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
that translation then in custome For it is not in our vulgar death For there the shield of the mighty is cast downe the shield of Saul as though he had not beene annointed with oyle The bow of Ionathan never turned backe neither did the sword of Saul returne empty from the bloud of the slaine and the fat of the mighty Saul and Ionathan were swifter then eagles stronger then lyons Yee daughters of Israel weepe for Saul which cloathed you in skarlet hanged ornaments of gold upon your apparell What mother did ever so bewaile her only sonne as this man bewailed his enemy who could so lay out the commendation of his best friend as hee doth him that layed snares continually for his life How piously did he lament with how great affection and feeling The elements could not without terror behold this horrible slaughter and therefore with-held their influence as a curse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did hee bewaile him The mountaines withered upon his propheticall malediction and the divine power made up in full measure the just sentence of the maledicent In so much that at the spectacle of the kings death the very dumb elements themselves paid the punishment What was the cause of holy e 1 Kings 21. Naboths death but the contemplation of honesty For when Ahab the King required his Vineyard promising him money for it hee deemed such an unworthy bargaine as to be made an instrument to set a price upon the patrimonie of his fathers The Lord f Ibid. v. 3. keepe mee saith he from giving the inheritance of my fathers to thee That is let not God suffer me to fall into so great infamy let him not permit so heinous an offence to be extorted from me From mine own tribe mancipiously that repugnantly to the mind of the Lord to alienate the least portion of inheritance allotted Levit. 25.23 Numb 36.7 Read Tremel Iun. notes Verely the Lords inhibition is not of alienation of Vines for the Lord hath g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur no regard of them nor of earthly possessions but of the right of the fathers after his owne constitution Naboth might have accepted of some other among the Kings vineyards and so have beene inrolled among his best esteemed friends which is reckoned no small preeminence in this world but hee liked not to make profit by such foule worke For wee need not doubt but that hee might have bettered himselfe by commutation Hee liked not to triumph in the ruines of his tribe but liked rather to undergoe perill with honesty Vtility twofold common and speciall Permitteth by connivency if not consent false and forged testimony impudently to passe upon Naboth to his condemnation This hee did though afterward upon judgement denounced against him and his house hee seemed to be sorry for his fact 1 King 21.27 The sinne of these is a skarlet one there falshood and homicide in graine packed by perjury polluted by the effusion of innocent bloud then profit with ignominie When I thus mention profit I meane such as is vulgar and in frequent use with worldlings not such wherein remaines the grace of honesty The King himselfe might have extorted what hee desired but he thinkes it an impudent part and therefore upon his slaughter was touched with griefe Jezabels greedinesse of gaine likewise immanity void of all humanity savage cruelty without the least sparke of cōmon honesty civility was by the horrible scourge of the revenging wrath of God justly requited All fraud therefore is dishonest The very ballance of deceit and the false measure in matters of small worth are execrable For if in the market where all things are vendible and in common commerce imposture is punished may it be without reproofe among the offices of vertue Salomon guided by the sacred spirit censureth and condemneth the ioynt vsage of the great h Prov. 20.10.23 thohabath of thahab signifying abominari or aversari because we turne away from that is uncleane and small weight to a fraudulent intent and so the double measure as i Prov. 11.1 By a borrowed speech to bring it into more detestation and to make knowne his sore hatred against it Prov. 16.11 uncleane and accursed in the sight of the Lord and as an abomination the course and common receptacle of that banefull sin of imposture depriving daily the poore hungry soules of their due bread and releife And on the other side for the incouragement of the honest and vpright heart he highly commendeth true and perfect ballances whatsoever iust weights of the bagge as the worke of Gods speciciall mercy toward the miserable and most pleasing to him being the father of all compassion CHAP. X. That vices ought to be blotted out with vertues comming in and faith to be kept with the perfidious and fraudulent which by the president of Ioshuah toward the Gibeonites is made evident IN all things therefore fidelity is comely iust dealing aceptable the measure of equity pleasant What shall I speake of other contracts and cheifly of the valuation or a buying a Conceptio or coemptio praediorum of lands or transactions b Agreements upon communication and compacts Is not that the right forme of honesty when our buying and bargaining is performed bona fide or vnder a good intent toward our neighbour and when dolus malus a subtile and sinister intent is removed Likewise doth it not well accord thereunto that where guile and falsehood is deprehended the delinquent should be obnoxious to double dammages Every where the consideration of honesty doth overpoise whatsoever opposits among the rest delving fox-like fraud out of her denne discovereth and dislodgeth her Hence it is that propheticall David c Psal 15.3 levied with so steady an hand that dexterously composed sentence of his vniversally to direct in our trading and commerce that he which rightly inioyeth a seate in Gods tabernacle carrieth ever in his recognizance within his brest this embleme doe no euill to thy neighbour Wherefore not only in contracts wherein the faults of whatsoever is to be sold ought to be opened and unlesse the seller albeit hee hath resigned over his right to the buyer shall make knowne they are all voide by the action de dolo malo but also in all dealing of what kind soever betweene man and man no deceipt but sincerity with simplicity and the naked truth ought to be shewed This old forme de dolo which is not so much the forme d The sentence of the Scripture and of the Civill law doe accord in the matter de dolo of the Civilians as the very sentence of the Patriarch doth the divine Scripture evidently expresse in the booke of Ioshuah For when a fame was spread abroad among the people of the Land the water of the red Sea and of Iordan to have beene dried up to give passage to the Israelites a fountaine to have flowed out of a rocke
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
unreconciliable opposition betweene S. Ambrose and Symmachus Who that of the popish and orthodox Church in the like In the matter of Adoration point when therein Rome is made the habitation of Revel 18.2 Divels Where was then the supreme power of the Bishop of Rome that S. Ambrose being but Bishop of Millan must step forth to suppresse Symmachus a temporall Magistrate intruding himselfe into the The Popes supremacy shaken cause of divine worship What was not there authority given him being the successor of S. Peter to whom our Saviour committed the kingdome of heaven to pull downe such an evill member Liberius and Damasus how sate they in their cathedra how proceeded they in their sentence doth not this their defect weaken their supremacy Did the letters written to Liberius beare any bigger style then Socrates Schol. l. 4. C. 11. and his againe to them our welbeloved brethren and fellow B. To our brother and fellow-minister Not only S. Ambrose but S. Hierom S. Augustine and Athanasius were about that time men of much more esteeme more learned such whose judgements in causes of controversie were better accepted and more generally received of the Church of God But it being enough for me tanquam canis ad Nilum thus to touch I will rake no deeper into this kennell whereby I might move a worse sent but will turne me away to Philosophies originall That part therefore which is morall was not the invention of Aristotle Plato Socrates or of any other of the learned among the Gentiles but is of