vnderstanding and performance whereof we are to remember and call to minde an olde but yet a necessarie and a trewe distinction of scandalles with the different natures and qualities of sundrie distinct persons whom these scandals do concerne The first kinde of scandall is called by the Schoolemen scandalum actiuum an actiue scandall Scandalum malae rei exemplum aedificans ad delictum Tert. de Virg. velandis Scandalum ost dictum vel factum minus rectum praebens alteri occasionem ruinae Thom. 2. 2. quaest 43. art 1. or an offence giuen which is nothing else as Tertullian sayes but an euill example that maketh others to offende and to sinne by it or as Aquinas the great Schooleman dooth define it it is a word not rightly spoken or a thing not rightly done giuing others occasion to fall thereby or if it doth not preuaile so farre yet at the least it doth greatly offend grieue the mind of a godly and a zealous man The other is scandalum passiuum a passiue scandall or an offence not giuen but taken when as a thing being good or at the least not euill in it selfe yet notwithstanding a person not well disposed falleth into sin by it or at the least is offended and grieued For the former we ought to haue an especiall care that we giue no offence vnto anie according to the Apostles direction 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 32 Giue no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God because the actiue scandall is most properly said to be the cause of sin and therefore hath a most fearefull woe against the authours of it Mat. 18. Woe vnto the world because of offences Necessarie it is that offences come but woe be vnto the man by whom the offence commeth Mat. 16 Of this kind was the offence that Peter gaue vnto Christ when as he went about to disswade him from his blessed passion the soueraigne salue and medicine to heale all our diseases withall which made him to reprooue and rebuke him so sharply as he did Get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me And such also is the offence of manie men now who do greatly offend and hurt others by such scandales as they giue vnto them The which doe commonly proceede from two especiall causes either from som hereticall doctrine erronious opinion which they doe disseminate and sowe in the hearts and minds of such as are ignorant and vnstable beeing not altogether setled nor rooted in the truth or else from an euill example of a wicked and vngodly conuersation whereby they infect and poison the soules of others drawing thē on by their euill example to the like excesse of wickednesse Of the first sort are not only our Iesuits and popish recusants and the rest of that rabble who lie lurking secretly in corners like foxes in their holes or like Lions in their dennes teaching most impious blasphemous doctrine and disswading subiects from their loyalty and allegeance vnto their Soueraigne but also diuers Schismatickes the seeds-men of sedition and dissension in our Church 2. Tim. 3 who creepe priuily into houses and hold priuate conuenticles seducing and mis-leading them with strange fancies and idle conceits withdrawing them frō performance of that dewty and obedience which they ought to yeeld vnto the Church Of the other sort are all sorts of persons whatsoeuer that giue anie kinde of scandall by the sinnes and offences which they commit whether it bee whoredom or drunkenness swearing and blaspheming fraude and oppression or any other sin whatsoeuer wherby they cause others to cōmit the like or at the least do greatly grieue vexe their righteous soules as the wicked Sodomites vexed the righteous soule of that iust man Lot 2. Pet. 2.7 by their vncleane conuersation but especially rich and mighty men that are in high place and authoritie and are more eminent then others who by their euill example and wicked practises doe cause a great manie to sinne as Ieroboam did 1. King 12 by setting vp his golden calues because that men of lower ranke are readie to imitate without any dew examination the dealings and practises of those that are of higher degree thinking that they may lawefully doe whatsoeuer they see them to doe like as wee see in the heauens where the heauenlie bodies which are contayned within the first sphere are mooued according to the motion of the first moouer Our Sauiour Christ saith Mat. 6.22 that the light of the bodie is the eye and if the eye be single the whole bodie will be light and if the eye be wicked the whole bodie wil be darke so surely if great men be good others will learne to be good also but if they be euill others will learne to bee euill by them for wheresoeuer there is darknesse vpon the