Ambrose but was withstood and intercepted in the execution thereof through the singular affection of the people toward him This Valentinian her sonne chosen by the souldiers after the death of his father it is to whom St. Ambrose here writeth being young in yeares yet now as it should seeme out of his minority during which time the prudent Governour Probus the Consull ruled Italie Here was the Empire first divided after the time of the three sonnes of Constantine the great into three severall Dominions Gratian his elder brother had the dominion over the East he over the West Theodosius over Egypt with the other parts of the South To him therefore Symmachus being Consul and head Senator of the city of Rome sent this Epistle labouring vehemently therein and he being of small iudgement might easily be seduced to obtaine his grant to receive a-againe into Rome the old Ceremonies and abominations of the Gentiles which from the time of Constantine the great save only in the dayes of Iulian the Apostate who raigned not three yeares they had forsaken and embraced the Christian religion Our renowned author Bishop of Millan the chiefe City of Insubria now Lumbardie lying in that part of Italy called Gallia Cisalpina a man of great fame in those dayes in the Church of God for his authority learning wisdome and courage no sooner heard of this seditious Epistle but straight way being moved in zeale for the Christian cause wrought the former of these two Epistles to the young Emperour desiring him to send him the relation of Symmachus wherein in the meane time hee meeteth stoutly and sharply with the subject and when it was sent him fully and effectually replieth to it worthily convinceth it in the second Epistle Which also tooke so good effect that the relator prevailed not though a man of rarest eloquence and highest estimation Notwithstanding such confidence had hee in his oratorie joyned with his reputation so presumptuous spirits and hot-spurres are Sathans proctors that to bring his precious enterprise to passe hoping Maximus the Britaine should have obtained the Empire hee gave another attempt For compiling a booke in his praise and pronouncing it before him with his best elocution hee sought to draw him strongly to him which was easily done hee being a barbarous tyrant specially when he saw this to serve as a baite to bring Rome to him But herein againe he was deceived and had not something happened better then he deserved hee had beene catched and strangled in his owne snare For Theodosius shortly after slew Maximus and then was he charged with treason for that libell of his and had sufferd death as his due guerdon had not Leontius the B. of the Novatian Church at Rome hee flying thither for sanctuarie intreated Theodosius for him who because he bare love to the priesthood and was a Prince full of clemency easily pardoned him And whether afterward he became a Christian convert the story shewes not but c Socrat. l. 5. c. 14. there it appeareth that hee wrote an Apologie to Theodosius d Plutarch de garrulitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The e Prov. 16.9 heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord doth direct his steps Many f Prov. 19.11 devises are in a mans heart but the counsell of the Lord shall stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or A further explication of the same TO passe by without the same regard the irruption of the a Plutarch in vita Camilli Marcelli Gaules into the Roman dominions under Brennus and thirteen years after that as at the first when overcome by Camillus and againe under Britomarus their King slaine by b Two hundred thousand of the Gauls joyning in battell were slaine by Vindex and Verginius Plutarch in Galba Marcellus neither of their rebellion wherein they were vanquished by Caesar because these tumults were before this Monarchie became Christian and to insist upon times those Gothes even from the utmost Climat under the North Pole and fennes of Meotis had in great multitudes broken into Italie and grievously infested the Roman c In the time of Valentinian the elder the Sarmatians troubled the Roman territories and in the raigne of Valens the Goths inhabiting beyond Ister But the Hunnes overcomming them when there was peace betweene their two Captaines Phritigernes and Athanarichus they crouching to Valens and he thereupon placing them in Thracia they rebelled against him Socr. Schol. lib. 4. c. 26. 27. 28. Empire Wherin when first d P Diacon 9. lib. 12. ◠Oros lib. 7. Rhadagaisus a Scythian by stock and an Infidell who having under him five thousand had cried out with his retinue that the city of Rome being destitute of the ayde of her Gods which shee had destroyed could not be able to resist him and his mighty power protected by the strength of his Demonaick Gods when next e True it is that Alarichus became a Christian and Vlphilas their Bishop turned the Bible into the Gothicke tongue yet Theodosius made him flie as a molester of the Roman state Idem lib. 4. cap. 27. loco quo supra Alarichus had taken the city of Rome it selfe thirdly when Ataulphus had devoured with his army swarming like locusts whatsoever the other had left and lastly Maximus the tyrant a Pagan likewise though of another Nation had now won no small part and had climed up even to the very throne of the Empire Symmachus a great Governour and a great Orator inamoured with the love of Paganisme riseth up as one ravished with the joy of such newes and takes occasion hereupon to defend the Religions of the old Romans and their flourishing idolatrous estate against the Christian faith And therefore eagerly moves and with all his rhetorick perswades to procure the Altar of victorie taken downe to be reedified and to be adored as of old for a Goddesse the stipends of the Vestall Virgins as heretofore to be repaid them all the rites of the Gods with their sacrifices priests and ministers to bee againe revived Against which his detestable and pernicious errors our author for gravity and authority a most eminent Divine for wisdome zeale and goodnesse of style joyned with all variety of learning a man incomparable opposeth himselfe the cause of religion now lying at the stake and necessarily requiring it in these his two Epistles which may serve all posterity as two strong bulwarkes for Apologie of the Christians faith against Gentilisme and all superstition Hee it was that stood in the forefront abode the sorest brunt and forced to silence that braving prolocutor Howbeit the matter being of highest importance needfull it was for succeeding times his Hydra's head still springing up that some should come in as champions to cut it downe Wherefore Aurel. Prudentius a worthy Poet inserting expresly this our Symmachus owne words beateth him every where from his hold in two bookes of heroicke verse St. Hierome in many passages of his workes
those members of the body which wee thinke most unhonest put wee more honesty on and our uncomely parts have more comelinesse on For industry imitating nature brought more grace But it is not here to be pretermitted that wee doe not only hide from the eyes but doe not so much as once call the uncomely parts by their names Moreover if they chance to bee discovered our faces are covered with shame and if any doe it of purpose 't is accounted impudencie Whence Cham the sonne of Noah is much blamed hee seeing his father naked derided him but his brethren much commended hee incurred a curse and that deservedly they a benediction because they cast a garment upon him It was an ancient custome both in the city of Rome and in other cities that sonnes of ripe age and sonnes in law should not presume to enter into bathes or rivers to wash with their parents lest thereby the authority and reverence due to them might be impaired albeit the most part also even in the washing place as farre as they can doe cover themselves and for this cause when for the rest it is not greatly materiall that this portion might the rather bee kept secret The Priests of old put on linnen breeches n Exod. 24.48 reaching from the loynes to the thighes to cover their nakednesse Aaron and his sonnes were commanded of the Lord to have them when they entred into the Tabernacle of the Congregation and when they came to the Altar to minister the reason withall and danger is added if they neglected the same that they should commit iniquitie and so die Which constitution some of our order are reported at this day to observe but the most expound it after a spirituall manner as a caution for modestie and custodie for chastitie CHAPTER XIX The fellowship of the intemperate and the society of women to be avoided MOdesty truly hath her rockes not which shee her selfe bringeth in but upon which shee runneth if we fall into the company of the intemperate which under the shew of pleasantnesse poure poison into the good these if they bee daily with us especially at repast play and pastime they weaken that manly gravity Let us take heed therefore lest while wee give relaxation to the mind wee dissolve the harmony and comfort of good workes For use doth easily bring nature to her bent whence I thinke it wisely to accord to ecclesiasticall affaires especially to the offices of Ministers to decline the banquets of strangers Better it is that yee your selves of that ranke bee hospitall to them that so by that cautelousnesse no place be left to reproch The repasts and ordinaries of strangers are their places and meetings where they conferre of businesse where also it will appeare how they stand affected to their appetite and where weaknesse and want of moderation will soone bewray and discover it selfe Tales creeping in of the world and voluptuousnesse thou canst not shut thy eares against them to forbid them is accounted pride Cuppes also creeping in otherwise then thou wouldest thou runnest into scandall Is it not better and easier for thee to excuse thy selfe once at thine owne then oftentimes at other mens tables Howsoever thou risest sober yet thy presence ought to bee condemned by reason of another mans fault There is no need for the younger sort to repaire to the houses of widowes and virgins unlesse it bee for visitation sake and this when they doe they shall need to bee accompanied with the Bishop or if the cause be more important with some of the ancients of the ministery why should wee give occasion to secular men to speake evill of us Those often visitations why should they bee of such great authority what if any of those younger have committed a slip why shouldest thou endure the blame of anothers fault How many strong and worthy men have beene deceived with the baite of sinne How many have not given way to errour yet have given way to suspition Why dost not thou rather bestow thy times of vacancy from ecclesiastical imployments upon reading why dost thou not goe to see and visit Christ againe and againe why dost thou not heare him wee speake to him when wee pray we heare him when wee reade the divine oracles What have wee to doe with other folkes houses There is one house which receiveth us all If there bee any that requireth ought of us let them rather come to us then expect that we should come to them what have we to doe with fables our ministry belongeth to the altar of Christ to be obsequious to men pertaines not to us that wee have received for this wee have no warrant It becomes us to be humble meek curteous grave patient to keepe a measure and moderation in all things that our silent countenance no lesse then our speech may evidence the unblameablenesse of our conversation CHAP. XX. Of repressing anger in thy selfe and mitigating it in others LET anger be taken heed of or if it cannot bee taken heed of and prevented let it bee restrained and bridled For anger * Mala lex peccati indignatio Erasmi editio Romana verò Mala illex peccati indignatio Melius autem ut videtur illix is an ill inveigler to sinne which so troubleth the mind that it leaveth no place to reason The first thing therefore is if it may bee done that the tranquillitie of manners by a certaine prefixed custome ruling over the affections may bee turned into nature Moreover because motion and passion is so infixed in nature and manners that it cannot bee pulled up and utterly abolished if it may bee foreseene let it bee a opprimatur ratione oppressed by reason But if thy mind bee preoccupated and forestalled of indignation before it could bee foreseene and prevented by counsell that is it might not bee indangered meditate how thou maist overcome the motion of thy mind how thou maist temper and moderate thine anger b Ne vel ulcisci appetas saltem judicandi potestatem Deo permitte Calv. That is suppresse if thou canst the very appetite if thou canst not leave the issue to God the righteous judge Resist anger if thou art able if thou art not able give c Rom. 12.19 tending to revenge commit it to God to whom revenge belongeth place to it Iacob after a godly manner gave place to his d Genes 27.44 brothers wrath and being instructed by the counsell of his mother e Rebecca according to our author signifieth patience but it seemeth to bee derived from Rabak pingue facere and so by consequence that which is here implyed because where there is leannes there lightly is pensivenes and impatience where fatnesse fulnesse a contrary disposition Rebecca that is of patience chose rather to absent himselfe and bee a stranger then to stirre up his indignation and then to returne when hee should thinke it to be asswaged And therefore hee found so great