as great antiquity as the world it selfe and began with man in Paradise at his creation It was indeed defaced in the fall but not utterly Rom. 2.15 This discourse is pertinent shewing what vertue is and to what end it is to bee acquired abolished For certaine sparkes of that goodly light lay still raked up in the cinders by which man might bee able to discerne betweene right and wrong things honest and dishonest and performe the common offices of his maine life Faith it selfe the Mistres of manners and Mother of good workes cannot possibly so subsist as 2 Pet 1.5.10.11 barren of all vertues It is a faire and fruitfull speech of his who affirmeth Aug. in Epist ad Macedon no other vertue to bee found in this life then to love what is to bee loved which to love is wisdome from which by no troubles to bee averted is fortitude by no allurements temperance by no insolency justice Vertue pertaineth to the second table neither is that principall supernaturall divinely infused theologicall habite such as are faith hope and love but that lesse principall comming under the most complete division of the T it 2.12 Observandum quà m miro compendio vitam mores Christianos complexus sit Paulus Heming Apostle That according to his heavenly instruction we study and strive to live righteously toward men soberly in respect of our selves and of the all-seeing God godly or in godly 1 Pet. 1.15 conversation which is ever accompanied with truth and reverence assiduity Luk. 1.5.7 constancie in Gods service Wherein there is no question to be made but that hee comprehendeth all the foure It is warrantable from this place Tit. 2.12 and that of Saint Iames C. 1.17 that these Cardinals proceed from the H Sp cōming into the Ethnick namely through the spirit of illumination and restraint unto the true beleever through the spirit of sanctification Cardinals with whatsoever their branches together with the three Theologicall That which is inferred here of Vertue either generally or particularly of any of its parts as of a good worke is that it is necessarily to be exercised and that by the obligation of divine mandate for obedience sake to God not as meritorious Who knoweth not that the obedience of a son to his parents is a thing necessarie for it is part of the honour he oweth to them is it therefore a matter of desert and merit Vertuous workes make a way Bona opera sunt via regni non causa regnandi Bern. to our salvation that is conditionally Vt conditio sine qua non est aeterna vita non ut causa propter quam because without them there can be no true Gal. 5.6 faith nor life Rom. 8.3 eternall but not as the Rom. 6.23 cause for which wee obtaine the same for that is a gratuitall and Deus initiorum fidei incrementi largitor est Amb. de vocat Gent. l. 2. C. 1. free gift in Iesus Christ our Lord Which in the purpose of the Apostle implyeth by his sole grace and his only efficacy of merit Abrahams justification by workes was seene in the fruites and effects of his faith as in shewing his Iam. 2.21 obedience in offering up his sonne Isaac upon the altar Thus proceeds S. Iames his disputation that it admits not faith to bee solitary but S. Paul strikes at the roote admitting no other foundation of our justification but Rom. 4.3 faith only Both agree in this that where it is not a dead but a lively faith there it is evermore accompanied with no colourable and counterfeit shewes and shadowes but with most Rom. 8.1 savoury and sweet 5.1 consequences in substance and truth Faith it selfe as a Worke doth not justifie but as an instrument John 6.29 Tribuitur opus salutis fidei salutem miseris magis concilianti quà m operanti Muss and againe Fides Dei nostri opus est Dei sicut scriptura paedagogi nostrum sicut pueri cujus manus à poedagogo ducitur When salvation is ascribed to faith Mar. 5.34 Math. 9.29 as our Worke the Scripture teacheth that this is the Worke of God in us imparting to every one his portion Rom. 12.3 Eph. 2 8. Ye are saved through Faith by grace it is not of your selves it is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast Hereunto accordeth the exposition of two of the chiefe of the Fathers fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terra hoc est sicut in eis qui jam crediderunt tanquam coelum sunt in eis qui non credunt ob hoc adhuc terra sunt Cyprian Wherein he sheweth that it proceedeth from the will of God that any beleeve Augustine accords with him Trahi à patre ad Christum nihil aliud est quà m donum accipere à patre quo credat in Christum August l. 1. de Praedest C 8o. applying to the beleeving soule the merits of Christ The Ethnick hath no acquaintance and the Papist very little with this save only by way of contradiction as Bellarmine affirming contrary to the Rom 10.10 Apostle the braine Following Aristot Eth. lib. 1. C. 13. and understanding only to be the subject and that carbonarie of Hosius the Cardinall teaching a confused assent to the Churches voyce which what it may bee in speciall need not to be sought Howbeit this may seeme to crosse their tenet ex opere operato for this and other
holy Workes and disable them from meriting much more then if they would yeeld them a seate in the heart For this is a great weakening of the cause to say that the renewment of the heart and affections doth nothing conduce thereunto But though it bee not for merit sake that wee commend well doing yet surely manifold is the utilitie that commeth from the practise of a vertuous life For God is thereby 1 Pet. 2.12 Math. 5.16 glorified our selves assured of our 2 Pet. 1.10 election and confirmed in our Hebr. 6.10 19. hope 2 Tim. 1.6 piety stirred up others moved by our example to an holy conversation the needy refreshed by our compassion Well pleasing therefore is it to men and approved of God Approved of God because the fruit of his spirit and flowing from the truth of faith which hee evermore much respecteth Hence ariseth its so ample Math. 5.12.42 10.25.34 remuneration in the life to come and in this life Deut. 5.32 11.9 length of dayes food in the time of Psal 14.7 famine want of no 119.165 112 good thing Es 37.36 protection from enemies preservation in Psal 119. 121.7 dangers deliverance from the Num. 14.13 insultation of adversaries the comfort of Gods Josh 3.10 presence The practise of vertue in the Gentile whose person the Lord accepteth not because hee remaining in infidelity and unconverted aimeth not at the honour of God nor whatsoever performance of his truth seeketh not an heart freed from the guilt of sinne nor a conscience sprinckled with the bloud of Christ and undefiled is such as is undoubtedly Eph. 2.12 4.18 estranged from the life of God without expectation of a better life destitute of all promise of a Sauiour to bring him to it The want of faith only cuts them off for any true reputation thereby for any acceptation at the hands of God For without it it is Heb. 11.5 impossible to please him Did they come unto him without that armour though otherwise they might seeme well furnished they should be in no good course to reape any reward and not seeking after him at all but after their vanities of idols seeing nothing dexterously into his wayes what reliefe may they looke to receive from him The Iesuits approving implicite faith and denying the appropriating of it denying the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full perswasion and sure conscience of reward as necessary to salvation against the truth of the Rom. 8.31 Eph. 3.12 Col. 2.2 Scriptures must needs ruinate their building For their ground-worke thus faileth that is to say as built upon the sandie foundation especially being under supposall and conjecture and no more of whatsoever their good Workes which they challenge of right to bee regarded and by due debt and desert to bee rewarded at the hands of God This end of vertuous actions to purchase heaven as their owne and of the heathens to gain immortall fame by them are both in opposition to the ends thereof proposed in the booke of God Where our Saviours doctrine is when wee have done all that wee can wee have done but our duty and that wee are notwithstanding Luk. 17.10 unprofitable servants who is to be followed therein as an infallible guide as doth Basil upon Psal 114 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basill the great shewing what in her prime was the judgement of the