 7. s●●. 〈◊〉: as the servant in Aesop's apologues, being commanded by his master Xanthus to buy the best and worst flesh in the shambles, linguas solas emit, he only bought tongues, saith the Author. So true is that of Solomon: A wholesome tongue is as a tree of life, but the frowardness thereof is like the breath of the wind, Prou. 15. 4. Nevertheless this raw piece of flesh which offendeth so many queasy stomachs, thou must with Christ and his members digest through the heat of his spirit, and thy warmth of love which endureth all things, 1. Cor. 13. 7. We must smile at their reproaches, saith k Ad Serenum cap. 11. Seneca; and l Cap. 12. as we suffer children to nickname and miscall us, yea to spit in our face, so should we tolerate all revilers, though they spit their poison in our ears: or as ye suffer fools and idiots to least and play upon you, so should ye suffer these fools gladly, because that ye are wise, 2. Cor. 11. 19 m Cap. 13. for who will be angry at a mad man? who will take in evil part the reproaches and revilings of a man in his fever? The mind and affection should a wise man (saith Seneca) carry toward his impatients' outrage, which Physicians bear to their raging patients, whose unhonest parts, if need be, they disdain not to handle, whose basest parts they willingly view, and whose railing and reviling they patiently endure. Yea a wise man (saith n Cap. 14. he) if by fair words he cannot pacify his reviler, contumeliatorem tanquam acrem canem obiecto cibo leniet, will like our Saviour give this for a sop to appease his wrath, and give the dog a loaf to stop his mouth, as Aeneas in the Virgil. lib. 6. 〈◊〉. fiction Melle soporatam & medicatam frugibus ●ssam Obijcit.— Did cast Cerberus the hellhound a sweet morsel, that he might not bark against him: For they will go to and fro in the evening, they will grin like dogs, and go about the city, they will run here and there for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied, Psalm. 59 And thus if either thou take no notice of these Doegs, of these Shimeiss, and dead dogs that revile: or if observing their currish custom to bark at all passengers, thou be not credulous to suspect they bawl at thee; or if too suspicious, thou yet bear reproach, and strive to mitigate their woodness, thou shalt not be bitten with the tongues of mad dogs; or if bitten, yet shalt thou not ruane mad thyself to bite again. And seeing as there is the worm p Plin. hist n●● lib. 29 cap. 5. Lytta under the tongue of some curs, which unless it be taken off will make them run mad: so under their tongue is ungodliness and wrong, (as David q Psal. 10. 7. speaketh) which unless if be taken out, will make them run mad, and bite even their own domestickes. Pray with David in that place, vers. 15. that he who is curator linguae, the healer of the tongue, would in mercy worm them, and take away their Lytta: Take away their ungodliness and thou shalt find none. Thirdly and lastly, though these raging waves of the sea cast 3 Raging se●. up mire and dirt, even those five rocks of offence, and stones to stumble at, (as Sain● r Tomb 4 lib. 4. de amic●. cap. 13 Austin calls them) Reviling, Nickname, Swelling, Revelation of faults, and privy detractions: though the tongue of these wells without water, like a s jam. 3. 10. 11. fountain send out salt and bitter water, t Exod. 15. 23. waters of Marah and Meribah, u Cap. 17. 7. bitterness and contention, yet let thy well of living water send out sweet and wholesome water into these saltish waves, to sweeten their bitterness, and not like noisome rivers, which to purge out their filthiness, empty themselves into the sea, and replenishing it with mire and dirt, make it more rage, and foam out it own shame. It was devilish counsel of x Lib decap. ex 〈◊〉. vt●l. Plutarch, that he shall exceedingly benefit himself, who emptying and pouring out these turbulent affections of brawling, scolding, reviling, wreaking, fretting, fuming, and chafing, on his enemies, doth so purge himself of these bitter waters, and making his foes as channels and gut●ces to convey them away, and as sinks to receive them, and derive them away from his friends, associates, and familiars. Isti enim in inimicos insumpti pravi affectus, minùs molesti erunt amicis▪ for these filthy affections (saith he) being exhausted and spent upon our foes, will be less noisome to our friends. He gave better advice before, if he had not forgot it: That it is better to bestow our best affections on our adversaries: for being accustomed to do right to them, we shall never deal unjustly with our friends. No, no, (beloved Christian) as it is good in a fever, so much better in anger, to have a soft, smooth, and render tongue: for the tongue of ague-sicke men, if it be distempered with heat and fu●ie, with blackness, signum est melum non causa, it is only an evil sign, and not the cause of internal inflammation, saith y Plu●. di●● 〈◊〉 ira 〈◊〉. Plutarch: but the tongue of angry and raging men is both an evil sign that they are set on fire of hell, and will be the cause that they shall be set in fire of hell. Let these waves then and waters of contradiction cool thy tongue, and wash away its filth: Audisti convitium, venture est: iratus es, fluctus est: Thou hast heard a reproach, it is a wind: thou art angry, that is a wave, saith z Serm. 3 in Festo Pasch. & Serm. 3. in fest. Epoph. Austin. The wind therefore storming, and the wave tossing, thy ship like that of the disciples Mat. 8. is in jeopardy of wrack, and ready to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. And why so? saith that Father: because Christ within thee is asleep, awake him up therefore, stir up his gift that is in thee: and cry, Master save, for we perish. These raging waves shall but cool thy concupiscence, like jordan wash away thy leprosy, and heal thy infirmities like the pool of Bethesda: with Israel thou shalt safely pass through the midst of them, and the wicked with Pharaoh shall be drowned in those waves, through which they persecute and pursue thee. They may dash into thy boat and fill it full, that thou mayest be like to perish, but they shall not swallow up nor devour thee: for thy head is still above these waters, and though the waves of the sea rage horribly, yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier, saith David, Psal. 93. 4. yea thine own head shall be above these waves, swell they never so much: as David did assure him: He shall set me up upon a rock, and now shall he lift up mine head above mine adversaries round about me, Psal. 27. 6. Only like the disciples a Mark. ●. 41. call on him who being alone the true Aeolus, can more than he command the winds and waves of the sea, and they obey him: he will rebuke the wind, and say to these raging waves: Tantâne vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri? jam c●lum terramque meo sine numine venti Miscere, & tantas audetis tollere fluctus? Peace and bestill, and so will there be a great calm: for he b Psal. only stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of his waves, and the madness of his people. Howsoever it be these waves hear not his voice, nor will cease from their raging: yet as the disciples in their ship rowed through the waves of Genezareth with a contrary wind, Mark. 6. 48. so must we in this ship sail through these raging waves with that contrary breath, 1. Pet. 3 9 Not rendering rebuke for rebuke, but contrariwise, bless. Christ the Pilot and master of the ship hath charged all passengers bound for heaven, to sail with this contrary wind: Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you, Luk. 6. 28. Et quam id sanctè praecepit, tam integre ser●auit, saith a c Sal 〈…〉. lib. 3. exemp. cap. ●. Writer: His word and his work like mercy and truth met together; his precept and his practice like righteousness and peace kissed each other. For when the jews cried d 〈◊〉. ●●. ● Crucifige, he cried e 〈◊〉 3●. Ignosce. O wonder (saith f pas. D 〈…〉. Bernard) Iud ●i clamant, crucifige, ille conclamat, ignosce: ò charitas patiens sed & compations: The jews cry, crucify him, and he outcries, Father pardon them: o patiented and compassionate love! Being beaten with rods crowned with thorns, pierced with nails, nailed to the cross filled with reproaches, unmindful of all his grie●es, he prayeth for his persecutors. This Lamb of God as a sheep was dumb before his shearer, coram tondentem? yea coram occidente obmutuit, not only before his shearer, but even before his slayer and butcher was he dumb, saith g Homil. 〈◊〉 la●d. virgin. Bernard. When he was thus vilified and reviled, he reviled not again: when he thus suffered he threatened not, but committed it to him that judgeth righteously, saith his Apostle, 1. Pet. 2. 23. And see what he committed to that righteous judge: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. O love of God passing all understanding! He now hung upon the cross compassed with his mortal enemies, destitute of his own friends, mocked with taunts, loaded with obloquys: now ready to give up the last gasp, and yet as unmindful of himself and mindful 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 entreateth 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 love! strong as death: o heat of love! cruel as the grave, which never had enough of tortures, which never said Ho, but still cried, Give, give. The blood indeed of Christ (saith h Lib. 13. moral. cap 21. Gregory) is well said by the i Heb. 12. 24. Apostle to speak better things then that of Abel: for the blood of Abel k Gen. 4. 10. called for vengeance, but the blood of jesus for forgiveness: Father forgive them. Here is an example for thee thou tossed with waves: Exemplum sume unicum atque omnium praestantissimum: Take the most excellent and only example, which if a man rightly observe saith l Loco supracitat. Sabellicus, he may become far more like God himself then a man: He shall be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect, Mat. 5. 48. He hath left us an example, * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1. Pet. 2. ●. 1. a copy to write our alphabet and Christs-crosse rows after, that we should follow his steps, when we are reviled, not to revile again. For how small are our sufferings of rebuke in comparison of his passions of reproach, saith m Lib de conflict. vit. & virt. cap 9 Austin? He willingly sustained revilings, derisions, contumelies, buffets, spittings, scourges, thorns, 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 reproach cast down and dejected. Seeing then that his name was like ointment of love powered out, Cant. 1. 2. which blasphemies, reproaches and revilings those dead flies could not cause to stink, nor putrefy the ointment of this Apothecary, as n Loco supracit. Bernard out of o Eccles. 10. 1. Solomon alludeth: let us run in the savour of this ointment powered out on our head, and running down to the skirts of his clothing, and lowest members of his body. Let us be followers of God as dear children, and walk in love, even as Christ hath loved us, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. Thou wilt say perhaps, How can I do this, which the Lord could do? But mark (saith p Serm. 170. de Temp. Austin) who did it, even thy Saviour as he was man: and remember where he performed it, even upon the cross, in midst of all his torments and reproaches, where he showed himself like a city on an hill for all to behold as an example of humility, in blessing their blasphemers. He could have prayed for them in silence, sed tis non haberes exemplum, but thou then shouldst not have had an example. Nevertheless if thou canst not learn of thy Lord who was humble and meek, yet imitate Stephen thy fellow-servant, who saith thee in Paul's words: Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ: whom when the stiffnecked Jews q stoned triplici lapidatione, with a triple stoning: with stony r Vers. 5●. hearts which burst for anger: with stony mouths, which y 5●. gnashed at him with their teeth: and with z 5●. stony hands which reigned showers of stones upon him, as Austin speaketh; yet he a 60. prayed for them, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. Nay, see how he prayed for these his revilers saith b Serm. supracit. Austin. When he prayed for himself he c Act. 7. 59 compared with 60. stood on his feet, because the just when he prayeth for himself is easily heard: but when he prayed for his enemies, he kneeled down, to show that he prayed with all earnestness and intention of spirit: yea, whereas for himself he did but call on God, saying: Lord jesus receive my soul: for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cried out, and that with a loud voice, with all vehemency and contention of voice: Lord lay not this sin to their charge, and when he had spent the last breath for them to his God, when he had thus spoken, he slept. Whose name Stephanus, as it signifieth a crown, so coronam accepit suo sibi nomine impositam, saith Austin, he hath gotten that d 1. Pet. 5. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the incorruptible crown of glory suitable to his name. As sailed the master and Pilot Christ jesus with his servant and first Martyr Stephen, so rowed the Apostles, mariners of this ship with a contrary wind, with a contrary breath, 1. Cor. 4. We are reviled, and we bless; we are blasphemed and evil spoken of, and we use gentle words. And the master hath charged all passengers for heaven, like Paul's e Act. 27 4. mariners to keep a strait course though the winds be contrary: Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that revile you, and say all manner of evil against you, Mat. 5. 44. Pray for thy most virulent reviler, to morrow of a blasphemer, he may become a blesser, and thou f Prou. 27. 1. know'st not what a day may bring forth. He that is now thine enemy in slandering, railing, and reviling thee, may to morrow be converted to repentance, saith g homil. 6. Austin, and thy fellow Citizen in heavenly jerusalem, and perhaps greater therein than thyself. Saul was Stephen's greatest foe, for it was too little for him to stone him with his own hands alone, omnium man●bus lapidabat, saith that Father, he stoned him with all their hands that threw stones, in keeping their clothes that better they might throw: and yet behold, with that contrary breath, with that one prayer of Stephen, was he of a foe made a friend, of Saul a Paul, of a persecutor a preacher, of an impostor a pastor, a doctor of a seducer, of a pirate a prelate, of a blasphemer a blesser, of a thief a shepherd, and of a wolf a sheep of Christ's fold: therefore saith h Ibid. that excellent Father: Non homo, sed peccator te insequitur, roga pro homine ut extinguat Deus peccatorem, cùm enim mortuus fuerit peccator, tibi homo non adversabitur: not the man but the sinner doth pursue thee, pray for the man, that God may take away the sinner; for when the sinner is dead, the man shall not impugn thee. Thy i Chrysolog ser. 139. brother rageth, impute it to his sickness, ascribe febri non fratri, ascribe it to the fever, and not to thy brother, dabisque prudenter infirmitat: culpam, fratri veniam: and thou shalt wisely lay the fault on his infirmity, and give pardon to thy brother, seeing it is only the fever of his soul, that thus hateth thee, saith k August tract. 8. in Epist. joan. a Father. Away then with your quid pro quo, and rebuke for rebuke. It was the wicked resolution of that requiter in the l Terent. And. Act. 5. sc●n. 4. Comedy, Si mihi pergit quae non vult dicere, ea quae non vult, audiet. If he begin, I will declare his deeds which he doth, prattling against us with malicious words, as the m 3. joh. 10. Apostle spoke of D●trephes in a better requital. It is that resolute retaliation of natural men, n Hom. I ha●. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Then shalt hear again such words as thou speakest: men so far past shame, that as Aeneas told brawling o Ibid. Achilles, we may hear them scold in the ears of all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even like women that scold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as they go in the open street. Thus are our hearts, not soft to break the force of reproach which is objected, but hard and stony, to send back and resound the echo of rebuke: like p Plut. reip. geren● precept. Epaminondas, who hearing Callistratus upbraid the Thebans with Oedipus his parricide, who killed his father, and the Grecians with the murder of Orestes who slew his mother, rendered this rebuke for rebuke: 〈◊〉 verò ipsos à nobis ●iectos re●ipistis, But ye received them when we for this did exile them. Or like q M●r●● A 〈…〉 & V●later. A●thr. lib. 14. cap. 2. Photion, on whom Demades crying out, The Athenians will kill thee when they begin to be mad: But they will kill thee (replied Photion) when they begin to be wise. Not much unlike that great g●rd of Crassus the Orator, whom when Domitius taunted with weeping for the death of a Lamprey which he fed in a pond: But thou (replied Crassus) sheddest not a tear at the burial of thy three wives. Which quipping and taunting speech, as it is but the ●ome of wit, so is such jesting justly censured by the holy Ghost for foolish talking, Eph. 5. 4. Seeing it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eph. 4. 29. as it were a stinking breath, which as Physicians observe, is a sign of inward putrefaction: and when our throats are thus open sepulchres, Psalm 5. 9 to belch out such unsavoury breath, it is an argument that like graves we are full of dead men's bones within, and all filthiness, and our inward parts are very wickedness. Lastly to conclude this point, as we must not render rebuke for rebuke; so neither blasphemy for blasphemy, nor curse for curse, but bless them that curse us. I know indeed David wished evil unto his enemies, and prayed for their ruin, Psalm 69. And when saul's flatterers like miscreants combined their tongues to accuse him with one voice to the King, he did imprecate and wish evil to those foes, Psa. 109. He prayeth against their person, vers. 6. 7. 8. Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand: when sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be turned into sin: let his days be sew, and let another take his office. He bent his tongue like a bow, and shot out his bitter words against their family, Ver. 9 10. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow: let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread, let them seek it also out of desolate places. He curseth their external goods and riches, vers. 11. 12. 1●. Let the extortioner consume all that he hath, and let the stranger spoil his labour. Let there be no man to pity him, nor to have compassion on his fatherless children. Let his posterity be destroyed, and in the next generation let his name be clean put out. Yea he curseth their soul unto death, and prayeth for their damnation. Vers. 14. 15. Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance with the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be done away. Let them alway be before the Lord, that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth. Behold here indeed as many imprecations of David against his enemies, as ever Callimachus the virulent Poet spent execrations on his mortal foe Apollonius, and as bitter cursings as Ovid ever spent on his envious foe, whom in imitation of him he titled Ibis: yea as that banner ended his imprecatory invective with this summary execration, Haec tibi, quae precibus justis mea devouet, ira Eueniant, aut his non leviora malis, so concluded here David his with not unlike imprecation, vers. 20. Let it thus happen from the Lord unto mine enemies, and to those that speak against my soul. Which practice of David, though it may seem at first to give allowance and warrant to words of bitterness, in cursing our blasphemers, yet if with a single eye we more nearly look into it, we shall find that this imprecation was non optantis voto sed spiritu praevidentis, as Saint r Lib. 1. de serm. Dom. in mo●t▪ ca 4●. Austin resolves it, not so much from a desire and wish of their ruin, as from the spirit of foreseeing what would befall them. As our Saviour, when upbraiding the unthankful cities in the 11. of Matthew, he anathematized the inhabitants of Corazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, Non malevolentia optabat, sed divinitate cernebat, did not as men from malice wish it, but as God foresee it. For David (as a grave s Cal 〈…〉 in Psa. 69. 23 writer noteth) was not herein carried with a turbulent passion of choler to power out his boil, (as most men wronged by their enemies intemperately give their tongue the rains) but the spirit of God did dictate these imprecations to his Prophet, in wisdom to discern these reprobates from curable believers, and in uprightness to respect God's glory rather than his own private revenge in confusion of his enemies, and in moderation to execrate his and God's enemies without turbulent passions of hatred, malice and malevolence: which three, if like him we could observe, Probè ●um imitaremur, we might lawfully do as he did. But seeing our understanding is not so mollified, that we have that 1. Corinth. 12 gift of discerning spirits, but the Lord only knoweth who are his, and who are reprobates: nor our wills so rectified, but that under zeal for God's glory we revenge our own wrongs: nor our affections so sober from disturbance, that we are angry and sin not: v M 〈…〉 in Psal. 100LS. Non est hoc cuivis usurpandum Christiano & in exemplum trahendum, this practice of David is no pretence for our cursings, nor his example to be usurped of any Christian, as x Bala● of Rome doth in hiring his baalam's of Saint Francis order daily to pronounce this spalme in execration against those whom they hate, and to curse Israel, whom the Lord would have to be blessed. If any for farther satisfaction require a larger discourse of these imprecations, I refer him to Martin Bucers' disputation of prayer, in his explanations on the fift Psalm, and to Mollerus his Lecture on the seventh verse of the 54. Psalm, where this at large is discoursed. I conclude this point with Musculus in the place before cited. It is a common prescript to all, which Christ the King of heaven hath commanded, Math. 5. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that persecute you. His Ambassadors, the Apostle of the Gentiles from his masters mouth hath enjoined it, Rom. 12. 14. Bless them that persecute you, bless (I say) and curse not. The Apostle of the jews, hath from his Lord given this charge, 1. Pet. 3. 9 Render not rebuke for rebuke, but contrariwise bless. By which injunction of both, all, both jews and Gentiles must bless for cursing, and pray for their revilers: and what else should they pray for them (saith y Lib. 4. d 〈…〉 cap. 44. Gregory), but z 2. Tim. 2. 25. that of Saint Paul, that God may give them repentance to know the truth, and come to amendment of life, out of the snare of the devil, of whom they are taken at his pleasure to do his will. And let both the offender confess, and the offended forgive, and testify his reconcilement by words of friendship and love to his enemy, though he continue yet in his unrighteousness of reviling. So much be spoken of this first, namely, verbal reconcilement, Be reconliled in word. But here (beloved brethren) we must not stay, In atrio reconciliationis, in the utter court of reconcilement, where men like the a Luke 1. 10. common people stay without, and like the b Act●. 5. 12. vulgar jews are with one accord in this Salomon's porch and portal of peace: but all being priests by our Christian profession, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, 1. Pet. 2. 5. we must enter sancta, the holy places of peace and amity by this beautiful gate of the temple of our body, and offer to our brethren not only the calves of our lips, but the sacrifice of our hands, to manifest our real reconcilement. For we have a c 2. Sam. 3. 27 joab that will speak peaceably to Abner, and yet upon advantage smite him for the blood of his brother Asahel: that will give d 2. Sa. ●0 9 10. Amasa words softer than oil, Art thou in health my brother? and yet with his precious balms break his head, yea st●b him deadly, and shed out his bowels on the ground. For thus lip loving joab spoke friendly to his neighbours e 1. Kings 2. 5. Abner and Amasa, two captains of the host of Israel, but having war in his heart, with the sister of wickedness he smote while he smiled, he killed while he kissed, and (as David there told his son Solomon) shed the blood of battle in the time of peace. And therefore if our love and unity will speak truly, we must pass from this atrium to the sancta, from word to works, from the tongue of friendship to the deeds of agreement: and secondly, be reconciled in deeds to our brethren. Our Saviour (as before I showed) by symmetry and proportion Second reconcilement real. in my text enjoineth it, and with the ancient Fathers (our modern expositors) by like correspondence then collect it, and his charge hereof is plain without deducement, and peremptory without insinuation, verse 44. where he exacteth of all, not 1. Test. only the diligite of the heart the treasurer of love, Love your enemies; nor only the benedicite of the tongue, loves broker and interpreter, bless them that curse you: but also and chief the benefacite of the hand, which is loves factor and agent, Do good to them that hate you. In which triple injunction (me thinks) our Saviour sets man like a clock, whose primum movens and master wheel only must not go right within, nor the bell alone sound true above, but the hand also point strait without. For thus f Math. 12. 34. out of the abundance of the heart, both the mouth speaketh and hand worketh, Mat. 15. 19 And therefore he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 job 7. 20. the keeper of man as a clock, he seeing all the motions of his heart to be out of course and only evil, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all day long, Genes. 9 5. for the motion and setting of the wheel within, he saith to the heart, Love your enemies: for the stroke and sounding of the bell above, he saith to the tongue, Bless them that curse you: and chief 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 joab, sound right above, yet if the hand smite and point wrong without, it is not only an argument ad hominem g 1. Sam. 16. 7. to him that looks on the o●●ward appearance as a passenger on the Dial; but even ad Deum too, to him that seethe not as a man seethe, but beholdeth the heart and h jer. 17. 10. trieth the reins, that the clock goes wrong within, that all the thoughts and turning wheels of the heart, yea all the imaginations and palpitations, all the momentany motions of this watch be out of course: who sith he will censure with eternal doom, and judge every man secundum opera (as the phrase in Scripture still runneth) according to his handiwork, and will judge the spiritual i Luk. 13. 7. figtree, as he did that earthly figtree, Mark. 11. 13. not according to its leaves, but fruit which it beareth: doubtless the hand and branch of the tree which bringeth forth the fruit of peace, is most required in brotherly reconcilement. And therefore as God himself who beholdeth the wheel within, and trieth the reins, asketh of his enemies their heart, Give me thy heart, Prou. 23. 26. so man which looks only on the outward appearance, and judgeth of the clock by the dial, asketh the hand of his enemy, as Glaucus k Homer. Ilia●. lib. 6. and Diomedes when they would make sure amity each to the other, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or they gave right hands of fellowship to manifest their agreement: as we say to our foe, Give me thy hand if thou wilt be friends. As if nature had taught man the reason, that to reintegrate amity, the hands are therefore mutually given, because their deeds are not only the signs but factors of friendship, and must therefore do good to them that hurt them. His ambassador Saint Paul requireth the like beneficence ●. Test. of the hand toward his enemies, Roman. 12. 20. If thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst give him drink: under which two terms of bread and water, (say the l Mart Cal●. Illyr. Gualth. & Myl. in hunc l●cu●. learned) he comprehendeth all kind of corporal maintenance, as in m G●n. 21. ●4. 2. Reg ● 22. 23. Scripture the hebraism doth usually imply: as he promised his friend in the comedy, n Terent. H 〈…〉 act. 1. Sce●. ●. aut consolando, aut consilio, aut re iwero, I will either sustain thee with comfort, or aid thee with counsel, or maintain thee with my goods. And to our ability this must we do abundantly to our enemy: for we must coaceruate and heap these benefits upon him as coals on his head. And therefore Solomon who had this precept at first-hand from the Almighty, bids thee give him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread, Pr. 25. 2●. which usually in o As Goe 3. 19 & 18 5. & 21. 14. & 31. ●4. & 35. 25. & 43. 25. Exod 2 20 & 18. 12. Deut. 8. 3 and many more places of both Testaments. Scripture by an hebraism importeth any or all kind of sustenance, & being panis with the Latins of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth all, implieth there any thing necessary to his maintenance, as in the Lord's prayer it doth comprehend, Matth. 6. 11. And this beneficence as it must be largeous and liberal, so must it be tenderly with love toward our enemies: and therefore for feeding the Apostle useth the emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which (as p Annot. in Rom. 12. 20. Erasmus well observes) signifieth either favourably to feed with a sop dipped in the dish, as Christ did judas at the supper: or to carve for him, and cut his meat small at the table, as we do for him whom we favour at the feast; yea so to feed him as to q Steph. Thesaur. Grac▪ ling. & Bez Annot. ma●or in 1. Cor. 13. 3. put meat into his mouth, as nurses do to infants, and keepers to their patients: or, as some feed birds, which cannot swallow the grain, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith r Lib. 8. hist. animal. cap. 3. Aristotle, if one feed them, and put it into their mouth. And this is the bountiful beneficence which we are commanded lovingly to prohibit to our enemy if he hunger Examples. or if he thirst: practised in some resemblance by our father Abraham, who gave jarring Lot the choice of his own inheritance 1. Abraham. to buy peace thereby, Gen. 13. practised by his children, who walked in the steps of their father Abraham: practised by s Gen. 32. 14. 15 jacob, who sent presents to his hostile brother Esau who 2. jaakob. sought his life, even two hundredth she goats, and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bullocks, twenty she-ashes and ten foals, to see if by these gifts of love he might heap coals of fire on his head, as indeed he did, Gen. 33. practised ●. joseph. by good joseph his son, who when of t Theodore●. quest. 93. in Gen. envy, because he was his father's darling and youngest by birth, the son of Rachel, eminent in virtue, and preferred before them, his brethren proffered his sale to the merchants of Midian, and u Cal●i●. in Gen. 37. 28. they went away and would not buy him, than they sold him to the Ismaelites for twenty pieces of silver, Gen. 37. 28. and they to get by the bargain carried him with their other wares into Egypt, and to make their gain x Lyra & T●st. A●ul. ●n 〈◊〉 locum. raised the price, and sold him again at second hand at a higher rate to Potiphar king Pharaohs steward, vers. 36. But though joseph, whom they sold to be a bondslave in Egypt, became afterward y Psal. 105 21. lord over all Pharaohs house, and ruler of all his substance, yea governor throughout all the land of Egypt, Gen. 45. 8. and was now armed with power to revenge: yet see how he recompenseth them good for evil; see when his enemies did hunger how he fed them, and when they were thirsty gave them drink. For whereas they had z Gen. 37. ●●. stripped him of his particoloured coat, in recompense of that a Gen. 45. 2●. he gave them all change of raiment, he gave them a measure running over into their bosom. They sold him for twenty pieces of money and put him in their purse, and in recompense of that he would not sell them corn, but gave it them freely for nought, and put their money in their sacks, Gen. 42. 25. he gave them a good measure pressed down and shaken together. They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread & water of affliction, Goe 37. 24. and in am thereof he brought them into his own lodging, and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare, and sent them dishes from his own princely measse, Gen. 43. 33. 34. and with what measure they had met to him, he would not meet to them again. Holy David trod the steps of good joseph: for ●. Daui●. when Saul had bend his bow, and made ready the arrows within his quiver to b Psal. 1●. 2. shoot at this upright in heart and sweet singer of Israel, yea when this fouler c 1. Sam. 26. ●0. hunted him like a partridge to the mountains, so that his soul was feign to ask for the wings of a Dove, that he might ●lie away and be at rest; yet see, when his mortal foe was delivered into his hand in the cau● where he covered his feet, he would not lay hands on his enemy, nor suffer his blood-thirsty followers to fall upon him; but only to give his notice what he could have done, cut off the lap of his garment, and rendered him good for evil, as Saul himself confessed, 1. Sam. 24. 18. Yea again when he sound him asleep in the field, and took him napping, he spared his life which was in his hand, and to give him a second warning, took away his pot of water and his spear that was sticked at his bolster, 1. Sam. 26. and therefore might this Dove safely contestate his harmless mind and innocent hands to Cushies' accusation, that he sought saul's life, Psal. 7. O Lord my God, if I have done this thing, or if there be any wickedness in mine hands: if I have rewarded evil to him that had peace with me, (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy) then, then let mine enemy persecute my soul and take me, yea let him tread my life down upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. No, no, when he found but one Egyptian rover in the field, he gave d 1. Sam. 30. 11 him bread to eat when he was hungry, and when he was thirsty he gave his enemy drink. And as did David, so did his son and Lord, Christ jesus 5 Christ. the son of righteousness, from whose brightness these stars borrowed this light of grace: whose words of truth as they were instructions to their minds, so were his works and actions medicines and cures to the bodies of his deadly foes, healing their sick, cleansing their lepers, restoring their lame to their legs, making their blind to see, though they would not behold the light of the world, making their deaf to hear, though they stopped their ears at the wisdom of the world, making their dumb to speak, though they blasphemed the God of the world. Yea when their sin was a bloody sin, a scarlet sin, a crimson sin, Esa. 1. 18. of a double die, died in the thread, being a seed of the wicked and corrupt children: and died in the web be, being a sinful nation laden with iniquity, and therefore worthy of that double die. morte morieirs, of the first and second death: yet how did he shed his most precious blood to make their crimson sins like wool, and their scarlet sins white as snow? Yea when with the malice of hell, in greatest industry they went about the act of his condemnation, most mercifully with greater diligence he went about the work of their salvation: when they shed his blood to quench their malice, he sweat water and blood to wash their souls. Thus the sun of righteousness shined on the evil and the good, though it softened the wax and hardened the clay. Thus the rain of righteousness descended on the just and unjust, though the blessed earth brought forth herbs meet for the dresser, and the reprobate ground, briars and thorns, whose end was to be burned. Yea God the Father, though he be debtor to none, doth benefit 6. God. his foes to testify his love. The Father of lights maketh his Sun to arise on the evil and the good; and the fountain of grace sendeth rain on the just and unjust, Math. 5. 45. A blessing indeed not much esteemed, nor justly weighed as it ought, even of the godly themselves, as e Zanch. lib 5. do Nat Dei cap. 2. quaest 3. one noteth, yet in itself of great estimate and value, seeing by these two, Sun and rain, all things (as f Ib. c. 1. quaest. 1. he noteth) are begotten and bred, and they be the parents of earthly blessings. For seeing the whole condition of man's life dependeth on these two, Christ did fitly instance in them, saith g In hunc. locum quast. 353. Abulensis, because the former being the cause of siccity and heat, the latter of moisture and frigidity, (which four qualities, as our h Ari●●. lib. 2. de an●●. cap. 3. master in the school of nature teacheth, the food and nourishment of all living creatures) they comprise omnia bona nostra, all our earthly blessings as the causes of their effects: & by a synecdoche comprehend innumerable other benefits, saith Calvin, even those which Musculus on these words recounteth; that he gives life to the evil as to the good; that he bestoweth necessaries for life on the evil as on the good; that he hath given the earth to be inhabited of evil as of good: for the i Psal. earth hath he given to the children of men, and k Acts 17. 26. made all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth, his fire warmeth the bad as the good, his bread doth feed, and his wine drink both alike, his raiment doth cloth, and his cattle serve both alike. Yea the wicked his enemies receive these blessings from his hand and almsbasket, in greater abundance than his children do enjoy, as both l job 21 6 ad ●● job and m Psal. 7● 3. a● 15. David with admiration complained, he giveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Act. 17. 25. all things to all kind of persons, n 1. Tim 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men temporally, as he saveth both man and beast, Psal. 36. 6. though specially and eternally of them that believe o Ephes. 5 13. of his body p Mat 1 21. and of his people. He maketh his Sun to rise on the evil, and his rain to fall on the unjust, though specially on the good he maketh his q Mal 4. 2. Sun of righteousness to shine, and sendeth down the r Io●l 2. ●● rain of righteousness upon the just, even the first and the latter rain, as the Prophet speaketh, the first rain of precedent, and the latter rain of subsequent grace, as s Ju lac. 5. 7. Hugo moralizeth those words, the first rain of present grace, and the latter rain of future glory, Rom. 6. 22. The fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life. Thus common blessings and good turns, God himself bestoweth on his ennmies, evil men and unjust, to testify his love, and reconcile them to their Creator. Howbeit if any miscreant of them all, shall open his mouth against heaven, and barking at the Sun, plead against his bountiful benefactor, that the Sun and rain are not his special favours to them, but indifferent and general donatives due by the law of nature and necessity, let him know from the mouth of wisdom, that these are not nature's donation, but God's donatives; they are * ●or●●. his Sun and his rain, saith our Saviour, as t Lib. 1. de far. Dom. in mont. cap. 46 Austin well observes: and this possessive his, showeth that not nature, but the God of nature, is the owner and possessor of them, as Musculus well noteth. Neither are they the blessings of fate and necessity, falling on his enemies by his leave and permission (as Erasmus mi●rendred that word Exoriri sinit) he giveth leave and suffereth the Sun to rise on the evil and unjust (though in his notes on this place, better observing the force of the word, he maketh God not only a permissite, but an efficient cause of them both) for Christ saith not, his Father suffereth the Sun to rise, and rain to descend, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which being (as v Bez. Che●●it. & Pisca. in hunc locum. some observe) in the form of the conjugation of Hiphil with the Hebrews, it intendeth the words as the Syriac and our English translator well rendered them, He maketh his Sun to arise on the evil, and sendeth rain on the unjust. Though these natural effects then of sunshine and raining, in themselves be necessary, and determinate from the x Gen. 1. 7. 18. day of their creation, wherein he gave them a law which shall not be broken, Psal. 148. 6. yet in God their author, their Lord and director, are they wholly free and spontaneous, saith y Totaliter liberi & spontanti in Mat. 5. Abulensis, and wait on his word to execute his will, as the Psalmist speaketh. And though the wicked impute them to necessity, nature and destiny, and extenuating his bounty and love, upbraid him with unkindness, like them in the first of Malachy, Wherein hast thou loved us? yet are they in truth his greater favours toward the evil and unjust, then to the godly and just men, because by their enmity and rebellion they are farther from deserving them, as noteth Abulensis. Foolishness than was the wisdom of that wise and disputer of the world, z S 〈…〉. lib. 4 de benefic. ca 20. ●● 28. who confessed that indeed, Sceleratis sol oritur, & Deus quaedam in universum humano generi dedit, à quibus excluditur nemo, that the Sun ariseth on the evil and unjust, and God hath communicated somethings to mankind indifferently and in general, from which none are excluded: but the wicked (saith he) being mixed with the godly, of necessity receive them, Quia ex corpore singulos non potuerunt, because they could not miss the ungodly, nor single out the godly to bestow themselves on them alone: and therefore God being forced by necessity of this mixture, thought it better to let them fall on the wicked for the godlies sake, then to deprive the godly of these blessings for the wicked and ungodly. No, thou errest (Seneca) not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. These two parentblessings fall not on the evil by any such necessity of commixture with the godly, as thou supposest. The Almighty can withhold his Sun from the wicked, and send a black darkness for three days in all the land of Egypt, that no man saw another, neither rose up from his place in three days, when the children of Israel had light where they dwelled, Exod. 10. 22. And he can withhold his rain from the evil & unjust for three years and six months at Elias entreaty, & send it again at his Prophet's request, jam. 5. 17. as himself avoucheth by the mouth of his Prophet, I have withholden the rain from you, and have caused it to rain upon one city, and have not caused it to rain upon another city: one piece was reigned upon, and the piece whereupon it reigned not withered, Amos 4. 7. We see then God himself, though debtor to no man, yet beneficial and bounteous daily to his enemies, to show them his favour and friendship. Thus the stars and Saints of God have caused their face and favour to shine on their foes: thus the Sun of righteousness himself shined on the wicked, and thus the Father of lights maketh his sun to arise on the evil, whose steps thou shouldst follow, to feed thine enemy if he hunger, and to give him drink if he thirst. The reason of which doctrine, Saint Paul from Solomon subnecteth, The reason of the doctrine. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, Rom. 12. 20. not for his greater judgement, as most imagine, saith a Tom. 3. lib. 1. adver. Pelagian. Saint Jerome, but for his amendment and repentance: that being overcome at length with thy good turns, and inflamed with the heat of thy love, Inimicus esse desinat, he leave off wrath, and let go displeasure. Some indeed are wont (saith b Ser. 168. de Temp. Austin) to take this precept to satisfy their fury and satiate their revenge, resolving with themselves, Behold I feed mine enemy ut ardeat in aeternum, that I may heap coals of hell fire on his head; but we must not follow the kill letter, but the spirit that giveth life: for thou shalt thus heap coals of fire on his head, that when thou often from thine heart dost good to thine enemy, though he be wicked, cruel, barbarous and bloody, yet seeing thy continual beneficence, he will be at length ashamed of his malice, and becoming sorry for his misdoings repent of his wronging thee. Some c Theoph. Zuing. Il●yr. Bez & R●ll. in hunc loc. interpreters indeed, both ancient and modern, understand it of coals of judgement and vengeance. d Orig. Aquin. Lyrae. Hug. Anselm. Hyp. A 〈◊〉 & Piscat. in Rom. 12. 20. Others interpret it of coals of love, to inflame his frozen affection and charity waxed cold. And it cannot be meant of coals of vengeance and hell fire, saith Thomas, because that intent of feeding him is contrary to charity, whereunto the Apostle in this whole chapter exhorteth. Howbeit though the former probably collect from the phrase of heaping on his head, an increase of his judgement, and the latter sort from coals of fire, gather it to be meant of inflaming his love; yet with the most and not worst e jerom. Calvin. H 〈…〉 g. Gu●lt. F●r Ole●i● My▪ 〈◊〉 vid. Ju●us in Prou 25. 22. expounders may I admit both expositions. With the heat of thy love, either thou shalt try him as silver is tried in the fire of what sort he is, if he be gold and silver, or ever had in his election the Lords image and superscription upon him, and was then coined in that mint for a currant Christian, thy fiery coals of love shall burn out his dross till it be pure from rust and rancour, and take away all his tin. Or if he be a vessel of earth, and reprobate silver, wood, hay or stubble, fuel for hell fire, and meat for burning Topheth, thou shalt then heap those coals of hell fire on his head that never shall be quenched. Assuredly thy feeding him shall not be in vain, but either shalt thou heap on his head those fiery coals of love and flame of God to inflame his affection, Cant. 8. 6. or those fiery coals of God's wrath, Psalm 140. 10. which will burn up the ungodly. Which may lesson us (beloved brethren) to show our foes 2. Use. the deeds of amity, if we will conquer their malice, and reconcile them unto us by feeding if they hunger, and giving them drink if they thirst. By performance whereof, we shall show ourselves to be like our heavenly Father, who maketh his sun to 1. Our father's example. arise on the evil, and sendeth his rain on the unjust. Do good to your enemies, saith Christ; and he subnecteth his strongest motive thereto, That ye may be the children of your heavenly Father, Math. 5. 45. Peacemakers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be called the children of God, ver. 9 but by doing good to your foes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ye may be made the children of this father, and heirs of his kingdom; for all God's sons are f Rom. 8. 17. heirs and coheirs with Christ. Ye may be. Hearing of this precept indeed is an eare-mark of Christ's sheep, as witnesseth the chief shepherd, john 8. He that is of God, heareth God's word: & he of an uncircumcised ear that wants it, is one of the devils goats, and heareth it not because he is not of God. But his sheep must not have this eare-marke alone, but an hand-marke too, Math. 7. 24. james 1. 22. and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this (saith he) shall all men know that ye are my sheep, john 13. not so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if in word and will ye love one another, vers. 34. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if ye have love in your hearts one towards another, whereby ye shall be made his children. For wherein shall it be known and discerned (saith g Hom. 13. ●p●r, imperfect hunc locum chrysostom) that we are Gods children, unless we be like our heavenly Father. Natural children resemble their parents, and are often like their earthly father in face or in speech, in some feature and frame of the body; but our heavenly Father like h Gen. 27. Isaac trieth his son, not by his voice, but by his hands, Come near and let me feel thine hands my son: and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in likeness of his hands latitudo & fortitudo as Tom. i 1. ser. 7. super Cantic. Bernard calls them) must we resemble him: his right hand latitudo, qua tribuit affluenter, which is spread out all day long unto a rebellious people, to give largesse to his enemies, isaiah. 65. 2. and his left hand fortitudo, qua defendit potenter, which is stretched out all day long to protect a gainsaying people, Rom. 10. 21. and they that will show they are his children, must kiss them, and be like him in both these hands, saith Bernard, but chief his hand latitude of bounty, which hand when he openeth, he filleth all things living with his plenteousness, Psal. 145. 16. For as his love to his foes consisteth in donando & condonando, in giving & forgiving, Psal. 103. 3. & 5. so his children's love must both bear and forbear, give and forgive, be bountiful and patiented, 1. Corinth. 13. And as the Italians say of Dutchman's dexterity in cunning hand-crafts, that their wits dwell in their finger's ends: so skilful Christians that will work out their salvation, must not only have that verbal, but also real charity, jam. 2. 16. not to dwell in the tongues end, but in their finger ends; and love not in word and tongue only, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in work and indeed, 1. john 3. 18. and by this shall they be made the children of their heavenly father, who acknowledgeth none for his sons here on earth, saith Saint Austin, who have not this affection of their Father in heaven. For as the k Plin. nat. hist▪ lib. 10. cap 3. jerom. lib. 12. in Esa. 40. Eagle opposing the eyes of her ambigeous bird to the beams of the Sun, trieth him to be genuine, if without twinkling and connivence he can behold that splendent lustre, Et filius agnoscitur, and she acknowledgeth him to be her brood, saith l Tract. 36 in evang. Joan. Austin: but if without watery eyes he can not gaze upon that light, adulterinus judicatur, he is then counted spurious and adulterate: even so this our heavenly Father, as with the Eagle, he stirreth up his nest, fluttereth over his birds, and beareth them on his wings of mercy, Deut. 32. so like the Eagle also he setteth here the eyes of his children (who must be tried m Math. 24. Eagles also) on the Sun of righteousness, and on himself the father of lights. He saith to his children as did Gedeon to his followers, n judge 7 17. Look on me, and do as ye see me do. Do good to your foes, as ye see me do to mine enemies, that ye may be like your father, and prove yourselves not to be bastards but sons. And indeed if as those Indian o Pli●. nat. hist. lib. 7. cap. 2. Philosophers could gaze on the Sun with steadfast eyes, we could with Eagle 1. p joh. ●●. john not only videre but spectare, stand looking on this bright glory, and do as himself did, we should be like our heavenly Father, and children of the most highest. Otherwise if without watery eyes we cannot behold him to do as he did, then are we bastards and not sons: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by this are Gods children known, and the children of the devil, 1. joh. 3. 10. Noble men's sons (saith q chrysostom) are not so well known by their chain of gold, as God's children by this golden chain of charity. Let all sign themselves with the sign of the cross▪ saith r Tract. ●. in Epist. joan. Austin, let them answer Amen at thy giving of thanks, let all sing Alleluia, let all be baptized, let all go to church and hear Sermons, yea let them build Cathedral churches; yet for all this the children of God are not discerned from the children of the devil nisi sola charitate, but only by this real charity. They which have it are borne of God, they which have it not are not borne of God, Magnum judicium, magna discretio, so great a distinction it maketh between the children of God and the children of the devil. This mark (saith s Comment. ●● Psal. 103. & lib. 15. de T 〈…〉 cap. 18. he) the wicked cannot participate with us, they may be partakers of our baptism, they may communicate with us at the supper of the Lord, they may join with us in prayer, they may be mixed with us in the Church: but this foe-feeding charity they cannot participate with us. For in this saith Christ (joh. 13.) and in this t August. tract. cit. alone shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have this love one towards another. As if he had said (it is S. u Tract. 〈◊〉 ●uang. joan. Austin's paraphrase) Other my gifts have other with you which are not my children, not only nature, life, sense and reason, but also the gift of tongues, mysteries prophesy, knowledge, miraculous faith, and such like: but because they have not this love, they shall profit them nothing. And indeed (dear Christian) though thou speak with the tongue of men and Angels, nay, if like Herod thou have the voice of God and not of man, if thou had Prophesy with Saul, if thou know all secrets with judas, if thou had all knowledge with Scribes and Pharisees, if thou had perfect faith with those divel-drivers in the 7. of Matthew, if thou gave thy body to be burned with Arius, these iffes and and's shall profit thee nothing if thou hast not this love. No, no, thy bloody mind of Herod shall make thy tongue of Angels but sounding brass, and like a tinkling cymbal, it shall not profit thee: thy persecuting mind of Saul shall turn thy spirit of prophesy into an evil spirit of frenzy, it shall not profit thee: thy treacherous mind of judas shall make thy knowledge of all secrets like Urias' letters which secretly he carried against himself, it shall not profit thee: thy envious mind of Scribes and pharisees, shall make thy all knowledge a rod to beat thee with many more stripes, it shall not profit thee: thy iniquitie-working of those miracle-mougers shall but cast a devil out of others into thyself, it shall not profit thee: and thy scismatical spirit of Arius shall make the burning of thy body but the kindling of that fire which never shall be quenched, it shall not profit thee. Without this thou art not a son of Seth but of Cain, not of Abraham but of Abadon, not of grace but of wrath, not of pity but perdition, not of God's church but of the synagogue of Satan, not of the x Mat. 8. 12. vide Bez. annot. maior. king though outwardly of the kingdom, not a son of God but of Satan: for in this and in this alone shall all men know, that thou art his disciple, if thou hast this love to thine enemy. But if thou be his child, be like thy father, who seeing he maketh not the sun, but his sun to rise on thee, and his rain to descend on thee, it may teach thee (saith y Lib. 1. de S●r. dom. in mont. cap. 46. Saint Austin) how bountiful to thy foes thou shouldst be of his basket, whereof thou art but almoner, and an eleemosinarie thyself. And seeing he maketh the one to arise on both good and evil, and the other to descend on the just and unjust, it may lesson thee (saith that x Tom. 4. lib. de salut. dec. cap. 46. Father) to communicate thine alms, thy beneficence, thy good turns, thy charity, and all thy good to all both good and bad, friends and foes. Then which nothing will more make us like our heavenly Father, and therefore whereas Christ doth in many places warn us of many things, yet in no place (saith a Tom. 5. Serm. vi●tut. progen. ut confid. chrysostom) he inferreth, we shall be like our heavenly Father, but where he speaks of doing good to our enemies. And he puts us in mind of our b Chrysost. hom. 20. in M●t. 6. heavenly Father by this, to shame us, if being borne of God and so royally descended, we degenerate from our Father's nature, from the godly nature 2. c Pet. 1. 4. whereof we are partakers, into brutish cruelty: and by that to confound us, if being called to an heavenly conversation, we become vile with earthly affections. Wherefore seeing this foe-feeding love and real reconcilement maketh us children most like our heavenly Father, let us hear his voice, who saith to his children as d 1. Cor. 4. Paul to his Corinthians, I writ not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I admonish you: for though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; and though ye call men on earth your fathers, yet none but I am your heavenly Father: for in Christ jesus my son I have begotten you through the Gospel: Wherefore I pray you be ye followers of me, e Eph. 5. ●. be ye followers of God as dear children, and walk in this love. As Christ hath loved us. For if we cannot like Henock walk 2. Our elder brother's example. with God, nor tread in the steps of our heavenly Father, (for who can take such a step of love as did God, from heaven his throne to earth his footstool?) yet as that boy Ascanius followed his father, non passibus aequis, let us follow him though with unequal paces: let us walk with Christ our elder brother, who in this path went before us, and left us an example that we should follow his steps, 1. Pet. 2. 21. For as the oil of love (wherewith he was anointed above his fellows) descended from this our head to all his members, and went down to his enemies, as to the skirts of his clothing; so in the savour of that good ointment should we run even with the oil of gladness to our foes: and therefore shapeth Paul our wedding garment of love according to his white rob of mercy, Col. 3. 12. Now therefore (saith he) as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on the bowels of mercy, kindness, modesty, meekness and long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, sicut, even as Christ forgave you. As the elect of God: that is, if ye have any internal seal to your souls of your election: holy, if any external sign of sanctification to make it sure to yourselves: beloved, if any experience of the love of God to his Saints: put on, not for a forenoon like your cloak which in heat strait goes off again: nor for an hour, like your hat which goes off at every wrong that meets you in the way: but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, put on Beza f 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. in Col. 3. 12. never to put off again, the bowels of mercy toward the unmerciful, kindness toward the unkind, modesty toward the immodest: meekness toward the cruel: and long-suffering toward the hasti-minded man. After whose example? sicut, even as Christ forgave and loved you his enemies: as himself gave them this new commandment, joh. 13. that we love another, sicut, even as he loved us, that we love one another. A new commandment g ●erus 〈◊〉. in joh. 13. because by him renewed from that pharisaical tradition, h Mat. 5. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemy. New, because oftener and more excellently commanded in the new then old Testament: new, because otherwise in the new than the old commanded; in that with a sicut teipsum, love thy neighbour as thyself; in this with a sicut ●go dilexi vos, as I have loved you, that ye love one another. New, because now confirmed with greater examples of God the Father and Christ his son: new, because though judicial and ceremonial, yet this evangelical love remaineth for ever: and new because though to day discharged, tomorrow it must be renewed, to love one another, sicut, even as he loved us. And what was the measure (dear Christian) of that sicut? His Apostle meeteth it out by four adjuncts of our baseness and demerit: Christ when we were yet of no strength died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. 6. Christ the only Son of God, died the most shameful death of the cross, for us when we were yet of no strength by nature, yea sinners by profession, yea ungodly by defection, nay enemies by rebellion. We had neither strength to stand in judgement, nor righteousness to satisfy the law, nor godliness to move mercy, 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 us. Christ suffered (saith i 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter) the death most ignominious: for sins, the cause most odious: the just for the unjust, the persons most unequal: that he might bring us to God, the end most glorious. This sicut of his love, himself measureth out with a sic dilexit. joh. 3. 16. as if he had been sick of love, as the spouse Cant. 2. 5. ᵏ speaketh, and that sickness of love with those four dimensions, breadth, length, height, and depth of his love, Ephes. 3. 18. himself meeteth. The only Son of God, there is the height, was sent down, there is the depth: into the world, there is the breadth: that it might have everlasting life without end, there is the length of his love. Saint l Ser. t. de Ad●● Dom. Bernard measureth the quantity of his love with the same dimensions: what was the cause (saith that Father) Vt maies●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 love: Quia misericordia magna, quia miscratio multa, quia charitas copiosa, because his mercy reached unto the clouds, because his mercy was for ever without end; because it reached to the deep below; because his mercy was over all his works, as the Psalmist speaketh: it was a sic dilexit, a lovesick affection, strong as death, that he should love us, Tantus & tantum, tantillos & tales, he so great, us so little, such enemies and with such love, saith m De dilig. D●o. Bernard, alluding to those four dimensions of Saint Paul, O that I had the tongue of men and Angels to decipher his love to thee his enemy, that this n 2. Cor. 5. 14. love of Christ might constrain to do good to thy foes! O remember, we in the loins of our father Adam, like strangers from God, were going down from jerusalem to jericho▪ from heaven to hell, and fell among thieves who rob us of our raiment and rob of righteousness! O remember how they wounded us, so sore, that from the top of the head to the sole of the foot there was no whole part in our bodies and souls, but wounds and swellings, and sores full of all corruption, leaving us not half (like that traveler) but quite dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2. 1. and forget not (dear Christian) how then this good o Luke 10. 33. Samaritane, as he journeyed and came from the bosom of his father, cured us, when both Priest and Levite like jobs friends, Physicians of no value, passed by us, no eye pitied us to do any thing unto us, or to have compassion upon us, nay no creature in heaven or earth, p Psal. no man could deliver his brother or make agreement unto God for him, for it cost more to redeem their souls, so that they might let that alone for ever. Then, than this Sun of righteousness being in the q Phil. 2. form and glory of God, went back ten degrees in our nature, as the Sun did in the dial of Ahaz, and took on him the form of a servant, that in the rags of our flesh he might C●drus-like taste death for his people. He then came unto us, when like r Ezek. 16. Israel we lay tumbling in our blood and bloody sins; bound up our wounds, and said, Ye shall live; powered in not oil and wine, but sweat and blood into our sores; set us on his own beast, nay s 1. Peter 2. 24. carried our sins on his own body on the tree, made provision for us, and took out not two pence, silver 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 enemy to his offended father, like that good Samaritane, to the host for the stranger, Whatsoever he hath spent, I will recompense it: or as v Philem. 17. 18 Paul gave his word to Philemon for his vagabond servant, Father if thou count our things common, receive him as myself: if he hath hurt thee, or oweth thee aught, that put on mine accounts: I jesus have written it in blood with mine own hand, I will recompense it: and therefore might truly say with x Psalm 69. David, The rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me; I paid them the things that I never took. This he performed for us sinners, and said indeed for his enemies as Nisus for his friend, Whom seek ye? Coram quem quaeritis, adsum, I am he whom ye seek to be crucified: Adsum qui feci, in me convertite ferrum O Rutuli: I make myself sin for them, y isaiah. 53. wound me for their transgressions, break 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 isaiah. 50. I give my back to the smiters, my cheeks to the nippers, and will not hide my face from shame and spitting. When sinful man, that like a wandering sheep was caught in the briers, and with the Ram might have truly been sacrificed for this, Isaac might truly have replied, Mea fraus omnis nihil iste nec fecit nec p●tuit, he did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth. Quid meruisset ovis? This sheep and lamb of God, what hath he done? Let thine hand (I pray thee) be against me and my father's house. Thus the partition wall of ordinances between jew and Gentile was broken down by him who made of two people one man, Ephes. 2. Thus the partition wall of our a isaiah. 5●. sins, which separated between us both and our God, was taken away by him who reconciled both to one God, and preached peace to us far off, and to them that were near. Thus our jos b 17. 1● josua made sin or inbred Cananite, which c Rom 7. 18. 20 dwelleth in our mortal body, and cannot quite be cast out, d Rom. 6. tributary unto us, that we may reign over it, and bring it into subjection. This is the manifold love of Christ to us his enemies, his real love, his love indeed with a witness, and to witness it the more, styleth he us with all names of love, as servants, john 15. 15. if that be too little, his friends; if that be not enough, his e Mark 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 far off, his h Mark 10. 15 children: if that be not ●nough, his i Luke 8. 21. mother: if that be not enough, his k Cant. 5. spouse, which is the greatest, and passing love of women: and all this to show he loved us with all kind of loves possible, the servants love, a friends love, kinsman's love, brethren's love, sister's love, children's love, mother's love, and spouse-love, which is as strong as death, and cannot be quenched with floods of water, Cant. 8. 7. This was Christ's love to us his enemies, as high as heaven, as deep as the earth and hell itself, as broad as the world, and as long as life eternal. Wherefore as himself spoke of washing his Disciples feet, john 13. 14. Siego, If I (saith he) I your Lord and Master, have stooped to wash your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet: for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you: so may I reason strongly with his Apostle, Beloved, if God, if Christ so loved us, we ought also to love one another, 1. john 4. 11. And indeed (beloved Christian) thou canst never love truly, and do good to thy foe, until thou remember'st what Christ hath done for thee while thou wert his enemy. Let this love of Christ constrain thee then, who commanded it for thy practice, and practised it for thine example. If considering thine own weakness and infirmity, Deficis sub praecepto, comfortare in exemplo, saith l M●dit. in Psal. 56. Austin, if thou thinkest the precept an hard saying to flesh and blood, who can bear it, be comforted in the example of him who performed it. Christ did it as man in thine own nature, to teach thee he commands no impossibilities, and he is present with thee, ut praebeat auxilium, qui praebuit exemplum, saith that Father, to m Cant 1. 3. john 6. 6. draw thee after him, who bids thee n 1. Pet. 2. Come follow his steps. Let us run when he draweth, and let us love really our foes as he loved us while we were not his friends. If we cannot, sic & sicut, so infinitely as he did us: (for consider, behold, and see, if ever there was love sicut amor eius, like his love) if we cannot go with him in his sicut and quantity yet let us run after him in the sic and quality of his love, as o T●m 1. Ser. 13 in cana Dom. Dil●●te ●nuicem fie●t ego d●lex● vos: ●●c adverbium sicut non qua●●tat●s sed qualitat●s simil●●ud●em nota●. Idem ser. 5. in caen. D●m. Bernard doth distinguish. Howbeit if we cannot walk with God, nor follow our elder brother in his great steps of love, yet let us ambulare cum Davide, go cheek by cheek with David our fellow-servant, who rendering good for evil to his arch-enemy Saul, made him ashamed of his enmity, and heaped such coals of fire on his head, that he kindled his affection to cry out in admiration, Is this thy voice my son David? and weeping he lift up his voice, 3. Our fellow-servants example. and said to David: Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rendered me good, and I have rendered thee evil: and now thou hast showed this day, that thou hast dealt well with me, for as much as when the Lord had enclosed me in thy hands, thou killed'st me not; for who shall find his enemy at such advantage and let him go free with a good turn? Wherefore the Lord render thee good for that thou hast done to me this day, 1. Sam. 24. Yea when afterward he repent of this repentance, and with the dog returned to his vomit, yet David again overcame his evil with goodness, that he cried out with a peccavi in his mouth, I have sinned, come again my son David, for I will do thee no more harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have done foolishly and erred exceedingly, 1. Sam. 26. 21. With such love was David anointed when he was anointed with the horn of oil to be king, this was the strength of his love, when he had the oil but not the horn; when he was elected, and not yet inducted into the kingdom: and yet behold, when after saul's death he had gotten sceptrum pro pedo, a sceptre for a sheephook, and was taken from the sheepe-folds to feed jaakob his people, and Israel his inheritance: when the Lord had now exalted his horn, whereby he might extirpate saul's house, and root out all his enemies, yet asked he Zyba after saul's death, p 2 Sam▪ ●. ●. saying: Remaineth there yet none of the house of Saul, on whom I may show the mercy of God? the mercy of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth bountifulness and largesse, not ordinary, but proceeding from most ardent affection, as q Pet. Martyr. in hunc 〈◊〉. Martyr well observeth. And when Mephibosheth saul's nephew was brought unto him, he said unto him: Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness, and will restore thee all the lands of Saul thy Father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually: and this beneficence to his enemy's nephew presently he performed. Indeed he well called it the mercy of God: for he is kind to the unkind, and merciful to the merciless man. And thus with David, if our enemy hunger, should we feed him; and if he thirst, give him drink at our table: though he feed and drink us with bread and water of affliction, and like David's enemies give us gall in our meat, and in our thirst give us vinegar to drink, Psal. 69. 21. Our love must be miscricordia Dei, the largesse of God, who maketh his sun rise on his enemies, and with David a man after Gods own heart, must we cause our sun to shine on our foes, and freely give them dimidium spherae solem simul & canis iram, the half circuit with the sun and anger of the dog, that is, cor, the heart, and not like angry Doeg cause one sun to rise on our friend Saul, and our canis iram and bile on our foe David, nor afford him a c of our beneficence and bounty. This is not the mercy of God, but of Publicans and sinners, who love, lend, and do good to their friends to receive the like again, Luk. 6. This is love bought and sold, and mercenary mercy, which hath then verily received all its reward. But now (alas) every man saith like him in the 2. of Sam. 10. 2. I will show kindness to him who hath showed me kindness before: or as r Xenoph. lib. 2. de fact. & dict. S●cr. Chaerephon answered Socrates: I know how to use my brother benefacienti benefacere, to do one good turn 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 give him drink if he thirst. Like him in the s Plaut. Au●●: Comedy, in one hand we bring bread for our friend, and in the other a stone for our foe; in the one an egg for our lovers, and in the other a serpent for our loathers; in the one a fish for our favourites, and in the other a scorpion for our scorners. Which partial affection, if it only were found in the tail and dregs of the people, which like Moab are settled upon their lees, it were less lamentable: but alas it is seen in the ancient and honourable man, who is the head, and like t I had. lib. 24. Homer's jupiter hath two tons standing in the entrance of his palace, out of one setting abroach his favours to his friends, and out of the other his vials of wrath to his foes, and gives them a drink 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. Whereas our tongue should bless, and our hand deal a blessing where the Lord hath even cursed, and do Gal. 5. good to all though specially to the household of faith; to the one in God, and to the other for God's sake, and say like our x Mat. 20. 13. heavenly Father who doth good to friend and foe: Friend, I do thee no wrong, I will give to this other as much as to thee. Let no man say unto me (saith y Homil. de David. & Saul. chrysostom) I have a wicked, an ungodly, a desperate, and an incorrigible enemy: whatsoever thou shalt say, yet is he not worse than was Saul, who once, and again, nay being often preserved by David, whose life a thousand ways he sought, yet for all so many benefits persevered 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 servants, that he hath offered thee violence, that he hath detained thy goods unlawfully, that he hath beggared 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, peradventure he durst it but once, not twice, not often, as Saul did endeavour. But if this once or twice, or thrice, or often he assayed, yet not rewarded of thee with so many good turns as Saul was of David, yet not preserved and his life saved, when once & again he had fallen into thy hands. And if thou hast done all this to thine enemy, yet David excelleth thee, that he under the law performed this, thou under the Gospel of peace. God spoke to him, and commanded this but by his Prophets, to thee hath he enjoined it by his only Son, Heb. 1. He came as it were, but to mount Sinai, to burning fire, to blackness and darkness to serve in the oldness of the letter, but thou art come to mount Zion, and to jesus the Mediator of a better testament, established on better promises, to serve in the newness of the spirit, Heb. 12. He was but a son of Agar the bondwoman, I mean the law which engendered unto bondage, but thou art a son of the free-woman Sara, the Gospel which is free, that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, Gal. 4. He was directed but with the law, a 2. Pet 1. 19 light shining in a dark place, and had but a a Psal. 119. lantern for his feet to be a light to his paths: but thou art led by that day-star the Gospel, which like the wisemen's star goeth before thee to Christ: yea thou art directed by the Sun of righteousness himself. who saith to the: Fellow my steps, and love thine enemies as I have loved thee. O if David (saith that Father) had heard Christ's precept, Do good to your enemies, Mat. 5. or the Lord's prayer, Forgive men their trespasses as your Father shall forgive yours, Mat. 6. or the judgement of the merciless debtor, that would not forgive his fellow-servant an hundred pence when his master had forgiven him ten thousand talents, Mat. 18. or Christ giving his life for his enemies, Mat. 20. or his innumerable sermons of loving and helping our foes, Luk. 6. how great would his love have been with these, who without them did so recompense his arch-enemy Saul, and reward his posterity? Here is an example for us to follow: even the Publicans and sinners do good to those who do good to them b Mat. 5. 47. saith Christ, and if ye go no further what reward shall ye have? This is but imperfectae charitatis, saith c 2. 2. Quaest. 27 art. 7. Thomas out of d Euchir. cap. 73 Austin, a point and sign of imperfect charity; nay, usura charitatis, but the usury and gainful use of love. For shame then of our profession, at least for fear of losing our reward, let us go before Publicans and sinners in the kingdom of grace, lest Publicans and sinners go before us into the kingdom of heaven. For how great punishment shall we be worthy of e Homil. 18. ●● Mat. 5. saith chrysostom, if when we should as children follow our heavenly Father, and be perfect in this as he is perfect, we be found but equal and perchance inferior to the very Gentiles that know not God? if when we are commanded to exceed Scribes and Pharisees in our righteousness, we come short of the Ethnic pagans, what torments shall we suffer? We read that even heathen men have done good to their very enemies. f Li 5 exem. c. 3. Sabellicus and g Li. exemp. c. 2. Fulgosus bring a cloud of witnesses, as of Lycurgus the Lacedaemonian to Alexander a boy, whom, when by chance he had struck out his eye, he took home, entreated him courteously, and instructed him wisely. Of Caesar to Catullus, whom, notwithstanding his defaming verses, he invited to supper and fed his foe. Of Augustus his bounty to his enemy L. C●nna: Vespasian to Vitellius: and Titus his son ●o those two patricians that affected his Empire. These were their humani affectus, saith mine author, a part and point of humanity; but ours should be more, Pietatis & religionis partus, the birth of religion and the fruits of the spirit. But what do I speak of men's reason, when the unreasonable beasts are friendly to their feeders? The Ox knoweth his owner, and the stupid Ass not only the crib, but his master's crib. What shall I tell you of horses, as of h Plin. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 42. Alexander's Bucephalus, who in peculiar affection and love to his loving Lord, would suffer no man but him to ride him: and though when being wounded at the Theban siege he was unfit for the saddle, yet suffered he him not to get upon another for that service: in reward of which brutish kindness he made him a tomb at his death, and called the town Bucephalon after his horse's name, as many histories report. What shall I tell you of Antiochus his horse? who to revenge his master's death by Centoratus, when that enemy after conquest triumphantly ascended him, headstrongly galloped to a steep, and from thence did precipitate him and his rider, as the same author and i Lib ● de hist. an●mal cap. 43. Aelian doth relate. And therefore when k Homer. I ●ad▪ lib. ●. Hector had fed his horses for the Trojan war, Now rush stoutly into the battle (saith he) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, now remember your master's crib, and repay me my provender, my strong wheat and sweet wine. And if we go no further than these, our gold is but dross and horse-gold, our charity is but usury and horse-love, who claweth his fellow to be clawed again. Saint Hexam l l. ●. c 4 Ambrose gives as great witness to mastiffs and curs, as we shall to our friends thus perform: for when Ful●e● lib. 5. exempl. cap 2. T. Sabinus was imprisoned, his dog whom often he had fed would never forsake him in his bonds, but when his Lord was brought forth to be cast headlong into Tiber, like a mourner (kind cur) he stood howling beside his master; and when the standers by gave him bread to stop his mouth, Ori domini admovebat, he held it up to his master's mouth, and leapt after him into the river to hold up his head. But why show I that at home which daily your eyes may behold? Let us go into the wilderness, and there shall you see both the n Plin. hist nat. lib. 8. cap. 59 Serpents in Tyrinthe and snakes in Syria, though strangers they destroy, yet spare the inhabitants in whose land they are nourished. There shall ye see, that an Elephant grievously wounded with Porus in the war against Alexander, neglected his own hurts, softly with his trunk pulled the darts out of his master's body, till by extreme bleeding he perceived him to faint, and then little by little, and softly bowed down himself, lest Porus his body falling too high, should more be grieved with so great a fall. But why do I speak of these milder beasts? the very ramping and roaring Lion, who o prover. 30. 30 feareth not any, at whose roar the beasts of the field do tremble, is not behind men in this behalf. For when one Androcles a servant, for some notable misdemeanure in Rome, had run from his master into the wilderness of Africa, there to shade himself from the scorching of the sun he entered a cave which was a Lion's lodging gone about his prey; whereto the savage beast after raven returning with a thorn in his foot, he mildly beheld this fugitive, and held him his foot to pluck out the prick: after which cure, the Lion for his fee fed him as his guest, and gave him his diet of his prey (if p Aelian. li. 7. de hist. animal c. 43 vide Plin. lib. 8. cap. 16. stories store not up untruth) for three years together. After which this vagabond leaving his solitary life, and roving about Rome, was apprehended by his master, and cast (as those bestiarij were in Rome) to this Lybian Lion which by chance had then been caught: who seeing his old guest, acknowledged his benefactor, and in sign of requital fawned upon him, and lay prostrate at his feet, yea tore a Pardale to whom his friend was exposed. Thus beasts in reason favour their friends, when men become unreasonable. And therefore when some q 〈◊〉. Courtiers about Alphonsus defended, that some beasts excelled many men, as the Turtle in chastity, the Emmet in providence, the dog in sagacity, the Stork in piety, and the Bee in industry and reverence towards his King: that good K. of Arragon answered wisely, that whether these virtues were inbred in beasts by nature, or given them by God's donation, surely they were granted them for no other cause but to shame us; if reason shall not exceed sense, and men beasts in the works of humanity. Wherefore except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, who hate their enemy; except it exceed (saith Christ) the charity of Publicans and sinners, who love but their friend; nay surely except it exceed the righteousness of savage beasts, and your charity the love of cruel Lions, how can ye hope to enter into the kingdom of heaven, when ye do but as horse and mule which have no understanding, and as Dogs or Lions beasts that perish? It was devilish policy which that Florentine r Com. 3. 32. Machivell (one that hath done much evil to politicians of our age) gave his statist, that one should never offer nonis benefi● ijs veterem iniuriarum obliuionen● inducere, to benefit or do good to him whom notoriously he had wronged, lest (saith that match-devil who seldom found his match in evil) he which never truly but feignedly will be reconciled, when thou art secure of his love, revenge upon advantage: but rather (saith that Achitophel) Insigni iniuria adversarium vi●la, continue on doing him some notable wrong, and keep him still in enmity, least being forced by his friendship to trust him with thyself, he deceive thee at a lype. But this wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, and is twelve times infatuated by the wisdom of God, Rom. 12. fashion not yourselves like unto this world, but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good will of God, acceptable and holy. Let love be without dissimulation: abhor that which is evil, and cleave unto that which is good. Be affectioned to love one another with brotherly kindness. Bless them that persecute you: bless (I say) and curse not. Be of like affection one towards an other. Recompense to no man evil for evil. If it be possible as much as in you lieth have peace with all men. dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but give place to wrath: and which is the upshot of all, if thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, nor be led by Machiavelli, but overcome evil with goodness. Howbeit, if neither our heavenly Father's example, nor Christ our elder brother's example, nor David our fellow-servants sampler, can move us to exceed either Publicans and beastly men, or the beasts of the field, yet with s Heb. 11. ●6. Moses let us have respect to the recompense of reward, seeing by this we t Mat. 5. 48. shall be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, and have great reward in heaven, Luk. 6. 35. For whereas (saith a u Cmys. st. Homis. 18. in Mat. 5. Father) he blessed the meek but with inheriting the earth, Mat. 5. 5. and the poor in spirit but with appropriating to them the kingdom: and the mourners but with hope of future comfort: and thirsters after righteousness but with satiety and fullness: and the merciful but with obtaining mercy: and the pure in heart but with hope of seeing God: and peacemakers but with the appellation of the children of God: and sufferers for his sake but with fruition of the kingdom: by this last of doing good to our enemies, we shall not only enjoy all these, but we shall be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect: and though these many virtues, these many daughters have done valiantly, yet this surmounteth them all. To help up his enemy that lieth upon the ground, and increase his former dignity with good turns, could even x Orat. pro M. Marcello. Tully tell his Emperor: Haec qui facit, non ego illum cum summis viris comparo, sed simillimum Deo judico: The deed of God and not of man, he shall be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect. Perfectorum sunt ista (saith y Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 73. Saint Austin) this is not milk for babes, but meat of strong men, who are grown to the full age of Christ's stature. For see (saith z L●co cirat. &. Fer●● in Mac. 5. chrysostom) how he puts this as crown on all the other virtues, and addeth this the last as the perfection of all, ye shall be perfect. The ranges of this jacob's ladder he set down before: the first step is, not to be angry: the second is, not to exasperate with behaviour: the third, not to revile in speech: the fourth, not to do wrong in deed: the fift, not to requite evil: the sixth, not to resist injury: the seventh, to bear it with patience: the eight, to prepare for more wrong than was offered: the ninth, to love our enemies: and lastly, which is the end of all, to pray for them, and do them good, and this is the top of the ladder that reacheth up to heaven. Which doctrine as it instructeth us to love our foes in deed & 2▪ Use. in truth, so reproveth it justly them who love in tongue only, and in word alone. And as it requireth the hand of friendship in the tongue of friends, so unmasketh it all face-taking friendship, which in word pretendeth amity, but in work extendeth enmity to foes as they were their friends. Grievously complained David of such familiar treachery, Psal. 55. 12. It was not mine open enemy that did me this dishonour, for than I could have borne it. Neither was it mine adversary that did exalt himself against me, for than I would have hid myself from him: but it was thou my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend, which took sweet counsel together, and walked together as friends. My familiar friend whom I trusted, which did eat with me, hath lift up his heel against me, and laid great wait for me, Psal. 41. The Prophet jeremy felt no less of false friendship: Even thy brethren (saith God to his Prophet) even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt unfaithfully with thee, and they have cried out all together upon thee, believe them not though they speak fair to thee, jer. 12. 