In which words St. Chrysostome taking away preventing grace falls into that heresie Verba habentur in aliqua Homil in Epist ad Hebr. the Pelagian that we have them pure but that in our first conversion our will being assisted and sanctified by grace is enabled thereby afterward of it selfe to well doing which with this exception not by our own strength and by addition of continuall supporting divine power to that theirs of assisting at the first we may produce vertuous actions in some good measure is the orthodox One end of morall Philosopie Ethnick being a part of politick is Admit that Aristotle teaches to distinguish inter bonum civem bonum virum and admit that hee together with Theophrast Plutarch Seneca Galen c. haue endevored to make good men yet have they effected no more then to make them civilly good morrally vertuous but where notwithstanding is inward sanctitie The Aransican Councell celebrated A.D. 440. abound with strong proofes for this of sole infusion of sanctifying spirit to make citizens good by obeying the Lawes This is proved by two of the chiefe law-givers Minos of Crete and Lycurgus of Lacedaemon who writ lawes not only to their owne but for other people to stirre them up to the study of vertue that thereby they might become good citizens and I suppose no man can denie this to be one end of the orthodox and a primarie end of the now Roman Church namely to bring to outward obedience to Ecclesiasticall discipline The renewment of the heart is proper to the spirit and is only peculiar to Christian philosophie comprised in the two sacred volumes of the old and new Testament But doubtlesse they all agree in this the whole praise of vertue to Omnis laus virtutis in actione consistit Cic. l. 1. Offic. Tit. 2.12 consist in practise The knowledge of precepts concerning honest actions to bee inherent in nature and that necessarily for the conservation of civill society which the Apostle calleth the worke of the law written in Rom. 2.15 the heart others jus naturale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law not written lumen mentis nobiscum natum the light of the mind borne with us though this be Ethnick yet there is no divine but confesseth with S. Paul that ingrafted in nature because this being styled morality humane was not lost in the fall Ethick doctrine divine teaching God to be the chiefe good the knowledge of God the true beatitude and all humane arts to be referred to him as their sole fountaine who cannot but acknowledge And likewise as by Honestum etiamsi a nullo laudetur tamen suâ naturâ est laudandum Cic. l. 1o. Offic. Non solum jus injuriae sed omnia honesta turpia à natura dijudicantur Idem l. 1o. de Leg. naturall instinct man to bee able to discerne betweene what is honest and dishonest so not to bee corrupted and depraved in his essence but in his qualities who is there but seeth For God saw all things that hee had made and they were exceeding Gen. 1.31 good and so to remaine still to all posterities in regard of their essence They all convene in this that a young man in manners because transported by his evill affections which he is not able of himselfe to resist is an unfit hearer both of morall and divine philosophie and that no lesse he then one of antient yeares being able to moderate his lusts and desirous to order his life aright is a profitable hearer They all attaine to the knowledge of Arist lib. de mundoe Vnus Deus cum sit pluribus nominibus appellatus est Eum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suis ijs effectibus omnibus quorum specimen edere ipse solet denominarûnt Seneca l 4 de Benefic C. 7 Quoties voles tibi licet aliter suà m Deum hunc authorem rerum nostrarum compellare Iovem c. Acts 17.23 one God and so the Turke but the dissenting is about the mediatorship The Turke maketh Mahumet his intercessor the Ethnick stockes stones the altar the 1 Cor. 10.20 divell in their oracles the Papist the mother of Christ with the Saints the crosse idols reliques of Martyrs the Protestant and orthodox Christ Iesus only Againe what is in the manner of worship ceremoniall corporeall externall is that which is frequented ioyntly of all the three former which surely is a very proper combination internall worship and spirituall with hearts elevation to the true God is that of the true Church only The Ethnick acknowledgeth that God is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agamemnon to Achilles in Hom. l. 1º Iliad author of vertue the Papist howsoever in his heate of superstition may seeme to be of another mind in his judgement accordeth the orthodox Christian attributes the whole praise thereof in Christ by the holy Ghost to him the father of all grace solely and will have all the light and life thereof absolutely to proceed from the bright beames of his Ierem. 9.23 24. glory What if Plutarch extolls the Worthies of Rome and Greece What if Dennis Carthusian his of all sorts and some that were no Saints but sotts without due respect to the God of glory What if some orthodox divine should not well consider from what wel-spring they received the waters of life whom hee commendeth above measure without this regard yet God forbid that this should be passed over without just censure The fathers of our religion registred for eternall memorie in sacred record are of farre more desert then all their successors yet ought it to beheld for a truth even in them gratiam invenere non meriti mercedem and not only this of most speciall note but that of our authors of singular soliditie fulget Hexam l. 4 C. 8. Our Father is excused for his high praises of the servants of God found in the Scripture more in these bookes then in some other of his workes and that with some neglect of what may bee conceived to be justly due to the Master himselfe ecclesia non suo sed Christi lumine Rapt with zeale was hee because of the great opposition of the Gentiles in his time as is evident in his apologie against Symmachus affixed to this worke which manifested his true Christian disposition carried with admiration was he in himselfe in lieu and love of the rare and divinely inspired vertues of such commended in Scripture with a wonderfull fervency of spirit with a desire as hot as fire for their most worthy imitation above all others next unto the sonne of God from whose light as members of his body they drew their light of holy life and lastly transported with an incredible piety toward them with such indefatigable care for the advancement of the honorable cause of religion in them that as there in his hexameron so here in these his offices he might not exactly remember that maine marke And so I come to the differences themselves Who may accord the great and
sold themselves for perpetuall slaves incontinently perished with hunger Commiseration toward these was accounted no vertue but humane passion Plato himselfe knew not what charity meant Dionis Halic Deformed children by the law of Romulus were exposed and stifled Vedius Pollio Dion in Aug. fed Lampreyes with the bodyes of his slaves they were set vpon the Theater with naked swords to slay one another for to make pastime to the people no more regard therefore had they to them then to brute beasts In their politicall government they never speake of them Alexander Severus Lamprid. in Alex. poesie Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris seemes to be learned from Christ because never put in practise among the Gentiles herein Christian princes and people exceed them For they erect Hospitals for them and Kings have their Almoniers Paynim religion fills men with pride perswades that naturally vertuous Christian abats pride of heart and shewes that naturally wee are sinfull Paynims perswade to revenge Christians to patience yet so that in the cause of holy religion they might shew themselves magnanimous It is false therefore which is Machiavel of Religion Maxime 3. objected that perswasion to patience breeds pusillanimity For who more valorous in undertaking the defence of a right cause then Abraham Ioshua David and in after times then Constantinus the great the two Theodosij Iustinian They which were guided by the rules of Ethnick Philosophie cared not to be inwardly vertuous as may appeare by the examples of those of greatest reputation for vertue among the Romans as of Caesar Pompey Cicero and even of Cato of Vtica himselfe for his heart no lesse then theirs was sore swolne with an aspiring desire devoide of humilitie and conscionable comportment But such as followed the precepts of Christian philosophie sought not outwardly onely but so to adorne their hearts and consciences with vertues as in truth they might best please God Numa Pompilius ceremonies were disavouched by Quintus Petilius hereupon it was resolved by the decree of the Senate that his bookes touching the same should be publikely burnt as damageable to the Roman cōmon-wealth Never truly affected councell did disallow the Christian faith the Doctors of the Christian Church have confuted the Heathens out of their own Aug. de Civ Dei Firmianus Lact. Institutions books which no man could the Christians out of sacred books None of the sacred bookes have at any time been lost but the Goths being enemies to all good letters making irruptions into Gaule Italie Spain burnt as many books of the ancient Paynims as they could find Ethnicks themselves confesse the truth of the Scriptures as Trebellius In Clau. Pollio that Moses was familiar with God Annal. l. 21. Cornelius Tacitus though calumniating the Iewish religion yet acknowledging that the King of Egypt made the Hebrewes depart out of his countrey for many maladies wherewith the Egyptians were infected not denying that Christ was put to death in the time of Tiberius by Pontius Pilat his Lieutenant in Iudaea Lib. Annal. 15. Moreover hee and Suetonius speaking of Vespasian say That it was a constant opinion through all the East countries that from Iudaea should come the Ruler of the world The antiquity of Christian religion is above the Pagan For there was no Greeke or Latin author but was after Moses who writ his bookes many hundred yeares before Homer Berosus Hesiod Manethon Metasthenes and whosoever beside Empedocles and Plato maintaine contrary to other heathen Philosophers that the world had a beginning yet by lean reasons and not of that solidity as do Christians The Gentiles aspired in their mindes to Cicero in Som. Scipionis Plato in Phaedo eternitie in some sort which may be seene in their worthy acts to keepe their names in perpetuall memorie some reasons they had which lead them to it as that God being just would not equally deale with the good and bad and from the brevitie and miserie of this life and thereby most unhappy of all creatures if no felicity were to be found after death but yet without assurance according to truth The resurrection of the body is a thing incredible to the Heathen Philosopher because he holds from A privatione ad habitum impossibilis est regressus Arist privation to habite regression to bee impossible But it is to bee considered the Supra rationem non contra potentiam facientis est ratio facti considera authorem tolle dubitationem Aug. Ep. 8. ad Volus power of God the author thereof to bee aboue not against reason thinke of the author and remove the doubt his omnipotency is reason sufficient The Epicurean Philosopher maintaineth Fortune to rule and over-rule in the world the Astrologer all sublunarie bodies to be governed by the efficacy and influences of the starres certaine Philosophers incorruptible bodies only not corruptible to be subjacent to Gods providence Stoicks the perpetuall connexion of causes the indeclinable order of things which they call Arost de mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because knit together without impediment which is fatall necessitie and unavoidable the enumeration whereof to every one that understandeth the first principles of Christianity is confutation enough The Ethnick had some knowledge of the corruption of man as that the soule is wrapped up in continuall perturbations and passions the body subject to innumerable troubles disquietnesse and violent untowardnesse but was ignorant the fall of our first parents to be the first and true cause thereof Plinies indefatigable study and for his profound knowledge in the mysteries of nature is such as few or none have attained unto worthy the penne and praise of learned Yet Tacitus commending him to posterity in his deniall of the immortality of the soule hath made himselfe a monster in nature and more prodigious then Vesuvius that devoured him One of his line or Not himselfe for he lived in the time of Vespasian to whom he dedicated his naturall history name that wrought for the Euseb 1.3 C. 30. ceasing of the persecution of the Christians to Trajan the Emperour knew as much Many things saith he Natur Histor l. 7. C 55. are found to live longer then men yet no man divineth of their immortality It was the vanity of Democritus to promise the reservation of the bodyes of men when himselfe being dead revived not Why must the body rise againe but for that it followeth the matter of the soule but after death where is cogitation where the sight the hearing or whereupon is it imployed The dead are made gods when they cease to be men what doe they else but as other living creatures doe vent out their last breath What a madnesse is this life to be iterated by death What rest shall there bee at any time to that is begotten and borne if the sense of the soule remaineth in sublimitie and the ghosts Post sepulturam aliae atque aliae manium ambages wander above and beneath