Greeke Church everlasting rest proposed to them that shall lead their lives according to the law of God not as if a debt were due unto them from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vertue of their workes but bestowed upon them that beleeve in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 favour of God the great giver The Heathens in their apprehension goe thus farre that men are borne partly for their countrey partly for their parents and friends and some have added this also that partly for the service of God and therefore fot the benefit of these chiefly for their countrey and friends they have adventured their lives thereby to attaine immortall fame but christian philosophie binds to this that all be done for the honour of God making his praise the only marke at the which we must that professe the same aime at in all our affaires and what is to bee done for man or nation is to bee performed subordinatly and so that it may not diminish his glory and so that it must bee solely for his names sake That which is intellectuall residing in contemplation as prudence saith the Arist Ethico l. 2. c. 1. Ethnick is procured by learning that which resteth in manners and practise by exercise and custome which is vntrue For shall wee say that he makes no perfect enumeration of efficient causes or may we better maintaine that hee faileth in the true cause For is not God howsoever Cicero and Seneca imagine it to be derived from our selves the fountaine of Iames. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdome it is not therefore styled the wisdome of the 1 Cor. 12.8 Rom. 8.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit did not 1 Kings 3.9 2 Chr p 1.10 Charmah of Chacam sapere Salomon aske it of God Is not courage and Psal 48.29 147.7 1 Sam. 11.6 fortitude from him Doth not the Apostle number Gal. 5 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperancy among the fruits of the holy Ghost Doth not Psal 72.1 Dan. 9.7 Ier. 9.24 justice proceed from him Is hee not the author and finisher of every good worke according to Eph. 2.9 Phil. 2.13 1. Saint Paul throughout his Epistles Is it not our Saviours Iohn 15.5 doctrine that without him we can doe nothing Tit. 2.14 Heb. 13.21 Which clearely convinceth the Pelagian affirming that by our pure Naturals we may fulfill the law of God and the Semipelagian that in our conversion our free-will parteth stakes with Gods grace the Schoolemen likewise workes of congruity to deserve grace free-will to cooperate with it contrary to the Scripure his mercy shall Psal 59 10. prevent me and his mercy shall Psal 23.8 follow me Nolentem Aug. Enchir. ad Laur. C. 32. praevenit ut velit volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit hee prevents the unwilling to make him willing he followes the willing lest hee should be willing in vaine And a little before expounding that of the Rom. 9.16 Apostle it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Why so but that the Nisi ut totum Deo detur qui hominis voluntatem bonam praeparat ad iuvandam adiuvat praeparatam whole may bee given to God who both prepareth the will of man to bee holpen and helpeth being prepared Wee averre with the same Aug. l. de Gratia Lib. Arb. C. 2. author the will in our first conversion extrinsecally to be mere passive intrinsecally only to follow the Spirit of God drawing it And this accordeth with that old and publick forme of Histor Conc. Trid. l. 2. pag. 228 accord to the Transl of D. Brent
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
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
have beene young and am old yet never saw I the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging their bread For that is true tranquillity Tranquillity what and temperance of mind which is neither affected with the desire of seeking nor perplexed with the feare of wanting CHAP. XXXVI Evils of adversity to bee indured with a contented mind and sometimes also to be declined THere is also that which is called vacuity and freedome of mind from vexations which is when we be neither crushed with griefe nor puffed up with prosperity If so be that they which doe exhort some to take upon them the government of the Common-weale doe give these precepts how much more ought we which are called to the government of the Church to doe such things as may please God that the power of Christ may shine in us in a vertuous course and that so wee may bee approved souldiers to our Emperour our a Rom. 6.13 members being the weapons of righteousnesse not fleshly weapons in which sinne reigneth but the strong armour of God to the destroying of sinne Let our flesh dye that all sinne may die in it that of dead being made living there may bee a resurrection begun in us and a new birth of workes and manners These are the wages of fortitude in her fulnesse and as she is accompanied with honesty and comelinesse But because in all that we undertake wee search out not only what is honest but what is possible for otherwise peradventure wee might enterprise somewhat which we are not able to execute the Lord granteth leave in time of persecution to goe from city to city which that I may use his owne word is to flee this lest some might over-rashly stirred up with the glorious desire of martyrdome offer themselves to danger and yet through the weaknesse of the flesh and inconstancy of their mind want the strength of faith and spirituall fortitude to support he permitteth them CHAP. XXXVIII That providence is a great piller of fortitude NEither is this remisnesse to creepe in here in this sacred cause but feare of danger is a thing that must bee cast out of a Christian heart what a basenesse is it to forsake the faith for feare of a little businesse of molestation For this cause the mind is to be prepared the heart to be exercised and established before hand that it may hold out constantly in this glorious profession For then will no terrors affright no molestations breake our hearts no punishments make vs yeeld Very hardly indeed are these sustained but for that all punishments the heaviest and hardest in this our momentary race are overcome with the feare of greater hereafter therefore if thou strengthenest thy selfe with wholesome counsell hearkenest to sound and well grounded reason settest before thine eyes the dread of the great judgement to come with the torments of the doome which never shall haue end thou shalt hee able to beare with patience whatsoever shall be laid vpon thee This therefore is the part of diligence a To set before thy eyes the dread of the judgement to come if any one so arme himselfe that b To strengthen thy selfe with wholesome counsell and hearken to sound reason the part of wit if any one by the vigour of his vnderstanding be able to foresee what shall fall out heareafter place before his sight what may happen and to bee able to define what he ought to doe if it shall so happen to be able sometime to revolue and cast vp in his mind two or three things together which he coniectures may possibly either severally or joyntly fall out and to dispose of them after the nature and quality of each action for his best profit and advantage Wherefore it is the part of a strong man not to dissemble when any thing hangeth over his head but to foresee and espie out of the watch-towre of his mind and to meet within his provident cogitations to come lest he say afterward Therefore am I fallen into these extremities because I did not imagine that such things as these could come to passe Moreover vnlesse the condition of adversitie be narrowly looked into it soone seizeth vpon vs. As in warre a suddaine enemy can hardly be sustained and resisted and if he find vs vnprepared he easily oppresseth vs so evill wherof we haue had no triall nor experience invading vs will more wast and breake vs then such as we haue beene inured vnto wherefore in these two things the excellency of the mind doth appeare The one that thy mind exercised with good thoughts may with a cleane heart see what is good and honest For blessed are the cleane and c Mat. 5.8 pure in heart because they shall see God and through the light and sight of him and his truth shall iudge that only good which is honest The other that it be forestalled with no turmoiling worldly busines and againe that no fleshly lusts disquiet it which for any man