6. And therefore compareth David them to bees, Psal. 118. They came about me like bees: and very fitly faith a a joh. Hus. in hu●c locum. Writer: for the Bee (as b Labernele 5. de hist. ●●nal. cap. 22. Aristotle noteth) carrieth honey in her mouth and a sting in her tail. Such Bees were the jews to our head Christ jesus (saith john Hus.) Mat. 22. Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God truly: behold the honey in their mouths, tell us therefore is it lawful to give Caesar tribute? behold their sting in the tail. 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 swarm was no other but even judas, who was c Act. 1 16. guide to them that took jesus. He came to his Lord with honey in his mouth, ave, d Mat. 26. 49. God save thee master; but in his tail was a sting, which cried, Cave, God save thee from me master, for he betrayed him with a kiss into their hands. And see how our Saviour in greatest indignation upbraideth his treachery and unkindness: judas (saith e Luk. 22. 48. he) betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss? Every word is ponderous, and an argument of unkindness: judas, what? my steward, and mine almoner, yea mine own disciple: judas, surely he is not our enemy though he come with swords and staves, Friend wherefore art thou come? Yes (blessed Saviour) it is judas thy burser, who was a thief and carried the bag: betrayest thou? who before confessed: yes, he betrayeth who before professed: for though in words he confessed thee, by works he denied thee. Thou whom I chose out for one of my twelve Apostles, thou for whom alone I carved at my last Supper, and I gave thee a sop dipped in kindness: betrayest thou the son of man? a servant thy Lord, a disciple thy master, the son of man without sin, and sellest him for thirty pence, who is the price of the world, and the ransom of mankind? and that with a kiss? with a f Ambros. l●●. 10. in Luc. 22. pledge of affection dost thou give a wound? with a kiss of love dost thou execute hatred, and with a sign of peace dost thou inflict death? Thus the Wolf devoured the Lamb of God under sheeps clothing: thus Christ's burser that carried the bag was a thief to his master, and in punishment of his treachery, like a thief in the Castle yard, he walks up and down the Scripture with this bolt at his heels, judas Iscariot one of the twelve, which also betrayed him, the jingling of which bolt at his heels, tells all that hear it, he is in that infernal g 1. Pet. 3 19 prison h jud. 6. kept up in chains of darkness, because when he brought honey in his mouth, he brought a sting in his tail, and with his precious balms broke our head. Atque utinam solus Iudas tam horribiliter peccasset, and would God only judas (saith a i Brent. Hom●i▪ ●● pass. Christi. Writer) had so perfidiously betrayed: but now (alas) with k Io. Fer●● part. 2. pas Dom. another we may stand in a gaze, or rather in a maze admire, Bone Deus, quàm plenus nunc est mundus huiusmodi proditorum! Good God, how full now is the world of such judasses' and betrayers, nemo a● his securus, none can escape them. Help Lord, for there is not one godly man left, for the faithful are minished from among the children of men, they speak deceitfully every one to his neighbour, they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble with their double heart. Psalm 12. 1. The faithful man is perished out of the earth, & there is none true hearted among men. They all lie in wait for blood. Every man hunteth his brother with a net: the best of them is as a brier, and the most righteous of them is sharper than a thorn hedge. Trust ye not in a friend, neither put ye confidence in a counsellor. Keep the door of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom: for the son revileth the father, the daughter riseth against the mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law, and a man's enemies are they of his own house, Mich. 7. 2. Which caution, that better he may imprint, l Comment in 7. cap Mich. jerom exemplifieth it with several instances of unkindness: Trust not a friend (saith he) for false m 2. Sam 15. Achitophel deceived David; and n Math. 26. judas the true Achitophel his master jesus. Put no confidence in a counsellor, as did the o judg. 9 Sh●chemites in Abimelech, whom when they had advanced, he oppressed them. Keep thy tongue from her that lieth in thy bosom, for p judg. 16. Dalilah betrayed Samson, when he dallied her in his lap. For the son revileth the father, as q 2. Sam. 16. Absalon did David. The daughter riseth against her mother; a testimony whereof, though in Scripture thou canst not find (saith he) yet are there so many examples thereof in daily experience, that rather we should weep there are so many, then search them out. The daughter in law against her mother in law, as r Gen. 26. 35. Esawes wife against Rebecca. And a man's enemies are they of his own house: here I seek not examples, for they are more (saith Jerome) then can be numbered. Abel is persecuted of none but Cain: Isaac of Ishmael: jaakob of Esau: Moses of his brethren: David of Saul: Elias of jezabel: and Christ of his own, who should have been the man of his peace. Which enmity as it was first laid and begun in the s Gen 3. Serpent's seed and the seed of the woman, so ever since out of the Church's bowels, like the womb of t Gen 25. Rebecca hath two manner of people, like her twins been divided out of her bowels, which being as contrary as the flesh to v Gal ●. the spirit each to other, like jaakob and Esau struggle in the womb, and being come to strength x Gal 4 like the sons of the bondwoman and free, persecute one the other. And as he that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, even so it is now. Thus a brother is most deceived by his brother whom he trusted: thus he is y Mark 6 4. despised of his own, and not without honour in another country, z Gen. 37. joseph is afflicted in his father's house among his brethren, and sold into Egypt, and king a Gen●●. 41. Pharaoh exalts him. b Exod. 2. Moses is cast out by his parents into the river, but though his father and mother forsook him▪ yet the Lord taketh him up by the hand of Pharaoes' daughter, who nourished him for her own son. jeremy is cast into the dungeon by c jeremy. ●8. ●. Zedechias counsellors, and by d vers. 9 2●. 12, 13. Ebedmel●ch an Egyptian is delivered out of prison. And as it was then, even so is now, when we are fallen into the worst times, into the last part of Nebuchadnezars image, whose feet were of iron and clay, into the last age, whereof e Ovid li. ●. Metam. ●●b. 4. he speaketh, De duro est ultima ferro, which is of hard iron, and in it men of stony hearts: that the nearer they are in affinity, the nearer they are in treachery: as the heathen there experimently complaineth of this age: — Non hospes ab hospite tutus, Nec socer à genero, fratrum quoque gratia rara est. Imminet exitio vir coniugis, illa mariti, Lurida terribiles miscent Aconita nou●rcae, Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos. From henceforth (saith our Saviour) there shall be five in one ● Luke 12. 5●. house divided, three against two, and two against three: the father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father: the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother: the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Thus the man of our peace whom we trust, often layeth great wait for us: thus counterfeits under the colour of gold, and false brethren under the vizard of friendship eftsoon, betray us. It was a common trick in his days, who beholding it complained, Tuta frequensque via est per amici fallere nomen: and he gave his censure of such cosining: Tuta frequensque licet sit via crimen habet. A safe and common way it is, by friendship to deceive: But safe and common though it be, its knavery by your leave. And as it was then, even so is it now in these perilous times, wherein (as the g 2. Esdr. 5. 10. Scribe speaketh) unrighteousness and voluptuousness have gotten the upper hand upon earth, wherein the land shall be barren from faith (as he prophesied) and iniquity shall be increased more than thou hast seen, or hast heard in time past, that all friends shall fight one against another, when wit shall hide itself, and understanding departed into his privy chamber. Our Saviour foretold the like cause of not unlike effect, Math. 24. Because (saith he) iniquity shall be increased, the love of many shall be cold, because of a flood of iniquity (as h Calui. in hunc locum one expounds it) where men are frozen in their dregs, the love of many shall be cold, or frozen (as i Enarr. in hunc locum Bucer doth interpret it.) For as an inundation of much water, freezeth in those regions from which the Sun is far remote; so a flood of iniquity in those parts from which the Sun of righteousness is far distant, hath made such a frost of charity, that frater infidelis (to use the words of Hugo) fratrem fidelem, one brother betrayeth another▪ as our Saviour prophesied Math. 24. 10. and breaketh the knot of friendship, Etian cum familiarissimis, even with their dearest friends and familiars, as Theophylact a most ancient Archbishop nearest the Apostles times, on these words observeth. And if judas brought up in Christ's bosom, if the worm bred in virenti ligno, in the green timber, did thus fret and consume that tree of righteousness: quid fiet in arido (as himself reasoneth) what will this worm do in dry wood, Luke 23. 31. If the head drink deep of this wormwood from the hands of his own, who gave him gall in his meat, and vinegar in his drink: what may the members of his body expect, but to pledge their head, in receiving that potion into themselves? If these Bees of his own hive, brought our head honey in these mouths, and a sting in their tail to wound it unto death: what might David look for, but that they come about him also like bees, to give good words with their mouth, but curse with their hearts, Psal. 62. 4. What might k 2. Sam. 20. 9 Amasa look for from lip-loving joab, but mel more, verba lactis, honey in the mouth, or buttered words, (as the Psalmist speaketh) Art thou in health my brother? And felin cord & fraudem in factis, an heart full of gall and bitterness, and an hand full of blood. Thus speak they friendly to their neighbours, when mischief is in their hearts, Psalm 28. 3. Art thou in health my brother? It is the voice of joab, when he meant to be his butcher. But Amasa might have answered this dissembler, as the sick Hen in the fable replied to the Cat, ask how she did: Bene si tu discedas, better (I thank you) if ye would go farther from me. Such a visiting Cat was he, who came to see David, Psalm 41. 6. If he come to see me, he speaketh lies, he heapeth up iniquity in his heart, and when he cometh forth he telleth it, When shall he die, and his name perish? now that he lieth let him rise up no more. Thus one thing floateth in their mouth (saith a l jerom comment. in Math. ●. Father) and another thing is dived deep in their heart. Et venenum animi linguae mella tegunt, like cunning Physicians that should poison, they cover the poison of their heart with sugared words, that more easily we may receive their bitter potion, and drink their cup of deadly wine. With judas they kiss their brethren, but osculo oris non charitatis (saith Austin) with the kiss of judas, not of jesus; of their mouth, not their mind: Oris attactu non mentis affectu, coniunctione labiorum, non commixtione spirituum: they draw near their brethren with their lips, but their heart, that heart is far from them. m Hom. 15. in Ephes●. in iliud cum omni militia. chrysostom compares them to the worst kind of dogs, which bark not at passengers, nor make show of any rancour, as other common curs do, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but fawn upon them, and show an outward face of gentleness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but coming behind them in private, and taking them at advantage when they see not nor perceive, privily they snatch them by the heels. And he there gives his censure of such fawning spaniels, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, these fawning dogs (saith he) are worse than common barking curs, that very honestly give us warning of their teeth before they bite: and that father fitly apply his comparison, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and even some men are dogs (saith he) which neither bawl with their mouth, nor snarl in their anger, nor show any rancour in outward behaviour towards others, (as those barking curs which I sneaped in the verbal reconcilement:) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. but secretly they concinnate and feignedly forge deceits, or (as David may expound chrysostom) they courage themselves in mischief, and commune among themselves how they may lay snares, and say, that no man shall see them. They imagine mischief and practise it, that they may keep secret among themselves every man in the deep of his heart, Psal. 64. 5. 6. Thus false brethren (among whom n 2. Cor. 11. 26 Paul himself was in peril) speak with the voice of jaakob, when indeed they have the hands of Esau. Exteriora serenitas tenet, & interiora tempestas, (as one o Euseb. Emis. homil 9 add Monach. speaketh of some Monks, such evil beasts and slow bellies, which being fruges consumere nati, like the frogs and grasshoppers of Egypt, eat up the green herbs and fat of the land.) They speak friendly to their neighbours, but imagine in their hearts. And it were less unnatural, if even thy brethren only, and domus patris tui, and the house of thy father, (as they used p jer. 12. 6. jeremy) were perfidious, and thy kinsmen and friends did betray thee, as prophesied our Saviour they would: but when pater domus tuae, the father of thy house fulfilleth Christ's q Mat. 24. 10. prophesy, and betrayeth his own bowels into the hands of sinful men, this is most unnatural, Improbus ille pater crudelis tu quoque matter, thy father is an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite, as the r Ezec. 16. 3. Prophet spoke of Israel's parents. Scelus est jason & magis scelus Medea matter. More cruel than the s Lam. 4. 3. dragons in the wilderness to their young, yea then the t job. 39 Ostrich, who showeth himself cruel to his young ones as if they were not his, are those which like u Exod. 2. Moses his parents expose their own son to the waves of the river: yet cry these peace, peace, and would be called peacemakers, that so steal they might that blessing from their heavenly Father in the apparel of Christ the elder brother. But indeed they are pacidici non pacifici, saith x Iab. 1 de conuers. ad Cleric. cap. 31. Bernard, they speak unto us of peace, but in truth prepare themselves to battle: for they say and do not: utinam 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 〈◊〉 R●d●●ph. T●ssou● Scrap●. reng. lib. 2. General of the Franciscane Friars reprehending that society's life & learning, truly spoke of them: My dear brethren (saith he) from the first beginning of our Order and religion conscientia, conscience did flourish: but honesty 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 again, we remain pure entia, blocks, stocks and images: so (I fear me) some Praefect of English Franciscans, or Benedictines rather (as they count themselves, and would be called) viewing their mores & scientiam, how they are lived and learned, may as justly complain, not with z Beza Epist. him that they have multum scientiae, parum conscientiae: much science, and little conscience: but of loss of both syllables, with the Prophet Esa. 1. 5. The whole heart is heavy, and the whole head is sick, and the disease of the head is fallen upon the heart, that the child in understanding 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 maliciousness may complain with b jer. 4. 19 jeremy 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 foot 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. ● Jews conscientiam sine scientia, zeal and love without knowledge, we might hope they would be simple as Doves without gall, and look to their heart: or if they had lost only the first syllable of their conscience, and had scientiam sine conscientia, like the d 1. Cor. ●. r. ●. Corinth's, knowledge without love, we might expect they would be wise as serpents to defend and look to their head: but seeing like those franciscans they have lost both syllables of their conscience, (strange, that in Paradise a place of purity, should neither grow the tree of life nor the tree of knowledge) that only they remain pura entia, pure and mere things (as that governor spoke of them) statues and images e Psal. 115. which have heads and understand not, nor know the way of peace, hands and handle not the works of charity and deeds of reconcilement. I will not add with the Prophet: They that made them, and set them up, are like unto them, but so are all they that put any trust in them. I wish, as these golden images are set up in the temple (by them who commit the greatest idolatry in setting up such images in the Church of God) and adored by their simple Saints, (though it be but as the people honoured the Ass that carried Isis, with a non tibi, sed religioni, not because they are pure silver, but like Caesar's f Mat. 22. brass penny, Caesaris effigiem qui libet, assis habet, Asses may have Caesar's image and superscription:) so they would not like Nebuchadnezars g Dan. 3. golden image procure the death of them, who in wisdom like Daniel fall not down and worship them. I wish, that as the h Plu. comment. de sort. Roman. Romans', though they erected not a temple to Wisdom, nor Temperance, nor Patience, nor Magnanimity, nor Continence, yet builded a temple to Concord: so though they build not themselves as a i 1. Pet. 2. 5. 1. Cor. 6. 19 spiritual temple to those virtues and goddesses of the spirit, Gal. 5. 22. to Faith, nor Temperance, nor Long-suffering, nor Gentleness, nor Peace, nor Meekness, nor Goodness, yet Charitati templum facerent, they would edify themselves in love, and build themselves a temple to Concord and Charity. And though they build her a temple, yet is it not founded in faith, nor her walls reared and raised up with Hope, nor her roof perfected by Charity, as Saint Austin 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 sheep 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. Tiber. & Grac. L. Opimius' the Consul, who slew 3000. of the faction of the Gracchis, and yet forsooth built a temple to the goddess Concord. But what was this else quàm irrisio Deorum, to mock the God of peace, saith l Lib. 3. de ●ru. Dei cap. 25. Austin, to build a temple to that goddess, who if she had been in the city, it had not been rend with so many dissensions. Cur enim si rebus gestis congruere volverunt, non ibi potiùs aedem Discordiae fabricarunt? For if they would have done suitable to their deeds, why rather erected they not a chapel to Discord? Thus face-taking friendship oft comes in sheeps clothing, when within she is a ravening Wolf, for by her fruits ye shall know her. Thus masked malice under the vizard, under the habit of amity, feigneth herself to be another, when indeed she is the m 1 King. 14. wife of jeroboam, of fight against and chiding. And he that like old Gen. n 〈◊〉. 1. Isaac is dim-sighted, may be easily deceived with the voice of jaakob, and fair tongue of supplanters, till he feel the rough hands of Esau. Yea Ahijah the Prophet himself, for the dimness of his eyes may be cozened with her disguise, till the Lord reveal it unto him, saying, Behold the wife of jeroboam coming in unto thee, and feigning herself to be another, and then can he unmask this mistress, and tell her who she is assoon as she entereth the door of his ear, or his eye: Come in thou wife of jeroboam, why feignest thou thus thyself to be another? I am come unto thee with heavy news. Yea charity that is neither simple nor subtle, (as Bias spoke wisely of her) or rather not only simple as a dove to think no evil, but also wise as a serpent to discern all things, and see what is evil, could subscribe on the night this Epigram to the inscription of the Consul's o Plut. vit. iv. temple, Actus vecors templum facit Concordiae, bloody and warrish hands build a temple to Concord. And we in this wise charity may judge, that though themselves they inscribe with the Temple of Concord, though in their forehead and front like the p Exod. 28. High Priest they carry the inscription of Holiness to the Lord, and amity to their brother: yet vocabulum opere destruxerunt, saith q Comment. in Mich. 7. Jerome, though in words they profess it, with their works they deny it; though they make a show of love, yet have they so denied the power thereof, that in their stony heart like that r Act. 17. Athenian altar, we may judge is written: Unto the unknown God of Mars, and malice, of enmity and envy. s S●●ll 1 enarr. in Luk. 12. One compares them to Apothecary boxes, which are without titled with names of medicine and sweet herbs, when within there is nothing but Wormwood and Gall, Aloes or poison. And though like joab, they have titles of health: Art thou in health my brother? or like judas, God save thee master, yet do they flatter with their tongue, saith David, for their inward parts are very wickedness, Pal. 5. 9 And when we open these boxes we shall find them no less, then full of those roots of bitterness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 1. with the Paranomisia of which words, Paul (as one t Pis● at schol. in R 〈…〉. ●. 29 noteth) was not more delighted, than they are with the things themselves which they signify, I wish these men, whose heart is so deceitful and wicked above all things that none can know it, had in their pretence of love that fenestratum pectus, glass windows in their breast, (which Momus in Plutarch looked for and found lack of in the fabric of man's body) Tunc si mentes recluderentur, possent aspici laniatus & ictus, as one u Tacit. Ann. 6. speaketh, than should we see their malicious rancour in the heart, like a Lion lurking in his den: then should we see their mischief in the deep of their hearts, as it were a Lion's whelp lurking in secret places that he may ravish the poor: then should we see their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, heart, and a heart how they speak every one deceitfully to his neighbour, and flattering with their lips speak with a double heart, Psal. 12. 2. one heart in their mouth, and another in their breast, outwardly speaking one thing, and inwardly thinking another, saith Musculus on these words. Then should we see how they x Thom. in hunc locum. rejoice at our misery, when they seem to bewail our misfortune, how they hate when they seem to love, how they laugh when they seem to lament our affliction. But seeing nature hath not set that glass window in their breast, yet holdeth grace the y jam. 1. glass of the word before their eyes, which being a z Heb. 4 12. discerner of the intents and secrets of the heart, casteth such a reflex of their inward meanings, that in it as in a glass we may behold, not darkly, but face to face, what manner once they are. For every one of them speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart layeth wait for him, jerem. 9 8. Wherefore let every one take heed of his neighbour, and trust you not in any brother, saith the Prophet, for every brother will use deceit, and every such friend will deal deceitfully: and every one will deceive his friend, and not speak the truth; for they have taught their tongues to speak lies, and take great pains to do wickedly. Whose miry pits and filthy puddles, though now they lie covered with sweetness of apparent sanctity and love, like dirty bogs covered with snow in winter, yet when the Sun of righteousness shall rise, and break forth in no less heat than flaming fire, then shall these ungodly melt at the presence of God, saith the Psalmist, as water at fire, and snow at the Sun, and then shall he lighten things hid in darkness, and make the counsels of their heart manifest: and when their snow is melted by that consuming fire and brightness of his coming, then shall appear their miry places, their pits and plots, their Serpent's subtlety that lay hid under the doves simplicity. And he, before whom the grave itself is naked, job 26. 6. shall open these whited tombs, which appear outward so beautiful and amiable to their brethren, that men going over them perceive not, but are within full of dead men's bones, of iniquity and all filthiness. But to leave this snow-coloured earth and earthly whiteness, to that final melting by the Sun of righteousness; to leave these Apothecary boxes, (whose ointment of love those dead flies, injuries, suspicions, enmities, truce, war, and yet again seeming peace (as the servant told Phaedria in the a Terent. 〈◊〉. act. 1 scena 3. Comedy) causeth it to putrefy and stink in the nostrils of the Almighty) to b Eccles. 13. that last opening of all hearts and secret things. To leave these ambidexters, Quiamant tanquam osuri (as c L●b. de amici●. cap. 8. Austin out of Tully speaks) who love so, and are friends to day, that to morrow they may be foes; so friendly to all that faithful to none: now praising and strait dispraising; now fawning and presently biting; to day ready to kiss, and to morrow more ready to kill: to leave these ambidexters to him that will reward them according to the work of their hands: to leave these fast and lose men to him that d job 5. 22. 23. catcheth the wise in their own craftiness, and maketh the counsel of the wicked foolish, yea scattereth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot accomplish their intended enterprise: and to leave lastly these masked hypocrites (who in the theatre of this world are now the devils stage-players) to that last catastrophe (when they have acted their parts of dissimulation) Exite maledicti in ignem aeternum, Go out ye cursed into everlasting fire: let all true reconciled friends, as they pretend the show and shadow, so extend the body and substance of friendship, and be reconciled indeed. Which doctrine, as it unmasketh the face of hypocritical 3. Use. joabs, so bindeth it the hands of blood-thirsty Esawes, under whatsoever their pretence of revenge. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also, commands Christ our Lord and lawgiver: And if any will sue thee at the law for thy coat, let him have thy cloak also: and whosoever will compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain, Math. 5. 39 Under which triple injury, of our person, If any smite thee; and of our good, If any sue thee; and of our body, If any will compel thee to travel, compriseth he all wrongs offered by our enemies, as the e jansen. in hunc locu●. learned observe; which so we must bear in the greatest measure, as forbear to requite in the least degree. If any shall smite thee on the cheek with the fist of wickedness, turn to him the other also▪ saith Christ: to which yet thou art not bound according to the letter of the law: for neither f john 18. 23. Christ himself, nor g Acts 23. 3. Paul his Apostle turned the other cheek to their smiters, (as julian that messenger of Satan, being sent to buffet the Christians, when he smote them on the cheek, replied to their complaint, that their master bids them turn the other also; and beat them with this text, as the fowler smote the Eagle with that shaft which was feathered with her own quill) for praeparationem cordis non ostensionem operis intelligit (saith h L●b. 1. de sir, Dom in mont. c. 26. Austin) He understandeth greatest patience and moderation of mind, saith i hom. 18. ●p. imp●rs. in Math 5. chrysostom with some k Theoph. Ambr. & F●rus in hoc. other expounders, that after one wrong, thou be more ready to receive a second then requite the former: as Paul was ready, not only to be bound, but to die also at jerusalem for the name of the Lord jesus, Acts 21. 13. or as the Corinth's suffered this threefold wrong of their false Apostles, If they brought their persons into bondage, or took their goods, or smote them on the face, 2. Cor. 11. 20. Thus must we turn the other cheek to our smiter, that is, l Fer●s li. 1. comment. in Math. 5. Duplicat am iniuriam perpeti quam referre talionem, be more ready to receive another wrong then retaliate the former. Said I, another? I may add a greater. If he smite thee on the right cheek, saith Christ; which blow coming but from the left and weaker hand by nature (saith m Augu. epist. 5 ad Mar●ellinū, Magis smistra percutitur, quia in eius petius partem, qu● ad ●exti Turrian ferientu fac●lior ●ctus est. Austin) is less sore and grievous, thou must turn the other, the left cheek to receive a greater blow from his right hand, which is n Arist. lib. de come. animal. gre 〈◊〉 lib. 7. c. 17. stronger than the left, and falls not so light where it lighteth. Thus must we offer the acceptance of a greater injury, then repay the less which was offered: as Christ our head to the smiter of his cheek, Math. 26. 67. offered his whole body to be crucified, rather than requite it, and gave his back to the smiters, his cheeks to the nippers, and hide not his face from shame and spitting, Esa. 50. yea offered his head to the thorns, his mouth to the vinegar, his hands and feet to the nails, and his precious sides to the spear. And if for thy goods, the litigious wrangler will sue thee at the law for thy coat, rather than revenge, let him have they cloak also which is of greater value, or (as o Luke 6. ●9. Saint Luke changeth these garments) if he take first thy cloak, let him also have thy coat which is nearer unto thyself: that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather suffer wrong, rather sustain harm, then to go to law one with another, as not only p 1. Co●int 6 ● grace commandeth, but even q 〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 c. 11. & 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. nature itself can teach thee. Yea for thine own person, if any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not only take up thy horse, but post thyself, and compel thee to run a mile at his stirrup, yea and load thee with his carriage (as the r Mat. 27. 32. jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took up post, and loaded Simon of Cyrene with Christ's cross) thou must rather go with him two miles, not casting off that which presseth down, but run with patience the race that is set before thee, though he ride thee like an ass, rather than like Issan couch down under thy burden, and in revenge kick against the pricks. And this is the victory which overcometh the world, to kiss thus the hand of him that smites thee on the cheek, to cloak thine enemy that sueth for thy coat, and to run with him two that compelleth thee one mile. This is the goodness that overcometh evil, not to resist evil, but putting up thy sword of revenge into his sheath of patience and long-suffering, to commit it with David to him that judgeth righteously, Domine tu retribues, thou shalt repay for me O Lord: Ego non retribuam, Domine tu retribues pro me, not I, but thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God. It was ferina exceptio, a brutish exception (saith one) of s Lib. 1. 〈◊〉. Tully, That none hurt or harm another, nisi lacessitus, unless provoked. O quam simplicem veramque sententiam duorum verborum adiectione corrupit! O what a good sentence (saith t Lib 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. cap. 18. Lactantius) he marred with two words! yea with one syllable, which like a little leaven soured the whole lump, and with that small herb put death in the pot. Unless provoked? Vox pecudis non homims, the voice of a beast and not of a man; for what else could the roaring Lion have excepted? He came indeed nigh the truth, and if this ni had not been, he had spoken like the Apostle of Christ jesus, Si lacessitus, si quis in servitutem adigit, si exedit, si devoret, si in faciem cedat: suffer if thou be provoked, if brought into bondage, if spoiled, if devoured, or if thou be smitten on the face. Proud v Arist. l. 4. ethi. cap. 5. T●leraresi lac●ssaris seruit●● est. nature indeed thinks it bondage and slavery to suffer when she is provoked; but humble and meeke-making grace it teacheth that Christ's servant is herein a freeman; and in this free servitude of long-suffering must we serve our God, as Paul himself served the Lord with all meekness, with many tears and temptations which came unto him by the laying a wait of the jews, Acts 20. 19 Thus to overcome not only thy foes evil with goodness, but thyself, and in thyself those x james 4. 1. soldiers of Satan, thy lusts which fight in thy members y 1. Peter 2. 11. against thy soul, thou resistest the devil, that he give over the siege, and fly from thee, james 4. 7. thou conquerest no less than the powers of darkness, and puttest to flight the armies of these aliens. For as the mouth of fleshly wisdom tells thee, Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit moenia, Valiant and more victorious is he which conquers his own anger, then if he won a defenced city. So lest thou shouldst think this wisdom of the flesh enmity against God, Solomon tells thee from the mouth of true wisdom, that it is subject to the law of God, Prou. 16. 32. Stronger is he that is slow to anger, than a mighty man: and he that ruleth his own mind, than he that winneth a strong city. For whereas the spur of anger makes our feet (which should be slow to wrath) swift to shed blood; and like that messenger of Satan, is a prick in our flesh to buffet us with its wicked fist, and others with the fist of wickedness, we had need thrice with Saint Paul to beseek the Lord, it might departed from us. Wherein yet it is no less doleful than daily to behold, how with toils and trifles (as z Lib. 2. de Ira. ca 25. Seneca noteth) our bile is moved to anger, and our choler inflamed with heat and desire of revenge. As, our servant is not quick enough, or our potion and drink made too hot, or the bed is ruffled and out of order, or the table is negligently spread and served, yea the coughing of one or sneezing of another, or the overturning of a cup, or our servants letting fall of a key, driveth some into rage and fury. Yea as the ᵃ Bull is angry at a red colour, the Asp at a shadow, the Bear and Lion provoked with a tablecloth: so often testy and writhe natures are with the very colour of injury, and shadow of wrong incensed so far, that eftsoons iniurias vocent modica beneficia, Small gifts and little good turns they cou●t injuries. Nay, sometime (as b 〈◊〉. cap. ●. he noteth) are we angry that we are not angry, and provoked to avenge without cause of revenge: like little children, who, if they fall will have the ground beaten, and oft know not at whom to be angry, but only they are angry without cause and without injury, yet not without some show of wrong and desire of punishment: and therefore are often deluded imitatione plagarum, & simulatis deprecantium lachrymis, with semblance and counterfeit strokes, and with feigned tears of those that ask them forgiveness: Et falsa ultione falsus dolor tollitur, and their false grief is satisfied with feigned revenge. Some again go by the ears for a woman, and idem velle (saith c L●b. ●. cap ●● Seneca) their unity of affection (which should be the knot of love and bond of peace, Phil. 2. 2.) becometh the cause of their hatred and stirrer of contention. Iter angustum ripas transeuntium excitat: Others on horseback strive for the way, and these are out of the way, I mean Christ's, which is the kings high way of humility, and may learn it of Saint Paul, Ro. 12. To give place and way to wrath, and be not high minded, but make themselves equal to them of the lower sort. For because an high mind goeth before the fall, Prou. 16. 18. therefore Saul being mounted on his steed was thrown down to the ground, Act. 9 and being thus humbled from his horse was exalted on high, and that humility was the stirrupe whereby he got up into the seat of heavenly honour. I wish these obvious quarrelers and goats (which in their high mind arrogate the right hand, when their place is the left) would learn of those two goats in d Lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 50. Pliny, which (as Mutianus from his eye there reports) meeting on a straight and narrow bridge, that the one could not pass by the other, nor turn aside to return back again, non vim sed viam sibi fecerunt, neither made his way by overturning the other, but the one lay down that the other might go over him: as it fared with those wayfaring pilgrims, Thou hast brought us into so straight a place, that men ride over our heads, Psal. 66. Some again on foot in their pride contend for the wall (these are as wise as a wall) and their too much turning to the right hand before men, will make them be set on the left by God himself. These might learn of Abraham to yield their own right to their inferiors for peace: Let there be, I pray thee, no strife between thee and me, neither between thy men and mine, for we are brethren. Is not the whole land, is not the whole street before thee? departed, I pray thee, in quiet from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, than I will go to the right; or if thou wilt needs go to the right hand, than I will take the left. For in thus giving and not receiving honour, we are commanded to go one before another, Rom. 12. 10. We must not then like jonah be angry for a shadow, and for these toils and trifles be moved to vengeance, but stay the first motions of wrath: one and not the least whereof is opinio iniuriae, opinion of wrong, and conceit of offered injury (saith e Lib. 2 de ira cap. 22. Seneca) in these trivial occurrences. It was that Philosopher's position to Serenus which he made the title of his book: That injury cannot befall a wise man, and thereof f Cap. 3. giveth his reason; because that is invulnerable, not that is smitten with a blow, but which feeleth no hurt nor harm by the stroke, (as he in the paraemiast spoke of a worse blow) They have strucken me but I was not hurt, they have beaten me but I felt it not, Prou. 23. And yet is it a world to see how men in an house, like those g Gen. 25. brethren in the womb of Rebecca, strive and struggle for pre-eminence, whether should come out first, and to receive this honour of precedency go one before another, starting before others after a shadow, which flies us the faster we follow it, and is caught indeed and catched by humility, and falling down upon it, Mat. 23. 12. It is a wonder to see how our right-hand walkers, and cutting swaggerers stand on a wall unto blood, and oft for the right hand thereof make it a partition wall of strife between them and their brethren, and so rear up a partition wall of their sins to separate between them and their God, Esa. 59 2. Like those two cocks in h Lib. 2. var. hist. cap. 28. Aelian, whose eager but causeless fight when Themistocles beheld, he cried thus out in admiration: These fight neither for their country, nor for their household gods, nor for their ancestors renown, nor for their liberty, nor for their children, nor yet for their own true glory, but only ●e alter ab altero superetur, aut alter alteri cedat, lest either should yield to the other, and seem to be overcome. And indeed as the master of the pit oft sets two cocks together, to fight unto the death of them both, and then after mutual conquest, suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies. Even so (saith i Pastoral part▪ 3. 〈◊〉. 10. Gregory) the master of these two hot-spurres, like a crafty adversary of both their souls, setteth them by the ears for toys, that after mutual conflict he may conquer them both, and so sup with their souls at his home, when in this world and cockpit of contention they have made him pastime and sport. Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the fable, they fight eagerly for a toy, and then comes the Kite, the prince and chief foul that ruleth in the air, & rapit utrosque bellatores, and snatcheth away both these great warriors. Thus like two Emmets in the molehill of this earth, we fight for superiority, and then comes a Robin-red-breast and picks us both up. Thus when they should be k jam. 1. 19 slow to wrath, as God himself did not run, but only walked to take vengeance on his enemy, and deferred it too till even and cool of the day, Gen. 3. 8. they run and prepare themselves to battle, as l Psal. 59 6. David speaketh of his enemies, their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed blood, Esa. 59 7. as if not heaven but hell were the prize of their race: they so run that they may obtain it. And this they defer not till even and cool of the day, but in the heat of their blood, hate of their brother, and cool of their charity they rise betimes, and execute this judgement in the morning. Yea whereas the God of mercy came with Eheu to be avenged of his enemies, Esa. 1. 24. these men of murder come with aha, aha, There, there, so would we have it, Psalm. and with that m 1. Sam. 17. challenger of Gath, not provoke alone but proclaim a combat, I defy thee this day, give me a man that we may fight hand to hand, that I may conquer or be quelled. And whereas the provoked resistant and defendant, antagonist is oft (as n L●cocitat. Gregory noteth) withheld by good motions from answering his challenge and defiance, the subtle adversary of his soul brings to his mind the offered indignities and wrongs received, and with exaggeration of each circumstance shows them so intolerable, that for most part being ashamed of his former patience, and blushing at his first forbearance, he lamenteth the time bypassed of revenge, and with the dog returning to his vomit, licketh up his malice into his stomach which he had cast away: like Hector in the o Homer. Iliad. lib ●. Iliad, who told Achilles that he had oft refused his challenge indeed, but now I will not fly thee (saith he) as I did before, Now my courage pricks me forward to resist thee to thy face, and stand to it manfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whether I kill or be killed. Now will I stay a man in my wound, and a young man in my hurt, as cruel Lamech courageously or rather outrageously vaunted, Gen. 4. 23. Of which fire of contention and fury of revenge, as Satan is himself the kindling coal and principal provoker, so is the world's reputation no less than the bellows thereof, & accessary a bettor: for the pacate and peaceable man which is unwilling to revenge, contemptus est omnibus, he is contemned (as truly ob. observed p Lib. 6. diu. inst. c. 18. Lactantius) and despised of all. And because he is thought not able or not manly to defend himself, habetur pro segni & inerti, he is reputed a faint hearted lubber, a coward without courage, and a body without spirit and life in him. But he that will revenge his injury, Hic fortis, hic strenuous judicatur, hunc colunt, hunc venerantur omnes: he is counted a stout man of stomach, all honour and reverence his courage, and fear him for a swash buckler and kilcow. Which pointing of the finger, Et dicier hic est, this is the man of valour, whetting his courage, puts resolution in the sister, revenge in the hilts, and bloodshed in the blade: and this, this is it which makes them resolve with those cutters in q Lib. 2 de Jea. c. 32. Seneca, Minus contemnem●r, inquiunt, s●vindscauerimus inturiam, It is for our credit and renown to put up no wrong that is offered. A r Beaux am. 〈◊〉. Euang●● 〈◊〉. 5. 44. late writer so complains of the Noblemen of France, who count it their greatest disgrace if they pocket up the least injury without some revenge, and think their honour is impeached, yea touched as the apple of their eye; if straightway they seek not his death who hath wronged them. Thus their Nobility refuseth the honour that cometh of God alone, and seek honour one of another. I wish English hearts were not so infected with this French disease, whose hearts take no ease but while they meditate revenge, the temples of whose heads cannot take any rest till they find out a place for revenge, whose eyelids cannot sleep till they see revenge, and whose fingers itch till Satan have taught their hands to war and their fingers to fight his own battles. But the foolishness of the flesh cannot give her an objection which the wisdom of the spirit cannot answer, who both by her law doth infatuate this wisdom, Thou shalt not avenge nor be mindful of wrong, levit. 19 18. and by her Gospel of peace counts it foolishness with God, See that none recompense evil for evil unto any man, 1. Thess. 5. 15. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, Rom. 12. He alone in the Magistrate (who is his hand and sword-bearer before him) carrieth not this sword in vain, Rom. 13. And me thinks the Almighty cries here like the true mother for her own, Mine, it is mine, let it not be divided, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And therefore whosoever usurping Gods right, taketh this sword, & wresteth it so out of God's hand, shall perish with the sword; saith Christ our Saviour, Math. 26. 52. For who so thus sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, saith God himself, Gen. 9 6. And if any kill with the sword, he must be killed with the sword, saith Christ his so●, Apoc. 1●. 10. Not that Christian religion is unfit for war because it enjoineth peace, as Machivell once did object, and maketh cowards, because it perswardeth patience. For as it bade Peter put up his sword of private offence into his sheath of patience and long▪ suffering, Luke 22. 51. so willed it him before, to sell his coat and buy a sword in public defence, vers. 36. It maketh weaklings so valiant in God's battle for religion, that they put to slight the armies of the alients, Heb. 11. 34. and yet stronglings such cowards in man's combat of revenge, as to give place to wrath, and not resist injury, Mat. 5. 39 But it giveth s Psalm 9● 13 patience in time of adversity and wrong, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. It teacheth us with t Verse 1. 2. David to commit all vengeance to God with a double attribute and Epitheton, O God the avenger, O God the avenger, show thyself clearly: stand up thou judge of the world, and reward the proud after their deserving. How shall the wicked, how shall the wicked triumph and make such proud boasting? They smite down thy people, and trouble thine heritage. It teacheth the oppressed to rely on his justice, that he will v Verse 23. recompense the ungodly their wickedness, and destroy them in their own malice. It telleth us God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, the Lord revengeth, even the Lord of anger. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies, Naum 1. 2. And therefore he that taketh and usurpeth the sword, shall perish with the sword, and God's vengeance still avengeth man's revenge. Because Edome ( x Ezek. 25. 12. 13, 14, 15. saith the Lord God) hath done evil by taking his vengeance upon the house of judah, and hath committed great offence and revenged himself upon them, therefore thus saith the Lord God, I will also execute my vengeance upon Edome, they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. And because the Philistimes have executed vengeance, and revenged themselves with a despiteful heart to destroy it for the old hatred, therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistimes, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast, and I will execute great vengeance upon them, with rebukes of mine indignation, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them. And thus God revenged them according to their handiwork, in weight and measure, his eternal for their temporal vengeance, and measured to them again as they measured to juda, yea a measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over gave he back again into their bosom. Et libet hominem vindicare? and hath any man now lust and courage to be revenged? saith y Tom. 10. ser. 42 ● Orat. D●●. Austin▪ why stay the Lords leisure. The holy Martyrs, whose blood was powered forth unto death, are not yet avenged, Apo. 6. but they, that is, their blood alone (like the blood of Abel) crieth with a loud voice, How long Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? and it was answered unto them, That they should rest for a little season, until their fellow servants and brethren that should be killed even as they were, were fulfilled. Yea Christ himself is not yet all this while revenged on his enemies, but henceforth from his passion he tarrieth till his enemies be made his footstool, Heb. 10. 13. At his bitter passion when he was reviled, he reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed it to him that judgeth righteously, righteously indeed, for he smote his sons enemies, in laying his wished blood upon them, and he smote them on the hinder parts, for it is to this day upon their children, and hath put them to a perpetual shame. Thus tarrieth the head with his members the Lords leisure, who is that avenger of Israel, and will recompense every man at length according to his works. Who are we then (asketh z Ibid. Austin) that we should seek revenge? If God should seek it of us, ubi remaneremus, what should become of us, and where should we remain? He whom a Prou. seven times in a day, yea daily and hourly we offend, will not be avenged on us, and shall we seek vengeance on man who hath wronged us b Luke 17. 4. seven times in a day, yea though c Math. 18. 2●. seventy times seven times injuried us fellow servants? Bear then and forbear (adviseth a grave d Se●●. l. 3. de Ira c. vl●. Philosopher) behold even now is death coming which will make you equal. What dost thou fight and stabbing him? dost thou wish any thing but his death whom thou wouldst revenge? Etiam morietur, why he shall surely die; thou losest but thy labour, Facere vis quod futurum est. Like those blood-thirsty e Acts 23. 14. jews, thou vowest with an oath that thou wilt neither eat nor drink till thou hast killed him. And whereas like a f 2. Timot. 2. 3. ● soldier of jesus Christ (as every Christian is called in this warfare, 2. Cor. 10. 4) he is here placed by his captain in his stand and vocation; in which g 1. Co●in. 7. 10 calling he must stand and abide till he be called away, as the h Math. 2. Angel told joseph, Be there till I bring thee word: as if thou hadst the i Math. ●. 9 Centurion's command, thou sayest to this soldier, Go, and he goeth, and sendest him from his station, Iniussu Imperatoris, without his captains leave and General's command. Yea, whereas his soul is cooped up in his earthly tabernacle, like a bird that is kept up in a cage, with Cain thou dissoluest his tabernacle, and violently breakest the cage, that his soul before she be called, may fly as a bird unto the hill. Wherefore have rather patience in the time of adversity, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. O tarry thou the Lords leisure, yet a while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry long to fet him away. Mean while let his soul like k Act. 12. Peter lie in the prison of his body wherein it is imprisoned, till thy God send his Angel to smite him on the side with sickness, that her chains fall off, and then shall she come out of prison wherein she was fettered, and death the iron gate that leadeth to the holy city, shall then open to her of it own accord. The consideration of which motives if it enter not thy mind, yet nosce teipsum, consider but thyself, how nature hath framed thee a peaceable creature, and thou wilt hardly seek revenge. For whereas (as the l Pli●. nat. hist. lib. 7. proem. naturalist well observes) she hath given her younger sons, I mean, other creatures which are but her base-born, coverings, as bucklers to defend, and as weapons to offend their foe: as shells to the fishes of the sea, knotty barks to trees of the forest, hard hides to the beasts of the field, stings to the Bees, bristles to Hogs, and to Hedgehogs their pricks, rough hair to Bears, feathers to birds, scales to fishes, and fleeces to the sheep: yea (as the m Arist. lib. 3. depart. animal. cap. 1. oracle of nature further adds) stings to the Serpents, spurs to Cocks, horns to many beasts, teeth and tusks to Elephants and Boars, arma vel ad invadendum vel defendendum, their weapons of offence, or armour of defence, as he speaketh: this mother hath brought forth man (though not her eldest son, yet the beginning of her strength, the excellency of her dignity, and the excellency of power) unweaponed, unarmed, unfenced, and naked saith Pliny, as the God n Gen. 2. 25. of nature first created him, and since o job. 1. 21. Eccles. 5. 14. returneth naked into the womb of his mother the earth, as naked as he came from the belly of his mother: yea, nudissimum omnium animalium, most naked of all living creatures: as one p Arist. lib. 3. de generat animal cap. 4. noteth, to show, that this his mother bore not him, q jer. 15. 10. like jeremy, a contentious creature, and a man that striveth with the whole earth: but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that son of peace, Luk. 10. 6. to have peace, and if possible, that peace with all men. At whose birth she seems to say to her son of peace, as spoke Christ to the raging sea, Peace and be still, Pax huic proli, peace be to this son of peace. In my frame of thy body I have taught thee to be r Galen. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a peaceable living creature peace I leave with thee, my peace I give unto thee. And sith indeed bodies she hath given creatures suitable to their souls, (as s 〈◊〉 de ●s● part hans. ●●●p. cap. 2. Galen teacheth) the frame whereof and position is correspondent to the feature of their minds & disposition: as, the Horse because he is noble spirited and courageous, strong hooses as hard as flint: the Lion because he is magnanimous & stout, fenced him with teeth and paws: the Bull with horns, which he sets up on high and looks with a stiff neck: and the Boar with tusks, which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their natural weapons: but to the heartless Hart, the Dove which is peaceable, and Hare which is a timorous creature, hath she given an unfenced body, (for thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) neither hath nature armed the fearful and quiet, nor unarmed the cruel creatures: Os homini sublime datum, as he t ovid. lib. ● Me●a●s. speaketh, Man's countenance being framed upward and erect, showeth his affections should be on things not on earth but u Col. 3. ●. above, on his mother jerusalem above, where is such a vision of peace, that the citizens of that ● Gal. ● commonweal are of one heart, and soul and like brethren dwell together in unity. His countenance so comely, and his aspect so amiable, (as Pope * 〈◊〉 lib. de mor. g●● cap. 2●. Gregory seeing once the face of an Englishman, said, he was Anglus quasi Angelus, English as it were Angels-like, because his face like y Act. 6. 1●. Stephens shone like the face of an Angel,) like a glass representeth the image of his soul, how amiable and lovely it must be: which but looking thorough this glass window of the visage, leaves there such a lustre and reflex of her beauty. The smoothness of his body betokeneth nothing less than the roughness of his mind, as the unarmednesse of that, neither the bearing arms of this: for though nature hath given him an hand, which (as these two Fathers of z Arist. lib. ●. de part. animal. Ep. 10. Philosophy and a Gal●● 〈◊〉. Physic note) is both horn and hoof, sword and spear, yea all weapons unto him, because it can take and handle all weapons of nature, and make any armour by art: yet seeing as the b Galen. ibid. one averreth, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a peaceable and civil creature, he is but (as the c Arist. lib 1. politic. cap. 2. other teacheth him) to take these weapons into his hand through wisdom and prudence for his better regiment of civil affairs, and that as a magistrate and Gods minister of justice he take the sword into his hand, to divide judgement aright, and give every one their portion of right in due season, lest if he take the sword as a magistrate of his own mischief, and minister of his own malice, he perish with the sword, and like Saul at the least fall upon his own sword: and though authority hath armed him as a public person for justice, yet nature hath unarmed him as a private man for revenge, that as man he have peace with all men, Heb. 12. Wherefore as the Apostle held some the glass of nature to behold their long hair, and sent them to her shop to cut it for shame of men, 1. Cor. 11. 14. so may I bid man behold his own natural face in a glass, and send him no further then to his own shape, to cut off all brutish asperity and roughness, lest he become a shame-kin of mankind. And doth not nature itself teach ye, that if a man have a cruel mind as well as long hair, it is a shame unto him? Howbeit, if nature as man cannot dissuade him from taking the sword, sith she hath given him no armour of defence, yet might religion as a Christian persuade him to put up his sword into his sheath, seeing it prescribes him no weapons of offence. For howsoever as a private man, it bids him take arms, Ephes. 6. 13. yet is it but the armour of defence, not any weapon of offence save the sword of the spirit: it is but the complete armour of God, & weapons of his warfare, not carnal but spiritual, 2. Cor. 10. to cast down not withholders but holds, not imagined wrongs, but his own imaginations; and things exalted not against him, but the knowledge of his God; to fight not so much against flesh as spirits; principalities, not Princes; not the powerful, but powers; nor governors in the world, but worldly governors, which are princes of the air: that if he put an helmet on his head, it be of salvation to keep it from offence, not of destruction to plot his revenge. If he gird about his loins it be with the girdle of verity, not severity, with his sword upon his thigh to execute his vengeance. If he shoe his feet, it be with peace as with wool, and with patience as with lead, to be slow to wrath, not with the wings of report to be swift to shed blood. If he take the shield, it be of faith and patience, to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, not of resistance to withstand injury. And if he take the sword into his hand, it be the sword of the spirit, to cut away the sin and the wrong, not of revenge to cut off the sinner. Nevertheless, if thy bodily nakedness by nature, cannot as man unarm thine affections of revenge, nor thine armour of religion as a Christian defend thee from offence, yet if in thy swelling fury thou behold but thy natural, or unnatural face rather in a glass, in shame of thy disfigure thou wouldst go thy way from wrath, and never forget what manner of one thou art. For Licet ora ipsa cernere iratorum, quorum ora, facies, vultusque mutantur, as d Li●. ●. 〈◊〉 Tully speaketh: If the angry and wrathful man would but behold his own face how deformed it makes his visage, nulla alterius indigeret admonitione, he needed none other (saith e Homil 2●●● joh. chrysostom) but himself to reprove him. For indeed no affection hath (as f ●ab. 3. de ●●. cap. 4. Seneca noteth) a more ugly and ill-favoured face, when the hairs stand like bristles and stare most horridely, the eyes flash like lightning, and sparkle fire, the temples frown with wrinkles, and gloom with cloudy brows, the nostrils snuffing with disdain, the teeth gnashing like a dog, & inter se acietati, and whetting one another like the grunning of a Boar, or grinning of a Dog, the cheeks swelling like a bladder puffed with the wind, the countenance truculent and fierce, now pale as death the blood retiring, presently red as a Turkey, it returning: the veins swelling with heat of the blood, the breathing thick panting with sighs, the lips trembling with threats, the tongue faltering with abrupt and imperfect speech. From which palsy of anger they fall into the Epilepsia and falling sickness of revenge, ut cadant ipsi vel potius in alios incidant, that they fall down themselves dead, or rather fall deadly upon others. Which deformed face of anger when g Dial de ira cohib. Plutarch observed in other men, lest he should seem terrible and uncouth to his friends, wife, children and family, he bids his boy hold him a glass in his anger, that beholding his deformity as women do their spots, he might correct his countenance thereby. We read it fabled in that h Ibid. author, of the Goddess Minerva, that playing on a pipe which blew up her cheeks, and being checked by a Satire, saying, That visage beseems thee not, lay away thy pipe, obeyed him not then, but beholding her misshapen face in the river as in a glass, threw it away in greater anger, I procul hinc dixit, non est mihi tibia tanti, Vt vidit vul●us Pallas in amne suos, saith the i ovid. l. 3. de art. Poet. And many angry men which have not believed it by report, by beholding their face in a glass have been pacified and appeased: Q●ibusdam iratis profuit aspexisse speculum, It hath mended some angry men to look themselves in a glass, as k Sene. l. 2. de ira ca 38. Sextius observed, whose strange and sudden alteration of countenance hath so affrighted them, that they knew not themselves, as said the said l Ouidabid. Poet, Vos quoque si media speculum spectetis in ira, Cognoscet faciem vix satis ulla suam. And how little of their inward deformity in mind (saith Seneca) did that image reflect and the glass represent? Qualemintra putas esse animum, cuius extra imago tam foeda est? what a one within dost thou think is the mind, whose outward face is so deformed? How much more within the breast lies there a more terrible countenance, a more cruel aspect, a more ugly spirit, and a more deformed face? For if the whited tomb and painted sepulchre be so ill-favoured without, how filthy may we think is the iniquity and dead bones of rancour and rottenness within? If the mind itself could be showed, and shine through any matter transparent, Intuentes nos consunderet, it would confound us with shame when we beheld it, and as she seeing her mis-shape and monstrous metamorphosis in a well, started with affright, Seize exteritafugit, it would for fear run away from herself. Whose foulness and disfigure if through bones and flesh with other impediments it seem so great and monstrous, Quid si nudus ostenderetur? what if she were bare of these fig-leaves that her nakedness might appear? Surely she would be ashamed with Eve, and like the deformed woman loath while she looks on herself in a glass. Thus wrathful anger leaveth man quite dead in sin while he liveth a sinner: thus maketh it the lively image of God that anatomy of sin, Rom. 3. taking the fear of God from before his eyes, filling his mouth full of cursing and bitterness, using his tongue to deceive, putting Asps poison under his lips, making his feet swift to shed blood: and when he is thus dead in trespasses and sins, she puts his filthiness and dead bones in a whited tomb and painted sepulchre. Thus all his members (as the Psalmist speaks) are out of joint, and from head to the foot, nothing but wounds and swelling and sores full of corruption, thus are all his members weapons of unrighteousness, to serve sin and revenge in the lust thereof: as if man with his members were nothing but corpus peccati, that dead body of sin, Rom. 6. 6. sit for the grave and pit of destruction. For as the corporal sickness is most dangerous, and declining to the first death of the body, which maketh the sick-man's face most unlike itself, as m Dial. de ●racch. b. Plutarch out of Hypocrates hath observed: so the spiteful angry man, sith he changeth his linely colour of countenance into the paleness of death, doth argue to others, and might to himself, that his soul is very heavy and sick unto the second death, of whom I cannot say, The maid is not dead but sleepeth; but like the voluptuous widow (1. Tim. 5. 6.) divorced from her God by the death of grace, she is dead in the spirit while she liveth in the body, and her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, her body but a sepulchre, wherein (as our Saviour speaketh) the dead doth bury her dead, Mat. 23. 27. Wherefore if this swelling one against another condemned by Saint n 1. Corint. ●. ●. Paul, be so deformed in the conception of malice and travel of mischief, how ugly (may we think) is revenge the monster itself at the birth, when they bring forth ungodliness in the field? Nevertheless if beholding thus thy natural face in a glass, thou blushest not at thyself, but going thy way forgettest immediately what manner of one thou art: yet if thou wouldst view thy soul's face in the glass of God's word, and look into the perfect law of liberty, james 1. 25. thou shouldst find therein like that in the law, Exod. 38. as a glass to show thee her spots, so a laver of living water to wash away her filth. And certainly, if as o Orat. 1. de reconcil. Monach. Gregory Nazianzen often read jeremies' Lamentations to cool his heat of pride in the sunshine of prosperity, thou wouldest in thy heat of anger and fire of wrath but read the lamentable end of those revengers, Ammon, Moab, Seir, Idumea and the Philistims, Ezek. 25. it would allay thy heat, if not set on fire of hell, and abate, yea turn thy sharpest edge of revenge, if not desperate to run headlong on the pikes of God's displeasure. We read of Saint p Li. 8. cons. c. 12 Austin, that being prone in his youth (as he q Lib. 2. cap. 2. confesseth) and ready to cool his lust with the act of uncleanness, prevented by grace he was warned by a voice from heaven, saying, Take up and read, take up the Bible and read: when being directed by the finger of God to that sentence of Saint Paul, Not in chambering and wantonness, Rom. 13. 13. he so beheld in this glass the foul face of his soul, that it was a laver also of pure water to wash it of this uncleanness. And if when thou art ready to satisfy thy lust in the heat of revenge, thou wouldst but look her face in the next sentence of S. Paul, Neither in strife and envying, if thou wert not past grace, it would make strife against thy strife; envy thy envious mind, hate thine own hatred, and malign thine own malice. Or if thou requirest a comment on that text, that r Tract. 5. in epi. joann. Father doth advise thee to read the first Epistle of Saint john, wherein charity and love is most commanded, and in no Epistle (as he speaketh) more commended. For though the whole Scripture be an s Greg l. 4. ep 84 Epistle from God to man, to love the one above all, and the other as himself, Tract. 8. in cand. Math. 22. yet nulla hac Epistola ardentior est ad commendandam charitatem, no Epistle is there more earnest and hotter for love (as he speaketh) than this of the beloved Disciple, who leaned so on the breast of Christ jesus, that he seemed to suck the ●eates of his love. In which perfect law of liberty, yet must thou not look, as that fool in Saint james beheld his natural face in the glass, to forget when thou art gone what manner of one thou wast: but as the framers of the jewish Cabala add this Selah to their reader at the end of every sentence, Reputa apud te, consider what thou readest; so must thou therein at every period and precept of love remember that Selah of our Saviour, Let him that readeth consider it, Matthew 24. 15. But if thou be of that graceless spirit, that with * Sozow●●●. c. 17 julian the Apostate thou answerest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I have read, understood, and disallow it: I must answer thee as Appollinarius did him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, thou hast read it indeed, but not understood it, for if thou hadst, thou wouldst not have disallowed to obey it; yet if thou dashest this glass against the wall for showing thee thy spots and blemishes of the mind: if through pride of the flesh and worldly reputation thou refuse this humility of the spirit, and as v Numb. 2●. 27 Balaam the blind Seer beat the Ass, for seeing the Angel staying him from going to curse, which himself did not see: so thy worldly wisdom checketh this x 1. Corin●. 1. 1● foolishness of preaching, for showing thee this Angel which might stay thee from revenge; yet must thou thus be y 1. Corin●. 3. 1● a fool that thou mayst be wise, seeing this foolishness of God condemns those wages of unrighteousness in worldly wisdom, as the Ass speaking with man's voice forbade the foolishness of the Prophet, 2. Pet. 2. 16. Vincamur quò vincamus, let us here be conquered (saith a z Nazian. ora●. 3. de pa●e. Father) that we may overcome; seeing hîc vinci quam vincere est praestantius, in this cause to lose, is to win the victory, as a Homil. ●5. i● Math. 1●, chrysostom averreth. Go not forth to fight, and thou hast won the field: strive not, and thou art crowned: make thine adversary admire thine invincible patience, that he may report himself without fight to be overcome of thy long-sufferance and longanimity. And this is indeed the life of love, and soul of Christian charity, To love of whom it is hated to honour of whom it is contemned, to bless of whom it is cursed, and to do good unto 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 love, saith Saint Paul, it is patiented, it is courteous, it seeketh not her own, it envieth not, and it is not provoked to anger, 1. Cor. 13. And if it be patiented saith ●●b. 5. super Luc. 6. Ambrose, debet patientiam verberanti, it must turn the other cheek to him that smiteth, Mat. 5. If it be courteous, it must not render rebuke for rebuke, 1. Pet. 3. 9 If it seek not her own, it must not forbid to take the coat also, Luk. 6. If it envy not, it must not hate her enemy, Leuit. 19 If it be not provoked to anger, it must not be angry without a cause, Mat. 5. 22. and if it endure all things, it should not resist injury, Vers. 39 Which saying if it seem so hard to flesh & blood, that she cannot hear it, the Apostle sweeteneth her bitter potion with five comforts and counterpoisons, 1. Pe. 2. For first this is thankworthy and acceptable to God, if a man endure grief, and wrong suffering wrongfully. And if this hope of reward cannot induce us let us secondly consider, that it is exacted as a duty, for hereunto are ye called to be d Rom. 8. 29. like the image of his Son, and conformable to your head. For what disproportion should this be, that in the heads passion, the members should have no compassion? What analogy that the head should be crowned with thorns, Mat. 27. and the members be crowned with rosebuds? Wisdom. 2. 8. What reason, the head e Ioh 11. 33. 35. should have that doleful sympathy, to f Rom. 12. 15. weep with them that weep, and the members that Stoical apathy, to feel no grief and sorrow: or rather that antipathy mentioned of some by g Homil. 53. add pop. An●●och. chrysostom: To rejoice with him that wept, and wept not with his eyes alone, but with all his members tears of blood, and drops of sweat? as h Serm. 61. in Cant. Bernard speaketh. And if his most pathetical crosses cannot crucify us with Christ which are Christians, yet seeing thirdly, he suffered for us, what reason but like Paul we suffer for Christ, who hath left us an ensample to follow his steps to mount Caluarie? And this so much more willingly should we i ●. Pet. 3. 13. suffer with Christ, because when he did no sin, neither was there found any guile in his mouth, with the good k Luke 23 41. thief we may truly confess, that we are indeed righteously here on the cross of wrong-suffering, and receive things worthy of that we have done, but this man hath done nothing amiss. And if thou dost hope for revenge, thou must commit with David thy cause unto God the judge of right, as Christ committed it to him that judgeth righteously: who seeing he is the avenger, the avenger of Israel, Psal. 94. 1. he will in due time show himself clearly, though the wicked, the wicked do long triumph, though they speak disdainfully, and make such proud boasting, though they smite down his people and trouble his heritage, though they murder the widow and put the fatherless to death, and say, Tush, the Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of jaakob regard it: though they gather them together against the soul of the righteous, & condemn the innocent blood, yet at the last judgement shall return to justice, to render tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you which are troubled, rest, 2. Thes. 1. And when the judge of the world shall exalt himself to render the proud after their deserving, then will he recompense these men their wickedness, and destroy them in their own malice: yea the Lord our God shall destroy them. Till which time of judgement, we must put up our sword of revenge into his sheath (as I said) of patience, and of long-suffering, and commit our revenge to whom we committed our reward, our hope, and our haven of rest: whereto till then like his disciples on the lake, must we sail with a contrary weather of doing good for evil, Mat. 5. 44. So sailed the master and Pilot of his ship against the raging and tossing waves of judaea: for when they went about his death and temporal destruction, he went about their life and eternal salvation: when they crowned him with thorns, he strove to crown them with glory: when they gave him vinegar to drink on a stalk of Hyssop, he gave them his blood to drink, to purge them with Hyssop as David speaketh, and make them whiter than snow, Psal. 51. Thus sailed the Apostles and mariners themselves: we are persecuted and buffeted, and we suffer it, 1. Cor. 4. and thus all passengers bound for heaven the haven of their hope, and harbour of their rest, like Paul's mariners, Act. 27. must keep a strait course, though wind and weather be contrary, do good to them that hurt you, Luk. 6. 27. Wrist not then this sword of revengeance out of his hand to whom vengeance belongeth, lest thou grieve and make sad the spirit of God, Ephes. 4. 30. Even bloodthirsty Esau would not be avenged on jaakob so long as his father was alive, lest it should grieve old Isaac, and bring his grey head with sorrow to the grave, Gen. 27. 41. And must less must thou avenge thee to grieve the holy spirit of God who hath begotten thee, lest thou bring not the l Dan. 7. 22. ancient of days to his grave, who is the m Ios. 3. 10. living God, and n Deut. 32. 40. liveth for ever, but thyself to Sheol, the grave of hell, and pit of destruction. Thou sayest, thou wouldst beat and kill such a foe, if it were not for his master whose cloth he weareth; and whose cognisance he beareth. And how darest thou murder or beat his servant whether blessed or cursed, whether of the o Mat. 25. 34. 41 right hand or left, whether like the p Mat. 8. 9 Centurion's servants of going or coming, go ye cursed, or come ye blessed, (for these q jer. 25. 9 also are his attendants to serve him) which bear his badge, yea the very image of himself? How darest thou clip the Lords coin, and deface that image and superscription, which his own finger hath stamped on them, whether pure or reprobate silver, whether currant gold or counterfeit slips, seeing he hath such compassion on them, that he will avenge the blood of all his servants, Deut. 32. 36. and 34. Neither must thou think it more lawful to beat or misuse minimum sanctorum, as the r Ephes. 3. 18. Apostle speaketh, the least in his kingdom, Mat. 11. 11. though he were black as the spouse speaketh, even the skull in his kitchen, and offscouring of all things: for whatsoever is done to the least of his, he counts it done to himself, Mat. 25. yea the but touching of them, is the touching of him, yea of his dearest part, his eye, and of that the most precious piece, the very apple of his eye, Zac. 2. 8. Nay, if thou knewest him to be a vessel of earth and dross to dishonour, and not of gold and silver to the honour of his maker, yet how darest thou dash him in pieces like a potter's vessel, seeing he beareth the image of him that created him: I say, the image of God that created him? For though when first he coined man of the earth, and stamped upon him his own image, of s I●● in G●●. 1. 26. essence to be a nature eternal and spiritual in soul: and of the qualities of t Eph. 4. 24. holiness and righteousness, whereby he is partaker of the divine nature, 2. Pet. 1. and of his attributes of power to be his Viceroy in this inferior world, Gen. 2. 26. Psal. 8. 6. Though I say, when he first stamped this threefold image on man, Gen. 5. 1. man by his fall Eph 4. 2●, Col. 3. ●0. defaced that of holiness and righteousness, and imprinted his own image of another stamp, which was unrighteousness and impurity in his posterity, Vers. 3. yet in respect of the two other parts of this print, spiritual eternity of soul, and powerful sovereignty in body over creatures, every man without exception carrieth the image of God, 1. Cor. 11. 7. and though he be but brass and (as I said) reprobate silver: Quilibet effigiem Caesaris assis habet, Every ass and idiot hath the image and superscription of this heavenly Caesar and Emperor of the world. Which seeing by manslaughter and murder, by wrath and revenge, thou wholly dost deface, as his essence to thy power of eternal being, in killing his body, though thou can●t not kill his soul: as it is of those divine qualities, by blasting his fruit in the blade, and cutting off his growth and ripening in holiness and righteousness to the image of him that created him, Col. 3. 10. And thirdly his sovereignty and Lordship that his kingdom over creatures by thy means is now departed from him. This should so bridle thine hand from breaking down this image, as it kept x 1. Sam. 24. 7. David from laying hands on Saul, because he was the Lords anointed. We reverence and dare not deface the king's picture in which his resembling, and disposition, & majesty is but partly deciphered, and how then may we adventure to destroyman, who as y jam. 3 ●. james speaks is made after the similitude of God in essence, and qualtie, and power of his creator? And this if thou dost, what may we think, but that as Satan showed his hatred to God, when he destroyed Christ the z Col. 1. 15. image of the invisible God, and a Heb. 1. 3. the engraven form of his person: so thou hatest him that did beget, when thus thou defacest him that is begotten, 1. joh. 5. What can be imagined, if charity were thy judge, but as the Pardale showeth her malice to man, when in * Basil serm. de ira & 〈◊〉. wrath she teareth that paper wherein she seethe his picture: so thou bewrayest thy hatred to God, when thou destroyest man wherein thou beholdest his image, 1. joh. 4. Wherefore as he said of the body of wicked jezabel, Let us use her honourably, for she is a king's daughter by procreation, 2. King. 9 so must thou not dishonourably misuse man how wicked soever, sith he is the King of kings his son by creation, Esa. 64. but as the Apostle spoke of the jews though apostates, he is to be beloved for the father's sake, Rom. 11. 28. Howbeit, if neither the view of thy face in a glass can make thy wrath blush as a man, nor thy look in the perfect law of liberty, as in a c 2. Cor. 3. 28. mirror can change thee into the same image, from malice to mildness, from enmity to amity, from fury to friendship, from glory of nature to glory of grace, as by the spirit of the Lord: but with bloody d Gen. 4. 23. Lamech still in thy rage thou dost outrage, I would slay a man in my wound, and a young man in mine hurt. If Cain be avenged seven fold, surely Lamech seventy times sevenfold: yet when thus thou hearest thyself out of tune, out of concord and harmony of love, I wish before thou go forth to revenge, with Clinias the e AElian. lib. 14 var hist. cap. 23. Pythagorean, or with Achilles in the Iliad, thou wouldst pulsare citharam, like f Psal. 81. 2. the Psalmist call for the merry harp with the lute, that the concord of it may drown that discord with thy brother, and the harmony of its strings tune the affections of thy mind and heartstrings which now jar with thy neighbour. For as g 1. Sam. 16. 23. David by playing upon his harp drove the evil spirit of frenzy from Saul that was upon him: so an instrument of music, or if thou canst not play, singing of a Psalm of David, will expel the evil spirit of fury that rageth in thy mind: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or a Psalm of David saith S. h Homil. in Psa. 2. in Prefat. Basil is mirth of the mind, tranquillity of the soul, a white wand or the ambassador of peace a ruler of the affections, a procurer of charity, and reconciler of love, a composer of strifes, and bridler of rage: neither is there any so troubled in mind, and disturbed in thought, which if he take the Psalms, may not strait be appeased. For hereby all perturbations and impetuous affections of the mind, which overrule men many ways in this life, are quite rooted out. And herein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as in a common Apothecary's shop may the furious man find ointment of love more sweet and precious than the ointment of Aaron; which the dead flies of malice, hatred, and envy cannot cause to stink, nor putrefy the ointment of this Apothecary: so plentiful is this shop of love, and box of Spikenard, that as it is the storehouse of the law, so it is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. And when thou art wrathful and raging toward thy enemy, i Opuscu. in Ps●●. Athanasius adviseth to read often the seventy first Psalm as a medicine for thy disease. Now if nothing I have said can mitigate thy rage, but to the field thou wilt go, and like that braving challenger of Gath thou desirest a combat and defiest thy foe, why boastest thou in thy wickedness, O man of power? What wilt thou do, O mighty man (saith k Comen. in ps. 51 Austin) what will't thou do? thou keepest a great bragging; thou wilt, yea that thou wilt, kill a man: Hoc & Scorpius, hoc & una febris, hoc & fung us malus potest: Alas poor brags, a Scorpion can do this, this one fever, or the snuff of a candle could effect. One l Plin nat. hist. lt. 7. a. 7. Va● Ma. lib 9 cap. 12. kernel of a grape could choke Anacreon: the m Fulg l 9 c. 12. yolk of an egg could stifle Saufeius: a n G●●do. fish-bone Tarqvinius Priscus, a o Fulg ibid. pear Drusus Pompeius, an p Punabid. hair in his milk Fabius the Senator, a q Plin. lib. 17. & Florus lib 3 c. 23. smoke Catulus the Orator, the r Palla. & Su●●. hot sun chrysostom, and a s Polid 〈◊〉. hist. Angl. crumb of bread Goodwin Earl of Kent. Huccine redacta est omnis potentia tua ut uno malo fungo coequetur? Is all thy bragging power come to this (saith Austin) that it's but equal with the smell of a snuff, with the sting of a Scorpion, with the fit of a fever, with the stone of a grape, with the yolk of an egg, with the bone of a fish, with a piece of a pear, with an hair of the head, with the smoke of a fire, with the heat of the Sun, and with a crumb of bread? Hear therefore thou man of blood, who like those blood-thirsty votaries in the Acts, swearest thou wilt neither eat nor drink till thou hast killed, till thou hast eaten up thy brother as it were bread, and quenched thy thirst with his blood. hearken O man of revenge, who proclaimest with that voice of vengeance, I will do to him as he hath done to me, I will recompense every man according to his works: and wresting that legem talionis, Exod. 21. 24. threatenest before heaven and earth that thou wilt have life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe, though it was but given by a fool: like t Plut. dial. deir● cohib. Ctesipho the wrestler, who would not put up a blow at the heels of an ass, but like an ass kicked her again with his heels. Know thou assuredly, that as Lamech slew a man in his wound, or as the Hebrew reads it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wounding of himself, that is, the wounding of his own conscience (saith Ferus) and hurt of his soul, Gen. 4. 23: so thou art a manslayer both of him and thyself, seeing after it thou abidest in death, 1. joh. 3. 14. Thus revengeful wrath that poenas dum exigit, with her own staff is she beaten (saith v Li 3 de Ira. c. 5 Seneca) while she beateth. x Cap. 3. Ea deprimens quae mergi nisi cum mergente non possunt, striving like a millstone about his neck to drown him which cannot be drowned without the drowner also. For as we read in Aristophanes of the earthen pot, which by dashing against another pot, burst itself in pieces: so we y Idem cap. 42. forgetful of our weakness, ad frangendum fragiles consurgimus, while we dash our brittle bodies one against another, both these z jeremy. 18. 6. earthen pots are shivered to scraps: and therefore woe to the pot sheared that striveth with the pot shards of the earth, isaiah 45. 9 Thus as strongest poison first breaketh the vessel which holds it before it hurt another: so anger (saith Eliphas) doubtless anger killeth the foolish, and envy slayeth the idiot, job 5. 2. And therefore David (saith a a I●. Hu● in hunc locum. writer) compareth his enemies to bees, Psal. 118. which as b Lib. 9 de hist. animal cap 40. Aristotle and c ●● 11. nat. hist. ca 18. Pliny both observe) by stinging others exentorate, and therewith shed forth their own bowels, Animasque in vulnere ponunt, and lose their lives by their stinging. And it is as true in revenge, she sails with her own wings, and dasheth on that rock, whereon she makes shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. The revenger like the be, he hath a reaction or repassion rather, and receiveth the wrong that he hath done, Col. 3. 25. and while he seeks vengeance on man, finds vengeance of God, Eccles. 28. 1. While he shooteth his sting of revenge, he doth eviscerate himself of those bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering and forbearance, Colos. 3. 12. Animamque in vulnere ponit, and looseth his soul in the wound of his foe. Alium laedit extrinsecus & se vastat intrinsecus, saith d Ser. 16 de ver. D●●. Austin, like the bees outward stinging he only kills the body of his foe, but like her inward bowelling kills the soul of himself, and casteth both body and soul into hell fire. And therefore would Homil e 〈◊〉 pop● Antiocis. chrysostom have us be warned by the Bee, and by her example be weaned from revenge: Dost thou not see the Bee (saith that Father) how she dies by her stinging? By that living creature doth God teach us that we wound not our brethren, for we do it through our own sides, and perchance like the Bee we hurt them but little, but we ourselves shall be no more, no more than that creature. Hear this also thou bloody stabber, who beyond the law of retaliation exactest not only a tooth for a tooth, and an eye for an eye, Deut. 19 but like joab repayest a stab for a lie, a wound for a word: with Lamech for a small hurt wilt slay a man, and not only meet to them as they measured to thee, but an Epha of wrongs for an Hin of injuries, and (as f Orat 9 de ira & mimie. Basil out of the g Luke 6 38. Gospel speaketh) from thy seperfluitie of maliciousness give mensuram superfluentem, a measure running over into their bosom. I wish thou wouldst learn of Christ our Saviour, who as a lamb before his both shearer and slayer, was so dumb that he opened not his mouth to revile when he was reviled, nor so much as threatened when he felt the stab of their spear, 1. Pet. 2. But if thou wilt not learn clemency of the Lamb of God, yet learn it for shame of cruelty itself, of the Lion of the field, who (as Aelian noteth ') is so just in his cruelty, that he keeps an equal mean and measure of revenging his enemy: for though he see a man shoot at him and deadly pursue him, yet (as h Li. 9 de hist. animal. cap. 44. Aristotle and i Lib. 8. nat. hist. ca 16. Pliny both observe) if the archer do not wound him, he neither wounds him if he catch him in his paws, but shakes him only without hurt, and throwing him down when he hath thus afraid him, lets him go free. And if thou wilt not be more cruel than cruelty itself, and from thy British clemency degenerate into more than brutish cruelty, at least be as gentle as the roaring Lion, who seems here to exhort thee with that voice of the lamb, Math. 11. 