the spirits This credulity surely loseth the chiefest good of nature which is death death is doubled by the estimation of griefe to follow after To live is sweet for the present but to whom can it be sweet that he hath heretofore lived But how much more easie and more certaine is it for every one to beleeve what he findeth in himselfe and to take a token of his security by that he was before hee was begotten Never was heard more wild and windy stuffe But it is to be noted that hee deduceth his arguments from Democritus and others that dealt upon no sure ground Rom. 1.21 were vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts full of darknesse Such was the vanity of the idolatrie of the Gentiles that Lucian might justly deride it and it is true here which he alledgeth that the dead are made gods For even Iupiter himselfe the chiefest was a mortall man the Lact. l. 1. C. 11 Cic. de Nat. Deorum l. 3. mention of his buriall and sepulchre in Crete is frequent It is more to be wondred at therefore what induced Pope Calv. Instit l. 4. C. 7. S. 28. Iohn the two and twentieth to bee of his mind and had not the Rom. 1.28 Apostle both opened the cause and shewed the danger of such impiety it might seeme strange indeed as they regarded not to know God so delivered he them over to a reprobate mind and as a just recompence the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodly which with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse Wee come lastly to the differences recorded in our author Christian patience is sweetned with the goodnesse and fatherly love of the Almighty nourishing and sustaining our hope of Rom. 15.4.5 consolation in adversity that all aggrievance is made light The patience of the Ethnick is patience perforce thinking it wisdome to beare injury when compulsion lyes upon it a remedy against all griefes when they cannot be avoided Stoicks more precise observers of it then others beeause of their dependance of causes upon fatall necessitie and this was their motive to indure whatsoever misery The rule they gave for it was broken if they were once moved or touched with sorrow for the greatest calamitie And therefore Socrates did not once stirre when his Xantippe sharpened her tongue against him He that would be of this sect must be voide of all affections and perturbations and become senslesse and blockish like a stone Christian religion requireth no such strictnesse but to moderate and mortifie the Ambroses Offic. l. 1. Cap. 3. 12. The Thomists number them to eleven and adde hereunto abomination and audacity placing 6. in the coveting appetite and 5. in the invading these all in their nature bee indifferent neither good nor bad passions as anger griefe feare desire delight love hatred hope despaire not to slay and kill them after their opinion And the truth is they deale by patience as Plato doth in his Idaea or Moore in his Vtopia they paint us out only a picture of it as these doe of their Common-weale Other Philosophers have other inducements to lead them to it the Academicks as Plato have honesty the Peripateticks Ipsa quidem virtus sibimet pulcherrima merces vertue Euripides the poet morality because better to be stricken then to strike to be vanquished then to vanquish all of them did convene in one that nobile vincendi genus murus ahaeneus that it is a noble kinde of victorie and an invincible tower Tacitus against Metellus speaking evill of him in the Senate-house held it to rest in silence Diogenes in wisdome to answer Xenophon in the testimonie of conscience Tarentine the Archite in repressing anger before correction All these with Panetius borrowed the same Offices l. 1. C. 36. and Pythagoras his concerning silence of David Offic. l. 1. C. 10 Whereby is manifest that Divine Philosophie is more ancient then humane better working Offic. l. 1. C. 2.4.5.6 greater and more admirable effects and theirs but an apish and peevish imitation For art imitates nature comes not neere it neither doth nature come neere what is given by inspiration The services of religion in our Congregations are done in decency and order the Heathens howsoever in the Theorie stand for it yet in their idolatrous devotions Offic. l. 1. C. 26. execution they are most confused obscene and abominable According to Divinity to number the starres to measure the ayre to account the sands of the sea belongs only to God according to Ethnick learning forgetting therein the rule of comelinesse and honesty their Offic. l. 1. C. 26. Astronomers and Geometricians presume to doe it Moses example being called rejecting the learning of the Egyptians may bee an instruction for a Christian how cautious he must bee in such profession The Christian ascribeth the whole government of the world to the divine providence of God but not only Epicures but Offic. l. C. 1.13 14 Aristotle and other Philosophers among the Gentiles in some part oppugne it The Ethnick makes Offic. l. 1. C. 27. prudence the fountaine of all office when in divinity it is Prov. 9.10 Minerva 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad l. 1 came of Iupiters braine piety toward God The Ethnick forme of justice is not to doe injury unlesse Offic. l. 1◠C. 28. provoked the Christian not to doe it though much and many wayes stirred up and provoked In case of justice the Ethnick maintaines what he possesses in common to be converted to the common use but what he holdeth in Offic. l. 1. C. 28. private to bee turned to his owne benefit but this is not only against divine philosophie but against even nature it selfe Among the Heathens Scipio African Alexander Cyrus Archytas Xenocrates are highly extolled for their Offic. l. 1. C. 45. temperance yet this being in the outside and by the gift of restraint only not in the inside it is not that which is in a Math. 5.28 Christian heart and was in the heart of Gen. 39.9 Ioseph sanctified by the Spirit of God Ethnick philosophie giveth rules for utility joyned with comelinesse and honesty as they belong to this life the Offic. l. 1. C 9. Christian as they may further to eternall life the one estimating them so as they make us vertuous and happy here the other so as they make us godly here and hereafter blessed Esters the daughter of Iephthes and Iudiths fortitude was more then that of the two Pythagoreans Offic. l. 3. 11. 12. 14. Pylades Orestes Cic. l. 2. de fine 1 Iohn 3.16 like ought to bee done in imitation of Christ Damon and Pythias because theirs true fortitude in a good cause to the best end with undaunted courage this in none of these respects commendable their cause was the preservation of the Church of God end the honour of his Name for this even the daughter of Iepthes aimed at And as for charitie not all but Heb. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
living that the like hath not befallen others no not in respect of their workes of greatest worth which commonly then were in most esteeme when their bodyes were consumed into dust S. Augustines further testimonie against Iulian Pelagian lib. 1. SEd audi alium excellentem Dei Dispensatorem c. But heare thou another excellent dispenser of the mysteries of GOD whom I reverence as a father for hee hath begotten me in Christ Iesu by the power of the Gospell and of him being the minister of Christ I have received the laver of regeneration I say that renowned Ambrose of blessed memorie of whose powerfull spirit of grace constancy labours dangers as well in practise as in speech for the maintenance of the Catholike faith I have both had in mine owne knowledge and experience just triall and also the whole Roman Monarchie doth publish the same abroad with me to all Nations as undoubtedly true An illustration of the annexed and here infolded tree concerning his order of writing VVHerein may bee seene that S. Ambrose in these three bookes of his Offices performeth what true prudence requireth for the fit direction of the vertues about their media first consulting and setting downe truly what belongeth to them which is invention secondly selecting such as are agreeable to the intended end which is judgement thirdly using forcible inducements to draw to action which is perswasion Aristotles method in his morals is analyticall proceeding in circular-wise and so accounted the perfectest namely beginning from the totall and ending the whole ergasie or tractate with it Cicero and Gellius mention two sorts one exotericall which is in common and civill use the other acroamaticall more accurate which belongeth not to Ethicks but to exquisite demonstration and Mathematicks In the former are sufficient arguments for probability such doth our author S. Ambrose here follow not the other Office for that it generally pertaineth to all men and therefore being an act or duty belonging to every mans person hath its foundation from honesty accompanied with decency and utility Honesty in like manner with those associates is the roote from which the foure Cardinall vertues prudence justice temperance fortitude with all their retinue grow the Pillar on which they leane that which concurreth with their Comportment that which maketh up their complement that which obtaineth it selfe first flowing and daily assisted from the divine hand of God true beatitude and an ever-blessed life It is the order rather of nature which hee observeth then of art rather Rhetoricall and perswasive then logicall and compulsive by force of reason notwithstanding more powerfull because the proofes are impregnable as deduced out of the irrefragable authoritie of the booke of God and that most frequently and the three fold cable is not easily infringed The efficient cause of all that is of Office honesty vertue is God honesty the formall of her two associates decency and utility with the foure Cardinals their integrall subjective potentiall parts the materiall man the finall the Lords honour the motive holy presidents and precepts with invincible reasons Fostering of friendship is the upshot of all and that not without speciall cause for that Christian friendship in the inviolable Communion of Saints which is the sweetest on earth openeth the bowels and in the inseparable union by the reconcilement of Christ to the Father of all comfort acquireth that love which is the bond of perfection An Introduction taken out of this our Fathers booke of Paradise and third chapter What succours the soule which is figured by Paradise hath in suffering of dangers For by the fountaine there divided into foure rivers the foure Cardinall vertues are expressed PAradise is a certaine fertile ground that is a fruitfull soule planted in Eden that is in a certaine pleasant place for exercise and recreation in which the soule taketh her solace and delight Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the mind is as Adam the sense likewise is as Evah And lest thou mightest have something to object against the infirmity of nature or against her miserable condition as too too obnoxious to the dint of dangers consider what succours this soule hath to susteine and support her in this her estate There was a Fountaine which did water Paradise what Fountaine was it but the Lord Iesus the Fountaine of eternall life like as is the Father Because it is written Psal 6.9 with thee is the fountaine of life and moreover Iohn 7.38 out of his belly shall flow even rivers of water of life Both the Fountaine is red Legitur and the River is red which watereth the fruitfull wood of Paradise bringing forth increase to eternall life This Gen. 2.10.11.12 fountaine is divided into foure heads Pishon Tigris Euphrates But as the wisdome of God is called in the Gospell the fountaine of life the fountaine of John 7.37.38 spirituall grace if any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke and in the Prophet Prov. 5.15 9.5 come eate of the bread and drinke of the wine that I have drawne so is it the fountaine of all vertues which direct our course to everlasting life the chiefe whereof and upon the which the rest depend are prudence temperance fortitude and justice The Lord is as the fountaine comming out of Eden the soule as Paradise as those foure Rivers watering the same Pishon is Wisdome and therefore it hath good gold shining Carbuncle greene Praefertur gemmis viridantibus Chrysoprasus porri succum ipsa referens Plin. 37. cap. 8. Vnde color prasinus A leeke greene colour the stone is such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rare and pretious Rev. 21.20 Exo. 28.18 Hebr. Nophec Hiero in Es 45.12 relegat ad Epiph. Prasius pretious Pearle the Onix stone for wee oftentimes take Zach. 6.11 4.2 13.9 Rev. 1.12 Ps 45.9 gold for wise inventions hence the Lord by the Dani. 11.43 Zach. 14.14 Ezech 21.26 Platoes golden and silver wits c. Like as Es 3.1 by bread meant the prudent and so by crowne of glory and diademe of beauty Es 28.5 consisting of gold the same as the consequent words make evident v. 6. Prophet I have given them gold and silver and Psal 68.13 David of the wise though yee have lien among the pots yet shall yee bee as the wings of a Dove that is covered with silver and whose feathers are like yellow gold It hath the Carbuncle for prudence is as bright sparkles kindling the light of the soule and therefore as the orient Onix and the pretious Pearle for what more pretious then Wisdome and what more greene and flourishing then it and like to the Prasius jasper or Smaragdus Emeraud According to the Hebrewes it is called feoison that is a chaining of the mouth flowing about Lydia and many other countries yea all countries for prudence is not streight and narrow but large and rich of commodities This Pishon the same which Pasis and Pasitigris the chanell of Euphrates called Basilius
