their other wares into Egypt and to make their gaine x Lyra Tâ—st Aâ—ul â—n 〈◊〉 locum raised the price and sold him againe at second hand at a higher rate to Potiphar king Pharaohs steward vers 36. But though Ioseph whom they sold to be a bond-slaue in Egypt became afterward y Psal 105 21. lord ouer all Pharaohs house and ruler of all his substance yea gouernor throughout all the land of Egypt Gen. 45. 8. and was now armed with power to reuenge yet see how he recompenceth them good for euill see when his enemies did hunger how he fed them and when they were thirstie gaue them drinke For whereas they had z Gen. 37. â—â— stript him of his parti-coloured coate in recompence of that a Gen. 45. 2â— he gaue them all change of raiment he gaue them a measure running ouer into their bosome They sold him for twenty peeces of mony and put him in their purse and in recompence of that he would not sell them corne but gaue it them freely for nought and put their money in their sackes Gen. 42. 25. he gaue them a good measure pressed downe and shaken together They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread water of affliction Ge. 37. 24. and in lieu thereof he brought them into his owne lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and sent them dishes from his owne princely measse Gen. 43. 33. 34. and with what measure they had met to him he would not mete to them againe Holy Dauid trode the steps of good Ioseph for â— Dauiâ— when Saul had bent his bow and made readie the arrowes within his quiuer to b Psal 1â— 2. shoote at this vpright in heart and sweet singer of Israell yea when this fouler c 1. Sam. 26. â—0 hunted him like a partridge to the mountaines so that his soule was faine to aske for the wings of a Doue that he might â—lie away and be at rest yet see when his mortal foe was deliuered into his hand in the cauâ— where he couered his feet he would not lay hands on his enemie nor suffer his bloud-thirstie followers to fall vpon him but onely to giue his notice what he could haue done cut off the lap of his garment and rendred him good for euill as Saul himselfe confessed 1. Sam. 24. 18. Yea againe when he sound him asleepe in the field and tooke him napping he spared his life which was in his hand and to giue him a second warning took away his pot of water and his speare that was sticked at his bolster 1. Sam. 26. and therefore might this Doue safely contestate his harmlesse mind and innocent hands to Cushies accusation that he sought Sauls life Psal 7. O Lord my God if I haue done this thing or if there be any wickednesse in mine hands if I haue rewarded euill to him that had peace with me yea I haue deliuered him that without cause is mine enemie then then let mine enemie persecute my soule and take me yea let him treade my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust No no when he found but one Egyptian rouer in the field he gaue d 1. Sam. 30. 11 him bread to eate when he was hungrie and when he was thirstie he gaue his enemie drinke And as did Dauid so did his sonne and Lord Christ Iesus 5 Christ the sonne of righteousnes from whose brightnesse these starres borrowed this light of grace whose words of truth as they were instructions to their minds so were his workes and actions medicines and cures to the bodies of his deadly foes healing their sicke cleansing their leapers restoring their lame to their legs making their blind to see though they would not behold the light of the world making their deafe to heare though they stopped their eares at the wisedome of the world making their dumbe to speake though they blasphemed the God of the world Yea when their sinne was a bloudie sinne a scarlet sinne a crimson sinne Esa 1. 18. of a double die dyed in the threed being a seed of the wicked and corrupt children and dyed in the web be being a sinfull nation laden with iniquitie and therefore worthie of that double die morte morieirs of the first and second death yet how did he shed his most precious bloud to make their crimson sinnes like wooll and their scarlet sinnes white as snow Yea when with the malice of hell in greatest industrie they went about the act of his condemnation most mercifully with greater diligence he went about the worke of their saluation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice he swet water and bloud to wash their soules Thus the sunne of righteousnes shined on the euill and the good though it softened the waxe and hardened the clay Thus the raine of righteousnesse descended on the iust and vniust though the blessed earth brought forth herbes meete for the dresser and the reprobate ground briers and thornes whose end was to be burned Yea God the Father though he be debter to none doth benefite 6. God his foes to testifie his loue The Father of lights maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and the fountaine of grace sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5. 