29. Take my yoke on thee, and learn of me that am lowly and meek to my foe. For there is none (saith k Lib. 5. din. Inst. cal●●. Lactantius) who had not rather die then be transformed into any shape and feature of a beast, though he might retain the mind of a man: and how much more is it wretched to have the mind of a beast in the form of a man, sith the soul so much excelleth the body? But alas, Aspernantur corpora beluarum quibus sunt ipsi saeviores, they disdainfully abhor the bodily shape of wild beasts, who are themselves more savage and cruel than they: and so much please themselves in that they are men, of whom they carry nothing but the outware lineamennts and figure. Wherefore to conclude this point, which thou regardest not a point, if nothing that is said can end thy contention and revenge, yet as the wise man adviseth thee, Remember thine end and thou wilt let enmity pass, Eccles. 28. 6. For like as when the bees fall out and fight among themselves, Dimicatio iniectu pulueris tota discutitur, the throwing of a little dust upon them (saith l Li. 11. nat. hist. ca 17. Pliny) endeth all their deadly strife: so cogitatio mortalitatis, the thought of death (saith m Lib. 3. de Ira ●ap. 42. Seneca) the remembrance of this general mortality by plague and pestilence, say I, which thus long hath toled for her last gasp, & might now (me thinks) ring out at last the death of all malice, might bury all wrongs in the grave of oblivion never to rise again. And indeed, Se de hoc mundo quotidiè migraturum credere (as n Abbas. joseph. de amicit. collas. 13. cap. 6. one speaketh) to think this day of his strife may be the last of his life, is a common peremptory and killer of all jars, & omnium comprimet motus, and will still the most turbulent sticklers. And howsoever the remembrance of dust and death cannot bridle the mighty bulls of Basan, who set up their horn on high, and speak with a st●ffe-necke; but like those bulls in o De solart Animal. Plutarch, Ad pugnam sepuluere conspergunt ut magis irritati ferociant, sprinkle this dust of mortality on their faces to whet their courage to the combat. And as the Lion beateth himself with his tail to set an edge on his wrath; so they remember their end to hasten their swift revenge, like that p judg. 16. 30. Lion of might, who conquered the roaring Lion. Let me lose my life with the Philistines, yet iam par acerrimum media mors dirimet (saith Seneca) even now will death step between these two hot spurs and part the fray. And though no remembrance of death could extinguish the memory of injuries between them, yet iniectu pulueris, cast but a little dust of the grave upon their heads, & then are they as quisht as a Bee, and now their hatred and their envy is perished, saith Solomon, Eccles. 9 6. But let us (beloved Christian) who have better learned Christ, let us leave off wrath and let go displeasure, before they leave and let go us at our death. Let us die to our malice, lest it die to us, and leave as our bodies with the mete-wand in the grave, so our souls with the rod of God's wrath in the lowest p●t. Let us bury it in our life, that at our death we may go to our grave in peace, and in peace with all men. Let our love awake that sleepeth, and stand up from the dead, that is interred. And seeing a friend must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the q Arist. lib. 2. Rh●roric. natural man telleth Gentiles, and friendship work through, as the r Galat. 5. spiritual man teacheth Christians. Let our friendship show itself, s Arist. li. 8. E●h. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a benevolence not latent and lurking, but patent and working in the deeds of reconcilement, and be reconciled not in word and tongue only, but in work and in deed. Yet here (beloved) must we not stay in these Sancta and holy 3. reconcilemet intentional, places of unity, where is but the candlestick of concord, and showbread of friendship: for there is a judas that can not only kiss with his mouth, but embrace too with his arms and works of love when his heart is far from us. And therefore thirdly this agreement must enter into the heart the holiest of all, where is the hidden Manna and hidden man too, the ark of this testimony, and the mercyseat of reconcilement. For as she said to Samson, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? judg. 16. so how canst thou truly affect and be friends with thy brother, who staying him in the atrium and sanctuary of thy love, shutest up thy heart from him, and scant once a year admittest him into this holiest of all? The Lord by his Apostle commands thee this last, but not lest degree of agreement, 1. john 3. 18. Let us love not in word, and like treacherous joab by works deny it; neither in tongue only with traitorous judas to give 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 love indeed out of a pure heart, 1. Tim. 1. 5. Christian without dissimulation, saith t Rom. 12. 9 Paul: brotherly without feigning, from a pure heart fervently, saith 1. v Peter 1. 22. Peter. For though men, not only speak with the tongue of men and Angels to their brethren, but even give all their goods to their enemies, yet (as x Tract. 6. ●n spi. joan Austin out of Saint y 1. Corinth. 13. Paul collecteth truly) if they have not this fervent love out of a pure heart, it profiteth them nothing, because though it be in deed, yet not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in truth: not before God, who seethe their hearts, and knoweth their root to be rottenness; but before men, who judging the tree by her fruit, are eft 'zounds deceived with z August. lib 21 de 〈◊〉 De●, ca 5 apples of Sodom, that seem ripe to be taken, but being rotten within, turn to ashes and smote when they are touched. Whereas then many exhibit their beneficence when their benevolence is inhibited; some like the a Matthew 6. 1. Pharisees to be seen of men, and some like those b Luke 14. 12. feasters to receive the like again: both these have opus non veritatem, saith a c Ferus in 1. joan. 3. 18. writer, they love indeed before men, who look on the outside, but not before God, who beholdeth the inside of the platter, whereas their left hand of worldly respect should not have a finger in their gives of love, nor so much as know (saith S. Austin) what their right hand of pure conscience and sincerity; doth but as fervently to love in God their friend, so heartily for God their foe, whose image and superscription he beareth. Which love of God above all, seeing it begetteth the love of our neighbour as ourself, 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, Wither 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 therefore as those pair of Turtle-doves or two young Pigeons, were jointly a legal oblation for Christ, Luk. 2. so must these two both together be an evangelical sacrifice of Christians, 1. john 4. 21. And if the one Dove come alone without her mate, she shall not be received into the ark of God's rest, nether will he put forth his hand to receive her, unless she bring an Olive branch of peace in her mouth, and of peace with all men, Heb. 12. 14. Which two wings of charity (to use the words of Saint e 〈◊〉 10. hom 27 Austin) seeing as f ●● Psal 10 4. elsewhere he noteth, they are the two wings of the soul, which were given to that Eagle the Church of God, that she might fly from the Serpent into her place, Apoc. 12. we should wish them the more, and pray with David, that we had the wings of a Dove, that we might fly away to the hill from whence cometh our help, and be at rest: because though these two be commanded loves, and so a burden, yet are they not g 1. john 5. grievous, but as wings they are light, Mat. 11. saith the Dove that was covered with silver wings, and her feathers like gold. Onus est sed love, a burden they are, but a light one, saith h S●r. 24. de 〈◊〉 Apost. Austin, and though commandments of God, yet not grievous to the godly: Non pondus overati, sed alae volaturi, not burdens such as beasts do carry, but such as wings are to birds: Portant illa● in terra, & portantur ab illis in c●lum, if these wings we carry here on earth, they will carry us up into heaven. One terms them Pedes animae, the two feet of the soul, whereby she runneth the race that is set before her, and walketh in love; 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 himself, that though he had the right foot of his soul, to love God so dearly as to give his body to be burned, and wanted yet the left foot of love to his neighbour, it would profit him nothing, 1. Corinth. 13. Teaching us thereby to make strait st●ppes, not with one foot alone, but with both our feet, in following, as holiness toward God, so peace with all men, lest that which is halting be turned out of the way, Hebr. 12, 13. 14. Like the two blessed k john 20. 4. Apostles Peter and john, they must run to Christ both together, though the love of God like the beloved Disciple must run 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 commandments: so this is the way through which thou must run unto life, That he which loveth God should love his brother also, 1. joh. 4. 21. and that by good propottion, seeing we must not halt in the way, but make strait steps with our feet, nor hop, but walk in love, Ephes. 5. 2. and so walk, that not only with David we run viam, the common and Kings high way of his m Psal 10. 11 ●●. commandments and n james 2. royal law, to bless, benefit, and be benevolent to our enemies, Math. 5. 44. but walk also like him in Psalm o 119. 35. semitis, in the paths thereof, which are the nearest and 'gainst way to heaven (not as more wittily then wisely p S●ell●●narra●. in L●c. 3. 4. some distinguish his evangelical precepts and counsels, for even these q Ferus in Math 3. 3 semita are mandata, Psalm 119. 35.) that not only we love from our heart, but so fervently without feigning, that as r Exod. ●2. 32. Moses willed it for the Hebrews, s Rom. 9 3. Paul wished it for the Israelites, t Ios. 2 2. Rahab ventured it for the spies, v judges 10. judith endangered it for Israel, x 1. Kings 18. 4. Obadiah hazarded it for the Prophets, y Esther 4. 16 Ester for the jews, z 1. Sam. 19 & cap. 20. 33 jonathan for David, a 1 Sam. 17. David for his country, b john 13. 37 Peter promised it for Christ, and Christ performed it, to lay down his life for his enemies, Rom. 5. 6. so we also should walk in this path of love; that as hereby we perceived his love, in that he laid down his life for us, therefore ought we to lay down our life for the brethren, 1. john 3. 16. then which as no man hath greater love of heart then when he is willing to bestow his life for his friend, john 15. 13. so if like Christ, who laid it down voluntarily of himself without any taking it from him, john 10. 18. for he died c Bern. ser. 3 de pacificat. Mar●a Non quia meruit, nec quia judeus pravaluit, sed quia ipse voluit, not because he deserved, for he laid it down for his sheep, verse 15. nor because the jew prevailed, for none could take it from him, verse 18. but because he was willing, for he laid it down of himself: 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 Sir in Feria ●eb● p●●os. de p●ss. D●m. Bernard elsewhere speaketh. If we could (I say) like Christ thus walk in love of our hearts, we should be perfect as he is perfect, sith as Paul epitomizeth religion into faith and repentance, Hebr. 6. 1. and Solomon repentance into fear God and keep his commandments, Eccles. 12. 13. so our Saviour his ten commandments into two of love, Mark 12. 31. and the Apostle e Aui●. & Pet. Mart. in Rom. 1● those two of love into this one of loving our neighbour, Rom. 13. 9 to show that this hearty love of our foe is the castle-gate of religion, the stairs of repentance, the tower and turret of faith, the watch of the fear of God, and the keep of his commandments: all which are wholly kept and fulfilled in one word, which is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Gal. 5. 14. Wherefore if offending in many things thou canst not fulfil the royal law it is so large, vis compendium seruandarum omnium legum? wilt thou have (saith a f Ar●t in Rom. 13 8. Writer) a short cut to keep all? Monstrabo tibi Epitomen, I will show thee a compendious way: Love thy neighbour, and thou shalt fulfil the royal law, jam. 2. 8. and praise God (saith Austin) with an instrument of ten strings: for as james said of him who fails in one point that he is guilty of all, so contrariwise may I say, that he who fulfils this one point, in some sort is guiltless of all. And thus are we known to love God when we love our brother, and cannot before him assure our hearts, till our hearts be sure to the other. For as g D●roth de●●. 6. ne iudicemus proximum. lines in a circle drawn to the circumference from the centre, the nearer they come the centre 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 lives in this great round, as they have their first being from that indivisible centre of whom and to whom are all things, Rom. 11. 36 so the nearer they come him in love, the nearer must they needs in affection come one another. And as every one that loveth his brother, loveth God also, and is borne of him: so he that hateth his brother, hateth God, and if he say he loveth him he is but a liar, 1. joh. 4. Howbeit if through natural depravation and human infirmity, surripit ira Christiano, anger (as h Aug. Pr●fat, in Psal. 25. one speaketh) stealeth on thy heart, and like that foul of the heaven catcheth away the seed of love out of thy heart, (for i Idem hom. 40. humanum est irasci, & utinam ne hoc possemus) yet must it not be kept so long in thy breast, ut fiat pridiana, that it live passed a day, lest the mote of anger being fed in the night with the dew of suspicion, become a beam in the morning, to put out the eye of reason. For seeing ( k H●rat. Epist. as an heathen well resembleth it) Anger is like an headstrong horse, which must not have the reins, lest he throw headlong his rider: we had need curb this heart-strong passion and perturbation of the mind, lest it carry us headlong into mischief: and as we put bits in horses mouths, that they should obey us, whereby we rule them in the right way, so hunc fraenis hunc tu compesce ca●ena, its mouth also like horse and mule without understanding must be holden with bit and bridle lest it fall upon thee. Which natural edge and sharp affection, seeing it is whetted and sharpened by Satan on the stony heart of man, to wound the name or the person of his foe: therefore our l Arist. lib 4. Ethic. cap. 5. master of morality showeth: Why, against whom, how, when, and how far it may be drawn and unsheathed. Why: in the offence of God, and defence of goodness: as m Exod. 32. 19 Moses waxed hot against Israel for their idolatry, against n Num. 16 15. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram for their conspiracy. o 1. Sam. 19 14 Elias against Israel for their Apostasy, p jer. 6. 11. jeremy against the jews for their impiety, and Christ looked angrily on their children for their obstinacy, 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 justice (Rom. 13.) must thou draw it against not the good and them that do well, but the bad and them that do evil. And thus did holy David: Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee, and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? yea I hate them right sore, as though they were mine enemies, Psalm. 139. 21. I saw the transgressors, and was grieved because they kept not thy law, Psal. 119. 158. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, I hate the works of unfaithfulness, there shall no such dwell with me, Psal. 101. And thus may we be angry against sinners, no not so much the man as his manners, as hereafter shall be showed. Thirdly, how it must be spent, not in fume, like the foaming sea, that cannot rest till it cast up mire and dirt: for this anger is furor brevis, a short madness, as he q H●rat. speaketh, and only they differ (said wise r Plut. Ap●th. Cato) in continuance of time. For whereas there be two kinds of madness, one of the head which makes men run out of their wit, and another of the heart, which puts them out of their right mind: these angry men having neither the wit to govern, nor the mind to be governed in this passion, are the maddest of all other: seeing (as s Lib. 1. de ira cap. 1. Seneca noteth in them) they have the same signs and tokens that mad men have, and this mist of anger so darkeneth their eye of reason, that it cannot discern things that differ, but as objects though little in themselves, through a thick cloud seem bigger than they are indeed: so whatsoever moat the eye of anger thorough cloudy brows beholdeth in a brother, seemeth no less than a beam. For as t Lib. 11. nat ●●. cap. 37. Pliny noteth, Oculos in comitiali morbo apertos nihil cernere animo caligante, that the eyes in the falling sickness though open see nothing, when the mind is darkened and dim-sighted: so in comitiali morbo irae, as one u Plut▪ deir● cohib. terms it, in the falling sickness of anger wherein they fall on others, men have like those jews eyes and see not the right, as ears and hear not the truth, but their minds being blinded that they see not Satan ever boweth down their back for a load of sin, and anger the daughter of injury, as Sabellicus speaketh, becomes in them the mother of revenge. And as anger in her madness is blind to augment all faults, and make a moat a beam, and a molehill a mountain: so is she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as x 2. Pet. 2. 9 the Apostle speaketh, and cannot see far off, but diminishing the person of men, maketh a Cedar of Lebanon but a bramble of the bush: and like the purblind man in the y Ma●●. 8. Gospel, seethe men but like trees, which with the z Io●. 1●. ●. good husbandman, when she should but lop with the pruning-knife of correction, she heweth down with the axe of her own judgement and revenge. And therefore (because he will never observe the mean, nor keep a right measure in punishing, who in his anger comes for to punish, (as a Lib. 1. O●●●●. Tully said most truly) the Romans wisely tied a bundle of rods to those axes that were carried before the Consuls, ut ijs soluendis inijceretur aliqua mora irae antequam ad puniendum accederent, that in losing of them some delay of time may allay their anger before they came to punish: as neither Socrates, nor Plato, nor Architas (whom I mentioned in the beginning) durst punish even their servants in their anger, lest under correcting their manners, they should revenge them on the men, and turn judgement into wormwood, as b Cap. 5 7. Amos speaketh, and c Apo. 6 12. justice into gall. Wherefore seeing optimum est temperare iram non tollere, as Seneca d Lib. 1. de ira, cap. 7. noteth, to temper anger and not take it away, be angry but sin not, saith Paul, Ephes. 4. 26. Be angry at his manners, but sin not by anger against the man. Or if ye chance to exceed this golden mean, Irascimini? are ye angry? (as some Bez annot. mat●r. in hun● lxum. interogatively understand it) sin not, that is, so moderate your affection, that it be appeased before it burst forth, as our English note on that place expounds it. If turbulent motions arise in the mind through the corruption of nature, yet let not reason consent and obey them in the lusts thereof, that although in our flesh we serve the law of sin, yet in our spirit we serve the law of regenerate part, as f In Psal. 4. 4. Austin most excellently expounds it. His meaning is, this serpent like Goliath must be smote dead in the forefront and crushed in the head, lest if he get in the head as he did into Eve, he bring in the whole body, & when sin is finished, from this tail of the serpent leave g 1. Cor. 15. 55 that sting of death in our souls. We must crush this Cockatrice in his egg, we must take this little fox before he do hurt, lest growing up to be great, like sampson's fox he set all on fire, and like Herod the fox fall to be bloodthirsty and ravenous. We must purge out this little leaven, lest it sour the whole lump: we must give this water of bitterness no passage, no not a little, lest like that in Ezechiel, it grow from the ankles to the knees, and from the knees to the thighs, and prove a river that cannot be passed without drowning: we must dash this youngling of Babel against the stones, lest after growth it cry, down with him, down with him even to the ground: for this little fire will kindle a great matter: this least grain and mustardseed of anger will grow up to a great tree of hatred, under whose branches of envy and malice the fowls of the heaven, and princes of the air will build their nests. And therefore this root of bitterness must not be let grow up, lest many therewith be defiled: this little cloud of anger if it be not dissolved by his heat, will cover all the sky, hide the sun of righteousness, and cause much rain and no little storm: this cord of vanity will pull on a cart-rope of iniquity: and therefore for the manner how ye may be angry, be angry but sin not in your anger. For whose season and opportunity of time, when it must be drawn, as there is a time to hate, as a time to love, and a time of peace, as a time of war, Eccles. 3. 8. so must anger not rashly out of time, nor unadvisedly out of season be misspent, Mat. 5. 22 saul's flatterers mistook their time: They are mine enemies unjustly, saith David, and hate me without a cause, Psal. 39 19 They gather themselves not for mine offence, not for my sin, but without my fault O Lord, Psal. 59 3. They hate me without a cause, and would destroy me guiltless, Psalm. 69. 4. Thus h Gen ● Cain was wroth with Abel because his sacrifice was more regarded: thus Esau i Gen. ●● was wroth with jaakob, because in the blessing he was preferred: thus his k Gen. 3● children were wroth with joseph, because of his father he was more favoured: thus l H●man was wroth with Mordecai, because he was more honoured: thus m 1. Sam. 1● Saul was wroth with David, because he was more commended: thus n 1. Sam. 17. Eliab was wroth with this younger, because he was more exalted. Which sin of envy, as many show it by causeless anger, so is it most dangerous to the soul of man, because it is the eldest sin, and the devils eldest son: therefore calls Austin it the devils sin, Plutarch the wound and plague, Socrates the axe and sword, Basil the rottenness and rust, and chrysostom the moth and canker of the soul. For o Ma●●●● 〈◊〉 2. de pa●t. this fire consumeth the wood wherewith it was kindled, & cum suo alit nutrimento, and this worm gnaweth the wood wherein it was bred, this viper eats through those bowels wherein it was fed: this moth fretteth that garment wherein it was cherished: this canker consumeth that iron wherein it was nourished, & iustissimè possessorem suum torquet, saith Nazianzen. And justly is ireful envy the consuming of the flesh, and rotting of the bones (Prou.) in the envious, and makes him cry with that father, (2. Sam. 16.) Behold, my son which came out of mine own bowels seeketh my life. This was it that made p Sabell. lib 9 Exemp. cap. 2. Cimon so infest to Pericles, Anitus to Alcibiades, Epaminondas to Pelopidas, Hanno to Hannibal, Fabius to Scipio, and Marcellus to Caesar: which tortureth the mind of its own possessor so much the more, because as q Plut. Apoth. Anacharsis truly observed, it is grieved not only with its own adversity, but with other men's prosperity: as Bion seeing an envious man sad, said, That either some great skill is happened to him, or some great good to some other. And therefore by r Homil. 41. i● Math. chrysostom rightly termed bellua multorum capitum, because as they who serve that beast with many heads, Apocalyp. 4. and receive his mark in their forehead, shall be ever tormented, and have no rest neither day nor night: so they also that serve this beastly passion of envy, and receive its Tau and cross in their countenance, are so tormented in mind, that it will not suffer their eyelids to slumber, nor the temples of their head to take any rest. Which sin as it takes no quando nor opportunity of anger, but is that s Rom. 7. 13. sin exceeding sinful: because whereas all other sins are unius ferè horae peccata, but sinful acts of an hours continuance, saith Damascene, this is like that inhabiting Cananite and dwelling sin, Rom. 7. 17. whereby invidus singulis horis peccat, the envious man continueth sinning every hour and minute of time: so is it a sin exceeding painful, because whereas all those other sins of drunkenness, gluttony, chambering, and wantonness, Ro. 13. 13. in actu voluptatem aucupantur aliquam, taste and relish some sweetness and pleasure in the act of their commission, as Sabellicus in the cited place observes: sola invidia perpetuo est moerori, Strife and envying are in continual sorrow and sadness of heart. Only envy of all the company, with Cain hath still her countenance cast down, and inwardly goes mourning all the day long. Only envy like the fly ring her wings and torments herself in the light of others, which she labours to extinguish and put out. I pray thee what pleasure (saith t Ad D●meir. Jerome) doth envy yield to its owner? what delight, hatred to the possessor? or what sweetness malice to the maligner? so run through all these perturbations, & invenies tot animi tormenta quot vitia, and thou shalt find so many torments, as there be passions of the mind, which therefore by so much might more easily be overcome, by how much they bring no pleasure nor sweetness unto us in the act of committing them. Howbeit, if neither we observe the cause wherefore, nor the persons with whom, nor the season when, nor the manner how, yet fifthly hath both the heathen and heavenly man too prefixed h●r a teatme quousque, and set her bonds of a day, which she shall not pass. Here must this raging sea stay her proud waves: and if thus far she will go, she shall go no further. For as three degrees and ages of anger are censured by our moral-maister u Lib. 4. E●his. cap. 5. Aristotle: one, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, cholericknesse, which is the infancy of anger, soon come and gone: another, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, amarulencie or bitterness, which is the youth of anger, and stays boiling in hot blood for opportunity of revenge: and the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, irreconcilable wrath, which is her man-age and full stature, when she will not be appeased, but remaineth implacable without wished revenge. (For as there is a triple growth of piety in children, young men and fathers, 1. joh. 2. 14. so from this root of bitterness, like that x . apple tree in Aslyria, some fruit is but budding, other ripening, and some grown to maturity.) So condemneth S. Paul these three degrees of sinful anger, and this threefold state of angry sin, Eph. 4. 31. Let anger, and bitterness, and wrath, be put from among you. For remedying of the first, he forbids us to walk in the way of ungodly anger, be angry but sin not. If that passion be too familiar, to stay us from the second, he inhibits us like sinners to stand in the way of bitterness, Let all bitterness be put away: if our standing upon it make us stand in that path, to keep us from the third, he chargeth us not sit down in the chair of wrath, and lie down in the bed of implacability, Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath: for this is to give place to the devil, ver. 27. who like the y Psal. 114. 20. 21. 22. Lion that is greedy of his prey, when the Sun is down creepeth forth in the night to seek whom he may devour: & quietis tempore ad animum iracundi accedit, and on the night season cometh to the angry mind in his bed, saith z Pastoral. part. 3. admove. 10. Gregory, and bringing to his memory the greatness of the injuries, exaggereth every circumstance, and showeth them intolerable to incense his revenge: and therefore noctem metuens beatus Paulus, blessed Paul fearing the night's occasion for a work of darkness (saith a Homil. 14 in Eph. 4. ●6. chrysostom) dare not let one go angry to bed, lest the Prince of darkness advantaged by his solitariness, finding his house swept from charity, and garnished with hatred, bring in seven other spirits of malice worse than the former of anger: but would have him though he be angry yet sin not unto wrath, but examine himself upon his bed in his chamber, and be still, Psal. 4. 4. jest on the day having conceived sorrow, he travel with mischief in his bed, and in the morning bring forth ungodliness: lest the cloud of anger (to allude with that Father) which was gathered on the day by his heat, being not dissipated and dissolved with the Sun, be augmented with the night's vapours of chafe and fretting, and make in the morning a tempest of wrath and storm of revenge. And therefore as to king Attalus, Pompey and Antipater, natalis fuit fataiis, the day of their death was on the day of their birth: so would the Apostle, ut ira die orta cum die decidat, saith Ambrose on these words: that as jonah his gourd came up in a night, and withered in a night, so this root of bitterness which sprung up on the day, should be smote at the root with the worm of remorse on that day, and whither away. For as the beast b Arist. lib. 1. de hist. animal. cap. 5. Ephemeron, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as c Lib. 11 nat. ●●st. cap. 36. Pliny calls it rather) whose name is from his nature; for as his name is so is he; being bred in the morning, flies at noon, and dies at night with the setting of the Sun. So would the Apostle have this beastly affection to be but Ephemeron also, a day old at his death; that although in the morning anger be bred, and grow to strong hatred at noon in the height of his heat, yet it live not wrath till the Sun be gone down, seeing Non amplius una nobis die ad iram indulsit Apostolus. The Apostle hath allowed (saith d H●mil. 3. in joan. cap. 3. chrysostom) but the space of one day for the age of any anger. Wherefore as we say of the Toadstool, oritur, moritur, it grows up in a night and dies in a night, so must this Toad-swelling fool die on the day wherein it was borne, its womb be its tomb; yea be like the untimely fruit of a woman, which perisheth ere ever it see the Sun, lest sleeping with the mote of anger (to use S. e S●r. 237. de Temp. Austin's often allusion) thou water and feed it on the night with the dew of suspicions, and rise up in the morning with the beam of hatred and malice in thy mind. This good lesson Epiphanius (as he confessed to the Abbot Hilarion) well observed, Ex quo tempore assumpsi hunc habitum, non dimisi aliquem dormire qui adversum me haberet aliquid, neque dormivi habens aliquid adversus aliquem: Since I took this calling and habit upon me, I never let any man go to bed who I thought had any thing against me; nor ever went to bed myself when I knew I had any thing against any man. And thus indeed should the Sun not go down upon s Mat. 6. 34. wrath. And time too to let our wrath set before the Sun, seeing satis ad iram una aut altera hora, an hour or two (saith chrysostom) is too long to be angry, & sufficit diei malitta sua, as the vulgar readeth it, the day hath enough with his own malice & wrath, to heap wrath against the day of wrath. What shall they do then in this day of judgement, upon ●. Use, a repr●●● of implacability whose wrath non unius diei sed tantorum annorum sol testis occubuit, the sun not of one day but of many years (as g Tom. 1. ep●●● ad Cast. Jerome speaketh) hath gone down: but that this eye of the world be as of their wrath a faithful witness in heaven, so a swift witness to their judgement in hell? Which implacable and cruel men, as they were foretold to come in these last and perilous times, 2. Tim. 3. 3. even so now are there many implacable men, who this day have fulfilled this scripture in our ears and eyes too, to whom our Saviour may in vain cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be reconciled, being indeed as h Phil. ●. Demosthenes called Philip, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, irreconcilable enemies; or as Patroclus in i ●●ad. lib. v. Homer told Achilles, — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thou art unappeasable Achilles: Peleus sure he never was thy father, nor Thetis thy mother. — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. God sure is not thy father, nor his spouse thy mother, but the raging sea it bore thee, because thou canst not rest, and the hard rocks begat thee, sith thy heart is as hard as a stone. Whom if with k Id●m. l. 9 〈◊〉 Phoenix the Ambassador of peace, I should advise to be reconciled and appeased toward Agamemnon with that greatest example of persuasion, — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even God himself will not alway be childing, neither keepeth he his anger for ever, Psalm. 103. 9 yet this stony heart would admit no instruction, but like the wall send back the last words and echo of this exhortation, that is, anger for ever. I will communicate with him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, neither word nor work, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, before he hath feeled my fingers, and paid for his bitter contumely. Thus would Achilles answer peacemaking l Idem lib. ● Hector, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, It is no more possible for me and thee to love and agree, than the Wolf and the Lamb, nor shall any thing agree us till I be revenged. And indeed when men (as one noteth) pulvere si laedant scribunt sed marmore l●si, writ their own scandals in the dust, and other men's offences in the stony tables of their heart with the point of a Diamond: Vt plumbeas gerant iras (as Plautus speaketh of such) engrave them in lead with a pen of lead, for ever, how can there be reconcilement, when they ask their brother as the serpent did the husbandman in the fable; How can there be ever love between us two hereafter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so long as I see this stone which in stead of me thou smotest, and thou this tomb of thy son whom I slew? Thus when all their other sins end with their act (saith m De Z●l● & li●are. Cyprian) and are bounded with that present time of commission, as their lust ceaseth when cooled with stolen waters, their gluttony satisfied when their stomach is gorged, their lying silent when the report is believed, their idleness refreshed when the bones are wearied, their drunkenness fulfilled when their appetite is quenched, their slandering surceasseth when their brother is disgraced, and their oppression remitteth when he is dejected; only their implacable wrath and unappeasable malice never endeth nor ever resteth, but in the grave the house of its age, Eccles. 9 6. and saith, she doth well to be angry unto the death. That as it was doubted of n Val. Max. lib. ●. cap. 3. Sylla, whose last gasp breathed out threatenings, whether himself or his anger died sooner: so may it be doubted of them, whether their life or their strife will first give over. For as Thespesius in o Coment. descr. num. vandict. Plutarch fableth of his infernal vision, that some souls there like vipers hanging on together did bite and gnaw one on another, ob memoriam iniuriarum in vita ac●●rum aut tol●ratarum, remembering old grudges and wrongs done and suffered in their life time here on earth: so may it be feared that these asseruatores iniuriarum, as the spirit calls them, Leuit. 19 18. whose hatred is that inimicitia seculi, Ezek. 25. 15. or rather seculs seculorum, for ever and ever, as with hell they are at agreement, so have made that covenant with death, — p 〈◊〉 ●●. Nec mors mihi finiet iras: Though we be dead, our malice shall not die, But then my ghost with thine shall battle try. It is to be feared that in hell they will not agree, but that though themselves be mortal on earth, and shall die like men, yet their hatred will be immortal in hell, and like those spirits bite and devour one another. And then as q 〈◊〉 Tomar●s the Scythian Queen replied to blood-thirsty Cyrus, when his head was thrown into a tub of blood, Sati●te sanguine quem sitissti, Now glut thyself with blood Cyrus, which still unquenchably thou thirsted after: so when these Salamanders, that through their cold charity could willingly live still in the fire of contention and hatred, when these r Rom 1. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, implacable men, whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as s 〈◊〉 lib ● Homer calls it, whose hard heart like the stone t Pa●●. 1. 37. ●●c. ●ast. cap. 10 Asbeston being once incensed with wrath, is for ever unquenchable, shall be cast (without repentance) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, into that fire that never shall be quenched, Mark 9 43. then Salamander, Satia teigne quem sitijsti, let thine unquenchable heat and heart take it fill of unquenchable fire which it still desired. But I hope better things of thee (beloved Christian) and such as accompany salvation, though I thus speak of some men's implacable malice: for even the best men (as v Tull. lib. 1 Ep● ad 〈◊〉. one noteth) may in their choler be irritabiles, quickly provoked, sed tamen ettam placabiles, but yet will they not alway be chiding, neither keep they their anger for ever. But I speak of the man of wrath, who though like him in x Lib. 1. Iliad. Homer he seem to have digested all wrongs, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet still keeps anger in his mind, and lets not go displeasure from his boiling heart. And woe is me (saith David) that I dwell with Mesech, and have my habitation among the tents of Kedar: my soul hath long dwelled among them that be enemies unto peace. I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof, they make them ready to battle, Psalm 120. And though men labour for their peace with that embassage of peace, Peace be to this house: Is it peace my brother? They ask him, What peace? What have we to do with peace, turn behind me. Though with jaakob they should bring them great gifts to win, and good words to woo their reconcilement; they more implacable than Esau, who relented herewith, and unappeasable like Achilles, whom these could not pacify, would return like David's foes, hatred for good will: and though they give good words with their mouth, and salute with a pax vobis, yet curse they with their hearts, and bless us with a pox vobis. When y Tit. Liu. lib. 3. Quintius the Consul made an oration of peace to pacify the tumultuous Romans', this raging sea (as one well resembles them) could not rest till the Decemvirs and the most honourable worthies of Rome were exiled, and yet when he had yielded them the expulsion of those noble sages, this implacable people (more troublous than that working sea which ceased from her rage when jonah was cast out) still cast up mire and dirt: but when he saw, that (like that town clerk in the Acts) by no means and satisfaction he could still the raging of this sea, and the noise of her waves, and the madness of his people, Pro Deum fidem (saith he) quid vobis vultis? Good Lord sits what mean ye, or what would ye have? Tribunos plebis concupistis, concordiae causa concessimus. Decemviros desiderastis, creari passi sumus. Decem virorum vos pertaesum est, coegimus abire Magistratu. Manente in eosdem privatos ira vestra, mori atque exulare Nobilissimos, viros Honoratissimos passi sumus. Tribunos plebis creare iterum voluistis, creastis. consuls facere vestrarum partium, nostra iura oppressa tulimus & ferimus. Ye desired Tribunes and Proctors for the Commons against the Nobles, for peace sake we granted it. Ye then required Decemvirs or ten joint governors, we suffered them to be created. Ye were weary of the Decemvirs, we forced them to give over their office and leave their place: Your wrath remaining the same toward them when they were but private men, we suffered those most noble and honourable men to be banished. Ye would needs have Tribunes again created, ye created them. To have Consuls of your own side and faction, and our laws and statutes to be broken we have suffered. Quis erit finis discordiarum? Good Lord what will please you, and when will ye be quiet? Ecquando unam urbem habere, ecquando communem hanc esse patriam licebit? We have many outrageous waves, like that raging sea of Rome, which like the Northern sea never rest, but working and storming with some tempest or other still cast up mire and dirt: for indeed (as z L●●. 2. de ira, c. 16. Seneca noteth truly) In frigora septentrionemque vergentibus immansueta sunt ingenia, suoque simillima caelo, as the Poet speaketh, Some are borne so far North in the Friesland or Iseland rather, of charity, where the floods of iniquity have made a great frost of love, that if one with Abraham would yield their own right to buy peace at their own rate: if with Agamemnon (in the a Hom. l. 9 Ill●. Poet) they would offer them all they possess, like cruel Achilles they would not be pacified with reason, because they seek not theirs but them; and like the roaring Lion, not what, but whom they may devour. When their brethren would make with these men a covenant of peace, they answer with Naash the Ammonite, 1. Sam. 11. 2. On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and bring that shame upon all Israel. And thus like the b Sa●●lli● lib. 9 Exempl. cap. 3. Swissers, having made their enemies lives tributary to their swords, Hostium cadavera pro puluillis sibi subijcientes discumberent & odio inexplebili hostium cruorem haurirent, would sit on them like cushions, yea would tread them like clay in the streets, and eat up God's people like bread, and then sit down in quiet and rest upon them. Whose malice yet even in conquest would be so implacable to those whom it hath subjecteth, that as c Lib. de mu●tit. a●●ic. Plutarch adviseth, Salis modium prius comedere, first to eat a bushel of salt with a man before thou trust him and make him thy friend: so multi salis modij cum illis prius comedendi, as d Lib. de a●. ●cit. Tully speaketh, many bushels of salt should we eat with them before we could win them to amity and make them our true friends. What shall I say to these mortal men of immortal malice? shall I labour to cure their malady? No, no, I should labour in vain, I should but spend by strength in vain and for nought. Eius vulnera remedium medentis non admittuut (saith e Di Zelo & livor. Cyprian) her wounds, her swelling and sores full of corruption, she will not have searched with wine, but be wrapped and bound up, and mollified with oil. Malitia est regius animae morbus, Malice (saith f I●● Eph 4. chrysostom) is the kings evil of the soul, and cannot be cured with the balm of Gilead, nor by any Physician there. Her bruising is incurable, and her wound dolorous, there are no medicines for her. We must leave her to the cure of the King of kings, who only giveth medicine to heal her sickness, and healeth all her infirmities. Only I wish, that if the Viper will still be a Viper to retain his poison, be he charmed never so wisely, that then the wise Apothecary would in justice make treacle of him to expel poison out of others, Qui non corriget seipsum, alij corrigant se per ipsum: I mean he would set up this brazen Serpent on a pole, for a terror to them that will be bit with the fiery serpents of hatred and envy. I mean that if their malice, like * I biremansit unde respexit. ipsa in loco mansura, & transcuntes alias conditura Aug in Psa. 83. Facta est flatua s●lu, ut illius contemplatione condiantur homines, non retro respiciant, ne malum exemplum dantes ipsi remaneant & alios condiant. Aug in Psa. 75. Lot's wife, will still be looking back to the fire of Sodom, and not forget that which is behind, that then justice would turn her into an exemplary pillar of salt, set to season others that pass by that way. But let us beloved, seeing we are the g Math 5. 13. salt of the earth, to season others, not with this example of Lot's wife, but with that 2. use, an exhortation to forget and forgive all injuries. h 2 Conn. 5. 19 word of reconcilement, i Coloss 4 6. powdered with salt to keep them from this rottenness of the mind, and putrefaction of the bones. Seeing we (I say) like k judge 9 45. Abimelech sow salt in others with l 2 Kings 2. 21. Elisha, to heal the infections and deadly waters of strife and contention, let us for shame have m Mark 9 50. that salt of grace & wisdom in ourselves, to have peace one with another, to keep our souls from this putrefaction of malice, which the often shining on and going down of the sun upon wrath, causeth to stink in the nostrils of God. Utterly forgive and forget (saith n Tom. 10 homil. 42. mor at. Dom. Austin, speaking of this same argument at this very time) utterly forgive those wrongs which even to these days ye have kept in remembrance, at least in these days of Christ's Nativity forget and forgive them. The sun of one day should not have gone down upon your wrath, Et multi soles occiderunt, and alas many suns have set upon your hatred. Let once, once (I say) let go displeasure. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath be put from among you, with all maliciousness, Ephes. 4. 31. We must not only crop like the Ox the blade of anger in the eyes, hands and tongue where it sprouteth, but pluck up the root of bitterness in the ground of the heart, lest it spring up again. We must not only lop and break off the branches of anger, and shake off her sheaves of evil speaking, or scatter her evil fruit of wrath, and yet with that tree (Dan. 4.) leave malice the stump of his roots in our earthly minds (for that is to purge and prune it that it may bring forth more fruit:) but with Christ also lay the axe to the root of the tree, and take away all maliciousness, the plant which his heavenly Father hath not planted. Neither must we so yet lay the axe to the root, to hue it in pieces, and so leave it in the ground of our hearts and earthly minds: but seeing there is hope of a tree if it be but cut down, that the root will yet sprout, and the branches bud again when the root is left in the earth, job. 14. therefore must we tollere, take away all malice and maliciousness. And because the fire of hatred and heart-burne can hardly so be quenched, but that some spark of displeasure or tepidity of grudging will remain hid under the ashes of reconcilement, or at least give some smoke of disaffecting, though malice be put out and hatred be extinguished: therefore must ye not so much put out, as put out from among you, and not so much quench, as take away all maliciousness, the root with the branch, the burning coal with the flame, the dead coal with the smoke, let both be put out, and that from among you, out of your hearts. Which root of bitterness we should so much rather weed out of our minds, because the root thereof is so bitter in our souls, as to arraign us at the King's bench, and bears an action of murder in the court of heaven, 1. john 3. 15. Who so hateth his brother, is a manslayer, (for thus the judge of the world gives his charge) and ye know it is law, that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him. For although human laws bind the body more than the mind, and the hands rather than the heart, and oft even in that like the Spider's web catcheth but little offenders, as flies, and letteth the mightier like birds sly away, and with the net takes great offences and lets the small escape through it: yet this heavenly Lawgiver catcheth the mighty in their crafty murder, as well as the dead flies of hatred and malice in the text and web of his law, Leuit. 19 18. and * Irr●t. 〈◊〉 job 5. 13. taketh in his net of malice the thoughts as the actions of murder, it were flies, as birds in that net of his Gospel, Math. 5. 22. Thou hast not sheathed thy sword in his body (saith o Loco citat. Austin) nor made any wound in his flesh, nor smote his body with a blow, the thought only of murder is in thine heart, and thou art counted a murderer before him who asketh especially the heart. Ille vivit & tu occidisti, he is alive and yet thou hast killed him: quantum ad te attinet occidisti quem odisti, to thy power hast thou slain him whom thou hatest. And therefore are these two hatred and murder coupled together as yokefellows in that long team of beastly works of the flesh, which draw men to perdition, Rom. 1. 29. Gal. 5. 21. And as the father and the son, devil and evil, 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 conceived, and bringeth forth sin in the act, but both are counted murder before God, and according to the p Ezek. 16. 44. proverb, As is the mother so is the daughter. For as q Lib. ●. nat. hist. cap. 23 Pliny noteth of the Adders, that coniuga vagantur nec nisi cum compare vita est, they go by twoes, and live together by couples in such mutual companionship, that when the one is killed, the other burning with revenge pursueth her fellows foe, and by a certain knowledge infesteth him alone in any press of people. Even so (saith Austin) the concupiscible and irascible faculties (and it is more true of hatred and murder) like two Adders they go coupled together in such a link of love, that when envy is wounded with grief of the mind, murder steps up in anger from the heart, and revengeth her quarrel, and so makes envy guilty and accessary to murder when she is the principal. Wherefore let us not breed that viper in our breasts which will eat through our tender bowels of mercy, kindness, long-sufferance and forgiveness. Let us not carry that fire in our bosom, which will set us on fire of hell. Let us rub off that rust which consumeth as a canker. Let us pull out that stone out of our hearts which rotteth the fruit of the spirit. Let us not suffer that worm to lie at the root of our hearts, which gnaweth and withereth the righteous plant: but rather cherish the worm of remorse in our conscience, whose gnawing makes the red tree white, and our scarlet sin white as wool. And that rather considering the season let us do it, the season I say, that it is now time we should arise from sleeping in malice, and letting so oft the Sun set on our wrath. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed it: Magni solit dies celebramus r August 〈◊〉 supracitat. (saith Austin) preaching this day of this duty of forgiving. Now we keep the festival of the great Sun and Son of God, the birth day of our Saviour, and great Sunday of the Son of righteousness. Let us now then in this Sunshine of grace, cast off and hang forth that our cloak of maliciousness, 1. Pet. 2. 16. that the moth of malice may perish when it feeleth the Sun. And let not the Sun which riseth on the good and evil go down upon thy wrath, lest the Sun of righteousness (saith Austin) who riseth to the just alone, set to thy soul, and going down upon thy wrath, leave thee in tenebris interioribus, eijciendum in tenebras exteriores, in the internal darkness of the mind, to be cast into that external and eternal darkness of both body and soul at the day of wrath. And if that terror cannot shake love from thy heart toward thy foes, yet should the good that cometh from these evil ones, the light that shineth out of this darkness, and the heat that cometh from this burning fire, in self-love and pity of thyself induce thee to love them. For whether indeed they have power corporally to afflict, they exercise thy patience: or only by strange opinions oppugn thee, they exercise thy wisdom, as s Lib. 8. de 〈◊〉 Dei cap. 51. Austin speaks of the enemies of the Church in general. And in that thou lovest them they exercise thy beneficence, in giving and in forgiving, thy benevolence. 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 love them, because in doing wrong, they have given thee matter of remitting: yea as u Lib. 8. Ethie. cap. 1. Aristotle truly said, that as friends were needful to our earthly blessedness: as namely both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for custody of our goods to aid us against thieves or robbers: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the use of our bountifulness and liberality: so are foes as truly necessary to our heavenly happiness, both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to keep us (as the Psalmist speaks) from the great offence, and deter us like those thorns, (Hos. 2.) from the paths of impiety, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the use also and traffic of our love, of whose bellies (as one speaketh) we may make bags as we are commanded, Luk. 12. 33. to lay up treasure in heaven, where neither thieves break through nor steal. For touching this custody, as x Lib. 5. Hexa. cap. 8. Ambrose reports of the Oyster, that while she is tossed by the Crab in the waves of the sea, she so claspeth her shell from her foe, that then she is least in danger of devouring: but when without fear of her foe she layeth open herself to the Sun on the shore, then comes the Crab, and putting a stone between the lips of her shell, thrusts in safely the cleyes and picks out her fish. Even so while we are tossed to and fro like those faithful ones, Heb. 10. 33. by crabbed men and regredient backsliders, they make us in their storm pull our cloak and robe of righteousness near unto us, and walk warily to them that are without, lest like Cham seeing our nakedness, they sport at our privy faults. 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 fear of a foe and suspicion of the Crab; we then lay open our nakedness in the Sunshine of friendship and prosperity, and give occasion to the adversaries to speak evil and feed on our inward corruption, who keep themselves close and mark our steps, when they lay wait for our soul. And such Crabs that tossed David, made him clasp his shell, and shut up the door of his lips, lest he should offend in his tongue, while the ungodly his foes were in his sight, Psal. 39 1. When some about Scipio with no small joy avouched, that the commonwealth 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 inimic. v●lit. said wise Scipio, we are now in greater danger than we were before, because we have left us no enemies to stand in awe of and fear. So true was that saying of a Ibid. Antisthenes, That a man rather needs deadly foes to deter him from notorious faults, then honest friends to admonish him to virtue. So truly replied b Plut. libel. de multe. amic. Chilo, one of the seven Wise men of Greece, to one boasting, that he had not a foe: Then (saith he) thou hast not a friend. And therefore as Plutarch wrote a book titled, De capienda ex inimi●is utilitate; Of the good that comes by our enemies, and proved the title good: so made c T 〈…〉 chrysostom a whole sermon entitled, Diligamus etiam nos persequentes, Let us love even our greatest enemies. Seeing as his brethren's great enmity and dishonour brought joseph greatest amity and honour, or as Telephus received cure from the rust of that spear wherewith Achilles wounded him, or as he that meant to smite jason to death, opened but his dangerous impostume to his health: so an enemy's tongue, which is as sharp as a spear or a sword, doth but cure while it cutteth, and heal while it lanceth, and letteth us blood in the swelling vein of some vanity: that we may confess like him: una eadémque manus vulnus opcmque tulit: The same hand that killeth, maketh alive; that bringeth down, raiseth up, that maketh poor maketh rich, that bringeth low exalteth, and profess with Zachary in another sense, Luk. 1. 71. that we receive (as the original reads it) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, health from our enemies, and good from the hands of all them that hate us. Which hearty love of our foes, and dismission of displeasure, seeing it consisteth in the remission of their faults; and the giving over of anger in the forgiving of their wrongs: our Saviour from the parable of the merciless debtor, straightly chargeth each one to forgive from our hearts their trespasses seventy times seven times unto our brethren, and that under this condition: If mine heavenly Father shall forgive you your sins. Mat. 18. 35. Wherein, Hearty love and reconcilement consisteth in forgiving. whether we respect the condonation, not forbear but forgive: or the remitters not some, but each one: or the manner, not from the teeth, but our hearts: or the matter, not thoughts or words alone, but all their trespasses: or the times when, not unto seven times alone, but unto seventy times seven times: or lastly, the party to be pardoned, who is our brother: this key of knowledge should so unlock our sealed-up affection, and set open our hearts, that, as the Corinth's had in d 2. Cor. ●. 〈◊〉 Paul's, our brethren should have a large room in our hearts. And first touching this act of 1. Condonation▪ Forgive. hearty love in remitting, we must if our brother offend us forgive him, commandeth Christ our Saviour, Luk. 17. 3. 4. If he offend us I say: for if man trespass against man, it may be pardoned or judged, saith old Ely: but if a man trespass against the Lord, who will plead for him? 1. Sam. 2. 25. k joh. who can forgive sins but God alone? Nevertheless if he offend thee, dimittend● habes potestatem imò necessitatem, Thou mayst yea must (as l Lib. 3. in Mat. 18. 15. Jerome speaketh) forgive. For mark who said, forgive, and to whom he said it, (saith Saint m Serm. 3 1. d● verb. Apost. Austin) truth to his scholars, the chief pastor to his sheep, the king to his soldiers, the Lord to his servants, Christ to his Apostles, God to man, Height to worms creeping below on the earth, who hath voluntarily bound himself with an obligation to forgive us, if we keep the condition to forgive our brethren, Mat. 6. 14. Neither is it negligently to be passed over, n Lib 2. cap. 18. d● serm. Dom. in 〈◊〉 (saith that Father) that of all those petitions which he taught us to pray withal, this only of forgiving he chief commends unto us; which because it is of greatest weight and importance, as Pharaoh his dream was doubled, it is ingeminated twice together unto us, Mat. 6. 15. For in no other petition we so pray, as to bargain and indent with God, but in this alone, Forgive us as we forgive others. In which covenant, if we lie and forgive not our brother, totius orationis nullus erit fructus, all the other petitions are made in vain, and fruitless is the rest of the Lords prayer, seeing our sins are not forgiven unless we forgive. In this o August. hom. 40. de frat. charit. alone we make an indenture with God, and subscribe the condition with this proviso, As we give for them that trespass against us. Which p Idem Euchir. ad L 〈…〉 cap. 73. if we perform, without all doubt verba sponsionis huius implentur, we keep the condition of this obligation which is such, If ye forgive men their trespasses. As if he had said: q Ibid. serm. 31. d● verb. Apost. Thou man hast a debtor, even thy brother who hath offended thee, and I have another debtor, even thyself, who hast grievously offended me: that which thou dost to thine, will I do to mine, for so thou in thy prayer desirest me. If thou forgivest, I do forgive; if thou retainest, I retain against thee, or rather thou against thyself. r Idem serm. ●●2. de Temp. Forgive therefore, ne dum fratri nega● misericordiam, tibi claudas patris indulgentiam: lest whilst thou deniest mercy, and shutest up thy heart from thy brother, thou shut the gate of mercy with thy father. For there shall be judgement, and that merciless too to him that showeth no mercy, jam. 2. 13. And indeed (dear Christian) s with what face canst thou say the Lords prayer? with what conscience canst thou ask the maker of heaven and earth forgiveness of then thousand talents, when thou dost, and hast not, nor wilt forgive thy fellow servant an hundred pence? thou I say, a worm crawling twixt heaven and earth? t Take heed lest thou hear of that just judge, Physician heal thyself: thou persuadest me to mercy, which thou thyself wilt not impart to thy brother: thou entreatest me to have patience, when thou wilt not hear thy brother entreating for his debt: thou entreatest me to blot out all my hand writing against thee, and yet thou suest thy brother's bill of offence: 〈◊〉 debtor est in carcere, & tu in Oratorio: thy debtor is in prison, and thou in the Church to ask forgiveness, thy prayer shall there be heard, I will forgive thee as thou forgivest him that trespasseth against thee. O foolish man, tibi contradicis in oratione, thou prayest against thyself, saith u Serm 2 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●r●m. Austin, Lord forgive me my trespasses, as I, even as I forgive them that trespass against me: but Lord thou knowest I forgive not them that trespass against me, therefore O Lord forgive not me. Non pro te orationem facis, sed super te maledictionem inducis, saith Anastasius, thou prayest not for thyself, but bringest a curse upon thyself. And therefore willeth our Saviour when ye shall stand and pray, forgive, Mark. 11. 25. lest your prayer be turned into sin, and pull down a curse instead of a blessing. Forgive thy neighbour (saith the Wiseman) the hurt that he hath done thee, so shall thy sins be forgiven thee also when thou prayest. Should a man bear hatred against man, and desire forgiveness of the Lord? He will show no mercy to a man which is like himself, and will he ask forgiveness of his own sins? If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, and ask pardon of God: who will entreat for his sins? Remember the commandments: O remember the commandments thou hast broken, so shalt thou not be rigorous against thy neighbour, consider diligently the covenant of the most high, and forgive his ignorance, Eccles. 28. 2. to the 8. O remember the merciless debtor, with what indignation his Lord did upbraid him, Mat. 18. 32. O evil servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou prayedst me: oughtest not thou also to have had pity on thy fellow, even as I had pity and commiseration on thee? So his master was wroth (yea more wroth with this not forgiving of an hundred pence to his fellow, then for all his own debt of ten thousand talents that he ought him) and delivered him to the jailors till he should pay all that was due. So likewise shall mine heavenly Father do unto you, except ye forgive each one to his brother their trespasses. Agree then with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest remaining thine adversary, he deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to the Sergeant, and the Sergeant cast thee into prison: verily I say unto thee (saith Truth itself) thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing of thy sins, Mat. 5. 25. But if thou forgive, saith x De v●rb. D●. cap 5. Austin, instead of a judge thou shalt sinned a Father, for a Sergeant to arrest thee, an Angel to transport thee, and Paradise instead of the prison. Forgive them that trespass against thee, against thee a worm of the earth, though thou canst not forgive them that trespass against God. But alas saith y Comment in Mat. 1●. Jerome, we are contrariwise bountiful and free to forgive injuries and wrongs done against God, when in our own wrongs we keep hatred to the death. If our brother blaspheme God, & open his mouth against heaven, we quickly forgive him: but if he curse or revile, offend or harm us, we say not like Saint z 2. Cor. 2. 10. Paul, I forgive him: we pray not with Stephen, Lord lay not this sin to his charge: so far short come we of the Saints, nay of the heathens in this most Christian duty that ever was commanded. We read the Grecians had a sanctuary and altar, whither they usually went all to forgive their mutual wrongs, saith Fulgosus and Sabellicus. For at Athens (as a 〈◊〉 gerend. precept. Plutarch reporteth) it was enacted a decree, oblivionis iniuriarum, of forgetting Injuries: for when Thrasibulus had freed the city of those thirty tyrants, and restored it to peace, he made a law, that none should remember any injuries past, which the Athenians called the Law of Oblivion. And we b Tr 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 lib ●●ap 5. ex S 〈…〉. read no less of the Emperor Aug. who though of a most tenacious & retentive memory▪ iniurias tamen cum primi● oblivisceretur, would yet forget wrongs as soon as they were offered. O remember these, implacable Christian, & be ashamed▪ yea for ever confounded for thy everlasting malice. These were but c Ephes.. ●. ●. Gentiles in the flesh, & at this time without Christ to instruct them, Love your enemies Mat. 5. 44. These were alients from the common wealth of Israel▪ without that law to enforce them. Thou shalt not revenge nor be mindful of wrong, levit. 19 18. These were but strangers from that covenant of promise: ●●ye forgive men, your heavenly Father will forgive you, Mat. 6. 14. These had no hope of that reward in long-suffering. Blessed are you when men rebuke you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for great is your reward in heaven, Mat. 5. 1●. ●hese were without God in the world, without his spirit to direct, and without his grace to restrain them. And these having not the law, and doing by nature the things of the law, yet shall judge thee which by the letter of the law▪ and spirit of the Gospel, art a transgressor of both law and Gospel, Rom. 2. 27. Shall not these judge us? shall they not judge us Christians, who have the law to threaten our hatred with judgement, and a Gospel to till on our love with sweet promises of mercy? If none of these could, yet should we for his sake forgive our brother: who (as d ●lut. 〈◊〉. Ag●silaus wrote to one for Nicias: si insons est, dimit: sin vero, mei causa dimit, omninò autem dimit) hath himself written to us many letters for our brother, desiring us, Remit one another if any have a quarrel: but if not, yet even as I ●● Christ remitted you: in any wise, even so do ye. Col. 3. 13. 2. R●m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Each one. For his Apost. here sets up a Siquiss for love that is lost, & scarce to be found on the earth: Si quis, if any, Gentleman, or other, high or low, rich or poor, hath sound his brother offending, God the owner requests him to restore him to him again with the spirit of meekness that forgiveth all offences. Thou must take on thee this his yoke of unity which is so easy to be carried by two, and his burden of love which is so light for every one to bear, Mat. 11. 30. We read in the law, that for the building of the tabernacle, God by Moses imposed a tribute on the people of Israel, which should not exceed half a Shekel, e Vide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 17. 24. & alias. Exod, 30. 13. which was but 10. pence, as our English Translators esteem and value it, Mat. 17. 27. which task was of God's purpose exacted so little, that the poor might be able to contribute as well as the rich, vers. 15. And there is come a commandment from Augustus the Emperor of heaven and earth, that each one should forgive if any be wronged, and all the world be taxed with a subsidy of love, which if it consisted like that ten penny-tribute in donando, in giving only, many rich men of their superfluity might cast in much: but seeing it is condonando given in forgiving, the poor widow with the love of God and neighbour, as with two mites may cast in more than they all, and say like f Act. 3. 6. Peter, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give and forgive thee. In all other good works some one sometime may pretend some colourable excuse, saith g Serm. 61. de Temp. Austin, but for love none can excuse himself. Some body may say unto me, I cannot fast, but can he say truly, I cannot love? he may say, for my stomachs sake and own infirmity, I cannot abstain from wine or flesh-meat, but can he justly say, I cannot love? Some man may say, I cannot keep my virginity, he may say he cannot sell all his goods and give them to the poor, but can he say truly, I cannot love and forgive them that trespass against me? Let no man deceive himself (beloved brethren) for God is not mocked, nor deceiveth any: for though there be many good works, which through human infirmity we cannot corporally perform, it is too abominable and a filthy excuse, that in this work of the mind, either the lame, or the deaf, or maimed should for its wearisomeness make excuse. For in this work of love, neither the feet labour in running, nor the eyes with seeing, nor the ears with hearing, nor the hands in working. It is not said unto us, go ye to the East and seek charity, sail to the West and ye shall find love, it is engraven in our heart by that law of nature, Do as ye would be done to, Luk. 6. 13. Whosoever thou art, this commandment of love which he commandeth 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 heaven that thou shouldest say, who shall go for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it us, and cause us to hear it, that we may do it? But love is very near unto thee, even in thy mouth and in thine heart, to give it in forgiving each one his brother. Some man may say (saith i Sir de Ma●●yr. Leo) I cannot watch, I cannot fast, I cannot give all to the poor, I cannot live single: but can he say, I cannot love? It may be (saith k H 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈…〉 d Ma●. 5. 44 V●de tom 6. ●b 〈…〉 a A●hmant ●● 17. & ser. 59 d●●●p. Austin) that sometime thou hast not gold and silver, apparel or corn, wine or oil in thine house to give to the poor; but what shadow of excuse canst thou pretend, that thou hast not a pennyworth of charity, a wedding garment of love, a grain of mustardseed of amity, a drop of dilection, and ointment of love in thy coffer, and wardrobe, and garner, and chalice, and box of thy heart? No, no, this is the tribute of love, wherewith all the world is taxed, and all may go to be taxed, every man to his own city. It is an easy offering always at hand or at heart, that with Isaac thou needst not ask but where is the Lamb for the oblation? It is within, which thou mayst easily offer, as of that which cost thee nothing, In forgiving each one From the heart. For because man often forgives with his mouth ●. manne● 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. propter homines, as l H●●d 〈…〉 rat: Dom. Austin noteth, and keeps hatred in his heart propter daemons, and m jerom lib. 3 an Math 18. 35. can say of his brother, He knows I bear him no evil will, I will leave him to God his judge, I have for my part forgiven him (for n Bu●●r enarra. in Math. 18. 35. thus we would often seem to pardon our brother, when we scarce from our heart forgive him, that we love him as before, yea o Tom. 1. ad ep● Castor. say in the Lord's prayer Forgive as we forgive, animo discrepante cum verbis, oratione dissidente cum factis as Jerome noteth) therefore Christ (saith that Father) taking away all hypocrisy and colour of feigned peace, commandeth to forgive from our hearts. And that, if not from his precept, yet after God's example, Qui remittit ex cord (as Musculus on these words observeth) Who so forgiveth men from his heart, that he p jer. 31. 24. remembreth their trespasses no more, but q Micha 7. 19 casteth them into the bottom of the sea, and imputeth them not unto them, but covereth all their offences, Psalm 32. 1. Which most motive example of his Father, his Apostle urgeth as the strongest inducement, Ephes. 4. 32. Be ye tender hearted, forgiving one another. But how? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even as God forgives you. And if this love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and r Matthew 3. 11 fire of the spirit, like that purifying flame in the Numb. s 31. 23. law, cannot burn out all our dross of malice till it be pure, and take away all our tin of hatred from the heart, certainly it argueth we remain full (like those wicked. Gentiles Rom. 1. 29.) of all unrighteousness, wickedness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder and debate, and poisonous affections of the heart. For as we read of Germanicus Caligula his father, that when according to the t Suet. ●n Tiber. cap. 75. vide comens Beroald. custom of the Romans (who burned their Emperor's bodies and other, least being interred in forrame wars the enemy should dig them up) though his body was consumed in the fire, yet his heart could not ●e prierced by the flame, but lay unburned among his bones, because being opened it was found full of poison, whose nature is such, that dipped in poison it resisteth all fire, as v Suet. in Calig. cap 1. Tranquillus and x Li. 11. nat. hist. cap. 37. Pliny both observe: even so, and more than so, if this fire of God's spirit, That he forgiveth us from his heart, kindle only our tongues and hands, to love our enemies in word and work alone, and inflame not our hearts also to love them in truth, 1. john 3. 18. it tells the searcher of the heart, that yet for all this our heart is wicked and deceitfully malicious above all things, and (as y james 3. 8. james speaketh of as little a member) full of deadly poison. And though this stony heart cannot be burned with this fire, but lieth buried in the whited tomb of the body; though this whited tombs rottenness and ranc or appear not to flesh and blood, and men that go over it perceive not (for it is wicked and deceitful above all things, who can know it? jer. 17. 9) yet he who only knoweth the hearts of all the children of men, 1. Kings 8. 39 z job 10. 4. having not carnal eyes, nor seeing as man seethe, 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 reins; he I say, who (as Jerome speaketh) is all eye, when he seethe the heart's hypocrisy, and all hand when he punisheth that double iniquity, beholding the painted sepulchre within full of all rottenness and filthiness, will give it according to its ways and most secret paths, jer. 17. 10. It was a precept of amity (but in deed the bane of hearty and true love) given by an b ●urip. in Hyppolit. heathen, that love should be mediocris, indifferent and mean, dwelling in teeth, Intendere ut possis facile aut remittere, that being but lukewarm between hot and cold, thou mayst spew it out upon occasion. And it was a prescript for friendship fathered on c Cuer. lib de an●●t. Bias, Ama tanquam osurus, love but a little, that thou mayst loathe when thou list, and have thine affection at command, as the Chameleon her colour. The former even d Plutarch could correct, Let us practise this precept, my friend Euripides (saith he) in enmity not in amity, and command our broils and contentions that they be mediocres, in mean and moderation, neither go further than the teeth to dive into the heart, Intendere ut possis facilè remittere, that leaving out this aut thou mayst easily intend to remit them. And Scipio checking the latter, could never be persuaded that Bias one of the seven wisemen of Greece should speak so wickedly, but rather some ambitious statist, or false hearted politician, who like the weathercock would turn with the wind for advantage, and swim with the tide of prosperity till it begin to ebb. For certainly, as woman's affection is commonly so plain without hypocrisy, that velure te ardenter amat, vel te capitaliter odit, as the c Ma●t. 〈◊〉 Poet speaketh. Her love is either passing admirable, 2. Sam. 1. 26. or her hatred and malice greatest, Eccles. 25. 14. 15. 17. so he that commandeth love without feigning and from a pure heart without malice, and fervently without mediocrity, 1. Pet. 1. 22. will ●●ue this lukewarm love out of his mouth, and wisheth it were either hot or cold, Apoc. 3. 15. 16. He hath prescribed you a better lukewarm love, Love your enemies from the heart, Luke 6. 35. and so love them, that ye forgive each one from your hearts Their trespasses. Forgive (saith Christ) si quid, if ye have 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, heavy 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 devour you. Any thing about the goods of the mind, If a man exalt himself above you: or of the goods of prosperity, If he take your goods, 2. Cor. 11. that as certain beasts of good concoction and sound health, digest Serpents and Scorpions, yea stones themselves, calore spiritus, through the heat of their spirits and stomach, as g I●th de cap ex 〈…〉 c. vtd●t. Plutarch noteth: so our stomachs through zeal of the spirit, broke with Math. h 23. 33. Christ a generation of vipers, and with his i Mark 16. Disciples meeting with Serpents and Scorpions, feel no harm, yea with k Act. 7. 60. Stephen, l Acts 14. 19 2. Corinth. 11. Paul and m 2. Sam 16. 6 David digest even stones, through fervent love which endureth all things, 1. Cor. 13. that our love to our brethren like our mother's love to her spouse, Cantic. 8. be strong as death, which conquereth all things, cruel as the grave, which devoureth all things, whose fiery coals and flame of God much water cannot quench, nor the floods drown it: that triumphing over all offences, we may challenge all kind of injuries with Saint n Rom. 8. 35. Paul: What shall separate us from love? shall tribulation of them that trouble us, or anguish of them that grieve us, or persecution of them that hate us, or famine of them that starve us, or nakedness of them that strip us, or sword of them that smite us? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors, and are persuaded that death of our friends, nor life of our foes, nor Angels of men, nor principalities of devils, nor powers of darkness, nor things present that we suffer, nor things to come that we endure, nor height of envy, nor depth of malice, nor any other creature of offence shall be able to separate us from the love of God and our neighbour, commanded by Christ jesus our Lord. But alas it is most lamentable (complaineth o Ser. 168. d● Temp. Austin upon these words) that whereas these Saints could not with torments be separated from love, nos otiosis fabulis, we often with idle words of a foe are divided from charity, and eftsoons with the least detraction and revile of every silly wretch, we so relinguish love, that not only many days, but even months and years too perhaps we will not speak to him, nor come to his house to eat of his bread. Perchance thou repliest, Mine enemy hath made me sustain so great losses, and done so much wrong, that I cannot in reason forgive him. O wretch, dost thou mark how greatly man hath trespassed against thee, and dost thou not consider how grievously thou hast sinned against God? If thou search and sift thy conscience truly, thou hast without satisfaction committed greater sins against God then man hath done against thee: and with what face askest thou the forgiveness of much, who wilt not forgive a little? O remember what no comparison there is between pence and talents, an hundred and ten thousand, sin 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 David 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 have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight, Psa. 51. Remember how far thou servant art inferior to thy Lord, who yet bids thee forgive as he forgiveth thee, Eph. 4. 32. as he forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thine infirmities, Psal. 103. p Rom. 5. 12. 14. actual as original, q Rom. 6. 12. reigning as servile, r 1. Corint. 6 18 external as internal, of the s 2. Cor. 7 1. body as of the spirit, t 1. Tim. 5. 20. public as private, v Verse 24. 25. open as secret, of x james 2. 9 10 commission as omission, of ʸ infirmity as z Gal. 6. 1. ignorance, wicked deeds a Acts 3 17. as idle words; the breach of the b Mat. 22. great as less commandment, c isaiah 1. 18. cart-ropes as cords, of iniquity as vanity, d Math. 5 21 22 killing as anger, e Verse 28 27 adultery as lust, f Verse 33. 34. forswearing as swearing, g Verse 38. 39 revenge as resistance, h Verse 43. ●4. hating as not loving, talents as pence, ten thousand as an hundred, the beam as the mote, and the work of thy body as the thought of thy mind. Every sin he forgiveth unto men, Math. 12. 31. save only that sin of sins against the holy Ghost, verse 32. which is impossible to be forgiven, because these cannot possibly repent, Hebr. 6. 6. And if God thus forgive thee all the debt, oughtest not thou to have like pity on thy fellow servant, even as the Lord hath on thee? O remember the merciless debtor, Math. 18. whom when his Lord had forgiven ten thousand talents of sins, he would not forgive his fellow an hundred pence of offences. See how his master weigheth him in the balance to aggravate i Io Ferus. come. in Mat. 18 lib. 3 & 〈…〉 etan idem every circumstance of his unthanfulnesse; first unthankful, when his Lord's remission was yet in his ear, and that servant departed k Chrys. n●m. 62 in Mat. 18. to his debtor. 2. he useth so hardly not a stranger, but found out one of his fellows. 3. not for any great sum, for he ought him but an hundred pence. 4. he exacteth the debt not with words alone, but laid hands on him and took him by the throat. 5. though his Lord forbore him in patience, yet he would not spare his fellow an hour, Pay me that thou owest. 6. though his Lord heard his entreaty, he would not be entreated of his fellow, who fell down at his feet and besought him, and he would not. 7. he would not be moved with that very prayer of his fellow, wherewith he wrung pity from his master, Appease thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all; 8. so soon as his fellow craved respite, he cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. But what? doth he scape thus the hand of his Lord? No, no, than his master called him, and upbraideth his monstrous ingratitude: O evil servant, I forgave thee all the debt because thou prayedst me, Oughtest not thou also to have had pity on thy fellow, even as I had of thee? And see his eternal punishment. So his master was wroth, (we read not he was so for his own debt, saith chrysostom, nor gave him this term of evil servant) and delivered him to the ●ayler till he should pay all that was due to him. Not that he exacted the debt of those talents which before he had forgiven him (as our adversaries hence collecting, after justification and forgiveness their final fall, pervert this scripture to their own destruction. No parables (as noteth l Sap●as dixi non ad verbum exponen●●esse parabolas, ne mulia sequatur absurda, homil. 48. in Mat. 13. & non oportet cū●tacuriosè in parabolis scrutars, nec nimi ● in singulis verbu cura perangi, s●d quum quid per parabolam intendie, didicerimus ande v●●litate colleenda nihil est ulterius anxio conatu i●●●stigādū Chrys. hom. 65. in Mat. 20. chrysostom) must not be racked beyond their intent and meaning. And the Papists by pressing them too hard, strain out of these teats blood in stead of sincere milk; as when they get this parable by the end, they ring it so deep, that they turn the clapper (as one m Greenb. ●a 48 tra●t. minister. speaketh) but the Lord casts this evil servant into hell, for the debt of n Hug & la●s. in herc locum ingratitude and unmercifulness to his fellow, which was as great by equal proportion as the benefit of forgiveness which he had before received, seeing to whom much is forgiven, he should love as much, Luke 7. and to whom much is given, of him shall be no less required. And our Saviour in the end of all giveth us the kernel of this nut and the spirit of his letter: So likewise (saith he) shall mine heavenly Father do unto you, except ye forgive from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses whatsoever. This parable is the glass, wherein all may behold their face, what manner of ones they are. But as Stella spoke of that of the unjust judge, Luk. 18. so may I wish of this parable of the merciless servant, Math. 18. servi parabolam utinam nos non faceremus historiam, would God this parable of the servant we made not an history: Vtinaem nunc esset parabola, & non pro historia posset recenseri, would God it were now but a parable, and might not be related for a story. But I fear from the proposition I may assume with Saint 1. o Cor 6. 11. Paul, Such are some of you: and particularise with p 2. Sam. 12. Nathan to many one in particular: Thou art the man, who hope remission of talents from their Lord, and will not forgive pence to their brethren. Or if when their Sun is going down, they forgive all before men at the hour of their death, yet remittunt culpam non poenam as one speaketh, they say, I forgive all, & in this will and testament, q Lavat. in Ezec. 35. 5. Odia & inimicitias quasi per manus liberis suis tradunt: They bequeath their hatred and malice by tradition to the hands of their sons, and make them haeredes paterni odij, as noteth r Lib. de irae cap. 34. Seneca, heirs of their father's hatred: parallel with the children of Esau, Obadiah 1. which remembering the old quarrel of their Grandfire Esau with jacob for the blessing, as heirs of his malice, carried a perpetual hatred against the children of Israel, Ezechiel 35. vers. 5. Amos 1. verse. 11. and cried in the day of Jerusalem, down with it, down with it, even to the ground, Psalm. 137. Thus were they mindful of their forefather his enmity, quasi haereditate quadam retinuissent odium adversus Israelem, saith Lavater, as if with his substance he had bequeathed his perpetual malice in his will, and left the rest of his hatred for his babes. These men may be ashamed (saith s Lib 15 Epist. 95. Seneca) not only warring and jarring in their life, but even committing it to their children, quasi haereditaria successi●ne, as it were by hereditary succession, sith we see not the most savage beasts deal so cruelly one with another. I wish these Esau's at their death, which have learned that popish remission of the guilt, and not the punishment of great offences, would learn if not of bruit beasts whom they scorn, yet of the Almighty himself, who remitteth not only the guilt in him whom he made sin for us, 2. Cor. 5. 21. but also the punishment through him, on whom he laid the chastisement of our peace, and the iniquity of us all, Esa. 53. at least for shame let them learn of t Plut. Apoth. & AElian. var. hist. Photion the Athenian, who being asked at his unjust execution by a friend, whether he would any thing to his son at home, Nothing (quoth he) but that he never stomach the Athenians after my death for these wrongs. Neither let them draw curtains over their bedrid enmity, because David forgave Shimei his cursing, 2. Sam. 19 and yet at his death left it Solomon in his will to kill him for his curses, 1. King. 2. For though David at his coming to the crown (as our gracious king at his ingress of this kingdom) in his princely mercy, not willing to begin his reign with blood, pardoned railing Shimei, as u In 2. Sam. 19 Martyr observeth: yet only promised he him, he should not die then, nor for that only fault, nor at all by his hands, as the learned x Lyra, Hugo & lun. in 2. Sam. 19 interpret. And whereas the injury to David was double (as one y Hugo Card. ibid. noteth:) private to him as a man, and public to him as a king: the former (according to the law, Thou shalt not avenge nor be mindful of wrong against the children of thy people, Leuit. 