to performe is is no easie taske For what is so difficult as out of the high tower of wisedome to despise riches and all other things which seeme to the most part great and of high esteeme Confirme thou thy iudgement by stable and strong reason and what thou shalt judge light and without weight contemne as vnprofitable and good for nothing If any adversity shall befall thee and that such as shall be thought grievous and bitter so regard thou it and no otherwise then as a matter incident to nature and belonging to man especially seing thou hast read Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord d Job 1.22 giveth and the Lord taketh away yet not withstanding he lost all his children and his substance And thou mayest learne of him in all extremities to carry the person of a wise and just man which is evident in that which followeth As e Vulgar translation it pleaseth the Lord so commeth it to passe blessed be the Name of the Lord and afterward when that foolish wife of his spake and bid him blesse God whatsoever befell him by way of derision hee replied g Which is as much as if had said we are before hand with God in the long fruition of manifold blessings proceeding from his meere mercy without our desert he was behind with vs in rendring what we justly merited let vs therefore beare the wrath of the Lord for we haue sinned against him Micah 1.9 Have we received good at the hands of God f Job 2.10 and shall we not receive evill CHAP. XXXVIII Fortitude ought to be at warre with all vices principally with avarice WHerefore fortitude of the minde is no meane vertue separated from the rest as waging warre with the other vertues but that which only defendeth the lustre and beauty of them all keepeth iudgement and decreeth against all vices with an inexpiable hatred and contention Invincible is it in labours
they call that onely profitable which is gainfull But our tractat is of that vtilitie which is acquired by losses that we might gaine Christ which gaine is piety with all sufficiencie Great certainly is the gaine whereby we get piety which is a rich purchase and an invaluable price with God not consisting i Not consisting of good workes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 2.14.16 but in workes of mercy of fading and vanishing but of eternall and never perishing substance in which there is no slipperie temptation no subtile and hurtfull attempt but constancy and perpetuity of divine grace subsisting Wherefore there is some vtility corporall and belonging to the body some belonging to piety For so hath the Apostle k Tim. 4.8 himselfe made his division Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable to all things But what so honest as integrity what so comely as to keepe the body immaculate and chastity inviolate and incontaminate What also is so comely as that a wife being now a widdow keepe still her faith intire to her husband departed Likewise what may be of more profit of more benefit then this when hereby the Kingdome of God is much rather attained For there be some which haue made them chast l Mat. 19.12 for the kingdome of heavens sake CHAP. VII Vtility cheifly to be measured by faith and love and equity The examples of Moses and David whieh were therefore greatly beloved of the people because for their sakes they did oftentimes willingly cast themselues into daungers brought in for confirmation THere is therefore not only fellowship of honesty Est igitur non folùm familiare contubernium honestatis et vtilitatis sed eadem quoque vtilitas quae honestas and vtility as it were together in one tent or family but they are both evermore in being and subsisting the selfe same And for that cause he who would open the kingdome of heaven to all did not seek what was profitable for himselfe but what was profitable for all men Therefore wee must likewise derive a certaine order and degree from things vsuall and common to those that are most eminent and of excellent note that out of more specialties we may the better collect what is the progresse and proceeding of this one of vtility And first we shall know that there is nothing so profitable as to be loved nothing so vnprofitable as not to be loved For to be hated I hold to bee a deadly and capitall euill and much worse then death it selfe Wherefore let vs doe this that we seeke with all sedulity to maintaine our credite and good opinion and first that vpon the meeknes of our disposition and gentlenesse of mind we wisely wind our selues into the affections of men For goodnesse is popular and acceptable to all and there is nothing that doth more easily slippe and in a pious manner more readily insinuato it selfe into humane senses This if it be holpen with mansuetude of manners facilitie of mind moderation of commands affabilitie of speech with the due weight of words and a patient commutation of them where there seemeth any harshnesse together with the grace of modesty interposed it is incredible how much it advantageth to the accumulating of love For wee read not only in private persons but also in Kings themselues how much the facility of faire affability hath profited and the pride and swelling tumor of boisterous words hath hindred yea hath demolished their kingdomes themselves dissolved and dissipated vtterly their whole power and regall authority Now if any one by his counsell by his necessarie vse and service by his officious yet faithfull performance of needfull duties get popular grace if any one make offer to vndergoe daunger in his owne person for all the peoples good there is no doubt to be made of it but that such loue will bee rendred him backe againe at their hands that they will preferre his welfare and credite before their owne How many contumelies a Exod. 15.24 16.23 17.2 cast vpon him by the people did Moses swallow that no man els would have brooked Exod. 32.32 and when the Lord would have avenged his wrongs vpon the insolent how was he ready to expose his owne person to the revenging hand of the Almighty to with-draw his c Num. 12.3.13 indignation from them In what mildnes of speech did hee call vpon the people and how earnestly d Deut. 5.1.2 6.2.18.25 did he solicite and supplicate the Lord for them after injuries received in what kind sort did he comfort them in their labours appease them consulting the oracles of God and cheere them vp in their affaires * And whereas he continually spake with God yet did hee speake to men with a lowly and acceptable voyce He was worthily esteemed a man above the ordinarie ranke and of rare indowment iustly reported to be such a one the beauty of whose countenance for the exceeding glory therof could not e Num. 11.11 14.5.13.19 16.22 20.3.6 21.7 Deut. 9.18 be beheld g Exod. 34.30 Deut. 34.6 2 Sam. 13.14 1 Sam. 15.28 1 Kings 14.8.15.5 and whose sepulture could nowher as exempted from the common destiny of mortall race be f Exod. 14.13.15 Num. 15.34 Levit. 24.12 found for that hee had so won the hearts of the people so tied them to him that they loved him more for his meekenes then admired him for his acts What shall we say of his imitator and emulator holy David selected out of the whole nation in a special choise of him that could best choose as a cheifetaine to goe in and out before the people how humble in spirit carefull in heart to manage affaires easie to be intreated mild kind and amiable in his carriage was he rightly reputed Before his advancement to the kingdome he often in the most dangerous h 1 Sam. 17.37 18.27 27.8.9 30.17 attempts adventured his person holding the scepter he made himselfe equall in his warres to them of i 2 Sam. 21.15 the lowest ranke and though more skillfull and valiant at armes then any of his followers yet was contented to impart with them in the service of the field as his companions k 2 Sam. 18.2 in his governement in the time of peace he was not rigorous but courteous and compassionate patient in l 1 Chron. 21.17 reproach more prompt to m 2 Sam. 16.10.13 19.23 beare then to repay injuries Therefore so deare was he to all that being a young man and n Psal 89.20 I have found David my servant 1 Sam. 16.11 Send and fetch him vaebi Ehu of bo rendred by Ar. Mont. venire fecit eum v. 12. 2 Sam. 7.8 I tooke thee Psal 78.71 brought he him unwilling was much desired for the kingdome and when it was pressed upon him was against it that being old was dealt withall by his people to be present thereat no
