Simplicianus Prosper and Hilarie Gregorie and Eutychius of Constantinople but especially Austine and S. Ierome who fought as hotly with their pennes as euer did Caesar and Pompey with their swords as one speaketh but see their challenge and combate each with other h Ierons Epist ad August â— Tres sâ—â—â—l c. Tom. 2. Faxit Deus vt veritas ipsa nostrae disputationis elucescat God grant said they that the truth by our disputation may appeare for if I be ouercome saith Ierome I shall ouercome in my brother Austine and conquer mine error wherein I was entangled for I seeke not mine owne prayse but the glorie of Christ Iesus But alas when we write like Aeschines and Demosthenes we write bitter things one against another Et nos discordes sumus sine vlla reconciliatione vt nunquam in vnum conueniamus as i Oras 2. de pace Nazianzene speaketh of such like We are so stiffe in our opinions that when we are perswaded of the truth we cannot be perswaded to confesse it For which iarres whether in matter of some doctrine or manner of our discipline if any Iesuite of Philips faction as k Not. 7. de Eâ—â—l Bellarmine doth vpbraid vs with rents and scismes among our selues I may bandie it backe againe and answer him as l Plâ—t de adâ—l amic dâ—â—corâ— Demaratu â— did Philip of Macedon who asking him tauntingly How do ye Graecians agree at Athens and Peloponnesus when himselfe was fallen out with his wife and owne sonne Indeed thou doest well quoth he Philip to enquire of our concord qui familiam tuam tanta patris seditione dissentione laborare who hast so great discord dissention at home in thine house I may answer them with m Orat. 2. de Pace Nazianzene asking in a like imputation Vbi sunt qui vulneribus sunt pleni nobis verò cicatricis exprobrant qui pedum offensiones traducunt quum ipsi pleno ruant casu qui coeno sunt obuoluti propter maculas nostras exultant qui trabem in oculis habent festucas nobis obijciunt Where are these fellowes who are full of wounds and vpbraid vs with scarres which traduce vs for slipping when themselues fall down headlong which are couered with mire and triumph at our spots which see a mote in our eyes and haue a beame in their owne And though Bellarmine boast of their vnitie that They are brethren in one religion he put in a li too much as that n Musâ— loc com de minist Rainold admonâ—t ad Typog Printer who put out a di to such made it Carnales for Cardinales Carnals for Cardinals For sith they haue Monkes Nunnes Eremites Anchorites Friars blacke white gray Augustines Benedictines Franciscans Dominicans Carthusians Capouchians Carmelites euen an hundred Orders as o â—ox tom 1. pag. 339. one counteth their catalogue which haue as many dissentions in their * Vide Mus loc com Marraâ—â—a Papisme as euer had the p Vide August lib. 18. de ciuit Dei cap. 41. heathens in their Paganisme Et quot sunt sodalitia tot sunt factiones as q Pacâ—s quaer Erasmus well obserued and so many orders so many factions so many men so many minds We may thinke the Lord hath come downe to these builders of Babel and confounded their language seeing he hath thus set euery mans sword I meane tongue and pen of these r Iud. 7. 22. Madianites vpon his brother in the hoast And I may answer the Iesuite with the Å¿ Hâ—rat lib. 2. Saâ— 3. Poet O maior tandem parcas insane minori hypocrite first cast out the beame the beame in thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clearely to cast out the mote that is in ours Wherfore seeing we all to end this like lines meet and consent in the center of religion though not all in the circumference of opinion this harmonie of minds in the matter of doctrine should breed such a consort in the manner of discipline that hencefoorth we should be all of one mind and one iudgement Rather seeing as good t Euseb lib 2. de vit Const ca â—7 Constantine that great Emperor exhorted Arius and Alexander to put away a foolish question that fired the Church so our gracious Soueraigne like a blessed peace-maker hath decided the difference of ceremonies indifferent who as he hath ioyned the wood of Iuda and the wood of Ioseph in one tree by his happie succession that they shall no more be two peoples nor diuided hencefoorth into two kingdomes as the u Ezek. 37. 19. 