19) he then wholly and freely forgave: whereas the other in the love of justice, he willed Solomon to requite, saith z Quast 18 & 19 in 1. R●g. 2 Abulensis: yet so, that albeit he seem to mention Shimei reviling, as a cause motive of revenge, yet chargeth he not Solomon to kill him for that alone, but when he takes him tripping in another offence, he shall then pay him home for both. For thou art a wise man (saith he to his son) and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him, 1. Ki. 2. Wherefore let none by this example, forgiving the fault to his foe, think by his son he may prosecute the offence. A parable (saith Solomon) in the mouth of a fool, is like a thorn in the hand of a drunkard, wherewith he pricketh himself, Prou. 26. 9 And this is to wrest the Scripture, or (to use Saint a 2. Pet. 3. 18. Peter's word) to make it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. look a squint to their own destruction. And indeed it is lamentable to behold, how wilful children execute the last will of their malicious parents to revenge: and like those hostile beasts in b Lib. de mirab. mun. ls. Albertus, which being at deadly enmity in time of their life; parts eorum & pili, their parts and hair are enemies after their death. Or as ' Plutarch reports of Eagles and Dragons, Crows and Owls, the Libbard and Linnet, whose c Lib. d● invid. & ol●●. enmity while they lived, makes their blood after death at such strife, that it can never agree or be joined together in one vessel. But let us learn (beloved) of the living God, at our death to leave peace to our children, the best legacy of our will, and remit all though greatest offences, and thereof both the guilt and punishment before we die, to forgive each one from our hearts all trespasses Unto seventy times seven times. For it may be thou repliest, 5. Time when, Always. (saith d L●b. ●e constit. vi●. & v●●t. c. 9 Austin) he hath offered me so many wrongs, and offended so often, that I am weary with bearing and forbearing revenge. And indeed we which are debtor of love to many, say like him, who is debtor to no man, in the first of Amos: For three offences of Edom, and for four I will not turn to it, because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger spoiled him evermore, and his wrath watched him alway, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: for three offences and for four, I will not turn to it. This is the manner of mankind, and therefore even Peter himself asked his Lord to set down some definite number of forgiving, Mat. 18. 21. Master, how oft shall my brother trespass against me, & I shall forgive him? Unto seven times? The world's custom is to forgive but once or twice, or three times at the most, and therefore Peter thought himself very liberal, saith e Homil. 6●. in Mat. 18. chrysostom, if he went so far beyond worldlings, as seven times to forgive. What, unto seven times Lord? Indeed the number of seven is wont in Scripture to import an universality of all, saith venerable f Ser. & Post. 1 Do quadrag. tom. 7. Bede, as all time is limited by seven days, and all vice by seven evil spirits, Mat. 12. 45. as with chrysostom Ansclmus doth observe. Nevertheless because the number of six seems to be a number of work and labour, and seven a number of rest: therefore Peter understanding this, saith g Tract. ●. in Mat. 18. Origen, thought in sixth times, as in six days he might finish his work of forgiveness, and rest the seventh time from all his labour. Wherefore Christ his Lord and master scoreth up a greater number of remission: I say not to thee, unto seven times, but unto seventy times seven times: alluding (saith Hilary) to that number of Cain and Lameches punishment, Gen. 4. 24. If Cain shall be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy times seven times: that as their avengement and requitalll was by this imported infinite: so his forgiveness hereby should not be less finite. For this is a number finite put for an infinite, saith chrysostom, as if he had said: Wilt thou know how often, Peter? dost thou tell me of seven times, man? I tell thee unto seventy times seven times: in h Chrysost. ibid. which number yet is no bound nor limitation, but seven times, ⁱ that is, semper, always, or seven days in a week, yea seven times in a day saith our Saviour, Luk. 17. 4. or toties quoties, as with k Dionys. Carthus. in hunc l●cum. others l Ser. 15. de verb D●m. in Mat. Austin doth expound it: and by this is meant a toties quoties of forgiveness, as that number seven is used, Prou. 24. 16. This infinite number our Saviour there setteth down to condemn the merciless debtor, Mat. 18. who (it seems) standing upon the number, would not forgive his fellow, because he had run so long on his score, that the debt was now grown to an hundred pence, Howbeit, let us be followers of God as dear children, who forgiveth not only talents and great sins, but even ten thousand, that is, all sins committed (saith m Ibid. Austin) against the ten commandments. Let us (I say) be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful, who when he had often delivered the jews from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, and from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines, and from the Zidonians, and from the Amalekites, and from the Moabites, & pardoned them often upon the promise of amendment, judg. 10. 11. though when after breach of their covenant, they cried again for further pardon, he answered: I have done it so often, and still ye offend, wherefore I will deliver you no more, vers. 13. yet for all this when they cried, We pray thee only deliver us this day, and save us this once: he heard their complaint, and pitying them according to the multitude of his mercies, delivered them again. Wherefore as when 2. Reg. 5. 13. Naaman the Syrian thought much to wash so oft as seven times in jordan, that his leprosy might be cleansed: Father (said his servants) if the Prophet had commanded thee a great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then, sith he saith, Wash seven times and be cleansed. So seeing not a Prophet, but that Prophet Christ jesus, hath commanded us no great thing, but only seven or seventy times seven times to forgive, that our sins may be forgiven and cleansed, Mat. 6. vers. 14. who is he that will not take the pains to forgive each one from his heart all trespasses, seventy times seven times ● Person whom, Our Brother. To his brother? who is not a stranger from God, or an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, but of the household of faith, and of that family so near as our brother. He might have said, Forgive thy fellow servant: but because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 95. ● Mat ● title moved not the merciless debtor, he calleth him our brother, to put us in mind, that as we are Gods servants by condition of life, so brethren among ourselves by unity of affection. For as that p Bern ●●r 2. ●● res●●●. 〈◊〉. Father before mentioned, considering himself that he might be tempted, compassionately said of the fall of his brother, Ille hody, & ego ●ras, he hath offended me to day, and I shall offend him it may be to morrow. He that shall thus, when like the hypocrite (Math. 7.) he hath seen extra mittendo, the mote in his brother's eye, shall thus (I say) reflecting his eyes into himself, and behold intramittendo, the beam in his own: Ne is non magno vitiorum in allies odio indulserit, seipsum venia plurima indigere sentiens, saith q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch, he will surely restore his slipping brother with the spirit of meekness, considering himself that he may so be tempted, Galat. 6. 1. and will profess like r Hora●. de arte Po●t. him, mutual need of forgiveness, — hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. I must forgive my brother his trespasses, even as he must do me when I trespass against him. For peccabis & tu illi cras qui tibi hody peccavit, saith s Chrys. s●r. 13● one, perchance thou shalt offend him to morrow, who hath offended thee to day, Et erit tibi judex qui erat ante tibi reus, and he shall be then thy judge, who before was guilty unto thee, and shall restore thee pardon if to him thou gavest it, or if thou didst not, either deny it thee, or by giving it, make thee more guilty before God. And this is indeed the debt which still we must pay, Rom. 13. and yet still own it our brother; because though to day we discharge it, to morrow comes a fresh charge of love (saith Lyra) whose commandment is therefore called new, john 13. because though to day it be kept, yet to morrow is it so new as if before it had not been heard. I always (saith t Epi 63. add C●l. Austin) own this debt to my brother, which only being paid, always still keeps us in debt. Neither by paying is it lost, but multiplied thereby; and like the widows oil, by bestowing, more increased. Yea v Aug. ser. 205. de Temp. as the poor widow having nothing to satisfy her creditors but a cruse of oil, was hid by Elisaeus to borrow vessels of her neighbours, which she filled with oil and paid all the debt, 2. Kings 4. so the Church or Christian soul (saith that Father) having nothing to pay her debt of offences, not shillings, but a little oil of love, is commanded by our Saviour to borrow vessels of her neighbours, which filling up with oil she may satisfy her creditors. While her oil decreased, her debt it increased, and while the oil was augmented, the debt it diminished. While she kept it in her cruse, it suffi●ed not herself, nor was able to pay the debt till she borrowed vessels of her neighbours. Wherefore seeing every brother may like that servant Math. 18. say to his fellow, Pay me that thou owest: let us owe nothing to any man, but to love one another. Yea if we want vessels for increasing of this oil, let us borrow them of our neighbours, and pour it into them out of the cruse of our heart. And if thou art willing and not able to give it, if thy soul like the poor widow cry, The creditor is come and thine handmaid hath nothing to pay: he that made thee willing (saith x E●arr. in Psal 33. & Psal. 36. Austin) to promise, will also make thee able to pay that debt, which is love, not in word and tongue only, but in deed and in truth, and the act of Christ's commission here spoken of so much, Be reconciled in word, in work and in will. Which triple reconcilement of two, seeing it must be by a The 2. part of the commission: third (as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est per 3. a●quē mediatorem ad amicitiam & v 〈◊〉 duci. Bud●n comment. b●●g. Gr●●. Step. Thesau. & Pha. word importeth) which must make them both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. one: behold here is a brother which is a mediator between them, to be their peace, to make of both one, to break the stop of the partition wall, to preach peace to him that is far off from agreement, and to him that is near, that reconciling both to God in one body, he might make of twain one new man, so making peace and slaying hatred thereby. Which days man seeing it was the peacemaker between Abraham and Lot, Gen. 13. and should have set those two jews at one, Acts 7. y Guill in Math 5. 24. therefore useth Christ in this exhortation the name Brother, because it is most effectual to persuade concord or unity, & that it is thy shame if either thou wilt not retain, or canst not obtain amity with thy brother. Wherefore as the interlineary gloss on that of the Apostle, Let brotherly love continue, Heb. 13. 1. doth fitly make this word the motive of continuance in love, because ye are brethren: so doth our Saviour here make it the reason of reconcilement, and by the word brother admonisheth of keeping concord, and restoring it as z one observeth. For indeed latet in hoc uno verbo argumentum, as another a speaketh in like case: the very name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, brother (saith an b heathen) seems by good reason to put us in mind of love and goodwill. And c Sa●el lib 3. ex●tap. cap. ● what affection men should carry one toward another, the very name brother, whereby they are called, plainly declareth. Wherefore as d Lib. 5. 〈◊〉 Tully told his friend Metellus mentioning their agreement: Whereas you writ of our reconcilement, I see not why you should call it reconcilement, sith we never fell out: so, strange may it seem our Saviour should write to a brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be reconciled, and not rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, never fall out: seeing brother with the Hebrews so much importeth unity, that they call a stock or stone brother and sister, because it is united to another, Exod. 26. 3. Ezec. 1. 9 Howbeit seeing Satan who made e Esa. 50. ●. separation between God and man, that the father was divided against the son, and the son against the father: hath also made a division among men, that now the bonds of brotherhood are dissolved, and brother (as Christ prophesied) is divided against brother, Mat. 10. as it was needful for Paul to beseech the son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be reconciled to God thy Father, 2. Cor. 5. so here necessary for Christ to say to the brother, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be reconciled to thy brother: or (to paraphrase with the Gloss) be reconciled, because he is thy brother. But as the Lawyer asked Christ of his neighbour, Luk. 10. thou wilt say unto me: Who is then my brother? Saint f Tem ●. ad●● He●uid. Jerome finds in the Scripture a fourfold brother: First, natural, as jacob g Gen. 2● 30. and Esau in the old, h Mat. 4. 21. james and john in the new Testament, which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, borne of the same parents: as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth, which i Scap. Steph. & ● Linguists derive either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uter, because they are couterini of the same womb: or k Macro●. lib. ●. Satur. cap. 17. from the privative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unus, that is, not one, because one cannot be called a brother, whence we call him brother in our tongue, as it were bred-other: But the Latin frater is more general, which some think Ambros l. calap dict. comes of the Attic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which Eustathius on those words in m Lib. 2. Iliad. Homer, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, derives from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and imports men, who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by any law of fellowship have community among themselves, whether they be fellow-citizens, or fellows in religion, or of the same family, or of the same tribe, or at the same feast, or of the same blood so near linked, that each is frater quasi ferè alter, as n A●l. Gel. lib. 13 cap. 10. Nigidius deduced it, a brother as if he were almost another. And therefore Jerome finds a second brother, namely, by nation, as all the jews are termed brethren, Deut. 15. 12. because within the land of jury (vers. 7.) and all other strangers and not brethren, vers. 3. because alients from the commonwealth of Israel. Thirdly, is there a brother by consanguinity, as all of one stock and lineage. So Lot, Abraham's nephew is termed his brother, Gen. 13. So Paul calleth the jews his brethren, though but kinsmen according to the flesh, Rom. 9 3. and Christ is said to have brethren, Luk. 8. 20. that is, as our English translation on the margin there rendereth it, kinsfolks, or cousins, as o Mat. 13. 55. Mar. 3. 31. & 6. 3. joh. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 9 5. elsewhere it doth interpret. From which place, although helvidius and other Antimarites would infer, Christ had natural brethren, and stain so Mary's virginity, (who was a Virgin after childbirth, and a chaste mother before marriage, as p Tom. 3. apolo. prolib. adverse. louthan. Jerome speaketh) yet was her womb (as with q Lib. 13. in E zec. 44. & loco ●itat. him Austin r Serm. 2. de Temp. & ser. 14. applies it) like the gate into the holiest of all, into which our high Priest only entered, Eze. 44. 2. and said: This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel hath entered by it, and it shall be shut. It appertaineth to the Prince, the Prince himself shall sit in it, he shall enter by the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. And s Tom 3. fol 5. adu Hel. de perpet virgi●. beat● Mariae. Jerome there against helvidius by many arguments proveth, she remained a perpetual Virgin, as the Orthodoxal both Greek and Latin Fathers Ignatius, Irenaeus, Origen, Basil, Jerome, Austin, Ambrose, Bernard, chrysostom, Gregory Nyssene, Epiphanius, Damascene and Theophilact, with t Vide Georg. Soh. tom. 2 art. 3 de pers. & issac. Cor●st●, quaest. 3. de nat●● modern Writers affirm and confirm at large. No, her womb (saith u Lib. 4 in. Mat. 27. Jerome) was a tomb for Christ's body, and new sepulchre wherein never man but he was laid. Upon proof of which point he produceth this distinction of brethren now in hand, and saith there is a fourth kind of brethren, spiritual by profession of one faith, whence all Christians by our Saviour are termed brethren, Mat. 23. Nevertheless sith that x 1. joh. 5. 7. three-one hath conjoined all persons in a triple-unitie: natural as men, civil as fellow-citizens, and spiritual as christian's (for he made all mankind of one blood, as men; to dwell together on the face of the earth as cohabitants: to seek him, as Christians, Act. 17. 26. 27. and in him as men we live, move up and down as fellow-citizens, and have our spiritual being as Christians. I may semblably speak of this triple fraternity: natural, of brethren by birth and all men by blood: civil, of societies: and spiritual, of Christian brethren. And to begin reconcilement of natural brethren, whose being 1. Brother. 〈◊〉 was from two, leaving no less than father and mother to become one flesh for their coexistence, whose bed was one womb for their infant growth, whose life and vital spirits were from one concord of contrary qualities, and conspiring temper of elements in the hody, whose diet and meat was one milk from the breasts of love, yea whose hearts, tongues, and hands were from one heart, one tongue, and hands for their agreement in thought, word, and deed: this union is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith y Lib. 8 Eth●c. cap. 12. Aristotle, so natural, that I may with the z 1. Cor. 11. 15. Apostle send them to the school of nature, and ask them, nun ipsa quidem natura hoc vos docet? Doth not nature itself teach you this thing? and grace should not need to learn them reconcilement. For even nature (as an a Plut lib de frat. amor. Heathen noteth) to teach them love reciprocal and mutual aid, hath put a book into their hands, their own body, in whose brotherly members, as in so many columns they may read this borrowed benevolence, in whose fabric and structure she hath made most parts double, germana & gemella, not only brothers but twins, which are most necessary in the whole, as hands, feet, eyes, ears, nostrils, and such couples of the body, signifying hereby that all these for mutual help and not hurt are so divided. To teach them (saith that Author) that she made also two brethren of one seed, not for disagreement and discord, but that being severed they might help each other in distress. Which bond of amity if they break, they are not unlike the fingers of one hand, entangling, wring against nature, and wresting one another, or like the two feet tripping and overthrowing each other. And therefore when b X 〈…〉 ph lib. 2 de fa●t. & dict. Socrat. Socrates saw Chaerephon and Chaerecrates two jarring brothers, warring each with other: Now (saith he) ye do as if the hands, which God created to help one the other, leaving this, should hinder and hurt one the other. Or as the feet which were framed to bear one another's burden, neglecting this, should supplant one the other, or as the ears which are coauditors of mutual good, should wax deaf to hear good one for the other, or as the eyes which like Caleb and josua are fellow-spies in this little land for the good of other, should not look for either others help, but look asquint at the good of the other. Were not this unnatural and great unhappiness in those members (saith Socrates) which should naturally help one another, whether in the hands, or feet, or eyes, or other parts which are produced * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. double and by pairs? How much more monstrous in two brethren, whose aid may exceed the cooperation of hands, or the mutual providence of eyes, or the coaudience of ears, or the supportance of the feet? Our c Polyd. Virgil. lib. 8. hist. Aug. English Chronicle storieth, that when king Edward the Confessor and Goodwin Earl of Kent were sItting at table together, Herald the King's Cupbearer the Earl's son, did stumble so with one foot, that he was almost down, but recovering himself with the other, he neither fell, nor shed the drink. Whereat his father the Earl (observing that of Saint Paul, how these two d 1. Cor. 12. 25. members had the same care one for the other, & that the one foot could not say to his fellow, I have no need of thee) merrily said, Nunc frater fratrem iuvit. Now one brother hath helped another. At which word Brother (though spoken but in least) the King then calling to mind his brother alfred's death whom the Earl had slain, thence assumed the Apostles application, that one brother might help another: whereupon beholding Goodwin with a displeased countenance, answered, Sic mihi m●us frater auxilio esset si per te li● visset, so might my brother Alfred have also helped me if thou hadst not been. Thus could the Earl note in those twins of the body that lesson of e Eccles. 4 9 Solomon, Two are better than one, for if they fall, the one will help up his fellow. And the King (as if he had been taught at his cupbearers feet) applied from their mutual supportance that following f Verse 10. Woe against himself, but woe unto him that is alone, for he falleth and there is not a second to lift him up. For indeed one brother helping another is l●ke a defenced city (as g Sept Ier●m. vulg. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ra & Hug● Card. some read it) and their counsels like the bar of a palace which is impregnable, Prou. 18. 19 and if one overcome him, two shall stand against him, Eccles. 4. 12. so natural is their unity, and strong their coadiwance, which nature hath framed double for mutual assistance. And therefore as nature their mother produced these her twins, (I mean the eyes) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, double and by twoes, that they might help one the other: so did that natural father send out his two sons, james and john, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by twoes also to catch fish, because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, brethren in the flesh, Math. 4. 21. And when their spiritual father called them to be fishers of men, he h Mat. 10. 2. sent the same brethren forth by two also, Mark 6. 7. And therefore by two (saith i Sir 2 ●e pur●f. Mar. gloss. Lyr● in Luc. 10. 1. Hugo in Mar. 6. 7. Ca●uin. Arat. Janson in id & Fer in Mat. 10. 1. use exhorting Bernard with some other) that as yokefellows they might bear one another's burden. And it were to be wished, that parents after their example would send out brothers into the world, as two feet to support one another through love: howbeit themselves (as k Georg. Rem●s specileg. in Prou. 18. 19 one justly complaineth) for the most part offer occasions of jar, and sow the seed of contention among their children; either when in their last wills they make them unequal in their grace, who are equal by nature, and making Reuben their eldest son, so the excellency of their dignity and excellency of power, that they leave not the rest of their substance for their other babes, who often thereby conspire against the eldest as jacob's sons did against the youngest; and resolve like them in the Gospel, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours, Math. 21. 38. Or when like old l Gen. ●3. 2●. Isaac, in their dim eyesight and judgement they mistake their sons (though he rightly alone blessed where God only loved, Malac. 1.) and bestowing the birthright upon the younger, resolve with that irrevocable will, I have blessed him in my will, and he shall be blessed: behold I have made him Lord, and all his brethrens have I made his servants, when the eldest crieth like Esau, I am also thy son, bless me, even me also my father. And this partial affection causeth the elder to hate the younger for stealing away the blessing; and resolve that when the days of mourning for his father shall come, he will be avenged of his brother. A third occasion of filial strife, is when their parents will die without will, and departing intestate (as he speaketh) leave all at random, to catch that catch may. And this is indeed provocare filios ad iram (as the m Ephes. 6. 4. Apostle speaketh) to provoke their children to anger and strife were they never so peaceable, yea to set them by the ears for their portions, like Ephraim against Manasses, Manasses against Ephraim, and both against juda. A fourth cause of contention fathers beget in their sons, when disinheriting filios irae, the sons of their wrath, they adopt aliens to be coheirs in their inheritance. A law indeed which Ephialtes (as we n Alex. l. 16. ca 10. read) gave the Lacedæmonians, and not only o Val. Max. l. 7. c. 7. de test. rescis. & cap. 8 de test. rat & iusperat. stories, but experience gives us too great store of such, to such too supernatural adopters, who like the Partridge jer. 17. 11. nourish the young they brought not forth: unnatural birds to their brood, and cruel to their young, like the Ostrich in the wilderness, Lam. 4. which leaveth his brood in the earth, and forgetteth that the foot might scatter them, or that the wild beast might break them, he showeth himself cruel to his young ones as if they were not his, and is without fear, as if he traveled in vain, job 39 These play Micipsa his prank, p Sallust. de bell. jugurth. who having sons, yet adopted jugurtha to them, and so set his children by the ears, and for their supernatural kindness to alients and unnatural to their own, they may perchance receive q Fu●gos. l. 7. c. 9 Velius Blessus his reward, who having divers sons, yet adopted on his death bed one Regulus standing by, because he was diligent about him in his sickness, and often lapping him, bade him beware of taking cold. But this new heir (forsooth) having gotten the will made and witnessed, Medicos hortabatur ut citò Blessum conficerent ne diutius aegritudinis molestia laboraret, he loved this newfound father so well, that he wished him in heaven, and feed the Physicians to kill him quickly, and put Blessus out of his pain that the inheritance that night might be his. What shall I say to these cruel Ostriches, but admire with the Almighty the possibility of their memorable oblivion, Is it possible? r isaiah 49. 15. Can a woman forget her child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? What shall I say to these unnaturalists, but from the God of nature pronounce, that in not providing for their own, and namely for them of their household, but especially for them of their own bodies, they deny the faith, yea nature itself (which hath taught a father to pity his own children, Psal. 103.) and are worse than infidels, 1. Tim. 5. 8. If Diogenes therefore (to return whence I digressed) for his scholars fault gave the master a blow on the cheek, and a check in the ear, Cur igitur sic instituis? why teachest thou him not better manners then? surely such fathers deserve a blow from his hands of iron, who over-willing to the eldest, or too wilful to the youngest, or unwilling to all, or mis-willing to any, by these their sour grapes so set their children's teeth on edge, that they bite and devour one another. Let them on their deathbed like departing jaakob Gen. 49. call together all their sons into one, and to Reuben, to Benjamin, to Dan, and to Gad, divide their just portions for avoidance of division. Or let them follow that wise father in the parable, who divided his substance to his sons to prevent future contention. Let them of Dan, who give nothing but judgement, learn, that he would not without will die intestate, but divided his substance. Let Reubenites, who are all for the eldest, learn, that he gave him not all, but divided his goods, and so, that he gave his eldest but the inheritance. Let Beniamites, who are wholly for the youngest, learn, that he gave him but the portion of goods that fell unto him. And lastly, let them of the tribe of Gad, who almost give all or most to aliens, learn that he divided all to his sons: for saith our Saviour, So he divided unto them his substance, Luke 15. 12. Let them at then death bequeath concord to their children, the best legacy in their will, semblable to s Plus. de garris. Scylurus the Scythian, who at his death bid his sons bring him a sheaf of arrows, which he then gave each one to break in pieces, but when no one could do it, himself pulling them out, easily broke them one by one in their sight: showing them by this parable that which Solomon in his proverbs, that a brother united to a brother is like an impregnable city, and their counsels like the bar of a palace which cannot be broken: or that I noted in the Preacher, Two are better than one, for either may help his fellow; but woe unto him that is alone, for he falleth and hath not a second to help him up. And if one overcome him two shall stand against him: and a threefold cord, like that bundle of arrows, is not easily broken. Let them with t Xenop. lib. 8. de Cyr. Pad. Cyrus give in their wills this legacy of unity to their sons, and say with him, Ye which are borne of the same seed of your father, and nourished by the same milk of your mother, brought up in the same house, beloved of the same parents, and call on the same father and mother, how should not ye above all men be most knit in friendship with this knot of nature? break not therefore these natural bonds of love, wherewith the immortal God hath linked you as brethren. Thus when in peace themselves go to their fathers, they may leave peace with their sons: that as in their last will they give them their goods, so in their last and most effectual affection, they may bequeath them this goodness, the best donative of their will, as it was not least legacy in Christ's testament, and say at their departure as the Saviour when he left the world, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: for else how can they enjoy peace in heaven, when they know their parts have no peace on earth? How can their souls sit in mirth at the supper of the Lamb, when they know these parts of their body like wolves bite and devour another? Which unity in life time rather should they labour to effect, seeing the holy Ghost in giving natural brethren no peculiar charge in Scripture (that I know) of loving one another, hath sent them to the school of nature to learn them this lesson in the members of their body. For making no question of their love, which is the law of nature, he forbeareth to bid brethren love, & only bids other men love as brethren, 1. Pet. 3. For as v C●te●r ●● as pro Ros●. A●er Solon the lawgiver of Greece, being asked why he made no law in Athens, nor ordained any punishment against parricides, answered wisely, because he thought none could be so unnatural as to kill his father from whom he had being: so neither our sole wise God of heaven made any peculiar law, nor appropriated many particular punishments to fratricides in scripture, because he might well think none would be so monstrous in nature as to hate his own flesh, and slay his brother who is ferè alter, almost himself. And therefore whereas he gave charge to all the household and all sorts of the family to show mutual love and duty, Ephes. 6. as children to parents, and fathers to children; servants to masters, and masters to their servants: he speaketh not a word of children among themselves, as if he had been ashamed to bid brethren be reconciled and love one another. And passing over it in silence, he seems to use his Apostles x Are● in 1. The. 4. 9 preterition, 1. Thess. 4. 9 But touching brotherly love, ye need not that I writ unto you, for ye are taught of God by nature to love one another, and making no doubt of doing that, and that thing verily ye do to all the brethren, he only entreateth them to abound therein, But we beseech you that ye increase it more and more. But alas natural brethren have more now then called that 2. use, reproof. into question, whereof the father and God of nature made no question, whose precept of this love as it is rare, so fratru●● quoque gratia rara est, their practice also is as rare, as an heathen in his days could observe. For now y L●be●. de frat. amor. Plutarch his experience may be our schoolmaster to bring us to many, who become brothers with strangers, and strange with their brethren, sinful friends with aliens in gluttony and drunkenness, and yet unfriendly to their brethren in eating and drinking: tolerate their sins with pleasure and delight, and yet bitter to theirs, count their slips intolerable: yea whereas they pass away houses and lands to their harlots, yet strive with their brethren for the floor of an house, an angle of ground, and foot of a field: nay whereas they nourish and love their angry dogs, their fierce horses, their spotted beasts, their toyish Apes, and their cruel Lions; they brook not anger, nor tolerate fierceness, nor bear with blemishes, nor pardon childishness, nor suffer haughtiness in their brethren, which though greatest they tolerate in bruit beasts, and for which things alone they dearly love them. A brother indeed offended is harder to win then a strong c●tie, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their contentions (saith z prover. 18. 19 Solomon) like the bar of a castle which cannot be decided. Ruthful examples, as of jaakob and Esau, Isaac and Ishmael, Eteocles and Polynices, Chaerephon and Chaerocrates, as I noted before, and daily is notorious in domestical experience, manifest this truth to be too true. The reason and cause of which irreparable breach, is given from the a Arist. l. 7. Polit Oracle of reason, Because not only not to be helped, but greatly hurt by them of whom we think help due by nature, not so much dissolveth as breaketh the knot of natural affection. For the nearer (as elsewhere b Lib. 8. Ethi. c. 9 he noteth) is the cause of conjunction and bond of unity, the greater must needs be the wrong which doth dissipate it, and greater the disjunction of them therefore divided. In least matters to be deceived by a fellow and companion, is most abominable, saith c Orat. pro Rosc. Amer. Tully, because that which he thought he adjoined for an help against others, helping others against him, doth cut him to the quick, and break the heartstrings of affection. Caesar's wound that his son Brutus gave him, went nearer to his heart then all the stabs of his foes, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, what thou also my son Brutus? made him cry like David, Psal. 55. If mine enemy had done me this dishonour, I could have borne it, but it was even thou my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend. And to imply his greater wrong, he doth explicate their nearer unity, We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends: and this cause of disjunction of unity from so near conjunction of amity, he cannot let pass without imprecation to his treachery, Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. For as things which are joined (saith d L●b. ●. de frat. amor. Plutarch) though the glue be melted may be recombined, when a bodily substance rend in sunder can hardly be rejoined: so love of men after falling out may be reintegrated, when brethren of one body severed one from the other can with difficulty be reconciled. Nevertheless brotherly love (as out of De e 〈◊〉 Nazianzene I noted) like the graff or cience of a tree, though it be broken off from the stock, may be engrafted again: but seeing the coals of this hatred are fiery coals, and a vehement flame, which no water can put out, nor floods can drown, take heed of heating this Asbestos, which being once incensed, no water, no not of tears can quench. And seeing this amity is the chief and head of all, knit by so many sinews and arteries of nature, beware of breaking its neck bone, which can so hardly be knit again. And let all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed how they f judge ●●. follow the way of Cain, g 1. john ●. 12. who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother, lest that woe which overtook him overturn them: having war in his heart, he gave good words with his mouth, and spoke h Ferus in Gen. ● 8. friendly to his brother, Gen. 4. 8. See his hypocrisy, to opportune place for his murderous intent, he persuades him to walk into the field: see his policy: not into Paradise, a place of purity that abounded with fruit, but into the field. And where indeed should his brother be slain, but in the barren field (saith i L●b. 2 de Ca●● & Abel. cap ● Ambrose) where there wanted fruit? Opportunity of place fitting his purpose, he rose up and slew his brother. Behold his cruelty. O audacious, abominable and wretched mind, and whatsoever can be said is too little, saith a k Ch●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 own bowels? Thou art thy father's eldest son, the beginning of his weakness, and heir of his sins, the patriarch of murderers; thou hast not a second man to quarrel with on earth beside thy father, and thou wilt slay thy brother that thou mayst not be a brother, and kill the fourth part of all mankind with a blow. But see how the judge of all the world arraigneth this murderer at the bar of his justice: Where is thy brother? And at his convention see his churlish answer, I cannot tell, am I my brother's keeper? as if he had bid God go seek 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 brother's blood, yea of his bloods, of his possible posterity, whom thou hast slain in the loins of their father Abel, not only speaketh but crieth unto me for vengeance: How long Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood on him that dwelleth on the earth? Yea it crieth from the earth which followeth thy murder for her son, for her inhabitant, and for her keeper; and see his triple judgement according to her threefold accusation. judgement in his soul, Thou art cursed from the earth: judgement in his goods, The earth which opened her mouth to receive his blood from thine hand, mistrusting no harm from brothers, which were but two on the earth, ( l Ambr. lib. 2. de Ca●●. & Abel. c. 10. Nam quomodo poterat suspectare parr●●dium quae adhuc not viderat homicidium? for how could it suspect brotherly murder, which had not yet seen manslaughter?) the earth is cursed for thy sake, not as it was to thy father Adam, to give m Gen. 3. 17. no fruit without his sweat and labour, but when thou shalt till the ground, it shall not yield thee henceforth her strength. And thirdly judgement in his body, a vagabond and a runagate shalt thou be in the earth. And after sentence see how this condemned caitiff is carried from the bar with despair of mercy, My sin is greater than can be pardoned: with horror of judgement, My punishment is greater than 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 whosoever findeth me shall slay me. But of whom (saith that n Ambr. lib 2. de Ca●●. & Abel. cap 9 Father) was he afraid to be slain, that had none with him on earth but his parents? He might fear justly the incursions of natural brute beasts, who more beastly had broken the course of nature: he might fear rightly the teeth of wild beasts, who brutishly had fleshed them with man's blood, yea the blood of his brother. He could not presume of the subjection of fowls, who had taught them that a man might be killed. He might now also fear the hands of his parents, who had taught them that parricide might be committed, and that they would learn to practise a murder, who had taught him the precept in their original sin. This is cain's punishment in his person, and yet see the taint of his blood in all his postetitie, whom noah's flood washed away (saith o Lib. 15 de ●i●. D●, cap. 20. Austin) from the face of the earth, when it could not wash away their scarlet sin of blood, double died, both in Cain the thread, and in his offspring the cloth and garment of vengeance: whom the holy Ghost deigneth not to name in reciting the catalogue of Adam's posterity, Gen. 5. for the face of the Lord is against them that did evil, to cut off (saith David) their remembrance from the earth. For he would not take them in his mouth, nor make mention of their names within his lips: as if that curse of the Lord had fallen on his progeny, Psal. 109. Let his posterity be destroyed, and in the next generation let his name be clean put out. O that all Caines which thirst the blood of their Abel, that all Ismaels' which persecute their Isaac, that all Esau's which pursue their jaacob to the death, would beware to follow the way of Cain, that they might not perish in the gainsaying of Core. Are they Grecians, or Barbarians? wise or unwise? let those read Plutarch a natural man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of brotherly love, and these their own body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of lime-love, how those brethren and twins of the body, eyes, ears, hands, and feet, love one another, and for shame of their souls be reconciled to them, who are flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bones. And surely if we yet look further to the rock whence we 2. Brother natural in blood, which is, each man. are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence we were digged: if we consider Adam our father, and Eve that bore us, we shall find that we have all this p junius & Polan in Mal. 2. 10 one father, Mal. 2. 10. and all this one mother, who is matter omnium viventium, Gen. 3. 20. aut iustiùs morientium (as one q Ferus in Gen. 3. 20. calls her) the mother of all men living, or rather dead while they live in her trespasses and sins, and all men therefore brethren, Gen. 9 5. and this brotherly kindred of men made by him who made all mankind of one blood, Act. 17. 26. For as r Ser. 1. de ●e●u●. Leo truly said of neighbour, that every man whether friend or foe, bond or free, is our neighbour: so fratrem ut proximum, vel omne hominum genus accipere debemus, saith s Lib 2. in Z●c. cap. 7. Jerome and Saint t Lib 2. locut. de Exod. Austin: Every man is our brother by nature, as our neighbour in the use of natural things. Through which conjunction of mankind, the very heathen u Cic lib. 1. Oss●. could see in the twilight of nature, that certain duties of amity and fellowship are naturally due from all men every one to other: and therefore x AEsch. ●rat. cont. ●●s●ph Arist. lib. ●●hetor. ad The●●ect. used the name neighbour as our Saviour doth here brother, generally for all men. And indeed seeing (as Homil y 51. ad Pop. Antioch. 1. The greater world preacheth concord and unity to man. chrysostom well noteth) the God of all hath given all but one house, the world, to be domesticos naturae, the household of nature: that father of lights hath light all but one candle the Sun, to be filios lucis, just and unjust children of that light: seeing he that spreadeth it out like a curtain, hath covered all but with one canopy and roof of heaven to be one family of love. And seeing the feeder of every living thing, hath spread all but one table, the earth, at which board we are all companions of one bread, and drink all of one cup the air: doubtless this community of natural things should breed such a common unity in nature, as should make men in this one house to be of one mind, and sons of one light, to walk in love as children of the light: and the family under one roof to walk in this house of God as familiar friends, and companions at one table to eat their meat together with singleness of heart, as it united those Saints, because they had all things common, Act. 2. 44. Which communion of all things natural, if it cannot knit men in one with these bonds of nature, yet beholding the common union of all things amongst themselves, the music of this harmony should breed concord and peace in man the son of peace. For whether we lift up our eyes to heaven above, behold it is there; the heavens declare the glory of God in their peace, and the firmament showeth his handiwork: 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 turn not again. Wherefore as z Prou. 6. Solomon sent the sluggard to the pismire as his schoolmaster to bring him to labour: a Es●. 1. Esau the ungrateful to the ox and ass to learn thankfulness: b jer. 8. jeremy the neglecter of season to the Stork and Turtle, Crane and Swallow, to learn opportunity of time: the cruel c Lam. mother to the Dragons to learn to draw out her breasts: and our Saviour the worldling to Ravens, to learn divine providence and contentation, Mat. 6. So ask now the beasts (as d Cap. 12. 8. 9 job speaketh) and they shall teach thee, and the fowls of heaven, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth and it shall show thee, or to the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare it unto thee. If thou go up to the heavens, it is there to be read in the large volume of the heaven: if thou go down to the deep, behold it is there, and the natural face of peace mayst thou behold in the glass of the sea. If thou go over the sea to the savage beasts of the wilderness, behold also it is there, and thou shalt find it in the dens of the earth. For whether we look without us into the greater world, we shall see the celestial orbs and spheres of the heaven, though their motions be divers, and their revolutions thwartingly crossing one another, as e ●●a ●pacis q 〈…〉. one noteth, yet in so many ages constant in that first covenant of peace, they keep his law of unity and order, which shall not be broken, Psal. 148. The elements themselves though in nature opposite, and in operation contrary, as heat and cold, drought and moisture, yet concordi pace ligantur, as the f Quid▪ m●tam. lib. 1. heathen observeth, yet yield they each to other, and meet all in a middle temper for constitution of human bodies. Look on the earth below, which though it be full of strife and cruel habitations, as the Psalmist speaketh, yet therein the beasts of the field armentatim pascun●, they feed by herds, and graze by droves: the fishes of the sea gregatim natant, they swim in routs together, and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas: the fowls of heaven, turmatim volant, they fly by flocks, and sing together amongst the branches. Leonum feritas inter se non dimicat, saith Pliny, g Lib. 7. 〈◊〉 hist. in proam. The cruelty of Lions and Bears fight not one with another, for quando Leoni fortior erip●it vitam Leo? saevis inter se convenit ursis: The wild beasts, and birds fight not with their kind, but kindly hold together. Even Serpents bite not one another, but the heel of man who treadeth on their head. The fishes of rapine, though greater devour the less, yet nisi in diversa genera non saeviunt: the most ravenous birds pray not on their kind. So true is that of Syracides: Every beast loveth his like, and every man should love his neighbour, all flesh will resort to their like, and man should company with such as himself, Eccles. 13. 16. Yea whereas all these kinds were made by couples and twoes, Gen. 1. 22. as if nature had dispensed with their division: man was created unicus, but one, as a thing of unity without division vers. 26. which one though the Creator made two by an after creation, Gen. 2. 22. yet made he presently these two one again by conjunction of marriage, vers. 24. ut sciamus quàm concorditer vivere debemus, that thereby we might know, saith h Lib. 11. de ciu. D●●, cap. 21. Austin, how peaceably we should live together in one mind. But what do I speak of sensible though unreasonable beasts? the senseless creatures, as we see in trees, embrace one another with the arms of their love, the Vine embraceth the Elm, the Peartree the Vine, the Woodbine the Oak: yea the hardhearted stones affect that in love which doth sympathise with their nature; as the Loadstone the Iron: nay, quod magis mirum est, saith Erasmus, which is the wonder of all wonders, even the wicked spirits and fiends of hell, by whom concord between men was first broke, and daily stir up men to strife, yet in wisdom agree all together: seven in i Luk. 8. 2. Mary Magdalene, and a whole legion in k Vers. 30. one man could agree without discord, and hold it for a Maxim in their policy, that Satan should not be divided against Satan, lest his kingdom should perish by dissension, Luk. 11. 18. Thus the greater world without him is like a city at unity in itself, to shame contentious man, if being the centre of all this circumference, he shall be so divided in himself, as to make this great round a cockpit of jar, and himself a gazing stock of strife to fowls of the heaven, beasts in the field, and fishes in the sea. And if yet we reflect our eyes to within ourselves, and behold Secondly, the lesser world. man the Microcosm and lesser world, we shall find him an harmony of discords, an unity of pluralities, an epitome of▪ the whole, and the centre of all these divided lines. For as Solomon spoke of the fear of God, Finis est omnium & totum hominis, Eccles. 12. 13. so may I of man who was made to fear God, he was the end of all creatures, and the sum of them all, as Ambrose l Hexam. with some m Laurent. pr●fat. inoper. ●●ato●. other have observed. Which little world as God in the Epilogue of his work, (for his work was a word fiat, Gen. 1. dixit & facta sunt, he spoke but the word and they were created, Psal. 148. 5.) created him to be Lord of all: so epitomized he all things of the greater, in this lesser world, to teach him unity above the rest: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Eph. n 1. 10. Apostle speaketh of recreation, and gathered all things into this one which are in heaven and earth: that as Paul spoke of his recapitulation, and end of his word: Nunc eorum quae dicta sunt haec summa est, Now, of all things that have been said, this is the sum, Heb. 8. 1. so might the Lord speak at the end of his work: Nunc eorum quae facta sunt, haec summa est, of all things that have been now made, this man is the sum and brief of them all. In whose inner man though the o Gal. ●. 17. flesh and the spirit are enemies by grace, as tho●e twins p Gen. 25. 21. strove and fought together in the womb of Rebeckah that two nations struggle in his womb, and two manner of people seem divided in his bowels: yet in his outward man the soul and the body, though two contrary parts of heaven and earth, like the Wolf and the Lamb are met together, and like the Leopard and the Kid lie feeding together, and kiss each other. Which two sisters, though yet as contrary each to other, as Mary who sat at Christ's feet and heard his preaching, was to Martha cumbered about much serving and troubled about many things, Luk. 10. 40. yet unite they their love for the good of man, as those sisters their care for Lazarus their brother, joh. 11. 3. 19 and both like those two brethren in the q And. Alciat. emblem. 160. Emblem, which mutually lent the one his lame brother feet, the other his blind brother eyes: so the body being blind, mutuat hoc oculos, it borroweth eyes of the soul for his direction, and the soul being lame, mutuat illa pedes, it borroweth feet of the body for his procession, and both walk with such compassion and fellow-feeling of others harm, that when the body is hurt, the soul alone is grieved, and when the soul offendeth, the body offereth his back to the smiters. Whose safeguard of the one as it is concentus qualitatum, an harmony and consent of qualities, so is the safety of the other consensus affectionum, an agreement and consent of the affections: and the jar of either, the destruction of both, and dissolution of the whole. Thus contraries conspire in the great and little world for preservation of mankind, and why then should not man the sum of all these, conspire with man most opposite for conservation of man-kindnesse in the earth? Thus every beast loveth his like, to teach every man to love his neighbour: thus all flesh resort to their kind, to shame man, if he hate him that is flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, we commend them that love men saith r Lib. ●. Ethic. cap 1. Aristotle, though it be but as they are men: and therefore when s Drog L●ert. lib. 5 ●e vii● Ph●los. himself in regard of this human nature gave a wicked man an alms, and was checked for his mis-giving, Misertus sum humanitatem non iniquitatem, I gave it the man (saith he) but not for his manners. Wherefore let the same mind be in you: shall I say with the Apostle, that was in Christ jesus? the same? nay, I am out of hope of it: he was such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a lover of men as they were but men, (Tit. 3. 4.) that he laid down his most precious life to the most ignominious death, for man his most rebellious traitor. But if not the same, yet let the like mind be in you that was in Christ jesus, at least let the mind of Aristotle an heathen & natural man be in Christians: for shame of mankind let not the mind of Tigers, of Wolves, of Bears, and Lions be in you, lest ye be shame-kins to mankind. Nay, let but the mind of these to their own kind, the mind of Lions to Lions, of Wolves to Wolves, be in you, not to hate your mankind, & good enough. But alas when it should be homo homini Deus, man to man a preserver, now it is become homo homini lupus, man to man a devourer. Every man hunteth his brother with a net, and carrieth the mind of these beasts to his brother, which they bear only to them that in nature are other. Yea whereas all minds and motions of enmity are in them but singular and peculiar to their kind, they all meet in one man like rivers in the sea, who is to man in mind ravenous as a Wolf, in head crafty as a Fox, in heart fierce as a Tiger, in tongue poisonous as an Asp, in the evil eye deadly as a Cockatrice, in bloody hands cruel as a Lion: and therefore the Psalmist compareth this man not to one beast, but to the beasts that perish, Psal. 49. Video blandas consalutationes, amicos complexus, hilares compotationes, caeteraque officia humanitatis: I see indeed (saith Erasmus) every one give fair-spoken and courteous salutations, friendly embracings and congees, merry meetings and kind drinking one to another, and other such parts of humanity: at o rem indignam (it is the complaint of Er●s t pa●● qu●r. Peace herself) ficta, fucata omnia, all is feigned friendship and hypocrisy. One cannot see the least shadow of true amity among men, all is nought but dissimulation and deceit: they cover heartburning and malice, envy and hatred under these duties of humanity and cloaks of courtesy: they come in sheeps clothing with the name of brother, of friend, cousin, and kinsman, Et astutam vapido servant sub pectore vulpem, and within they are ravening wolves. Where is now a faithful yoke-fellow that is alter idem, in whose ear a man may lay his heart, and his life in his hand? Where is a jonathan with a David, a Nazianzene with a Basil, an Austin with an Alipius? which like a pair of Turtle doves mourn and rejoice together? Where are two which like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, bear one the others burden, and support each other through love? The heathen found in their days but eight yoke of such faithful yokefellows, Pylades and Orestes, Nisus and Euryalus, Patroclus and Achilles, Theseus and Pirithous, Castor and Pollux, Tidaeus' and Polynices, Scipio and Laelius, Damon and Pythias: but if now the Lord should look down from heaven upon the children of men, to s●e if there were any that would understand and seek God in the love of his neighbour, that of David might now be returned, Psal. 53. Ne unus quidem, there is scant a man to be found on the earth. If now, as once Diogenes, sought an honest man in the street with a candle at noon day: or if as the u jerem 5. 1. Lord bade his Prophet, one should now run to and fro by the streets of jerusalem, to know and inquire in the open places thereof, if he could find one man that is faithful to a man, he might (I fear) in many places return his errant with Solomon, Eccles. 7. 30. Behold I sought one by one to find the count, and yet my soul seeketh, but I find it not: I have found one man of a thousand. But here fleshly wisdom will cover her malice to the man, with the cloak of maliciousness to his manners, and plead, that with David, She must hate them that imagine evil th●●●s, if his law she will love. It was indeed the Pharisees corrupt gloss on the law, Thou sh●lt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy, Mat. 5. 43. which yet in every man (saith x Serm. 1ST. de jemp. Austin) may truly though not in their meaning be fulfilled, seeing in him is both an enemy and a neighbour: for in that he is a man he is thy neighbour, in that he is evil, not only he is thine enemy but his own: love therefore in him body and soul, that is thy neighbour which God made, and loath his malice and impiety, which by his consent the devil made. We must be y Zanch. in ●ph. 4 26. & ●erus in Mat. 5 22. angry against his vi●e, but sin not by anger against his person, Eph. 4. 26. pax cum hominibus, be●lum cum vitijs, We must (saith Saint z Ser. 66 de Temp & in Psal. 138. Austin and Seneca) have peace with the man, and war with his manners. And therefore bids Christ love, not his, but our enemies, and them that hate and hurt us, not himself, Mat. 5. 44. For sic sunt diligendi homines, ut eorum non diligantur errores, saith b August. de verb. innocent. a Father, we must so love the men, that we like not their errors: quia aliud est amare quod facti sunt, aliud odisse quod faciunt, odimus malitiam, diligimus creaturam: for it is one thing to love that which they are made, another to hate that themselves have made: we hate the curstness and love the creature: Vt nec propter vitium creatura damnetur, nec propter naturam vitium diligatur: That neither for the vice the creature be condemned, nor the vice for the creature be beloved. As c Tertul. apolo adverse gent. those Christians told the heathen persecutors in the primitive Church, Ye are our beloved brethren by the law of nature our mother, though ye be scarce men because ye are evil brethren. This is that perfect hatred of David, whereby he loved his enemies. 2. Sam. 19 6. and hated Gods adversaries, Psal. 1●9. 21. Do not I hate them O Lord, that hate thee? yea I hate them right sore as though, they were mine enemies. He hated them sore but right, because with perfect hatred, or as the Hebrew soundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with perfection of hatred. And what is the perfection of this hatred, (saith d In Psal. 138. Austin on these words) but I hated in them their iniquities, and loved thy workmanship. This is to hate then with perfect hatred, that neither for their vices we hate the men, nor for the men love their vices, as he loved them as men, and hated them as evil men. How loved Moses the Israelites for whom he prayed, and yet hated the same idolaters whom then he destroyed, but by this perfect hatred? Quo sic oderat iniquitatem quam punicbat, ut diligeret humanitatem pro qua orabat: whereby he so hated their iniquity which he punished, that he loved the humanity for which he prayed? Thus must we follow peace with all men, although not with all manners, but holiness also, Heb. 12. 14. without which peace of God, Phil. 4. no man shall see the God of peace, Rom. 16. and therefore putteth the Apostle a condition of possibility, If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, have peace with all men, Rom. 12. 18. For though as antipathy in nature causeth such discord between sheepe-strings and the strings of a wolf, that they can never consort in harmony, but jar always in the music, as e Lib. de mirab. 〈◊〉 Albertus, f Conrade G 〈…〉 r. li● de 〈◊〉 ca de 〈◊〉, h●●. D. Cardan and Oppianus, with Lutinists observe, yet accord in place when they discord in tune, that, the Wolf (as g isaiah. 11. ●. he speaks) seems to dwell peaceably with the Lamb: so although the righteous can agree with the ungodly man no more than the Lamb with the Wolf, Eccle. 13. 18. yet must they dwell peaceably with them in civil conversation as sheep among wolves, Math. 10. 16. and in this time of peace must the Wolf and the Lamb feed together, as the Prophet foretold of their conjunction, isaiah 65. 25. and righteousness must have concord with all men so unrighteous, though not with any unrighteousness of men. 2. Cor. 6. For every man (saith h Ser. 10. de Quadrages. Leo) shall so remember himself in another, as to love in his enemy his own nature, whose natural corruption and fleshly conversation he detesteth: and the rather, as he noteth, because we see often many of godless become godly, of drunkards become sober, merciful men of cruel, bountiful of covetous, liberal of extortioners, chaste of incontinent, and peaceable of tumultuous, Vt bellum vitijs potius quàm hominibus indicentes, that rather warring with their manners then jarring with the men, by love of their person they may conquer their vices, and suffering evil men, though not men in evil▪ patiently, they may instruct them with meekness that are contrary minded; proving if at any time, if not in the dawning of their childhood, nor at the third hour of their youth, nor at the sixth of their manhood, or in the ninth of their old age, yet at the eleventh and last hour of their life God will call them to his grace, as in these i August ser. 59 de verbo Domin. Chrysost. come. 65. in Math 20. Aqui. Abulens. Ferus & Guilan Math. 20. has 5. horas exponum 5 aetates nominum ages he did men into his vineyard, Math. 20. and till then be reconciled to all men, though not to any evil manners, of natural brethren in birth, or kinsmen by blood of mankind. But, be it the law and doctrine of nature prevail nothing 2. To thy civil brother with men (which even in bruit beasts and things without sense much availeth) yet should the law of policy and bond of civil society, like fellow-citizens in friendship and amity: for seeing we have not only that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as men, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also, (as our k Arist: Li. 8. ●th. cap. 12. master of morality noteth) whereby we are enfranchised in a jerusalem (I mean now not l Ephes. 2. 19 above, which is the m Gal. 4 26 mother of us all, and n Philip. 3. 20 where our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be) below, which is a city at unity in itself: surely peace should be within her walls, when society within her palaces, and not division into parts be heard, where the vision of peace in the whole should be seen. From which uncivil dissociation, how can I better dissuade civil societies, then as the o 1 Corinth. 12. Apostle bid the p 1. Cor. 1. 11, 12 & chap. 3. 3. 4. factious Corinth's look on the unity of natural bodies: so seeing omnis societas & collegium corpus est politicum, every society and college is a body politic or corporation, as q Calum. in 1. Cor. 12. 12. one speaketh on these words, to desire them to behold their politic head and civil face in this natural glass of the body; for whereas r Ar●. & Gualt. in 1. Cor. 12. 12. omnis ferè hinc dissentio solet nasci, almost all jar and dissension springs from hence, when either inferiors envy superiority, or superiors contemn those below them, both are so 1. inferiors must not envy their superiors. lessoned in the book of the body, that if they read but the numbers, those marginal notes will instruct them. For as the foot makes not a schism because it is not the hand, nor the ear because it is not an eye, 1. Corint. 12. 15. 16. so neither must the lowest member of policy come against the highest with the foot of pride, because it is no higher; but (as the Apostle speaketh of resurrection of the natural body from the grave, so may I of the politic from the dust) Every man in his own order, 1. Cor. 15. 23. that as in the Church and body mystical there is one glory of the Sun, another glory of the Moon, & an other glory of the stars: so in every corporation which is a golden image of that celestial monarchy, the feet of clay be not swift to shed blood, because they are not the legs of iron; nor they refuse to support through love, because they are not the thighs of brass: nor those strong men bow themselves, because they are not the arms of silver: nor they smite with the fist of wickedness, because they are not the head of gold in government, or the ear of justice in magistracy, or the eye of wisdom in counsel: seeing that body cannot stand, whose fleet will be as high as the eye, and men as low in gifts and government as Zachaeus in stature, will climb up into the wild figtree of their own conceit to overtop him above them in place, as Saul was in height, colloque tenus supereminet omnes, and is higher than they by the head. Wherefore seeing the s judge 9 15. Bramble, by affecting superiority over the Cedars of Lebanon, setteth on fire the trees of the forest, which like that wood in the t Thu●ydid. lib. 2, bell. Pelop. Poet, being shaken by the wind, Sponte edidit ignem qui ipsam consumpsit, of itself gave fire which consumed it all: let no tree, whether it be the Olive for her fatness, or the Figtree for her sweetness, or the Vine for her cheerfulness, or the Bramble because of her lowness, advance themselves above their height; but every member, though a foot of the body, abide in the same vocation wherein he was placed, till the heavenly promoter exalt him on high, as said the feast-maker to the lowest guest, Friend sit up higher; or as the Angel to our Saviour, Be there till I bring thee word, Mat. 2. 13. And as the foot kicketh not the hand, nor the ear envy the 2. Superiors must nor contemn their inferiors eye: so neither looketh the eye disdainfully at the hand, nor saith the head contemptuously to the feet, I have no need of you, 1. Cor. 12. 21. Which brotherly regard, as the higher have it to the members below, so should it lesson them, who like low Zachaeus are got up to the top of the tree, that they boast not themselves against the branches, as said our Saviour, See that ye despise not these little ones, Mat. 18. 12. When Alexander the Macedonian had once got the surname of Great, it is v Alex. ab Alex lib. 2 cap. 19 storied, that through pride of that title, contemning his old friends, he would never after write in his letters commendations to any but Photion and Antipater. And we have such an Alexander, who as he hath the name of a man without speech, so also his proud nature, that when he is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a certain great one, like x Acts 8 Simon the witch and sorcerer of Samaria, he despiseth all below him, and saith scornfully to the feet, I have no need of you. For as he noted it in some of base birth, Asperius nihilest humili cum surgit in altum, set a beggar on horseback and commonly he gins to gallop: so when these are exalted into the y 1. Sam. 2. 8. seat of glory (as Anna calls it) they ride over our heads, When they are exalted, the children of men are put to rebuke, Psal. 12. 8. When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the Tribes? z dissuasion of contemning inferiors. saith Samuel to king Saul: for who separateth thee? or what hast thou that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received it? saith Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 4. 7. The greater thou art, the more humble shouldst thou be in all things towards others, Eccles. 3. 19 Wherefore if thy promotion come neither from the East, nor from the West, nor yet from the South, but from some other part, yet seeing God setteth up one and pulleth down another, boast not thyself against others, be not high minded, but fear, and a Luke 22. 16. let the greatest among you be as the least, and the chiefest as he that serveth. For seeing b ●. Corin. 12. 22 infirmissima corporis, these most feeble and meanest 2. dissuasion. members are as necessary for the preservation of more glorious parts, as goats hair and Rams skins were needful for covering the fine linen, silk, purple, scarlet and gold of the tabernacle, Exod. 26. surely the poor man which delivered the besieged city by his wisdom, when the mighty were not so wise, should have been remembered what he did, Eccles. 9 15. For as God showeth his wisdom, in that not many wise men, not many mighty, not many noble are called, 1. Cor. 1. so as a Lord declareth he more his might, when by the mouth of these babes and sucklings he perfiteth his praise; when in these hands of d 2. Corin. 12. 9 weakness he declareth his power, and with the e Exod. ●. basest things, as frogs, lice and flies, he ennobleth his great name. Wherefore seeing he that made the f Numb. 22. 23. 3●. 33. Ass see more than Balaam the Seer, and g 2. Pet. 2. 16. forbidden the foolishness of a Prophet, hath h 1. Cor. 1. 27. chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: he that with David's i 1. Sa. 17. 39 40. sling, rather than saul's sword, would conquer Goliath, hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty: he that with Frogs, Grasshoppers & Lice, rather than with Bears, beasts and Lions, would fight against Pharaoh, hath chosen vile things of the world to confound the noble: seeing he (I say) who with k Ios. 6 20. Rams horns overthrew the walls of jericho, hath chosen things despised, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: see that ye despise not one of these little 3. Diss●●asion ones, which are so mighty through God, and so much regarded of the Lord of hosts. That as upon those members of the body which we think most unhonest, we put more comeliness on: so he hath given more honour to that part which lacked, 1. Cor. 12. 24. It was he that went after that lost sheep till he found it, when he left 99 in the wilderness behind him, Luke 15. 4. He welcomed the prodigal son with better cheer at his return, than ever he did his eldest which went not away, verse 29. He gave him as much that laboured but an hour, as them that bore the burden and heat of the day, Math. 20. I will give to this last and least as much as to thee. He rewarded him that gained but two talents with his masters joy, as well as him that got five, Math. 25. as l Ho●●. 31. in 1. Cor. 12. chrysostom observeth on these words. Wherefore seeing a little one sooner entereth his strait gate, than a Camel through that eye of a needle, and when they are entered that narrow door, the first may be last, and the least become the greatest. m Rom. 14 10. Cur contemnis fratrem tuum? why dost thou despise thy brother because he is here thine inferior? And let them, who (as n Gen. 16. Agar because she had conceived before Sara, despised her mistress) having conceived their own worth, and with child with self-conceit, are swollen and puffed up in the heart that they are somewhat, when indeed they are nothing, Gal. 6. 3. Let none that excel, be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another, Gal. 5. 26. but in meekness of spirit esteem other better than himself, Phil. 2. 3. And sith all inequality is with danger of discord among civil societies; when all cannot be equal, 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 glory. As Pollux imparted his immortality to Castor, and became partly mortal with his brother for avoiding dissension. That as in gathering Manna, he that gathered much had no more, and he that gathered little had no less than his fellow, Exod. 16. 18: so upon like condition (as in another sense the p 2. Corint. 8. 14 Apostle speaks) your abundance may supply their lack, and their want be for your abundance, that there may be equality. Which modest demission, as it taketh away inequality the corrupter of concord; so it is put by S. Paul as the preserver of civil amity, when we are not high minded, either with Caesar to brook no peace, or with Pompey no mate, but make ourselves equal with them of the lower sort, Rom. 12. 16. When Plutarch was sent Ambassador with his colleague to the Proconsul, (as of himself q Re●p. gerend. praecep. he reports) and by occasion of his fellows stay in the way, was forced to dispatch all the business alone to his great commendation: when at his return he was giving an account of the arrant, his father standing by took him aside, and warned him he should not say profectus sum, but profecti sumus; and diximus, not dixi: not I, but we were Ambassadors, and we said thus to the governor, and after this manner in his relation communicate all parts of the business with his fellow, for avoiding of envy and discontentment. And indeed when the eye or the head in dispatch of civil affairs admit the hand or the feet into part of their glory, as r 2. Corinth. 5. Paul did the Apostles in that spiritual embassage, with Nos legatione fungimur, and the Apostles their brethren in the Acts, without whose consent they decreed not: this making of ourselves equal with them of the lower sort, maketh a consort of minds which are unequal. But if in singularity of spirit we be so high minded, as to arrogate what he assumed in the 63. of isaiah, I alone have done it, and of all the people there was not one with me: this arrogancy of Nebuchadnezars s Dan. 4. 27. possessives, breaketh the bond of amity, which t Phil. 2 4. not in self-love should look on its own things, but in brotherly love on the things also of other men. As the members have 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 own profit of another's disprofit, this is more against nature in civil associates, than poverty against riches, than sorrow against their mind, yea then death itself against their body. And if thus we shall desire to build with other men's ruins, this is as if each member should think it best for its own health to turn and convert to itself the nutriment of another, which weakeneth the body and destroyeth the whole: and every one thus to seek his own good, and not the good of many, that they may be safe, dissolveth the joints of civil society. We read in the fable, that the other members mutining against the belly, complained, by their industrious care and service omnia ventro quaeri, that all was for good of the belly, as if the belly had been their God; whereas it quiet alone and idle in the midst did nothing at all, Quam datis voluptatibus frui, but enjoy (as speaks x 2. Pet. 1. 13. Peter of belli-gods) the pleasures of sin for a season; and counting it pleasure to live deliciously for a season, like that crammed chuff Luke 12. said to itself, Thou hast much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, and take thy pastime; o● y Luke 16. 19 with that son of Belial, all for the belly, being clothed in fine linen, fared well and delicately every day: whereas the other members, like the rich man's servant having filled his barn full, was feign with poor Lazarus lying at his gate, to be refreshed with the crumbs and nutriment that fell from his table: whereupon all conspiring, that neither the eyes should provide, nor the feet fetch, nor the hands reach, nor the mouth receive, nor the teeth chaw meat for the belly, in pining it with hunger, they brought also themselves into extreme consumption. With which natural parable I wish all Philautians may be drawn from seeking their own things alone, as z Liu deca. 1 & la. & Dion 〈◊〉. antiq. Rom. lib. o. Menenius Agrippa the Roman Orator with this apologue won the factious Commonalty from mutiny against the Senate. For seeing our immanent self-love to ourselves, must be the measure of our transient love to others (as not only a Math 22. 39 grace commands Christians, but even b ●●rist. 〈◊〉. cap. 4. nature teacheth all men) it is most repuisite in civil amity (saith an c C●●. lib. 1. de leg. heathen) Vt nihilo sese plus quam alterum diligat, that no man love himself better than an other, but that d Idem in 〈◊〉 as every one by nature is loving to himself, he naturally translate the same affection to others, without which true amiable society is not preserved. But alas, whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, brotherly love meeteth back again to others in the same measure that she measured to herself, and loveth them sicut scipsam as herself: now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, self-love, leaves out sicut, the measure, and loveth herself without measure; that we may now turn round about, and cry to all with Saint e Phil. 2. 21. Paul: All seek their own, and not the good of others: or at the least with him in the Comedy f Ter. And. act. 2. scen. 5. complain: Omnes sibi melius mall quam alteri, that all men wish better to themselves then to other. And if the limbs of corporations have some jar, yet not like the corporal members, the same care one for another. Which evenness and aequilibrium, as it is the temper of contrary elements in the world, of opposite humours in the body, of diverse affections in the soul of man: so should it be the harmony of contrary factions in civil society: for seeing (as g Lib. 2. de ciu. Dei. cap. 21. Austin out of h Lib. 2. de r●p. Tully well observes) concord in society is the same that consort in music: as in that whether instrumental or vocal, a consent of diverse and distinct sounds is made like a concord of discords: so of the highest, middle, and base orders consent should arise from minding one thing, though they differ in degree, as the members distinct in function, have the same care one for another, Lest there should be a division in the body, 1. Cor. 12. 25. And 4. They must beware of faction and division. from whence are wars and contentions among you? are they not hence, (saith i jam. 4. 1. Saint james) of your lusts of other men's things, that fight in your members? Ye lust and have not: ye envy and have indignation, because ye cannot obtain: ye fight and war, because ye get nothing that belongeth to others. And it is a world to see, how men in self-love and private respects, like the factious k 1. Cor. 1. 11. 12 & 3 3. 4. Corinthians, rend the body with that voice of schism: I am Paul's, and I am Apollo's, and I am Caiphas, I am the heads, I am the eyes, and I am the hands member, and make a rent without ruin (as they suppose) of society. As if truth itself could lie, which hath said, that not only every kingdom divided shall not stand, but also an house or city divided in itself shall not long continue, Mat. 12. 25. The reason of which domestical ruin, as it is discord and faction, Quae omnia oportunae insidiantibus faciunt, which give opportunity (said l 'tis Li●. animal. Quintius Flaminius) for the waiters of advantage, quum pars quae domestico certamine inferior sit, externo potiùs se applicabit, quàm civi cedet, when that side which is weaker at home, will rather seek aid of any than be trampled by his own: so is the reason more unreasonable, sith (as the best m Arist. lib. 5. Ethic. cap. 6. Philosopher teacheth) wrong against any domesticals, as children which are bona corporis of the same body: or brethren, which are bona animi, of the same heart and soul: or servants, which are bona fortunae, part of their goods, is most unnatural; and can hardly be imagined, but that the holy Ghost prophesied, that men in these last days should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lovers of themselves, and so without natural affection, 2. Tim. 3. 2. as to be enemies to the man of their house, Mich. 7. 6. For as n Lib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animal. cap. ●● Aristotle noteth of hives, that in them still are some drones, which do nothing said eaeteris quibuscum viwnt iniuriam faciunt, but injure and wrong the Bees with whom they live. So that is as true in the swarm of civil and collegiat societies, 2. Thes. 3. 11. There are some among you which walk inordinately, and work not at all, but are busy-bodies: yea like them, fight eagerly in the hive where they are predominant, sed cùm ruri sunt (as there he noteth) but when thrust out by a new swarm, they are in the country, nec sibi nec ullis alijs iniuriantur, they neither than strive among themselves, nor with others, but are as tame as a lamb, and as quisht as a Bee. I would tell in the ear of some, what o Lib. 8. de ●ra cap. 8. Seneca divulged to the eye of the world: Inter istos quos togatos vides nulla est pax: altar in alterius exitium l●ui compendio ducitur: felicem oderunt, infelicem contemnunt: maiore gravantur, minori graves sunt, ferarum iste conventus est. I speak now to them that have understanding, judge ye what I say: and I wish I might not pronounce of some evil beasts and slow bellies, what of Monks and Friars p Pacis quar●m. Erasmus observed in his days: Au〈…〉 salutationes pacis, cerno rerum omnium coniunctum collegium, templum idem, leges ●asdem, conventus quotidianos, quis hîc non confidat pacem fore? Who would not look for a vision of peace within her walls, where is such society within her palaces? Sed ô rem indignam (saith he) nusquam ferè collegio convenit cum Episcopo: parum hoc nisi & ipsi inter se factionibus scind●rentur, Dominicales dissident cum Minoritis, Benedictini cum Bernardinis: tot factiones sunt quot sodalitia: imò idem sodalitium factionibus scinditur: Not only Ephraim against Manasses, and Manasses against Ephraim, but the 1. q Chron. 5. tribe of Manasseh is divided in itself: some following the head and governor of the city, saying, We are Paul's, and like those r Arist. lib. 4. de hist. animal. cap. 7. insecta, as Gnats, Ants, Flies, and Bees, which being divided in the body, that part which goeth with the head commonly liveth and thriveth: others following the feet or belly, saying, we are Apollo's, and these parts which go not with the head, commonly die (as we see by experience) and never thrive after their division▪ Others like the ambidexter s jud. 2●. Gibeonites play on both sides, and halt between two opinions: if the head be for their profit, they go after it: if the eye, they go after it. And these neuters or rather uters are like those sea-Calues, Crocodiles, Otters, and sea-Colts in Aristotle and Pliny, which are one while in the water, another while on the land for greater booty: justly termed dubia by Isidore, because ye cannot tell where to have them: sometime they are natatilia, and swim with the tide: other sometimes gressabilia, and go back for advantage. But where is the man of peace, who in time of jar turneth neither to the right hand nor the left, but goeth strait forward? where is that son of peace, who can boast with t Cicer. ad ●am. 11. Epist. 21. Hortensius, that in these civil garboils, nunquam civili bello interfuit, he never sided with either part in civil or rather uncivil dissension? Indeed u Aul. G●l. lib. 2. cap. 12. Solon made a law in Athens, that whosoever sided not with the one part in faction, should forfeit all his goods, and be banished his country. Which, howsoever Gellius apologizing Solon, interpreteth as fit to compose sedition, sith wise men joining with the one faction, may rule and moderate their one side, and so bring them to seek agreement and peace with the other: yet taxeth x R●ip. gerend. pracept. Plutarch this law of Solon, and teacheth to be so indifferent between both, that thou join with neither in faction; or rather to be of either to join both, as Christ our head was both God and man, that as a mediator between both he might reconcile them each to other: as Nestor between Agamemnon and Achilles, Socrates betwixt Chaerephon and Chaerecrates, Moses between the two Hebrews, Menenius Agrippa between the Commons and the Senate, and that townclerk between Paul with his companions, and the seditious Ephesians, Act. 19 And sith indeed (as Plato well observed) the commonwealth 5. Gouernour● of bodies politic must prevent faction, & heads join the members together. like a fish commonly first putrefieth and rotteth at the head: (for as the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers: and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are they that dwell therein, Eccles. 10. 2.) it standeth them upon who are chosen as y Exod. 18. 25. chief of the tribes of Israel to be heads over the people, be they rulers over thousands, or rulers over hundreds, or rulers over fifties, or rulers over tens, that as each of them is an head of the house of their fathers, Num. 1. 4. which is a body politic: so like z Eph. 5. Christ the head of the body mystical, he be seruator corporis, such a wise Saviour of that body, as to couple and knit it together by every joint and sinew of concord, that it may increase in every part, and edifying itself in love may follow the truth in peace, and in all things grow up unto him which is the head, Ephes. 4. 15. But if in their civil regiments they consult with that Florentine a Ma●h. cap. ●● de Princip●. Secretary, (whose counsel by their practice, s●emes to some Politicians like the Oracle of God) who adviseth his Prince in time of peace to nourish faction among his subjects, ut faciliùs eis ex voluntate utatur, that by their fire himself may better see what to do, as another of them speaketh: surely, I must ask them and answer with Saint james, chap. 3. 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show by good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom: but if ye have bitter envying and strife among you, rejoice not, neither be liars against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish: for where envying and strife is, there is sedition and all manner of evil works: but the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. It was a devilish lesson b Idem come. lib. 2. cap. 2 & lib. 3. cap. 3. he gave his tyrant, (and they show themselves no less who practise his precept) that seeing the concord and agreement of his subjects and subordinate's, may hurt his tyranny, and hinder his wicked proceed: he must in policy serere odia & alere factiones inter eos, sow hatred and maintain factions among them, whereby being troubled among themselves, he may fish in that troubled water, and thereout suck no small advantage for distrusting one another, nihil audebunt in communi in eum m●chinari, they will not dare to combine against him. And to such Machivelian politicians, whose pot seetheth with the fire of their people's faction, I may justly imprecate with c Psal. 58. 