mountaines there is darknesse vpon the vallies also 1. King 12 If Ieroboam makes golden calues the people will quickly fall to idolatrie and worship them Dan. 3.7 If Nabuchadnezzar sets vp a golden image all the people will forthwith at the sound of the trumpet and other instruments of musicke fall downe and worship it Iudg. 16.30 Sampson cannot pull downe the house vpon himself but many thousands of the people will be slaine with it Therfore for the conclusion of both let all sorts of persons take heede how they giue any offence either by erronious doctrine and wicked perswasions or by an euill example of a lewde life because as Saint Austen saies August de Temp. ser 104. So many as a man shall edifie by a good example for so many hee shall receiue a reward of a blessed life and contrariwise so many as he shall hurt by example of an euill life hee shall giue an account vnto God and receiue a iust recompence and a punishment of a wretched and a damnable life this being a sinne that is not permanent and residing in a mans person onely but transient and passing from our selues vnto others like vnto a leprosie that infecteth others with the contagion of it that as our sauiour Christ sayth of the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23 who deuoured widdowes houses vnder a colour of long prayer that they should receiue the greater damnation so the like also may be said of these men that doe not onely sinne themselues but also cause others to sin that they shall receiue a double damnation one for the sin which they committed in themselues the other for the sins which they caused others to commit So as Arrius and Iulian and all such miscreants and monsters shall not only be punished for their owne impieties and blasphemies but also for the impietie and wickednesse wherewith they haue caused others to blaspheme the holy name of God Now for the second kinde of scandall Scandalum Pharisaeorū pusillorum which is the passiue scandall or the offence taken not giuen that is to be
of a deceitful or of an vnskilfull physitiō so to apply an wholesome medicine that eyther it shall do hurt or at the least no good whenas these men that doe thus reason ought to consider this with themselues that whom God hath predestinated to saluation hee hath also predestinated to the secondarie causes and meanes that doe bring vs vnto it which is our effectuall vocation and iustification as the Apostle sheweth in that golden chaine both of the first second causes of saluation Rom. 8. Rom. 8.30 Whom God hath predestinated hee hath called whom he hath called he iustified whom he iustified he hath glorified So that in the matter of predestination we are not to reason a priori from the first and highest cause thereof in saying If I am predestinated I am sure to bee saued if not I am sure to be damned but we are to reason a posteriori from the lowest of the subordinate and second causes to the first and highest cause of all in reasoning thus My faith and good workes doe shew that I am iustified being iustified it shewes that I am called beeing called it shewes that I am elected being elected it is most sure and certaine that I shall bee saued Otherwise to set all vpon Gods predestination not looking to the second means which God hath ordained to com vnto it what is this else but as if a man that trauelles should thinke to come to the end of his iourney without stirring one foote or vsing the waie that brings him to it or as if a man should think to get vp to the top of a house without a paire of stayres or a ladder to ascend withal whereas in Iacobs sision there was a ladder that reached vp vnto heauen Gen. 28.12 the Angells of God ascended and descended by it but as for these men they think to fly vp to heauen with the wings of predestination without the staires or ladder of a faithfull and holy conuersation I haue read of one Ludouicus an Italian who neuer considering the order and the causes of our saluation grew to that desperat conclusion which many Atheists and profane wretches in these daies seem to haue learned of him in hauing this speech commonly in his mouth If I be predestinated I am sure to be saued if not doe what I can I am sure to bee damned In which his wicked assertion he continued a long time till at the length hee grew dangerously sicke whereupon he sent for a learned and a cunning Physicion to request and to vse his help The Physicion beeing made acquainted with his former lewd assertiō in his health time how he wold vsually say If I am saued I am saued he likewise directed his speech to the same purpose said vnto him Sir it shall be needlesse to minister any physicke vnto you or to vse meanes