22. Prophet speaketh so hath he bene in these controuersies our peace and made of two one by breaking downe this partitioÌ„ wal whose pacifying wisedom in that Conference seemes to me like that counsell of Constantine There is no cause offered you to striue about the greatest commandement in the Scripture nor any new error of religion brought in but ye all hold one the same Creed of faith so that ye may easily agree in one iudgement Consider then whether it be meet that for a light and vaine strife of words brethren should contend and vnitie by our iarres who striue for such trifles shold pitifully be rent Popularia sunt ista puerili inscitia magis quà m sacerdotum prudentum hominum sapientiae congruentia These strawes rather Laickes then Clericks children then Church-men idiots then Preachers should stumble at Sith then we haue one faith x Euseb ibid. cap 68. and one iudgement of our religion and lastly one decree of the law and discipline this that hath bred so great contention seeing it concerneth no great matter of our religion there is no cause it should breed any disagreement in your minds Sirs ye are brethren why do ye wrong one to another Ioyne then hearts and hands against the common aduersarie of the truth The y Pâ—ut de soâ—â—â— animal Wolfe and the Serpent because they haue a common enemie the Eagle take truce with their mutuall enmitie and combine their force As z Luk. 23. 1â— Herod and Pilate of foes became friends when they ioyned against Christ Though these be conspirationes non amicitiae as a Lib. 3. Oâ—â—ic Tully speaketh and seeing we haue not the Eagle but the prince of the ayre for our aduersarie Ephes 2. 2. me thinkes it should vnite vs against the common foe of our faith Seeing therefore ye are sworne fellow-souldiers in one Baptisme continue knit together in one mind and one iudgement fighting together through the Gospell the rather sith after we haue fought this good fight there is laid vp for vs a crowne of victorie which is One hope of our vocation that is the riches of one glorious 7. and last â—â—nk One 〈◊〉 inheritance Ephes 1. 18. whereof we hope to be coheires We are all here in this world like the sonnes of Israell in Egypt compassed with enemies on
winne thy brother A brother offended saith Salomon is harder to winne then a strong citie and their contentions are like the bar of a pallace which cannot be broken off Wofull examples as of Iaakob and Esau Isaac and Ismaâ—l Eteocles and Polynices Charephon and Chaerecrates and many other both ciuill and spirituall brethren manifest this truth of the Wiseman The i Plut. dâ— Praâ— aâ—er heathen man yeelds a reason because great and weightie must needs be the causes which dissipate and loose so neare coniunction whence their breach becomes irreconcilable For as things saith he compact and ioyned though the glue be melted may againe be recombined and knit together but a bodily substance which nature hath vnited if it be cleft can hardly be glued together and be reioyned so amity which vse hath contracted after breach may easily be reintegrated but brethren which are most neare vnited in body or corporation if they be rent asunder can hardly be reconciled nor more recouered then an hand cut off or an eye plucked out Neuerthelesse if thou come with this peccaui and confession in thy mouth brotherly loue as a k Greg. N 〈…〉 de per. orat 2. Father resembles it is like the graâ—â—e or cience of a tree which though it be plucked off from the stocke may be afterward ingrafted and beare fruite againe Therefore when scandall is giuen sends our Sauiour the stumbling blocke to his brother with this peccaus in his mouth It repenteth me Luke 17. 4. And as the Lord would haue all offenders to be penitentiaries so his Apostle confessors to their brethren Iames 5. 16. Acknowledge your faults one to another And although Quidam insultant instantque submissis as l Lib. 3. de Na. cap. 9. Seneca speaketh some base natures insult and tread on them who lye prostrate at their feete for their fauour yet quosdam preces vincunt as he noteth good dispositions are ouercome with intreatie of forgiuenesse and like their heauenly father 1. Kin. 21. taking notice of their submission will say Seest thou how he is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will accept him Iosephs brethren who had sold him came to their brother with Forgiue now we pray thee 〈…〉 respassâ— of thy seruants and he was appeased Gen. 50. 17. Rebellious m 2. Sam. 19. 