45. A blessing indeed not much esteemed nor iustly weighed as it ought euen of the godly themselues as e Zanch. lib 5. do Nat. Dei cap. 2. quaest 3. one noteth yet in it selfe of great estimate and value seeing by these two Sunne and raine all things as f Ib. c. 1. quaest 1. he noteth are begotten and bred and they be the parents of earthly blessings For seeing the whole condition of mans life dependeth on these two Christ did fitly instance in them saith g In hunc locum quast 353. Abulensis because the former being the cause of siccitie and heate the latter of moisture and frigiditie which foure qualities as our h Ariâ—â— lib. 2. de anâ—â— cap. 3. maister in the schoole of nature teacheth the food and nourishment of all liuing creatures they comprize omnia bona nostra al our earthly blessings as the causes of their effects by a synecdoche coÌ„preheÌ„d innumerable other benefites saith Caluin euen those which Musculus on these words recounteth that he giues life to the euill as to the good that he bestoweth necessaries for life on the euil as on the good that he hath giuen the earth to be inhabited of euill as of good for the i Psal earth hath he giuen to the children of men and k Acts 17. 26. made all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth his fire warmeth the bad as the good his bread doth feede and his wine drinke both alike his rayment doth clothe and his cattel serue both alike Yea the wicked his enemies receiue these blessings from his hand and almes-basket in greater abundance then
BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT Preached in Oxford for the vnion of some and now published with larger meditations for the vnitie of all in this Church and Common-wealth With An Apologie of the vse of Fathers and Secular learning in Sermons By EGEON ASKEVV of Queenes Colledge Acts 7. 26. Sirs ye are brethren why do ye wrong one to another LONDON Printed for GEORGE BISHOP 1605. TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN AND MIGHTIE MONARCH IAMES by the grace of God King of Great BRITAINE France and Ireland Defender of the true Catholike and auncient Faith c. MOst religious renowned Prince when I duly consider what a sonne of peace your Maiestie hath bene * His Maiesties speech to the Parliament Keeping peace and amitie with all yea an heire of reconciliation in whose royall person those two princely houses are vnited as also what a Father of peace and peace-making reconciler outwardly of our enemies inwardly of our selues your Maiestie continueth I cannot but iudge your Maiestie is the Salomon in whose peaceable dayes Gods house shall be finished when thus peace is tied to your person In regard of our ciuill vnion seeing your sacred person hath ioyned the wood of Israel and Iudah in one tree that they shall be no more two peoples neither be diuided henceforth any more into two kingdomes as the * Ezâ—k 37. Prophet speaketh I thought it seasonable to write of Reconciling of Brethren And in respect of our Ecclesiasticall vnion sith your sacred selfe hath bene our peace in breaking downe this partition wall of ceremonies and rites in this Church so making of two one and reconciling both to one God slaying hatred thereby I thought it bounden dutie and presumed to dedicate to the Reconciler of Christendome a worke of Brotherly Reconcilement An argument gracious Soueraigne if euer and for any now and for vs most needful and necessary when not onely the bands of brotherhood are dissolued among brethren but sonnes also as prophesied our Sauiour rise against their reuerend fathers How much the rather may I hope your royall clemencie will put forth a gracious hand and receiue this Doue into the arke that comes shal I say from the waters of affliction with an Oliue branch of peace and reconcilement in her mouth sith she findes no rest for the sole of her foote but on the arke of your testimonie wherein I rest beseeching God still to blesse you with the head of Salomon the heart of Dauid and hand of Gedeon and fructifie may he your work of vnion and Brotherly Reconcilement that in this bodie humorisme purged out in the feamelesse coate scisme sewed vp and men in orders indeed out of all order brought into order God may be serued in verity by this Church and preserued in vnitie till the coming of his sonne Christ Iesus vnto iudgement Amen Greenwich this 27. of Aprill 1605. Your Maiesties most humble and loyall subiect EGEON ASKEVV A Preface to the Christian Reader BEloued Christian as a time was a 2. Tim. 4. 3. foretold when mens eares would itch b Act. 17. 