41. 42. which is the vnwelcomest guest that can come to a kingdome and the Lords sore arrow of indignation for the abuse of plenty fast Daniel from a child of the captivity being preferred to bee a president over the whole counsell of the King of Babilon by his wholesome advice amended c Dan. 6.4 2.48.49 and much bettered the present state of things and pointing at the d Chron. 3. 4. 5. evils to come sought to prevent them When hee had by his often and much opening of things doubtful and difficult shewed himselfe a true interpreter afterward in whatsoever hard matter brought before him in whatsoever high and hidden cause he was called vpon for counsell that he spake and determined was accepted What shall I speake of Moses whose counsell all Israel did daily wait for and attend whose life brought reputation to his wisedome and did increase his further admiration Who would not commit himselfe to his iudgement to whose e Exod. 18.19 Num. 11.16 determination the rest of the elders did reserue whatsoever controversies were aboue their strength and capacity Who would refuse the counsell of Daniel of whom God himselfe hath said who is wiser then Daniel Or how could any one doubt of the minds of them vpon whom God bestowed so much grace Israels victory followed vpon Moses f Or as Exod. 17.11 Vpon coÌ„mencing his humble and watchfull suite so much doth the prayer of the righteous prevaile for a kingdome counsell for at his supplication waters g Ibid 17.4.6 were given out of the rocke at his powerfull h Moysi meritis de caelo effluebat alimonia intercession quailes and Manna were sent from heaven Daniels pure mind and i Ibid. 16.4 meeknesse mitigated the barbarous manners of the heathenish Babilonians and the cruelty of the fierce lions themselves How great was his temperance How great the continency of his mind and body Neither without iust cause was he made a mirror to all men k Dan. 6. Ibid. 1.8 when having the countenance of so many mighty Monarches which men are much amazed at he rated gold and honour as counters and feathers l Chap. 5.17 as flattering baites and bumbast and no better in comparison of fidelity and trustinesse he crouched not with bowed and bended knee to gain fondly the favour of great ones but chose rather to come into danger for the maintenance of the law of God I must run backe againe though his name was first specified vpon Iosephs m Gen. 29.8.10 chastity and justice neither passe it over being a principall peice of piety and to the purpose of this part who threw off allurements rejected all rewards whose chastity overcame immodesty whose feare n Ver. 9. of God chased away the feare of death whose pure and vndefiled mind whose vndaunted courage and resolution to retaine the same inviolable for ever made choise of the bodies o Ver. 20. imprisonment rather then that out of prison his soule should be held vnder the chaines of the anguish and torture which is as the horror of hell it selfe of a guilty and distressed conscience would any one iudge or him otherwise then the fittest man to be consulted withall whose fruitfull vnderstanding p Cuius ferax animus mens fertilis temporum sterilitatem quodam consiliorum et cordis vbere faecundavit and mind abounding with the foreknowledge of things out of a certaine rich brest of the counsels of the heart made the barrennesse of the times plentifull CHAP. XII That wicked men though they seeme wise ought to be avoided in matter of counsel WHerefore we doe obserue that in acquiring counsell honesty of life the prerogative of vertue the vse of goodwill the grace of frugality doth much availe For who looketh for a fountaine of pure water in a pond of mud who fetcheth water to drinke out of a troubled spring Therefore where luxurie is where intemperance where confusion of vices who of any judgement will thinke that any thing that ought or any good thing that can bee drawen out from thence Who despiseth not the puddle and the draught of evill manners who is so vnwise to iudge him good for another whom he findeth vnprofitable for himselfe who avoideth not a wicked malevolent contumelious person and ever ready to doe mischeife who declines him not with his whole endevour But who would sue to a man though never so skillfull to assist with counsell if he be one so hard to haue accesse vnto with whom it is as if one should shut up the mouth of the river For what is it to have wisedome in thy selfe if thou deny counsell to thy brother If thou doest debarre leaue to consult with thee then hast thou shut up the fountaine that it may not flow in to doe others good nor profit thy selfe But a Pulchrè autemet de illo convenit qui habens prudentiam commaculat eam vitiorum sordibus eo quòd aquae exitum contaminet this in like manner doth well meete with him who having wisedome defiles it therefore with the filth of sinne because b Mat. 15.18.19 12.35 he corrupts the outlet of the water The life argueth degenerate mindes For how canst thou iudge him superiour in counsell whom thou seest inferiour in manners he ought to be aboue me to whom I shall be ready to commit my selfe Shall I thinke him fit to giue me which cannot giue himselfe counsell shall I beleeue that he hath leasure to pleasure me that hath no leasure to doe good to himselfe but hath his mind carried away wih pleasure bound vp vnder lust overwhelmed with covetousnesse turmoiled with vaine desires shaken in peices with feare how can there be place here to counsell where there is no place to peace and tranquillity there I doe admire and reverence that c Moses Act 7.20 or Samuel 1 Sam. 1.10 counsellour whom the Lord in his mercy gave to the fathers and being d Moses Num. 20.12 Deut. 3.26 offended tooke him e Samuel 1 Sam. 1.10 â—9 chap. 12.3 away He which will vndertake to give good counsell let him imitate him and keepe his wisedome free from the taunt of vice because no pollution doth enter where prudence doth harbour CHAP. XIII That prudence ought not to vendicate it selfe to vitious men as being such as hath no fellowship with vices WHo Quis igitur tantam vultu speciem proe se ferat pulchritudinis et belluinis posterioribus ac ferinis vnguibus forma superioris de honestet gratiam cum tam admirabilis c. therefore is hee that doth carry a great shew of beauty in his countenance and with his beastly lower parts and savage clawes doth dishonest the grace of his vpper shape especially since according to the order of scripture the forme of all vertues is so specious and excellent as nothing more and cheifly of wisedome For wisedome is
be desired to be required in faithfull friendship amiable and gracefull evermore is it wheresoever it resideth Sit neque quisquam detestabilior quam qui amicitiam laeserit things whatsoever I have heard of my father I have made knowne to you Wherefore whosoever is a true friend concealeth nothing but revealeth all poureth out his whole mind even as the Lord Iesus did effuse out of his sacred brest in all plenitude the high and hidden mysteries of his heavenly Father Therefore hee which doth the commandement of God is his friend and under this honourable name is received of him into his familie To be a friend is to be of the same mind with him to whom thou professest friendship because there is alwayes unity of mind in true and constant lovers which in one word is called Vnanimity Let nothing be more disasterous then the detestable instrument which cuts the cord that binds together in one the mindes of two And it is worthy the observation that where this breach is made it growes from p The antithesis hereunto is benè mutuis fidum pectus amoribus Horat. Carm. lib. 2. od 12. Vnde in proditore Dominus hoc gravissimum invenit quo ejus condemnaret perfidiam quòd gratiae vicem non repraesent ârit convivijs amicitiae venenum miscuerit This had beene grosse and course glosing at the ordinary feast of the Passeover but the Lambe in presentation being there now in person it was too too palpable and pestilent ungratefulnesse Hence was it that the Lord found nothing so heinous in the traitour whereby to condemne him of perfidiousnesse as for that he received from him no intercourse of love but a mixture of poison with the feasts of friendship no hearty affection for effects of greatest consequence no pious duty for manifold deserts of highest moment but an hard and unheard-of measure of treacherie for trustinesse of virulent malitiousnesse for the white and pure milke of innocency Not without speciall cause therefore in the mouth of the Prophet lively shadowing in his Achitophel this requitall is hee thus Checked But thou O man of q Psal 55.