19 Shimei who cursed Dauid came to him with a prostrate confession Let not my Lord saith he impute wickednesse vnto me nor remember the thing that thy seruant did wickedly that the King shold take it to hart for thy seruant knoweth that I haue done amisse and he forgaue him Yea the vaine heathens haue suckt these iuices from the teates of nature When Antilochus in n Illad lib. 23. Homer had incensed Mâ—nâ—laus and through some contention prouoked his displeasure by submission of person and confession of offence he recouered his former fauor I will yeeld to thee Menâ—laus saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I am farre thy iunior and inferior person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou my elder and my better thou knowest the temeritie of youth and what be the faults of yong men And with these words of submission be so appeased his fury that Meâ—elaus yeelded vnto him and confessed saith the Poet that Antilochus had ouercome his rage and done that which no Grecian could haue done but he And thus euen the worst natures like the vnrighteous Iudge with importunitie may be wonne But alas how many of vs come short of Iosephs brethren nay wicked Shimei and thinke it disgrace to acknowledge our faults but either apologize them through pride or extenuate them through shame Surely they shall be our iudges and if we come short of this heathenish pagan Antilochus Nostri causa doloris erit he shall rise vp in iudgement and condemne vs at the last day How many saith o Homil 40. Austine haue offended their brethren and will not acknowledge their faults nor say Forgiue me Non crubuâ—runt peccare crubescunt rogart non crubescunt de iniquitate cruboscunt de humilitate they blush not to offend them and yet are ashamed to craue pardon they blush not at iniquitie and yet are ashamed of humilitie But I say to all men and women saith he small and great laicks and clerickes if ye shall find that ye haue spoken that which ye should not haue spoken confesse your fault aske forgiuenesse of your brethren do it be not ashamed to beg pardon But as Agamemnon in p Iliad lib. 19. Homer excusing himselfe laid all his iarre with Achilles on Ate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not the cause or author of this garboile saith he but Ate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wrongeth al men so many that are nocent and offensiue translate the crime from themselues by deniall and impute to the innocent and harmelesse worse herein then that Grecian captaine that whereas he made but Ate the euill spirit the cause of that discord they say like q 1. King 18. Ahab it is à â—e it is thou my brother that troublest Israell when it is themselues and their fathers house and thus make they their brother the kindler of that fire whereof themselues were the coale and bellowes to inflame Which men as they rather wound then winne their brethren so may such virulent 2. Vse tongues here iustly be reprooued which cruelly disdainefully and dispitefully speaking against the righteous condemne the innocent blood Dauid was pestered with the hissing of such serpents Psal 109. 1. Hold not my tong O God for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitfull is opened vpon me they haue spoken against me with a lying tongue they compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause For my friendship they were mine enemies they haue rewarded me euill for good and hatred for my good will Iob had his part of such friends r Iob. 19. 2. 3. How long will ye veâ—ce my soule and torment me with words Ye haue now ten times reproched me and are not ashamed ye are impudent toward me Å¿ chap. 16. â—â— They haue opened their mouthes vpon me and smitten me on the cheeke with reproch they gather themselues together against me t Ier. 18. 1â— Ieremie felt as much of their virulencie Come let vs imagine some deuice against Ieremy come and let vs smite him with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of his words Christ himselfe could not escape the scourge of their tongue u Iohn 7. 20. Thou hast a diuell In reprehension of which men suffer me first to set downe a description of them then a 1. their description proscription for them and lastly a prescription against them and their biâ—ing tongues Ieremy points them out by archers O that 1. by Archers I had in the wildernesse a cottage of way-faring men that I might leaue my people