21. Athenian-like for new things so haue they now according to their lustes got them an heape of Writers and there is no end in making many bookes tenet insanabile multos Scribendi cacoëthes said a c Inuenal Sat. Satyrist of his dayes and in ours we daily see voluntarie offerers bring so much to the building of the tabernacle that vnlesse Moses should forbid them Presses would be oppressed and the world not containe the bookes that should be written Wherein as I cannot but taxe our obscene Pamphleters who ad prelum tanquam praelium runne to the Presse as the horse rusheth into battel where they are wounded with their owne quils when they publish their imperfections and subscribe to their owne folly so gladly them I would excite to bring their graine to the market who d Prou. 10. 14. lay vp knowledge in their heart as that e Prou. 11. 26. hoorder did his corne in the arke or wrappe vp their gifts in paper as did the slouthfull seruant his talent in a napkin and make their common-place bookes bigger as he did his barnes where they may lay vp in store their fruites for many yeares for this night may they fetch away thy soule from thee and then whose shall those things be that so long thou hast prouided Whosoeuer art called to labour in the vineyard resolue with the maister of the vine Ioh. 9. 4. I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke And seeing there is a voice by f Luk. 1. 63. Gal 4. 20. writing as well as by speaking and a preaching by g AmboverbuÌ„ praedicant hic quidem scripto ille verò voce praedicandi scieÌ„tia vtrouis modo iuuat seu per manum seu per linguam operetur Clem. Alex. lib. 1. Str. pag. 1. pen as by tongue how can we thinke but that the h 1. Cor. 9. 16. neglect is attended on with a woe and negligence with a i curse when by neither we preach the Gospell Ier. 48. 10. In which respect as it stands them vpon whose tongue like Zacharies is not vnloosed to aske with him for writing bookes and write saying for though their tongue cleaue to the roofe of their mouth yet should not their right hand also forget her cunning So may they thinke it an k Pulchrum esse honestuÌ„ existimo ijs etiam quiposteà faturi sunt bouos silios relinquere ac filij qoidem corporum animae autem sunt foetus orationes Clem. Alex. ibi honest and comely thing to leaue good children of their mind to posteritie seeing sonnes are but of the bodie froÌ„ mortall seed and good bookes from the soule by the immortall seede of Gods word Are they too simple why he who by the mouth of an Asse forbad the foolishnesse of a Prophet hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise Are they too weake in themselues His power is made perfect through weakenesse and he who with fiue stones in Dauids sling ouerthrew strong Goliah hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mightie things Are they vile or despised among men Why he who by the sound of Rammes hornes ouerturned the wals of Iericho hath chosen the vise and despised things of the world to bring to nought things that are so mightie through God though weake in themselues are the weapons of their warfare to cast downe holds and euery thing that is exalted against Christ Wherin though the liuing spirit of speech quickeneth most more then the dead letter of writing whence Paule himselfe wished for writing to speake vnto the Galathians that he might change his voice of the pen into a tongue Gal. 4. 20. Yet when their bodily presence is weake and their speech of no value their writings may be forcible and strong Neither let all
punisheth that double iniquitie beholding the painted sepulcher within full of all rottennesse and filthinesse will giue it according to its wayes and most secret pathes Ier. 17. 10. It was a precept of amitie but in deed the bane of heartie and true loue giuen by an b â—urip in Hyppolit heathen that loue should be mediocris indifferent and meane dwelling in teeth Intendere vt possis facile aut remittere that being but luke-warme betweene hot and cold thou maist spue it out vpon occasion And it was a prescript for friendship fathered on c Cuer lib de anâ—â—t Bias Ama tanquam osurus loue but a litle that thou maist loath when thou list and haue thine affection at commaund as the Chamaelion her colour The former euen d Plutarch could correct Let vs practise this precept my friend Euripides saith he in enmitie not in amitie and commaund our broyles and contentions that they be mediocres in meane and moderacion neither go further then the teeth to diue into the heart Intendere vt possis facilè remittere that leauing out this aut thou maist easily intend to remit them And Scipio checking the latter could neuer be perswaded that Bias one of the seuen wisemen of Greece should speake so wickedly but rather some ambitious statist or false hearted politician who like the weathercoâ—k would turne with the wind for aduantage and swimme with the tide of prosperitie till it begin to ebbe For certainly as womans affection is commonly so plaine without hypocrisie that Vel te ardenter amat vel te capitaliter odit as the c Maâ—t 〈◊〉 Poet speaketh Her loue is either passing admirable 2. Sam. 1. 