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. one mind with me in religion and going together into the house of God as friends chiefe in my counsell and alwayes partaking the daintiest dishes of my secrets That is to say it cannot be indured that thou being an unanimous and bosome friend shouldest beare a viperous appetite to hurt him who hath heaped upon thee so much grace Surely if an adversary had done mee this mischiefe I could have borne it patiently if it had proceeded from a professed enemy I could have hid my selfe An enemy may be but a friend lurking secretly may not be prevented Wee take heed of him to whom wee commit not our counsels but of him to whom we commit them wee cannot beware Wherefore that so hee might aggravate the envy of the sinne he said not thou art my servant thou art mine Apostle but thou art mine in one mind mine affianced friend That is thou art not a betraier of me but of thy selfe because where is unanimity wee two being thereby made one thou thrustest in enmity and so destroyest as well thy selfe as mee The Lord himselfe when hee was displeased with those three r This seemes to be of as uncertaine truth as that of the three wise men of the East neither doth this allegation howbeit a received opinion make it certaine the tables at Collen of the three Kings of the East doe not warrant that For Dionysius Carthus de Epiph. Dom. Who was both able and willing to say much for it yet marke how doubtfully he speakes Quidam dicunt quod Magi isti regnaverunt in Arabia minori veruntamen veriùs dicitur quòd fuerunt de Perside sic Chrysostomus super Math. fuerunt viri orientales de Perside dicti Magi id est Sapientes In like manner concerning this The three friends of Iob to be Kings there is no sure ground for it Amici Iob quem quasi regem circumstante exercitu venerari seliti sunt in sterquilinio sedentem deridebant Rupertus de operibus Spiritus Sancti l. 2 C. 10. he saith not that they were Kings bus that they worshipped Iob as a King Where should they be kings the same Author denies Iob to descend of Esau of whose stemme were kings and saith that he came of Nahor Abrahams brothers sonne Hus Helui the fourth man to come ot Buz another sonne of Nahor upon Gen. C. 2.22 of whom proceeded no king at all Kings because they rendred not to holy Iob his deserved ſ Iob 42.7 honour chose rather upon their submission to steale them a Commission of remission at his supplication as their t Howsoever in their prime purpose those three were his friends also yet accidentally and upon the point of misprision back-friends friend then at their owne that so the u Iob 42.8 indulgence for their sinnes being pronounced by his mouth might be the suffrage of the reconcilement of their friendship The voice therefore of his x Ibid. praier not y Mal. 1.7 because polluted but his person ibid. v. 9. c. Gen. 4.4 and his priesthood as Melchisedechs Gen. 14.18 being a type of the Messias mediatorship their owne z Itaque rogavit Iob Dominus ignovit Their atonement must first be made with Iob whom they had offended then would the Lord have respect to their sacrifice which also must bee tendred to the Lord by him sanctified by his supplication For so and not otherwise would the Lord pardon them Math. 5.24 was accepted Their owne insolency stood as a barre against them his friendship regained must bee as a doore to give them entrance to the throne of mercy FINIS The Epilogue being a summarie catalogue to his Sons which is so compendious that except he should have said nothing hee could not have said lesse so complete as nothing more could have bin in many lines delivered THese things have J recommended to you my Sonnes that yee might have them in perpetuall memorie and imitation which whether they may bee for your profit experience shall prove In the meane time they will bring you all kind of presidents in much plenty For well-neare all the examples of the ancients in sacred Scripture very many also of their divine sayings are comprehended in these three bookes so that although the speech bee not of that grace and excellency may be expected yet the antiquity of things laid downe in the holy Bible briefly expressed and pregnantly applied therein to every severall point may yeeld you being carefully observed no small instruction An admonition to the Reader THE difficultie of this taske of translation Christian Reader is not well knowne to any but to such as haue throughly tasted of it by experience The translation of the fathers is rare and such as hath seldome beene vndertaken and least of all of
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
this filthy error worship of Ceremonies For no man can deceive God before whose eyes all things yea the very deepest secrets of the heart lie i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4 13. open and naked Wherefore most Christian Emperour seeing faith to the true God ought to be tendred seeing for the preservation of the same faith care caution and devotion ought to accrew I much admire how it commeth to passe that some there are which conceive hope to themselves that it cannot otherwise bee but that you must repaire againe and reedifie by your mandate the altars of the Gods of the Gentiles and withall yeeld allowance for the use and maintenance of the prophane sacrifices For their hope is that you will not seeme to cast the burthen thereof upon them but rather bestow what of late hath â—eene reserved either for your Exchequer or coffer as of your owne proper cost on that behoofe And see what complaint they make of their damages susteined by us who never ceased to spill our bloud who spared not to spoile the edifices themselves of our Churches They petition likewise your Highnesse for the granting to them their priviledges being such themselves as have denied us the common use of speaking and teaching by that their last law in the time of Iulian the granting and renewing I say of those very priviledges of theirs whereby the k Iulian made a law that the Christians should not be trained up in prophane literature Socra Schol. l. 3. c. 10. Such inhibition is against the holy coÌ„mandement where willed to hold that is good 1 Thessal 5.21 Col. 2.8 to beware lest any circumvent through philosophie and vaine deceipt which we shall not be able to doe unlesse wee possesse the armour of the enemy Socrat. Schol. l. 3. c. 14. where the use of humane learning is worthily pressed Christians insnared through their craftie practises against them were often deceived For they sought to intangle by those priviledges some unadvisedly some for that they avoyded the trouble of publike necessities many because all under triall are not found strong few excepted because the most part were weake and made relapse and that under the regiment of Christian Princes themselves And were not those now abolished I might confirme by manifold arguments that under your government they ought in right to be removed But whereas by the greater number of the former Princes throughout their dominions being Lords almost of the whole world have beene inhibited and interdicted but repealed and quite abrogated and that for the cause of true religion by your clemencyes brother Gratian of famous memory his rescripts given at Rome neither destroy you I beseech you his statutes for the defence thereof faithfully enacted nor pull you in peeces your brothers royall precepts already divulged In civill affaires if ought bee established no man thinkes it just to violate it shall then a Precept concerning Religion be trampled under foot Let no man creeping into your bosome and insinuating himselfe by his sophistrie beguile your tender yeares Or else be hee a Gentile that labours for it he ought not to intangle your mind in the snares and wrap you in the bonds of his superstition but when hee himselfe under so great a zeale of truth is drawne to defend Vanitie ought out of his owne desire teach and admonish you in such sort whereby as a duty belonging to your princely estate you might addict yourselfe to the study of the true faith Something to be