a lauer also of pure water to wash it of this vncleannesse And if when thou art readie to satisfie thy lust in the heate of reuenge thou wouldest but looke her face in the next sentence of S. Paul Neither in strife and enuying if thou wert not past grace it would make strife against thy strife enuie thy enuious mind hate thine owne hatred and maligne thine owne malice Or if thou requirest a comment on that text that r Tract 5. in epi. Ioann Father doth aduise thee to reade the first Epistle of Saint Iohn wherein charitie and loue is most commaunded and in no Epistle as he speaketh more commended For though the whole Scripture be an Å¿ Greg l. 4. ep 84 Epistle from God to man to loue the one aboue all and the other as himselfe Tract 8. in caÌ„d Math. 22. yet nulla hac Epistola ardentior est ad commendandam charitatem no Epistle is there more earnest and hotter for loue as he speaketh then this of the beloued Disciple who leaned so on the breast of Christ Iesus that he seemed to sucke the â—eates of his loue In which perfect law of libertie yet must thou not looke as that foole in Saint Iames beheld his naturall face in the glasse to forget when thou art gone what manner of one thou wast but as the framers of the Iewish Cabala adde this Selah to their reader at the end of euery sentence Reputa apud te consider what thou readest so must thou therein at euery period and precept of loue remember that Selah of our Sauiour Let him that readeth consider it Mathew 24. 15. But if thou be of that gracelesse spirit that with * Sozowâ—â—â— c. 17 Iulian the Apostate thou answerest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue read vnderstood and disallow it I must answer thee as Appollinarius did him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast read it indeed but not vnderstood it for if thou hadst thou wouldst not haue disallowed to obey it yet if thou dashest this glasse against the wall for shewing thee thy spots and blemishes of the mind if through pride of the flesh and worldly reputatioÌ„ thou refuse this humilitie of the spirit and as v Numb 2â— 27 Balaam the blind Seer beat the Asse for seeing the Angell staying him from going to curse which himself did not see so thy worldly wisedom checketh this x 1. Corinâ— 1. 1â— foolishnes of preaching for shewing thee this Angell which might stay thee from reuenge yet must thou thus be y 1. Corinâ— 3. 1â— a foole that thou maist be wise seeing this foolishnesse of God condemnes those wages of vnrighteousnesse in worldly wisedome as the Asse speaking with mans voice forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet 2. Pet. 2. 16. Vincamur quò vincamus let vs here be conquered saith a z Nazian oraâ— 3. de paâ—e Father that we may ouercome seeing hîc vinci quam vincere est praestantius in this cause to loose is to winne the victorie as a Homil. â—5 iâ— Math. 1â— Chrysostome auerreth Go not forth to fight and thou hast wonne the field striue not and thou art crowned make thine aduersary admire thine inuincible patience that he may report himself without fight to be ouercome of thy long-sufferance and longanimitie And this is indeede the life of loue and soule of Christan charitie To loue of whom it is hated to honour of whom it is contemned to blesse of whoÌ„ it is cursed and to do good vnto him of whom it is persecuted wronged saith b Lib. de 〈◊〉 1. ca. 16. Austin if he be not the putatine father of that book For these are the true proprieties of loue saith Saint Paul it is patient it is courteous it seeketh not her owne it enuieth not and it is not prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And if it be patient saith â—â—b 5. super Luc. 6. Ambrose debet patientiam verberanti it must turne the other cheeke to him that smiteth Mat. 5. If it be curteous it must not render rebuke for rebuke 1. Pet. 3. 9. If it seeke not her owne it must not forbid to take the coate also Luk. 6. If it enuy not it must not hate her enemie Leuit. 19. If it be not prouoked to anger it must not be angrie without a cause Mat. 5. 22. and if it endure all things it should not resist iniurie Vers 39. Which saying if it seeme so hard to flesh bloud that she cannot heare it the Apostle sweeteneth her bitter potion with fiue comforts and counterpoisons 1. Pe. 2. For first this is thank-worthy and acceptable to God if a man endure griefe and wrong suffering wrongfully And if this hope of reward cannot induce vs let vs secondly consider that it is exacted as a dutie for hereunto are ye called to be d Rom. 8. 29. like the image of his Sonne and comformable to your head For what disproportion should this be that in the heads passion the members shold haue no coÌ„passion What analogie that the head should be crowned with thornes Mat. 27. and the members be crowned with rose-buds Wisedom 2. 