wise that feareth not his God for the c Prov. 1.7 Prov. 3.21 4.21 beginning of wisdome is the feare of God and else-where wee reade the wise depart not from the word of his mouth but observe his divine wisdome and counsell according to the advertisement there given in the consultations of their hearts And concerning Abraham the father of the faithfull the Scripture in saying his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse doth therewith all bring the grace of anothers vertue for his reliefe Our writers defining wisdome say that it consisteth in the knowledge of the truth not of that truth which humane braine produceth but of that which descendeth from above wherewith Abraham David Solomon long before any Philosopher did beate his head about it were indued Justice is a vertue that pertaineth to the society of man David placeth it in him that feareth the Lord who is much in contribution and distribution of that hee possesseth hee hath d Psal 112.9 v. 5. dispersed abroad and given to the poore his righteousnesse endureth for ever the righteous is pittifull and lendeth To the wise and just there is a whole world of wealth The just hath all things in common as his owne his owne is common for all men The just man accuseth himselfe before hee accuseth others For hee is just which neither spareth himselfe nor suffereth his secret sinnes to lye hid See how just Abraham was in hia old age hee received a sonne by promise Abraham had not been just if when the Lord required his sonne for a sacrifice hee had denied him to him the Lord requiring him againe hee denyed him not for a sacrifice though his only sonne Observe here all the foure Cardinall vertues even in this one deed It was the part of wisdome to beleeve neither to preferre the love of his sonne before his precept that commanded him againe for a sacrifice to himselfe It was justice to render againe what he had received It was fortitude to restraine and suppresse his appetite and affection and to give place to reason His father brought him to God for a sacrifice but appointed thereunto questioned how this might bee there being no oblation in sight herein was his fathers affection tryed but not overcome The sonne repeated againe and againe the appellation of a father and therby did prick the bowels of his fatherly compassion but yet did not diminish his holy devotion His temperance is no lesse to bee commended For in this renowned action hee kept himselfe within the limit of piety and due order not casting off naturall affection nor being distempered in himselfe nor disturbed in his proceeding to execution While he carrieth things needfull for sacrifice provideth wood kindleth the fire bindeth his sonne draweth out his sword by this c See how much our author attributeth to order proveth withall that hee is a temperate man that keepeth it Hoc immolandi ordine meruit in a piercing phrase of speech only not that he had any meaning to build up merit vp filium reservaret order of tendring his oblation observed hee reserveth his sonne where was more wisdome then in holy Iacob who saw God face to face and f Here is meruit againe but against this see Iacobs owne confession obtained the blessing and that honourable title of Israel who more just then hee who when hee had gotten much riches divided them with his brother by way of voluntary donation and gift who more valiant when he feared not to combate with God himselfe what greater argument of modesty and temperance then when he deferred the cause of his g Genes 34.30 49.5.6.7 To passe by an injurie living among enemies Iacobs wisdome daughter Dinah to due place and time of hearing and determining arid chose rather tocover her injury under the pretext of marriage then to revenge it and for that cause deemed it better being amiddest his enemies to provide for his peace and safety by yeelding then to pull upon him their hatred and malice by refusing what was proposed Noah with what wisdome was hee indued who at the appointment of God framed an Arke of so great capacity How just which being reserved as the seed of all mankind the founder and father of all succeeding generations was the only surviver and remainder of the ages past and borne rather for the good of all the world and the preservation of all things therein then for himselfe and his owne good How full of fortitude and valour was he that he overcame the flood how temperate was he that hee endured the flood that hee well discerned when hee was to enter with what moderation he was to live there when he was to send forth the Crow when the Dove and when to receive them upon their returne and when hee was to take fit occasion to goe h Namely upon the Lords approbation neither untill his expresse warrant or mandate came Gen. 8.19 out CHAP. XXV What is to bee observed in searching out the truth THerefore they touch upon this in searching the truth that comelines to be kept which is exactly to require what the truth is and not to bring in in-stead of it falshood and not to involve it in obscurity neither to possesse the minde with superfluous intricate and doubtfull matters What is so unseemly a thing as to worship wood and stone the workmanship of their owne hands What is so wrapped up in darknesse as some deepe questions in Astronomie and Geometry which they allow of namely to measure the spaces of the profound ayre to number the heaven with the starres the sea with the lands thereof to leave a Isa 8..20 the cause of salvation and seeke occasion of errour Did not Moses who was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians make triall of the same For hee judgeth it whatsoever it was in the estimation of the world meere folly and madnesse and the time spent about it utterly lost and for that cause his mind being averse from it hee sought God with a pure b Hebr. 4.13 affection which made a way to the sight conference and audience that the Lord afterward vouchsafed him Who was or could bee more wise then hee whom God taught by whom as by a noble instrument was made voide all the wisdome of the Egyptians and all their sciences the secret but powerfull vertue of the finger of the Almighty working with him Hee tooke not things unknowne for knowne neither did rashly assent thereunto Which two those men who say that even according to nature and honesty they ought specially to bee avoided when they adore stones seeke helpe of images which understand not doe notwithstanding in their judgement nothing either against nature or against honesty Wherefore how much more noble and eminent a vertue wisdome is so much the more earnestly ought wee to strive to attaine unto it Therefore that we may neither thinke nor doe any thing against nature
〈◊〉 strangers Which also wee may truly say was taken from our profession for the Hebrewes did call their adversaries h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2.12 1. In the Hebrew beside ajab the ordinary roote for an enemy there is tsar which is not much dissonant to gar peregrinari from whence ger a stranger 2. The Lords speciall care for strangers Deut. 10.18 14.29 Exod. 23.9 now within the gates of Israel though enemies before may be the reason hereof 3. The love that God injoyned to enemies Math. 5.44 allophyli that is in a Latine word alienigenae of another Tribe or nation In the first booke of the Kings wee reade And it came to passe in those dayes that the people of other i 1 Sam. 28.1 the translation used in our Fathers time so read but our vulgar Philistims of Phalas Hebr. raising dust and wrapping themselves in it because of their multitude in battell and spreading over the land as the only nation nations came to battell against Jsrael Fidelity therefore is the foundation of justice For the hearts of the just meditate k Psal 37.31 31.23 fidelity And when the just doth accuse himselfe hee placeth justice above fidelity For then his justice appeareth if hee confesseth the truth Besides also the Lord witnesseth by l Es 28.16 Esay Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a pretious corner stone a sure foundation that is Christ for a foundation to the Church For Christ is the foundation of the faith of all men But the Church is a certaine forme of Justice the common right of all men Shee prayeth in common shee worketh in common shee is tried in common To conclude hee which denieth himselfe hee is just hee is worthy of Christ And therefore Paul laid downe Christ as the m 1 Cor. 3.12 foundation that we might place our workes of Justice upon him because Faith is the foundation But in workes being of two sorts if they bee evill there is iniquity in them they are out of Christ and spring from another roote if they be good there is justice seated in them and they are rooted in Christ Tullius lib. 1. quemadmodum ex beneficentia quae justitiae conjuncta est officia manant CHAP. XXIX Of Beneficence BVT let us now speake of Beneficence which it selfe also is divided into benevolence and liberality Of these two therefore doth beneficence consist that it may be perfect For it is not sufficient bee willing to'doe well but also it is required that it bee put in execution Neither againe is it enough to doe well in outward performance unlesse that doe proceed out of a good fountaine that is out of a good will For God loveth a a 2 Cor. 9.7 cheerefull giver For if thou dost it unwillingly what rewards is there Whence the Apostle speaking generally If I doe b 1 Cor. 9.17 it willingly I shall have my reward if against my will the dispensation is committed to mee In the Gospell likewise wee have many instructions for just liberality It is a most commendable thing therefore to bee willing to doe well and to give with that mind to profit not to hurt For if thou thinke thou oughtest to extend thy contribution to a luxurious person for the maintenance of his riotousnesse or to an adulterer to nourish him in his sinne there can bee no beneficence there where there is no benevolence For that is not to profit but to hurt another if thou give to him that conspireth against his countrie that desireth upon thy cost to gather together the wicked which may impugne the Church This is not liberality to bee allowed of if thou helpe him which decrees with heavy rebukes against the widow and the fatherlesse or doth attempt to deprive them forcibly of their possessions That bounty is not to bee approved if what is given to one is wrested from another if thou get it unjustly and thinke it ought justly to bee dispensed unlesse perhaps as z Luke 19. Zacheus did thou restore to him fourefold whom thou hast defrauded and thou recompence the faults of the dayes of thy Paganisme with the study of true religion and worke of a beleever Let thy liberality therefore have a good foundation This is first required that thou contribute to the cause of the Gospell in faith that thou use no imposture in thy oblations that thou say not thou bestowest more d With Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5. when thou bestowest lesse For what should need such reproofe there is fraud in thy promise it is in thy power to give what thou wilt Deceipt loseth the foundation and the world falleth and commeth to nought Did Peter so burne with indignation that hee was desirous to destroy e Acts 5. Ananias or his wife But he would others to beware by their example lest they running into like offence might perish with them Neither is it perfect liberality if thou contribute rather for f Prov. 25.14 vaine-glory then for mercy sake Thy affection imposeth a name upon thy worke looke with what mind it proceedeth from thee so is it estimated Thou seest what a morall judge thou hast Hee consulteth with thee in what sense hee shall take thy worke and hee first inquireth how it standeth with thy mind Let not thy g Math. 6.3 left hand know saith he what thy right hand doth Hee speaketh not of the body but let not thine unanimous friend nor thy brother know what thou dost lest while here thou seekest to get a reward by boasting thou there losest the fruit of remuneration But there is perfect liberality where one doth cover his workes with silence and doth secretly come as an ayde to every severall person and whom the mouth of the poore praiseth and not his owne lips Moreover perfect liberality is commended by the faith of them in whom it is the cause place and time where and when it is executed insomuch that the first and principall good worke is that which is done toward them that are of the h Gal. 6.10 houshold of faith It is an exceeding great fault if in thy knowledge thou suffer the faithfull man to want and such a one whom thou knowest to bee without money in his purse to be pinched with famine and to indure much sorrow especially when he is ashamed to make knowne his poverty if he shall speedily fall into captivity or that in thy knowledge into reproch and thou helpe him not if he being just suffer imprisonment or bee under vexation for some debt for although mercy is due to all yet much to the just if in the time of his affliction he obtaineth nothing of thee if lastly in the time of his extreame perill even then when he is haled to death thy money prevailes more with thee then the life of him about to die it is an exceeding great fault I say and justly
a Exod. 2.12 slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand Salomon also saith deliver him that is b Prov. 24.11 drawne to death Whereby it is manifest from whence either Tully or else Panaetius or Aristotle himselfe borrowed the same albeit likewise Job more ancient then c His duobus viz. Mose Salomone both these hath said d Job 29.12.13 I delivered the poore that cried out of the hand of the mighty and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me Was not this man stronger who so strongly indured the violence of the divell and overcame him in the power of his mind Neither is it to bee doubted of his strength to e Joh 40.2.5.6 whom the Lord saith Gird up mow thy loynes like a man decke thy selfe with majesty and excellency and behold every one that is proud and abase him The Apostle also mentioneth the strong consolation which every Christian ought to have builded upon the stablenesse of Gods promise and the unchangablenesse of his word and oath He is therefore strong which is able to comfort himselfe being under some affliction And in truth that is rightly called fortitude when every one overcommeth himselfe containeth anger is mollified with no pleasure is cast downe with adversity is puffed up with no prosperitie neither caried about with any light wind of vaine rumour concerning the f Eph. 4.14 1 Tim. 6.20 41.1 2 Tim. 4.4 1 Cor. 2.12 2 Thes 2.2 Math. 24.6 mutation of sundry things but remaineth g Eph. 6.10 strong in the Lord and in the power of his might h 1 Pet. 3.14 Acts 28.20 See Saint Pauls fortitude rejoycing under bonds The effects of Fortitude fearing nothing their feare neither being troubled And no marvell For what is more high and magnificent then to captivate the understanding macerate the flesh and bring it into bondage that it may obey government hearken to counsell and that in undertaking labours it may speodily execute the purpose and will of the mind renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God Here lyeth the first and greatest strength of fortitude and it hath a double worke in this exercise or conflict First it hath the outward things of the body in least account and doth repute them as superfluous and rather to bee despised then desired Secondly those things which are chiefe and all things in which honesty and comelinesse is seene doth it seeke after and pursue with a notable intention of mind never desisting untill it bee effected For what is of so great commendation as that thou so informe thy mind that thou neither place riches nor pleasures nor honours in the highest roome neither that thou spend all thy studies in them Because when thou shalt bee so affected in mind it must needs be that thou then wilt preferre that eminency of honesty and i Illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comelinesse