for your recouery neither do I purpose to take any such course for if the time of your death be not com you have no cause to feare you shall liue and do well enough without physick if the time of your death be now come all the Physick in the world wil not help you because it is impossible to auoid it Ludouicus musing in his bed of the strange speech which the Physicion vsed hauing cōsidered a while aduisedly of it began to see his own folly to find by reason that as meanes was to be vsed for the health of the bodie so God had also ordained meanes for the health of the soule wherupō he reuersed his former opinion took physick and so was cured both in his body and soule at one time which I wish were seriosly cōsidered of diuers irreligious and profane beastes who neglecting all the meanes of their saluation by liuing a most wicked a licentious kind of life venturing all their estate vpon Gods predestination without regarde or respect of a holy conuersation doe runne headlong to eternall destruction and damnation whereas contrariwise they and onely they which vse the meanes of saluation shall obtaine the ende of predestination which is eternall glorification The second case that I will propound is a temporall case in the preseruing and maintaining of this temporall life wherein there are many that do depend so much vpon Gods prouidence in sustayning and keeping them that they doe altogether neglect the means and the second causes of it Som in relying and resting so much vppon Gods prouidence which is the first and the principle cause that they will vse no labour nor take anie paines in anie honest vocation to get their liuing withall like vnto certaine idle Monks Augaretract lib. 2. cap. 21 of whom S. Austen complayneth in his time who liued so well vpon the almes and beneuolence of well disposed people that they would not labour nor take the least paines for their liuing saying that they did heerein fulfill the precept of our Sauiour Christ where he saith Looke vpon the fowles of the ayre Mat. 6 and the Lillies of the fielde they neither labour nor spin nor sowe nor reape nor carry into the barnes and yet God feedeth them Whereas they should not regarde so much what these senselesse and vnreasonable creatures do as what sensible and reasonable creatures ought to doe who are borne vnto labour Iob. 7 as Iob sayth God prouiding in the first beginning of all that man should not be idle Gen. 2 and therefore put him into the garden of Eden to dresse and to keepe it God doth not feede vs ordinarily as he did the Israelites miraculously by rayning downe Manna from heauen Exod. 1◠by sending quailes among vs Num. 16. nor yet by Angells and Rauens which bring meat drink vnto vs 1. King 17 as they did vnto Elias but by labour and industry Philo Iud. de sacr Cain Abel which Philo calls the beginning of all vertue happiness without which no good nor honest thing is to be found among men For euen as the eye of the bodie is not able to see without light so the eye of the soule is not able to see to do any action of vertue without the helpe of labour as it were with the helpe of light Look vpon Students and Artists who study the liberall arts sciences looke vpon husband men artificers handicraftsmen and such as get their liuing by any manner of means you shall see that they doe not cease to labour with their hands and with their feete with all the strength both of their bodies and of their minds It is the saying of a heathen man that the gods do sell all things for labour Verely our God is but one and hee doth not sell but giue but yet he giues all things for labour it beeing the roote as Philo sayes from whence all good things doe spring and growe Philo ibid. For though God himselfe doth giue all things on his part without labour and difficulty yet notwithstanding he
by his behauiour and demeanour towarde Gods ministers For howe is it possible that any man that is in the state of grace and saluation should contemne or abuse the ministers of God who are the immediate instruments which God doth vse to call them vnto both And therfore wee may truly and safely conclude of such as Ignatius doth that whosoeuer shall despise the ministers of God is an Atheist Ignat. ad Trallianos a profane wretch and a despiser of God and all godlinesse The Prophet Osee when as hee would set out the desperate wickednesse of the people in his time Osee Osee 4.4 4. sayth that they were like vnto them that coÌ„tend with the Priest as Pagnine and Vatablus read it Which doth intimate and insinuate that those that beginne once to contemne Gods ministers to contend with them they are come to the height of all wickednes according to the