9 David, Or ever their pot be made hot with these thorns, so let indignation vex them even as a thing that is raw▪ Behold all ye kindle a fire (saith the d isaiah 50. 11. Prophet) and are compassed about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. e Reip. gerend. praecep. Plutarch (though an heathen) teacheth them a better lesson in the school of policy, Ex officio civilis viri subiectis rebus hoc unum ei restat, etc. It is the only duty of a man who hath civil government, wherein he cannot better be employed, to to teach his people to use concord and traffic friendship among themselves: that he abolish all strifes, discord and hatred from among them, and give all diligence that he remedy private wrongs: that some strifes rise not at all, other be allayed and buried, others make no increase. And if dissension happen, that he so talk and confer with him injuried, that seeming to participate of his wrong, he pacify his fury and appease his mind; that he be their peace to make of two one, and breaking down the partition wall, slay hatred thereby. For seeing policy learned her platform of government from the hive, as framers of commonwealths do confess: surely though other Bees carry stings to fight and wound one another, yet as Rex apum, the governor of the Bees is f Senec. lib 1. de Clem. cap. 19 without a sting, or g A●●st lib. 5. de ●●st a●●●al. c. 21 useth it not though it have one: so should praepositus, saith Seneca; a governor be without gall like a Dove, with Paul gentle among his own, like a nurse cherishing her own chilldrens, and be like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamb, not like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lion, lurking in his den that he may ravish the poor. Psalm 10. 9 Be not as a Lion in thine own house (saith Ecclesiasticus), neither beat thy servants for thy fantasy, nor oppress them that are under thee, Eccles. 4. 30. Howbeit if with Cleo for maintaining their faction, aculeatos fucos in rempublicam inducant, as Plato speaketh, they bring in not industrious Bees, but biting drones into their hives, how carry they not many stings in their hinder parts? And I may send them to the Bee, as Solomon did some to the Ant, to learn and consider her ways, that as she ignawm fucos pecus à pres●pibus arched, they keep out idle drones which trouble but the swarm. Or if like that theefe-Bee they steal in another way then by the door, yet as duces apum improbos alucis p●llere conantur, ne seditiones in examine faciant, as h Lib. ●. d● 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 cap. ●0. Aristotle noteth: so they would cut off those that do disquiet them, and let no root of bitterness, though planted, yet not spring up to trouble all, ne pars sincera trahatur, lest many thereby be defiled, Heb. 12. 15. Melius ut pereat unus quàm unitas, saith i Tom 2 Epist. 100LS. Bernard: k Mat. 5. 29. 30. Better that one member perish, then that the whole body should be cast into hell: better that one man die, then that the whole nation should perish. God forbidden, that Bethel the house of God should become Bether an house of division: God defend, that Bethmarraboth, the house of bitterness wiped out, should become Behoram, the house of anger and wrath. God defend, that Jerusalem the vision of peace, which in David's government was like a city at unity in itself, (Psal. 122.) should in Lysias the chief captains time, be like jerusalem all on an uproar, Act. 21. God forbidden, that the head should rejoice to see the members bite and devour one another: or nourish drones in the hive, which work not at all, but are busy-bodies. For howsoever skilful Bee-keepers, and cunning hive-heards judge that swarm to be best fruitful in making honey, apud quod strepitus, susurrus frequens, tumultusque plurimum est, which buzzeth most, and makes the greatest stir and tumult, as l Loco cital. Aristotle noteth: yet that regent cui Deus civilis examinis curam imposuit, who hath government of the civil hive, saith m Reip. g●rend. precept. Plutarch, must judge them to make then most honey, when they are most peaceable and quiet, and think that when they are busy-bodies, they work not at all. For where strife and envying is, there are all manner of evil works, jam. 3. 16. Let me end this point with the n Rom. 16. 17. Apostles exhortation, Now I beseech you brethren mark them diligently which cause division and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have received, and avoid them: for they that are such serve not the Lord jesus but their own bellies, and with fair speech and flattering deceive the hearts of the simple. o Phil. 2. 1. 2 3. 4. And if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of compassion and mercy, fulfil my joy: my joy? yea, your heavenly Father's joy, the Church your mother's joy on earth, men's joy, the Angel's joy, and the devils grief and sorrow, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one judgement, that nothing be done through contention or vainglory: but that in meekness of mind every man esteem other better than himself. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of other, and the God that maketh p Psal. 68 men to be of one mind in an house, give you that ye be like minded. q 2. Cor. 13. 11 Be of one mind, live in peace civilly with your brethren, and the God of peace and love shall be with you. But be it that natural brethren of one Adam and Eve break 3 To thy spiritual brother. the links of consanguinity, and civil brethren of one head and common weal dissolve the bands of brotherhood in civil society: yet seeing (saith r Lib. de discip. Christ. cap. 1. Austin) as Christians, we have all one father, which is God; one mother the Church, whereby we are brethren in the spirit, let us keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. For seeing almighty God our s Mat. 23. 9 heavenly father hath t 1. Pet. 1. 2 3. begot us by the immortal seed of his word, in the u Esa. 46. 3. womb of his x Cant. 4. 9 10. Hos. 2 19 spouse the Church, which is the y Gal. 4. 26. Esa. 54. 1. 13. mother of us all: all ye Christians are brethren, saith Christ our elder z Rom. 8. 29. brother, Mat. 23. 8. Which spiritual fraternity (so the a 1. Pet. ●. 9 Apostle calls it) as it is more holy than carnal brotherhood: (for sanctior est copula cordium quàm corporum, saith b Tom. 1. lib. de mod. be●. vi●. ser. 5. de ch●r●●. Bernard) so should it be nearer linked in love, seeing coniunctiores sunt qui animis quàm qui corporibus coniunguntur, nearer are they of kin which are allied in the spirit, than they who are but of lineage in the flesh, as c Lib. 6 divin. instit. cap. 10. Lactantius observeth. Whereupon, as for that, the son of the Virgin Mary counted his mother more blessed for carrying him in her heart by grace, then in her womb by nature, Luk. 11. 28. so for this, our elder brother Christ preferred his spiritual brethren to his mother, and brethren in the flesh, Mat. 12. 49. Which mystical body of the Church, sith Christ hath knit together by joints and bands proceeding from him, Col. 2. 19 as the head doth our natural body by arteries and sinews derived from it: therefore showeth the Apostle to us seven of these bands and nerves of love, Ephes. 4. 4. First, we are one body, whose members must needs be knit together: secondly, we have all one spirit, whereby we are united together: thirdly, one hope of our vocation, for which as hopeful coheirs we should rejoice together: four, one Lord, whom as fellow-servants peaceably we serve together: fifthly, one faith, which we maintain together: sixtly, one baptism, in which we promised against his foes to fight together: and seventhly, one God and Father of all, who will have his children to be, and rejoiceth to see them in unity together. Which bonds of peace, common to us all, should link us in love, as those primitive Christians were one heart and one soul, when they had all things common, Act. 2. 4. For seeing amity and love springeth from likeness and equality, as d Lib. 8. Ethic. cap. 8. Aristotle, e Lib de amicit. Tully, and f Lib. de multit. amicorum. Plutarch teach: this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this though earthly oneness and identity, wrought even with heathen men so much, that old Hegio in the g Terent. Adel. act. 3. s●en. 5. Comedy from this could resolve never to break friendship, Cognatus mihi erat, unâ à pueris paruoli Sumus educati: unâ semper militiae & domi Fuimus: paupertatem unâ pertulimus gravem. Animam relinquam potiùs quàm deseram. We were borne together, we were brought up together, at home and abroad we always were together, we suffered want both together, nothing but death shall divorce us. h Val. Max. li. 1. cap. de ●ira●. Philostratus and Hippoclides, because they were borne in one day, had one schoolmaster and lesson of Philosophy, and one decrepit age, they had one mind and one affection, and one purse, their love continued to the last hour of their death, and died both together. What knit Tully and Scipio so together, that they were of one heart, and one soul in two bodies, but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and likeness, as himself i Lib. de amicit. confesseth, whereby they both lived in one house, fed at one table, learned one knowledge, fought in one war, traveled in one peregrination, and conversed in one rustication and country life? Such unity of minds this oneness of manners bred in these men, that he professeth himself, he never offended him in any thing to his knowledge; and confesseth of his friend, that he never heard any thing from his mouth that displeased him: wherefore well might he speak as he k Ci●. in Laelio. doth from his experience, that nothing doth more beget and bring up amity, than parity, equality and likeness, in the things of the body, of mind, and of fortune. What knit Austin and Alipius so indissolubly together, (to come to more spiritual friendship) but because (as he l Lib. 6. 8. 9 conf. confesseth) they were borne both in one town, Togasta in Africa, brought up in one study of learning, almost of one age, converted by one Ambrose at Milan, at one time, from one heresy, received one baptism and one spirit of new birth? And what should more link our hearts then that we are all borne of one immortal seed, in one womb of the Church, growing up in one body to the full stature of Christ, as members knit together by one spirit, all traveling to one Canaan and hope of our calling, in this way serving one Lord, maintaining one faith, fight together in one Sacrament and oath of Baptism, and lovingly living together as sons of one God and Father of all? O hearts harder than Adamant, complaineth m Eras. pacis quarim. peace: In rebus tam multis consortium, & in vita tam inexplicabile dissidium? In so many things fellowship, and in life no friendship? All one body, and in the members no sympathy? In all one spirit, and in the affections no harmonic? All one hope of heaven, and in coheirs no symphony? All one Lord, and in fellow servants no unity? All one faith, and in opinions no symmetry? All sworn in one Baptism, and in fellow soldiers no symmachie? all adopted by one Father, and in brethren no fraternity? For all these ones no unity? This of all other is argumentum maximi momenti, the most inducing motive, saith a n Beza maior ann. in Eph. 4. 4. Writer, and strongest argument that may be to love, that we are all by one God and Father, made one body through one Spirit, to serve one Lord in one faith, and consecrated to him by one Baptism, do hope all for one glorious inheritance whereunto we are called. Which seven Zach. o 11. 14. bands of brotherhood, seeing Satan hath dissolved, as Antiochus cut off the seven brethren which were knit together, 2. Mach. 7. give me leave to bind them faster than before, and seeing the unity of one God and Father is p Rolloc. in Eph. 4 first in order, somewhat inverting the links, to order them as Beza in that golden chain hath proposed them. First, we have all one God and Father of all, who as he is the 1. link of Christian brotherhood, One Father. author not of confusion but of peace, 1. Corint. 14. 33. so will he have all things in his house done honestly and by order, ver. 40. And rather so done, because as mightily he hath showed himself a Father of generation to us all, isaiah 64. 8. (wherein yet are both q Acts 17. 24. 28 beasts and r Verse 26. beastly men our brethren and our sisters but the s job 17. worms): so mercifully hath he been a Father of regeneration to redeem us his children, isaiah 63. 16. for which cause we may call t Math 13. 9 none our father on earth but him, nor any brethrens but the children of his spirit. From which former paternity of creation, as he called his creatures only good when they were severed apart; but then indeed very good when in one view he saw them v jun. in Gen. 1. 31. in symmetry united together, Gen. 1. 31: so from this later fatherhood of recreation he counts his new creatures good, when in peace they serve him by x Mat. 18. 20. two or three; but then only commendeth them for very good, when they all continue together with one accord in the temple, and in symphony praise him together, Acts 4. 46. yea so good, that in admiration thereof he crieth out in exclamation, Ecce quàm bonum, behold how good it is when brethren dwell together in unity, Psalm 133. For indeed as the eye (saith Saint y Lib. 3. de Gen. ad lit. cap. 24. Austin) the light of the body, though it seem fair and is well favoured in itself when it is apart from the whole, is yet more beautiful and comely when united with the members of this little world: so the light of the world was glorious and good in itself, when it was without the firmament of his lustre; Gen. 1. 4. but then only called most glorious and very good of its Father, when he saw it joined with the members of the greater world, verse 31. Which unity of creatures, if it be so good and comely in the eye of their mighty Father, who form them of dust by his word, then Quàm bonum & quàm jucundum, how good and comely is it in the eye of their merciful father, who framed them anew by his essential word, to see his children like brethren dwell together in unity? Which duty of accord, though as father rightly he might claim by that title of father, A son honoureth his father; If then I be a father, where is mine honour? And which service of unity, though as God justly he might challenge by that right of master: a servant honoureth his master, If then I be your master where is my fear? Mal. 1. 6. yet draweth he them with promise of reward in that Psalm, that they might do it at least like hired servants for their profit, which they would not for his pleasure as dutiful children: Ecce (saith he) behold how profitable and how pleasant it is; which sith, for himself, is not pleasant any thing unto the Almighty that thus thou art righteous, nor profitable unto him that thou makest thy ways thus upright, job 22. 3. (for as thy goods are not profitable, Psal. 16. so neither is thy goodness pleasant unto him for himself, job 35. 7.): surely the profit and the pleasure of this concord redounds to them alone that like brethren dwell together in unity. And though virtue have no reward better, as vice no punishment greater than itself, so that we should not need the spur of reward to be pricked forward to this, as neither the bridle of punishment to be restrained from that: yet is he here driven to call on our dull nature with the spurs of profit and pleasure, when we behold how profitable and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. For seeing omne amabile, every object of our love, which lodestone-like draweth our iron hearts to affect and embrace it, must be (as our z Arist. li. 8. eth. cap. 2. Moral-master teacheth) either good, or profitable, or pleasant: he setteth here this Psalm before our eyes as a glass, wherein we may behold how good, how profitable, and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity. The glory of which virtue was so eminent to the eye of his knowledge, that (as a Ser. 2. de pace ad frat. in erem. Austin noteth) Prius miraretur quàm ostenderet quid utilitatis & iucunditatis haberet, He first stood admiring it before he showed what profit and pleasure it afforded: and therefore that Father admiring this admiration of our heavenly Father, crieth out and exclaimeth, O quàm grandem admirationem proposuit! O what admirable and wonderful admiration he showed when he cried out, Behold! What marvelous profit and pleasure he proclaimed, when he wondered, how profitable and pleasant a thing it was. For pleasantness he b Psal. 133. 2. likeneth it to the sweet savour of Aaron's precious ointment, which ran down from his head to the skirts of his clothing: and for profit, to the c Verse 3. dew of Hermon, which watered the mountains of Zion, and made them fruitful hills. Some things indeed are good (saith d Ibid. Austin) but not delightsome, as fasting, watching, and afflictions are profitable but not pleasant, Hebr. 12. 11. some things are delightsome but not good, as gluttony, drunkenness, chambering, wantonness, and sin is pleasant but not profitable, 2. Pet. 2. 13. But wouldst thou have a good thing sweetened with pleasure, and a pleasant thing relishing of goodness, Ecce, Behold how good and pleasant it is: Miscuit utile dulci, he hath mingled here pleasantness to make thee taste, with good to make thee savour this great thing of God, and both procuring health in this life, and happiness in the other. For there (saith the Prophet) the Lord promised his blessing in this life, and life for evermore in the world to come, Psalm 133. 3. Behold then how good and pleasant it is, when love faiths younger brother, like e Gen. 43. 34. Benjamin the youngest hath his mess doubled of our joseph, and this holiness that is so pleasant and profitable unto all things, hath the promise of the life present, and of that which is to come, 1. Tim. 4. 8. The profitable pleasure of which brotherly unity, as God the Father did admire when he beheld it, so fell that good father into admiration of this peace and union of brethren when he saw it. O peace (saith f Ibid. Austin) mother of Eremites, father of Caenobites, sister of solitaries, thou bond of the patriarchs, thou chariot of the Prophets, thou refuge of the Apostles, thou solace of the Martyrs, thou girdle of Confessors, thou dance of virgins, thou glass of widows, thou spectacle of married folks, thou hate of tyrants, and halter of robbers. O peace and brotherly love, thou calmness of the mind, thou tranquillity of the soul, and singleness of the heart. This is the happiness which stantheth grudges, and quencheth broils, and stinteth garboils, pulleth down the crest of pride, embraceth the humble, appeaseth the disagreeing, and pacifieth the fury of foes. O peace, let thy possessor keep thee, let him that wants thee seek, and him that hath lost thee go after thee: for behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Which as it was joyful for David to behold in some of his kingdom, for ostend bat qui dicebat ecce (saith g In hunc Psal Austin) he pointed the finger to some whom he said Behold: so I wish this Psalm might now be said as truly Ecce, behold how brethren of one heavenly father dwell together in unity. I wish they that are without might point at us, as did the h Tertul. 39 apo. adverse. Gent. heathen at those Christians in the Primitive Church, and say, Behold how these Christians love one another. This was the Prophet David's Ecce: but I fear another ecce of the Prophet isaiah may point out too many. He that is their father looked for judgement, but ecce behold oppression: for righteousness, but behold a crying, isaiah. 5. 7. Beloved in Christ jesus, have we not all one i Mal. 2. Father? hath not one God made us? why then do we transgress every one against his brother, and break the covenant of our father? Though some false brethren, as they dealt with k Gal. 2. 4. Paul, that crept and came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ jesus of things indifferent, to bring us into bondage, have appropriated this name of brethren to themselves, yet conference found them like Simeon and Levi, but brethren in evil; and into their secret descend not thou my soul, my glory be not thou joined with their assembly, and a Canon hath discharged and dissolved the bonds of their brotherhood. That all Christians are indeed brethren, Rom. 8. 29. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a fraternity among ourselves from this one Father, 1. Pet. 5. 9 and therefore must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and love as brethren, 1. Pet. 3. 8. there is an herb almost in every hedge, which for it nature by some l Vid. Kemb. D●d Herbalists is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lover of brethren or Cliver, because in love it cleaves to every one that doth but touch it. This herb we pluck up, and let the root of bitterness spring up in our hearts, whereby many are defiled. But Paul the m 1. Cor. 3. best planter would have us let it grow on in our gardens, Heb. 13. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let brotherly love continue. For as in a garden knot, diversity of flowers and sweet herbs cause a more fragrant smell to him that keepeth them: so incundum est, it is a sweet smelling flower in the nostrils of him whom Mary supposed to be a gardener, when brethren dwell together in unity. I might add with David, It is also profitable unto them: for surely (saith n Ser. 11 de Quadrag. Leo) Apud suum patrem, qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum, non habebitur in numero filiorum, he shall never have the inheritance of sons with God his father in heaven, who hath not the love of brethrens with his mother the Church here on earth. Let us not then by our jars grieve the holy spirit of God our Father, whereby we are sealed for sons unto the day of redemption, Ephes. 4. 30. as Esau would not be avenged of o Genes. 27. 41. jaakob lest he should vex his father Isaac, who the rather should not be grieved with his contentious children, because he hath made them all One body, whereof his own son is the head. Ye are the 2. link, one body. body of Christ, and every man a member thereof for his part, 1. Cor. 12. 27. Now how absurd in nature would it seem to a natural man, that the members of the body (as I said before) 1. unity in the body. should be divided? That head was mad in judas which plotted, the feet were unnatural that went, and the hands cruel which executed the other members with an halter, Mat. 27. 5. they were lunatic feet & possessed with a devil, which oft times carried their fellow members into the fire, and oft times into the water, Mat. 19 15. It was a tongue denying the faith, and forswearing nature, which cursed its fellow-members, Mat. 26. 74. They were hands possessed with a legion of devils, which struck their fellow-members with stones, Mark 5. 5. and most unnatural teeth which did p isaiah. 9 20. eat up the arms and q isaiah. 49. 26. devoured their own flesh. For if thus the feet of the body mystical shall presume to rise against the head, and each member against his fellow, what is this (saith r Orat. 1. de reconcil. Monach. Nazianzene) but the dissolution of the joints and destruction of the whole? If the mystical members shall thus strive each with other, the reverend body of Christ must needs be rend asunder, and Satan by our hands shall divide the seamless coat of Christ, which by the cruel soldiers that crucified the head he could not effect, john 19 24. Because indeed the twelve tribes of Israel according to the flesh should be divided in themselves and rent in two parts, Ahijah the Prophet tore jeroboams garment in twelve pieces, 1. Kings 11. 30. but because Israel after the spirit should not be rend in schisms, 1. Cor. 3. Christ would not have his seamless coat divided, as s De vnit●t. Ecclesia. Cyprian well observeth: and yet it is doleful to see what division among the members of Christ; in whose body humorists like distempering humours in the fit & fever of blind zeal, run beyond the sobriety of knowledge and the temper of Christ's body. But blessed be that Physician which giveth them a cup of cold water to drink for allaying of their hot fit, verily he shall not lose his reward. It is ruthful to see, how when the Galatians would have plucked out their eyes to give t Gal 4. 15. Paul, the hands of Christ's body would pluck out the eyes to give themselves sport, as the Philistines did Samson, and our tongues of persuasion would teach the eyes to be no higher than themselves in the body, and have no greater lights than stars in the Church, which is a u 1. Tim. 3 15. firmament of truth, nor those to differ one star from another star in glory. We have not wanted many a Diotrephes, Qui quoniam non possunt primum locum obtinere in Ecclesia, idcirco eam scindunt vel ab ea deficiunt, as x Mayor ann●●. in 1. Cor. 12. 15. Beza speaketh, who (it seems) said by experience of some in our Church, and for love of good brethren concealeth the Church, who because they could not have the pre-eminence among us to be one of the two eyes of this body, would therefore not be of the body; and when blazing comets could not be the Sun or Moon, would fall from heaven with the tail of the Dragon and become wandering stars, as the y jud. 13. Apostle well terms them. And though as z 2. Tim 3. 8. 9 jannes' and jambres withstood Moses, these also resist the truth; yet the comfort is, they shall prevail no longer, for their madness shall be evident unto all men as theirs also was, but of this more anon: and mean while let them know from Saint a Ser. 2 de pace a●frat. in erem. Austin, that as the spirit of man vivifieth not the corporal members unless they be joined in unity; so neither the spirit of God quickeneth the spiritual members unless they be united in peace: and so united, that like as those, though they have not the same office, have yet the same care one for another, 1. Cor. 12. 4. 25. so these though they have divers gifts and operations of the spirit, yet be one another's 2. Community. members in the body, Rom. 12. 5. 6. For as the eye seethe more for other parts then for itself: so must the wise with b job 29 15. job be the eye of wisdom in counsel to the ignorant and blind, and look not every man on his own things, but on the things also of other men, Philip. 2. 4. As the hands are not strong for themselves alone, but for defence of the rest: so must with c Verse 12. him the hands of help in the Nobles deliver the poor, the fatherless, and him that hath no help. As the feet sustain not or carry themselves, but the whole: so must those strong men of supportance in the gentry, with d Verse 15. him be feet to the lame, and support one another through love, Ephes. 4. 2. As the head deviseth not so much its own as the good of the whole; so with e Verse 16. him must the head of advice in the Lawyers, seek out the cause for them that know it not. As the ear heareth not alone for itself, but the whole: so with him must the ear of justice in the magistrates deliver the poor that crieth, job 29. 12. and so as they did him, the eye that seethe their justice, shall give witness to magistrates; the ear that heareth their wisdom, shall bless the counsel; the hands that receive their help, shall defend the Nobles: the feet that feel their sustenance, shall support the gentry: that (as f In Psal. 130. Austin noteth) though the eye see and hear not, the ear hear and see not, the hand work and neither hear nor see; and the foot walk, and neither hear, see, nor work: yet the eye may say, the ear heareth for me, and the ear may say, the eye seethe for me, and either say, the hand worketh for me, and the hand say, both see & hear for me, and all three confess the foot walketh for them: seeing singula servari totius interest, the safety of one is the safeguard of all, as g Lib. 2. de ira cap. 31. Seneca well observes. Thus those three thousand Christians which were members of this body, had such care one of another, that none among them lacked, but had all things common which were communicable, Acts 4. and each distributed to other as he had need, as the natural members have care one for another. Thus those other Christians in the Primitive Church, had a community of hand and heart one with another, Omnia indiscreta sunt apud nos praeter v●cores, All things (said they by Apol. h adverse. G●mez. Tertullian their mouth) are common amongst us, except the marriage bed, In illo loco consortium soluimus, in quo solo caeteri homines consortium exercent, in that place we break company, in which alone these heathen are companions. This should be the mutual care of Christ's members, sith the members of the body have such care one for another: that as these, if one suffer, all suffer with it, 1. Cor. 12. 26. 3. compassion. so also they suffer one with another, 1. Pet. 3. 8. Which place of Saint Paul, father i Tom. 10. homil. 15. de mod. quo no● invic. dilig. deb. & tract. 32. in J●an. & in Psal. 130. Austin in his works oft expounding, most excellently shows this mutual compassion: Behold (saith he) the foot treadeth on a thorn, and see how all the members condole it: the back bends itself, the head stoopeth, the eye most remote in place diligently searcheth, the ears attend where it is said to be, the hands pull it out, every member is busied to secure it: and yet neither head, nor eye, nor ear, nor hand, nor any part but the foot was pricked with the thorn. And this is that memento of compassion and fellow-feeling, which the Apostle enjoineth fellow-members of this body, Hebr. 13. 3. Remember them that are in bonds, as if ye were bound with them: and them that are in affliction, as if ye were also afflicted in the body. This sympathy of Christ's members Paul commandeth Christians, Rejoice with them that rejoice, & weep with them that weep. Rom. 12. 15. This like-affection even nature k A●ist lib. 9 Ethic. cap. 4. teacheth all men, who would have a friend to be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also, to be of like affection one towards another, that whether our fellow-member sing of mercy or judgement, pipe unto us of his wealth, we dance for joy, or mourn for his woe, we lament. This was l job. jobs commiseration, Did not I weep with him that was in trouble? and was not my soul in heaviness for the poor? But alas, where is this weeping with them that weep? We weep often, but it is like the Crocodile, who first kills a man, and then weeps feignedly for him, but for all her tears, after devoureth him. Such a Crocodile was m jer. 41. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, who having slain Gedaliah, wept for him forsooth, and with his feigned tears moved Gedaliah his friends to come and mourn for him, and at advantage slew them with the sword. These weepers for their fellow-members afflictions, are like those hired women-mourners, jer. 9 17. 18. which with the woman of Tekoah feign themselves to mourn, and put on mourning apparel, 2. Sam. 14. 2. which can now so weep with them that weep, as presently rejoice with them that rejoice, and are rather passionate then compassionate members, whose heaviness may endure (it may be) for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Those that indeed will be true condolers, must so be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1. Pet. 3. 8. and suffer with another, that (as Beza paraphrastically well turns it) they be mutuo molestiarum sensu affecti, be touched with the sense and feeling of their griefs. We n Diodor. Sicul. lib 4. dereb. of't. cap. 1. read of such compassion among the AEthiopians, that if any one be hurt or harmed in any part by misfortune, all his domesticals and friends hurt themselves in the same: if he halt on the right, they limp on the same: if on the left leg, in compassion they halt on the left, & communis est omnium felicitas & infelicitas, saith mine Author, these natural men like the natural members are touched with the sense and feeling of one another's griefs. And if we will not learn of barbarous and unwise, yet let us learn of the wise and holy men of God, at least let us learn of our members which we still carry about us. Behold and consider thyself, O man. If Paul's face be smitten with the rod, the tongue it complains, why smitest thou me? the heart it sobs and sighs, why grievest thou me? the eye it watereth with grief, why saltest thou me? the head it shakes, why vexest thou me? the hand it points him out, why wrongest thou me? Behold in a throng and press of people (saith o Hom. 15. citat. Austin) if the foot be trodden upon, the tongue complaineth, thou treadest on me: if he reply to it, I trod on the foot, I touched not thee: Yes thou trodest on me saith charity, 4. congratulation thou trodest on me saith sympathy, thou trodest on me saith unity: their suffering is mutual as their joy reciprocal, If one member be had in honour, all rejoice with it. Is the back to be decked and adorned with costly raiment? for joy the head will invent it, the eye will lust it, the feet fetch it, the tongue prise it, the hand invest it, and the head like our p Mat. 25. Saviour will congratulate them all. In that ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me. This was the rejoicing of Paul with the Ph●lippians for their heavenly health, and their resounding joy with him for his spiritual wealth, Phil. 2. 17. 18. We were comforted (saith q 2. Cor. 7. 13. he to the Corinth's) because ye were comforted: and this confidence have I of you all, that my joy is the joy of you all, 2. Cor. 2. 3. This is the congratulation of Saints, to rejoice with others joy, and be glad they have that in others, which they possess not themselves, ut singulorum beatitudo sit omnium, & omnium beatitudinum universit as singulorum, saith r Tom. 4. lib. de amicit. cap. 22. Austin: That the wealth of each one may be the weal of all, and their common prosperity each once particular plenty: that one body being at unity, the members may have community, and that common care move sympathy, and compassion of the members which are linked by a nearer bond of One spirit. Which as a soul in this mystical body knitteth 3. link, one spirit all her members with joints and nerves, nearer than the spirit of man doth the limbs of his body with arteries and sinews of the flesh. For as in the divine essence, though there be three persons which are in themselves distinct, yet because they all have one spirit and nature, 1. joh. 5. they have therefore but one will, joh. 17. 21. So we also though we be many persons and members of one body, 1. Cor. 12. 12. yet because we have all but one spirit, vers. 13. we must needs be like them (Act. 4.) of one heart and one mind. And therefore sith from one soul and spirit human, contrary judgements, disagreeing thoughts, and opposite motions cannot properly proceed, but (as s Arist. lib. 9 Eth●c. cap. 4. Nature teacheth) the same desire, the same lust and will: well concluded Paul his Philippians in the bond of peace from the unity of this spirit, Phil. 2. 2. If there be any fellowship of the spirit, saith he, be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one judgement. And indeed, seeing as corporal wedlock putteth two souls in one body, Eph. 5. 31. so spiritual marriage with Christ through this spirit, maketh but one soul (as it were) in two bodies, 1. Sam. 18. as t Lib. 8 Ethic. Aristotle spoke of friendship. Surely as the former couple being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as u Ephes 3. 6. Paul speaketh) of the same body, must needs be x Philip. 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yokefellows, to Eccles. y 26. 7. draw both one way: so these latter pair, being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the same spirit, (Phil. 2. 2.) must needs also be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yokefellows, to mind one thing, and draw both one way in their judgements. Thus were those former Christians of one heart and soul, 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 judgement, because we have one spirit. And this is the nearest of all bonds that heaven and earth can afford. For our God of peace to knit our affections, bindeth us with all cords of love possible to be found. First, because men of one kingdom love one another better than strangers, that we might do so, he made us one kingdom, 1. Pet. 2. not any of us alients and foreigners, but all of one commonwealth, Ephes. 2. 12. And because in one kingdom, men of one city commonly love best, that we might do so, he made us fellow-citizens, and that with the Saints, vers. 19 And because in one town factions do arise, and domesticals love more: that we might do no less, he made us one household, as there we may read. And because often man's enemies are they of his house, and brethren of all the family love best: that we might do likewise, he made us all brethren, Mat. 23. And yet because brethren may jar, and the members never fall to war: that we might never fall out, he made us one body, Ephes. 4. And yet again, because the members of his body may be divided, and our soul is never at division: that our minds, wills, and judgements might for ever be united, he gave us 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 body of Antichrist, because it hath not this one spirit, but like that mad body in the h Mark 5. 1. Gospel is possessed with a legion of evil spirits, let her members beat one another as did his, which cannot be bound with these chains of unity, as his could not with bands. But seeing Christ's body, which ye are, hath one spirit: i 1. Cor. 1. 10. I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord jesus Christ's sake, that ye all speak one thing, that there be no dissensions among you, but be ye knit together in one mind, and in one judgement, Ephes. k 4. 3. endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: and rather because it is commanded by One Lord. For though on earth there be many Lords, yet unto 4. link, one Lord us there is but one Lord jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 1. Cor. 8. 6. who as he came in the l Luke 2. reign of Augustus, a time of peace, and was brought from heaven with an m Verse 14. Angelical song of peace; so being indeed the n isaiah. 9 6. Prince of peace, at his return to his Father, left he his servants the cognisance of peace, joh. 14. 27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. For as malice is Satan's livery, whereby even Cain is discerned to be of that wicked one, 1. john. 3. 12. so is love Christ's badge, by which each one is known to belong to this Lord, vers. 19 By this (saith he) shall all men know, that ye are my disciples and servants, if ye love one another, joh. 13. 35. Not by crying, Lord, Lord, not by casting out many devils, not by doing any great miracles in my name, not by prophesying in my name, Mat. 7. 22. not by speaking with the tongue of men and Angels, not by having the gift of prophecy, not by knowing all secrets & all knowledge, not by faith that can remove mountains, not by feeding the poor with all your goods, nor by giving your bodies to be burned, 1. Cor. 13. But in hoc cognoscent, by this cognisance shall all men know ye are my servants, if ye love one another. Other that are wicked may have all these gifts, as before I have showed; but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the Apostle, by this badge are the children of God known & the children of the devil, 1. joh. 3. 10. This was the badge, whereby as the Scribes and pharisees o Acts 4. 13. knew by the boldness and learning of Peter and john, that they had been with Christ: so the heathen knew those primitive saints to be Christians and belonged to Christ, when they cried, Vide ut invicem se diligant, See how these Christians love one another. Ipsi enim invicem oderunt, for they hated one another, saith p Apol. 39 adu. Gent Tertullian, and showed by their badge, that they were of their father the devil, seeing the q john 8. 44. lusts of their father they would do, and be as ready to kill one another, as we to die one for another, & lay down our lives for the brethren. Which badge of one Lord, seeing to wear on one arm is not sufficient for them, who like Publicans and sinners love none but their friends, Math. 5. 46. our prince of peace, because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, will have his servants to wear it not only on their breast, but also on their back, and love their foes as well as their friends, Math. 5. 44. A new commandment (saith this one Lord) I give unto you, that ye love one another, joh. 13. 34. But how one another? Even as I (saith he) have loved you mine enemies, that ye love one another. Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye do well, for so am I. If I then your Lord and master have washed your feet in love to my foes, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. These are (beloved fellow-servants) the arms of your one Lord, whereby ye may show of what house ye come, & whether to one Lord, as servants? yea as brethren ye belong. Lovers of their friends are to him but half a kin, yea are but his brethren in law, even of their wrested law, r Mat. 5 43. who taught to love a friend and hate an enemy: nay they are not allied to this one Lord, unless Publicans and sinners be his kindred. Lovers of their foes they are his nearest kin, even his father, and mother, his sisters and his brethren, Math. 12. 50. Now (beloved in Christ jesus) sith this one Lord left us his badge when he went, to know us to be his servants when he returns, what will he say when he finds on our backs the mark of the Beast, and on our breasts the badge of the devil? He will say to such Christians as s Mat. 22. he said of the coin, Whose image and superscription hath it? whose badge and cognisance is this that you wear? Satan's? why then give to Satan that which is Satan's: ye serve not one Lord alone it seems by your arms: ye t Zeph. 1. 5. swear by the Lord and by Malcham: your u Hos. 10 2. heart is divided into an x Psal. 12. 2. heart to your friends, and an heart to your foes, that ye halt between me and Satan. If y 2. King. 18. 21 he be your Lord go after him, but if I be your one and only Lord, come after me alone: for z Luk. 16. 13. ye cannot serve us two masters, whose service is so a Gal. 5. 17. contrary, as the b jam. 4. 4. amity of the one is the enmity of the other, and whosoever will be a friend of Satan, maketh himself the enemy of God this one Lord. O then ye servants of my God, lean not to Satan, unless ye will leave this one Lord. Keep not back like c Act. 5. Ananias and Saphira part of his possession. The son and Lord of David, like his d 2. Sam. 16. father will not be served with followers whose beards are half shaven, and with curtailed wedding garments of love. He who requireth the whole heart and not the half, Prou. 23. like the true e 1 King. 3. 26. mother will not have it divided into parts, but will have all the heart, all the soul, and all the mind, thrice all, lest a thought of malice should stay behind, Math. 22. 37. For which service of your one Lord, if doubting your reward ye resolve with them in Malachi. 3. 14. It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his commandment, and walked humbly before the Lord of hosts? Therefore we count the proud blessed: even they that work wickedness are set up, and they that tempt God, yea, they are delivered; O tarry the Lords leisure for his reward. Erit tempus, there will be, there will be a time, when he will discern between the righteous and the wicked, saith the Prophet, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not, Verse. last. He that waiteth on his Lord shall come to honour, f Prou. 27. 18. saith Solomon. Which though it oft be not so with our earthly Lords, yet the Lord will not forget his people, nor forsake them that be godly. Thou Lord, saith David, hast never failed them that serve thee, Psal. But as he promised his followers a reward, and appointed unto them a kingdom, because they had continued with him, and followed him in the regeneration, Luke 22. so will this one Lord, if him alone ye serve in love, give you the kingdom when that great donative shall fall into his hand, for you to receive it. Howbeit if this one Lord cannot link fellow servants in love, yet the One faith wherein all we serve him, should knit the faithful 3. Link, One faith. in affection. Where, by faith, whether we understand that faith in God, Mark. 11. 22. by which g Rom. 5. 1. hand we receive h Rom. 6. 23. that gift of God, and i 1. Tim. 6. 12. lay hold on eternal life; or that faith of God, Apocal. 14. 12. by which seed of the word we conceive this hope of that kingdom (as k Acquit & Zench. in Ephes. 4. 4. some do them both): either of them is so specifically one in the object of one Lord which they apprehend (though neither numerically one in the subjects wherein they are comprehended) that they should link the subjects together wherein they dwell, to this one Lord whereon they work. And touching the former, though each man hath his own One faith in God. particular faith, by which alone he shall live, Abak. 2. 4. which in S. Paul is not numerically one with the faith of his Titus, yet have they both one faith of the elect, Tit. 1. 1. which specifically is one, and called a common faith to them both in respect of the object, vers. 4. and still through the Scripture termed in the singular number, the faith of the Saints, whether Jews or Gentiles. For howsoever that Apostle may seem unto some, to distinguish Two doubtful places expounded. the jews faith from the faith of the Gentiles, in saying, One God shall justify circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. of faith, and through Former. faith uncircumcision, Rom. 3. 30. from which diverse prepositions in l As Rom. 11. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And 1. Cor. 11. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other places m Lib. 3. in Ro. 3. 30. Origen here proposeth some diversity: yet is not this spoken (saith n Lib. de spirit. & lit. cap. 29. Austin) to make any difference between the faiths of these two nations, as if of, and as though through faith did really differ; for as here he averreth, circumcision shall be justified of faith, so elsewhere he avoucheth that God will justify the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of faith also, Gal. 3. 8. And as here he affirmeth, that uncircumcision shall be justified by faith, so elsewhere he confirmeth, that the jews shall be justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise by faith, Gal. 2. 16. But this one faith shadowed under these two prepositions, whether it was thus spoken ad veritatem locutionis, as that Father noteth, as Pharaoh his dream though one in o Gen 41. 25. matter was doubled in manner, p Verse 31. because the thing was certain and of importance: or whether it was to increase and exaggerate the thing (as Martyr thinketh) with these two diverse phrases, as q Col. 1. 16. All things were created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of him, and through him. elsewhere he doth in another cause: or whether (as Jerome judgeth) he would rather change the phrase than ingeminate the same, as r 1. Cor. 12. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. elsewhere he doth in one verse: or to check the jews supposed real difference of their justification from the Gentiles, by a verbal difference, as with Calvin I rather think: surely though these prepositions be diverse, yet the propositions are the same, as generally most ancient and late writers do agree. As if, when the jews looked for a difference from his mouth, he should have said: And will you needs have one? here is all: God will justify the jews of faith, & through faith the Gentiles, which differ but in word. Or those of faith, saith Calvin, because they were borne heirs of the covenant, and received it ex patribus, of their fathers, Rom. 9 and these by faith, because it was to them adventitious and through the fall of the jews. Rom. 11. 11. ●atter doubt●ll place. There also may seem one faith of the jews and another of Gentiles, where the Apostle saith, By the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Roman. 1. 17. Which revelation nevertheless, whether it be meant from the faith of Preachers to the faith of their hearers, as s Lib. de spirit. & lit. cap. 11. Austin: or from the faith of the jew to faith of the Gentile, as Jerome: or from the faith of God promising, to the faith of man believing, as Ambrose: or from faith in the old, to faith in the new Testament, as chrysostom: or rather from faith imperfect, to faith more perfect in degree, with Musculus and Aretius I rather deem: surely it is not distinct in either, but one in both them and us, which like t Macrob. Sat. lib. 1. janus being bifrons, two-faced, in the jews (as it did in u joh. 8. 56. Abraham that saw Christ's day) looked forward to him that was to come, and in us Gentiles looketh backward unto him who is already gone, as Peter witnessed of us both when he spoke of this bifrons fides, Act. 15. 11. We believe to be saved through the grace of Christ even as they. For he hath put no difference between us and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts. Which last exposition of our latest expounders, as it suiteth with the limbs of the text, so is it semblable to like phrase of Scripture, where the godly are said to grow from strength to strength, Psal. 84. and to be changed from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord, 2. Cor. 3. 18. and here from faith to faith, Ro. 1. 17. from a x Mat. 6. 30. little faith to a y Mat. 15. 28. great faith, as he prayed in the z Mat. 9 24 Gospel, Lord I believe, help my unbelief, or as the a Luk. 17. 5. Apostles, Increase our faith. For howsoever the Apostle, saith b Strom. lib 5. in princip. Clemens Alexandrinus, seem to import a double faith in this place, yet he purporteth but one, quae per augmentum ad perfectionem contendat, a mustered seed of faith planted by Paul, which watered by Apollo, may grow up to a great tree, in whose branches the graces of heaven may build their nests, as he seems to allude. Thus then have we all, whether Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, rich or poor, one faith, one I say, though not in every subject wherein it dwelleth, yet one in the object on which it worketh, the free grace of God in Christ jesus, who was yesterday c Caluian Heb. 13. 8 & aly. under the Law, and is to day in the Gospel the same jesus and Saviour for ever. Heb. 13. How should we not then all agree in one light of truth, being 1. Use. so many beams shining from this one Sun of righteousness? How should we not all bear one fruit of the spirit, being so many branches engrafted in this one vine and root of jesse? How should we not all relish alike each to other, being so many brooks derived from this one fountain of grace? How should we not all consent in one sense and judgement, being so many nerves proceeding from this one head of wisdom? How should we not all be of one affection, being so many arteries springing from this one heart of love? How should we not all be of one mind, being so many veins drawing our nourishment from this one liver of life? How should we not all be of one accord in Christ jesus, being so many lines drawn from this one centre of grace? How should we not lastly square and proportion all our souls and bodies each to other, being so many living stones coupled and built together on this corner stone and foundation Christ jesus the author & finisher of this one faith? O what sympathy in our bodies, and unity in our souls should it make, that these desperate compatients are healed by this one Physician? O what symphony of tongues and free affection should it cause, that forlorn captives we are freed all together by this one redemption? O what unity of spirit and conjunction of mind bred it in the children of Israel, that this one Saviour made them all d Exod. 15. 1. one miraculous way into the holy land, through the red sea wherein he drowned their enemies? And what union of mind should it cause in us true Israel, that he hath e Heb. 10, 19 10 made us all enter into the holy place by one new and living way, even his blood, in the red sea whereof he hath drowned all our foes the fiends of hell? As we all then (blessed brethren) go this one way through truth unto life, so let us not fall out by the way through any error in this life; we have all one faith and grace of God in Christ jesus, the one and only means of our salvation. Which one faith, seeing our adversaries of the Romish synagogue 2. Use. rend in sunder by their idolatrous superstitions, how can we be but unequally yoked with those infidels? What fraternity and fellowship can the righteousness of Christ have with the unrighteousness of Antichrist? What communion or common union can light have with darkness? What concord Christ with Belial? What part the believer aright with the infidel? & what agreement the temple of God with devils? saith S. Paul 2. Cor. 6. 16. For though f Lib. 4. princip. s●d. cap. 10. Stapleton slander our Church with renting this one faith, yet sith the foundation of their faith is not the rock alone whereon we build, but that other of sand. 1. Cor. 3. as hath been in * By D. K. throughout his conference. conference learnedly showed: if their religion be superstition, and their Christian profession Antichristianisme, which hath been as solidly and substantially * By D. D. and D Ao. in their Tracts of Antichrist. proved: without doubt we have rightly come out from among them, and separated ourselves justly as g Tract de Eccl. cap. 10. per totum. Philip Mornay hath sufficiently demonstrated. For seeing this one faith and only means of life they refuse at his hands who freely offereth them all-sufficiency, and answer wickedly, what h 2. Sam. 24. David did well, Not so, but I will buy it of thee at a price: seeing they count Christ's rob of righteousness not large enough to cover their nakedness of sin, but patch too a piece of new cloth, as if this old were out worn: seeing they botch to it the i Esa. 64. 6. menstruous and filthy clouts of their own righteousness, which like the k 2. Sam. 10. 4. 5. curtailed garments of David's servants cannot hide their shame, but do indeed defile them as l job. 9 31. job confessed: Mine own garments defile me, and had more need to be washed themselves in the blood of the Lamb, then be able to wipe away their scarlet sins: truly if they will be our brethren in this one faith, they must know, that when they came to buy food of life at our m Gen. 42. 25. joseph with money in their bags, and merit in their hands, that they have corn enough at his hands for nought, and their money back again: that they have salvation for nought, and their merits back again. For as God took from our first parents their clothes of fig leaves which covered not all their shame, and made them coats of skins to hide all their nakedness, Gen. 3. 21. so till Christ take from them their rags of righteousness and fig leaves of merits, and put on them his sheeps clothing, which is the rob of his innocency, we must think they have not put on the Lord jesus the author and finisher of this one faith, neither saith Christ here in my text Be reconciled to these brethren. Yea, sith they n jer. 2 13. leave the fountain of living water, from which wellspring of life they should draw their health, and dig to themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water; sith as o jonah 1. 5. jonahs' mariners called in their trouble every man on his god, so to them in their misery are as many gods, and (to speak with p 1. Cor. 8 5. S. Paul) as many Lords as ever had the q Aug. lib 4. de civit. Dei, cap. 8. heathen, on whom they call. In r G. So 〈…〉, to 3 in Psal. 65. dangers, Nicholas in shipwreck, as the heathens did Neptune: Laurence and Florianus in house-burning, as the Ethnics did Vesta: john and Paul in tempests: Leonard in bonds & imprisonment: for diseases, Valentine in the falling sickness, as they did Hercules: Roctius and Sebastian in the Plague: Ottilia for sore eyes; Apollonia for the toothache: Margaret in childbirth, as the pagans did juno: and Petronella for fevers. For temporal things, generally Anne, as the paynim did juno: S. Lupus for their corn, as the other did Ceres: Vrban & Medard for their vines, as they did Bacchus: Gallus for their geese: Anthony for their swine: Wendeline for their sheep: Eulogius for their horses: Pelagius for their oxen. In liberal sciences, in general Gregory and Catharine, as they Apollo and Minerva; in special, Augustine for divinity, Ivo for law: Casman and Damianus in physic, as the other Esculapius. In mechanical trades, Crispin in the shoes trade, Gudman in the butchers, Severine in the weavers, and joseph in the carpenters trade. In hunting Eustachius, and in riding Saint George on horseback. Yea sith every nation, region, province, nay town and village, have their tutelar, or rather titular gods, on whom they call for help in distress, as in Germany S. Martin and S. George: in Italy, Peter and S. Paul: In Spain S. james: in France Michael and Dionysius: in Helvetia Marie: in Hungary Lodovick: in Poland Stanislaus: in Muscovie Nicholas: in Borussia Albert: in Colen the three wisemen of the East, called the three Kings of Colen: in Auspurge Huldericke: in Milan S. Ambrose: and at Francfort Bartholomew: & quomodo possint uno loco libri huius commemorari omnia nomina deorum & dearum quae grandibus voluminibus vix comprehendere potuerunt? as speaketh Austin in that catalogue of the gods among the heathen, how can I in one Chapter of this book reckon the beadrole & recite all the names of their gods and goddesses, which a large volume could not contain, seeing singulis rebus propria dispertiunt officia numinum, as he speaketh of them; they have tutelar gods in every toy & trifle, that I may justly exprobrate to them as jeremy did to the idolatrous Israelites, Where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise if they can help thee in time of thy trouble. For s jer. 11. 13. according to the number of thy Cities are thy gods o juda. jerem. 2. 28. Seeing (I say) they have made this shipwreck of this one faith on the sands of their merits, and have not built but run against the rock, and stumbled at the stone of offence: seeing wicked men, like those false Prophets Deut. 13. 13. have gone out from among us, as the Raven from the Ark never to return, and drawn away the inhabitants of their City, saying, Let us go and serve other gods which we have not known: seeing they t 1. joh. 2. 19 went out from us, that were not of us (for if they had been of us they would have continued with us) either for ambitious pre-eminence, like u 2. joh. 9 Diotrephes, by that serpentine persuasion, x Gen. 3. 5. Here shall ye be as gods: or with y 2. Tim 4. 10. Demas for gaining this present world with that z Mat. 4. 9 diabolical promise, All these things will I give thee: or as said a 1. Sam. 22. 7. Saul to his servants, Hear now ye sons of Gemini, will the son of Ishas, will Christ the root of jesse, give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all Captains over thousands, and Captains over hundreds, that ye all have conspired against me? Seeing they have forsaken us in the foundation, justly we them in the building of this one faith, as b Gen. 7. 1. 7. Noah forsook the old world, c Gen. 12. 1. Abraham the Canaanites, d Gen. 19 17. Lot the Sodomites, e Exod. 12. 37. 41. Israel the Egyptians, and Christ himself the pharisees: and though they would build with us, how can we build with them, when they on the sand and we on the rock, when they Babel and we jerusalem? How can we go with a right foot to their work, when they give us not the right hands of fellowship, but sinistraes societatis, the left hands of their jesuitical society? Wherefore no reconcilement to them who are the enemies of one faith, as Israel was forbidden to make peace with Moab and Ammon, Deut. 23. 6. And though they cry like 2. f . jehoram, Is it peace jehu? is it peace Protestant? we may answer like him, What peace, whiles the whoredoms of thy mother jezabel and her whichcrafts are yet in great number? For as the Prophet g 2 jehu asked Ichosaphat, wouldst thou help the wicked, and love them that hate the Lord? Should Christians be friends with them who are enemies to the cross of Christ? No, no, saith God to his Prophet, If thou return to them, then will I bring thee back again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take away the precious from the vile, thou shalt be according to my word. Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them, jer. 15. 19 and I will make thee unto this people a strong brazen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee to save thee and deliver thee, saith the Lord. Howbeit if ever God shall grant them repentance, that they may know the truth, and come out of the snare of the devil wherein they are taken: if ever they shall come into the unity of this faith, we will glorify God for them, when they preach this one faith which before they destroyed: yea we will give thanks unto God with these words of David, saith h Comment. i● Psal. 133. 1. Calume, Ecce quam bonum & quam incundum habitare fratres in unum. We will sing and make a merry noise to the God of jaakob, when he shall turn them from the power of Satan to God, as i Gen. 9 27. he persuaded japheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. Mean while (saith that writer) we must embrace all of them which submit themselves to this one faith and righteousness of God: and let us wish with stretched out arms to embrace all that descent from us, if to return in unitatem fidei, into this unity of faith they refuse not. If any kick against the pricks, valere sinamus, let us bid them adieu, because no fraternity must we have but with the chil-of God and brethren in one faith. Which seeing we hold fast as 2. One fa●th of God. the anchor of our hope, steadfast and sure in all storms, we should not like Paul's mariners so jar in our judgements, as to leave the ship of the Church in her strait course of heaven, and fly each one to the cockbote of his private opinion. For seeing that one faith in God is grounded on this one faith of God, which is the word of truth: surely as that doctrine is no other but the k Ephes. 2. 17. Gospel of peace; nor hath any author but the 1. l Cor. 14. 33. God of peace, nor any ministers but the m Rom. 10. 15 messengers of peace: so requireth it no duty more than the n Rom 12. 18. study of peace, nor commendeth any unity so much as the o Ephes. 4. 3. bond of peace, nor commandeth any profession so often as her followers to be p Luke 10. 6. children of peace, nor any charge so strait as her Apostles and sent ones to be Ambassadors of peace. Nevertheless though we all proceed by one rule of this matter, yet mind we not so all one thing in the manner, but that consenting in the doctrine which is according to godliness, we descent in some questions and strife of words, whereof cometh envy and evil surmises, 1. Tim. 6. 5. Of which teaching otherwise, I dare not, as q Lib 3. Off. c. 3. Tully said of some, Nobis nostra academia magnam licentiam d●t, our University this way gives us much liberty, ut quodcunque maxime probabile occurraet id iure nostro liceat defendere, that we may broach whatsoever strange doctrine we think probable. Yet dare I with r Lib. 18. Moral. cap. 6. Gregory avouch of some newfangled questionists, Praedicamenta doctrinae quae quaerunt ad questionem, habere non valent ad refectionem, that they give heed to brawlings about the law, which breed questions rather than godly edifying which is by faith, 1. Tim. 1. 4. as whether the late writers are not to be preferred to the ancient fathers: and whether humanitu in sermons be not unlawful. The Apostle bids such put away these questions, because they are foolish and unlearned, 2. Timoth. 2. 23. Foolish in preferring the children before their fathers, as our green hair doth itself before grey heads, and imberbis theologiae thinks itself able to teach grave Doctors how to preach, Unlearned, in calling the lawfulness of learning into question; and in Timothy and Titus commandeth all Bishops which are the heads of the tribes and overseers of the seers, not only to put them away when they are broached by them, but to stay foolish questions, or as the word may import, to quench them in one before they set many or any in the Church on fire, 2. Tim. 2 16. Tit. 3. 9 For as fire (saith s ●●rp. gerund. p●aec. p. Plutarch) gins not first in the sacred and public places, but breeds first in a private house by some snuff of a candle among straw, and after sets on fire the church of the town: so these snuffs of candles that fall among our papers in the study, if they be not stayed will fire the Church of God. How much the more were it to be wished, that as our reverend fathers have happily caused an uniformity of discipline in the Church; so they would not only execute that peacemaking Canon, that none preach against the doctrine of another, but prescribe also generant tenants of our Church to be followed by Churchmen in the lesser matters of doctrine, that these foolish questions and unlearned might be stayed. And if the jews be tied to their Cabala, the Turks to their Koran, Logicians to the axioms of their Aristotle, Physicians to the aphorisms of their Hypocrates and Galen, Geomatrician to the compasses of Eisclide, Rhetoricians to the precepts of Tully. Lawyers to the maxims of their justinian, yea Grammatians to the rules of their Lily, why not babes in Christ's school to her rules, who is a Lily of the valleys, and as a Lily among thorns, so this Christ's love among the daughter●? Cant. 2. 2. We read of a crafty King in t Lib. de 〈◊〉 & Oris●a. Plutarch, who knowing his enemies the Egyptians would out match him in strength if they matched in minds and accorded in their counsel, enjoined each country the worshipping of divers beasts which were enemies by nature, and would pray each on other; and while every one defended his beast against the ravine of another, and took his wrongs impatiently, it came to pass at last (saith mine author) ut ob animalium immicitias ipsae quoque gentes re no obserua●a infestae sibi invicem hostesque redderentur, that by the enmity of their beasts the people themselves unawares became such enemies that he subdued them. Thus and more than so subtle is the Prince of darkness, who perceiving us to be insuperabiles nisi separabiles, impregnable while knit in one mind and judgement, he soweth strange questions among us, as tars among wheat, which no less we adore than they did their several gods (for alas though in general like the u 2. King 17. 33 41. Samaritans we worship one God, & hold alone truth of faith yet some have like them their household gods, and private opinions, which as idols they adore): and these contrary opinions while we defend against others, & contend about strife of words, ob opinichum inimicitias re non obseruata ipsi quoque h●stes reddimur, of this doting on questions and strife of words (to English it from S. Paul) cometh envy, strife, railings, and evil surmisings through vain disputations of men, 1. Tim. 6. 4. After which novelties as men's ears do naturally itch, 2. Tim. 4. 3. when x Acts 17 21. Athenian-like they give themselves to nothing so much as to heat some new things: so are thereby y Ephes▪ 4▪ 14. wavering children carried about with every wind of vain doctrine, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by hazard-cast and chance-throw of men that speak at advantage, or as z F●●●er in C●●t. 215. some expound it, that can cog a die with craft for advantage, whereby they lie in wait to deceive the simple. And therefore as spiritual fathers must forbear to carry them up and down with divers and strange doctrines, Hebr. 13. 9 so must they, if they will bear and beget children of peace, be themselves the messengers and fathers of peace, lest their life cast their doctrine in the teeth with that reproach, Rom. 2. 21. Thou which teachest another peace, teachest thou not thyself? and thou that preachest a man should not ●ar in the house, dost thou war in the temple of God? For as a Orata de reconcil. Monac. Nazianzene said wittily of Zacharies silence, the strings of whose tongue his son john Baptists birth unloosed, non decebat ut pater vocis sileret cum vox progrederetur, it was not meet the father who had begotten a b john 3. 23. voice and a crier, should himself remain silent: so neither is it fit the spiritual father, who begeteth peace in his people, should continue himself an unpeaceable pastor. From which, whether strife of words in his doctrive, or railing and envy in life, (the two Two motives unto peace in preaching. daughters of teaching otherwise, 1. Tim. 6. 3.) how can I better dissuade my fellow-servant, then insinuate with Saint Paul, that while in the one he takes no heed to himself, and attends not to his doctrine in the other, he shall neither save himself nor those 1. 〈◊〉 of himself. that hear him, 1. Tim 4. 16. For though he swell with the abundance of supposed revelations in the profundity of his knowledge, yet that science puffs him but up, saith the Apostle, ●e. 4 and like a bladder with a prick of his conscience shall he inevocably shrink, being destitute of true wisdom, and corrupt in his mind. And if thus he sit in c Math. 23. 1. Moses chair to his people, and in that d Psal. 1. 1. seat of wickedness to fellow-pastors, he may happily save his flock by preaching to others, but shall be a castaway himself in not consenting with his fellows, 1. Cor. 9 And ●●deed if his doctrine cry peace, peace, to his people, when there is no peace in him with other Preachers, as he is but like the Cook dressing meat for others, and e Heb 6. tastes not himself of the good word of God: so shall he be like Noah's carpenters, that made the Ark to save others, and perished themselves in the flood. For if thus like Mercury, he point out the way of peace to others which himself doth not walk, he shall be that unwise witty man which hath instructed many, and yet is unprofitable to himself, Eccles. 37. 18. yea so unprofitable, as although like the water of Baptism, saith f Homil. 27. Gregory, he wash away by God's grace the sins of other men, and send them to heaven, ipse tamen in cloacas descendet, yet shall himself like it go down into the sink of sin and pit of perdition, that all men may truly cry of him as they did of g Math. 27 4●. Christ untruly, He saved others, but himself he cannot save, and himself at his end most wretchedly complain, h Ca●●. 1. ●. They made me the keeper of others vines, but I kept not mine own vine. 2. Saving them that hear him Which the rather he should attend, seeing as by strife, envy, and hatred, which come of strange questions and teaching otherwise, he shall not save himself: so his sheep refusing to drink of his troubled water, he shall hardly save those that hear him. Wherein, sith loquere ut videam, speak in the pulpit that I may see it in thy practice, is still thy people's voice to their Pastor, as they said to the chief shepherd of our souls, i joh. 6. 30. quid facis, quid operaris, ut videamus & credamus tibi? What dost thou work, that we may see and believe thee? surely thy flock like k Gen. 30. 38. 3● jacob's sheep in drinking of thy water, will conceive of the immortal seed like the rods (I mean examples and works) that are before their eyes. And therefore as Christ the arch-shepheard l Act. 1. 1. first wrought and then taught, m Luk. 24. 1●. first was mighty in deed, and then powerful in word, and wrought that in thirty years, which after he taught but in three; as first in them showed the blessedness of poverty, and then taught in these, n Luk. 6. 20. Blessed are the poor: first wept in the cratch, and then taught, o Verse 21. Blessed are they that weep: first himself hungered▪ and then taught, p Verse 22. Blessed are the hungry: first would be persecuted into Egypt, and then taught, Blessed are the persecuted for my sake, to make his doctrine more effectual: so these sub-shepheards & pro-pastors too, if they will persuade Israel to go the way of peace into the promised land, must like the q Deut. 1. 25. spiers that searched that country, show them first the good fruit thereof in their hands, before they preach and bring them word, It is a good land which the Lord doth give you, go up and possess it. For as r Epist. ad H●r. 〈◊〉 Cyprian said truly in the person of our people: If when I ask a fellow-traveller the right way to our country, he point me out one, and go himself another, I will not regard his words that he speaketh, but follow his paths that he walketh. Which yet neither he, nor I speak from him, to stay any from going the way of peace, which at the pointing of Mercury they should run, though it go not before them: but to tell the leaders of the people, whose works should be miracles to conduct, as their words are oracles to instruct, that unless with s Phil. 3 17. Paul the● can say, Be ye followers of me, and walk so as ye have us for an example, they will not follow peace nor ensue it. And indeed etsi ●ultis projunt dicendo quae non faciunt, pluribus tamen prodessent faciendo quae dicunt, although they win many by saying as they do not, yet should they gain more by doing as they say, saith t Lib. 4. de doctr. Christ cap. 27. S. Aust●ne. And therefore as the house Cock, saith u P●sto●al part. 4. cap. 6. Gregory, the better to waken others by his crow of day, to make them rise to their labour, first waketh himself thoroughly by clapping of his wings: so he who is the watchman of Israel, the better to waken others with that day-crow of Paul▪ Rom. 13. Hora nunc est nos è somno expergisci, It is now the hour we should arise from sleep, must first waken himself thoroughly with these two wings of taking heed to himself, and to doctrine, before he cry y Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. We read of john Baptist, that not only he had a voice, but he was a voice, joh. 1. 2●. a voice in his head, a voice in his hand, a voice in his word, a voice in his work, a voice in his eye, a voice in his ear, a voice in his feet, and a voice in his apparel, a voice in his meat, and a voice in his fasting▪ that I may truly say of him as said z ●. Cor. 14. 10. Paul in another meaning▪ There were so many kinds of voices (as it came to pass) in th● 〈◊〉 word, and none of them was dumb: and he might say of himself with a Verse 18. S. Paul of as good tongues, I thank God I speak more languages than ye all. And this cloven tongue of john Baptist, this vox, vocis & vitae, of life and learning, drew the wicked pharisees to his baptism. And as the Poet's fable of Amphtons' voice, that it drew savage men to civility, as it had been trees & stones to the building of Thebes: so this voice drew dead trees to be trees of righteousness, and of stones raised children to Abraham, Math. 3. Many have a voice indeed, like Herod the voice of God rather than of men, but like john they are not a voice. Or as Plutarch spoke of the Nightingale, Voxes, praeterea nihil, many a sweet singer in Israel have a voice and nothing else, which crieth, peace, peace to their sheep, when there is no peace in them to the shepherd's: and their sermons of peace to their babes confuted by an unpeaceable life to stronger men, nourisheth them not with sincere milk, sith like milk under too much fire, in turns in the seething. Wherefore as Publicans and harlots came to john in the way of obedience, because he came to them in the way of righteousness, Math. 21. 32. and even the Priests and elders rejoiced for a season in his light, b joh. 5. ●5. because he was both a shining in doctrine, and a burning lamp in life: yea many walked in his light, because this star went before them to Christ, and standing over him, pointed him out both by life and doctrine. Behold the Lamb: so will thy sheep flock to thy food, when thou leadest them by life to green pastures, & come to thy light when thy deeds are not reproved. Otherwise if thou hold out the word of truth and peace to others, when thou art unpeaceable thyself, thou art but as a swifler, which carrieth a torch in his own hand, to show others his deformity, whereby he is derided: and thou lettest thy light shine before men, that they may see thine evil works, whereby thou art despised. Thou breakest down with one hand what thou bu●ltest with the other, like the mother that waking nourished her child, but with her falling asleep killed him, 1. Reg 3. 19 Wherefore (to conclude this point) if pastors will have their people to bring aures & dextras, their ears and right hands to build up themselves in love, as the women brought in aures & dextralia, their ear-rings and bracelets to the building of the Tabernacle: they must like the high Priest have urim and Thummim written in their breasts, as those beasts in c Chap. 1. 8. Ezechiel had an hand for every wing, and a work for every word as he had a d Exod. 28. 34. Pomegranate for every bell. And then illa vox libentius auditorum corda penetrate, quam dicent is vita commendat, as e Past. part. 2. cap. 3. Gregory speaketh, that preaching best speedeth, which hath commendatory letters from the practice; & validior est operis quàm linguae vox: more effectual to persuade (saith f Ser. 59 in Cant. Bernard) is the word of a work, than the work of ame word, to them whose ears are in their eyes, and their eyes in their hands, that like Thomas they believe not thy words, unless they see the print of g Eccles. 12. 11 those nails in thy hands and thy feet, which were sastened by the masters of the assembly. And seeing the contentious pastor that beats his fellow servant, carrieth a sword in one hand to cut down what he built with his trowel in the other, let him take heed, saith h Lib. 5. divin. instit. cap. 2. Lactantius, lest as his good preaching reproveth his evil life, so his evil life reprove his good preaching, that it become a castaway. That when men refuse his doctrine, he may answer with the i joh. 5. 36. shepherd of his soul, The works that I do, they bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me, and if ye believe not me, at least believe me for the very works sake, which are the fruits of the spirit. And let these spiritual fathers be brethren of peace, if they will beget sons of peace with one faith, that as by having salt in themselves, they may save their souls, so by attending to this one faith they may have peace one with another, and save those that hear them. Which unity of faith we should the rather keep in the bond of peace, sith we have all One baptism, the solemn sacrament and oath of our warfare, 6. Link, One Baptism. wherein we have sworn before God, men and Angels, to fight under our Captain against his enemies together as one man. For seeing k Arist. lib. 8. Ethie. cap. 12. nature hath taught even natural men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a love and unity among fellow-soldiers, whose affections and fists the same cause combineth in the field: much more may grace teach Christians, who are fellow-soldiers for the soul, to fight together, like Israel, as one man, jud. 20. 11. Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, saith Paul to his Philippians, that ye continue in one spirit, and in one mind, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, fight together through the faith of the Gospel, Philip. 1. 27. l Lib. 9 Curtius storieth of certain barbarous people, that though they were ever banding in arms one against another, yet when Alexander the Great came upon them, quos aliâs bellare inter se solitos, tunc periculi societas iunxerat, the quality of danger wherein they were joined, joined also their hearts and hands together as one man. m Lib. de frat. amor. Plutarch reporteth no less of the men of Crete, who though they were often at civil war and sedition among themselves, yet when foreign power did assault them, pacem ac societatem coierunt, they conjoined their mutual aid, & took truce with themselves, which they termed n Erasm Chil. cent. 1. adig. 11. syncretismum, the joining of the Cretans together as one man. And seeing we wrestle not like them against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers, the governors of the world, and princes of darkness, Eph. 6. 12. for this cause should we take unto us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to resist them in the evil day, and having finished all things stand fast. This should be our synchristianismus, the Christian-continuance in one mind and one spirit, fight together for the faith of the Gospel against the enemies of the cross. Which, as it is glorious to see, how we all accord against the common adversary in matter of faith and religion: so is it as doleful to behold, how they who consent in the substance, descent in the circumstance, & they who agree in the corner stone, disagree in a corner cap. It cannot be denied what long jar hath been between two Captains of our host, as that long war twixt the house of o 2. Sam. 3● Saul and the house of David; I mean those mountains, which as the Psalmist speaks, should have brought peace to the valleys & people below them, with those two hills in the story, have fought so fiercely each against other, that they shaked the cottages, and weakened (I fear) the houses that were built upon them, and would have continued if the house of Saul had not waxen weaker, and David's house grown stronger from the Lord. It cannot be denied how some humorists (like distempering humours) would have altered the state of this mystical body, wherein frigida pugnârunt calidis, humentia siccis, and moisture or dew of the spirit hath striven against drought, as cold charity against heat in a good cause. It befell p Epist. 8 ad p 〈…〉. de 5 presbyteris scis●●aticis. S. Cyprian, as he complaineth of five schismatical presbyters, and I wish some in our Church might not sing the same song. Quorundam presbyterorum malignitas & perfidia, dum coniurationis suae memores, & antiqua illa contra Episcopatum me●m, 〈◊〉 contra suffragium vestrum & Dei judicium venena retinentes▪ instaurant veterem contra nos impugnationem suam, & sacrilega 〈…〉 chinas insidijs solitis denuò renovant. A nobis non ciecti ultrò se 〈…〉 unt, & de Ecclesia sponte se pellunt. Nunc apparuit Felicissimi f 〈…〉 unde venisset, quibus radicibus & quibus viribus staret; high foments olim quibusdam confessoribus & hortamenta tribuebant, ne concerdarent cum Episcopo suo, nec Ecclesiasticam disciplinam cum fide & quiet juxta praecepta Dominica continerent, ne confession●s suae gloriam incorrupta & immaculata conversatione seruarent. Which whether it be the puff of ambition in some, who like Diotrep●● would have pre-eminence, qui quoniam non possunt primum ●●cum in Ecclesia obtinere, idcirco illam s●indunt, vel ab ea d●ficu●t as q Mayor annot in 1. Cor. 12. 15. Beza himself truly speaketh, or the prick of their private spirit, who would have all things made according to the pa 〈…〉 showed to them in the mount: sure I am with r De unit. Eccl. Cyprian, the devil hath invented schisms, whereby he might subvert faith, corrupt verity, and rend unity, ut quos detinere non potuit viae veteris c●citate, deciperet novi itiner is errore. That them, whom he could not keep in Popery, he might deceive with Puritanitive. Wherein as they plead that the Church government might be 〈…〉 ●crely ministered according to God's word: so build they on a false ground, both fashioning the ripe years of the Church to 〈◊〉: infancy▪ and seeing the Apostles who perfected the rules of doctrine, scant drew the lines of discipline for every Church. All discipline of the Church according to God's word? I wonder their reading hath not read, or their faith believeth not Calu●● that great reformer of Geneva, s 〈◊〉 in 1. C●r 11. 2 who telleth them all so expressly, Seimus vn●●uique Ecclesiae liberum esse, politiae formam in's 〈…〉 re sibi ap●am & utilem: quia Dominus nihil certi praescripscrit. We know (saith Calvin) that it is free for every Church to make a form of discipline or policy fit and profitable for itself, because the Lord hath prescribed no certainty in this behalf. Let them hear Christ t . cap. ●● Martin Bucer another of that mind, Ecclesiis Christi sua est permittenda libertas, quò unaquaeque eum praefiniat modum & rationem sacrarum lectionum, interpretationum Scripturarum, Catechismi, administrationis Sacramentorum, precum & Psalmorum: item publicè peccantium reprehensionis, etc. quam possit quaelibet Ecclesia confidere suis populis maxime conducturam, etc. And exhorteth every reformer or deformer rather, ut quantum possis, in his rebus observes conformitatem, that as much as thou canst, in these things thou conform. Let them hear u 〈◊〉 56 ● 1. Cor. 11. 2. Gualther, who so often wished reformation, Quoad fidei & salutis doctrinam traditiones Apostolorum nullas agnoscimus, quam quae symbolo continentur, q●oad externam vero Ecclesiae formam non inficiamur illos passim multa tradidisse, de ordine coetuum Ecclesiasticorum, de Sacramentorum administratione, & tota Ecclesiae oeconomia. In quibus cum non possit eadem ubique gentium forma observari, sic illa instituerunt, prout urbis aut gentis ali●uius conditionem requirere videbant. Et constat omnibus seculis Ecclesias in his libertate sua usas fuisse: & proinde iniquos nimirum esse, qui body vel sub traditionum Apostolicarum nomine, vel quocunque alio praetextu omnes ad eandem formam astringere conantur. Of this mind is x Loc corn. de potest. minist. Musculus, y De potest. Eccl. cap. 10. 11. 12 1● Danaeus, z Lib. 8. de sum. script. cap 4. Kimedoncius, and even a Confess. cap. 5. de Eccles. art 17 18. Beza himself, most strict disciplinarians that might be. Wherefore they grievously offend, saith b Lib. 1. in 4. precept. cap. 19 vid. Zanchius, who for these indifferent ceremonies, trouble the churches of God by their schism; haeccine est pietas quum iactamus? haeccine est charitas quam debemus Ecclesiis & fratribus? Is this the piety saith he, and purity whereof we brag? Is this the charity we own to our mother the Church and our brethren? Shall we thus Pharise-like tithe anise and Cummin, and leave the greater matters of the Law? Shall we thus strive and struggle in the womb of Rebeccah? Is this the oath we took in our baptism, to sight together as one man against Satan? Shall we thus stand amazed at squares and rounds▪ at white and at black? Surely then the bystanders will say, A Puritan is a Protestant frayed out of his wits, that swalloweth a Camel in life, and straineth out a Gnat in discipline. I wish they would rather hear S. * Epist. 