and wilt thinke so intentively upon it whatsoever shall happen let it bee either the losse of patrimony or impairing of honour or backbiting every whereof is wont to breake the heart of a worldly man as being superiour and above the reach of it shalt have no feare nor feeling thereof Againe that is an undoubted marke of fortitude in the undertaking of danger for the safety and preservation of justice not to bee moved This is true fortitudes triall and ever found in a Christian champion that unlesse hee strive lawfully and with undaunted courage in case of greatest danger for Christs cause hee is not k 1 Cor. 9.24 25. crowned Doth the precept of fortitude seeme a smali matter to thee when the same Apostle openeth the way and layeth out the steps with so great care and diligence by which we must come to it Affliction worketh patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed * Vide quot certamina una corona See how many combats and but one crown Which precept is given by no other man then by him that is l Rom. 5.34 comforted in Christ Jesus and exceeding joyous in tribulation whose flesh had no rest but was troubled on every side fightings without and terrours within And though hedged in with perills m 2 Cor. 7.4 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 26. on every side of waters of robbers of his owne nation and other without number put under many distresfull labours imprisonments stripes tumults stonings and many imminent n 2 Cor. 1.9.10 Wee had the sentence of death in our selves Erepti de ipsa pressura praedicatores resusctatos se dicnut Ambros in hunc locum deaths notwithstanding was not daunted in mind neither was courage broken but stoutly strove that hee might not be brought under the captivity of sin nor drawne from his holy profession by these assaults And hereby in the end hee became Master of the field against all his enemies beate downe his infirmities raised up in himselfe the impregnable fortresse of vertue and bore away the prize And therefore consider how he teacheth such as beare Offices in the Church to despise these worldly things If therefore yee be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as if yee lived still therein doe you contend about the worldl why o Col. 2.21.22 are yee burthened with traditions as touch not tast not handle not which all perish with fising and are all after the traditions and doctrines of men and afterward p Chap. 3.1 if yee be risen with Christ seeke the things that are above and againe q V. 5. mortifie your members which are upon the earth These things are spoken and belong still to all the faithfull But thee O my sonne he perswadeth to the contempt of riches the avoidance of prophane and old r 1 Tim. 4.6.7 wives tales suffering nothing to affect thee but what may exercise thee to piety because bodily exercise profiteth nothing but godlinesse is profitable to all things Wherefore let godlinesse exercise thee to ſ 1 Tim. 6.11 justice to continency to gentlenesse that thou maiest t 2 Tim. 1.22 6.12 flie the lusts of youth and being rooted and grounded in grace maist fight the good fight of faith and not u 2 Tim. 2.4 intangle thy selfe in secular affaires because thou being the Lords souldier thou must warre for him For if hee which goeth to warre under the Emperour is forbidden suits of law pleading at the barre buying and selling in the market and that under the penalty of the law how much more ought hee which doth exercise spirituall warfare abstaine from the use of all worldly negotiation and rest himselfe content with the croppe of his owne small grounds if hee have any if hee have none with the comming in of his salary and stipend For hee is a good witnesse of Gods speciall providence and care toward his servants which saith x Psal 37.25 I
then to have the same both masters of our life and also witnesses Wee must inquire likewise in every action what agreeth to the persons times and ages what also is fit for the wits and natures of every severall wight For oftentimes what beseemeth one beseemeth not another One thing may bee accommodated to youth another to age one to danger and distresse another to peace and prosperity David b 2 Sam. 6.14.13 danced before the arke of the Lord Samuel danced not Neither was hee therefore reprehended but this more commended Hee changed his c 1 Sam. 21.13 countenance before King Achish But if hee had not done this through feare lest otherwise hee might have beene discovered hee could not have wanted the reprehension of lightnesse Saul being in the company of the Prophets did also himselfe prophecie and mention is made of him only as unworthy and of none beside is d 1 Sam. 10.10 Saul also among the Prophets CHAP. XLIII Every one ought to addict himselfe to that in the matter of Office which may best accrue to him EVery one therefore being not vnacquainted with his owne strength and wit let him applie himselfe to that which he maketh choise of as fittest for him But first let him well consider what is best for him to follow neither let him so much take notice of his towardnes as of the vices wherevnto he is inclined and let him shew himselfe an equall iudge of himselfe that avoiding evill he may be bent to a vertuous course One is fitter for distinct reading of the Scriptures another more carefull to expell divels by a Exorcisme and anointing the sicke had their expiration with the working of miracles They were peculiar gifts of the holy Ghost serving for the primitive times and exorcisme was then vsed extra baptismum as Tertul. witnesseth in his Apolog. to vse it therein with the Papists is without warrant and absurd beca-by Christ in baptisme the devill is driven away For as St. Cyprian Epist ad Magn. well observeth Sicut scorpij serpentes c. As scorpions and serpents prevaile in their poisoning on dry land but being throwen into the water prevaile not so likewise evill spirits can remaine no longer neither any further annoy then vntill the holy Ghost beginneth to dwell in the baptized and sanctified exorcisme another of more regard in the quier another can better apply himselfe to the keeping of the vestry Hee that is toward the Church set him haue respect to all these and let every one be deputed to that office which is most agreeable to his disposition For to whatsoever office nature leadeth a man or doth best become him that doth he execute with more grace But as to performe an office with grace and credit it is a hard thing in every calling so is it much more hard in ours For every one loves to follow the life of his parents The most part whose parents haue beene souldiers are drawn to lead their lives in the warres others accordingly in other professions wherein their fathers walked before them But in the ecclesiasticall function thou maist find nothing more rare then a sonne treading in his fathers steps either because the graue and weighty imployment therein doth deterre him or because in a slippery age abstinence and forbearance of worldly pleasures is harder or because it seemeth a more obscure life to cheerefull youth and therefore they convert their studies to those exercises which they thinke more plausible For more preferre what is present then what is to come hereafter But howsoever they are for their present welfare our warfare is for ensuing comfort Whence it followeth by how much our cause is better by so much ought our care to be greater and more attentive CHAP. XLIIII Of that which is comely and that which is honest LEt vs preserue therefore and preferre verecundie or shamefastnesse and that modesty comprehending and commending comlinesse as the ornament and honour of our whole life For it is no small matter to keepe measure and obserue order in every thing wherein doth truly shine forth that which is called comely and is so ioyned with honesty that it cannot be separated For what is comely is honest and what is honest is comely insomuch that there is distinction rather in the speech then a difference in the vertue discerned they may be in the vnderstanding no way well expressed in words And that wee may indevour to fetch out some distinction betweene them honesty is as it were the good health and wholesome constitution of the body comelines is as it were the complement and beauty thereof As therefore beauty doth seeme to excell health and goodnes of constitution yet cannot be without these neither any way separated from them because vnlesse good health be beauty and well-fauorednesse cannot be so honesty containeth in it that is comely in such manner that it may seeme to have proceeded from it and cannot bee without it Honesty therefore is as the soundnesse of the worke and of our whole fabricke and comelinesse is as the beauty or shape and confounded with it as subsisting together in one masse but distinguished from it in opinion For albeit it may seeme to exceed in something yet in the roote it belongeth to honesty but as a speciall floure thereof so that without it it may fade with it may flourish For what is honesty but that which avoideth turpitude or deformity of manners even as death What dishonesty but that which draweth in the drought of good manners and consequently death Wherefore the substance of this vertue of honesty being greene comelinesse because there is soundnesse at the roote doth budde out as a flower But the roote of our purposed vertue being rotten there appeareth no blossome the plant of honesty decaying the fruit of comelinesse must needs wither Thou hast this much better expressed in our sacred bookes For David saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 93.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Hebr. genth of goath celsitudo and sometimes excellentia and this excellency is comelinesse Is 24. the Lord hath raigned hee hath put on comlinesse And againe the Apostle saith Let us walke honestly which in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13 properly signifying such as is of a good habite of a good forme and proportion God therefore when he first made man formed him in a good feature and in a good composition of his members and parts and gave him the best portraiture of all his creatures yet gave him not the remission of his sinnes but afterward renewed him by his Spirit and infused into him grace hee that came in the forme of a servant in the similitude of sinfull flesh tooke upon him the glory and comelinesse of humane redemption In commemoration whereof as was before mentioned the Prophet thus breaketh out The Lord hath raigned and put on comelinesse And
orders under the pretext of greater gifts derogate from the Bishop neither must the Bishop beare hatred to the rest of the Clergy but cary himselfe iust toward all cheifely in the seate of judgement WHerefore all men must indeavour by good arts and a sincere purpose to come to honour and aboue the rest such as belong to the Church Adomnia abundat animi directa simplicitas satis quae se ipsa commendat that neither arrogancy remisse negligence base affectation vnseemely ambition be found in them Smplicity of heart is directed to whatsoever promotion is abundantly sufficient thereunto and of its selfe full commendation But in the divine function it selfe it is not convenient that too strict severity or too much remissenesse be vsed lest we may seeme to exercise our power ouer-much or not to fulfill the office vndertaken as we ought Labour we likewise to bind as many as we can to vs by benefites and duties Let vs reserve in memory the bestowed grace that they may not justly be vnmindfull of the benefite which sticke not to pretend greife as if they had been exceedingly hurt by vs. For we find by often experience that preferring without due desert any one before them whom formerly thou countenancedst and gracedst in some high degree it is so taken as a turning away thy face from them But it is requisite for the Bishop in his benefices and iudgements so to favour that he keep equity and so to respect a Presbyter a Or elder or minister as his father Neither doth it behove those which are once approoved to be proud but rather as being not vnmindfull of the grace received to be humble minded neither ought the Bishoppe to bee offended if either Presbyter or minister or any other of the clergy seekes by mercy or fasting or integrity or doctrine or reading to increase his owne credite For the grace and countenance conferred by the congregation is the commendation of the teacher and it is good his praise should be spred that is worthy if what he doth be done without ostentation or affectation of vaine glory Let thy neighbours lips and not b Prov. 27.1 20.6 17.7 thine owne let the worth of thy workes not thy aspiring desires commend thee But if any man obey not the Bishop but seekes to extoll and exalt himselfe with a feigned affectation of some great learning or of humilitie or mercy and to obscure and weaken his merits let him vnderstand that he erreth being puffed vp because this is the rule of truth that thou doe nothing for thine owne credite to diminish another mans neither if thou hast ought deserving praise that thou vent it to the defamation of another Defend c Non defendas improbum sancta indigno commitenda arbitreris where et is a causall for etiam Quorum Iphitus aevo jam gravior pelias vulnere tardus Vlysse not an evill man yet thinke withall that holy things may bee committed to an vnholy and vnworthy person d An vnworthy person may preach the word or administer the sacraments neither without saving fruit to the receivers For not the minister but the divine ordinances obeied and received by faith make these effectuall to salvation God doth his holy workes by sinfull instruments blesseth Israel by Balaam Num. 23.8 tempteth the people by false prophets Deut. 13.3 vexeth Saul by Sathan 1 Sam. 16.14 punisheth David by Absalon 2 Sam. 15.12 neither whose crime thou couldest not by diligent inquiry and examination deprehend and find out before be thou brought to presse it againe and strive about it For when in all causes injustice may be soone committed then aboue and before any in those ecclesiasticall where equity ought to be of necessity where it becomes equality to take place that so he which is mightier doe