saying of Salomon Prou. 18.3 Prov. 18 3. Impius cùm in profunduÌ„ venerit peccatorum contemnit which we may truly expouÌ„d after this sort that a wicked man wheÌ„ he is becom once a profouÌ„d doctor in sin for scelus noÌ„ taÌ„tuÌ„ geritur sed docetur saith Cypr. Cyprian ad DemetrianuÌ„ sin is not only done but taughtalso then he sitteth in Cathedra pestilentiae in the chair of the scornefull and despiseth both God his ministers and all religion To which purpose Socrates reporteth in his Ecclesiastical historie of one Seuerianus a Bishop to whom whenas one Serapion shewed a manifest contempt in not giuing that honor and reuerence that belonged vnto him Si Serapion moriatur Christianus certè Christus nunquam homo factus est Socrat. hist eccl lib 6. cap. 10. exclaimed against him after this manner If Serapion die a Christian then Christ was neuer made man signifying that as it is most certaine that Christ was made man so it is as certain that he that shall contemne or despise Gods ministers will neuer dye a good Christian vnlesse hee repent him of his sinne The which neglect and contempt besides the malice and wickednesse of the vngodly which maketh them to hate Gods ministers as being enemies to all vertue and godlinesse according as Christ sayth to his Apostles Because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 therfore the world hateth you Ioh. 15. I suppose to proceede also from an euill eye not looking rightly vpon them with a single eye as they ought to doo which maketh them so highly to contemne and to despise them Of which some there are that looke only vpon the outwarde appearance of Ministers being in outward shewe not so goodly nor so glorious in the eyes of the world as others are 2. Cor. 10.4 Whereat the Apostle seemeth to ayme 2. Cor. 10. who hauing giuen out great words of the power and vertue of the ministerie of the word that it was able to cast downe strong holdes to bring into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ Hee addeth presently after this Looke ye on things saith hee after the outwarde appearance as if hee should say 2. Cor. 10.7 If you regarde Ministers by their outward shew there is no such matter in them like as it was with our Sauiour Christ who although hee was sayde to bee fayrer then the sonnes of men Psalm 45. Psal 45.2 yet in regarde of his outwarde shewe men did not see any thing in him worthy to be desired Esa 53. Esa 53.2 And therfore Herod and his souldiers when-as they looked vpon his outwarde appearance only with their bodily eies Luke 23.11 they despised him saith the text mocked at him So did those beardless boyes in mocking the Prophet 2. Kin. 2.23 and calling him bald-pate 2. Kin 9.11 2. Kings 2. So did Iehu his companions in making the Prophet no better then a mad-cap saying What did this mad fellow heere 2. Kings 9. So shall you see it every where where the eye only is the iudge looketh more to the outwarde then to the inwarde man But as we doe not despise golde because it is sound in clay so ought we not to despise Gods Ministers 2. Cor. 4.7 because they carry their heauenlie treasure in earthen vessells but rather to followe the example of that worthy Constantine Euseb de vita Constant lib. 1. cap. 35 of whom Eusebius reporteth that he did loue honour the Ministers of God not considering the outward man which is seen with the eyes of the body but the inward man which is seen with the eyes of the minde and therefore he would many times as the same Author saith set them at his owne table with him and haue them in his company whithersoeuer he went for whose sake he verely belieued that God would blesse and prosper him the better in all his businesse Others there are that look only vpon their outwarde and meane estate in the world and the crosses and troubles which they suffer manie times as the Iewes and others did vpon Christ who despised him in regard of his birth and his pouertie and his meane condition and reputation in the world somtimes disgracing him with his countrey that he was a Galilean Mar. 6.3 somtimes with his Parents that he was a carpenters sonne somtimes with his friends acquaintance Mat. 11.19 that he was a friend of Publicans and sinners sometimes with his obscurenesse and the small account and estimation hee was in Ioh. 7.48 that none of the Rulers but onely the vulgar sort did beleeue in him So did they with the Prophets and the Apostles despising them for their want and those manifold persecutions which they indured But as wee doe not esteeme a sworde by the scabberd nor a dagger by the sheath for as the Prouerbe is there may bee a golden or a painted sheath and a wodden dagger so we ought not to