ascribed to the l Our Author clearely setteth downe his judgement concerning the merits of the Saints Lib. 2. Cap. 2. de Vocat Gentium in these words Quod ad ipsam cognitionem Veritatis perceptionem salutis non quisquam suis meritis sed ope opere divinae gratiae perveniat That no man comes to the knowledge of the truth and reaping of salvation by his owne merits but by the ayde and worke of divine grace which he proveth out of 1 Cor. 3.8 12.11 and whereas the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.8 every one shall receive his reward according to his owne labour he answereth it thus Datur ergo unicuique sine merito It is given to every one without desert whereby he may goe forward to desert and it is given before any labour that every one may receive his reward according to his labour which appeares in the distribution of the talents Math. 25.15 they were divided according to the proper and naturall possibilitie of the partakers thereof not according to their proper merit The bestower foresaw the modell of the capacity of every of these and an unlike number of talents was delivered to each of them not as a remuneration of their merit but as matter for them to worke upon and if Erasmus exception against this work be not unjust because of the diversitie of the style in his opinion take what he hath upon Psal 119.10 where hee first proveth that workes must bee voluntarie from 1 Cor. 9.17 and then when so quòd quisquis fecerit legis judicia remuneratione donatur à Christo Donum is that quod nulla juris necessitate sed sponte praestatur id est a donation is that which is freely given Hereunto accord St. Austins descant upon our merits quisquis tibi speaking to God in his confessions enumerat vera merita sua quid tibi enumerat nisi munera tua and St. Bernards Serm. 54. sufficitad meritum scire quòd non sufficiant merita deedes of famous men I doe perswade my selfe but God to have the preeminencie therein it is out of question In a consultation of Warre the sentence and advise of men therein exercised ought to be expected but when the cause of religion is in hand the mind of the Lord is to bee thought upon Injurie is done to no man when the omnipotent God is put in the first place In his power it is to give sentence Yea according to the matter of your government inforce not the unwilling to such service as he likes not take not to your selfe O noble Emperour any further liberty so shall every one patiently beare what is not extorted by his Emperour when on the other side it would bee grievously taken should there bee a desire in his Highnesse to extort and wring any way from him The affection of privation and betraying his cause is wont to be distastfull to the Gentile himselfe For every one ought stedfastly to defend to the uttermost of his power to preserve the faithfull purpose of his heart If any though in name Christians thinke the decreeing of such a matter to be good let not that gay cloake under a bare and vaine title dazle your eyes and draw you into deceit Whosoever perswades this whosoever determines this sacrifices Howbeit the sacrificing of one is more tolerable then the running of all into that sinne This whole Christian Senate is in danger If at this day some Gentile Emperour should set up
Christian Princes at the Ceremonies of the Gentiles which is answered by St. Ambrose in the conclusion of the insuing Epistle them not If the Religion of the ancient make not an example let the connivency of their successors make it good Who among the Barbarians is so free from ambition a See what advantage is taken because not utterly removed but that he requires the erecting of the altar of Victory We are wary because of the time to come and does avoyd the ostentation of such things Howbeit * Or let us honour the name though the power and deity bee denied that honour which is denied to the divine power let it at least be given to the name Your eternity oweth many things to the Goddesse f Allegation for the defence of the Goddesse Victorie which is not answered because not so important as some other points untill toward the end of the Replie Mars Bellona and Victoria were called Dij communes Victory and shall yet owe more Let them bee against this power to whom it hath brought no profit but continue ye your friendly patronage to triumphs This power tyeth every one by vow let no man denie that to be had in adoration which he professeth to be in his vow and optation If so bee that likewise there be no just avoydance of all this it is meet at least that there be forbearance from the promotions of the Court. Performe I pray you that what we received being children the same being old men we may leave to our posteritie Great is the love of custome Very deservedly was it that the deed of g Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great was singularly affected toward Gods word Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 8. cap. 14. was no partener with the enemy Maximinus in the persecution of the Church but a preserver thereof Euseb lib. 8. cap. 19. but hee is not here meant There was another Constantius who had to wife Placidia the daughter of Theodosius Magnus by whom hee had Valentinian the third of that name Emperour he was made Emperour by Honorius neither doth Symmachus meane him for hee dyed almost immediatly after his creation Socrat. Schol. lib. 7. cap. 24. But Constantius the sonne of Constantine the Great who was and dealt against the Ethnick sacrifices and for that cause was bitterly hated of such sacrificers Socrat. Schol. lib. 3. cap. 1. Though he were an Arian and an enemy to such as held the clause of one substance yet was hee likewise an enemy to Paganisme He therefore is the Prince the Relater here girdeth And whereas that seemes opposite hereunto when Ambrose in his replie reports him nondum sacris initia tum mysterijs is thus to be understood that though he were not as yet baptized yet could he not abide to see the contamination of thr Ethnick altar And concerning Baptisme he followed therein his father and was not baptized untill a little before his death Socrat. Schol. lib. 3. cap. 37. Constantius stood not long You are to avoyd all examples which in your owne knowledge were soone after removed We have a care so to eternize your name and fame that the future age may find no cause therein of any correction Where shall we sweare to your lawes and words with what religion shall a false heart be terrified that he ly not in his testimonie All places are filled with the Majestie of God neither is there any place safe to the perfidious but to affright from offending the presence of religion availeth much That Altar it is that holds all men in concord that Altar it is that makes the faith of all men agree in one neither doth any thing bring more authority to our sentences then an orderly proceeding by oath which determines all things Shall therefore the civill seate lye open to perjury and shall my famous Princes whose persons by publike sacrament remaine secure thinke this allowable But divine Constantius is reported to have done the same Let us follow that Prince rather in matters of lesse consequence If some others h This vaine speaker feareth not to gird the good Emperour Constantine the great himselfe as Rabshekeh did Ezechiah Is 36. the Athenians Paul Acts 17. had not erred before him hee had never attempted any such thing * Allegations in former page and this that legally bound to keepe the Gentile Sacraments 2. concerning Constantius 3 of Gods presence by setting up an idoll 4 of the power of the Altar and Gods of the Gentiles for their meetings For the fall of the former stayeth up him that followeth the reprehension of the antecedent example is the emendation of him that succeedeth And as for the i His father Valentinian was of a mild disposition molested not the Arrians though hee himselfe held the faith of one substance Socra Schol. lib. 4. cap. 1 nor the Ethnicks as it should seeme but took this course to reverence and advance those of his owne profession father of your Clemency it had beene pardonable if in a matter then newly set abroach hee had little regarded the breath of some envious persons Is it fit that wee should make the same defence for our selves and shunning the envy of men imitate him in that which is disallowed Let your eternity take rather the deeds of