26. or her hatred and malice greatest Eccles 25. 14. 15. 17. so he that commaundeth loue without faining and from a pure heart without malice and feruently without mediocritie 1. Pet. 1. 22. wil â—â—ue this luke-warme loue out of his mouth and wisheth it were either hot or cold Apoc. 3. 15. 16. He hath prescribed you a better luke-warme loue Loue your enemies from the heart Luke 6. 35. and so loue them that ye forgiue each one from your hearts Their trespasses Forgiue saith Christ si quid if ye haue any 4. matter what All their trespasses thing against any man f Guaah homil 95. in Math 6. Mark 11. 25. any thing that offendeth word or deed small or great heauy or light saith an Homelist Any thing about the goods of the body If a man smite you on the face if a man bring you into bondage yea if a man deuoure you Any thing about the goods of the mind If a man exalt himselfe aboue you or of the goods of prosperity If he take your goods 2. Cor. 11. that as certaine beasts of good concoction and sound health digest Serpents and Scorpions yea stones themselues calore spiritus through the heate of their spirits and stomacke as g Iâ—th de cap ex 〈…〉 c. vtdâ—t Plutarch noteth so our stomackes through zeale of the spirit broke with h Math. 23. 33. Christ a generation of vipers and with his i Marke 16. Disciples meeting with Serpents and Scorpions feele no harme yea with k Act. 7. 60. Stephen l Acts 14. 19. 2. Corinth 11. Paul and m 2. Sam 16. 6 Dauid digest euen stones through feruent loue which endureth all things 1. Cor. 13. that our loue to our brethren like our mothers loue to her spouse Cantic 8. be strong as death which conquereth all things cruell as the graue which deuoureth al things whose fiery coles and flame of God much water cannot quench nor the floods drowne it that triumphing ouer all offences we may challenge all kind of iniuries with Saint n Rom. 8. 35. Paul What shall separate vs from loue shal tribulation of them that trouble vs or anguish of them that grieue vs or persecution of them that hate vs or famine of them that starue vs or nakednesse of them that strippe vs or sword of them that smite vs No in all these things we are more then conquerors and are perswaded that death of our friends nor life of our foes nor Angels of men nor principalities of diuels nor powers of darknesse nor things present that we suffer nor things to come that we endure nor height of enuie nor depth of malice nor any other creature of offence shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God and our neighbor commanded by Christ Iesus our Lord. But alas it is most lamentable complaineth o Ser. 168. dâ— Temp. Austine vpon these words that whereas these Saints could not with torments be separated froÌ„ loue nos otiosis fabulis we often with idle words of a foe are deuided from charitie and eftsoones with the least detraction and reuile of euery silly wretch we so relinguish loue that not onely many dayes but euen moneths and yeares too perhaps we will not speake to him nor come to his house to eate of his bread Perchance thou repliest Mine enemie hath made me sustaine so great losses and done so much wrong that I cannot in reason forgiue him O wretch doest thou marke how greatly man hath trespassed against thee and doest thou not consider how grieuously thou hast sinned against God If thou search and sift thy conscience truly thou hast without satisfaction committed greater sinnes against God then man hath done against thee and with what face askest thou the forgiuenesse of much who wilt not forgiue a little O remember what no comparison there is betweene pence and talents an hundred and ten thousand sinne how great against God and offence how little against man this is not worthy to name on the same day with that and therefore though Dauid had offended Bath-sheba and Vriah 2. Sam. 11. yet only for offending against God cried he out at his repentance Against thee against thee only haue I sinned and done this euil in thy sight Psa 51. Remember how farre thou seruant art inferior to thy Lord who yet bids thee forgiue as he forgiueth thee Eph. 4. 32. as he forgiueth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities Psal 103. p Rom. 5. 12. 14. actuall as originall q Rom. 6. 12. raigning as seruile r 1. Corint 6 18 externall as internall of the Å¿ 2. Cor. 7 1. bodie as of the spirit t 1. Tim. 5. 20. publike as priuate v Verse 24. 25. open as secret of x Iames 2. 9. 10 commission as omission of y infirmitie as z Gal. 6. 1. ignorance wicked deeds a Acts 3 17. as idle words the breach of the b Mat. 22. great as lesse commaundement c Esai 1. 18. cartropes as cords of iniquitie as vanitie d Math. 5 21 22 killing as anger e Verse 28 27 adulterie as lust f Verse 33. 34. forswearing as swearing g Verse 38. 39. reuenge as resistance h Verse 43.