118. cap. 2. ad jan. Austin's judgement, speaking of these ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies: Totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet obseruationes, nec disciplina ulla est in his melior gravi prudentique Christiano, quam ut eo modo agate, quo agere viderit Ecclesiam, ad quamcunque foriè devenerit. Quod enim neque contra fidem, neque contra bonos mores iniungitur, indifferenter est habendum, & pro eorum inter quos vivitur, societate seruandum est. Cum Romam venio (saith he) ieiuno Sabbatho: cum hîc sum, non ieiuno. Sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris, eius morem serva, si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo, nec quemquam tibi. If our gnat-strainers weighed this well, they would not for wearing of a surplise bury their talon in a napkin; they would not stand on a corner cap, as on the corner stone; they would not trouble Christ's spouse for a ring in marriage, and refuse to present her as a chaste virgin to Christ: they would not for the cross in Baptism leave the fountain of living water, and become such enemies to the cross of Christ jesus. The use whereof, if it be Antichristian and Popish (as they pretend) then was the good Emperor Constantine a Papist, then were the ancients all Papists, who used it so often. I find indeed three uses of it among them. First, they signed their foreheads with the sign of the cross at their going out, coming in, appareling, shoeing, washing, eating, lying down, sitting, lighting of candles, as b Lib de Cor●n. milit ad omnem progressum atque promotum▪ ad omnem aditum & exitum ad vestitum, & calceatum, ad lavacra, ad mensa●, ad lumina, ad cubilia, ad sedilia, quamcunque nos conversatio exercet, frontem cru● is signaculo terimus. Harum & aliarum eiusmodi disciplnarū si legem expostules, scripturarum nullam inventes, traditio tibi praerendetur auctrix consuetudo confirmatrix, & fides obsiruatrix. Rationem traditioni, consuetudeni fidei patrocinaturan aut ipse perspicies, aut ab aliquo qui perspexerit, disces. Tertullian showeth those Primitive Christians did by tradition and custom, which afterward c jerom Epist. ad Heliodor. & Epist. ad Eustoch. de virgi●●tate. Lactantio in. lib. 4. de vera sap. cap. 27. Chrysost. tom. 3. demonst. adverse. Gent. Cyrill. jerysol Catech 4. August in Psal. 141 & lib. 2 de Symb ad Catech. cap. 1. others used (as they thought) to drive away the devil. And thus the d Gregor. mag. lib. 3. dialog. Vincent. lib. 23. cap. 29. & 103. etc. Papists (who never found an error spewed out by any ancient which they licked not up) superstitiously do abuse it. Secondly, as the jews for better remembrance sprinkled the paschal lambs blood on their door posts, Exod. 12. so those ancient Christians in like manner, for better memorial of Christ's death and passion, signed their forehead with the sign of the cross, as e Lib. 4. de vera sapient. cap. 26. Lactantius and Saint Austin observe. Thirdly, whereas the heathen taunted Christians with their crucified Christ, as the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. in his days insinuateth of some, We preach Christ crucified, unto the jews even a stumbling block, & unto the Grecians foolishness: the ancient Christians stoutly resolving with Saint Paul, Gal. 6: But God forbidden that we should roioyce in any thing but in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ, whereby the f Cap. 20. de Catec. rudib. world is crucified unto us, and we unto the world, in the place of all shame make the sign of the Cross, in sign that they were not ashamed of their crucified Christ. And this Austin in his 10. sermon on the feast of the holy Cross, preaching on that cited text of the Apostle, Gal. 6. But God forbidden that I should rejoice in any thing but in the cross of Christ, etc. doth observe. His words, because I speak only to the learned, I will cite in Latin, Non est magnum in Christi sapientia gloriari: magnum est in cruse gloriari. unde tibi insultat impius, gloriatur inde pius: unde exultat superbus, inde gloriatur Christianus: noli erubescere de cruce Christi●ideo in front, tanquam in sede pudoris, signum accepisti. Recole frontem tuam●ne linguam expavescas alienam. And ser. 8. de verb. Apost. he saith, As low Zacheus climbed up into the figtree to see Christ; so must we up to the cross to find our crucified Saviour, De cruse Christi nobis insultant sapientes huius mundi, & dicunt, Quale cor habetis qui Christum colitis Crucifixum? Quale cor habemus? saith he, non utique vestrum. Sapientia huius mundi, August. lib. 4. de Symb. ad Catech. cap. 5. non debet erubescera anima Christiana, in crucifixum se credidisse Christum. Crux illa fidelibus non est opprobrium, sed triumphus. Crux illa vexillum nostrum est contra, adversarium diabolum. stultitia est apud Deum, etc. Apprehendat Zachaeus sycomorum, ascendat humilis crucem. Parum est ascendat, ne de cruse Christi erubescat: in front illam figat, ubi sedes pudores est: ibi omnino, ibi in quo membro erubescitur, ibi figatur unde non erubescitur: puta quia tu irrides sycomorum, & ipsa me fecit videre jesum. Sed tu irrides sycomorum qui homo es, stultum autem Dei sapientius est quam hominum. This third use is religious, howsoever the other be judged superstitious, and this is the end, reason and cause why it is used in Baptism by our Church, as the Common prayer book teacheth, where the Minister at Baptism giveth this reason of using that sign, We do sign him with the sign of the cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner. In this respect was it used in Baptism in Saint Austin's days, Signo crucis consecratur unda baptismatis, saith he, lib. 6. in julian. cap. 8. and his judgement g Aug. tract. 11● in evang Joan, cap. 19 is, that without it Baptism cannot rightly be administered: Quid est (saith he) quod omnes noverunt signum Christi, nisi crux Christi? Quod signum, nisi adhibeatur sive frontibus credentium, sive ipsi aquae qua regenerantur, sive oleo quo chrismate unguntur, sive sacrificio quo aluntur, nihil eorum ritè perficitur. Quomodo ergo per id quod mali faciunt, nihil boni sig ufis atur, quando per crucem Christi quam fecerunt mali in celebratione sacram●ntorum eius bonum nobis omne signatur? Yea that father ser. 15. in festo sanctae crucis saith further, Signum veteris Testamenti circumcisio in latenti carne: signum novi Testamenti crux in libera front: ibi occultatio est, hîc revelatio. Illud est sub velamine, hoc in fancy. Nos enim revelata facie gloriam Domini speculantes, in eandem imaginem transformamur de gloria in gloriam, tanquam ● Domini spiritu. Nowm testamentum in veteri velabatur: Vetus te ●●mentum in novo reuclatur. Ideo signum ab occulto transcat in manifestum, & incipit esse in front quod latchat sub vest. And surely sith Papists receive Antichrists mark in their foreheads, Ap●c. 13. 16. why should not Protestants contrariwise receive Christ's mark and sign in their foreheads? Those that were saved in the city's destruction, Ezek. 9 were signed in their foreheads with T. which last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, to this day used by the Samaritans, hath the form & figure of Christ's cross which we make in our foreheads, as Jerome avoucheth, & the elect also who are saved from the power of hell, Apoc. 7. are and must be sealed in their foreheads, as the Angel averreth. I speak not now of the Popish abuse, but of the right use of it in baptism. I know some ancient did attribute too much thereunto, while h La●tan. lib. 4. cap 26. some thought it drove away devils; 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. gave and caused great victories: that it m Niceph. lib. eadem, cap 32. August. lib. 22. de civitat. Dei. cap 8. helped and healed divers diseases: that it n Procr●p. apud E●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. him 6. Cyril lib. 8. in Joan. cap. 17. expels all faults. And the Papists who believe & use it to this end, superstitiously abuse it. But this is no reason, protestāns may not lawfully use it, because Papists ●nlawfully abuse it. This is to give advantage to the adversary, who r Annot. in Tertustian. calleth Caluinists Claudius Taurinensis his sectaries for this, & may be likened to * Abeant in malain rem Caluinist●e, ait annot. in Tertull. Abeant judai, qui citra coninmelid far nequeunt transuersa in medium crucis festucas velligna, quibus si proponeres ad solunt sive pelem crucifixt mill aureos quos d●res auserē●i, mallet eorum, qui 〈…〉 ●●tam pauperimus, tanta carere pecunia, quam hoc pa●io se ad maginem crucifixi inclinare, ait De● arben lib. de m●rib. jud. cap. 3 & 30. jews, who cannot abide to see two pieces of wood laid cross one over the other: for whom if any should lay down a thousand crowns at the feet of the crucifix, promising to give it them for stooping and bending to take it up, each of them (though most poor and needy) would rather want so great a mass of money, than thus bend & incline themselves toward the crucifix. Let me rather exhort all men or wisdom to prefer the Church's peace before their private credit. And though some think it conscience to make a schism in the Church, and sever themselves like those five Presbyters, whereof Cyprian so complained, yet as he addeth to some other, Sed nemo vos filios ecclesiae de ecclesia tollat. Pereant si●t soli qui perire volverunt. Extra ecclesiam soli remancant qui de ecclesia rec●ss●rūt. Soli cum Episcopis non sint qui contra Episcopos rebel 〈…〉. Conuirationis suae poenas soli, subeant qui per Dei judicia sentitiā ceniurationis & malignitatis suae subire meruerunt: si quis autem● Felicissimi & satellitum eius partes concesserit, & see haeretic● 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. james, even of your lusts that fight in your members? Ye lust and have not: ye envy, and have indignation because ye cannot obtain: ye fight and war because ye get nothing. They would and will not; they dissemble ambition under the cloak of dislike, because the master of the feast bids them not, Friend sit up higher, as of some here, in his days speaketh joannes d Lib. ●. de m●gis curial. c. 18 v●d. Sarisburiensis. And we have many a john, who if he could be Sarisburien●ss, would preach the faith which before he destroyed, and retract like Paul, When I was a little one I spoke like a child, I understood 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 mutiny in the camp against the discipline of our warfare: so other gregarij milites in doctrine, sheath their pens like swords in the captains of our boast. For as e Plut. de garra●. Antipater the Stoic when he neither could nor would dispute with Carneades that wise and learned Philosopher, who oppugned the Stoics, wrote yet bitter books against him, whence he was well called Calamoboas, as pen-pratler: so have we some Stoical Antipater's, sons fight against the fathers of our Church, whom self-love (as the f Torent Eunuc. Act. 3. Scene 1. Parisite counseled Thraso to cross Thais in every word) hath made contradict their fathers in every point of least moment. And though they cannot preach against them by mouth, because the strings of their tongues are tied up: yet dicere quae nequeunt scribere jussit amor, seeming love to the truth makes them love what they cannot utter, and may be termed calamoboontes, pen-preachers. I wish these who have the voice of jaakob but indeed the hands of Esau, that as their tongue justly cleaves to the roof of their mouth, so they could not have pen and paper to fight against their fathers, but their right hand also might forget her cunning. For certainly, as they of Athens said truly of their divisions: Auximus Philippum nostris dissentionibus, so have we strengthened the Pope and Philip's faction by these our dissensions, and many (as said our wise Solomon and living Library) are drawn to be Papists by such factious behaviour: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Good Lord, it brings great sorrow to all Greeks, (said g Homer. lib. 1. Iliad. Nestor of the strife betwixt Agamemnon and Achilles:) it causeth much grief to God's Church, when sons fight against their fathers, green heads against grey hairs, and men of yesterday cross antiquity when verity doth concur. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Truly king Priam's and his sons, the prince of darkness and his children will laugh at it: and other Troyans', our Romish enemies that trouble us, will rejoice at it. Contention (I grant) may oft fall among Christ's Saints and fellow-soldiers of one faith, as between Paul and Barnabas, Act. 15. betwixt Paul and Peter, Gal. 2. Cyprian and Cornelius, Origen and African, chrysostom and Theophilus of Alexandria, Epiphanius and john of jerusalem, Ruffinus and Jerome, Jerome and Austin, Austin and Simplicianus, Prosper and Hilary, Gregory and Eutychius of Constantinople: but especially Austin and S. Jerome, who fought as hotly with their pens, as ever did Caesar and Pompey with their swords, as one speaketh: but see their challenge and combat each with other: h jerons' Epist. ad August. ● Tres s●●●l, etc. Tom. 2. Faxit Deus ut veritas ipsa nostrae disputationis elucescat: God grant (said they) that the truth by our disputation may appear: for if I be overcome (saith Jerome) I shall overcome in my brother Austin, and conquer mine error wherein I was entangled: for I seek not mine own praise, but the glory of Christ jesus. But alas, when we writ, like Aeschines and Demosthenes, we writ bitter things one against another: Et nos discordes sumus sine ulla reconciliatione, ut nunquam in unum conveniamus, as i Oras. 2. de pace. Nazianzene speaketh of such like. We are so stiff in our opinions, that when we are persuaded of the truth, we cannot be persuaded to confess it. For which jars, whether in matter of some doctrine, or manner of our discipline, if any jesuite of Philip's faction, as k Not. 7. de E●●l. Bellarmine doth upbraid us with rents and schisms among ourselves: I may bandy it back again, and answer him as l Pl●t. de ad●l. & amic. discord. Demaratu ● did Philip of Macedon, who ask him tauntingly: How do ye Grecians agree at Athens and Peloponnesus, when himself was fallen out with his wife and own son: Indeed thou dost well (quoth he) Philip to inquire of our concord, qui familiam tuam tanta patris seditione & dissentione laborare, who hast so great discord & dissension at home in thine house. I may answer them with m Orat. 2. de Pace. Nazianzene ask in a like imputation: Vbi sunt qui vulneribus sunt pleni, nobis verò cicatricis exprobrant? qui pedum offensiones traducunt, quum ipsi pleno ruant casu? qui coeno sunt obuoluti, & propter maculas nostras exultant? qui trabem in oculis habent, & festucas nobis obijciunt? Where are these fellows, who are full of wounds, and upbraid us with scars? which traduce us for slipping, when themselves fall down headlong? which are covered with mire, and triumph at our spots? which see a mote in our eyes, and have a beam in their own? And though Bellarmine boast of their unity, that They are brethren in one religion, he put in a li too much, as that n Mus●. loc. come. de minist. & Rainold. admon●t. ad Typog. Printer, who put out a di to such, made it Carnales for Cardinals, Carnals for Cardinals. For sith they have Monks, Nuns, Eremites, Anchorites, Friars, black, white, grey, Augustine's, Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carthusians, Capouchians, Carmelites, even an hundred Orders, as o ●ox tom. 1. pag. 339. one counteth their catalogue, which have as many dissensions in their * Vide Mus loc. come. Marra●●a. Papism, as ever had the p Vide August. lib. 18. de civit. Dei, cap. 41. heathens in their Paganism: Et quot sunt sodalitia tot sunt factiones, as q Pac●s quaer. Erasmus well observed, and so many orders so many factions, so many men so many minds. We may think the Lord hath come down to these builders of Babel and confounded their language, seeing he hath thus set every man's sword (I mean tongue and pen) of these r jud. 7. 22. Madianites upon his brother in the host. And I may answer the jesuite with the s H●rat. lib. 2. Sa● 3. Poet: O maior tandem parcas insane minori: hypocrite, first cast out the beam, the beam in thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in ours. Wherefore seeing we all (to end this) like lines meet and consent in the centre of religion, though not all in the circumference of opinion: this harmony of minds in the matter of doctrine, should breed such a consort in the manner of discipline that henceforth we should be all of one mind and one judgement. Rather, seeing as good t Euseb. lib 2. de vit. Const. ca ●7. Constantine that great Emperor, exhorted Arius and Alexander to put away a foolish question that fired the Church: so our gracious Sovereign like a blessed peacemaker, hath decided the difference of ceremonies indifferent: who as he hath joined the wood of juda and the wood of joseph in one tree by his happy succession, that they shall no more be two peoples, nor divided henceforth into two kingdoms, as the u Ezek. 37. 19 22. Prophet speaketh: so hath he been in these controversies our peace, and made of two one, by breaking down this partition wall: whose pacifying wisdom in that Conference, seems to me like that counsel of Constantine. There is no cause offered you to strive about the greatest commandment in the Scripture, nor any new error of religion brought in: but ye all hold one & the same Creed of faith, so that ye may easily agree in one judgement. Consider then whether it be meet, that for a light and vain strife of words brethren should contend, and unity by our jars, who strive for such trifles, should pitifully be rend. Popularia sunt ista, & puerili inscitia magis quàm sacerdotum & prudentum hominum sapientiae congruentia. These straws rather laics than Clericks, children than Churchmen, idiots than Preachers, should stumble at. Sith than we have one faith, x Euseb. ibid. cap 68 and one judgement of our religion, and lastly one decree of the law and discipline, this that hath bred so great contention, seeing it concerneth no great matter of our religion, there is no cause it should breed any disagreement in your minds. Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another? join then hearts and hands against the common adversary of the truth. The y P●ut. de so●●● animal. Wolf and the Serpent, because they have a common enemy the Eagle, take truce with their mutual enmity, and combine their force: As z Luk. 23. 1●. Herod and Pilate of foes became friends when they joined against Christ. Though these be conspirationes non amicitiae as a Lib. 3. O●●ic. Tully speaketh: and seeing we have not the Eagle, but the prince of the air for our adversary, Ephes. 2. 2. me thinks it should unite us against the common foe of our faith. Seeing therefore ye are sworn fellow-soldiers in one Baptism, continue knit together in one mind and one judgement, fight together through the Gospel; the rather, sith after we have fought this good fight, there is laid up for us a crown of victory, which is One hope of our vocation, that is, the riches of one glorious 7. and last ●●nk▪ One 〈◊〉 inheritance, Ephes. 1. 18. whereof we hope to be coheirs. We are all here in this world, like the sons of Israel in Egypt, compassed with enemies on every side, and are traveling homeward to our heavenly Father in the promised land, let us like fellow-citizens of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and countrymen of one kingdom, stick fast together in a strange land. Our joseph hath charged us his brethren, b Gen. ●5. 24. fall not out by the way, fall not out in thought, word, or deed, by the way, about your victuals and provision, about your sacks and your money, about your Ins and your lodgings, about baiting in this earthly pilgrimage. And if ye chance here to fall out, agree with your adversary quickly while ye are in the way, Mat. 5. 25. for seeing by many tribulations we must enter into this kingdom and hope of our calling, as the children of Israel went through fire and water into a wealthy place: let common danger of this red sea unite our hearts for a common hope of the haven, that like fellow-swimmers we support one another through love, and hold them up that they sink not. We c ●lin lib. 8. nat. hist. cap. 32. read of the Hearts, that when they pass the sea to an Island for pasture, the strongest swim foremost to bear up on their haunches the heads of the weaker, and when they are weary, the hindmost sustain them. Which loving nature of the Hearts perchance Solomon meant, saith d Lib 83. qu●st. 71. & Ser. 21. d● ver. Apost. Austin, Prou. 5. 19 where he calleth the Hind amicissimam, most friendly, or as the Hebrew, ceruam amicitiae, the Hind or Hart of amity. Such Hearts, saith that e In Psal. 129. & loc● c●t. Father, (often applying this story) should Christians be one to another, that while they pass these waters of affliction to their fortunate Island, and Capê bonê Speranzê, their Cape of good hope: They which are strong aught to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please themselves alone, Rom. 15. 1. They must bear one another's burden of misery, and so fulfil the law, Gal. 6. 2. though every one must bear his own burden of transgression, Vers●. And then indeed as the Hearts by mutual supportance in common danger safely attain the haven, and make not shipwreck in the sea, Quia quasi navis est illis charitas, because charity, as he speaketh, is their ship, their hope, their dread-nought, which convoyeth them over. So we communicating our help in community of peril, shall in this ship of charity which supporteth all, arrive safe at heaven the haven of this hope. For as the Church of God is semblable to f Act. 27. Paul's ship, wherein we must sail to these Fair havens, so must there be in this sea-fare, which g Lib. ●. Ethic. cap. 12. Aristotle requireth in every ship, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the amity of fellow-sailers: which common danger hanging over them, as it did in jonahs' fellows, Christ's disciples, and Paul's mariners, should effect. And as their ship, continued they friendly in it, would save them all; but the boat were it kept in to it would lose all, Act. 27. 31. even so while we continue with one accord in the temple, the Church of God, tied to the anchor of this Hope, will save us all, and like the ark land us on the mount of Armenia: but if any forsaking the ship and the fellowship we have among ourselves, as the manner of some is, shall fly into the cockboat of his private humour and spirit of singularity, it endaungereth him to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Wherefore as wisely did they in their course, who cut off the boat and let it fall away, lest the mariners leaving the ship, should cause a wrack of the rest: so was it their wisdom of the spirit, who have cut off the spirit of singularity, lest many flying from the Church, should make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Wherefore seeing the tenure of this Hope, and inheritance we hold in capite in our head Christ jesus; surely as at his farewell he left us here in peace, Peace I leave with you, john 14. so unless at his return he find us in peace, this Hope his peace he will not give unto us. Peace I leave with you, and if you keep it till I come, my peace I give unto you. Nec dum capaces estis (saith h Ser. 4. in v●g●●. nat. Dom. Bernard in his person) interim relinquo vobis viam pacis, & tunc dabo patriam pacis. Ye are not yet capable of the end of this hope, in the mean time I leave you the way of peace, and after your journey will give you this Hope the country of peace. In the way to this hopeful inheritance, in the world ye shall have affliction, but then in me ye shall have peace. Rejoice in the Lord (saith i Ibid. Bernard) that here ye receive the gifts of his left hand: but now I say again rejoice, yea alway rejoice in the Lord, that then ye shall have this hope and rewards of his right hand: for in his left hand is but riches, honour, and peace external; but in his right hand is eternal peace and length of days, Prou. 3. 16. These be the two arms of the bridegroom (saith k Ser. 4. de ●●●●uent. Dom. he) wherein his hopeful spouse resting, said of her husband, His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me, Can. 2. 6. His left hand of peace external was under her head, before his right hand of this Hope and eternal peace did embrace her. Laeva quidem levat, dextra suscipit (saith Bernard) laeva medetur, & justificat; dextra amplectitur & beatificat, in laeva eius merita, in dextra verò praemia continentur: in dextra deliciae, in laeva sunt medicinae. This is the reward of the right hand, which he bestoweth on them that kiss his left hand of peace: this is the hopeful inheritance and substance, which that father in the Gospel will divide to his sons that are not at division. This is the country of good hope, which the Prince of peace in heaven will give to his spouse of peace in earth. In this marriage dinner indeed on earth, which is but a feast of desponsation, here oft wants wine of comfort & peace, and here is great store, even six water pots of affliction: but in that marriage supper of the Lamb, which is the feast of copulation, when he shall take her to himself, the Bridegroom will turn that water into wine, john 16, Ye now sorrow (saith he) but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. O that the consideration of this country of peace would draw and drag us along the way of peace! O that we would rejoice again and again, I say rejoice on earth, in this hope of rejoicing in the Lord always in heaven! When he shall fill us all with love of ●ll without jealousy of any, peace without distension, and joy without envy and emulation. Where he shall fill animam rationalem sapientia, concupiscibilem justitia, irascibilem tranquilitate, as Bernard speaks, all our understandings with wisdom, all our wills with righteousness, and all our affections with rest and tranquillity. Where within us all, the glorification of ourselves; without us, the association of his Saints; under us, triumph over our enemies; above us, the vision of our God and Father; over us, his right hand of comfort; and round about us, delectation of joy and blessedness, proceeding from the strongest love of a father, and the strength of a God shall fill us, and yet not satiate us with joy. For there shall be sati●●as insatiabilis, saith l Ser. 59 de Tem. Austin, they shall hunger and thirst when they are filled with righteousness. Lord show us thy father, and it sufficeth; for in his presence is the fullness of joy. Or, Father show▪ us thy right hand and it sufficeth, for at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore. This is the inheritance of Hope which should link coheirs in love: this is the peace of God, and good will to men of peace on earth: this is the nemo scit in heaven, the m Apoc. 2. 17. hidden Manna, that none knows but he that tasteth it: this is the white stone, wherein is a name written which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. These be the n 1. Cor. 2. things which eye hath not seen, nor ear hath not heard, nor ever man's heart could conceive, which the God of peace hath prepared for his sons of peace. This is the light that none can approach unto, and peace that passeth all understanding, Non vidit oculus lucem inaccessibilem, non audiat auris nec intelligat cor pacem incomprehensibilem, saith Bernard. But why do I bring you some clusters to show you of the fruit of this good land? Why do I labour with this lure of peace to call ye on in the way of peace? Why do I speak of the praise of peace (saith o In Psal. 14●. Austin) which passeth all your understanding, and is not possible for me to utter? Let us defer the praise of peace, till we come to this Hope and country of peace: Ibi eam planius laudabim us, ubi eam plentus habebimus. Si m●hi tercentum linguae & centum ora darentur, ●f I had the tongue of men and Angels to declare and speak of them, they are more than I am able to express. But truly glorious things are spoken of thee thou city of God. Where is a city, and the gates of it pearl, and the streets of it gold, and the walls of it precious stones, and the temple in it the Almighty God, and the light of it the father of lights, and the Sun of it the Sun of righteousness, & the vessels to it Kings of the earth, Apoc. 21. where is a river, the spring of it the throne of God, and the water of it water of life, and the banks of it set with trees of life, Apoc. 22. where is the great supper of the Lamb, and the cheer of it fullness of joy: where is mirth, and the exercise of it singing: whose subject is God: the choir, Angels: the ditty, praise: and the song, Alleluia. And beloved son of peace, when thy soul like the p 1 King. 10. Queen of Saba shall travel to this new jerusalem to see this Salomon's wisdom and prince of peace (for behold a greater than Solomon is here) and his house, whose builder & maker is God, and the meat of his heavenly table, and the sitting of his servants, and the order of his ministers: she will be astonished with admiration of his kingdom, and say unto the King, It was a true word that I heard in mine own land of thy glory & of thy wisdom, howbeit I believed not this report till I came and had seen it with mine eyes. I q job 42. 5. have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye seethe thee, and lo the one half was not told me, for thou hast more glory, more wisdom and prosperity, jesus my Prince of peace▪ then I have heard by report: happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand before thee and hear thy wisdom. This beloved brethren (which shall be the end of all) is our hope, which being such a country of peace, should persuade coheirs in a strange country here to be at peace. This is new jerusalem, the vision of peace, whither this one God and Father shall bring us, whom he made one body, that its members might be knit by one spirit, to serve him one Lord, in one faith, through one baptism; where the God of peace shall keep sessions for eternal peace; where conscience shall be the clerk of peace, an Angel the crier of peace, Messias the judge of peace, Saints the jury for peace, Innocent the verdict of peace; Come ye blessed of my Father, the oye of peace; and receive the kingdom, the sentence of peace. To which country of peace, the Father of peace bring us through his Son of peace, to whom with the holy Spirit, three in person, one in essence, immortal and only wise God, be ascribed all honour, majesty, glory and dominion, now and for ever: And let all creatures say Amen: Praise and glory, and wisdom, and thanks, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for evermore. Amen. Apoc. 7. 12. Psalm. 122. 6. O pray for the peace of jerusalem, let them prosper that love thee. 7. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8. For my brethren and companions sake I will wish thee now prosperity. An Apology, of the use of Fathers, and Secular learning in Sermons. IN handling & persuading this Christian union, if I have borrowed jewels of the Egyptians, and called secular learning to serve and wait on her mistress theology; think not (good Christian) that I feed thee with Onions and Pippins of Egypt in stead of heavenly Manna; or leave the fountain of living water, to dig cisterns that can hold no water of life, as some humorists slander our manner of preaching. While some in Athens, and mother of all learning, with their black coal grime and besmear the face of the Muses, and make collation between the ancient Fathers and modern writers, as if the glean of Ephraim were better than the vintage of Abiezer, And what have these done in comparison of them? Others in most famous places of this land, edify God's people by preaching, or rather speaking against learneder preaching of others than themselves can attain unto, so far, that if they can find in their text but Thus saith the Lord, they make the Lord speak against cleanly and learned handling of his word, when thus the Lord hath not said. But thus saith the Lord of such men, The Prophet's prophesy lies in my name, I have not sent them, neither did I command them, neither spoke I thus unto them; but they prophesy unto you a false vision, a lying divination, and deceitfulness of their own heart, saith the Lord, jer. 14. 14. and yet cry they at the cross that which crosseth Paul, and shall anon be showed to be against the cross of Christ. * A. W. Lect. 13 on jude. Others, not with their tongue alone, but with their pens also have joined in next rank to Papists, Young wanton Divines (as some, shall I say old want-divines? term them) in both Universities, that stuff their Sermons with the quotations of Philosophers, Poets, and make ostentation of human eloquence, and so preach themselves and not Christ jesus. But of all other, fair so him * W. B. Ser. 3. God wooing of his Church who condemneth all secular learning in the pulpit, in precept affirming, that Arts, and Doctors, and Fathers and the tongues, in private study may be used, but not publicly in the pulpit by the testimony of the Apostle, except against the Papists: and yet in practice useth arts, Philosophers, histories, Poets and tongues so oft in those sermons when no controversy is in hand. Thou knowest (gentle Reader) who should have a good memory, Op●rtet mendacem esse memorem. lest he break down with one hand of practice what he built with the other hand of precept. What edification was this to God's people, to condemn the preaching of their fellow-labourers? as if we fed them with acorns and husks instead of bread, or brought our children a serpent for an egg, and a scorpion for a fish, when we bring human learning as a knife, to divide every one their portion aright. It had showed a good mind to have spoken this only to fellow▪ labourers, and not to their people: or have spoken it to some, and not written it to all: or if they must needs write it, to have spoken to us in the Aramites language (I mean Latin) for we understand it, and not have talked with us in the jewish, in the English tongue, in the audience of the people that are on the wall, if they meant not hereby to disgrace our manner of preaching with the people. For my part I have revised the ancient Fathers and late writers in this point, and find not one among them all of this mind, that humanity is unlawful in sermons, save only Zanchius in his oration de conseruando in Ecclesia puto puro Dei verbo, set out after his death by his heirs, and it may be was adulterated by some gatherers of his notes that foisted in this opinion of their own. The state of this foolish question (which they make) is, whether Humanity i any thing beside the words of Scripture; whether of Ecclesiastical writers, as Fathers, Doctors, and Schoolmen; or profane writers, as Philosophers, Poets, and Historians be lawful, quoad esse or quoad gradum, at all, as some deny, or only against adversaries, as some hold, in sermons academical or popular. The Objections against it, which I have heard or seen, are threefold: 1. from Scriptures: 2. reasons: 3. Ecclesiastical writers. 1. Ob. Christ's voice only should be heard in his Church, joh. 10. The sheep hear his voice and follow him, for they know his voice; and they will not follow a stranger, but they fly from him, for they know not the voice of strangers: Therefore Ethnic learning, which is not his voice, but the voice of strangers must not be heard in sermons. 1. Resp. Our Saviour by his voice meaneth all truth agreeable to his will. Christi vox est quicquid verum est (saith a Explana●. in Psal. 1. 6. Bucer) quicquid recti aliquid praecipit, eam undemque sonuerit, exaudiamus atque sequamur, Whatsoever is truth, whatsoever commandeth any right, is Christ's voice, from whencesoever he shall sound it, let us both hear and follow it. And therefore all truth in the heathens being a part of Christ's voice, and a portion of his law (as that writer well proveth), this place rather includeth than excludeth humanity in Sermons. 2. By the voice of strangers, he meaneth false doctrine of deceivers, whom he termeth thieves and robbers, vers. 8. and from their voice, whether they be Ecclesiastical or profane writers, must we not speak, 1. Tim. 1. 3. Command them that they teach none other doctrine, saith his Apostle. And if any teach otherwise, and consenteth not to the wholesome words of Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is puffed up and knoweth nothing, from such separate thyself. 1. Tim. 6. 3. 3. Christ alone was still heard in Paul's preaching, 2. Cor. 4. 5. 2. Cor. 13. 3. and therefore when he cited truth out of a Poet, Tit. 1. 12. And he giveth the reason, both why he alleged it, and why it should be believed as Christ's voice, vers. 13. Hoc testimonium verum est, this testimony is true, though Callimachus was a most lying & fabulous Poet in the rest, as some truly observe. Wherefore seeing truth in the mouth of balaam's Ass is from God, and all true sayings of the heathens from the holy Ghost, as b Coment in 1. Cor. 1. 17. Calvin and c In ●und● locum. P. Martyr witness, this place rather admits than dismisseth secular learning from sermons, seeing it is from the holy Ghost, and a sound of his voice, though not so special as his word. 2. Ob. The Scripture of itself is sufficient to salvation, and is able to make the man of God absolute, and perfect unto all good works, 2. Tim. 3. 16. therefore secular learning is needless, the alleging whereof iniureth the Scripture as if it were not sufficient. Therefore neither needeth it, nor must it be cited in Sermons. 1. Resp. Although the Scripture afford God's steward sufficient food for his household of faith, Luk. 15. 17. They have meat enough: yet must he divide this bread aright to every one their dimensum and due portion, 2. Tim. 2. 15. which without the knife of secular learning and help of other Writers he can not do aright, as anon shall be showed more at large. Wherefore this reason is not sound to exclude it from Sermons. 2 S. Paul wronged not the sufficiency of the Scripture, when he quoted secular Writers and Poets which he had read, Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15. Tit. 1. To convince Atheists he was feign to appeal unto the heathens for witness. To persuade Epicures of the resurrection, he urgeth natural reason, of seed in the ground, from Astronomy of stars in the sky, 1. Cor. 15. and thought this the best way of preaching. And how can we in popular Sermons not only convince Papism of error, but Atheism which now pipeth in the thoughts of too many, of irreligion, without it? What better weapons can we use in these things, then take in our mouth Philip Mornay of the trueness of Christian religion? How can a teacher persuade a natural man better, that the soul is immortal, then with Zanchius out of natural reason, laid down by Aristotle and other Philosophers? Wherefore seeing neither the citing of Doctors, Fathers, Schoolmen, Commenters, nor profane Writers, for opening the Scripture, and giving the sense, nor for confuting of natural men by reason, maketh the Scripture unsufficient: this reason is not sufficient to exclude it from Academical or popular Sermons. 3. Ob. Thou shalt not blow with an Ox and an Ass together, nor sow thy field with divers kinds of seeds, Deut. 22. 9 that is, as Philosophers could teach us: Non est de uno genere disciplinae transeundum in aliud: We must not confound Philosophy with theology, or Aristotle with Christ. For which Ierom taxed Eustochium, saying, What communion hath light with darkness? what concord Christ with Belial? what agreement the temple of God with idols? Quid Horatio & Psalterio? Virgilio & Euangelistis? Ciceroni & Apostolis? wherefore come out from among and separate yourselves. Or as Tertullian speaketh: Prescript. ad●er. Heretic. Quid Athenis & jerosolymis? Quid Academiae & Ecclesiae? Quid Haereticis & Christianis? Nostra institutio de porticu Salomonis est: viderint, qui Stoicum, & Platonicum, & Dialecticum Christianis praetulerunt. The believer hath no part with the infidel, Divinity must not be unequally yoked with humanity, nor an Ox with an Ass: therefore away with humanity out of Sermons. 1. Resp. That law in the old, the Apostle expounds well in the new Testament, 2. Cor. 6. No fellowship should righteousness have with unrighteousness, nor any communion light with darkness. And so secular learning which is darkness, and descended not from the father of lights, but ascended rather from the bottomless pit, should not be brought to the Scripture, but to be reproved of the light. Yet when it is true, he that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, maketh (as the Psalmist speaks) this darkness to be light. Wherefore if the Ass will know his master's crib, (for I must answer this brutish reason in it own kind) this beast (as one well notes) may like balaam's ass, be taught to speak to good purpose: and as an Ass carried a false Prophet then, so may it now carry Christ, as once one did Isis, and speaking with man's, or rather Gods voice, forbidden the foolishness of a Prophet: whence reverence secular learning as the people did him, with Non tibi, sed religioni, not for itself, but for God's truth that it carrieth. And when Caesaris effigiem quilibet assis habet, any farthing of their coin beareth God's image and superscription of truth, we bring it unto God to whom it belongeth, and cast it (though but a farthing) into the treasury of the Lord. And therefore seeing it may bring Christians to his Church, as the Ass carried Christ to the temple, I say to all Preachers as spoke he to his disciples: Go ye to Bethphage, go to Poets, Historians, and Philosophers, and there shall ye find an Ass tied and her colt, lose them and bring them hither, for the Lord hath need of them. 4. Ob. Moses though learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, yet preached he nought to the people, but from the mouth of the Lord. The Prophets, though filled with knowledge, yet prophesied they not of any private motion, or by the will of man, but spoke only as they were moved by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1. 21. Yea even Balaam durst not for an house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord to say more or less, Num. 22. 18. Christ himself preached nothing but what he received from his father, joh. 12. 49. 50. and charged his Apostles to preach whatsoever he commanded them, & nought else, Mat. 28. 20. therefore his sent-ones and messengers may preach nothing but his word. 1. Resp. By this reason no Preacher may speak a sentence in his Sermon, which is not immediately the Scripture, according to matter, form, and words: and shall we so condemn all the men of God, preaching since the Apostles times? Nay, out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, o evil servant and slothful: For what shall we think then of our talking Preachers, who speak most of their own brain, and in many sentences speak often neither Scripture, nor scant good reason to their people? 2 By this reason, they may not allege Caluins' exposition, unless they will make him the thirteenth Apostle, and hath his Comments by divine inspiration, as had the Apostles. Nay, this excludeth Fathers, Doctors, and Schoolmen out of our Sermons, when we dispute against the Papists. 3 Who knoweth whether these holy men of God used not secular learning in their Sermons as well as Saint Paul? Their Prophecies that we have, are but general notes, and summa capita of their Sermons, as the c Prophetis fui● mos, postquam iuss● crant aliquid populo nunc●are, paucis summas rerum complecti, & val●●s temple praefigere, ait Calvin. praefat. in Esa. & Comment. in cap. ●. 1. & in Aba. 2. 2. Solebant Prophetae ex more suarum concionun argumenta & pracipua capita scripto comprehensa publicè legenda proponere, a●● Guall. homi. 5. in Abac 2 2. Sic Dan 〈…〉 prol●g●m. in 12. Prophet. cap. 12. & Sohn. lib. 1. de verb De●. unde fit, ut partes librorum Propheticorum interdum non sat●● coh●rere videantur. De quo Origen. lib. 1. in C 〈…〉 un cant. & jerom. in jerem. 21. & a●●bi annota●●t. Learned observe. And yet S. Ambrose Lib. 3. de fide, cap. 1. dare avouch, that even in these general notes of their Sermons, the Prophets have relation to poetical stories. And Saint Jerome, Epist. ad Rom. avoucheth it of both, saying: Quis nesciat & in Mose & in Prophetarum voluminibus, quaedam assumpta de Gentilium libris: Who can be ignorant, that in Moses and the Prophets, some things are taken out of the books of the Gentiles? For the Apostles, though in their Epistles to particular Churches, none (save Saint Paul) cite humanity, yet who can show that in their popular Sermons to the Gentiles throughout the whole world, they alleged not truth out of Poets, Philosophers, and Historians, seeing Christ promised them, that his spirit should lead them, not only into truth, but in omnem veritatem, into all truth? joh. 16. 13. 4 Though neither did, as in showing us the immediate will of God, and laying down the grounds of faith, it was not so convenient to mix it with men's precepts: yet in expounding this will, in explaining the sense of words and phrase of speech, in declaring the nature of birds, beasts, and stones, etc. to which they allude, we cannot cut the word aright, without the use of Grammarians in the propriety & acceptation of words: without help of Logicians in distinguishing ambiguities: without aid of Rhetoricians in following precepts and rules of speech to persuade: without help of Historiographers to calculate times: of natural Philosophy, to scan causes and their effects: Geometry, to find sites and situations, and such like. Wherefore though they only spoke immediately from the Lord in declaring his will, yet can we not without these helps, expound it fully to every man's conceit. Moses received the law from the Lord at mount Sinai: bringeth he nought else to expound it to Israel? The Prophets explain Moses pentatench: bring they nought else to declare it to the jews? Christ and his Apostles explain the Prophets: did not the holy Spirit cause them to bring Allegories, Tropes, Parables, and Similitudes, with many other things, which are not in the Prophets to expound them? And how can we silly ones of ourselves, open all the meanings of all these, show the nature of things to which they allude, note the right acceptation of words which are ambiguous, find out the distance of places which they insinuate, and such like, without Philosophers, Poets, Historians, who have truly declared them at large? The reason than followeth not, The Prophets and Apostles in laying down the will of God and grounds of faith, spoke nothing but what they received immediately from the Lord; therefore Preachers in further opening of this will, may not bring any truth from writers to expound it, or make it more plain to the ignorant. Why then are any expositions of commenters alleged? why do we open it by our own discourse, ranging one sentence beyond the very words of the word? but only because they and we speak that which consenteth with the doctrine of faith? And why is it not as good from Philosophers, Poets and Historians, as from our own brain, when it suiteth with truth of the word, and is according to the analogy of faith. 5. Other reasons kept the Prophets and Apostles from alleging Secular learning to their people, which restrain not us Christians. First there were few or no secular writers before Moses wrote, as witnessed f Lib 1. contra Appion. josephus with others, therefore he could not cite any. And yet being learned in all the wisdom of Egypt, see how in his books, especially Genesis, Philosophy, Astronomy, Geographie, Arithmetic, Histonographie, and the liberal▪ Arts show themselves: without the axioms, maxims and principles whereof, we see commentators cannot fully expound him. And how then can we divide that word aright, and search his scriptures to the bottom, as we are commanded john 5. without these helps afforded us from the Lord? Secondly for the Prophets, for Christ and his Apostles, to what end should they have alleged any learning of the profane Gentiles to the jews, who hated them extremely? They abhorred their company, and would not meddle with them, john 4. 9 much more would they detest their doctrine, according to that law, Deut. 7. They thought it pollution to eat of their meat, Acts 11. 3. much more to taste of their learning. They thought it pollution to admit their persons into their Temple, Acts 21. 28. 29. and g joseph. lib. 2● contra Appion. made them stand without as strangers, Luke 18. 13. much less would they admit their doctrine into their hearts, though they heard it with their ears. And yet Paul being taught by Gamaliel, and skilful in secular learning, thought it fit to cite it to the Gentiles, who he knew would receive and believe it, which for the contrary reason he would not do to the jews. Wherefore sith neither this reason hindereth us, for God hath given us these helps to explain and contestate to his word: and seeing we learn these heathen authors from our youth, to inform our understandings, and reform our wills, and know them to be truth from the Lord, who is the author of all truth, we may more lawfully use them for opening of his word when we find them agreeable thereunto. 5. Ob. Yea but jeremy (chap. 14. 14) counts them false Prophets, who spoke any thing which they had not from the Lord, but prophesied their own vision, vanity, and deceitfulness of their own heart. And chap. 23. 21, They prophesied (saith the Lord) when I spoke not unto them. But if they had stood in my counsel, they would have declared my words unto my people, and not have prophesied the deceit of their own heart. They think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbour. The Prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord? Ergo they are false teachers, who speak from any but the Lord in his revealed word. 1. Resp. This place toucheth them most, who in a private spirit of singularity, refusing all other men's writings, open and preach his word, presumptuously relying wholly on their own judgement, and so make the Scripture propriae explicationis, condemned by the Apostle 2. Pet. 1. 20. It toucheth not them, who follow the judgement of God's Church, & conduct of that spirit which animateth the whole body of Christ, the true expositions of Fathers, commentators, and grather truth dispersed among the heathens, seeing the truth in all these is only from the Lord. 2. jeremy reproveth them who spoke that which was not from the Lord: but all truth in secular writers being from the holy Ghost, even from the Lord, as anon shall be showed, this place rather is for it then against it. He counts them false Prophets, because they spoke their own vision that was falsehood, as he after expounds it vers. 26. 27. and mixed their lies with his truth, as chaff with wheat; as the ancient and modern both expound it. And if any preach falsehood out of secular writers, this place checketh his teaching: if truth suitable to the rule and square of God's word, he speaketh from the Lord, who is author of all truth, as in my next answer shall be showed. Wherefore as the Apostle prophesied of these latter times, that some should so far give heed unto spirits of error, and doctrine of devils, that they would command to abstain from some kind of meats, 1. Tim. 4. so may I say of them that forbidden us the lawful use of profane writers; which God hath given to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth. For as every creature of God, so every truth from God is good, and nothing of it ought to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6. Ob. Yea but Saint Paul chargeth every Minister, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1. Tim. 1. 3. that he teach none other doctrine, but keep the pattern of wholesome words which we have of Saint Paul, 2. Tim. 1. 13. And if any man speak in the pulpit, let him speak as the words of God, 1. Pet. 4. Therefore neither may we speak any other thing, nor otherwise, then is in the word, which is to adulterate, and like huckster's, to mingle it with human devices. 2. Cor. 4. 1. Resp. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Apostle meaneth teaching otherwise then agreeth with truth and analogy of faith in the scriptures, as he expounds himself, 1. Tim. 6. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. If any man teach otherwise, and consenteth not to the wholesome words of our Lord jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness: and no secular learning which consenteth not to God's word, may we bring, I confess. 2. These places (if they mark them) make most for the use of secular learning in sermons: for the Apostle forbidding to teach any other doctrine than consenteth to God's word, implieth, that we may bring ab extrinseco, whatsoever is consonant thereunto. He saith not, If any man preach any other thing then the scripture; but if he preach any other thing, and consenteth not to the doctrine of godliness. If he meant, our doctrine should be nought but scripture, why wills he it to consent thereunto? He bids us keep the pattern of the wholesome word, therefore allows he to use whatsoever truth is consonant to that pattern. He saith not, Keep the wholesome word, and speak nothing else; but keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the pattern, whereto all doctrines must accord. We must use it as a sampler of truth: how is it a sampler and pattern if we bring nought else but itself? Neither saith he: If any speak, let him speak the words of God and nought else, but sicut loquatur, let him speak as the words of God, that is, secundum analogiam fidei, according to the measure, proportion and analogy of faith in the word, Rom. 12. 3. Wherefore the Apostle here alloweth Preachers to bring all truth whatsoever agreeth with the word of truth, and consenteth to the doctrine of Christ. 7. Ob. Christ sent me to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect, saith Paul 1. Cor. 1. 17. And I brethren when I came to you, came not with excellency of words, or of wisdom, neither stood my speech and my preaching in the enticing speech of man's wisdom, but in the plain evidence of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, 1. Corin. 2. 1. 4. 5. Therefore all man's wisdom of secular learning and pleasant eloquence should be abandoned in the lips of the Preacher. And this place is their Achilles that kills us, as they think. 1. Resp. Hic locus placet crassis istis theologis, qui sibi in coeli videntur esse, quod procul absint ab omni eloquentia: This place indeed (saith h Schol in Ier 〈…〉 spi. ad Pam●ach Erasmus) pleaseth these gross-pated Divines, who think themselves in heaven because they are far from all eloquence. Qui suae ignorantiae patrocinantur sentiunt Paulum hic damnnasse Rhetoricam eloquentiam, exquisita & selecta verba, sermonem mundum & tersum didacticam docendi rationem, humanam sapientiam suo in gradu consistentem: They who patronage their ignorance saith Pomeranus on these words, think Paul here condemned Rhetorical eloquence, exquisite and choice words, fine and cleanly speech, and human wisdom of words in it own measure and degree. Hoc loco abutuntur nonnulli contra bonas literas, ut barbariem & ruditatem defendant tanquam rem evangelio congruentem: cruditionem vero & studium politioris sermonis in ministro minimè ferendum esse censent, saith i Pro●●● loc. 151 eru litto mundana num in ministro evangelii ferri debeat. Aretius, discussing this question and answering this place. This place they abuse (say these three learned men) to pratronize their barbarous ignorance and rudeness in preaching. Shall I answer them with the ancient Fathers on this point? No, it were in vain: they are not ashamed to proclaim in Athens and ear of all learning, Nos non curamus quid dicunt Patres, we care not whatsoever the Fathers say. Wherefore seeing in stead of the Fathers they have children, whom they make Princes in all lands, I will answer them with Calvin, P. Martyr, Aretius, Hemingius and Gualther on these words. To begin with the chiefest and first. Here two questions arise, saith Calvin on this place; one, whether Paul here condemneth wholly the wisdom of words as adversary to Christ? No, saith he, à ratione valdè dissentaneum est, It is very dissonant from reason, that Saint Paul should condemn those arts, which is evident, are the excellent gifts of God, whereby as with instruments men are helped to good uses. The arts, as they are not superstitious, but contain solid learning: so no doubt they came from the holy Ghost, and the profit that cometh by them must be ascribed to none but the Lord. This therefore that Paul here speaketh must not be taken in contumeliam artium, to disgrace the arts, as if they were repugnant to piety. This Calvin on the first question, that the Apostle speaketh nought in this place against the arts and secular learning or wisdom of words in the pulpit. A second question he proposeth, whether Paul meaneth there is so perpetual contrariety and jar between the doctrine of the Gospel and eloquence, that they cannot stand together, and that the preaching of the Gospel is contaminated, siquis ad eam ornandam eloquentie colour adhibeatur, for the Apostle saith, the cross of Christ is made of none effect, if any wisdom of words be adjoined. I answer (saith he) we must consider to whom Paul here speak, namely to the Corinthians, whose ears itched with a foolish desire of magniloquence. Before other therefore were they to be called back to the humility of the cross, that they might learn to embrace nakedly Christ, and simply the Gospel without deceit, and therefore came he not to them in the wisdom of words. But what (saith he) if any now Paulo nitidiùs disserendo evangelii doctrinam eloquentia illustret? by preaching more elegantly than Saint Paul beautifieth the Gospel with eloquence and wisdom of words? is he therefore to be refused, as if he contaminated it, or obscured the glory of Christ? I answer first (saith Calvin) Eloquentiam nihil pugnare cum simplicitate evangelii, that eloquence is no way against the simplicity of the Gospel, which without disdain not only yields to it, but subjecteth itself, and like an handmaid serves and waits on her mistress. For as Austin speaketh: He who gave us Peter a fisherman, gave us also Cyprian a Rhetorician, whereby he signifieth that both are of God: howsoever the one which in dignity was much superior, was destitute of all grace of speech: the other who sitteth at his feet, excelled in eloquence. His conclusion is, This eloquence therefore is not to be condemned nor abandoned, which aimeth not at this, to hold Christians in the outward colour of words, that it may inebriate their ears with vain oblectation and delight, but that it may bring us by persuasion to receive the simplicity of the Gospel: Vt denique tanquam praeconis officio fungatur, ad comparandam piscatoribus illis & idiot is audientiam: That like a Crier it may get those Idiots and fishermen audience, qui nihil praeter spiritus energiam gratiae habent, who have no grace of speech to persuade, but only the power and efficacy of the spirit. The sum of his answer is, that this place is no cloak for the rude and illiterate preaching of any, seeing Paul speaks nought here against the use of good arts in Sermons, as if they were repugnant to piety. 2. That he spoke but this to tax the itching ears of the Corinth's, who thirsted after nought but eloquence in their preachers: for which cause he preached to them only in simplicity of words to bring them back from that humour. 3. That a Minister may lawfully, yea must necessarily nitidiùs Paulo disserere, preach more eloquently than Paul, that his eloquence like a crier or persuader, may allure auditors to the simplicity of the Gospel, and get audience to those fishermen and idiots, who have no grace of persuading, but from the efficacy of the spirit. What should I cite the rest, Plato est instar omnium to these men. Hemingius on this place jumpeth with Caluins' exposition, resolving, that a Preacher may adorn and beautify the Gospel, nitidiori sermone Paulo, with more enticing speech of man's wisdom, with wisdom of words, and a more polished stile then Saint Paul's. Licet quidem omni eloquentiae gratia illustrare evangelium: It is lawful (saith he) to illustrate and garnish the Gospel with all grace of eloquence, so that men be not made drunk with vain delight of words. And in fine he adviseth us in what part of our Sermon we should use it, praestat, it is best to use plainness and simplicity in teaching, grandiloquence and eloquence in exhorting and confuting. Peter Martyr agreeing with both their expositions, gives two good lessons, one to learned Preachers, that although in preaching the Gospel they be decked with these good arts, yet they trust not in them. Another to illiterate and rude speakers: Neque praetextu sermonis impolitioris divinarum Scripturarum committere debent Ecclesiastici homines, ut de industria putide loquantur. Ministers and Ecclesiastical men must not of purpose speak rudely under this pretence, that the Scriptures stile is not so eloquent. Gualther is of the same judgement on this place, and Aretius in his cited Problems answereth this place so largely, that I cannot cite him. The reasons why the Apostles used not, nor needed eloquence, and why for us it is more necessary, are these out of P. Martyr. First, perfect Rhetoric was so rare a thing, (as Tully prescribed an Orator, that none could attain,) that Christ at first publishing of his Gospel chose not so rare, hard and laborious a means, because he had need of many who could not easily be found, and when afterward they came, he refused them not, saith chrysostom. 2 It had been suspicious, to have persuaded this new doctrine (as it seemed) by wisdom of words, enticing speech of Orators, Philosophers, Poets, and coloured eloquence, lest the hearers should report, they were alured by enticing speech to believe it, and not forced by the spirit: but we knowing it to be true, and believing it to be of God, want only eloquent preaching it to persuade us obedience, and to allure us to follow it in our lives, which cannot be effected without grace of speech, and power from above, as k Nequa quam per se satu valet quod dicitur, (etsi de se sic verius si● & 〈◊〉 digmissi●um) ut humana● 〈◊〉 ma● queat instruere, nisi divinitùs virtus dicenti a● cesserit, & dictu gratia afforescat, quae utique nec si●e Deo his tra●●tur qui ad aliorum profectum ●oquuntur. Lib 6. contr Celsum Origen observes. 3 The spirit wherewith they were inspired, was more powerful in them, than it is in us: Paul spoke in the evidence of the spirit, 1. Cor. 2. and therefore as l Lib. 2 ●e ras. contion. Erasmus well observeth: Quoniam non omnibus, fortè etiam nullis ea donorum ubertas obtingit à spiritu quae Apostolis, nulla fuerit impiet as quod donis illius diminutum est, supplere disciplinarum adminiculis. Seeing few or none have that power and gifts of the spirit that the Apostles had, it is not amiss to supply that defect with eloquence and the arts. 4 God gave them power to work miracles, and when they preached the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed and persuaded their word with signs that followed, Mark. 16. 20. God himself bore witness to their preaching both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his own will, Heb. 2. 4. And therefore needed they not in eloquence, because their preaching was with power of doing miracles, 1. Cor. 2. as Theophilact and Chrysostom observe. Which power to persuade seeing we want, with those other extraordinary gifts, 1. Cor. 12. Maioribus dicendi viribus opus est, saith m Lib 4. de doc. Christ. cap 40. Austin, Et quaecunque valuit ad commovendos animos sunt necessaria. 5 It was meet, rude and illiterate men should first plant the Gospel, a new and strange doctrine to the jews, that such weak things confounding the mighty, and foolish things the wise, it might appear to be the finger of God, and work of his hands: and therefore was it so marvelous in their eyes, as we see, Act. 2. 7. Act. 4. 13. But for us, id explodendum est, (saith Peter n Comment▪ in 1. Cor. 2. 6. Martyr) quòd multi falsò arbitrantur: They are to be hissed at who falsely think, that Paul or the Gospel doth tollere aut debilit are, either take away or lessen this wisdom of the world. It is not condemned of the Apostle, but in that the false Apostles so mingled it with religion, that they left Christ, troubled the Church with schism, eique primas darent & summam judicij de pietate, and preferred it before the doctrine of the Gospel, making it the chiefest judge and Umpire in matters of faith, which none in this Church doth, I am sure. The sum of his answer is, that although Christ for good reasons used not then this external eloquence in first planting the Gospel, yet refuseth he it not when it cometh, as we see in all ages. For as o Homil. 3. in 1. Cor. 1. chrysostom well noteth on this place which they urge, He who at first needed not learned men, if afterward he took them to preach, it was quoniam noluit ullam facere differentiam, because he would not make any difference of either, and afterward when they came he refused them not. Secondly, whereas they plead, the impolished and rude stile of the Scripture for a cloak of their homely, if not barbarous speaking; they build upon a false ground. It is not so naked as they think, nor so incult as their manner of teaching. It appeareth, (saith p Homil. 15. in Gen. 45. & 46. Origen) Scripturam divinam, non (ut plurimis videtur) inerudito & agresti sermone compositam esse, sed secundum disciplinam divinae eruditionis aptatam. No, saith q Lib. 4. de doc. Christ. cap. 6. Austin, (though he r Lib. 3. confess. cap. 5. confesseth, at first he was offended with the simple stile of the Scripture) from his own knowledge and experimental reading: Vbi eos intelligo, non solùm nihil eis sapientius, verumetiam nihil eloquentius mihi videri potest, & audeo dicere, omnes, qui rectè intelligunt quòd illi loquuntur; possem quidem si vacaret, omnes virtutes & ornamenta eloquentiae ostendere in Scriptures. And in the next s Cap. 7. lib 4. de doct. Christ. Chapter, he showeth by many examples, how even in the Apostles writings (which in the judgement of all men come far short of the Prophets in this point) eloquence is a perpetual companion of wisdom. For proof whereof, he referreth us to the first Chapter to the Romans, ver. 3. 4. 5. to the whole eighth Chapter, which is a whole chapter of Tropes and Figures: as also to 2. Corin. 11. 16. to the end. And though we say not (saith he) this Apostle followed the precepts of eloquence, yet deny we not, that eloquence followed his wisdom as a maid on her mistress. Comes sapientiae, dux eloquentiae, eloquence was a companion of his wisdom, and his wisdom a guide to his eloquence: Illam sequens, istam praecedens, & sequentem non r●spuens. No, the Scripture is generally most eloquent in the structure, in the text and web, and no less elegant in the style and phrase of words. For the structure of it, t Tract. 4. de Trop. & schem● sac●. l 〈…〉. Illyricus showeth, all figures, tropes, and schemes of Orators and profane Rhetoricians to be in greater abundance in Scripture, then in any secular Writer whatsoever. Yea he avoucheth from his own reading, that he finds it as eloquent in style, as most elegant Poets and secular Authors that ever wrote, and doth equalize it in eloquence of form or frame and in elegancy of style with Homer, Pindarus, or any other, as by manifold collation he doth exemplify and show: let any man read his first Tract De stylo sacr. literarum, and trust his own eyes. u Lib 1. de ra●. stud. Theolog▪ cap. 9 Hyperius finds no less, Omnes veneres, lepores, lauticias sermonis, numerosam compositionem, vocum harmoniam, & universum apparatum, qui ex dicendi disserendique artibus peti solet, in sacris literis densim confertimque (testem habeo jeronymum) licet invenire: especially in the original tongue wherein they spoke or wrote. For though these penmen of the divine books, saith x Lib. 8. Epist. 63. Epist. Ambrose, wrote not according to art, but grace above art, yet they who first wrote of art, found it first in them, and took their precepts and rules of Rhetoric and Oratory out of them. Rupertus, by many instances out of it showeth, that all kind and parts of Rhetoric are fully contained in the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles, which because he so largely declareth, I refer thee unto him, or unto Saint Austin, lib. 4. de doct. Christiana, where learnedly and largely he proveth this point. Wherefore we plainly see, that although the mistress theology like the King's daughter, be all glorious within, in her matter, in spirit, and sense: yet is her raiment also of needle work: and the other arts, the virgins that be her fellows and followers, and have decked her, may bear her company, and be brought into the king's palace and house of God. Paulinus indeed, as y Epist. ad Paul●●. Jerome relateth, was offended with the simplicity of the Scripture, & quasi vilitate verborum, and with the baseness of their style. But who so readeth them in their own tongues▪ shall find them, as most eloquent in the form and frame of speech, shadowing out things by all rhetorical Tropes, exornations, parables, allusions, figures, and similes in all places: so no less elegant and polished in their style. Take but instance in the most elegant Prophet for Hebrew in the old, and most eloquent Apostle for Greek in the new Testament, and judge of Hercules by his foot. Esaias in sermone suo disertus est, saith z Epist. ad Paul●● & Eustoch. in translat. Esas. Jerome, who translated, expounded, and read him better than any of us do: and he gives the reason: Quip vir nobilis & urbanae eloquentiae, nec habens quicquam in eloquio rusticitatis admixtum. The sermons of Esay in his own idiom and tongue are most eloquent saith a Praesat. in Esa. Bullinger, who read him, and preached on every verse in his prophesy: Neque ipsius, vel Demosthenes', aut Ciceronis ora●●ones cum ijs conferendae. See chap. 5. 7. how with Salomon ●e sought out pretty and pleasant words, he looked for Mispay▪ and behold Mispach: for Zedecah, and behold Zenakah. These delightful words he affected, ut mutando literam unam in his, elegantem structuram sonumque verborum redderet, saith S. b Lib. 2. in Esa. 5. 7. Jerome. But behold him especially chap. 24. describing the wickedness of the people with a grievous expostulation, how it aboundeth with figures and tropes, Anaphoris, homoeotelentis, Antonomasijs, Metaphoris, Gradationibus, & Comparationibus patheticis, as junius observeth: see in what pathetical eloquence & elegancy of words, vers. 16. he exclaimeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deciphering their ruin, he compareth it to an hunting, ver. 17. where is first, fear: secondly the pit: a snare to catch them as a prey. And mark his words, Pachad, pachath, patch; on which words Musculus avoucheth, habet hic vates concinnitatem quandam vocum, this Prophet hath a certain concinnity of words, which not easily any can translate; adding, apparet illum stud●● fuisse concinnandis vocibus deditum, it appeareth he was given to the study of elegancy of words; and he rhetorically runneth on these three again, verse 18. 19 judge by this place of the rest: and let any man give me a reason why Esay should write and speak a more polished and fine stile then Amos, who is imperitus sermone, as c Prasat. in Amos. Jerome noteth, but because he was of the blood royal, and brought up at the Court, where the idiom was more elegant and pure; and Amos a rude and rural herdman, called from the sheepfold to preach, and God used both their styles and manner of speaking as naturally they were endued. And why may he not use his ministry who hath a more learned tongue, as his who speaketh more incultly? Come from Esay the most eloquent Prophet for the Hebrew in the old, to Paul the most elegant Apostle, for the Greek, in the new Testament. See what pleasant words he affecteth, Rom. 1. 20. where he calleth the Gentiles full 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. On which words even Piscator could not but confess, Paulum istorum verborum paronomasia delectatum fuisse, that Paul was even delighted with this Paronomasy and likeness of words. So again Rom. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. This elegancy of words we find in S. Paul, whose rude style (as they call it) they pretend for barbarous rusticity. Qui socordes & ignavi sunt, praetexunt Pauli (ut vocant) imperitiam, nè scilicet ab eis requiratur doctrina: they that are slothful and sluts, pretend the unskilfulness of Paul (as they call it) namely lest learning should be required of them, saith d Cla●. alt part. tract. 5 de stylo sac. lit. Illyricus. But indeed as he was more learned in human learning than they all, so shall they that search, find, that he was more persuading & eloquent than they all. He, who presently upon his conversion, confounded so many learned jews, Act. 9 He whom the men of Lystra for his eloquence called Mercury, and would have sacrificed unto him, crying out, Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men, Act. 14. He, that confuted not only most learned and eloquent men, but of those even Philosophers, nor those common, but them of Athens, and of those the Stoics, who were nati disputationibus, as one noteth, Act. 17. He, that continued his preaching till midnight, and that to so many auditors, that some were feign to sit in windows, Act. 20. quî fieri poterat, how could it be (saith Illyricus) that he could keep his auditors so long, qui tam barbarè vel ineptè diceret ut isti confingunt, that preached so barbarously and sillily, as these men feign and imagine? For although he modestly suppose, as the false Apostles objected, that he was rude in speaking, 1. Cor. 11. 6. yet was it but in respect of his weak voice, as after he confesseth, not in respect of his Epistles & style, which was vehement and strong, 2. Cor. 10. 10. Neque patrocinatur hoc linguarum & artium osoribus, saith e Homll. 82. in 2. Cor. 11. 6. Gualther, though he had not been so. But now even his Epistles witness, saith f I● 1. Cor. 11. 6. Piscator, that this Apostle was endued with a certain natural or rather supernatural eloquence, though purposely he abstained à pigmentis illis fucata rhetorica: therefore g Epist. ad Pammach. Jerome terms him flumen eloquentia Christiana, the river of Christian eloquence: for else Festus on the bench (saith h Apolog. adver. Ruff. he) would never have said ad imperitum to an unskilful babbler, Thou art mad Paul, much learning hath made thee mad. And hence it was one of the three wishes of S. i Piscat. in 1. Cor. 11. 6. Austin, ut Paulum in ore vidisset, that he had but once seen and heard Paul preaching with his mouth. And because I am fallen into the point of eloquently preaching, let me further acquaint you with the judgement of the ancient and late writers in this matter. S. k Lib. 4. de doct. Christ. cap. 4. Austin speaks excellently to every Minister, of this thing: If as a Doctor he will convince gainsayer (saith he) he must use reasons and probation of truth: but if as a Pastor he exhort with wholesome doctrine, to do that truth which they know, maioribus dicendi viribus opus est, he must use greater force of persuasion than this, ibi obsecrationes & imprecationes, concertationes & coertiones, & quaecunque alia valent ad commovendos animos sunt necessaria, as I showed before. And whereas (saith he Cap. 5.) some do it bluntly, ill-favouredly, and coldly, others acutè, ornatè, vehementer, wittily, eloquently, and vehemently: he that will more profit his auditors, must not only speak sapienter sed eloquenter, wisely, but eloquently also, because m Sapientian sine eloquen●●a parum prodesse. wisdom without eloquence profiteth little (as out of n Lib 1 de Iu●●nt. Tully he observeth) unless he could be inspired with the spirit, and have the power thereof in his preaching in such measure as had the Apostles, and also work miracles to confirm and persuade his doctrine the more. And therefore addeth he a definition of right Preachers, Sunt ergo Ecclesiastici viri, etc. therefore they are right Churchmen and Preachers, Qui divina eloquia non solum sapienter sed etiam eloquenter tractaverunt, who handle and teach the Scriptures not wisely only, but eloquently also; and they profit and do most good to their people. He spoke by experience, being converted by the eloquence of Saint Ambrose, as o Ambr. ser. 92. de bapt. August. August. lib. 6. Confess. ca 13. 14 both do confess. Quid valeat apud homines saeculi eloquentia & sapientia saecularis, saith Saint p Comment au Jon. 3. Jerome, Demosthenes, Tully, Plato, Xenophon, Theophrastus, Aristotle, and other Orators and Philosophers do witness, who are counted (as it were) the Kings of men's minds; and their precepts, not as the precepts of men, but of God. As the Scriptures style (saith q Tract. 5. de style sac. li●. Illyricus) in teaching is oft low and mean, and in persuading and preaching for most part grandis, sublimis aut magniloquus, high, lofty and great: so a low and humble style is fit for expounding, especially in the school: Contrà, grandis magis convenit ostentationi dicentis, oblectationi auditorum, & commotioni ac persuasioni, praesertim rudioris turbae, ideoque in concionibus forensibus adhibetur: Ea enim non tam simplici rei veritate, quàm ingenti quadam vi ac impetu orationis impellitur ac protruditur. Contrariwise, a lofty style is fittest to grace the speaker, to delight the hearer, to move and persuade especially the rude people in our popular sermons, who are more led, moved and persuaded with force and eloquence of speech, then with bare and naked truth of things. And therefore saith r Lib. 2. de doctr. Christ. cap. 6. Austin, Figuratae locutiones sacrae scripturae suavius & iucundius nos afficiunt, quam si eadem sententia planis verbis diceretur, because (as s In Rhetorie. Quia usitata fastidiam, novitas autem voluptatem affert. Aristotle noteth) usual things bring wearisomeness, and novelty delight. Erasmus lib. 3. de rat. contion. gives the like advice to every Preacher, Prorsus id agendum est Ecclesiastae, ut aliqua voluptate detineat auditores, and moderates it full well, sed danda est opera ut delectatio comitetur utilitatem non accersita. This was the practice of the Prophets, of Christ, of his Apostles in their sermons to the people, of the ancient Fathers in their homilies, specially Origen, Basil, Nazianzene and chrysostom; in our times of modern Preachers; of them all saith t Tract. 1. de rat. cognosc. script. Illyricus, and so every Preacher addeth he, In populari tractatione ea omnia operose congerit quae ad movendos affectus conducere arbitratur: nihil omittit quod modo ad persuadendum, inculcandumque animis vim habet: neque illa praeterit quae orationem illustrant, ac divitem speciosamque reddunt. For what u In Phaedro & Gorgia. Plato said well of human, I may as truly of divine Orators, Sine motu affectuum inania sunt omnia, as the x C●cer. lib. 2. de Orat. Qu●ntil. lib. 6. cap. 3. schoolmasters of Rhetoric have declared. And this is the end of eloquence, saith y Lib. 4. de doctr. Christ. cap. 25. Austin, ut eloquentia ipsa delectet, non est propter seipsum usurpandum sed ut rebus quae utiliter honesteque dicunt, etc. aliquantò promptiùs ex ipsa delectatione elocutionis accedat, vel tenacius adhaereat assensus. To teach truth in a Sermon is little or nothing, who cannot do it? But to persuade the will to obey it, or lead the affections and the thoughts captive to Christ, this is all and some, and the right part of a Preacher, as of human matters z Vulgiest loque oratoris dicere. Cicer. Rhetoricians have observed. Sohnius lib. 2. de verbo Dei, cap. de ornata Ecclesiastica interpretat. Decere res facilis est & quam quis que tantum non ineptissimae mentu praestare potest? Conculere autem affectibus audientem, & in quem cunque velu animi habitum transformare, allicere item audiendi vo'uptate & tenere suspensum, non nisi summit, & matori quodum musaran, afflatu instinctu con 〈…〉 ingenijs a●● Rudolph. Agric. lib. 2. de init●ns. ca 1. saith, a Preacher may, yea must use eloquence, and decking of his speech, yet not with any meretricious attire: Neque enim doctrina Christi aspernatur cultum orationis, etc. neither the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. condemneth all garnishing of speech saith he, nor all enticing words, nor all eloquence, sed humanam, & fucosam, ac loquacem Sophistarum, & fastuosam sapientiam, and draweth men from the simplicity of the cross of Christ; for the Scripture itself, though it be pure and simple, yet is it learned, and stuffed with figures and tropes, Itaque ornatè exponet concionator, therefore (saith he) must a Preacher handle it eloquently and finely. And the better to do this, he counseleth him to propose to himself for imitation both the ancient Fathers, especially Basill, Athanasius, chrysostom, Nazianzene, Austin, with others, and the recent Preachers who are most elegant in flyle, and to read authors who writ pure and elegant language in that Res optimas verbu pe●limu non tam explicant, quam implicant, unde & illi contem 〈…〉 ab auditoribus, tit Soh ibid. tongue wherein he must preach. For conclusion, he utterly condemns them, qui omnem curam abijciunt puritatis & elegantia, and spoil good matter with evil words, which makes them to be contemned of their hearers. a Labernele 1. Rheton. Eccles. cap. 1. Can 5. Keckerman, a late writer and man of yesterday indeed, but of some count (I know) with these men, because they cite him in school and pulpit, when the ancient Fathers cannot obtain so much at their hands; he saith, our invention in sermons to the Imprim● admirationem debet pare●●, & 〈◊〉 abbess long●u 〈…〉 illis quae protrita sunt, & qua cui ●● etiam plebeto alicus & ruas ●● mentem ventre pos●int. people, must be bend to move the affections, especially it must breed admiration, and therefore be far from those things which are usual and common, and which every rude idiot and lay-man could invent. I wish they consider and think on this, who say no more on a text than many artisans and women could do. And he shows the good effect of such preaching. Et certè ipse sensus & experientia testatur, ingratos esse illos concionatores, qui affectum aliquem moturi, nimis humilia & frigida eligunt, aut eiusmodi, quae cum audiunt auditores semper secum cogitant, Eadem & tu potuisses hoc loco dicere. Is it not a fine manner of teaching? Is it not fine handling of a text for a scholar that hath spent so much time in learning, and so much cost in study and books, when every Tailor, Cobbler or other artisan can say with himself, Thou couldst say so much on this text? He shows the effect (I say) of such Preachers, unde fit ut auditoribus vel planè tandem deserantur, vel pro affectibus somnium concilient, either they move the affections of dislike or of sleep. I speak not this to condemn plain and simple manner of teaching as utterly unfruitful; for goats hair was serviceable to the tabernacle, though not so much as the gold. I know a simple man in b Lib. 1. Eccles. hist. cap. 3 v●de Sozom lib. 1. cap. 17. Ruffinus converted a subtle Philosopher, whom all the learned Priests could not convince, as himself * Audite ● eruditi viri, donec verbis mecum res gesta est verba verbu ●pposus, & quae dicebantur dicendi arie subverti, ubi vero pro verbu vertus protessit ex ore dicentis, non potuer unt resistere verba virtu●●, nec hom● petuit adversari Deo. confessed unto them. But should saul's armour ever after be refused in war, because David with a sling and five stones once miraculously overcame Goliath? Should Rams never after be pushed against walls, and the mighty weapons of our warfare never used to cast down strong holds, because Rams horns once miraculously threw down the walls of jericho? I know, eloquent Preachers sometime do not profit, when simple and plain teachers do some good, as c Lib. 9 in Rom. 2. Ex rebus ipsis saepe compertum est, nonnullos eloquentes & eruditos viros, non solum in sermonè, sed & in sensibus prae potentes cum multa in Ecclesiu dixerint, & ingentem Litadis app●●usuni. acceperint, neminem tamen auditorum exhis que dicta sunt, compunctionem cordu acci●ere, nec proficere ad siden, nec ad●morē de● ex●●cordatione eorum quae dicta sunt, incitari: sed suavitate quadum & delectatione solo au 〈…〉 capt●● disceditur: sa pe autem viros non magne eloquentiae, nec compositio in sermonis students, verbis simplicioribus & incompositis maltos infidelium ad fidem convertere superbos inclinare ad humilitatem, peccantibus stimulum conversionis infigere. Origen observed: but doth it therefore follow, the wise and mighty things of God prevail not more with his people, because now and then he calleth weak and foolish things sometime to confound the wise, and showeth his power in their weakness? Are not the Prophets often and more likely to convert, because balaam's ass once averted the Prophet from his evil purpose? Wherefore I may safely resolve with Austin, he profiteth his hearers sometime that speaketh plainly and wisely; but he more, who speaketh wisely and eloquently to persuade his better: both may do well, but as the Apostle spoke in another case, the later (in mine opinion) doth better. Neither speak I this in allowance of them whose tongues sing nothing but Placentia, and strive to please men, as the Apostle speaks, in whose person chrysostom homil. 30 in Act. 14. lamentably complaineth, Nos slosculos verborum, & compositionem & harmoniam curiosiùs sectamur, ut canamus, non ut prosimus; ut I am in Eccle. ista queruntur omissaque Apostolorum simplicitate & puritate verborum quasi ad Athenaun, & ad auditoriae convenitur, ut Paulus circumslantium suscitentur: ut oratio Rhetoricae artu fucata mendacio quasi quaedam meretriculae procedat in publicum: non tam erudita populos, quàm famorem populi quaesitura: & in modum psalterij & tibia dul●è canentis, sensus demulceat audientium ve verè illud prophetae Ezekielu nostris temporibus possint aptart, dicente Domino ad cum, & factus es en quasi vox cithara suauè caventis, & benè composite. c, & audiunt as & non faciunt. simus in admiratione, non ut doceamus; ut oblectemus, non ut compungamus; ut plausu & laudibus obtentis abeamus, non ut moret componamus: No, nothing less. Nec doctor verbis seruiat, sed verba doctori, saith d Lib. 4 de Doct. Christ. cap. 28. Austin, a Preacher should not seek matter for his words, but words for his matter. But as Fabius said wisely, Curam verborum, rerum volo esse solicitudinem, he may and must with Solomon the Preacher seek out, as an upright writing, so pleasant words for his people, Eccles. 12. 10. as Christ had not only verbum gratiae, but gratiam verbi in his mouth. He must prefer matter to words, saith that e Aug. lib. de catech●ud praeponenda sunt verbis sententia, ut praponitur animus corpori: ex quo sit, ut mall debe aut homines prudentiores quam discritiores invoture sermons. Father, as the soul is regarded before the body; whereupon men should labour to find out more wise then more learned speeches: care for the one, and cark for the other, Verbaque praevisam rem non invita sequuntur, saith the f Hora. art Poet. Poet, and the words will follow matter, as the shadow accompanieth the body. I hope I need not complain of our Preachers, as S. g Proaem. in Gal. 3. ad Paul. & Eustoch. Jerome did of some in his days, who were, as Plutarch speaketh of the Nightingale, that had a good voice and a small body, Vox, praeterea nihil. If any do, I say with the h 1. Cor. 4. 20. Apostle, The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power: as God in the i Hos. 6. 