esteem of Gods Ministers by their mean estate and by their crosses and troubles in the world which God would haue them sometimes to suffer not to the end that any should conteÌ„ne them but rather that seeing their faith their patience their constancy they mighâ— imitate and follow yea admire and honour them for it It is a signe of a base and an abiect mind yea of a soule altogether deiected cleauing to the duâ—â— of the earth to esteem basely of Gods seruants in any outward respects as iâ— the soule knewe no better things theâ— the outward transitory things of thâ— world or as if all the felicitie happiness of man did consist in theÌ„ We read of the Galathians that they were so faâ— from despising S. Gal. 4.13 Paul for his pouertie and his troubles and persecutions thaâ— they receiued him as an Angel of God yea as Christ Iesus insomuch that if it had bin possible they would haue plucked out their owne eyes to haue giuen them vnto
Leper hee sayth Si vis potes if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane our Sauiour sayth Volo mundare I wil be thou cleane In dooing and performing of which cure CHRIST vseth his hand and his tongue as you see his hand in stretching forth his hand and touching him his tongue in saying Volo mundare I will bee thou cleane For the first if any man shal demand why our Sauiour CHRIST toucheth this Leper contrarie to the Lawe as it should seeme beeing able to haue healed him without the least touch of him I answere that it was not without especiall reason and consideration First to shewe that hee was not vnder the lawe in such sort as others were but was Lord and Commander of the lawe it selfe Leuit. 14 The lawe forbad that anie man should touch a Leper if hee did hee was counted vncleane and therfore when Naaman the Syrian came to Elisha the Prophet to bee healed of his leprosie 2. Kings 5. the Prophet suffers him though hee was a man of honour to stand without the door sends him to the riuer Iordan to wash himself there which he did because he would obserue the law but our Sauiour Christ beeing not onely vnder the law Gal. 4.4 Gal 4.4 Mar. 2.28 Lex non ideò vetuit tangere lepram ne leprosi sanarentur sed vt ne tangentes lepram inquinarentur Chrysost in Matt. but also aboue the law Mar. 2.28 he stretcheth forth his hand and toucheth this leper And yet he did not break the law for all this because the law did not forbid to touch the leprosie least lepers might bee healed thereby but contrariwise least those that were not lepers might be infected thereby And therfore Christ touching this Leper to heale him not to bee insected of him for as the Apostle sayth Tit. 1.15 Omnia munda mundis to the cleane all things are cleane and that blessed hand of his had a power to sanctifie not to bee polluted hee â—oseth and dissolueth the letter of the â—awe as Chrysostome sayth Christus tangendo leprosuÌ„ literam legis soluit proposituÌ„ eius non soluit Chrys ibid. but he doth â—ot dissolue the intent and purpose of â—t and so by consequence dooth not â—reake the lawe because the lawe doth â—ot consist as Saint Austen sayes in the â—eaues of the letter and of the wordes hereof but in the roote of reason and â—nd of the true intent and meaning of 〈◊〉 so as the matter and meaning therâ—f is not subiect vnto the letter Intelligentia dictorum ex causis assumenda est dicendi quia non sermoni res sed rei debet esse sermo subiectus Hilar li. 14. de Trin. as Hilâ—ary sayes but the letter is subiect to the â—atter and meaning of it in which regard the ciuill lawe sayth that whosoeâ—er shall insist vpon the words of the â—awe contrarie to the meaning of it he â—oth sinne and offend against the lawe â—eyther shall hee vnder a colour of wordes escape the punishment of it The ground whereof is this because â—ll lawes if they bee iust are deriued â—yther from the lawe of God or the lawe of nature and are ordained vnto the publick and common good of menâ— and therefore if a man doth not offend either against the mind and meaning oâ— the Lawe-giuer or against the mainâ— end and purpose of the lawe certainâ— it is that he doth not violate nor breakâ— the lawe Which is a matter that doth very much concerne Iudges and Magistrates and those that haue the managing of the lawes not to attributâ— too much to the letter of the lawe eyther by suffering contentions and troublesome persons to vexe and molest others onely with the fauour of the leâ—ter Fauor literae impietatis praetextus Tertul. which Tertullian calleth a pretext and cloak of impiety or by iudging according to the rigour of the letter noâ— according to the intent and equity 〈◊〉 the lawe Whereby it falleth out thaâ— the lawe which is good 1. Tim. 1.8 as S. Paul saitâ— if a man vse it lawefully 1. Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 is manie times made the ministratioâ— of death and condemnation 2. Cor. 3 by sucâ— as do abuse and peruert the same For as the Apostle saith in an other case the letter killeth but the spirit giueth life so wee may truely say heere that the rigour and extremitie of the lawe which is of the letter dooth hurt and wrong manie times but the equitie which is of the spirit and meaning of the lawe that dooth right and iustice to euerie man Secondly CHRIST stretcheth out his hand and toucheth the Leper beeing able to haue healed him without it to the end that men should not thinke that hee did feare to take the infection and himselfe to become a Leper and to shewe withall that hee woulde not omit nor leaue so godlie and charitable a deede for anie nicenesse or squeamishnesse that hee had of the loathsomenesse of the disease A matter that GREGORIE NAZIANZENE dooth greatly complayne of in his time Melior est conditio vitij quam morbi c. Nazianz lib. de Amore pauperum in saying that the condition of sinne was better then the condition of sicknesse for men sayth hee wil conuerse delight in the company of drunkards whoremongers common swearers and such like but they doe abhorre and shunne the presencâ— and company of poore and sicke and diseased persons The which is noâ— spoken to animate any to bee withouâ— all feare of the contagion and infection and to runne more boldely theâ— wisely into the companie of those that are infected because our Sauior Christ here putteth forth his hand toucheth this Leper vnlesse withall our hands were as pure and holy and as full oâ— power vertue to preserue our selues as his were but that in other diseases where there is not a speciall prouiso by the law as there was for this and wherin there is not a malignant and venomous qualitie in the disease as there is in this and where nature is of more strength and ability to resist and defend it selfe then it is in this that then we be not ouer nice and daintie in abhorring and disdaining poore and sicke persons but to stretch out our hands and to touch them by visiting helping and reâ—ieuing of them and that by the example of our Lord and Master here who although hee was able to haue healed him by his word onely yet notwithstanding he disdained not to stretch out his hand and to heale him by touching of him Which practice and example of Christs if any shall suppose to be aboue the reach and imitation of a Christian although euery imitable worke of Christs whereof this is one not as a miracle but as a deede of pietie is not onely our instruction but also our imiâ—ation let him consider and set before his eyes the Samaritane who seeing the poore trauailer in a pittiful case Luke
10.30 robbed of his mony spoyled of his rayment wounded in his bodie and left desolate without al comfort did not as the Priest and the Leuite did who may fitly be resembled to the man with the withered hand Mark 3. Mark 3.1 looking on him and passing by him as if they had not beene able to stretch out their hands vnto him but assoone as euer he sees him hee is moued with compassion and comeâ— vnto him and stretches out both his hands to helpe him in binding vp his woundes in powring oyle and winâ— into them in setting him vpon his owâ— beast in bringing him to an Inne and making prouisioÌ„ for him being willing to pay all his costs and charges for him The which I wish were practised aâ— carefully and religiously by men of soâ— fashion both in this honourable Câ—tie and in other places where this contagious and grieuous sicknesse is as piety and charitie dooth claime and challenge it of them I meane by making such prouision for their relief and comfort at such times that none of theâ— might bee suffered to perish either iâ— the streets or in the fieldes or in theâ— houses for want of succour whomâ— Christ hath bought and purchased 〈◊〉 dearely with his owne bloud Act. 20.28 that aâ—â— though they bee not present in persoâ— in such contagious times or if they were that it were not safe to stretch out their hands to helpe them by a reall and corporall touching of them yet at the least to be present in spirit loue and to helpe them by a virtuall powerfull touching of them in prouiding so for them in this their affliction and miserie that nothing which is needfull be wanting vnto them Otherwise some to flie and leaue the Citie for feare of danger which I doe not condemne if they would leaue substitutes and pledges of their charity behinde them and others to staie heere and to shut vp those persons whose houses are visited which