vindicate nothing more to himselfe and he which is wealthier doe vsurpe no more then what is right For whether he bee poore or whether he be rich he e Gal. 3.28 is one in Christ he that is holier let him arrogate nothing more to himselfe then he that is inferiour in grace nay let him remember that he that is more holy of him more humility is both required and expected In judgement likewise let equity take place and let us not except of the person of one aboue another let favour be set apart and let merit arbitrate the cause in controversie For nothing doth so much impeach a good opinion of thee and thy credite among men as when thou favourest the cause of the mightyer above the meaner in iudgement or accusest the poore innocent and excusest the rich nocent party Humane race is prone to this evill to leane to the more honourable and to leave them of lesse regard in the briers lest otherwise they might thinke some hurt to be about to accrue to themselues and lest being put downe they might have cause to repent But if thou feare the taking of offence at the hands of the great ones why dost thou vndertake to sit as a judge and thou which art plaintiffe whether Clerke or of the Commons being inferiour why dost thou provoke thy superiour to come to a triall when thou hast no hope to receive according to equity Thou hast liberty to be silent in a pecuniary businesse only albeit it be the part of constancy even there to be present to see equity done To dissemble in the cause of Religion is worthy branding for prevarication and rebellion against God But in the cause of God where the communion of the faithfull and fellowship of the Saints is in daunger there to dissemble and be without courage and pious contention is no small offence CHAP. XXV Favours and benefites ought to be bestowed more vpon the poore then vpon the rich because for that peradventure for which the rich disdaineth the poore giveth thee great thankes neither are those such as are performed in money only but in mercy otherwise exhibited BVt what doth it profit thee to favour the rich Is it for that he sooner rewards him that loves him For those we vsually favour by whom we hope the like to be rendred vs againe But it is better we should be desirous rather to helpe the poore and innocent because by so doing we shall receive a reward of the Lord Iesus who vnder the forme of a b Luke 14.12 banquet brought forth a generall rule of vertue that we should rather be beneficiall to those which cannot gratifie vs charging vs to invite those to our feasts that cannot invite vs againe then the rich For these seeme to themselues to be bidden that they may recompense the like The poore because they have not to restore when they shall receiue any thing from vs they make the Lord their paimaster c Verse 14. who offreth himselfe to become bound for them To helpe the poore sorteth better also with the course of the world for the weathly person disdaineth to
have ingraven in them the vertue of divine operation Such gold the holy Martyr St. Laurence reserved for the Lord of whom when the treasures of the Church were sought for by the enemy and he promising to shew them brought out the next day the poore to him Being then demanded where were the treasures which hee promised he shewed the poore saying these are the treasures of the Church And these are truely the treasures in which Christ is and in which the faith of Christ is To this purpose speaketh the Apostle we have this d 2 Cor. 4.7 treasure in earthly vessels what better treasures hath Christ then those in whom he said himselfe to be For so it is written I was hungry e Math. 25.35 and ye gave me meate I was thirsty and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and ye took me in And afterward For what ye have done to one of these ye haue done to mee What better treasures hath Iesus then those in whom hee loveth to bee seene These treasures Laurence shewing thereby ouercame because the * Galienus persecutor could not take away these Therefore f 2 Kings 24.13.23.35 Iehoiachims sinne punished for that hee preferred the gold of the Temple before the lives of the people Iehoiakim which preserved the gold in the seige of Ierusalem and did not dispense it for the provision of victuall to the releife of all even the meanest in the Citie saw both the gold taken away and himselfe and it carried into captivitie Laurence which chose rather to lay out the treasure of the Church to the vse of the poore then to reserue it for a persecutor for his singular wisedome and courage in making such an interpretation received the holy Crowne of Martyrdome Whether was it said to this Martyr Laurence thou oughtest not to giue away the treasures of the Church thou oughtest not to sell the vessels of the Sacraments in time of necessitie for the benefit of the poore It is needfull that a man faithfully and with a good conscience circumspectly and wisely fulfill this our office Surely if one convert goods of the Church to his owne profit it is a fault but if he deliver it out to the poore or redeeme a captive with it it is mercy For no man can finde fault and say why doth the poore live No man can challenge vs for this that the captives are redeemed No man can accuse vs for that we build the Temple of God No man may justly be angry with vs because wee open the ground and bury the dead no man may justly grieve that at the interring of Christians there is a g Solemnitie of prayer at the buriall of the dead allowed solemnitie of prayer and thankesgiving In these h The fostering and burying the poore are to be accounted as one The 2. the redeeming of Captives The 3. the building of Churches three cases it is lawfull to breake to melt to sell the vessels of the Temple It is requisite that the forme of the mysticall cuppe goe not out of the Church lest the ministerie of the Chalice bee converted to profane vses Therefore in the beginning the vessels were sought out which were within the Church and not consecrated afterward they were broken in peices lastly they were melted then by peice-meale and small doale distributed to the poore appointed also for the prices of redemption for the captives This may be though there be no other new ones provided in their stead or being new are not consecrated these and all other ornaments of the Church may in the time of some extreame necessity in godly wise as I suppose be converted to those vses aboue mentioned CHAP. XXIX The deposits a 2. Mac. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the widdowes yea of all the faithfull committed to the custody of the Church of God to be conserved and kept inviolable even to her owne perill The example of Onias and Heliodorus of himselfe h Pavia and of the Bishop Ticinum accommodated to proue the same THat verely is to bee looked into with all care that whatsoever goods the widdowes have committed to the custody of the Church be kept with all diligence and without any dammage This is no more then what is word for word in our English bibles and therefore to set downe the summe thereof was thought sufficient neither they onely but the rest likewise of the faithfull are in this regard to be respected Fidelity is to be shewed to all but the cause of widdowes and orphanes is to be preferred To be breife vnder the name of widdowes the whole was commended to the Temple Wicked Simon treacherously made it knowne to the tyrant Antiochus concerning such moneyes committed to the Temple of Ierusalem who sent Heliodorus to Onias the high Preist to deliver it to the Kings vse but he was terrified scourged and striken to the earth and lay as one dead with a fearefull horseman in shining armour and two young men in glorious a See the Story 2 Macab 3. Let this bee a terror to the sacrilegious attire Faith therefore O my Sonnes is to be kept diligence is to be used in the goods that are commended to your charge Your Ministerie doth appeare from hence to be powerfull and protected with the presence of God and namely then when by the ayde of the Church the violence of the potent in the cause of the widdow is suppressed and whensoever the commandement of God doth more prevaile with you toward the distressed toward the innocent and oppressed then the favour of the great and wealthy of the world Remember how often wee in our owne person have endured for the preservation of what hath been taken by us into the custody of the Church in the behalfe of the Widdowes Orphanes and other the faithfull many and bitter conflicts fearefull and forcible assaults at the hands of the Caesars themselues I will here produce the common and fresh example of the Church of Pavia where what was deposed to her trust in respect of Widdowes was in danger to be lost For there he calling for it which challenged it by a rescript from the Emperour the Clerkes were contemned and sleighted the honourable persons that interceded told them that no meanes were left them to withstand the Imperiall command The forme of the rescript was read the Register of the Office was present and to vse no longer circumstance what was deposed was granted to be delivered Notwithstanding the holy Bishop of the Church consulting one compassed about and strongly fenced that part where he knew the Widdowes portion being translated remained Whence when it could not bee taken away by violence it was received vnder hand-writing and afterward by vertue of the same hand-writing was required againe by earnest petition The Emperour renewed his mandate that thereby hee might convent us personally before him which being denyed him the authoritie of the Law of God the
these nations whose hearts fainted and were provided for bread for them to feed upon They laboured also to perswade them that it was against decency a thing dishonourable and dishonest to yeeld to the inhabitants and therefore chose rather to bee stoned to death which they threatned then to give way to the false rumour of the other spies tending to the disgrace of the honesty comely and commendable carriage of so renowned a people who marched under the conduct of the Lord of hosts himselfe whose power is invincible Howbeit those misreporters caused the assembly pittifully to crie out into this complaint that they should fall by the sword their wives and children should be made a prey Whereupon the Lords indignation for nothing incenseth him more then incredulity waxed so hot against them that had not Moses interceded he had utterly destroyed them Neverthelesse upon his mediation his wrath was mitigated and executing his present judgement upon the perfidious and obstinate spared for a time the unbeleevers yet so that he denied them entrance into the land of Canaan permitting their c Numb 14.22 Cal haanashim omnes viri Arias Mont. but Trem. Iun. homines pueri mulieres qui non immurmuraverant vel sexu vel aetate veniabiles Whereby it appeares that he thought the women that murmured not spared because of the weaknes of their sexe children and women that murmured not together with Ioshua and Caleb to inherit it Whosoever among them was twenty yeares old and above fell in the wildernesse protraction of punishment was granted others The precipitious d Numb 14.44 presumption of them which went up with Joshua and had disswaded made a forfeiture of their carkasses But Ioshua and Caleb with the harmelesse age or e Cum innoxia aetate vel sexu sex entred into the land of promise wherefore the better sort preferred honour before welfare the worse present and soone perishing ease and safety before ever-living never dying honesty But f Divina autem sententia eos probavit qui honesta utilibus praestare orbitrabantur Eos verò condemnavit apud quos ea quae videbantur saluti poriùs quam honestati accommoda praeponderabant the approbation divine was for them who judged honesty to excell utility and the sentence of condemnation against them who when they were laied both together to make choice of did cast aside honesty and clave unto profit rather for the preservation of their health CHAP. IX Fraud and filthy lucre in the Clergy to bee a foule staine to their decency the comelines of Davids and Naboths honesty to be a faire ornament to all men and of right to be exemplary WHerefore nothing is more base then to carry no loue to honesty and love to be troubled daily with the gaine of merchandize degenerating from auncient simplicity nothing more ignoble then to have an heart boiling with covetousnes gaping after the wasting of anothers patrimonie when it should be elevated to behold the splendor of honesty and the orient beauty of true prayse Hence-ariseth the hunting after an inheritance gotten vnder the colour of continency and gravity which is abhorrent from the drift of Christian profession For in the mystery of science so cleped whatsoever is involved being set abroach and compounded of deceit is voide of what desert is due to simplicity In such as hold no office in the Church the ambitious affectation of purchase To leaue to posterity earthly possessions for inheritance not so convenient as to leave them the sound records vnder our testimony of true religion This is the duty of every good Christian and specially of those of the Clergy or hereditary possession is deemed incongruous It standeth with good congruity for such whose glasse of their life is neere runne out to testifie freely what they haue in their iudgement resolved and so solidly that it may need no second emendation because it is no honesty to keepe backe what abridgements were provided for others and what they might justly chalenge at their hands as a due debt Yea because it belongs either to a Bishop or minister to seeke to profit all as farre as possibly he may and to be against the good of no man Lastly in such a case where one side cannot be eased but the other must of necessity be damnified there it is more cautious and commodious neither to be releived then either to sustaine aggreivance Of this sort are pecuniarie causes for the most part Wherefore in these it is not for an Ecclesiasticall person to intervene because therein it cannot be but that he vpon whom the damages fall hath frequently the harder verdict and howsoever it is he so supposeth for that by the benefit of mediatorship his adversary prvaileth Now it belongs to a minister to hurt no man and to bee willing though he bee not able for this rests onely in the power of God to pleasure and profit all men In the cause of life to hurt one in daunger who ought to be holpen is not without great sinne In a pecuniary cause to purchase hatred is no parte of wisedome Indeed on the contrary side for mans safegard and preservation greivous troubles oftentimes arise and arising ought to be indured and being indured ought to be reputed an honourable and glorious peice of service For the ministeriall function this rule is to be set and to be observed constantly and inviolably that thereby no man sustaine hurt no not provoking unto it or by some injury done doth iustly offer offence For he is a good man and may be a tutor to the best doctor in the church that said If I haue recompensed a Psal 7.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. him that rendred me evill yea I haue delivered him that vexed me without cause For what praise is it we haue not hurt him that hurt not vs But this is a vertue that being hurt we pardon the offence forgiue the wrong What an honest part was it in David the annointed of the Lord and heire apparent to the Kingdome when he could haue taken away the life of the King his enemy in whose throne he was assigned to succeed yet would hee spare b 1 Sam. 24.7 26.11 him How commodious was it both for himselfe and his successour and for all subiects to learne thereby loyaltie and fidelity to their owne Princes to dread and reverence them and not to rebell against them In this his action therefore honesty was put before utility and utility came behind honesty as lesse worthy But thinking this a small matter he had c 2 Sam. 1.21 22 23. Elegies of lamentation at his funeralls mourning and grievously complaining in this wise O yee mountaines of Gilboa upon you bee neither dew nor raine yee mountaines of d Sedei thereumoth of sadah ager rum elevari Hebr. agri elationum When hee styles them mountaines of death either it is his owne using Metonymia effecti or else in