the same Prince which you may more worthily draw into use Hee tooke away nothing from the priviledges of the holy Virgins hee filled the priesthoods with nobles he denied not expences to the Roman ceremonies and through all the passages of the eternall Citie he followed the joyfull Senate he saw with a pleasing countenance the places of the images hee read the titles of their Gods set on high demanded the originall of their Temples admired the founders of such monuments And whereas himselfe followed other religions these hee reserved for the Empire For every one hath his owne custome every one hath his owne rites The divine * Id est God the first mover as Aristotle the first beginning as Plato teacheth of all goodnesse mind bestoweth k Dij patrij sive tutelares upon the cities divers keepers divers kindes of worship As soules to children in the wombe so the fatall l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meander Quique suos patitus manes Virg. Genij good or bad Angells are assigned to the people of the world as their gardians To m Allegation of Vtility and prosperity this may we adde utility and profit which above all things tyes the Gods and men together For since the causes and reasons of things are obscure whence shall we suppose the knowledge of God was most commended to us but by the records and monuments of prosperity Now if antiquitie brings n Pagans are wont to alledge antiquity in defence of their superstition It was so with Romanus the Martyr by Galerius his captaine which made him make an apologie for the eternitie of Christ Foxes Monum 125. authority
blazoned armes your honourable Eagles the ensignes of Rome the friendly vertues to make effectuall prayers for all men and not to have the immunity of the lawes with all men Therefore the condition of bondage bestowed upon Vassals is much better 3. Branch of the generall division The Common-weale is hurt by the prophanation of what is hallowed But by this ingratitude wee hurt the Weale publick which hath never found it expedient for her to be unthankfull yet here let no man suppose that I undertake only the patronage of the cause of Religions All the discommodities and damages of the Roman Progenie proceed from the disastrous g Such accusations of the Ethnicks are frequently to bee found in the writings of the Fathers and histories of the Church Whereunto Tertul. in his Apologie contra Scap. pag. 81. and Cyprian contra Demetr replie that in truth the shedding of the innocent bloud of the Christians was the true cause thereof And Eusebius giveth an instance in Maximinus lib. 9. cap. 8. who sending out an arrogant Edict against them and promising to the servers of Iupiter and Mars plenty was pinched himselfe with his Pagans with an unheard of famine even to the utter perishing of many of them insomuch that had not the Christians themselves taken compassion on them they had in a manner all perished dealing The law of our parents had honoured the Vestals and ministers of the Gods with spare diet and just Priviledges The state stood intyre untill the time of the growing up of those base h Trapezitae mensarij not quaestores aerarij publick treasurers nor tribuni aerarij Martiall treasurers whose collections were laid up aede Saturni aerario sancto or aerario militari but put into the hands of some persons of inferior ranke deputed to bestow them For then in likelihood hee would not speake so broadly howbeith he toucheth before that filling the Exchequer with the spoyles of the enemies and so as may be conjectured the abuse of the Vestals portion in his opinion is by the Martiall treasurers and their bajuli bankers growne out of kind who have converted the provision of this sacred chastitie into the pay of paltrie bawling porters A publick famine followed this deed and a pinching harvest frustrated the expectation of all the Provinces This defect is not of the earth wee impute it not to the starres Neither hath blasting hurt the standing corne nor wild oates beene noysome to the good graine but plainly i Allegations against Christians as sacrilegious persons for that abuse His exclamation that plague penurie follows hereupon is a thread-bare imputation taken up from the mouth of the vulgar and ignorant and little for the credit of so rare an Orator sacriledge hath beene the bane of the fruits of this yeare For what is denied to the religions must needs be lost to all Surely if any the like examples of so strange event can be given then we attribute so great famine to the vicissitude of the revolution of times grievous scorching blast binding the wombe of the earth hath brought this barrennesse mens lives are maintained by wild and Forrest fruits the necessity of the countrey people make them flocke and flie together as of old to the k To the Dodonaean trees the oake the Beech whereof Iupiter is said to be the founder growing thicke in the forrest Dodona Symmachus imitateth Virg. lib. 1. Georg. Cum jam glandes atque arbuta sacrae Deficerent sylvae â—r Victum Dodonanegaret woods for Akornes Did the Princes ever suffer the like penurie when publike honour had a care to foster the Ministers of religions When were akornes beaten from the oakes for to feed men when were the rootes of grasse pulled up for dyet the people and sacred Virgins having their common provision supplied when did the mutuall fecunditie of the regions cease to helpe each others deserts The allowance of the Nunnes made for the commendation of the abundance of the fruits of the earth and was a remedy rather against want then any occasion of wastfulnesse Can it be doubted but that this was given ever to remaine for to bring in the plenty of all things which now the l He harpes upon the same string as before that not the Ethnick but the Christian profession cause of famine and all penurie The Jewes of old given over to idolatrie were sicke of this disease Ier. 44.17.18 To accuse the times without weighing the causes of evill is condemned of folly Eccl 7.12 penurie of all things which is the profession of the Christians hath claimed Some man will say the common charges of kingdome ought to bee denyed to the maintenance of a strange religion Let this be farre from good Princes to conceive that what of old was given to certaine by common consent should now be in the right and power of the m It appeares from hence and page 32. that the stipends of the Vestals came to the Emperours Fiscus or private coffers and to the hands of the Quaestores aerarij first and so might perhaps from them goe to the Tribuni aerarij Martial treasurers or Clerkes of the Band which did receive the souldiers pay Sig. de jure Rom. 1.2 c. 8. These this Lieutenant of the City might happily Ãronicè terme trapezitae and the common souldiers bajuli Exchequer to dispose When the Weale publick doth consist of severall persons what ariseth from it every of those hath a propriety therein Your dominion is over all but so that yee preserve in safety to every one what is his owne and that the rule of justice doe sway more with you then the libertie of your owne wills Consult truly your owne magnificence whether your bounty would permit those things to be esteemed as publike donations which yee have transferred n Allegation against the prerogative of Princes as unjust in turning over what was given by way of superstition to other better uses upon others then was intended The o Grants of Princes in writing under seale for ratifying of gifts bestowed to pious uses are termed compendia in like maÌ„ner as those with us upon reliefe for losses out of the Clemency of the King are called Breiffs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an anticipation to preoccupate their feare of envy compendies sometime imparted by certaine well affected to the honour of the City cease any longer to goe under the name of the donors and what from the originall was a benefit or gift by use and continuance is made a debt If any one therefore shall challenge your care of conscience toward the bestowers of these unlesse yee your selves shall be contended to undergoe with courage the envy of the detractors thereof hee goes about to strike a needlesse terror into your divine and undaunted spirits Let the secret aydes of all sects incline to your Clemencies and those above all who have assisted your Ancestors let them assist and guard you let them bee