notwithstanding I confesse to bee very necessarie for the preuenting and auoyding of danger teaching them in great Capitall letters ouer their dores to pray to the Lord to haue mercy vpon them but they themselues in the meane time not shewing the least iot of mercie vnto them what is this else but to add more miserie and affliction vnto them and to blind and delude the world making it to belieue that they died of the plague when as in very truth they dyed of famine who happely might very well haue recouered of the plague had they not for want of things necessarie beene consumed with famine Oh! how can these men praie vnto God when as they are eyther in the like or in anie other distresse and desire him to haue mercie on them after his great goodnesse Psal 51.1 and according to the multitude of his mercies when as they themselues are so vnmercifull not shewing mercie to their poore brethreÌ„ according to the least of Gods mercies And because this is so necessary a duty giue mee leaue to vrge it a little more and to exhort those whom it doth concerne not to perform it barely and niggardly but to do it liberally bountifully though it be with some strayning stretching of themselues which happely was some cause that our mercifull Sauiour doth not only touch the Leper but also stretcheth forth his hand and toucheth him to teach vs in helping the poore the sick at such times especially to stretch our selues and to be liberall and bountifull in helping of them It is an obseruation that S. Chrysost hom 37. ad pop Antioch Chrysostome hath that the Prophet Dauid doth not simply commend those that giue but those that stretch out their hands when they giue in giuing liberally especially when as they are able for so he saith of a righteous man Psal 112. Dispersit Psal 112 dedit pauperibus Hee hath skattered and giuen to the poore hee doth not onely say hee hath giuen but hee hath skattered and giuen which implyeth a liberall and a bountifull largesse For what great charitie is it sayth the fame Father for a man abounding vvith store and plentie as the Sea dooth with water to giue so much to those that are in distresse out of his store as a little cuppe or dish woulde holde of the water that is taken out of the Sea Though it was sufficient for the poore Widdowe to cast two mites into the treasurie Luke 21.1 because it was all that shee had yet the rich men they cast great giftes into the offeringes And though it was enough for the children to crie Hosanna Mat. 21. and for poore men to cut down branches and to strewe them before Christ yet the rich men were at more cost in casting their garments in the waie As Alexander answered a begger that asked him a pennie that it was not fit for a King to giue a penny so it is not fit for those that haue receiued bountifully to giue niggardly for To whom much is giuen Luke 12.48 sayth Christ of him much shall be required Luk. 12.48 So then for the conclusion of this second reason let vs in this and such like cases follow the Apostles admonition which is to put on bowels of mercie and compassion Col. 3.12 Col. 3. that is not onely to be mercifull but to put on mercie that as we put on our cloaths and garments and weare them vpon vs so also to put on mercy compassion as a garment and to weare it alwaies about with vs and not to put on mercie onely but to put on bowelles of mercie so as our bowells do euen yearne within vs beeing mooued with a tender and a most compassionate affection towards them which neuer produceth and bringeth forth a lesse effect in rich great men then a liberall and a bountifull subuention of them The third cause why Christ touched this Leper was to shew that hee esteemed more of charity as Pellican obserueth then hee did of all the prescripts and customs of the law to whose command all things whatsoeuer are to yeeld and to become subiect And therefore though hee coulde haue healed him without any laying of his hand vppon him yet to performe a worke of mercie he regardeth not the lawe nor the right and ceremonie onely to giue the primacie and preheminence vnto charitie And not without iust regarde and consideration for seeing that the whole lawe is comprehended in charitie Rom. 13.9 as the Apostle saith in regard wherof it is called the bond of perfection and the fulfilling of the law Col. 3. great reason there is that all other things whatsoeuer being inferiour should yeelde and giue place vnto it as to their superiour Hence it is that our Sauâ—our Christ who otherwise most strictly and religiously obserued the Sabboth in which it was commaunded that men should not do anie worke yet in regard of charitie he healed and did many other good workes