licentiam necessary fraud was found the only way of keeping the whole tribe from perishing See into what streights sinne doth thrust either dying without of-spring or by unwarrantable course making shipwracke of soule Behold againe that liberty of theirs proceeding from inforcement was a retaliation of their intemperance they tooke the Levites wife by violence to the r Congruo intemperantiae supplicio non videtur vacare same are they in an exigent ſ Et revera dignum fuit ut qui alienum contubernium solverant ipsi nuptiarum amitterent solennitatem Harme doe harme find depriving another they are deprived of their wives using cruelty they reaped it constrained And in truth it was worthily recompenced them upon their heads that they who had made a breach in the marriage bed should themselves be debarred of the solemnity of Matrimonie But how is the history fraught with commiseration There was a man a Levite which tooke to him a t Vir Levita acceperat sibi jugalem yoke-fellow which by u Concubina à concubitu Iudg. 19.8 baiom hachamishi Hebr. the 5 day This notwithstanding may not bee untrue for that vers 9. there is vaiakom from the root kom signifying surrexit which Tremel rendreth tandem surrexit and the Genev. afterward hee arose For this may seeme to implie some more then five dayes and so 7. according to our Author following the Sept. beside he departed not untill the evening which belongs to the next day For God began the creation with the evening companying together I thinke to bee called a concubine which as of old hath beene taking some offence went away from him to her father thither her husband went after her to bring her againe where hee feasted and made his heart merry untill the x Ibid. 19.8 Netoth of Natah declinare seventh day when being earnestly dealt withall to stay because it grew toward y Iudg. 19.24 the declining of the day yet would not bee intreated proceeding therefore on his journey hee came late to Gibeah of Benjamin with his yoke-fellow and servant where while they were refreshing themselves the inhabitants compassing the house where they were and striving to breake in upon them required after a lustfull manner the Levite To satisfie them the Master of the house offered rather then they should commit such villany his owne y Iudg. 19.24 daughter being a virgin and also his guests the Levites yoke-fellow The latter they tooke and abused untill the morning Her Lord therefore tooke her up carried her home and divided her into twelve pieces and sent them to all the quarters of Israel Forty thousand therefore of them wherein appeareth the great and speciall regard they had to honesty drew their swords even against their brethren to revenge the injury of their impudent intemperancy who at length prevailed against them made them pay the price of their dearest bloud for their incontinency and burnt as they justly deserved for their so strange burning in lust their cities into ashes Albeit they received at their hands two sore affronts yet were they not striken with z Tamen nec adversi metu belli procitus populus Israel feare nor through the crosse hazard of battell discouraged But to avenge the violation of honesty threw off a Vindicandae custitatis sequestravit dolorem dismall thoughts rushed valiantly upon the speares point dint of sword and dart prepared with more effusion of their bloud either to wash away so great infamy or utterly to spill it But an honest cause never had a finall doome neither had theirs Thus are the mighty stirred up for the preservation of honesty neither are the weake wanting therein but the very b 2 Kings 6. lepers strive to keepe it There was a great famine in Samaria being besie-by the Syrian host a woman cried to the King making report of the eating of her sonne he threatned Elisha the Prophet as the cause thereof as Ahab did Eliah when himselfe was But prophecying b 2 Kings 7.1 plenty which though it were not beleeved of the messenger sent to him being a prince who was for his incredulity pressed to death yet the foure lepers remaining without the gates for such must dwell apart tasted of it to their exceeding comfort being affamished and imparting the same honestly and faithfully to the city filled their fainting soules with incomprehensible joy CHAP. XV. The prayse of honesty is commended by the magnanimity of Ester the fidelity of Ionathan and Ahimelech WHat did Queene Ester that shee might deliver her owne people which was both a comely and honest part feared shee the vnlimited prerogative or vnbridled wrath of a mighty Monarch said shee a Ester 4.16 not if I perish I perish To be affronted by such a favourite as Haman was enough to daunt the most warlike spirit But an happy successe was ever the companion of a good cause Assuerus the great King of b Ipse rex Persarum ferox tumido corde tamen decorum judicavit indici insidiarum quae sibi paratae forent gratiā repraesentare c. indici insidiarum for indictarum insidiarum such devises as admit no defence to be made against them Persia though of a fierce and swelling spirit iudged it a decency not to deny her a boone in repealing that bloudy decree barring whatsoeuer plea to crosse it for delivery of the innocent and free people from servitude and the drawing out the nocent of such an vnbeseeming and notorious devise to death Trechery was devised not against her nation alone but against her owne person the Monarchs royall consort Shee put her life into his hands to releiue her people appointed to the spoile and he heard her request against him the second in the kingdome and cheifest among all his favorites For when he saw his fraudulent practises not only to derogate from honesty toward his subjects but to be very dishonest even toward himselfe he assigned him a gibbet that loved so well mounting to clime vpon A worthy president doubtlesse in a man of so high a ranke thus to patronage honesty For that favour that friendship is approved which protectes honesty and to be preferred truly aboue all the wealth honour and dominion which this world can afford To put that before which should follow after is to invert order Friendship and honesty sort well together but so that honesty have the preheminence and friendship follow after it Was it not the wisedome of c 1 Sam. 20.32.33 Ionathan thus to discerne when hee had so great respect to Dauids honesty and piety that for the loue thereof he regarded not to retaine his fathers freindship feared not his offence avoided not the peril of death For Saul his father was no ordinary person but a King and had the power of life and death in his hand Was not the same in Ahimelech d Chap. 2.6 who to shew himselfe hospitall to innocent David
in his necessity adventured to incurre rather the Kings indignation then to giue him coorse Nabal-like intertainment Vnder the pretext of freindship to haue betrayed him had beene the next devise to haue acquitted himselfe but so had he bin worse then Doeg who portending evill yet pretended not this Not neglecting the other he was sure of death but to haue affected this only though he had never effected it had beene worse then death The griping hereof being over the paine is past but the brand of such infamy as cleaves to that will never be removed CHAP. XVI Of the moderation to bee kept in the conservation of friendship a Aristot Eth. lib. 8. with which the volumne is shut vp NOthing therefore is to bee preferred before honesty which notwithstanding lest it should be overborne with the sway of friendship we are to heed what the scripture admonisheth concerning Philosophicall questions tending hereunto we are to subscribe b Arist lib. 8. Cap. 9. lib. 5. Cap. 1. Plutarch in vita Coriolani Themistocli et Coriolano amicus contra patriam inventus est nemo Cic. de amicit Coriolanus own mother Volumnia was against him herein Salus populi suprema lex est Idem lib. 3. de legibus The publike good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fairer and more divine Arist Eth. lib. 1. Cap. 2. negatively namely to such as these whether one ought for his freinds sake to conceiue any thing against his countrie and againe whether one ought to make shipwrack of his faith to doe his friend good either in his substance report or person The scripture saith indeed A man that beareth false witnesse against his c Prov. 25.18 berehehu the roote whereof is raha pascere because he is ones freind that feedeth him It is translated neighbour and so it may indifferently bee being incident to both freind is like a hammer a sword and a sharpe arrow but consider what may be built upon it For he reprehendeth not the testimonie spoken against a freind but the false testimony What if for Gods cause what if for his countries cause a man must be compelled to give testimonie ought freindship to prevaile with him more then religion more then the love of his citizens Not so but the truth of the d Rom. 3.7.8 For promoting the cause of a freind country religion falshood must not be used Testimonie is to be sought after lest one freind which by his faith given ought to absolue another friend should by his treacherie desire to intangle him in a snare So then a freinds eye must be alwaies fastened upon the truth neither gratifying the nocent nor beguiling the innocent e Mat. 18.15.16.17 Verely if hee must needes bring in his witnes what he knoweth to be amisse in his freind he ought to admonish him of it e Prov. 27.5 Levit. 19.17 secretly but if being admonished he will not amend to reproue him openly For corrections are good and for the most part better then silent friendship Howbeit thy friend thinke himselfe hurt yet rebuke him yea though the bitternesse of reproofe wound his soule yet feare thou not vntill thou conceiue some better hope of him still to rebuke him For the wounds of a freind are better then the kisses of a f Adulantium oscula Ibid ver 6. or of an enemy flattering quam fraudulenta oscula odientis Vulg. Venahtaroh hatar Heb. orare flatterer Wherefore correct thy freind when he is in an error as for thine innocent freind in no wise forsake him For freindship ought to bee constant g Eccles 6.15 We must therefore persevere in our affection wee must not in a childish manner and an vnsetled judgement change our friends h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. ver 16. Open thy brest to thy freind that will bee faithfull to thee i This is added for there is no more in the orig interlineall whereby thou mayest receiue comfort from him For a faithfull friend is the medicine of life and a speciall favour of him that is immortall the weight of his worth is unvalueable he is a fortresse of strength whosoever findeth him findeth a treasure Esteeme thy friend as thine equall neither thinke it any discredit to prevent him in whatsoeuer good office For freindship harboureth no pride she knoweth her not regardeth not her high lookes deeming ignorance of her acquaintance to bee the mother of vertue Likewise prides companion disdaine is out of her Element Therefore the wiseman k Ecclus. 22.23.25 saith i Amicitia nescit superbiam bee not ashamed to salute thy freind forsake him not in his necessity be faithfull be stedfast to him in his poverty because freindship is an helpe to the life of man Wherefore as the Apostle admonisheth beare ye therein one anothers l Gal. 6.2 burden He speaketh it to those that are joyned together in the same bond of love For if the prosperity of a freind be benefit to his well-willers why should not they againe lend their helping hand to him in his adversity We must where true friendship is helpe by our counsell by our labour by suffring together in our affections and if necessity requires by induring whatsoever be it never so bitter in the cause of our friends Hee that shall stand in the defence of the innocency of a friend must content himselfe for the most part to get thereby hatred and many times to be traduced and depraved When hee is rebuked and accused of an adversary if offence bee taken against thee thou resisting and answering for him repent not because this is the voyce of a just man Howbeit m Etsi mala mihi evenerint propter amicum sustineo many evils befall me for my freind yet still I beare it For a friend is tried in n Prov. 17.17 As the Lords opportunity to shew mercy is mans misery so in some resemblance of his great Master is the triall of every good servant of his toward his friend seene in the time of adversity adversitie in prosperity all are friends But as in adversity the patience and forbearance of a friend is necessary so answerably is his authority congruent to reprove and take him downe in prosperity when he sees his friend to have too high an opinion of his owne worth and his mind swelleth with insolency This order was inverted in Iobs friends and therefore in his calamity hee cries not upon them without cause O my o Iob 19.21 friends take pitty on me take pitty on me For it is not the voice p Non abjecta vox ista est sed censoria of an abject but of one justly censuring their overmuch harshnesse and unjust condemnation When he was wrongfully burdened by them hee answered take pitty upon mee my friends that is it behoved you to deale mercifully with me but in stead of extending compassion toward me as yee ought in my misery yee oppresse me with