6. law desired mercy & not sacrifice, that is, * Ex verbu sequentibus in eodem verse. rather than sacrifice. Yea I tell them with Origen, comparatively speaking on those words, Mat. 23. Woe to you, ye make clean the utter side of the cup, when within it is foul, Admonemur ut non curam habeamus sermonum vel narrationum quae foris sunt, sed quae ab intus sunt: non verbis neque compositionibus eorum ornatis, quia non est regnum Dei in sermone sed in virtute. Vt puta, qui studet compositum proferre sermonem, magis quàm salutari sensu repletum, calix narrationis eius à foris mundatus est, ab intus autem sordibus vanitatibusque repletus, Paulus erat sermone rudis non scientia. Item qui pandens verbum aut aliquam legis scripturam, compositionibus eius exterioribus magis quàm interioribus & salutaribus sensibus delectatur, calicem vel parapsidem diligit à foris mundatum, ab intus autem sordidum. I wish them, as k Epist. ad Rustic. Menach. Luxuriantes flagellis vineas, falcibus reprimebant, ut eloquetiae torcusarta, non verborum pampi●is sed sensuum quasi vuartum expressionibus redundarent. Jerome speaks of the learned Grecians, to lop the luxuriant branches, that their vine may become more fruitful unto others. Only my complaint is with Ludovicus l Li de cause. corrupt Rhetor. Vives, complaining of this very defect, that whereas Princes at the receipt of Christian religion permitted that Priests should speak to the people of sacred and divine things, our sermons have succeeded those ancient orators, dissimilimo successu, with most unlike success: Nam quantò illis superiores sumus rebus, tantò in persuadendi sententijs, argumentis, dispositione, actione & partibus omnibus eloquentiae illis sumus inferiores: how much we have cause to be more material than they, by so much are we inferior to them in using sentences, reasons, method, action, and all parts of eloquence to persuade, which is the chiefest part of an Orator both human and divine. And indeed seeing as m Ep. ad Pauli●. de inst. Monach. Jerome noteth, each imitator proposeth to himself the best in every trade to be followed, as the valiant Romans their Camilloes, Fabricios, and either Scipio: Philosophers, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle: Poets, Homer, Virgil, Menander and Terence: Historians, Thucydides, Sallust, Herodotus and Livy: Orators, Lisias, the Gracchis, Demosthenes and Tully: Painters, their Praxitiles and Apelles, and so in the rest: why should not much more we for God's cause and his Churches, propose to ourselves (as I showed Sohnius adviseth) Basill, Athanasius, Chysostome, Nazianzene, Austin, and the rest of the ancient Fathers, who were all these, even most stout and valiant soldiers, yea captains of Christ, most learned and profound Christian Philosophers, most sweet and divine Poets, most faithful and true historians in heavenly things, & in their sermons painted out Christ's passion so lively, as if he had been now crucified before our eyes, as Paul did before the Galatians? Neither speak I this to patronize them, whose Corinthian-like itching ears are so tied to the tongue of golden mouths, that in faction each followeth their affected, with that voice of schism, 1. Cor. 3. I am Paul's, and I am Apollo's, and I am Cephas, and I am Christ's; I like this man for utterance, I this for learning, I this for method, etc. Ezekiel found such itching ears, chap. 33. 32. Lo (saith God) thou art unto them as a pleasant and love song, of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. Saint Paul foretold them in these latter times, 2. Tim. 4. 3. The time (saith he) will come, when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine: but having their ears itching, shall after their lusts get them an heap of teachers, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given unto fables. n Loco citate. chrysostom found such among his auditors, and reproved them, Vos non quaeritis audire sermonem qui compungere possit, sed qui oblectet, & tinnulo strepitu, & verborum compositione quasi citharaedos, & cantores audientes: and when teachers meet with such hearers, they should with S. Paul abstain● to come to them with excellency of words, neither should their preaching then consist in the enticing speech of man's wisdom, but in the plain evidence of the spirit, to purge their bad humour with hunger and mean fare, and give them a little portion of honey whereon they surfeit. But this is it I say with Saint Austin, He profiteth his hearers the most, Qui sapienter & eloquenter divina eloquia tractat, who handleth a text both wisely and eloquently also: and wise matter served in in eloquent words, is (as eloquently speaketh the wise man) like apples of gold in dishes of silver. Though Solomon forbidden too much eating of honey, yet was some commanded to be used, and season the sacrifice in the law. Est veluti quoddam condimentum cibo permixtum, saith o Lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus, It is as sauce to the meat, procuring appetite in him who cannot taste the good word of God, and relish the things of the spirit, 1. Cor. 2. And unless our speech be thus powdered with salt, it will taste no more in their ear, than the white of an egg in their mouth, as job speaketh, seeing the ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat. Enticing words (saith Orat. p ad nepor. Basil) and secular wisdom, are like fair leaves that grow by the fruit, & make it more pleasant and delightsome. Wherefore when we find truth in any writer sacred or profane, when we go to Ephrata, and find it in the wood, we may hue timber out of the thick trees, and bring it to an excellent work, though these men break down all the carved work thereof with axes and hammers. I say they qui prodesse volunt & delectare, delight that they may profit, and q Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. mingle both together, in mine opinion do best. This sauce in Saint Ambrose made Saint Austin, as he r Lib. 6. confess. cap. 13. confesseth, taste the good word of God, and better relish the things of the spirit. I went only to hear his eloquence (saith he) and was delighted with the sweetness of his words, s Cap. 14. Cum eum non satagerem discere quae dicebat, sed tantùm quemadmodum dicebat ea audire, veniebat in animum meum simul cum verbis quae diligebam, res etiam quas negligeban. Et dum cor aperirem ad excipiendum quam disertè diceret, pariter & intrabat quam verè diceret. This is it, the bait that taketh the fish with the hook of truth in the net of the Gospel. This is it (saith Calvin) that must comparare piscatoribus & idiotis illis audientiam. And surely these disciples of fishermen, as Saint t Epist. ad Marcellam. Crassam illi rusticitatem solun● pro sanctitatem habent. Jerome noted of such who bragged so, and held gross rusticity for the only sanctity, as if they were therefore holy because they knew nothing, if they fish with a bare hook of truth, seeing with the Apostles they have not such efficacy and power of the spirit, nor work miracles to persuade their plain doctrine, as those fishermen and fishers of men did, like Peter in his other kind of fishing, Luk. 5. they may labour all night and perchance take nothing. Wherefore to conclude this point, seeing the Scripture is most eloquent in the form, in the text and web of the word, and most elegant in the thread and phrase of words, as by some examples of Esay and S. Paul, and by many testimonies of Jerome, Austin, Rupertus, Ambrose, Musculus, Erasmus, Illyricus, and Hyperius, who read them more thoroughly than the men that say thus, this pretext cannot patronage their rude manner of teaching, qui tum sibi videntur Apostolis proximi, si quam spurcissimè loquantur, as u Scholar in jeron. ep. ad Eustoch. Erasmus speaketh of such fishermen rather than fishers of men. I confess indeed with Lib. 2. de ●at. Stu. Theol●. c. 38. Hyperius, the holy Ghost, if he list, needed not this artificial polishing of his truth, but our natural imbecility is such, that by no other ordinary means it can be drawn to embrace it. And though S. Paul came not to the Corinth's with wisdom of words, because thirsting after eloquence only, and leaving Christ, he would diet them for their surfeit, and purge them of this humour, to make them relish better the things of the spirit: yet in the judgement of Calvin, Gualther, Hemingius, Martyr and Aretius, a Preacher may and must nitidiùs Paulo disserere ad comparandam piscatoribus illis & idiotis audientiam, qui nihil praeter spiritus energiam, gratiae habent. Wherefore let them, who pluck out the tongue of the learned, as Fulvia, Anthome his wife cut out the tongue of Tully, and like Heli his sons indeed sluts, slubber up the sacrifice so, that they cause God's people loath the oblation of the Lord, let them hear y Comment in 1. Cor. 1. 17. Pomeranus his censure of their rude teaching. Neque laud digni erunt stupidi quidam concionatores & ineruditi, qui sic omnia confundunt & ineruditè tractant, ut dicendo multa nihil dicant, docendo multa nihil doceant: mirum tamen interim quam sibi blandiantur, quàm sublimiter de se sentiant, contemnentes eruditionem. Let them hear z Lib. 1. de rat. concion. Erasmus, Ad conciones sacras admittuntur interdum etiam assiliunt, quilibet adolescentes leaves, indocti, quasi nihil sit facilius quam ad populum exponere divinam scripturam, & abundè sufficiat perfricuisse faciem, & absterse pudore linguam volvere: What? saith a E●asm. in vit. I●r●. he. An Christi professio pugnat cum eloquentia? quid autem vetat, si Cicero de suis daemonibus dixit eloquenter, quo minùs Christianus item de pietate veraque religione dicat eloquenter? Shall our boys take such pains, such care and labour for their trivial orations to persuade virtue, or prove a theme in peroration, and shall not we take much more to persuade Christ's cause, and our people to receive Christ? I will not conceal his censure withal of too much affectation, Anxian eloquentiae affectionem in Ecclesiaste non probo, quae nec villis Philosophis, nec Senecae, nec ulli gravi viro unquam probate est. No, he must care for words, and cark and care for his matter, as I said. I end this point with b Cap. 49. in his tract of the ministery. Greenham to persuade them the more, Eloquence is not simply forbidden, but when it waiteth on carnal wisdom: for otherwise joined with the power of the word, and demonstration or evidence of the spirit, it is effectual. And these (good Reader) be their objections out of Scripture, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrist, saith S. Peter, or to use his own word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, make them look asquint at learning and good letters. Their second sort of Objections are these unreasonable reasons. 1. Ob. Paul used it sparingly, but thrice, neither vainly with 2. Their reasons against it, answered. ostentation of naming the Poets, nor producing long sentences in a strange tongue contrary to the Apostle, 1. Cor. 14. but in the same wherein he spoke and wrote, which is no warrant for us to use it often in our Sermons. 1. Resp. That triple cord bindeth not us to use it no more: but as it was easily broken by all the ancient Fathers and modern writers, so may it by us. Why he used it no more, I have showed reasons before, which take no hold on us. The Greek fathers, Chrysostom, Epiphanius, Athanasius, Damascen, Clem. Alexandrinus, justine Martyr: and Latin fathers Jerome, Cyprian, Hil●rie, Ambrose, Austin and Lactantius filled their books full of it in their handling and expounding the Scripture, as hereafter shall be showed. And shall we condemn all these who used it above thrice? Used they it sparingly? No, no, we may use it more often than Paul did, saith c Problem. lo●. 150. Aretius, Nec debet apud nos valere ignavorum hominum obtrectatio, ut in illorum gratiam tot margaritas in sordibus Philosophiae delitescentes, instar ignavi gallinacei, negligamus; ventrem aut granulum hordei magis admiremur quàm veritatis & sapientiae ideam. Like Esop's Cock, they prefer the barley corn of their own brain, before the precious gem that may be found in the dregs of Philosophy. I wish these would cite their own sayings but thrice, or more sparingly then they do, then should they preach more often, and talk more seldom in the pulpit. Though Paul used it but thrice, Ideo assumpsit Paulus verba etiam de his quae foris sunt, ut sanctificet ea, saith Origen, he therefore used profane authors, that he might sanctify them unto all; and show up a precedent, that all truth may lawfully be borrowed from any. 2. For producing it in strange tongues, in Academical and learned auditories, most understand it; in mixed, many: and in popular, some; and may we not speak a long sentence in any which all understand not? then Christ was too blame that spoke so often in parables, which the people understood not. The Evangelists may be our precedents and warrant, who, although they wrote Christ's actions and sayings in Greek which he spoke in Syriac, yet d joh. 1. 38. Io. 19 13. Mar. 3. 17. & 5. 4. & 7. 34. Mat. 21. 9 Mark 15. 34. Act. 13. 6. 8. Act. 9 36. Mat. 12. etc. often produced names, words, and sentences in Hebrew to the Gentiles, and especially that his last voice on the cross, Mar. 15. 34. Eli, Eli, lamasabacthanai, that is, saith the Evangelist, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And if we may not cite a sentence without interpretation, which all cannot understand, than Paul was too blame, who wrote a long Epistle in Greek to the Romans, whose natural language was Latin▪ neither all the vulgar (I think) so fully understood it, though Tully tell us it was much known to the Latins. The Apostle made a long Sermon in the Hebrew tongue to the Roman governors, Act. 22. which many of them understood not, especially the rude soldiers, as we see Math. 27. 46. Mark. 15. 34. who hearing him cry Eli, Eli, had thought he had called on Elias for help, nay many of the jews there present understood it not, if he spoke in pure Hebrew, and not Syriack, as some suppose. And for the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. he condemns them only whose all or most speech, reading, or preaching is in a strange tongue, as it was at Corinth, and now at Rome, as we may see vers. 23. Secondly, he counts it unlawful to cite it if none understand it, nor we interpret it, vers. 2. as who doth so allege it? Thirdly, it is lawful to speak many sentences without interpretation or understanding of all, as appears by his comparative choice, vers. 19 I had rather. He counts it better to speak with understanding of others, therefore is the other lawful and good in time and place, as calvin noteth in vers. 5. Accidit saepe ut tempestiws sit alienae linguae usus, Often it falleth out that the use of a strange tongue is fit and in season. Hence the ancient Fathers in their writings, and our modern Writers in their popular sermons, cited sometime many Greek verses together to their people without interpretation, as hereafter shall be showed. And indeed, to speak truth, we wrong the Fathers much, when we cite so their golden sayings in our tongue, that they lose their efficacy and grace of speech, and each of them may reply to us as e Mar●●l. he did to Fidentine: Quem recit as meus est, o Fidentine, libellus, Sed malè dum recitas, incipit esse tuus. The words that thou repeatest, o Englishman, are mine, But while thou dost them ill repeat, they gi'en for to be thine. We cannot express their meaning so fully and finely as they spoke in Greek and Latin tongues; for, Dulcius ex ipso font bibuntur aquae, as the Poet speaketh, Sweeter is the water from the well's head, than the vessels belly. Et quis contentus sit potare de riwlo quum possit haurire de font? saith f Serm 48▪ de sepult. Dom. Ambrose. Multo purior manat fontis unda quam rivi saith g Cont. Helu●d. Jerome, & optimum vinum in alia atque alia vasa transfusum, suum tandem natiwm saporem deperdit. And like as, if we would change our welsh speakings into their sweet sayings, we should turn water into wine: so, sith our tongue attaineth not the propriety of their words, nor expresseth fully their meaning, when we cite their sentences in English only, we oft turn wine into water. Wherefore seeing Christ sanctified these three famous tongues on the cross, and would have himself gloried by that royal superscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, why are they not sanctified in the Pulpit, and may there show his glory also? hody inveniuntur homines barbari, saith h Homil. 70. in 1. Cor. 14. Gualther, (he saw our day it seems, and was sorry) linguarum & bonarum artium hosts, qui ut propriam ignorantiam tegere possint, in literarum studia & scholas perinde invehuntur, ac si non aliae nocentiores sint verae religionis hosts, quibus omnibus hoc Pauli votum possumus opponere, utinam omnes vos linguis loquamini, would God ye all spoke tongues, and then would ye certainly allow it in others. But, my brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbidden not to speak tongues. 3. Touching quoting of author's names, if for examples, this be ostentation, than Paul in citing such a cloud of witnesses, Heb. 11. and quoting their names for examples, was ambitious and showed too much reading. Then Christ and his Apostles citing the Prophet's names, when they alleged their testimonies, were ambitious: then the ancient fathers and recent writers, in often citing the names of Philosophers, Poets and historians, were ambitious. Indeed it is that heavenly pride and holy ambition, 1. Cor. 12. 31. ambite potiora, ambitiously follow the best things: and in this (me thinks) I show them a more excellent way. 2. Why is it more ostentation to say Homer, than a Poet; or Aristotle, than a Philosopher; or Livy, than an Historian? Or why more ostentation to allege their sayings with their names against sin and Satan, then against Papism, Atheism, and heresy, in our popular sermons? Or why more ambition in speaking then in writing? Or why more ambition in us then in some of their brethren, who quote tot quot & omnes, their names with their sayings in a strange tongue; and both, when there is no controversy of that for which they cite them? Do nothing partially. 3. Why not lawful to quote their names, as cite their sayings? unless by concealing their names, we would make their golden sayings our own, and so become thieves. Wherein, as I cannot but justly tax some late Latin writers, who having their best expositions (in sense) from the Fathers, yet conceal their names. But if they take them tripping in their conceit, note their least blemishes, as Chamuncovered the nakedness of his father, and made him a laughingstock to his brethren: so may I as condignly censure some of our English writers, who having whole pages and tracts from the Fathers, suppress their names, as they killed the heir, that the inheritance may be theirs. Neither is this mine, but the censure of i Lib. 4. de rat. stud. Theol. c. ●9. Hyperius, and I may set it on the forehead of both, Non pauci, qui nunc aliquid laud dignum scribendo praestant, patrum plumis se subinde vestiunt, ornant, superbiunt, quamuis callidè dissimulent: Many, who now writ any thing worthy praise, by your leave, deck themselves with the Father's plumes, and like Aesop's Crow, jet up and down in the feathers of other birds, though they craftily dissemble it. I may add it of some speakers too, who steal many a sweet allusion, simile, amplification, application, exposition, and best things in their Sermons from them, and adopting their sayings, make themselves putative fathers of that brood, which their barrenness (God knows and they too) could never breed nor beget. Thus reap they that fruit whereon they bestowed no labour; other men have laboured for them, and they are entered on their labours, without naming or remembrance of their founders and benefactors. Thus with the Partridge (jer. 17. 11.) gather they those young which they never brought forth. But for all their dissembling concealment, the young ones brought forth (saith Ambrose) hearing the voice of their true mother, leave the putative parent, and go to their own. Thus unthankful are they, qui dum sua nolunt furta cognosci, ingrati sunt in magistrum, as of such pure theft, as they count it, or rather Saint thieves, as we may term them, k Apolog. adieu. Ruff. jerom speaketh. These are as close thieves as l Patric. Epist. in lib de I●st●. reip. Chrysippus, and be branded with such a coal, who took other men's things so notoriously with professing their names, that when he had stolen almost all Eurypides Medea for his Tragedy, his scholars in a taunt called it, Medaeam Chrysippi, non Eurypidis Tragedian. But it is a thankful and ingenious mind, saith m Prefat. nat. hist. ad Vespas. Benignum, ut arbitror, & plenum ingenui pudoris est fateri per quos profec●ru: obnoxij profectò animi & insoelicis ingenij est, deprehendi infurto mall, quàm mutuum reddere, etc. Pliny, to confess by whom we profit: and it is the part of an evil mind and barren brain, that had rather be taken in theft, then acknowledge the author, & haec quasi merces authori iure optimo pensanda est, ne fures esse videamur, saith Patricius. When Thales Milesius, as that Author relateth, had taught Mandritus a Philosopher of Prienne some excellent skill about the Sun, having thanked him hearty for it, asked his Author what reward for so great and good a document he would have: Nothing, o Mandritus saith he, but that when thou utterest it to other, tibi non asciveris, sed eius rei me potiùs quàm alium repertorem praedicaveris: That thou arrogate it not to thyself and make it thine own, but confess thou hadst it of me, and cite me for thine Author. And (alas) what other reward have all learned ethnic Philosophers, Poets and Historians, yea what those indefatigable pains of the Fathers, for their many learned Volumes, (who wrote more books for Christ's cause, than some of us have read, than many have in our studies) what reward have they of us, (for even for these books have they now great reward in heaven) but that we confess what profit we reap from them, into whose labours we are unthankfully entered? As thou must not be ashamed to learn, saith n Epist. 1. ad Greg. neque verò ad discendum verecundum esse oportet, nec ad docendum malignum, quodab ●lio tute didisceris, nequaquà clam habendum: cuiusmodi facere mulieres improbae solent, quae ex alijs ipsae quaesitos liberos viru suis tollendos subijciunt, patrem mentientes, etc. Basill to Gregory, so neither in teaching be unthankful and malicious: what thou hast learned of any other, thou must not conceal it, like harlots and whores who make their husbands believe and others too, those children are theirs, which other men begot, fathering them amiss. Authorem verò ipsum prodere grata commemoratione decet, verumque ipsius scientiae parentem: but it is meet and becometh thee, to confess thine Author with thankful remembrance, and father thy knowledge on him who begot it, Wherefore as Tully told his Brutus, Tu quidem à Nevio vel sumpsisti multa si fateris: vel sinegas, surripuisti: so may I say as truly of each of them and their best things they bring: If thou confess of whom thou hadst them, thou hast but taken them from the Fathers: but thou hast stolen them, if thou deny and confess not thine Authors. Why should we think the names of Jerome, Austin or Ambrose a stain to our Sermons, as if they were those idolaters, (Psal. 16.) whereof David saith, I will not make mention, nor take their names within my lips? whose very names notwithstanding, sith the Almighty hath himself written in his book of life, why should not we as did the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles in their Sermons, cite the names of the faithful for their glory? When Mary had bestowed on Christ but a box of ointment, he commanded that wheresoever his Gospel should be preached, this thing that she had done should be spoken of for a memorial of her name, Mat. 26. and how much them, whose knowledge for his cause was like ointment powered out, who bestowed such pains in maintenance of his truth, wrote so many books for profit of his spouse, and laid down (many of them) their lives for his sake, will he that we remember their names in preaching his Gospel for a memorial of them? o Epist ad Hel. de Scriptures edisserens libenter Patrum testimonia & nomina in illarum expositione produceret, voluit quod cuivis esset simpliciter confiteri: atque in hunc modum eruditionis gloriam declinando, eruditissimus habebatur. Illud (aiebat) Tertulliani, istud Cyprians, hoc Lactancij, illud Hilarij est: sic Minutius Foelix, ita Victorinus, in hunc modum est locutus Arnobius: me etiam quandoque citaret, etc. Jerome commandeth Nepotian, that in handling the Scripture, he willingly would produce the testimonies of the Fathers, and their names in exposition of them, and would plainly confess every saying of each one, and by this means, refusing the glory to be thought learned, was counted most learned. That (said he) is Tertullias: this, Cyprians: this, Lactantius: that, is Hilaries: so Minutius Foelix: thus Victorinus: after this manner spoke Arnobius, and me also eftsoons would he cite. For omission whereof, as I cannot quite acquit our modern Writers of one part of a learned p Salmeron. praefat. comment. in evang. Satu mirari non valeo quorundam recentiorum scriptorum confidentiam, ne dicam audaciam & temeritatem, qu● vetus ac nonum Testamentum ita enarrare aggressi sunt, ut 〈…〉 qu● in eorum Commentarijs Basilij vel Athanasij, nusquam jerom m● aut Ambrosij, ●●squam Augustini aut chrysostom, aut denique aliorum antiquorum Patrum facere mentionem dignentur. Suas tantummodo cogitationes sua inventa, aut potiùs somnia nobis obtundentes. Papists reproof, who saith, In expounding the old and new Testament, they scant anywhere deign in their Commentaries, to name and make mention of Basill or Athanasius, of Jerome or Ambrose, of Austin or chrysostom, or lastly, any of the ancient: so for their thievish and peevish concealment, cannot I but admire some modern speakers, who adopt (as I said) the Father's sayings, and father them on themselves, suppressing their names. Or if they afford them this favour for their instructions, (as if their proper names were odious and loathsome in their mouths) they cite but as the Pharisees did Christ's name indefinitely, Hic homo, one saith, not Ambrose, but one saith, as if we were afraid of their names: So little honour afford some sons the names of their fathers. And if indeed we would say what some of us think in our hearts, the voice should be, aetas parentum peior avis, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. Yea justinus Martyr, q jerom. Catalo. script. Eccl. qui pro religione Christi plurimum laboravit, r Idem lib. 17 in Esa. 64. vir Apostolicus & diligentissimus: who, as he was next the Apostles times, next them took greatest pains for Christ's truth, and s Epiph. lib. 3. cont. haeres. 46. sealed it with his blood, he is too full of Philosophy for our Sermons, he shall but just be as justine the Historian. Irenaeus, whom t Lib. adver. Valent. Tertullian called omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum explanatorem, the most diligent and curious searcher of all learning, he shall be but an Irony in our Sermons. Clemens Alexandrinus (to set them in seniority) whose volumes u Catalogue. cod. Jerome saith, are full of learning and eloquence human and divine: whom x Adverse. juli. cyril so oft called, that learned man endued with all kind of knowledge, whose books of Stromes y Lib. 6. hist. Eccl cap. 12. Eusebius saith, are stuffed with all sort of most profitable learning, he shall be of no more reckoning with us, than last Pope Clement of Rome. Tertullian, whom z Lib. 5. Instit. cap. 1. Lactantius calleth skilful in all kind of learning of whom jerom. a cattle. Cyprian when he asked his notary for a book to read, would say, Da Tertullianum, da magistrum, Give me Tertullian, give me my master, and would not let a day pass without reading some part of his work, yea used ad verbum his very examples and sentences oft in his writings; he shall be but as Tertullus the Orator. Origen, whom b Ibid. Jerome called a man immortalis ingenij & secularium litterarum doctissimum, of immortal wit, and most learned in all secular knowledge: whose knowledge of the Scriptures, he c Idem Apolog, adverse. Ruff. professeth he wondered at, and though his name distasted to some, yet d Idem prooem. in quaest in Gen. Origenis scientiam cum invidia nominis optaret, he is too ancient and original, and we wonder as much at his name in a Sermon, as ever did Jerome at his knowledge of the Scriptures. Cyprian, who was counted e Nazianzen. Orat. in Cypria. the great name of Carthage and of all the world, whose name was famous in all churches both Heretics and Christians, whose name and works Nazianzene professeth he reverenced more than he did all other Martyrs, and for his eloquence surpassed other men so far, as other men do bruit beasts. Cyprian, whom f Epist. ad Paul. de instit. Monac. Jerome terms sweet, like a most pure fountain: whom g Lib. 2. de doct. Christ. cap. 40. Austin, a most sweet Doctor, and most blessed Martyr, h Lib. 2. de bon. perseveran. c. 19 a most glorious Martyr, and most bright Doctor: whom as i Lib. 6. de Bap. c●nt. Donatist. cap. 2. he witnesseth, Inter raros & pauces excellentissimae gratiae viros numerat pia maeter Ecclesia, who was counted of the k Cyprian. Epist. lib. 5. Epist. 10. martyrum ad Cyprian. Martyrs of Christ jesus, omnibus in tractatu maior, in sermone facundior, in consilio sapientior, in patientia simplicior, in operibus largior, in abstinentia sanctior, in obsequio humilior, & in actu bono innocentior, and was generally called Tuba Dei canens, the shrill trumpet of God: he shall be a well without water, this glorious Martyr shall not have the glory to witness any truth in our Sermons, this trumpet of God gives an uncertain sound in our ears, and Cyprianus shall have a letter changed in his name, and be called Caprianus, as of some such it l Erasm. Epist. Praefix. Ambro. once was, one that for gold brought but goats hair to the building of the tabernacle. Caelius, Firmianus, Lactantius whom m Catalogue. scri. Eccl. Jerome styles in divinis Scripturis studiosissimum, whose volume De ira Dei, n Lib. 2 in Eph. 4 he commended so highly for eloquence and learning, that o Epist ad Paul. de instit. monach. elsewhere he calls him flunium Tullianae eloquentiae, he smells too much of Tully, Caelius is not heavenly enough for our pure ones, nor Firmianus firm in the faith, nor Lactantius affordeth any milk sincere enough for these babes. Athanaesius, whom good p Athan apolog. 2. epist Constant. ad pop. Alexan. Constantine named, Adorandae legit in interpretem: whom q Orat ad Heró. Phil. vide ●rat. eius fu●eb. in Athanas. Nazianzene, Sanctissimum orbis oculum, and was counted the light of the Church of Alexandria, as r Immut. dial. 1. Theodoret reports: this interpreter must be silent in the Church, this eye plucked out of our sermons, and this light covered under a bushel in our studies, and not be set on a candlestick, to give light to all in God's house. Basilius Magnus, who suitable to his name was the great strength of the people, which name was penes omnes, in every man's mouth saith s Orat fun●b. in laud. Basil. magn. Nazianzene, whom t Lib. 4. hist. Eccl. cap. 19 Theodoret called, the light of the whole world; whom u Epist. 14. vide Greg. Nyss. orat. in laud. Basil. mag. Nazianzene, the eye of the world, Magnificam Dei vocem ac tubam, regiumque dicendi splendorem: his strength seems but weakness in our eyes, this eye is darkness in our body, this trumpet of God sounds harsh in our ears, his silver we count dross, Basill is but brasil in our account, or but like Basilides the gnosticke. Hilary, whom in his writings x Epi. ad. Paulin. Jerome found, Graeciae floribus adornatum, and y Apol. adu. Ruff called that most eloquent man the trumpet of God against the Arians, and z Epist. adversus Lucifer. Deucalion of the world: his flowers smell not sweet in our nostrils, this trumpet of God gives such an uncertain sound in our ears, that we cannot prepare ourselves unto battle: we cry out with the Prophet in a worse meaning, Woe is me, I have heard the sound of the trumpet: and when we are bid take heed to the sound of the trumpet, we answer like them, jer. 6. 17, But we will not take heed. What shall I say, some think of the rest? Cyrillus, whom a Lib. 2. hist. Eccl. cap. 26. Theodoret termed, Promptissimum defensorem Apostolicorum dogmatum, the most ready defender of the Apostolical truth, he shall be but Chaerilus the paltry Poet. Epiphanius, the appearance and revelation of truth, but Epiphanes the Platonic. Gregorius, surnamed by an excellency, the Divine, but Gregarius a common fellow. Ambrose, whom his scholar b Lib. 6. confess. cap. 13. Austin termed the Bishop known to the best throughout the world, who suitable to his name, as c Epist praefix. Ambros. Erasmus noteth, flowing with heavenly Ambrosia, is worthy to be Ambrose, that is, immortal with God and men, he shall be forgotten, and his name clean put out of our sermons. Jerome, such a map of all kind of learning, that whatsoever gifts were singular in any several men, were in him alone most excellent, that he excelled all men in that wherein they excelled all, as d Epist. nuncap. praefix. 1. tom jer. Erasmus avoucheth: his diversity of tongues is but a confusion of tongues for the building of Babel, his wit without wisdom, his invention without judgement in our esteem, and the tongue of the learned shall want an hearer of his infinite learning. chrysostom, cui aurei oris cognomen tributum, saith e Epist. praefix. Chrysost. Erasmus, interpreting his name, for as his name was, so was he; whose Sermons to the common people, how singular they were (saith f Lib. 6. hist. eccl. cap. 4 Socrates) I need not declare, seeing every one may read and reap great fruit & profit therefrom: of whom his g Sozon. li. 8. hist. Eccles cap. 2. master and predecessor Libanius witnessed at his death, that he was ad dicendum ac persuadendum potens, & inter sui temporis oratores excellens: his gold is too light, and in the balance of their brain is found wanting yea laid upon the weights is altogether lighter than vanity itself. What lastly shall I say that we think of father Austin, the perfection of all these? Aurelius Augustinus, than which writer the world hath nought vel magis aureum vel augustius, saith h Epist. praefix. tom. 1. August. Erasmus, that the very names seem not in vain, but by God's providence to be given to the man (though we think, quid hoc scriptore vel magis aeneum & angustius) whom i Pauli. ad Aug. epist. 31 ●om. 2. Paulinus called the salt of the earth, a candle worthily set on the candlestick of the Church, his mouth a conduit-pipe of living water, a vein of that eternal fountain, and k Epist. 36. trumpet of the Lord: this salt is unsavoury, and meet for nought but to be cast out of our sermons, and be trodden under feet of men, this candle to be covered under a bushel in our studies, this conduit-pipe to be stopped, this fountain to be damned and dammed up. He was worthily termed, the hammer of heretics, whose word was like an hammer that breaketh the stones, as jeremy speaketh. But though this heavenly smith abode by his anvil, and did his diligence to labour the iron, that the vapour of the fire dried his flesh, and he fought with the heat of the furnace, though the noise of the hammer was ever in his ears, and his eyes looked still upon the things that he made, though he set his mind to make up his works, and watched to polish it perfectly, as speaketh l Eccl. 38. 28. 29 Syracides: yet must he now keep silence in the Church, and the hammer not be heard in building the temple. They are ashamed to name them in sermons, whose names were so famous throughout the whole world, whereas moderns, the sons of these fathers, they proclaim with great glory. m Epist. praefix. Hilaerio. Erasmus saw it in his days, and complained, Video quosdam (saith he) prae novis libellis qui nunc undiquaque provolant, veteres authores fastidire: in tantum, ut & Originem & jeronymum velut sexagenarios, quod est in proverbio, de ponte deturbandos existiment. Ego verò ut non arbitror aspernandum siquid horum temporum ingenia vel excogitarint, vel instaurarint, ita mentis est improbae vetustati non suum deferre honorem: ingratae verò etiam eos reijcere, quorum industriae tantum debet orbis Christianus. Quid enim nunc possemus in sacris literis, nisi Origenis, Tertulliani, Chrysostomi, jeronymi, Hilarij, Augustini monumentis adiuti? If these men that condemn the naming of Ambrose and Austin, would not also name Calvin and Beza, their partial dealing were less. But if they dare name a Father, it is low down, as that n Horat. epist. hypocrite named Valerna in the temple, Labra movens metuens audiri, they dare not speak out lest all hear it. But Calvin and Beza, on whom they think, as on Elisaeus Eliah his spirit is doubled, they proclaim with courage and contention of voice, jane pater, clare: clare cùm dixit Apollo: whereas rather they should contrariwise cite them, as did those two: or if they dare name Fathers, it is but bare Ambrose and Austin, whom the Church counted Saints, and put Saint before their names, when master Calvin and master Beza they will be sure to sound out; what partial men are these? Alas, they might at least honour the fathers as much as their sons, and call them master Ambrose and master Austin. I speak not this to disgrace those men of yesterday, whom in many places I oft counted true searchers of the sense and holy land of Canaan. Neither yet would I have any to prefer those recent writers to the learned ancient Fathers, as o Vide Piscat. prafat. in Gen. some too partial, indiscreetly have done, as if the glean of Ephraim were better than the vintage of Abiezer: and what have these done in comparison of them? but only to show the factious spirit of singularity of some sectaries, who in stead of the Fathers have children, whom they make Princes in all lands. Neither is my censure the observation of learned p Lib. de sac. scr. quast. 12. cap. 2. Zanchius himself, who having showed that the proud contempt in some of learned men and interpreters to be one cause of not understanding the scriptures aright, taxeth those sharply with faction Qui nimium addicti sunt suis interpretibus, who are pinned to the sleeve of their own interpreters; whereof as the Papists are guilty (saith he) who are pinned to the Monks and Doctors, Thomas, Aegidius, Scotus, and such like: so, sunt plerique etiam inter nostros, there are not a few (by your leave) even among us Protestants also, quibus religio est ab interpretationibus svorum praeceptorum vel minimum deflectere: and he shows the effect & profit of such sectarisme, Ita fit, ut & ipsi sponte se privent vera scriptur● intelligentia: & dum suos praeceptores in omnibus, & per omnia volunt tueri, turbas excitant in Ecclesia. Res est perspicua vel me tacente. True Zanchius, it is so plain here, that one may run and read it in this land. For my poor part and little reading in the Fathers, when I found such store of heavenly learning, of divine meditations, sound expositions, pathetical amplifications, and godly admonitions, I resolved in myself with q Epist. prefix. tom. 1. August. & lib. 1. de rat. contion. Erasmus who had read them all more than many of us: In Athanasio suspicimus seriam ac sedulam docendi perspicuitatem. In Basilio praeter subtilitatem, exosculamur piam ac mitem suaviloquentiam. In Chrysostomo, spent profluentem orationis copiam amplectimur. In Cypriano spiritum veneramur martyrio dignum. In Hilario, grandi materiae parem grandiloquentiam atque cothurnum admiramur. In Ambrosio dulces quosdam aculeos. In jeronymo divitem scripturarum penum optimo iure laudamus. In Gregorio puram nulloque fuco picturatam sanctimoniam agnoscimus. And in Austin, as in a map, all these we admire. Thus thought that learned man of these Fathers, but Erasmus was deceived, and for this will they count and write him but Eras-mus. And though late writers from them give us oft the true sense and meaning of Scripture; yet in my simple judgment, profound Austin for questions, learned Jerome for expositions, pathetical chrysostom for amplifications, honey Bernard for meditations, pithy Cyprian for persuasions, sweet Ambrose for allusions, which they call delusions; eloquent Nazianzene for moving the affections; in stead of their children, I still judged these Fathers were made by the holy Ghost, Princes in all lands. And though in respect of informing the understanding, there may seem some collation, yet for leading and conforming the affection, and reforming the will (I speak before the Lord and his Saints) I think there is no comparison. Lege eos, & invenies nos, comparatione eorum, imperitissimos, saith r Jerem Epist, ad Roman. one: Do but read them, good brother, (for such commonly never read them, if they did, it were impossible they should dislike them) and thou shalt find many of us unworthy to carry their books, which made me (I confess) resolve with that excellent s jerom. Epist. ad M 〈…〉 Father, Meum propositum est, antiquos legere, probare singula, retinere quae bona sunt, & à fide Ecclesiae non recedere. Wherein, as I freely profess with Brentius, Patres ut multùm amo, ita canitiem eorum reverenter veneror, ac sentio eos plurimum utilitatis in Ecclesiam confer: so can I not but with t Expl●n. in Psal. 1. 1. Bucer proclaim against these Antipater's, Inhumanum est, nedum indignum filijs Dei, verè pios, vereque doctrinae sacrae studiosoes, ac non parum de Ecclesia Christi suis scriptis meritos, temerè adeò in ordinem cogere, adeoque omnem illis authoritatem derogare: id quod plerique sibi, nescio quo spiritu, turbulento hoc nostro seculo nimium quàm licentèr permiserunt. Thou saidst that truly Bucer, they do it nescio quo spiritu, it is from the spirit. He addeth, Hic candour, hoc consensus studium quum omnibus debeatur, this favour of naming them, whereas it is due debt to all authors, Praecipuè debetur ijs, quos multis iam seculi●, & sapientiae, & sanctimoniae nominibus totus ferè orbis suspexit & veneratus est. When I have said never so much for them, I cannot give them more due commendation above late writers, then learned u Lib. 4. de ra●. stud. Theol. ca 9 Hyperius doth in a whole chapter, who had read & compared both so thoroughly. I will set down his own words in Latin, because in this question I speak to the learned. Vehementer demiror quorundam malè feriatorum ingenia ac judicia (and so may all wisemen) qui praestantissima remedia ad cuitandum omne incommodum et si porrigi cernant, aegrè tamen ferunt ullos in sanctorum patrum lectionem incumbere, (witness the dusty desks where they stand, whereas the boards of late writers are worn bright, and the books black with reading) non aliter improbant, damnant, repudiant, abijciunt veterum scripta universa, quàm si nihil in ijs extaret dignum cognition, & de Christo nihil unquam docuissent veritati sacrae scripturae consentaneum. Atqui satis superque constat, multos ex sanctis illis patribus vitae sanctimonia conspicuos, plerosque etiam miraculis claros extitisse: ●dhaec, propter confessionem nominis Christi dira perpessos: nonnullos etiam sanguine suo & morte fortiter tolerata, consignasse confessionis suae & sanae doctrinae evangelicae certitudinem. Constat insuper, quomodo Deus dignatus sit quosdam illorum mirabilt virtute spiritus ●● gratia in docendo celebres in Ecclesia reddere: & quomodo donis his●e tantum valuerint, ut in asserenda veritate, in redarguendis confutandi●que tàm Philosophorum quàm haereticorum erroribus, in exhortation●m gravitate, in acrimonia & severitate convictionum, in consolationum dulcedine, Caeteros omne longo interuallo post se relinquant & quorumvis hominum conscientijs, supra quam dici queat, prosint. Co●st●t praeterea, quantopere sua doctrina & pietate Ecclesias promoverim, stabiliverint, & quomodo integras optimeque ordinatas posteris reliquerint, (integras & optime ordinatas? Yea Hype▪ ius? No, we have found a more holy and pure policy caelitus delapsam). Quinetiam in hunc usque diem experimur, nos illorum sanctissimis lucubratio●bus mirificè adiwari: Omnem conseruandarum Ecclesiarum artem & prudentiam ex ijsdem addiscamus necesse est (not necessary neither, if we find better at Geneva). Denique non pauci qui nunc aliquid laud dignum scribendo praestant, illorum plumis se subinde vestiunt, ornant, superbiunt, quamuis callidè dissimulent. Haec▪ gitur quando ita se habent, cquiden Inuidos & Maledicos obtrectatores istos indignos arbitror, adversos quos plurimis verbis pro vendicanda sanctorum patrum dignitate à calumnijs dimicem & propugnem. Quod si tales mores ac vitae puritas, par item doctrina in istis elucerent, si tot in dicendo scribendoque labores exhaustos, si tantum ardorem ad illustrandam Christi gloriam confirmandasque Ecclesias, si tantum animi r●bur in sustinendis pro veritate periculis conspiceremus in superciliosis & delicatis istis Aristarchis seu censoribus, quanta haec omnia fuisse in priscis illis patribus novimus, fuerunt autem exce●entissimae: tunc sanè nos aliquo pacto aurem ipsis accomodaremus. Nurc vero quando nihil prorsus ei●smodi deprehendi in cis potest, quamlibet scrupulosè omni ex pa●te circumspectes, nos audire eos nolumus, multo minus respondebimus eorum c●uillationibus. Thus far Hyperius for the Fathers. Read this Antipater's, and be ashamed. I know no reason in the world, why they should either mislike or postpose most holy men, Confestors, Martyrs, and miracle-workers, the pillars of the Church, the burning lamps of good life, and lights of great knowledge, but either because they are too learned, as Festus said of Paul; or else because they were reverent Fathers of God's Church: and it may be, that one herb puts death in the pot, and if the name of Bishop go by their ears, it turns the whole pot of pottage. I will end this with the Wise man's advice, Eccl. 3. 2. Hear your father's judgement, o children, and do thereafter that ye may be safe: for the Lord will have the father's honoured of the children, and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the children. Let me add with Syracides, cap. 44. 1 Let us now commend the famous men, and our fathers of whom we are begotten. The Lord hath gotten great glory by them, and that through his great power from the beginning: they have borne rule in their kingdoms, and were renowned for their power, and were wise in counsel, and declared Prophecies. They governed the people by counsel, and by the knowledge of learning meet for the people, in whose doctrine were wise sentences. All these were men honoured in their generations, and were well reported of in their times. There are of them that have left a name behind them, so that their praise shall be spoken of: their s●ed shall remain for ever, and their praise shall never be taken away: their bodies are buried in peace, but their name liveth for evermore. The people speak of their wisdom, and the congregation talk of their praise, though malice swell at betters, pride disdain at superiors, humorists rage, schismatics cut off these conduitpipes of living water, and that impura puritas, as Nazianzene calls it, storm, and sons, as our Saviour foretold, rise against the fathers and cause their name to die: though their tongue blear and their pen blot the names of the fathers; which blessed Fliahs are now taken up in heaven, & have left us their cloaks behind them: yet let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, and my right hand also forget her poor cunning, when either refuseth to proclaim from my heart, The fathers, the fathers, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof. So much (indeed too much) be said to their first unreasonable reason, of abandoning the Father's sayings or names from our Sermons. 2. Ob. It hindereth one from often preaching, ergo. 1. Resp. It hindereth no artists (as Preachers should be) who were brought up at the feet of Gamaliels in the Colleges of the Prophets, and therefore have this handmaid at a call, with the Apostle, to wait on her mistress. And they that want this knife of secular learning, how can they divide the word aright to God's people? Such run before they be sent, as the Prophet complaineth, and x Lib. 2. de rat. contion. ad conci. sacrat interdum assiliunt qualibet adolescentes, lenes indocti, etc. Erasmus, as I said, observed in his days. Such would be Doctors of the law, and yet understand not what they speak, nor whereof they affirm. A Minister y 2. Tim. 2. must be apt to divide the word aright, therefore a Logician: z 'tis 1. apt to argue and convince the gainsayer, therefore a Rhetorician: a 1. Tim 3. apt to teach, therefore furnished with all kind of learning; do all things by order, therefore methodical: and he that comes without these, is like the bad Orator in b Lib. 2. de Ora. Tully, who thinking he had moved his auditors to pity whereof he declaimed, asked Catulus after his Oration, Num egregiè misericordiam movisset, Whether he had not marvelously moved pity: Yes truly, great pity, (quoth he) for I think there were none so stony hearted and blockish, but they pitied thee in thy speech. Such may sooner move pity then piety in their people. God will one day say to such dispensers of his meat to his family, as he said to Shebnah the steward of his house, Esa. 22. Quid tu hîc? What dost thou here? Or as Jerome with others out of the Hebrew translate it, Quidtu, quasiquis, hîc? What dost thou here, in templo Dei indignè ministrando? as Lyra. Indignus tali habitatione, as Aquinas. Aut quasi quis hîc ac si esses alicuius valoris, as Hugo glosseth. Such a quasi quis should not sit in Moses chair, whereof the c 2. Cor. 2. 16. Apostle asked, quis, who is sufficient for these things? though now they resolve the question quis into quisquis, who is not sufficient for these things? Where shall I lay the fault of such queasy & quasi-ones? Is it Rebeccah their mother, who by commendatory letters puts them in the apparel of Christ their elder brother, that our ancient Isaaks know them neither by voice nor by hand, and so steal they a blessing from dim sights, that know not whom they bless? Wheresoever it be, a Minister without knowledge of the Arts cannot be apt to teach, as d Lib. de rat. Stud. Theolog. cap. 4. Hyperius proveth at large: and if such have them at a call, how hinder they his often preaching? 2. It hindered not the ancient Fathers, nor our late best Homilists, who preached, preached I say oftener than many of these do. I will show them anon, that if they used it more often than they do, they should preach more and talk less in the pulpit then some do. jesus went about all cities and towns teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel, saith the Evangelist, Mat. 9 35. On which words Musculus thus taxeth talking Ministers: Non dicit, loquens, sed praedicans: exigit enim non simpliciter narrantem aut loquentem, sed praedicantem. Quemadmodum non satis est ad praedicandi evangelii munus exequendum simpliciter ad populum dicere quae scripta sunt, sed opus est ut totis viribus ista gratiâ depraedicentur. Licet enim vera dicat qui ea dicit, quae in Euangelicis scriptis leguntur, non tamen mox dici potest evangelii praedicator, nisi praedicantis etiam referat conditionem & judicium. He adds his censure of such talkers: Proinde parùm apti sunt ad praedicandum evangelium, qui tantùm hoc curant, ut ad horam dicant ad populum utcumque: he gives no less censure e Loc. come. cap. de ossic. minist. Habent ●sticertos dies per septimanam quibus concionentur, rectè hoc quidem, & o Illud vero probandum non est, quod ex horum numero admod● mu●ts, nec ex animo sed perfunctoriè a● frigidè dicunt, etc. nec verbum Deipertinenter & utiliter secantes ad aeds ficationem auditorum accommo lant: sed admodùm sese 〈…〉 cium ad●mplesse putant, si vicunque ad horam dixerint. elsewhere of their profiting the people. If Musculus had heard some of our talkers, he would have reported of some place: Loquitur, non praedicat i●i●. To what end learn we in seven years the arts? To what purpose Libraries, and stored studies? to what end tongues? nay to what end studying twenty years in the University, if a Preacher must say no more on a text, than an artisan, a tailor, a shoemaker, and a trades man can, with a testimony and an example from an Index? If this be to preach, than every silly lay-man that can read, may serve the turn, & ad quid perditio haec? What needed such pains and cost in the Universities? Is it not excellent, when every idiot that heareth us, may say with himself: Eadem & tu ex hoc loco possis dicere, as out of Keckerman I noted? No, it hindereth no artists from preaching, who have it at command, and helps them to divide God's word aright from often preaching. How oft would they preach? the best and most famous Preachers in this land have ingeniously confessed, that they cannot preach above twice aweeke, they could speak indeed six times, but they are charged to preach the word, 2. Tim. 4. 2. 3. Ob. It hath no promise of blessing, ergo. 1. Resp. Every good gift coming down from the Father of lights hath a promise of blessing, 1. Cor. 12. 7. when it is used to his glory. Truth overcometh all things, (saith f 1. Esdr. 3. 12. Esdras) truth is greater and stronger than all. All the earth calleth for truth and the heaven blesseth it, 1. Esdras 4. 6. And indeed as rivers in their channels, though they taste of the earth, and relish of the mud wherein they run, yet coming into the sea, resume their ancient saltness: so truth in the heathens, though it taste of their paganism when they use it to worldly respects, yet returning to the author's service from whence it first came, receiveth its old vigour, and may serve as salt to season the nations withal. 2 It had a blessing in Paul, who confuteth Philosophers and Atheists thereby, Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15. It had a blessing in the Fathers, who confounded Heretics and Apostates therewith, and so may we Papists, Turks, Heretics, Atheists Epicures, schismatics, Puritan, Anabaptists, and Brownists out of natural reason. g Ser. 92. de bap. August. Ambrose professeth, he converted Austin by the help hereof. It lead the heathen to the knowledge of the Godhead and divine matters, Rom. 1. 19 It made them morally just, wise and virtuous, and taught them to do the things of the law, Rom. 2. 14. 15. and how much more may it Christians, when it is directed by the word, and made powerful by the spirit of sanctification? This their second Objection, from reasons. Their third is, the authority ● Argument from Father's and others. of all Writers. 1. Ob. The ancient Fathers and recent Homilists used it not in their Sermons: therefore they thought it unlawful, or at least not expedient. Resp. They all allow it: and whereas most the ancient were busied in disputation with Heretics, yet even those, who only preached to their people, used it often and much in Sermons popular, and that when no controversy was in hand but the doctrine of faith and good manners, as anon shall be showed at large. And surely the obiector of this reason, read never (God knoweth and he too) the ancient and modern through (me thinks) but took it by hearsay from the hu●sters hand. 2. Ob. Yea but chrysostom excuseth himself to the people, and maketh an Apology for using secular learning in sermons: ergo he thought it either utterly unlawful, or much inconvenient to be used. Resp. I might here answer with h Apollog. adve. Russ. Jerome, Sed ipsa loca nomina, nec hoc mihi sufficiet nisi eadem dicta ad verbum protuleris, the obiector might have noted him, where, if he had it not from others report? Indeed I find chrysostom (orat. 2. adversus judaeos) excuseth himself to the people by Paul's example, that in his sermon speaking of Christ, he cited Ethnic Philosophers, as Pythagoras, Plato, Tyaneus, Socrates and Diagoras. Which if he did in respect of jews, he might justly, who rejected heathens learning and witness, as I showed before. If in respect of his people and auditors, he might justly, because speaking of Christ he brought something from Philosophers, who never heard nor dreamt of the Messias. Howsoever he there apologizeth his alleging of it then, he often after (as hereafter I will show) cited it to his people. And in the next sermon contra concubinarios, he allegeth the fable of Tantalus in the Poets to his auditors for no point of controversy at all, and very often useth it in his popular sermons without all apology when no controversy was in hand. This was but a guess of some who had not read the father throughout. 3. Ob. Yea but Jerome in his Epistle to Eustochia, reproveth her for reading profane authors with the Scripture; saying, What communion hath light with darkness? what concord Christ with belial? what Horace with the Psalter? Virgil with the Evangelists? Tully with the Apostles? Is not a brother scandalised, if he see thee sit at table in the idols temple? And although to the pure all things be pure, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving of them that know the truth; yet ought we not to drink together the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. And to dissuade her from this, tells her a story how he was in a vision cited before God's tribunal, and beaten for spending so much time in reading Tully, Plautus, and such like: & was told, Ciceronianus es non Christianus, thou art a Ciceronian Jerome, and not a Christian. At which word he promised to read profane authors no more, and kept his vow for the space of fifteen years, as we i jerom. prooem. in Gal. 3. ad Paul. & Eustoch. read in his writings. ergo. I answer with k Probl. loc. 150. Aretius, Jerome prescribeth to Eustochia, Qualis debeat esse lectio Monialis Nonnae, what a virgin consecrate to Christ should chief read. Not Horace as the Psalter, nor Virgil as the Evangelists, nor Tully as the Apostles Epistles. Not these more or so much as Eustochia did. He reproveth this in women (as he might in all Christians) specially consecrated virgins and Nuns given to devotion: but in his Epistle unto Romanus, he alloweth men to read and use them with moderation, especially Ministers, who must be apt to teach, apt to convince, and able to divide God's word aright to his people. 2. For his story that he told her, if it was true, he was justly to be blamed, because (as he confesseth to Ruffinus) he read them with such delight that he disdained the Scriptures: and therefore defineth no man should read heathens more or so much as profane authors; which no Christian will deny. 3. Whereas many (saith l Scholar in Epist. jeron ad Eustoch. Erasmus) believing this fable, dare not meddle with secular learning, lest with Jerome they be beaten, they are deceived with a dream. For Jerome himself in his Apology to Ruffinus (who charged him with breach of this promise and perjury for reading them after it) tells him that it was but a mere illusion of Satan, and fantastical dream (as there he confesseth he had many such) and not to believed. I promised (saith he) when I was asleep and not mine own man. m D● futur▪ sp●●sio est, ● preterite me● viae 〈◊〉 ● Apolog adu● Ruff. I vowed never to read them for further knowledge, but to remember what before I had read in those authors. And whereas he told Eustochium, that he had not read Tully, Virgil, nor any profane writer for 15. years, it was not because of his dreamie promise & sleepy vow, but because he had sore eyes, much sickness, and infirmity of his whole body: as n Trooe●. ●● Gal 3. there he confesseth, and telleth Ruffinus, who accused him for reading them when he mended, that being acquainted with them from a boy, he could not utterly forsake them: adding, Si literas didicisses, oleret testa ingenioli tui quo semel fuerat imbuta: thou readest truly, and therefore art so learned, and blamest me for reading him, ut solus inter ecclesiasticos tractatores eloquentiae flumine glori●ris. Wherefore seeing neither Scripture rightly understood, nor any reasons truly examined, nor any precept or practice of ancient Fathers or late Writers, disallow secular learning in popular Sermons, as at large I have showed: it is not unlawful to be used in the pulpit at any time, as some from this do pretend. The consideration whereof, made me bold to use that whereof I saw no prohibition, either from God's word, reason, or man's judgement. And therefore as the o Oppian lib. ●. Lacedaemonian women with child, laid fair pictures before them, whereon looking often and earnestly, their reflex might make them conceive as fair children: so did I in conceiving this Brotherly Reconcilement, lay the beautiful works of the Fathers, the fair images and pictures of their minds before mine eyes, that this child might be like and resemble them, at least in some little member of the body. The lawful use whereof, both ecclesiastical and profane Authors in the pulpit, though it hath been sufficiently proved by a p D. K. lect. 40. on jonas. famous Preacher and Doctor of our Church: yet, sith it is now called into question again, not only in Athens, but even in the pulpit, give me leave (for apology of mine own practice) to glean after that labourer in God's harvest, and show first by Scriptures, secondly, by reason, thirdly, by the ancient Fathers and late Writers, that humanity is lawful in popular Sermons, when no controversy is in hand. For the first. That learning which the Scriptures forbidden not to be used in popular Sermons, may be lawfully used therein, 1. Cor. 6. 12. All things indifferent are lawful: but the Scriptures forbidden it not, as in examination of the places alleged is showed, ergo. 2 That learning which God himself preached and revealed to the people for the knowledge of himself, is lawful in popular Sermons, if God's practice may be a pattern to Preachers: but secular learning God preached and revealed to the people for knowledge of himself, Rom. 1. 19 vide Martyr. & Gualt. in id. ergo. 3 That learning or knowledge which taught people to do the things of the law, is lawful in popular Sermons, I mean still, when no controversy is in hand: but secular learning and knowledge taught people to do the things of the law, Rom. 2. 14. ergo, etc. Compare their decrees with God's law, and see how near they came to it by their natural knowledge, whereby they were a law unto themselves. Touching worshipping of one God in the first commandment of the former Table, this knowledge taught them so much, as their books witness. See Tully lib. 1. de Legibus, lib. 2. de nat. De●r. and q Lib 1. cont. julian. Cyrill brings the doctrine of Pythagoras to prove this point. In the second Commandment the Law forbiddeth images of God. The Persians did so also, as Strabo reporteth; and in their war against the Grecians burned the images of their gods, not in contempt of religion (as some Greek writers enviously accuse them) but because (saith r Homil. 1●. in Rom. 2. Gualther) they desired to set up the worship of the high God, and purge it from idolatry; the like storieth Tacitus of the old Germans; and Numa the second king of Rome counted it impiety, saith Plutarch, to represent the living God by the form of a man, or figure of any living creature. And though some of them when they knew God, glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations, and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of an image of a corruptible man, and of birds, of four footed beasts, and creeping things, Rom. 1. 23. This was not God's fault, saith Gualther, who plainly revealed this knowledge and his will unto them, but their own foolish heart, which turn the truth of God to a lie. For the third precept, forbidding to take God's name in vain, many of them by this their knowledge detested Exorcisms wherein it was profaned, and Theophrastus in Plutarch checked Pericles for this thing. As for perjury, wherein his name was abused, they punished it severely, as examples in their stories do witness. For the fourth precept, of keeping his Sabbath, they ordained laws for the like, though abusing their knowledge, they misused it with multitude of ceremonies and ridiculous rites. Touching the second table in general, their precept of charity was, Do to others as ye would be done to, which our Saviour saith is the Law and the Prophets. For the first precept, of honouring our parents, Homer bade the same, and gave the same motive, That thou mayst live long upon earth. And Solon (as Tully reporteth) made no law against parricides, because he thought none would be so unnatural and ungodly, as to kill his parents. For the second, Thou shalt not kill, their revealed law of natural knowledge taught them this abundantly, prohibiting homicide by their public laws, as their books witness. And such was their severity against it, that from the building of the City, the space of 620. years none was killed by any private hand within the walls, as Dionysius Halicarnasseus reporteth. For the third, Thou shalt not commit adultery, their laws were severe against it, and punishments of it grievous. The Egyptians laws punished it with a thousand stripes in the man, and cut off the nose of the woman, to deter others from the like, Diod. Sicul. lib. 2. de reb. antiq. cap. 2. Cael. Rhod. lib. 21. cap. 45. Solon's law permitted, that a man might kill the adulterer when he found him in the act. The Athenians mulct it with a mullet, vide Cael. Rhod. lib. 27. cap. 4. Plato with death, lib. 9 de legibus. The Lemnijs so contemned the goddess Venus, that none would sacrifice unto her, only because they thought she had committed adultery with Mars, Alex. ab Alex. lib. 2. cap. 14. The Leprei led the men three days through the City, contemning them all their life after, and made the women stand up in the market place to be a spectacle of shame eleven days, Cael. Rhod. lib. 21. cap. 48. & Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. The Cretans mulct it largely, and excluding adulterers from all office and dignity, crowned it with ignominy. Aelian. var. hist. lib. 12. & Cael. lib. 21. cap. 45. The Arabians punished it with death, Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. and Parthians no sin more severely. The Pisidians made them be both led together on an Ass through the City for certain days, Stob. sir. 42. The Thracians punished it grievously. Among the old Germans adulteram excisis naribus maritus s Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. & Tacit. expellit, say stories, and lashed her through the town. The barbarous Goths (as Procopius relateth) made it capital. The Romans' made them do public penance in a long rob, Cael. lib. 21. cap. 48. and made it lawful to kill their wives for that fault, whereof Valerius shows many examples, lib. 6. cap. 1. But of all most famous is the law of Zaleucus, who when his own son was accused of adultery before him, and adjudged to lose both his eyes for the fault, would not hear the whole City's entreaty for the one eye, but pulled out one of his own, and another of his sons to satisfy the law, Val. Max. lib. 6. cap. 4. & Volater. lib. 20. And thus by this revealed knowledge were the Gentiles a law to themselves. For the fourth precept, Thou shalt not steal: Solon by his law punished theft double. Draco by his ordained, that he qui stercorandi causa stercus bubulum abstulisset, aut olera, who had but stolen a little ordure or dung should die for it, Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. ex Gel. lib. 11. cap. 18. The Scythians punished no fault sorer. The Indians judged it the greatest. The Atrians stoned it. The Phrygians if one stole but an instrument of husbandry, made it death, Stob. ser. 42. Alex. lib. 3. cap. 5. and the laws of the twelve Tables in Rome, punished night-theft with death, Gel. lib. 11. cap. 18. Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. For the fift Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness, the Egyptians punished lying with death, Diod. Sicul. lib. 2. cap. 2. the Persians and Indians imposed perpetual silence on him who had thrice lied, Alex. ib. For perjury, the Indians cut off the toes and fingers, yea the outward members of the perjured, Alex. lib. 5. cap. 10. And for false accusation see how king Assuerus hanged Haman, Esth. 7. 8. and the Pisidians threw them headlong from a rock, Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. For the sixth and last, Thou shalt not covet, the books of Philosophers, Poets, and Historians are full de fraenandis affectibus, to speak nothing of their laws. Did this Ethnic knowledge and learning teach and persuade them to do the things of the law, and can it not help to inform our understandings, reform our minds, and conform our wills also? Yes doubtless, being made powerful by the word of the spirit, and fruitful by the spirit of grace, may it help to breed holiness in us, that made them so wise, so prudent, so just, so sober, so temperate, so continent, that without law by this natural knowledge they did the things of the law: seeing, as Peter Martyr noteth, if we t Comment an Rom. 2. look on the manners, life and conversation of Cato, Socrates, Aristides, and such heathens, we shall find, they go beyond the jews, and exceed many Christians. Wrought it so much good in them, who had not the spirit of grace, and can it work nothing in us, who have the spirit of sanctification? 4 That learning, the abuse whereof Saint Paul condemneth in popular Sermons, may be lawfully used therein: but Col. 2. 8. Paul condemneth the abuse of Philosophy, and the deceit of secular learning, Ergo. Our modern interpreters expound this place of the abuse, when it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Apostle speaks, doth beguile with paralogisms and vain deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of men, and not after Christ: As, that the world is eternal was a paralogism of Aristotle; that the souls go into new bodies was a paralogism of Plato and Pythagoras; that pleasure is the chiefest good, a paragolisme of Epicurus: So in Divinity, difference of meats, a paralogism of the jews and Papists, and such like. Otherwise when it doth not beguile, and brings such paralogisms, the Apostle alloweth it: therefore Paul spoke warily, saith Austia●, adding it of Philosophy, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ, and vain deceit, saith Theophylact, lest he should deter us from hearing Philosophy. Seeing then he biddeth the Colossians beware in their Preachers of Philosophy, which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, beguiling with vain deceit, and not after Christ: he alloweth that which agreeth with the analogy of faith to be heard of the people at Colosse. This place useth u Lib. 3. hist. Eccles. cap. 14. Socrates for a reason to prove this point in hand. 5. Saint Paul 1. Thess. 5. commandeth us to try all things, and keep that which is good. And in this precept Socrates before cited, thinks the Apostle commandeth Preachers to search for learning in all books for their people, that we be exquisiti numularij quo omnia exploremus: and it is evident (saith he) that the Doctors of the Church from their youth to their last old age in Gentilium disciplinis se exercuisse, idque partim diserti sermonis & mentis exercendae causa, partim ut eos ipsos scriptores doctrinae, qua tradenda errore lapsi sunt, penitùs convincerent. They tried all secular writers, and for their use took out of them that which was good. So x Probl. loc. 150. Aretius understandeth this place of the Apostles precept, commanding Preachers to read and try any secular authors, and take out of them that which is good. Vt apum more per omne scriptorum genus volitemus, ac quicquid boni apud singulos deprehenderimus, in usum nostrum transferamus. One (saith he) will teach us method; another, purer speech; a third, examples of virtues. This author, history: that piety for our people. And there is no book (as Pliny noteth) so bad, out of which some good may not be learned. Our Saviour in his sermons bade the people try bruit beasts, and learn of them that which is good: and why may not we bid our people try Poets, Philosophers, Historians, & learn of them that which is good? isaiah bade the people try Ox and Ass, and learn of them that which is good: and why not much more of wise and prudent men? jeremy, the Swallow, Turtle and Crane: and why not we much more Plato, Aristotle and Xenophon? Solomon the Ant, and why not Aristides? jeremy Dragons, and why not heathens? Our Saviour ravens, lilies, and fowls of the air; and why not Poets, Philosophers and Historians? He taught the people from vintners, husbandmen, builders, pipers, sowers, merchants, fishers, dough-kneaders, weather-wise and wizards, butchers and what not; and why not we from any that which is good? He said to his people, Learn of the Lilies of the field, learn of the fowls of the heaven; and why may not we say, of Tully, of Plato, and such like? Wherefore if they be bid try all things in any authors, and keep that which is good; let them look to it who try none, nor take aught at all from strange authors. Paul saith, Try all, and keep that which is good. As Christ said to Peter, Arise Peter, take and eat: but they answer, Not so Lord, for no unclean thing hath ever entered into our mouths. 6. Seeing secular learning is not forbid by the word, we should not withhold it from the people, who desire to hear heathens and infidels witness God's truth: and this after Paul's example, 1. Corinth. 9 who became all to all to win the more. And this place y Lib. 5. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus urgeth for this point in hand. Saint Paul became all things to all men, that by all means he might save some: that is, changed all shapes in things indifferent (saith Calvin) as the matter required, and put on divers persons of men for the more profit of his hearers. To the jews he became as a jew, not only in manners, when for them z Acts 16 3. he circumcised Timothy, a Acts 21. 26. purified himself, b Acts 18. 18. shore his head in Cenchrea, and observed some legal rites, of which he discharged the Gentiles, Acts 15. but in his doctrine also, when disputing with the jews he used the testimony of the Prophets and not of the Apostles (as c Enarrat. in Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact observeth) that he might win the jews. To the Gentiles that were without law, he became as a Gentile, as if he had been without law, in preaching to Philosophers, not from Scripture but from Philosophy and Poets, when he took the inscription and epigram of their altar for his text, whereon he made his sermon, as Theophylact, Jerome, chrysostom, Ambrose, P. Martyr and Gualther expound this place, that he might thus win them without law, that were indeed without law. Solent enim omnes ex proprijs & cognitis argumentis convinci, saith d Ib. in Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact: Id ipsum facit & Deus, cum singulos hisce ex rebus trahit ad sui cognitionem quibus insueverunt magis & credunt. As himself taught Balaam by the mouth of his Ass, Numb. 22. and by his foolish beast whereon he road forbade the foolishness of that Prophet. Saul by the witch he confuted, whom he believed, 1. Sam. 28. The soothsayers by the Oxen that carried the Ark, 1. Sam. 6. He called the wise men of the East by a star, Mat. 2. because they were given to Astronomy and stargazing, as Musculus observeth: and why not we then by Astronomy, who are given to that most? He drew fishermen unto him by a draft of fish, Luke 5. and why should not fishers of men bait their hook with stories of fishes and draughts, to catch fishermen alike? Unto the Capernaits that followed him for bread, he preached of heavenly bread, & gave them food from heaven, john 6. Unto the samaritan that came to draw water at jacob's well, he discoursed of other water, and opening the fountain of David, gave her water of life, john 4. Et hoc exemplo Doctores evangelii monentur, saith e In Math. 4. Musculus, by this example are we admonished to become all to all, that by all means we may save some, and win the more. Thus, as Calvin spoke of his Apostle Paul, Omnes formas mutavit & diversas hominum personas indui●. To Marry in the garden he appeared like a gardener: and why should not we to planters and grafters appear from Pliny, Dioscorides and herbalists, with the nature of trees and plants, as the Scripture doth? To those two travelers Luk. 24. he appeared like a traveler: and why should not we speak unto travelers of peregrinations, journeys by sea and land out of stories? To strong jaakob he appeared like a wrestler, Gen. 32. 24. 25. and so should we to soldiers with stories of battle and wars, as oft doth the Scripture. Thus appeared he to his people in preaching with similitudes, parables, allegories, stories, and what not. Thus his Apostle was made all to all, to win the more, that is, saith Piscator, Omnium ingenijs se accommodavit: and so should we in sermons frame ourselves to all men's knowledge and nature: to husbandmen with stories of husbandry, from Columella: to Philosophers, with axioms of Astronomy, from Aristotle: to Physicians, with aphorisms of medicine, from Galen and Hypocrates: to Lawyers with maxims of law, from justinian: and to Atheists, with natural reason and testimonies from heathen, and kill Goliath with his own sword. Christ proved the resurrection to the Sadduces, not by job 19 which is the most pregnant and plain place, but only out of the five books of Moses, Math. 22. which alone they allowed. So did Paul the Philosophers at Athens by the inscription of their altar, Acts 17. The Atheists at Corinth, not by Scripture which they refused, but became as one without law to them that were without law, Conciones suas illorum captui & moribus accommodavit, & omissis scripturae testimonijs, argumentis est usus, & Poetarum quoque authoritate pugnavit, saith f Homil▪ 47. in 1. Cor. 9 Gualther ou this place I urge. By whose practice, as they are checked, who bring nought but scripture against judaisme, Paganism, Atheism, as g jerom. Epist. ad Roman. Cyprian is sharply taxed in Lactantius, because against Demetrius he brought testimonies of Prophets and Apostles, which he counted fabulous, and not of Philosophers and Poets, whose authority he could not refuse: so are they much to blame, who become not all to all, all true writers to all hearers, that by all means they may save some, and win the more. Some desire in such a doctrine God's testimony alone, become as a jew to the jews: some, heathens testimony to witness that truth, become as a Gentile without law to them that are without law, become all, Philosophers, Poets, Historians, in truth, that by all means we may save some. Sunt enim etiam animae propria habentes nutrimenta (saith h Lib. 1. Stro●. Clemens Alexandrinus) & aliae quidem augentur per agnitionem & scientiam, aliae verò per Graecam pascuntur Philosophiam, cuius, qu●madmodum nucum, non est quiduis esculentum. Every soul hath its own proper food and feeding, some are fed and nourished by the scriptures alone, others stomach will have it sauced with secular learning, else they will not taste our receipt, nor relish the things of the spirit. Neque vero verebuntur nostri etc. saith he, ut ijs qu● sunt pulcherrima ex Philosophia, & ijs quae praecedunt disciplinis, he brings this place of the Apostle for his reason, non enim solum oropter Hebraeos & eos qui sunt sub lege, par est fieri Iud●um; sed etiam propter Graecos Graecum ut omnes lucrifaciamus. Let us therefore (saith he) as the Apostle did, peaching Christ admonish every man, and teach every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ jesus. 7. Preachers are commanded to study, to show themselves approved workmen that need not be ashamed, dividing the word of truth aright, 2. Tim. 2. 15. But the word of truth we cannot cut and divide aright to our people without the knife of secular learning: Therefore is it lawful, yea necessary in our sermons. The proposition being clear, I prove the assumption, 1. by the judgement of ancient and late writers: 2. by the practice of them both: 3. by many instances of scripture. For the first, Saint i Lib. 2. de Doct. Christ. cap. 28. Austin showeth plainly, that history is needful, & plurimum nos adiwat ad sanctos libros intelligendos, and showeth for want of this, many have erred in expounding the scriptures. S. k Prooem. in Dan. ad Pammach. Multiplex Gracorum historia necessaria est. Jerome avoucheth that for the opening of daniel's prophesy, many stories of secular writers are necessary, as of Suctorius Callimachus, Diodorus, Hieronymus, Polybius, Possidonius, Claudius, Theon, and Andronicus surnamed Alipius, josephus & those he citeth, chief our Livy, Pompeius Trogus and justine, who explain all the story of the last vision, and describe the wars of Syria and Egypt, that is, of Seleu●us and Antiochus, and the P●olomies, after Alexander even to Augustus Caesar. And if at any time I be compelled (saith he) to use secular learning, it is not my will so much as great necessity that enforceth me, that I may prove those things which the Prophets foretold so many ages before, tàm Graecorum quàm Latinorum & aliarum Gentium literis contineri, are contained in the writings of Greek and Latin authors. Yea l Ora. 2. de conser. in Eccl. pur. put. De● verb●. Adminicula v●●o art●um d●cendi, ac pr●●●puarum Ph●losophiae par●ium, maximè Ethices & Physices cognitto. Zanchius himself confesseth, that Preachers must come to handle the word necessarijs instructi adminiculis, furnished with these necessary helps, if they will profit their hearers, and do any thing worthy praise. These helps are the arts, and the chiefest parts of Philosophy, especially the knowledge of moral and natural Philosophy. Absque his enim non modò plurimas scripturarum sententias non intelligent, said & multas gravissimas disputationes de providentia Dei, de peccato, de libero arbitrio, de lege Dei, de virtutibus etc. non assequentur; sine illis verò, ne quidem quae assecuti fuerint, commodè tradere alijs poterunt. Mark him, neither can they understand and open the scripture without the help of secular learning, nor deliver the meaning they have to the people fitly without it. For we know (saith he, citing this very place I urge) that the Apostle requireth in a Preacher skill to cut and divide the word aright. And lastly, there condemneth he them who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quod hominum genus rarò Ecclesiae profuit, teachers from their own brain, which sort of men seldom have profited the Church. As he resolved in that Preface, so in his m Zanch. qu●st 12. de sa● scrip▪ reg. 8. book alleging that place before urged, 1. Thessaly. 5. Try all things, and keep that which is good: to prove that we must read interpreters for getting the sense, he addeth, that to attain the true meaning of scripture, we must sift it and try it consultis lexicis & libris de Tropis scripturarum siquid occurrat in verbis: consultis verò historijs & aliarum artium libris siquid talium rerum scitu necessariarum occurrat. And n Regula 9 Quorum cogniti● petenda sit ex Grammaticu vel Dialectics, vel historijs, vel Mathemat●cis, vel alijs artibus, etc. after avoucheth, that we must take care that we understand the signification of words, the force and proprieties of speeches, and any other things, the knowledge whereof must be fetched from Grammarians, or Logicians, or Historians, or Mathematicians, or other arts, illa ex ijs libris cognoscantur: let the knowledge of those things be fetched from such books and authors. A Preacher must open his text as well by profane as sacred writers, saith o Prafat. in minor. Prophet. Gualther, applying those things in either to these times for our instruction and comfort, Et haec est illa verbi Dei secatio quam Paulus suo Timotheo, & in illo ministris omnibus commendat: and this (saith he) is that cutting of God's word aright, which Paul commendeth to his Timothy, and in him to all Ministers of the word. Who can understand the phrases of Scripture without Grammar, saith p Comment. in Col. 2. 8. Hemingius? Who the parts of longer speech who the order of disputations; who the force and connexion of their arguments without Logic? Doth not Paul require in a Preacher, that he be apt to teach and divide God's word aright? which that he cannot do without Logic, Rhetoric, nor without secular learning expound it, who seethe not? Many things (saith he) are said in the Prophets, the Psalms and Apostolical writings, Quae sine rerum naturalium doctrina intelligi nequeunt, which cannot be understood, much less opened to the people without the doctrine and learning of natural things. Whatsoever things are written of the site of places, and of the natures of beasts, trees, stones, herbs, or other like bodies in profane authors, that the knowledge of them helpeth to open the dark places of the Scripture, we have taught before saith Saint q Lib. 2. de Doct. Christ. cap. 29. quaecunque de locorum situ naturisque animalium, lignorum, lapidum, herbarum, ahor● ve corporum scripta sunt, eorum cognitionem valere ad aenigmata script●●rarū soluendae docuimus. Austin: and cap. 16. he shows, that for expounding the Scripture aright, the knowledge of beasts, of herbs, of stones, and such like is necessary, and must be found out. And where are these nature's better to be found, then in Pliny, Aristotle, Dioscorides, Gesner, Poets, Philosophers and Historians? Certum est (saith r Proble. loc. 150. de lect. Ethnic. Aretius) it is certain, that difficult places and hard knots of the scripture usitata phrasi & sententia ab Ethnicis petita expediri, are opened by a like phrase and sentence in profane authors. And though many places in Scripture be plain and easy, yet who seethe not, that because of seeming antilogies, whereof there be not a s Vide Indicem loc. pug. praefix. tom 1. August. & Al●ha mar. few in the Scripture, of ambiguity in speech and words, of imperfect clauses, of preposterous speeches and anticipations, of idiotismes in both tongues, of manifold allusions to things of all sorts, of tropical and figurative speeches, whereof I spoke before; and lastly of the difficulty, and obscurity of Scripture, whereof Illyricus hath given no t Tract. 