your speeches and impugne me daily q The authors admonition to his sonnes in the case of friendship Learne yee O my sonnes to avoid the like offence and preserve yee carefully with your brethren not such pretended but that r 1 Pet. 1.22 true friendship tending to perfection which is already begun which to consummate is to come to the ſ Math. 22.40 Rom. 13.10 complement of all duties and to attaine to the t 1 Cor. 12.31 13.13 toppe of all graces Labour yee to know more perfectly what is the sweetnesse of Christian friendship how great and how gracefull the fellowship of the Saints A chiefe solace surely is it and of inestimable price in this sorrowfull pilgrimage to have one to whom thou maist safely lay open thy brest participate thy secrets commit thy estate and life it selfe he will rejoyce with thee in thy welfare suffer in thy tribulation How fast how ineffable how inviolably chained together was that friendship of the three u Dan. 3.19 No lesse was that of holy David and Ionathan witnesse that elegiacall hymne 2 Sā 1.26 Woe is mee for thee my brother Ionathan very kind hast thou beene to me thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of women Yet Davids owne exceeded his 2 Sam. 20.41 Hebrew children whom the fearfull devouring flames of the seven times heated furnace was not able to divide A good hearing x The name Jesus in St. Bernard is honey in the mouth musicke in the eare a joyfull showte in the heart musicke for the eare and melodie for the heart is it where it resideth as in these two y 2 Sam. 1.23 Saul and Ionathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their deaths they were not divided This is the fruit of friendship not that faith for the sake of friendship should be forsaken for he z Non potest homini amicus esse qui fuerit Deo infidus cannot be a friend to man who shall be unfaithfull to God Friendship a Pietatis custos amicitia est aequalitatis magistra is the guardian of piety the Mistresse of equality that the superiour may shew himselfe equall to his inferiour the b viz. in friendship inferiour to his superiour Where is disparity of manners there cannot be friendship and therefore for such among whom is disagreement to seeke to c Idem velle idem nolle firma amicitia est accord therein ought to be a grace and crowne to them both In the case of friendship betweene a superiour and an inferiour if the matter require let neither authority be wanting to the inferiour nor to the superiour humility Let the superiour heare his inferiour as his compere and equall and let the inferiour admonish him as his friend chide him also if there be just cause but with a charitable affection and without all desire of ostentation Bitternesse in admonition which is as gall and wormwood contumely in objurgation which is little better then a sarcasme or scurrility ought to be avoided For as friendship must flie from flatterie so must it be estranged from d Which is the mother of contumelie insolencie For what e Quid est amicus nisi consors amoris is a friend but a fellow-partener of thy love on whom thou maist fix thy mind unremovably set thine heart apply appropriate so infert thy thoughts to make one of f Another in person the same in affection two to whom thou maist commit thee as to another the same from whom thou maist dread nothing desire nothing dishonest for thine owne commodities sake For friendship is not to be valued by g Non vectigalis amicitia est Arist Ethic. l. 8. Cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friendship is either a vertue or of neere affinity with it revenew not by wealth but by that is of true worth Because friendship is a vertue no gaine but the gift of grace no h Nec licitatione preciorum sed concertatione benevolentiae beating prizes but heating the affections that benevolence may bud forth Hereupon it is that for the most part the friendship of the poore is better then of the rich and that oftentimes the rich are without friends when the poore have them in great abundance For that is not true friendship where is deceitfull flatterie such as is the assentation of the most part seeking thereby to hold themselves in favour with the rich But this is the poore mans happinesse and prerogative above the wealthy no man i Erga pauperem nemo assentator est flattereth him where he findeth favour it is in truth neither needs hee feare losing because lodged in the heart of his lover nor envie because shee alwayes taketh an higher flight How pretious a jewell friendship is doth no way better appeare then for that it is as well angelicall as humane Whence the Lord Jesus most graciously and with a most keene edge of speech to stirre up devotion Make yee k Luke 16.9 friends of unrighteous mammon that when yee shall want l That which our author here understandeth to bee meant of the Angels the new writers who follow St. Chrys and Theodoret interpret to bee the poore St. Augustine the Saints Qui sunt qui habebunt tabernacula aeterna nisi Sancti Deo Et qui sunt qui ab ipsis accipiendi sunt in tabernacula aeterna nisi qui eorum indigentiae serviunt eis quibus opus est hilariter administrant In Gen. C. 3. in haec verba erant nudi Adam mulier ejus non pudebat illos they may receive you into everlasting habitations It is hee himselfe according to his owne testimonie that of servants hath made us friends yee are my m John 15.14 friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you Hee hath given us herein a forme of friendship which let us follow namely that we doe the will of our friend that is that we open whatsoever secrets we have in our n The riches of Gods grace whatsoever they be which he hath bestowed on us let us open our brest and impart them to our friend brest to our friend that we be not ignorant of his secrets Thus let us reveale the hidden things of our heart to him and hee to us Therefore saith he I have called you friends because all o Multa dicuntur in scripturis tanquam facta sint cum in fpe adhuc esse intelligitur Aug. Ep. 57. reciting this place for witnesse among others his reason is because our Saviour saith elsewhere I have many things to say unto you which you cannot carry away now Omnia nota fecit eis quae illi poterant audire quorum erant capaces Theod. Non revelavit Apostolis omnia neque ad hoc venerat ut redderet eos omniscios Musculus Hee that will bee in friendship with God must submit himselfe to his will This is to
obeyed idols For he hath said unto you yee cannot serve two r Math. 6.24 masters Your priviledges the Virgins consecrated to God have not and do the Virgins of Vesta challenge them Why do you seek to the Bishops and Priests of God when you have preferred before them those prophane Petitions of the Gentiles We cānot receive the fellowship of a strange error What will you answer to these words That you are a child so mistake your selfe Every age hath its perfection ſ Tendernesse of age is not sufficient excuse where true religion hath beene before planted in such as fall into idolatrie in Christ All childhood replenished with faith is approved of God Objection Even little children caried with an t Daniel 3.16.18 1 Mac. 2.20 2 Mac. 7.2 undaunted courage have cōfessed Christ against their persecutors What wil you answer to your brother wil he not say to you I thought not my self brought under by u Gratian his brother was slaine by the wile of Adragathius the Captaine of Maximus the tyrant Socra Scholast lib. 5. cap. 11. trechery because I left thee Emperor I grieved not todye because I had thee mine heire I mourned not to part with the Empire because I beleeved my commands chiefly in the matter of divine religion should continue throughout all ages These titles of pious vertue had I erected these spoyles of triumphs over the world these trophees over the divell that booty plucked from the adversarie of all mankind in which stands eternall victory had I offered up what more could my greatest enemy take from me Thou hast abrogated my Decrees which hitherto hee which lifted up armes against me hath not done I receive in my body a more grievous wound now that my Statutes are condemned of a brother I am in danger by thee in the better part of my person That before was the death of the body this the darkning of vertue Now my Empire is abolished and which is more grievous it is abolished by those neere to thee by those neere to me and that is abolished which my adversaries said would come to passe in me If thou hast willingly yeelded thou hast condemned my faith if unwillingly thou hast betrayed thine owne Therefore which is more heavy in thee also am I in danger The complaint of his Father Valentinian who being in great honour with Iulian in his warres rather then he would doe sacrifice flung away his sword girdle Socrat. Schol. lib. 4. lib. 4. Cap. 1. What likewise will you answer your Father who in more bitternesse of heart will question you saying O my sonne thou hast judged too too much amisse of me imagining that I used connivency toward the Gentiles No man durst bring me such tydings that the heathenish Altar was set up in the Roman Court I never beleeved so great an impiety hereafter possibly to bee committed that in that common counsell of the Christians and Gentiles the Gentiles would be permitted to sacrifice that is that the Gentiles would be suffred the Christians being in presence to insult and that the Christians should be forced against their wills to bee present at their sacrifices Many and sundry crimes there were in the time of my raigne but whatsoever came to light I punished If there were some lurking in obscuritie whose deeds no man discovered to me may they be therefore said to have had my approbation Thou wrongest mee much in thy censure if thou judge that strange superstition not mine owne faith hath preserved the Empire Wherefore seeing you manifestly perceive O Emperour that if you shall suffer any such Decree to passe no small injury to be offered thereby first to God next to your renowned Father and brother I desire you would take into your princely care what you shall understand may specially further your salvation with the Lord for the time to come The Relation of a A man of great estimation in the City of Rome for his learning and eloquence Socrat. Schol. lib. 5. cap. 14. This is he whom that worthy Archbishop Hutton styleth a famous Senator but a sworn enemy to Christian religion in his Sermon preached at Yorke and printed Anno Dom. 1579. Symmachus the b Praefectus or Lieutenant hee which in the absence of the Emperour and Consull had all authoritie granted him and according to his proper office had power to heare and examine all causes of what nature soever within an hundred miles of Rome intra centesimum lapidem Governour of the City to the Emperours perswading them that the ancient rites about the Worship of the Gods ought to be kept WHen first the most Honourable Senate and alwayes at your service knew vices to be under the censure of the lawes and saw the tumour of the last times to bee used to bee launced by well devoted Princes following the authority of the good age it vented thereupon the griefe wherewith it was long pressed commending to me againe under their command the legation of their complaints To whom for that cause was the audience of the chiefe Prince denied heretofore by the malignant that your justice Lord Emperours Valentinian Theodosius Arcadius famous victors and triumphers alwayes * Soveraigne Augusti joyntly concurring might not afterward be wanting Wherefore performing a double office I doe both as your Leiutenant over the City further informe of her publick affaires and as her embassadour manage her imposed charge There is here no disagreement of wills because now men desist to give any credit to c Viz. to the Court Maxime that dissention among Princes servants is a great meanes of the Princes profit it and if there happen to bee a dissent the ministers of some d Cineas King Pyrrus Embassadour told his Master that the Roman Senate appeared to him a Councel-house of many kings Plutarch An allegatiō of the love of the Gentiles among themselves Kings are injoyned with their best indevour to accord the same To be loved reverenced is more worth then an Empire Who can indure such an opinion that the private emulation of vertue is against the good of the Common-weale The Senate doth deservedly pursue them who preferre their owne power before the reputation of the Prince But our travell doth attend with continuall care on your Clemencies renowne For to what is it more commodious that we defend the customes of our Ancestors the rites and destinies of our countrie then to the glory of the times of your Empire Which is then greater when yee acknowledge nothing to be lawfull that crosseth the manner of your parents proceedings Wee require againe therefore the forme of religions which for a long season were profitable to the state Surely let the Princes of both sects of both opinions bee numbred and ye shall find that he which raigned immediatly before embraced the Ceremonies of his fathers and that he which came up next after him removed e Allegation for the connivency of