1. de rat. cognos. script. less than one and fifty reasons, though matters most necessary to salvation be in some place or other plain, yet can it not be understood without this help. Read that writer, how he u Ibid. & tract 6. de necessit. cognit. showeth, in every book of holy writ some thing is alluded to, which without it we cannot expound and divide aright to our people. But of all other Hyperius lib. 1. de ration. stud. Theolog. cap. 4. Quòdartium scientia sit Theologo necessaria, is learned and large in this point. Where he avoucheth, that the knowledge of the arts doth no less mightily conduce to understand, then to open and expound to others the high mysteries of the Scripture. Neither will we hear them qui obganniunt, who bark and bawl against us, that the skill of understanding and expounding the Scriptures, is so to be expected of the holy Ghost, that we need not use these good helps. Though all knowledge of divine things come from God, yet is it exacted of us to learn the arts, the tongues, and other secular learning with many watchings, and use them when the matter requireth, in expounding the Scripture: Quid verbis opus est? evincit experientia, etc. What need words? experience proveth, that the causes, beginnings, progress, ends, circumstances, and what soever is of moment, are in obscure places more perspicuously explained of them who use the arts, then of those that want them or use them not at al. And afterward he showeth at large, that Grammar for propriety of words and phrases: Logic for defintions, divisions, demonstrations, argumentations, avoiding sophisms, and distinguishing ambiguities: Rhetoric, to teach, delight, persuade, and move the affection: Arithmetic for calculation of times, years, and supputations: Geometry, for sites and situations of places, countries, and regions: physiology, for scanning causes and their effects, for searching natures and qualities of man, his soul, her faculties: of plants, stones, beasts, birds, herbs, trees, Palms, Cedars, Olive tree, Fig tree, and Vine, mentioned often in Scripture: diseases, as leprosy, dropsy, flux of blood, and fevers: Astronomy, for the celestial motions, for the Sun, Moon, Stars, for Meteors, rain, wind, rainbow, thunders, hail, tempest, earthquakes, and the first and latter rain in Canaan: Ethicke, for manners and good life: for definitions of virtues or vices; for helps and hindrances of both: History, for knowledge of men, their manners, kingdoms, and regency of the Monarchies: Poetry, under whose dark fables much excellent morality for life and good manners, like a kernel within the shell is contained. Without these arts (saith he) a Preacher cannot understand the Scriptures aright: Neque Prophetarum vaeticinia & conciones planè percipiet, neither open them for himself, nor divide them to other aright. And therefore Theodoret on this place, divide aright, compares a Preacher to a ploughman, who useth not one, but many instruments, as helps for tilling the ground. Indeed solo vomere terra proscinditur: sed ut hoc fieri possit, caetera etiam aratri membra sunt necessaria, saith x Lib. 16. de civit. Dei cap. 2. Austin: The coulter and share is the principal tool that cleaveth the ground, the word of God alone is sharp to divide between the marrow and bone, and blow up the fallow ground of our hearts: yet as caetera aratri membra sunt necessaria, as the other tools are necessary in the plough, so Aratus, we see Saint Paul was feign to use as an help for his tillage. If this simile like not, a y B. jewel ser. 6. in jos 6. of destroying jericho. larned Bishop and jewel of our Church useth another, We say eloquence and other liberal arts are to be likened to that part of the Carpenters wimble, which turneth about, goeth round, and by little and little draweth in the iron or steele-bit. The wooden handle entereth not into the wood, but wreatheth in the piercer: so do these arts, if they be rightly used, further the understanding of the word of God. This use Lactantius seemed to seek, when z Lib. 3. Instit. cap 1. Vellem mihi dari eloquentiam, vel quia magis credant homines ornatae veritati, vel ut ipsi suis armis vincantur he said, I would I had the gift of eloquence or learning, either because men might give better credit to the truth, when it is beautifully adorned, or that they might be overcome with their own weapons. And surely they who do not thus maintain learning in preaching, but would banish the use of liberal arts from the pulpit, restore (as much as in them lieth) ignorant jericho again a Ibid. saith Bishop jewel. And I may with b Ibid. him boldly aver, This ignorant jericho hath many friends in our days, who by all means draw men from knowledge, and seeking for learning in books which carry fruitful instruction: but good letters and study to increase knowledge, are not to be neglected. Such as presume of God's spirit over boldly, that without their endeavour to use the wholesome means which he hath left unto his Church, they shall and do by special inspiration understand his will, do tempt God. Thus we see that Preachers in the judgement of ancient Fathers, and late writers, cannot open the Scriptures nor divide the word aright without secular learning. 2 This appeareth by the practice of all ecclesiastical expounders, who cannot give use of the true sense of Scripture, nor divide it aright without this knife of secular learning. How oft are our modern interpreters (to speak nothing of the ancient) Gualther, Peter Martyr, Musculus, yea Calvin, and most of all junius and Beza, feign to consult with Poets, Philosophers, and Historians for the use and acception of words, for propriety of phrase, for understanding of stories and hard places in the Scriptures? Are we better able than they to explain them without it? and may we not cite it as they do, without ostentation of learning? Indeed some have practised and said they bring no profane author, but when they find him cited in calvin or Beza, because (I think) it is then hallowed, as Paul sanctified Menander and the Poets: but what is this else, saith Aretius, then to be led by Commenters only, and see with other men's eyes? If Calvin or Beza bring the sense of a word from a Poet, and we take it from him, why is it not as lawful to cite it as Beza? or rather to drink the fountain than the brook? 3 As c Lib. 1. de rat. stud. Theolog. cap. 11. Obs. 8. Hyperius avoucheth, that diverse matters of all kind are handled in Scripture, which without secular Writers we cannot understand, nor open their meaning to our people: so showeth he diverse instances and examples thereof, as Esa. 15. joel 2. to explain their custom how the jews testified grief of mind by shaving their heads and beards, by putting on sackcloth and renting their garments, operaepretium est, it is needful to show from profane Writers the like custom of Ethnic nations, who took it of them as most ancient, as the Grecians, Milesians, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Romans', and many other, as Alex. lib. 3. genial. dier. cap. 7. showeth at large, how Arch●laus king of Macedon in token of sorrow, shaved his head at the death of Eurypides, and Achilles d Homer. Iliad. lib. 5. at the funeral of Patroclus. We tell them (Deut. 11. 10.) that Egypt hath no rain for extremity of heat, and though Scripture there tells us it is watered with labour. (vid. Esa. 23. 3.) yet how can we assure them the means of the whole lands fertility, but by showing out of e Lib. 5. nat. hist. cap. 9 & li. 18 cap 18. Pliny, f Lib. 3 cap. 9 Pomponius Mela, g Cap. 41. Solinus, h Lib. 2 de excid. jerus. cap. 9 Egesippus, etc. that it is by the overflow of Nilus, which we read not in Scripture? Will they not marvel, and say like Nicodemus, How can these things be? unless we thus expound and explain it? So Mat. 9 23. they will marvel what minstrels did at a funeral. They will not, if we show them how antiquity by music (as In i vet. musie. Proem. Boetius showeth) moved their friends to lament: yet moderately, and therefore ordained k Stat. lib. 6. Theb. tibiam, a pipe at the death of youth, (as it was now at the death of jairus daughter) and l Virgil. lib. 11. Pers. Satyr. 3. tubam a trumpet at the death of old folk. How can we open fully this place without the help of these Poets? Shall we say, It was an ancient custom? Suppose an hearer say of us truly, what Aristotle of Moses falsely for Genesis, Hic home multa dicit, sed nihil probat, Sir. I believe you not, unless you show me more than your own bare word. So Luk. 7. they will marvel how Mary could with tears wash Christ's feet sitting at supper, and wipe them with her hair. Went he barefoot? no, from m Plin. iun. lib. 8. Epist. 7. Horat. lib. 2 ser. unde Martial. lib. 5. Deposui soleas, etc. E● Terent. Heaut Accurrunt seru●, soleas detrahunt, video al●o● festinare, lectos strucre, cunam parare. antiquity I must show how in eating they leaned on a bed, and put off their shoes lest they should defile it. So Luk. 15. of the blood of those Galilaeans, Act. 5. of Theudas and judas of Galilee, this cannot be fully explained, without n joseph. lib. 18. antiq. Euseb. lib. 1. cap 3. & lib. 2. cap. 11. them who have written of them at large. joh. 8. 25. when the jews asked our Saviour, Who art thou? and he answered: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: what stir do Interpreters keep on this place? how doubtful, hard, and uncertain is it at first look? whereas if we show the use and phrase of the Greek tongue, which useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, primitùs, first, or before, as o Lib. 7. polit. cap. 11. ad fin. Aristotle useth the word, it is easy. The jews of old searched, and to this day spend their wits, to make Gods promise true of their eternal possessing the holy land, though they be cast out, and are driven to many shifts: but see how briefly Austin explaineth it from a like phrase in Horace: Seruiet aeternùm, qui parvo nesciet uti. To be short, many stories of the kings of Babylon, the Medes, Persians, and Macedonians, occur in Scripture, which without profane stories we cannot explain. The people are bid learn of the Turtle, Crane, and Swallow, Ier 8. often mention of trees, as the palm tree, like which the righteous is promised to flourish, and spread abroad like a Cedar in Libanus. Of the Olive tree, whereunto we Gentiles are compared Rom. 11. Of the Vine, whereto all Christians john 15. Often also are infinite elegant similitudes drawn from natural things, In his omnibus locis (saith Hyperius) opus est eos authores consulas, qui de quadrupedibus, serpentibus, avibus, arboribus, herbis, alijsque rebus simplicibus ex professo disputarunt. And seeing salomon's Philosophy wherein he wrote of all plants, from the Cedar to the Hyssop on the wall, is perished, what better helps of explanation than Pliny's natural history, than Aristotle's story of beasts, than Columella for rural matters, than Levinus Lemnius de herbis biblicis, for declaring the nature of herbs in the Bible, than Cardan and Aelians diverse stories, or Gesner, for the quality, natures, feature, etc. of all beasts, fishes, and serpents in those his large volumes? I may find a beginning, but no end in examples of these things. But who seethe not by these few, that without this knife we cannot cut and divide the word aright? We read 1. King. 5. that king Solomon having plenty enough of timber and trees in mount Lebanon, yet wanting so skilful Carpenters in jury, as were the Sidonians, he hired wright's of Hiram an heathen, to cut down and hue timber for building of the temple. Mark Peter Martyr on this place, that he saith the Sidonians and men of Tirus were cunning in hewing timber, which he doth not attribute to the Hebrues, Nos commonefacit Quod Hebr●●● non tribuit. pijs hominibus licere, artibus Ethnicorum uti si eis opus habuerint, habuit quidem Solomon in ditione sua materiem, quandoquidem; Lebanos mons Hebraeorum fuit, sed peritos artifices non habuit. Praetereà convenit ut mysterium non praetereamus, verùm spect●mus non sola Hebraeorum opera, sed etiam Ethnicorum templum Dei aedificari. Though Christ our Solomon have timber enough in mount Lebanon, matter in Scripture sufficient for building us up in faith, yet needs he the Sidonians, and skilful Carpenters of tire to cut down this timber, to hue timber out of the thick trees, and bring it to an excellent work: that is, to divide and cut it aright for building of his temple. And whereas some that are thought Stewards of God's house, think to cut it without a knife, and divide to every one their portion without this dividing aright: Complures illud undique lacerant atque discerpunt, saith p Homil. 5. in 2. Tim. 2. chrysostom on this very place I urge, many of them tear it and pull it in pieces; or as Calvin here speaketh of each sort of them: Alij mutilant, alij discerpunt, alij contorquent, alij disrumpunt, alij in cortice haerentes non perveniunt ad ipsam animam. Some mangle it, others tear it, some wrist it, others come never to the kernel and sense for want of breaking the shell, the rest pull it asunder, and for want of this knife tear it with their teeth. I end this reason with q Lib. 2. de rat. contion Erasmus, His disciplinis, etc. By these arts and secular learning soberly delivered and fitly applied, is got a certain dexterity of wit, both to judge of the right sense, and also fitly to deliver it. And the more plenteous grace of the spirit coming upon that skill got by man's industry, non dissoluit sed absoluit, non adimit sed adiwat: but rather having got excellent gifts of nature, doth by them more excellently declare his efficacy and power, as the cunning craftsman more curiously shows his best art and skill on an excellent subject: Ita nostram industriam adeò non aspernatur spiritus ille caelestis, ut exigat etiam, nec indignatur sua dona nostro vicissim studio adiwari, tantùm absit impia nostri fiducia. I speak to the learned, judge ye what he saith. These be the places of Scripture expounded both by ancient and modern; which still (I judged) allowed as lawful, if not commanded as necessary, humanity in all Sermons. Next this first proof of Scripture, shall secondly be reasons. That doctrine which is taken out of the sacred Scriptures, is First reason. lawful in all Sermons. But most doctrine of heathen Writers, that is true, is taken out of the sacred Scriptures, Therefore most doctrine of heathen Writers that is true, is lawful in all Sermons. The proposition is clear, for do they not cite the Apocrypha, when he hath a sentence taken out of canonical Scripture? Approve we not and allege in all written books, that truth which the Authors took out of it? Think not these men their own sayings worthy to be used in all popular Sermons, when in sense it is taken out, or agreeth in substance with that pattern of truth? For the assumption, r Apolog 2. pro Christ. justine Martyr, who lived so near the Apostles, affirmeth, all things that both Philosophers & Poets have delivered of the immortality of the soul, or of torments after death, or of the knowledge & contemplation of divine things, or such like decrees, argumenta à Prophetis mutuati & intelligere potuerunt & commemorarunt, They borrowed them all of the Prophets, & had them but at second hand from the Scriptures. Itaque in omnibus & apud omnes veritatis semina videntur esse: Magnus cons●●su● 〈◊〉 Christian● cum Philo●●ph● & Poe●s. and therefore he shows at large in that second Apology, that there is great harmony and agreement between Christian doctrine and Philosophers and Poets, whence he claimed it thus s Apolog 1. before: That whatsoever excellent things were said of all Philosophers, Poets, and Historiographers, nostra sunt, Christianorum, they are ours who are Christians▪ t Apolog. adverse Gen. Quis 〈◊〉. quis sophistaruns qui non 〈◊〉 de Prophetari●, font potaverit ● Ind igitur Philosoph● sitim ingenij sui rigaverunt, etc. Tertullian saith no less: Which of the Poets, which of the Philosophers is he, who hath not drunk of the fountain of the Prophets? Thence the Philosophers watered and quenched the thirst of their wit, ut quae de nostris habent ea nos comparent illis. And having showed how many things they have like the Scriptures, asketh, unde haec (oro vos) Philosophis aut Poetis tam consimilia? non nisi de nostris sanamentis, ut de prioribus. Those things (saith u L●b. 2 de Abrah. cap. 10. Ambrose) which the Scriptures speak in plain and simple words, doth Aristotle and the Peripatetics sing of and extol magno quodam cothurno, with excellency of speech, and wisdom of words. x Lib. 2. ad S●●plic. Epist. 7. Again, let Poets and the Philosophers acknowledge, that whatsoever excellent things they have spoken, they have them from ours, that is, the Scriptures. And y Lib. de bon. mort. cap. 10. again, I have used the words of Esdras, (saith he) Vt cognoscant Gentiles ea quae in Philosophiae libris mirantur translata de nostris, that the heathens may know, that those things they admire in the books of Philosophers, are taken from the Scriptures. De literis nostris (saith z Lib. 2. de doc. Christ. cap. 2●. vid. lib. 18. de civit Dei cap. ●4 Austin) habuerunt omnia quaecunque bona & vera dixerunt: All their sayings that are good and true, they had them from the Scriptures. This a Lib. 1. & 10. contra julian. cyril, b Homil. 65. ●● johan. chrysostom, c Lib. 1. Gra●. Fabul. Theodoret, d Oratan Basil. Nazianzene, with many more affirm and confirm; and therefore Clemens Alexandrinus in his books of Stromes handling this point, e Lib. 5. Strom. calls them thieves, for stealing that truth out of Scriptures which they withheld in unrighteousness, and was none of their own: yea spends the whole sixth book almost in detecting this thievery of Poets, Philosophers, and Ethnic Historians. They witness our truth in many things: Plato hath much of the destruction of the world, for many think he had read Moses, whence he is termed Moses Atticus, the Attic or Grecian Moses. Homer of the pains of hell, and honouring our parents. Tully of God's providence, and rewards of virtue. Whence f Lib. 1. in Da. cap. 1. vers. 1. Jerome doubted not to tell thee, That thou mayst find some of the vessels of God's house in the books of Philosophers. And surely if every man that found his neighbour's ox going astray, was commanded by the law to bring him home to his master that owed him: much more (me thinks) are we bound to bring home these vessels into the house of God, and carry home all their truth, as stray goods from the temple of the Lord. In many points they witness our truth. And though Christ and his Apostles refused testimony of the devils, because it was needless, sith their miracles did sufficiently witness their doctrine, as g In Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact observes: yet these failing in us, we have need to call both Apostles and Philosophers, Prophet● and Poets, as Moses did both heaven and earth to witness his truth. And though the testimony of God be greater, yet may we receive the witness of men: as Demetrius had good report not only of the truth itself, but of all men. Wherefore when we dare appeal to enemies, and say with our Saviour, Yea let even these speak, this is glory for it, as it was for him. 2 Truth is still truth wheresoever we find it, and may be cited 2. Reason. of whom soever it be spoken, saith Aretius. S. Paul gives a reason, Tit. 1. 13. why he alleged the Poet, hoc testimonium verum est, this testimony is true. Sith all truth is from God, saith h Commen●. in Tit. 1. 12. Calvin, if any thing be truly said of the wicked heathens, it ought not to be refused, because it came from God: and seeing all things belong to him, why is it not lawful to apply and use any saying to his glory, which may fitly be bestowed to that use? And i Comment. in 1. Cor. 15. 33 again, seeing all truth is from God, there is no doubt quin Dominus in os posuerit, etiam impijs quaecunque veram & salutarem doctrinam continent: But the Lord put into the mouth even of the wicked, whatsoever things contain true and wholesome doctrine. k In 1. Cor. 15. 33. Peter Martyr witnesseth this truth, we may borrow it of the heathens, seeing by whomsoever truth is spoken, it is of the holy Ghost: and when we take it out of their books, non aliena rapimus, sed nostra ab iniustis possessoribus nobis vendicamus. There is but one truth among all (saith l Lib. 2. de lib. arb. cap. 12. Austin) and this one truth of whomsoever it be spoken, must be received, as he showeth lib. 13. confess. cap. 31. But that Father lib. 2. de Doctr. Christ. cap. 18. is excellent in this point, as in al. If profane writers have said any thing well, it is not to be refused for their superstition, if we can take any thing from them profitable for understanding the scriptures. For than ought we not to learn letters, because Mercury (as they say) was their inventor: or because they dedicated temples to justice and Virtue; and because those things which are to be borne in our hearts, they rather would adore and worship in stones, therefore we should fly justice and virtue. Imò verò quisquis bonus verusque Christianus est, Domini sui esse intelligat, ubicumque invenerit veritatem. And surely then in Saint Augustine's judgement, they are not good and true Christians that refuse God's truth when they find it in heathens. Quicquid verum est, Christi vox est (saith m Jo Psal. 1. 1. Bucer) eam undicunque sonuerit audiamus: and indeed every Christian whensoever he heareth truth out of Philosophers, Poets or Historians, will know his voice, yea follow it, and say with his spouse, Vox dilecti mei est, It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, Cant. 5. 2. If wicked Saul, if treacherous judas and son of perdition, yea if a foolish Ass speak truth unto Balaam, he must receive it: and if a Raven bring Eliah meat, he must not refuse it, because it came from the Lord. And indeed, whether we search in the Prophets or Poets, in the Apostles or Philosophers, in Moses or Aristotle, there is but one truth, diversly appareled. If Peter confess, and the devils profess of Christ, Thou art the Son of God, it is not a truth in the one, and a lie in the other: but though the persons be contrary, the motives divers, and ends different in either, the substance of the confession in both is the same. Only (as that learned man excellently noteth out of n Lib. 18. noct. attic cap. 3. Sic bona sententia mansit turpis author mutatus est. Gellius, the difference between them is this, That as in Lacedaemon sometimes when in a weighty consultation, an eloquent but an evil man had set down a good decree, which they could not amend, they caused it to be pronounced by one of honest name and conversation, and then received the good sentence as authentic: so truth spoken by Aratus, Menander, or Callimachus, is not more true in the mouth of Saint Paul, but only hath gotten (as out of Origen I noted) a more sanctified author. Neither refused the Apostle the saying Paulus significa●●●● Origen. of Callimachus, though he was a most lying Poet in the rest, but alleged it when he saw it to be true. After whose example, and with the like reason, may every Preacher cite truth from lying Poets, and every hearer receive it as sanctified from the spirit the author of all truth, when they know hoc testimonium verum est, this testimony and saying is true. It is true of all whosoever speak his truth, The voice of Christ and part of his law, as Martin Bucer calls it, He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Nec refert, quod ad nos attinet, quis eam nobis indicet, saith o Probl. loc. 150. & 151. Aretius disputing this point in hand. For as a godly matron under mean and base apparel is worthy of honour and reverence: so truth (saith he) spoken by the words of an heathen Poet, Philosopher or Historian, is to be embraced, not because they spoke it, but because it is truth, because this testimony is true. So I approve, what Homer said of honouring our parents, not because he said it, but because God first so appointed. So likes it me, that Plato said, the soul is immortal, not for Plato, but because it agreeth with God's ordination. Nec deterior aestimari debet veritas propter Ethnicos scriptores, who like Parrots spoke truth, which they knew not what it meant, like balaam's Ass, uttered verity which they understood not, and like Caiphas knew not what they proclaimed. 3. They think it profitable and good to season those 3. Reason. young vessels, their children, with this liquor, both for knowledge and manners, whereof they cannot choose but taste all their life long, as the p Quo semel est imbuta recent, servabit odorem Testa diu. Horat. Poet speaketh, and q Si literas didicisses ●lcret testa ingeniol● tui, qu● semel fuerat im●●ta Apolog. adversus Ruff. Jerome told Ruffinus. And if it bred this profit in them, why not much more in old folk? If it nourished not their understandings and minds, why rather set we not them to suck the two breasts of the Testaments alone? 4. Why spend we seven years in attaining secular learning, and that in the Universities, with much cost of Founders and benefactors, with great pains of our own, why so many famous Libraries, why Preachers studies stored with profane authors, if there be no use of it for a Preacher? Quò mihi divitiae, si non conceditur uti? What needed this lost? this m●ght have been sold for much, and given to the poor. Why in Christian Universities is not rather read and expounded Moses Genesis, than Aristotle's Physics? Salomon's proverbs, than Aristotle's Ethics? Moses, than Plato? David, than Tully? Solomon, than Seneca? as r R●m. spec 〈…〉 in Eccl. 12 14. one spoke more according to zeal then knowledge. And what is this else, but with Lucinus to count learning and good letters the plague of commonwealths; and wish that all profane authors (like those books of curious arts) might be burned in the market place? Indeed some would count it (as he did when he saw the books of usurers burnt) the brightest and purest fire that ever they saw. 5. The enemies of God's truth in devilish policy have forbidden 5. Reason. Christians the use of secular learning, because they saw it much helped Christ's cause and religion, which they persecuted: for when julian the Apostate saw learned Apollinarius, eloquent Basill, Gregory, and many other then learned men, confute them out of their own writers, he inhibited that Christians children should be trained up any more in secular learning, or read Poets, Philosophers, or other profane authors, as Gregory the Great, s Lib. 3 hist. Eccles. cap. 14. Socrates and Sozomen relate. And Sozomen gives this reason of his diabolical subtlety, Hinc solùm vetuit, t Lib. 5. cap. 17. ne Christiani Gentilium disciplinis instruerentur, quoniam magnam ad persuadendum facultatem posse parari censebat. For this cause only he forbade that Christians should be instructed in the arts and learning of the heathens, because he perceived that much skill to persuade the truth might be gotten from their books; and therefore he prohibited it by law, that he might corrupt religion with Barbarism, saith Aretius: Ideo judicare debemus, vel hoc nomine utendos esse, eo ipso quòd hostis Christiani nominis id prohibuit, saith that author. And surely they that forbidden Christians the use of it in the pulpit, do no less in will, than julian did in deed: and although they be not hosts Christiani nominis, yet are they hosts Christianae rei, whose simplicity of knowledge the devil hath cunningly abused with blind and intemperate zeal. Thus much for my second proof, which is reason. The third general proof shall be the authority and judgement 3. Proof, the authority of all ancient and Ecclesiastical late-writers. of all ancient and Ecclesiastical late-writers for the use of secular learning in the pulpit; whose authorities, though I have dispersed in expounding those places and reasons I alleged, yet will I now muster them all together, as one army royal, and a great cloud of witnesses for this truth. First, justine Martyr (to take them in order from the Apostles 1. Justin Martyr times) his judgement we heard before, apol. 2. whatsoever excellent things or of divine matters, Philosophers or Poets have said, they had them from the Prophets. And finding great harmony between both, and the seeds of truth in them all, he avoucheth: Apol. 1. what things were excellently said of all Philosophers, Poets and Historiographers, nostra sunt Christianorum, they are ours that are Christians. 2. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1. Stromat. saith, The souls of 2. Clem. Alexan. men have each their own proper and peculiar nourishments, and some are fed by divine knowledge, others by Ethnic Philosophy, whereof every thing is not (as of nuts) to be eaten. Neither need our Divines fear to use those things that are most excellent in Philosophy and other arts: for it is not meet only to be a jew to the jews, and them that are under the law, but even a Gentile also to the Gentiles, that we may win all, admonishing and teaching every man in all knowledge, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. And this secular learning (saith he) est veluti condimentum cibo permixtum, not so much delighting, as procuring a good appetite in the mind, to relish better the things of the spirit. Philosophy truly was necessary before Christ's coming for the Gentiles unto righteousness and justice, but now it is profitable for the worship of God, and piety in them who collect faith by demonstration. For God is the cause and author of all good things, of some things indeed principally, as of the old and new Testament; and of other things by consequence, as of Philosophy. And perchance it was principally given to the Gentiles before the vocation, as the law was to the jews, that it might be their schoolmaster to bring them to Christ; Praeparat ergo Philosophia, ei viam muniens qui à Christo perficitur. Lastly he produceth that simile and type, Gen. 16. As Sarai (Abraham's wife) when she was barren herself, gave Abraham Hagar the Egyptian handmaid to bear him some children: so God's Church alloweth secular learning to bear sons unto God, when the Scripture is not so pregnant. 3. Origen lib. 1. contra Celsum, plainly and peremptorily averreth, 3 Orige●. Gentilium doctrina Christi fidem confirmat, the learning of the heathens confirmeth the faith of Christ, and therefore to be used in sermons. And homil. 14. in Genes. 26. he compareth the Scripture to Isaac, and it to Abimelech, who coming from Gerar with his friends unto Isaac, he said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have put me away from you? And they answered, We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee, and we thought thus, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even between us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee. This Abimelech (as I see) hath not always peace with Isaac, but sometimes he dissenteth, sometimes he asketh peace: so secular learning with God's law, neque in dissensione potest esse, neque semper in pace, for Philosophy neither in all things is contrary to God's law, nor in all things consonant thereunto. But when it makes a covenant of peace and agreement with scripture, it must be entertained and bid to its table, as Isaac did Abimelech: thus Origen. 4. Tertullian lib. 1. de patiented. he saith, Disciplinae seculi vanae 4. Tertullian. ad laudem & gloriam Dei promovent, aut nunquid potius iniuria cum divina res in secularibus rebus volutatur? Secular learning, which some hold so fabulous and vain, promoteth the praise and glory of God; or is it rather an injury to it when divine matters are handled therein? 5. Cyprian lib. 4. epist. 2. when the Apostle (saith he) biddeth 5. Cyprian. take heed lest any deceive you with Philosophy and vain deceit, Vitanda sunt quae non de Dei clementia veniunt, sed de Philosophiae durioris presumptione descendunt. 6. Damascen lib. 4. de Orthod. fid. cap. 14. his judgement is, 6. Damascen. Si ab ijs qui foris sunt decerpere quippiam utile valuerimus, non aspernabile est, If we can take any profitable thing from profane writers, it is not to be abhorred. Let us become approved Goldsmiths, keeping the lawful and pure gold, but refuting and refusing the adulterine. Sumamus sermones optimos, Deos a●tem ridiculos, & fabulas alienas canibus proijciamus, Let us take their best sayings, but their ridiculous gods and strange fables let us cast to the dogs. 7. Epiphanius in ancorat. showeth, that the very fables of the 7. Epiphanius. Poets prove the resurrection, and having declared it in many, addeth withal, Et multa de his dici possunt ad confirmandam fidem nostram, atque ipsos redarguendos. And is not that which confirmeth our faith needful in popular sermons? 8. Theodoret lib. 1. de fid.. is excellent in this point, At least 8. Theodoret. (saith he, speaking to the heathens) believe your own Philosophers, ye friends, who by a certain previous tradition prepared and taught you to entertain our religion. For they seem to be like those birds, which they call singing birds, that imitate man's voice, and understand not the meaning of those words they utter: and in like manner when they speak of divine and heavenly matters, they were ignorant of the truth of those things they delivered. This dew of heavenly knowledge fell on the Prophets and Apostles, like rain upon good ground that brought forth much fruit; but on them, like rain upon d●sart and savage places, that with briers and thorns oft brings forth things that may be eaten. And (as I think) they deserve some pardon, seeing they were not guided by the light of the Prophets and Apostles, but had only the direction of nature. Therefore they, who are endued with judgement and discretion, know to take from them what may serve their turn, and let the rest alone; as they that gather Roses, let the prickles alone. And as Bees not only light upon sweet, but also bitter flowers, when they suck out only sweetness, and abhor bitterness, so making a most sweet honey of contrary qualities, sweet and sour, bitter and pleasant: so we following their example, Evestris illis amarulentis pratis, compose pleasant and profitable honey for ourselves. And as Apothecaries confect wholesome medicines of venomous beasts, as Serpents and Vipers, refusing somethings and taking othersome, drive away many diseases by their virtue: Ita & nos vestrorum Poetarum, Historicorum, Philosophorumque monumenta versantes, alia ex ijs ut noxia & pestifera declinamus, alia verò sparsim nostrae inserentes doctrinae, auxiliarem ac s●lutarem curationem afferimus. What can be said for pregnant for this point? 9 Socrates lib. 3. hist. Eccles. cap. 14. answering the objections 9 Socrates. of them that refuse it, pronounceth, Doctrina Gentilium neque à Christo, neque ab cius Apostolis, vel approbatur ut inspirata divinitus, vel ut periculosa prorsus reijcitur. And this I think (saith he) was done not without the providence of God, for many Philosophers among the Gentiles resisted the false opinions of Epicures and Atheists, and by their books have brought no small profit to the favourers of true godliness and piety, though they knew not of the Messias. Again, both Christ & his Apostle command us ut exquisiti numularij, we try all things, keeping that which is good; and take heed that none deceive us by vain Philosophy which is not after Christ, which we cannot do, nisi hostium arma possideamus, unless we take from them the weapons of our enemies, as did Saint Paul and such other of the Church that succeeded. He addeth this short Epiphonema as a reason of all, Nam honestum, quocunque fuerit loco, est veritatis proprium, truth is still truth, and like itself wheresoever we find it, in Prophets or Poets, Apostles or Philosophers. 10. Lactantius in his third book of divine Institutions, 10. Lactantius. though a professed enemy to Philosophers, confesseth of Philosophy, that it agreeth with Scripture in many things, where we may embrace it, though oft it is corrupted with lies, where we leave it. 11. Nazianzene monod. in Basil exceedeth all these in this 11. Nazianzene. point: I think (saith he) it is granted of all that are wise, that all learning and knowledge first is in the kind and nature of good things, not only that Christian learning, which hunteth not so much after wisdom of words, as the sense and meaning of things: but also that which is among the infidels, or which some Christians hate, as separate from God, judging amiss. For if they despise it for this cause, because some have taken harm thereby, and fallen into errors: by the same reason they should hate the heaven and the earth, and all things contained therein, seeing many have made them their gods, and abused these to idolatry. In like manner the fire and other elements, yea meat itself shall be eschewed of all men as evil things, because some abusing them, have gotten their death and destruction thereby. But, as we may reap good even of evil things▪ when of Viper's flesh we make treacle, a singular and sovereign medicine for all diseases: Sic ex Graecis doctrinis, etc. so out of secular writers may we take whatsoever maketh for the knowledge of natural things, and framing of our manners. Non enim ex eorum dogmatis ad Dei cultum parùm proficimus, for by their lessons and sayings are we not a little furthered to worship and serve God. No knowledge therefore or learning is to be refused, sith all science whatsoever is in the nature and kind of good things, Quin potiùs ipsam spernentes, & rusticos, & planè ignauo● existimare debemus: but we must rather count them rude and slothful that despise it, Qui omnes pariter ignaros esse vellent, ut ipsarum ignorantia in communilatens, minimè deprehendi, aut ab alijs taxari valeat, who would gladly have all men as ignorant as themselves, that their own ignorance lying hid in the common heap might not be espied or perceived, & taxed of other men. Thus speaks eloquent Gregory Nazianzene, and this very same whole saying he hath (almost ad verbum) in his funeral oration on Saint Basill. 12. That Basill the Great in a large treatise to his nephews 12 Basill. of this very argument and question, Quomodo ex Gentilium doctrinis proficiant, (to whom Calvin for probation of this point u Comment. in 1. 〈◊〉. 15. 3●. & in Tit. 1. 12. twice referreth us) counseleth them wisely, that they indeed fasten not their opinions (as it were the anchors of their ships) on profane authors, but pick out of them those things that are profitable, leaving the rest. To everlasting life he doubteth not, but the sacred volumes by hidden mysteries sufficiently instruct them; yet for their age they could hardly attain the deep meanings thereof: for help whereof, he adviseth them to look in other books that descent not altogether from the scriptures, as in shadows and glasses to help the eyes and sight of their mind in better understanding the other; following their example, who first exercising in fence-schooles, learn how to stand and strike before they come to the lifts. And seeing (saith he) ye undergo the greatest combat, and need all helps and preparations thereunto, Poetu & Oratoribus, & omnibus hominibus utendum, unde futura sit aeliqua utilitas quae ad anunae aedificatione faciat, Ye must use Poets, Orators, and all authors, from whom any profit may be got, which maketh for edification of the soul. For as Fuller's lay some ground-colour before they die purple, and bring on the last and best tincture: so must we first be grounded in these profane Writers before we can open the Scriptures. Wherefore if there be any agreement between the Scriptures and heathen Authors, vobis illorum valdè conferet notitia, the knowledge of them will much help you in understanding the other. He addeth, For as unto trees laden with fruit, folia nihilominùs ramis coniuncta quendam ferunt ornatum, the leaves nevertheless add some ornament and grace: so that excellent truth and fruit of the spirit, non ab re exteriore sapientia circundatur, sicut folijs quibusdam fructum aspectum non intempestiwm praebentibus, i● is not unfitly appareled with this outward wisdom of the world, as with leaves, making the fruit show more pleasant and delightsome. And thus (saith he) is it shown, that profane learning is not altogether unprofitable to the soul of man. After, he wisheth them not to take their choice at random and esteem all alike, but as in gathering and plucking Roses, we avoid the prickles: so in their sayings taking the good, we must leave that which is nought. Or follow the Bees, who neither fall on every flower, nor take all of that whereon they light, but that only which they need: so we neither use all authors (for obscene, railing and wanton Poets he leaves to the stage) nor all things which any say, but those only that show us the sayings and doings of good men, and to follow them in both, he adviseth. Thus far S. Basil. Wherefore if in his judgement secular learning must accompany Theology, to beautify it, as leaves on the trees do garnish the fruit, this mistress, he meaneth, should not come abroad without her waiting maid behind her. Else, why should Calvin for use of it in Sermons, twice refer us to this treatise of S. Basil? 13 Jerome, as he was the rendezvous of all Authors, so like 13 Jerome. that Centurion and Captain, had he them at command for his purpose: x jerom. Ehist. ad Magnum Orat. Rom. who being asked of the great Orator Romanus, why he used secular learning in Divinity, answereth thus and apologizeth himself: Thou wouldst never have asked this (saith he) Romanus, if thou hadst read the holy Scriptures and their interpreters: for who can be ignorant that in Moses and the Prophets some things are taken out of the books of the Gentiles? Paeule himself used it thrice, for he had learned of David to wrest the sword out of his enemy's hand, and cut off the head of Goliath with his own blade. He had read in Deuteronomie, cap. 21. that the captive-womans' head must be shaven, her locks lopped, her nails pared, and then be taken home for his wife. What marvel is it therefore, if I also desire secular knowledge for its comeliness of speech, for its beautiful parts, and cutting away whatsoever of her is dead, as idolatry, pleasure, error and lust, make of a captive handmaid an Israelitish woman, & mixtos purissimo corpori vernaculos ex ea genero Domino Sabaoth? O sea took him a wife of fornications, Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she bore him a son whom she called Izreel, that is, the seed of God. And in the end of that Epistle (as if he had been exercised with the objection of our times, whether it be lawful when no controversy is in hand) he telleth him, he would not have him mistake his meaning: Contra Gentes hoc esse licitum, in alijs disputationibus dissimulandum, that it is only lawful in disputations against the Gentiles or adversaries, and in other discourses to be lef●: for almost all the books of the ancient, (except those who with Epicurus and his followers never learned them) Eruditionis doctrinaeque plenissimi sunt, are stuffed full of secular learning. Wherefore he desireth him to admonish Calphurnius, Ne vescentium dentibus edentulus invideat, & oculos caprarum talpa contemnat: That he enuic not them that can eat, because he himself wants teeth, nor contemn the eyes of goats, and them that can see well, because he himself is a Want. And this allusion of the captive woman, he y Tom. 3. Epist. ad Damas'. & Epist. ad Pammach. oft citeth for this purpose, as do also some z Hug● in Tit. 1. 12. & Kimedon●. lib. 2. cap. 3. de author. scrip. moderns. If thou seest (saith he in his Epistle unto Pammach.) among the enemies a comely captive woman, that is, secular learning, and art taken with her beauty, shave her head, cut away illecebras crinium, and the ornaments of words with her dead nails, wash her in the soap of the Prophets, put off her garments wherein she was taken, and resting with her, say, Her left hand is under mine head, and her right hand doth embrace me: Et mul●os tibi foetus captiva dabit, ac de Moabitide efficictur Israelit●s, and this captive shall bear thee many children, and of a Moabitish become an Israelitish woman. But that Father Lib. 13. in Ezec. 44. 22. on those words: The Priest shall take a widow for his wife, that is, the widow of a Priest, he speaketh by way of allegorical allusion excellently to this purpose: The Priest is allowed to take not only a virgin of the house of Israel, saith he, who is brought up in the house of God, in the law and the Prophets, that is, the wisdom of the Scripture, of which wife we read Pro. 4. 6. but the Priest must take a widow, who hath been the wife of another Priest, namely, knowledge and learning, quam alius Dei cultor invenerit, which another strange worshipper of God found out and first married. Neque enim nova tantùm contenti debemus esse doctrina, sed & veterem excolere, & nostro iungere comitatui, si tamen sacro cultu fuerit erudita. Thus far Saint Jerome for the use of secular learning in the pulpit. 14. S. Austin lib. 2. de doct. Christ. cap. 18. is as peremptory 14 Austin, in this point. If profane Writers, saith he, have said any thing well, it is not to be refused for their superstition: for than should we refuse to learn letters, because they say Mercury first found them; and fly justice and virtue, because the heathens built temples to them, and worshipped them in stones which they should have carried in their hearts. Imo verò quisquis bonus verusque Christianus est, Domini esse intel●igat ubicunque invenerit veritatem: Nay rather let every one who is a good and true Christian know, that it belongs to his Lord, and is Gods, wheresoever he findeth truth. And chap. 40. of that book, he is as learned as large in this point. Philosophi autem, etc. If the Philosophers, so called, especially the Platonics have by chance spoken any thing that is true and consonant to our faith, non solùm formidanda non sunt, sed ab eis tanquam iniustis possessoribus in nostrum usum vendicanda: Not only we should not be afraid to use them, but we must bereave them thereof, as unjust owners, and apply it to our own use. For as the Egyptians had not only idols and heavy burdens, which the people of Israel fled and detested, but vessels also and ornaments of gold, and silver, and raiment, which that people going out of Egypt privily challenged to themselves for a better use, not by their own authority, but by God's commandment, the Egyptians ignorantly lending that which they knew not to use aright. So all the learning of the Gentiles hath not only feigned and superstitious figments and heavy burdens of needless labour, which each of us, going out of the society of heathens by Christ's direction, must abhor and detest, but also containeth liberal sciences more serviceable to the truth, and some most profitable precepts of manners, and some things also true of the worship of the true God are found in them; which, as it were their gold and silver, not which themselves found out, but digged from certain mines of God's providence, universally infused into the minds of all men, and which they wickedly abused to idolatry, a Christian being separated in mind from their wretched society, debet ab eis auferre ad usum justum praedicandi evangelii, he ought to take it from them for the right use of preaching the Gospel. And he afterward numbereth the Christian Israelites that went out of Egypt laden with these spoils. For what else (saith he) did many good faithful men of our religion? Do we not see with how much gold, and silver and raiment, Cyprian, that most sweet Doctor, and most blessed Martyr went laden out of Egypt? with how much Lactantius? with how much Victorinus, Optatus and Hilary? To say nothing of them now alive, with how much innumerable Greek Writers? To all which the idolatrous Gentiles would never have lent their profitable knowledge and learning, especially in those times, when throwing off Christ's yoke they persecuted Christians, if they had suspected it would have been converted to the use of God's true worship, whereby the vain worship of their idols was extinguished: but they gave their gold and silver to God's people going out of Egypt, not knowing how those things they gave, might be restored to the service of Christ. For conclusion he fully resolves, Illud in Exod● factum, fine dubio figuratum est ut hoc praesignaret, that that wise policy of Israel in robbing the Egyptians, did undoubtedly praefigure this our spoiling of the Gentiles. Thus far Austin. And this is the judgement of the ancient Fathers, those reverend Bishops of God's Church, constant Martyrs of Christ jesus, profound Doctors of the Gospel, bright stars of all learning, and burning lamps of the sanctuary, for the use of secular learning in the pulpit. But (alas) why spend I my strength in vain and for nought? Their answer is still this, Nos non curamus quid dicunt patres. Puritans, or rather Pruritanes, have those prurientes aures, itching ears, 2. Tim. 4. 3. and after their own lusts have got them an heap of teachers to whose verdict only they stand or fall, ut illis religio sit, ab interpretationibus suorum praeceptorum vel minimùm deflectere, as Zanchius I said noted in this Church. They think, the Fathers have eaten sour grapes, aetas parentum is peior quis, and therefore censure them in the words but not with the spirit of a job. ●2. ●. Elihu: Great men are not always wise, neither do aged alway understand judgement: therefore I say, Hear me, I will show you mine opinion. Each novice can now teach his seniors and Senators wisdom, and pronounce from b Psal. 119. ●9. David's lips but not his spirit, I have more understanding than all my teachers, I understand more than the ancient: for my part I thought it best to rely on the Father's judgement, when God's word and the analogy of faith is not repugnant, and thought still with myself, Elihu his modest submission befitted green heads, job. 32. 6. I said, I am young in years and ye are ancient: therefore I doubted, and was afraid to show you mine opinion: for I said, The days shall speak, and the multitude of years shall teach wisdom. But sith in stead of the Fathers they have children whom they make Princes in all lands, as I have said, men of yesterday shall speak and show their opinion. 15 Martin Bucer, enarrat▪ in Mat. 11. vlt. he also witnesseth Bucer. this truth: For Prophesy in all ages among the heathen (saith he) both by dreams, by wonders, and by a certain instinct and heavenly inspiration, it is good to read Tully's books of Divination. And he there adds the reason: for nothing is to be neglected which plainly appeareth to be the gift of God. And he that doubteth so many excellent books of profane Writers, wherein such knowledge of heavenly things and works of God are not the excellent gifts of God, without doubt he hath little regard of God's providence, without whose singular blessing it could not come to pass, that these books preserved in so many ages, and through so many chances, should come to our hands. Again, Enarrat. in Mat. 4. 18. on those words, They were fishers, he checketh them sharply who under this pretence condemn learning and show of God's gifts in Divinity. Let none (saith Bucer) under pretext of this text contemn them, ut sunt quidam, quia adeò cruditionem, ali●que Dei dona spernunt, ut ipsi interim sua inscitia ac ruditate plus fid●nt atque superbiant, quàm alij sua eruditione aut ingenij dexteritate: as there are some, who so malapertly despise learning and other gifts of God, that mean while they trust and take more pride in their ignorance and rudeness, than other in their learning and dexterity of wit. Thou shalt find also some at this day, who stiffly pretend this example of the Lord for a cloak of their slothfulness and idleness: and when they are reproved, for their idleness in handling the word, that they apply not the Scriptures, neglect to learn tongues, that better they may handle the word; they have always in their mouth: God called not many wise after the flesh. Whom we must answer: Neither called he many evil beasts and slow bellies, qui sanctam eruditionem adeò contemnunt, & operatione spiritus tanta oscitantia fidurt: Who so much contemn sanctified learning, and in their great idleness trust too much on the spirits extemporal suggestion. The sum of all is this, the gifts of God, learning, skill in the tongues, and painfulness in handling the Scripture, are to be sought after and highly esteemed. Again, many * Plu●●nt rursus ●u. ●●●die, etc. drones at this day thrust themselves into the ministery, fit for any thing else, who not only that they may cloak their slothfulness, but even c Spiritus titulo impi● venditent, palam è suggestu audent damnare & impurissimo e●e prosci●●er●. impiously boast of the spirit, dare stoutly condemn and with a most impure mouth, rail on the study of the tongues and diligent decking of the Scripture, openly in the pulpit. Again, Enarrat. in Mat. 13. 52. Every Scribe (saith he) taught to the kingdom of God, must bring old and new things not only from the old and new Testament, but affatim qu●libet, any truth from any Writer: as the master of the family brings to his guests d all kind of meats and dainties, that they may want nothing: whose liberality he must follow, plenteously teaching all things, whereby the mind is said and delighted. Again, Explanat▪ in Psal. 1. 6. Though God (saith he) for our souls hath given us the Scriptures, yet for repressing of fleshly affections, for framing of our life to God's glory and good of others, multa alia praeclarè scripta impartijt, he hath given us many other excellent writings. For all truth (as Austin truly writeth) is from the holy Ghost: wherefore, whatsoever, truth and goodness is any where commanded, legis Dei nomine iure censebitur, it may lawfully be called the law of God: for what things soever any way pertain to true godliness and sound righteousness, universa quidem, at non singula, sacris literis explicata sunt, they are in general laid down, but not particularly explained in the Scriptures. For the Gentiles therefore the Lord both before and after he made them partakers of the Scriptures, gave many things of excellent and admirable wisdom to be written of Poets, Philosophers, Historians, and Lawmakers, whereby he expounded that eternal and boundless force of his law, and called mankind to a good and godly life: Quare & ingrati Deo sunt & sibi ipsis salutaria monita invident, etc. Wherefore they are both unthankful to God, and deprive themselves of wholesome admonitions, that disdain to read and gather out most things, as well of heathens as the holy Scriptures, while they may. For it was not without the special and notable blessing of God, that so many notable things, which have so excellent means of making a good life, should both be written of Poets, Historians, and Philosophers, and also be preserved for us. If any thing in the works of mechanical arts smell of a more excellent wit, God's merciful bounty, who gave that wit, we justly admire; and those things which of virtues of religion, of all good and right living most Philosophers and Poets by an unimitable dexterity and elegancy Immita 〈…〉 dexter●tate atque 〈◊〉. have written, shall we not admire, kiss, and as God's singular blessings highly to be reverenced, embraced and accepted with both arms? Non faciemus quicunque Deum ritè veneramur, Christi vox est quicquid verum est, quicquid recti aliquid praecipit, eam undecunque sonuerit exaudiamus atque sequamur: We will not do this wrong to the gifts of God, so many of us as worship and fear God aright, it is Christ's voice, whatsoever is truth, whatsoever commandeth any right thing, by whomsoever he spoke it, let us hear and follow it. Therefore under the name of God's law, both in place before all, will we first count the holy Scriptures, which contain the law, that is, absolute doctrine of God every way perfect, which we grant to none other Writers: and in this also, without choice, will we adore and reverence all things. The next place in our account shall the writings and monuments of them have, who of purpose give precepts of Christ's religion and innocency of life, although nothing of theirs, without judgement and diligent collation with God's commandments, we will embrace. In the last place will we not disdain to read and use all kind of profane Writers, when time and place shall require. For if Pliny said truly, that there is no book so bad, out of which some fruit may not be gathered, and they bring no fruit, unless they be the words of God: Certè Dei verba contempserit, qui vel Ethnicorum scripta in totum repudiet: Certainly he contemneth the words of God, who wholly refuseth the writings of the heathen. Thus Bucer. And let them look to it, whether they despise not part of God's law, and contemn his words, who disdain to use his truth in heathens, when they preach to his people. I cannot yet leave Bucer, he is so excellent in this point: for Enarrat. in joh. 4. 38. on that: Other men have laboured, and ye are entered into their labours, he understandeth by these former labourers, not only the Prophets among the jews, but also the Philosophers among the Gentiles, who taught them good Per ●es quos di cit la●crasse intelligo, quicunque doce●dis hom●nibus operam suam impenderunt, aequè Ethnicos, atque judees. life: For they wrote many books of religion, of duties, of the bounds of good things and evil, etc. which they had got of the jews, and so prepared the Gentiles for the Gospel, as the law was the jews schoolmaster unto Christ. But let it not offend any man, (saith he) that I think the labour of Philosophers furthered the Gospel, for all truth is of God, and certainly much truth is read in the writings of Philosophers and Poets: and how little soever it be which they delivered of the truth, ad Deum certè animos hominum attraxerunt, eoque & evangelio illos pr●pararunt: they drew without doubt men's minds unto God, and therefore prepared them for the Gospel. For he is the God not only of the jews, but of the Gentiles also, in whose hearts he wrote the work of his law, whence came those excellent doctrines of virtues, whereof we read so many in their writings. Sed quid opus verbis? but what need many words? They who acknowledge not even in Tully wonderful knowledge of Solidae p●tatis, etc. God and sound piety, without doubt he knoweth not what God is, and piety. I● it now therefore appear, that by the labour of Philosophers, some knowledge of God and true righteousness was brought into the world, who will deny eorum laborem evangelio seruijsse? that their labour was not serviceable and helped the Gospel? Thus much Bucer. 16. Melancthon de leg●nat. is of the same mind, where having 16. Melancthon. largely showed the law of nature to consent with the written law of God, he saith, We should highly esteem of the true exposition thereof, of demonstrations, and consonant sentences, whether in Philosophers or lawgivers, detesting the contrary. And that author de sac. contion. brandeth those who refuse them, It is wicked and * Impium est, & ●. impious so to contemn the studies of human learning, as most do: we should rather give God thanks for that blessing, because the reading of Gentile writers helpeth us to teach God's word with greater * Foeliciùs & clariùs. dexterity and plainness. And for ornament of speech, diligenter venanda nobis sunt ea tum ex Oratoribus, tum ex Poeticis Latinis, we must diligently seek after those things as well in Orators and Latin Poets, Neminem igitur Theologum pudeat, etc. with whom all manner of right speaking is buried. Let no Divine therefore be ashamed, sometime to carry in his hands, either some oration of Tully, or the Poetry of Virgil; for he that will speak diligently, shall strait perceive that there is far more use of such learning, than the common sort of Divines of Quàm vulgus Theologorum nostri seculi intelligat. our age understand. And though (lib. de rat. descend. Theolog.) he forbidden us to confound Philosophy with Christ's doctrine unfitly, yet there wisheth he Divines not to neglect Philosophy, because Ego tamen optarim Theologos no negligere Philosopinam. quia nonnulls vituperant alias arts, cùm non n●rint; qui si nossent, plura facerent. 17. Musculus. some have dispraised other arts when they knew them not, who if they knew them, would esteem them more highly. 17. Musculus (comment. in 1. Cor. 15. 32.) on Paul's citing of the Poet Menander saith no less. Hence we are to learn (saith he) quàm conveniat ministro Christi, how fit and convenient it is for the minister of Christ, that from whencesoever it be, he be furnished not with sacred only, but also profane writings, that he may apply himself to them, whom either he should mend, or edify to true godliness. And though he dislike them that cite either Poets, Historians or Philosophers oft for no other cause but ostentation of learning; yet resolveth he, possunt in religionis causa Gentilium scripta citari, only in controversies? as now is the questions. No, in the cause of religion for confirming principles of our faith, for manners, either to command good, or reprove that which is bad. 18. Illyricus in Tit. 1. 12. on the Apostles allegation of that Poet 18. Illyricus. saith as much: Hence it appeareth that it is lawful sometime by occasion to use in Christian doctrine sayings of the Gentiles; but so, that they be not mistresses, but waiting-maides to the truth, nor be counted for oracles. And who ever desired the latter, or required more than the former? But Clau. alt. part. tract. 1. de rat. cognosc. script. he is more plain & pregnant for the decision of this point in question. In populari tractatione etc. In popular sermons (saith he) a Preacher must bring many examples from scripture, and excellent sentences; punishments moreover and rewards he proposeth, sometimes he heapeth similes from daily actions, afterward he produceth sundry comprobations, and also firmamenta suasoria, any helps to persuade; now and then from the arts, Nonnunquam quaedam argutè dicta à Philosophis aut alijs magni nominis hominibus veluti emblemata intermiscet: sometime mixeth he certain witty sayings of Philosophers and other learned men of great note as emblems. Neither omitteth he those Quae orationem ill●strant, ac divitem speciosantque readunt. things which garnish his sermon, and make it rich and beautiful. Lastly, he painfully heapeth up all those things which he thinketh will move their affection. To be short, he omitteth nothing that hath any force to persuade. And examples of such preaching we see first in the Prophets, Christ's and the Apostles popular sermons: secondly in the Homilies, that is, familiar sermons of Origen, Basil, Nazianzene, chrysostom: and lastly in men of our times, as Luther and many like, in whose sermons many things are fitted to the learned, most things to the ignorant, & omnia universis, saith Illyricus. 19 Peter Martyr in 1. Corint. 15. 33. witnesseth this truth. 19 Martyr. Non veretur Apostolus etc. the Apostle is not afraid to borrow Qum●am à qu●cunque 〈…〉 tut, a spiritu p●●cio est. truth of the heathens, for of whomsoever it be spoken, it is from the holy Ghost. And when we take it out of their books, we rob not others of their own, but claim our own of these unjust possessors. Hence are we taught that the books of heathen men are not wholly to be refused, but truth which is read in them diligently to be heard, so that time for the scriptures be not spent in these writers. 20. Erasmus, as he was a mirror of much learning, and conversant 20. Era 〈…〉. in the Fathers; so in his Scholia and notes on them often shows he his judgement, and indeed a judgement against antipaters and enemies of learning. In his school on Jerome's Epistle to Eustochium, he displayeth their self-pleasing conceit, Sibi placet quòd nihil attigerint bonorum authorum: nos pueri, etc. they please themselves that they never read any profane author. When I was a boy (saith he) I hissed in a certain book the Qui praetext● religionis po 〈…〉 oars literas, quia 〈…〉 certunt insectantur. foolish superstition of these men, who under pretence of religion condemn and declaim against good letters, because they have not learned them. But in his second book of a Preacher, he wisheth them (if they will turn their speaking into preaching) to use Demosthenes and Tully for the force of speech, Aristotle for judgement and knowledge, Plato for similes, Livy for eloquence, Virgil for descriptions, Tacitus for wit, Seneca for shaming of vice, and chief Plutarch's Morals, cuius libri digni sunt qui ad verbum ediscantur, whose books are worthy to be had without book, whereout Basil and chrysostom seem to have taken so many things. And to what end should a Preacher read them, if he may not use them as a Preacher? 21. Hyperius, whom I cited so oft, lib. 1. de rat. stud. Theol. cap. 4. 21. Hypar●●. proving this theme of that chapter, Quod artium scientia sit Theologo necessaria, addeth, that human Philosophy is the gift of God, and that we need it to help the imbecility of our understanding, and that by its help we may expound one to another the conceits of our mind, therefore is Philosophy and secular learning like an handmaid to Theology, no otherwise then as Agar was allowed 2 Lib de Cherub. & ●p▪ de congres. quae. erudit great. to godly Abraham, but the right and sovereignty of a mistress we give to Theology: which for Sarah (as a Philosopher compares it) we ought to acknowledge. Only I say, let not Agar despise her mistress, because she brings forth when Sarah is barren in bearing. And lib. 2. cap. 38. he proveth all the arts with their secular knowledge to be the handmaides of Divinity to attend their Lady theology. And therefore (me thinks) no disgrace to the King's daughter, when the virgins that be her fellows bear her company, and be brought into the King's palace, seeing wisdom sendeth out these her maids to call in guests to the heavenly banquet, Prou. 4. as Thomas applies it. And he concludeth, that Divines must tasse Philosophers, chief Plato, Aristotle, Tully, à quo nimirum quae bene per hos sunt prodita ad nostrum usum nostraeque religionis ornamentum, quoad ●ius fieri queat convertere assuescant. Siquidem laus erit non modica (ut scitè August.) spoliare Aegyptios vestibus, auro, argento, atque ad ornatum tabernaculi Domini ea confer, quibus illi ad luxum & fastum nec non ad fana falsorum deorum fucanda indign abusi sunt. Thus far Hyperius. 22. Hemingius comment. in Tit. 1. 12. on Paul's citing of the 22. Hemingius. Poet, saith as much, if not more: Here first it is to be noted (saith he) that their perverse opinion is to be reproved, who think it wickedness to bring sentences from profane writers in expounding the scripture. He saith not, in controversy only, but in opening and explaining the text. Secondly, saith he, we are admonished of the right use of Ethnic writers, to wit, that they serve and wait on the scripture as an handmaid on Tanq●● a●c●lia sua R●g in●. her Queen. For as the Egyptians spoils served to adorn the tabernacle of God; so arts & true sayings of Philosophers ought to serve the Church of God. And for proof hereof, he referreth us to his comment on Col. 2. 8. where he pronounceth, perperam faciu●t qui hoc loco abutuntur, etc. they do amiss who abuse this place to condemn all Philosophy, which in truth is the excellent gift of God. There is indeed but one soul-saving doctrine brought from heaven, which containeth all the treasures of wisdom and wholesome knowledge. But as in times past the people of Israel for building of the tabernacle used the riches of Egypt: so let us know, that all true Philosophy is to be used, though not as building, yet as serviceable to the Church, as after in every part and all arts he shows it at large. 23 Gualther homil. 5. in 1. Cor. 1. Let none think (saith 23 Gualth●●. he) that we condemn the study of good arts and secular learning, or would have all them cast out of the ecclesiastical ministery, quos ●ruditio & eloquentiae vis commendant, whom secular learning and force of eloquence commendeth. For we know this is most required in the Ministers of the word, that they be endued with the skill of teaching, which to be much helped by the study of arts, none but a mad man will deny. And we know he who at first sent Apostles, rude and ignorant of the arts, to preach the Gospel, afterward called more out of the schools of Rhetoricians and Philosophers, who bestowed excellent pains in propagating Christ's kingdom, and defending the faith, as were Cyprian, justine Martyr, Lactantius, Austin, Jerome, and many other. And this we say, that God of himself needeth not our learning, doctrine and eloquence: but if he hath given these to any man, let him so use them, that first place be given to the Gospel, and that all arts with their secular knowledge serve it. 24 Aretius Problem. loc. 150. having defined, that the 24 Aretius. use of all prophave Writers is lawful in Divinity, in next place he puts this very question in hand, Erudtio mundana num in Ministro evangelii ferri debeat, and proves it at large. What shall I say more? Even Piscator observat. in Tit. 1. 12. 25 Piscator. (though he prescribe a mean for citing it in Sermons) from Paul's example yet confesseth: Non dedecere Doctorem Ecclesiae aut illicitum esse, That it is not unseemly or unlawful for a Preacher sometime to cite out of profane Authors, sentences quae ad propositum faciunt, if they be for his purpose: he saith not, in controversy alone, but if they make for his purpose and matter in hand. 26 Zepperus lib. 2. cap. 6. de contion. in his question, Quomodo 26 Zepperus. & quatenus Ethnica produci queant, though he somewhat disallow it, si tamen Christianis & populo Dei, etc.: If notwithstanding (saith he) the Preacher is sharply and grievously to exprobrate gross ignorance, brutish stupidity, ingratitude, impiety and malice to his people, he may allege sometimes examples out of heathens, who have written such things of God, of his knowledge, presence, works, government, the soul's immortality, rewards of virtue, and tell them stories of bruit beasts, and heathen folk, to make Christians ashamed, as Jerome said to Paula, Erubesce Ethnicae comparatione superaris, melior est ancilla diaboli quàm mea. So a Preacher (saith he) upbraiding covetous men, may shame them being Christians with the example of Crates the Theban: exprobrate acception of persons and injustice to Magistrates, by the example of Zaleucus, that by their example, (as the Apostle did the jews by the Gentiles Rom. 11.) we may try if by any means we may provoke them to follow these, and ●aue some of them. This is the judgement of all these ancient and late Writers, for the use of secular learning in Sermons. And as they allow this mistress still maids to attend her, so 4 Proof, the practice of all ecclesiastical Writers. have they not let her come abroad in their books without these handmaids to wait on her. Almost all the books of all the ancient, saith * Epist. ad Rom. Jerome, not of controversy alone, but others also are stuffed with secular learning of Philosophers, Poets and Historians, ut nescias quid in illis primùm admirari debeas, eruditionem seculi, an scientiam Scripturarum. Cyprian, Lactantius, Victorinus, Optatus, Hilarius and infinite many more, are laden (saith a Lib. 2. de doct. Christ's. cap. 40. Austin) with this gold and silver, and other spoils of the Egyptians. Moses was learned in all knowledge of the Egyptians, joseph and Daniel in the knowledge of the Chaldeans and Babylonians, Solomon in all natural Philosophy, whereof he made so many books. The Greek Divines, as justine Martyr, chrysostom, Epiphanius, Athanasius, Damascene, Clemens Alexandrinus, (as I showed before) stuffed their Divinity exercises full of it: and the Latin teachers, Jerome, Austin, Lactantius, Cyprian, Hilary, Ambrose, sometimes in exhortation, sometimes in consolation, though most often in disputation: Nec debet apud nos valere ignavorum hominum obtrectatio, saith Aretius, that because of their private opinion and spirit of singularity we should neglect (like Aesop's cock) so many pearls lying hid in the heaps of Philosophy, and prefer a barley corn of our own brain before that gem of wisdom and truth. chrysostom (whose apology and practice hath been urged for this) how oft citeth he secular learning in his popular Sermons, when no controversy was in hand? To go over his works, Homil. de nativit. Dom. he allegeth history twice, Homil. 66. ad pop. Antioch. history once, Homil. 9 in Mat. history once, Homil. 34. in Mat. on these words: He that continueth to the end, etc. he produceth heathen examples, of Plato, Pythagoras, Stoic Philosophers, Cynics, Dion, Aristippus, Diogenes; and of Gentile Captains, as Themistocles, Pericles, & Xerxes, for illustration. Homil. 4. in Mat. history once, Homil. 12. in Mat. history once, Homil. 1. in Mat. history twice: Serm. cont. concub. he bringeth the fable of Tantalus to the people: Homil. 4. de laud. Pauli, Plato, Pythagoras, Armenius, Socrates, and such Philosophers for exemplification. And Homil. 32. in 1. Cor. 12. he gives all Preachers this warrant: Ex suis multa Doctor affert, congruant modò Scripturae: A Preacher may bring many things of his own, so that they agree with the Scripture. What shall I say more of his practice hereof, then Erasmus (who had read him better than we have or can) witnesseth of his Sermons, b Erasm. in vit. Chrysost. praefix. Chrysost. saying: Omnes humanas disciplinas cogit servire Christianae pietati, sic admiscens, quasi vinum generosum aqua modica diluas. Nusquam est aquae vel colour, vel sapor, sed tamen sentis vinum esse suavius: For c 2. Mach. 15. 40. as it may sometime seem less pleasant to drink wine alone, and then again water, and as wine tempered with water, is pleasant and delighteth the taste: so the setting out of the matter thus by secular learning, makes it relish better in our ears. Neither is this instar cauponum (as the d 2. Cor. 4. Apostle calleth them) like Vintner's or Victuallers to adulterate this wine, and mingle it with water, as the Lord himself complained of the jews, according to Jerome's translation, Caupones tui miscent vino aquam: for he taxeth them as Christ did the Pharisees, Mat. 15. for mingling men's precepts with Gods pure law in matters of faith and religion, and I will add with Jerome on that place, Omnisque Doctor, etc. and every teacher or writer either, that seeketh more to please then profit his hearers or readers, vinum aqua miscet, he mingleth yea turneth wine into water. e Lib. 3 de fid. cap. 1. Ambrose also being once checked (as it seems) for using Poets in Divinity, apologizeth himself by the example of S. Paul, who learned it of the Prophets that have oft relation to poetical stories, as he showeth, and therefore useth Poets in his popular Sermons. Luther Tom. 1. in his popular Sermons on the commandments brings often Fathers, schoolmen, Lawyers, Poets, History, Philosophy, yea Aesop's fables to his people when no controversy was in hand. See but one Sermon for all, on the sixth precept he citeth Fathers, as Austin, Jerome, Bernard, long sentences with their names, yea whole verses out of Horace, Juvenal, and Ovid, naming them thick, when no question was controversed, and oft produceth long Greek sentences to his people which he doth not expound. john Hus also that blessed Martyr in his Sermons, (though indeed they were ad Clerum) useth Fathers often with their names, and Serm. in jaco. 2. he citeth diverse Poets with their names, and produceth many verses together, when no controversy was in hand. Gualther in his large and many Homilies, which were his popular Sermons, bringeth verses out of Poets, examples out of stories, axioms from Philosophers, and sentences from Fathers not a few, when no controversy with Papists is in hand. Bullinger as precise in the manner of teaching as might be, useth in his Homilies to the people, both Greek and Latin Fathers, old and new Historians, Geographers, Poets Greeke and Latin, Philosophers of all sorts, oft and in abundance, when no controversy is in hand. Lavater in his Sermons to the people of Tigurie doth the like. See but Homil. 6. in jos. one for all, where he brings Fathers, Historians, and Poets to illustrate and open a point. What shall I say more? The best and most famous Preachers of our Church have done and yet do the like, even brought examples of temperance, humility, justice, patience, contentation, chastity, and all virtues, from heathen men, to provoke Christians to follow them for shame. And if neither places of Scripture, expounded by ancient and modern writers, nor reasons can prevail with men of reason, nor the authority of all Ecclesiastical writers, nor their practice persuade Puritans private spirit to do as they did; yet might (me thinks) the practice of God himself persuade them, who cited the heathens constancy to provoke the jews to persevere, jer. 2. 10. Go ye to the Isles of Chittim and behold; send unto Kedar and take diligent heed, and see whether there be such things: hath any nation changed their gods as my people? So did the Prophets: isaiah provoked the unthankful jews to gratitude by the example of the Ox and the Ass. jeremy the secure jews to opportunity by the examples of the Swallow, Turtle and Crane. Solomon the slothful to labour, by the example of the Emmet. Our Saviour did the like, when he commended the Centurion's faith, Math. 8. to tax the perfidious and unbelieving jews: by the Ninivites example he urged the negligent jews to repentance. By the Lepers return invited he them to thankfulness: by that journey of the Queen of the South: that reading of the Eunuch: that alms of Cornelius: and that hospitalititie of the widow of Sarepta, laboured he to provoke the jews for shame to follow them. And though some may object these were cited from the old Testament, yet alleged he not in the new all the heathens, when he pricked forward his hearers with this spur, Nun & Ethnici hoc faciunt? Math. 5. His Apostle did the like, Rom. 2. 27. This is the practice of God himself and his Prophets, of Christ and his Apostles, of the ancient and recent homilists in their popular sermons, and (as he said) aut hoc satis testium est, aut nihil est. Now there is one objection against all, which was put against me when I urged this practice of all writers, and it was verbatim this, But M. Calvin useth not humanity in sermons. Wonder (dear Christian) and now mark if these be not the men whom Zanchius (as I said before) marked in this Church, Sunt plerique etiam inter nostros, quibus religio est ab interpretationibus suorum praeceptorum vel minimum deflectere, ita fit ut & ipsi sponte se privent vera scripturae intelligentia, & dum suos praeceptores in omnibus & per omnia volunt tueri, turbas excitant in Ecclesia; Res est perspicua vel me tacente. And indeed if Calvin had worn cap with surplice, and used humanity in sermons, I think neither that controversy about ceremonies, nor this about the manner of preaching against the ancient Fathers and late writers had been maintained. Calvin was learned indeed, and a light of the Church: but when thus they pin themselves to his sleeve, and do sacrifice unto him as the men of Lystra would have done to Saint Paul, saying, Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men, they abuse him Acts 14. with his learning, and if he were now alive, could tear his clothes hereat, and cry out with the Apostle, Men and brethren why do ye these things? we are men, subject to like passions that ye be. But though Calvin as a Doctor, weekly reading & writing very much, as we see by his Tomes, could not as a Pastor preach so exactly, but of little meditation to his people: yet his judgement is, that secular learning may lawfully be used in Sermons; for comment. in 1. Cor. 15. 33. he is peremptory in this point, saying, Paulus utitur testimonio Poetae Menandri, quemadmodum undique mutuari nobis licet, quicquid à Deo est profectum. Quum autem omnis veritas à Deo sit, non dubium quin Dominus in os posuerit etiam impijs quaecunque veram & salutarem doctrinam continent, sed huius argumenti tractationem peti malo ex oratione Basilij ad iwenes. Saint Paul (saith Calvin) useth the testimony of the Poet Menander, as in like manner it is lawful for us to borrow from any whatsoever came from God. And seeing all truth is from God, there is no doubt but the Lord put into the mouth even of the wicked, whatsoever things contain true and wholesome doctrine. But the handling of this matter I would rather to be taken out of Basils' oration to his nephews. Who could have said more matter in fewer words for the use of secular learning in sermons? And lest any should think he thought so but once, and afterward changed his opinion, he secondeth it again, comment. in Tit. 1. 12. where speaking of Paul's citing Epimenides the Poet, he strongly concludeth, Colligimus ex hoc loco, Superstitiosos esse qui ex profanis scriptoribus nihil mutuari audent. Nam quum omnis veritas à Deo sit, si quid scitè & verè ab impijs dictum est, non debet repudiari, quia à Deo est profectum. Deinde quum omnia Dei sint, cur fas non esset in eius gloriam applicare quicquid in eum usum aptè conferri potest? sed de hac re legatur Basilij oratio ad iwenes. We gather from this place (saith Calvin) that they are superstitious who dare borrow nothing of profane writers. For seeing all truth is of God, if any thing be well and truly spoken of the wicked, it ought not to be refused because it came from God. Again, seeing all things belong to God, why should it not be lawful to use and apply to his glory whatsoever may fitly be bestowed to that use? but for this point read Basils' oration to his nephews. Caluins' judgement (we plainly see) is, that Preachers may cite any truth from all heathen authors though never so wicked. His reason is, because it came to them from God, who put into their mouth things containing true and wholesome doctrine. If true, then to be used in controversy: if wholesome in exhortation. And for reproof of our Puritans, he calleth them superstitious men, that stand too much on points, who dare not use it, nay that it ought not to be refused, sith it came from God, and belongeth unto him, but must be used to his glory. Wherefore (to conclude all) seeing the scripture forbids not secular learning in popular sermons, as in examination of their objected places I have showed; seeing God himself preached it to the people for the knowledge of himself, Rom. 1. 19 seeing the knowledge thereof taught the people to do the things of the law, Rom. 2. 14. Seeing the Apostle forbids only the vain deceit of it to the people. Col. 2. 8. Seeing Saint Paul chargeth us to try all things in any author, and keep that which is good, 1. Thess. 5. Seeing Preachers in things not forbidden must be all to all, to jews in the law as jews, to Gentiles without law as Gentiles, that they may win the more, & by all means save some, 1. Cor. 9 Seeing they must divide the word aright to their people, 2. Tim. 2. which without this knife they cannot do, but pull it asunder and tear it with their teeth; Seeing the heathens doctrine which is true, is taken out of the scriptures: sith truth remaineth still truth wheresoever we find it. Seeing we think it fit to season our children and new vessels for their knowledge and good manners. Seeing for the use of it, we study it many years, furnish our studies with profane authors, stay in the Universities, and frequent libraries. Seeing lastly the ancient Fathers and precisest late-writers have thought and judged it lawful, and much used it themselves when they preached to their people: at least, seeing Calvin thinks so, this might persuade them, if they were not of a private spirit, that secular learning (yea much of it) is not only not unlawful, but also necessary in popular sermons. Rob the Egyptians of this gold, silver and raiment, borrow these jewels of the heathens, but make not a calf thereof to worship and adore, and leave the word of God. If there be any such as f Sed dicam innum quod tamen verissimum esse comperi, esse permulcos sic prosanu addictos literu, ut ineruditum, ut infant's, ut sordidum videatur ubicunque Christianae professionu vocabula viderent. Romuli, Ca●●ill●, Fabricij, Julij 〈◊〉 delectantur ad Christi, ad Pauli, Bart 〈…〉 vocabula nauseant. Erasmus in vita jerom. praefix. Ier●●. Erasmus complaineth of, who delight more to hear the names of Poets than Apostles, of Philosophers than Prophets in sermons, I tell them with Hugo, comment. in Tit. 1. 12. secular learning must ancillari Theologiae, non principari: errant qui sequuntur Philosophos, non Theologos; & magis innituntur vanitati quàm utilitati. No, his word only is the glass, by looking whereinto we are transformed into his image, as by the spirit of the Lord, 2. Cor. 3. And therefore in spoiling these heathens, the Lord adviseth us as josua did the people in sacking of jericho, Ios. 6. 19 The city jericho, that is, heathenism shall be an execrable thing, both it and all idolatries that are therein unto the Lord: only Rahab the harlot, only heathen learning & truth shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, for she hide the messengers that we sent. Notwithstanding be ye ware of taking the execrable thing, lest ye make yourselves execrable. But all silver and gold, and vessels of brass, and iron thereof shall be consecrate unto the Lord, and shall come into the Lord's treasury. And for the use of it quoad gradum, let not the sauce be more than the meat, nor too much water mixed with your wine, that is cauponari verbum. No, no, as g Declam. pop. ●●8. prac●p. Luther spoke of too much citing of miracles and true legends in sermons: so neither would I that arts and heathen sayings sic depredicentur ut inde veniat usus omittendi evangelium. Sunt enim non principalis pars sermonis habendae, sed tantummodo interspergendae evangelio, ubi ad propositum faciant, & non de integre sermone tractandae. If Melpomene be painted so big, that there is left no room for the other Muses; or if strangers take up all the Inn, that there is not place enough for Christ and his Apostles, I dislike both the painter and the host. No, let Christ have the highest place and best room in thy sermon: and me thinks he saith of it, as he once said of an Inn, Make ready an upper chamber for me, for there it is where I will sup with mine Apostles. The consideration whereof, as it moved me in this discourse to apologize the use of secular learning in Sermons: so moved it me in this of Brotherly Reconcilement, to call on the handmaid to wait (as I said) on her mistress. FINIS. Faults escaped, thus amended. PAg. 6. lin. 26. read cede. p. 11. l. 6. contumelia. p. 11. l. 28. hac. p. 19 l. 16. differunt. p. 27. l. 20. his. p. 28. l. 22. p. 46. l. 7. very. p. 32. l. 32. and p 34 l. 10. lest. p. 35. l. 16. acescit. p 35. l. 21. dragons. p. 35. l. 36. imitemur. p. 39 l. 1. vers. 24. p. 41. l. 4. fibram. p. & l. ibid. serperet. pag. 42. l. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 51. l. 31. even calm. p. 52. l. 34. dicentes p. 59 l. 25 that as. p. 59 l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 59 l. 31. humorist. p. 62. l. 4. breach. p. 62. l. 23. his foe a sop. p. 64 l. 34. tantos. l. ibid. tondente. p. 65. l. 20. occidente. p. 72. l. 24. nor only. p. 74. l. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 74. l. 20. exhibit. p. 75 l. 22. them p 75. l. 35 him p. 77. l 17. are the food. p. 77. l. 19 do their effects. p. 78. l. 23. permissive. p. 79. l. 5. excerpere. p. 81. l. 29. in your hands. p. 86 l. 16. not judicial. p. 88 l. 28. for this Isaac, p. 9●. l. 18. circle. p. 108. l 31. whiteness. p. 108. l 35. wax. p. 111. l. 19 Iss●char. p. 49 marg. lit. o. collimando. p. 50. in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 84. marg. lit. a. ne confid. p. 127. l. 27. artetati. p. 124 l. 37 exterrita. p. 126. l. 25. make thee strive. p. 142. l. 23. though. p. 143. l. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 145. l. 16 abit. p. 208. l. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 223. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 239 l. 27 whiffler. p. 252. l. 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 289. l. 17. without professing. p. 290. l. 35. commendeth. p. 291. l. 29. exploratorem p. 296. l. 5. is my censure but the obseru. p. 313. l 33. vt●ijs. p. 278. marg. lit. z. concutere. p. 280. m●rg●lit g. Plausus. p. 320. l. 21. for p. 249 l. 16 ut ab audit. p. 236. l. 7. at adventure. p. 249. l. 17. pateris. p. 232. l. 29. Chaldeans. p. 243. l. 24. quam.