8. What reason the head e Ioh 11. 33. 35. should haue that dolefull sympathie to f Rom. 12. 15. weep with them that weepe and the members that Stoicall apathie to feele no griefe and sorrow or rather that antipathie mentioned of some by g Homil. 53. ad pop Anâ—â—och Chrysostome To reioyce with him that wept and wept not with his eyes alone but with all his members tears of bloud and droppes of sweat as h Serm. 61. in Cant. Bernard speaketh And if his most pathetical crosses cannot crucifie vs with Christ which are Christians yet seeing thirdly he suffered for vs what reason but like Paul we suffer for Christ who hath left vs an ensample to follow his steppes to mount Caluarie And this so much more willingly should we i â— Pet. 3. 13. suffer with Christ because when he did no sinne neither was there found any guile in his mouth with the good k Luk 23 41. theefe we may truly confesse that we are indeed righteously here on the crosse of wrong-suffering and receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And if thou doest hope for reuenge thou must commit with Dauid thy cause vnto God the Iudge of right as Christ committed it to him that iudgeth righteously who seeing he is the auenger the auenger of Israell Psal 94. 1. he will in due time shew himselfe clearely though the wicked the wicked do long triumph though they speake disdainefully and make such proud boasting though they smite downe his people and trouble his heritage though they murther the widow and put the fatherlesse to death and say Tush the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iaakob regard it though they gather them together against the soule of the righteous condemne the
he seemes to vse his Apostles x Areâ— in 1. The. 4. 9. preterition 1. Thess 4. 9. But touching brotherly loue ye need not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of God by nature to loue one another and making no doubt of doing that and that thing verily ye do to all the brethren he onely intreateth them to abound therein But we beseech you that ye increase it more and more But alas naturall brethren haue more now then called that 2. vse reproofe into question whereof the father and God of nature made no question whose precept of this loue as it is rare so fratruâ—â— quoque gratia rara est their practise also is as rare as an heathen in his dayes could obserue For now y Lâ—beâ— de frat amor Plutarch his experience may be our schoole-master to bring vs to many who become brothers with strangers and strange with their brethren sinfull friends with aliants in gluttonie and drunkennesse and yet vnfriendly to their brethren in eating and drinking tolerate their sinnes with pleasure and delight and yet bitter to theirs count their slips intolerable yea whereas they passe away houses and lands to their harlots yet striue with their brethren for the floore of an house an angle of ground and foote of a field nay whereas they nourish and loue their angrie dogges their fierce horses their spotted beasts their toyish Apes and their cruell Lions they brooke not anger nor tolerate fiercenesse nor beare with blemishes nor pardon childishnes nor suffer haughtinesse in their brethren which though greatest they tolerate in bruite beasts and for which things alone they dearely loue them A brother indeed offended is harder to winne then a strong câ—tie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their contentions saith z Prouer. 18. 19. Salomon like the barre of a castle which cannot be decided Ruthfull examples as of Iaakob and Esau Isaac and Ismael Eteocles and Polynices Chaerephon and Chaerocrates as I noted before and dayly is notorious in domesticall experience manifest this truth to be too true The reason and cause of which irreparable breach is giuen from the a Arist l. 7. Polit Oracle of reason Because not onely not to be holpen but greatly hurt by them of whom we thinke helpe due by nature not so much dissolueth as breaketh the knot of natural affectioÌ„ For the nearer as elswhere b Lib. 8. Ethi c. 9 he noteth is the cause of coniunctioÌ„ and bond of vnitie the greater must needs be the wrong which doth dissipate it and greater the disiunction of them therefore deuided In least matters to be deceiued by a fellow and companion is most abominable saith c Orat. pro Rosc Amer. Tully because that which he thought he adioyned for an help against others helping others against him doth cut him to the quicke and breake the heart-strings of affection Caesars wound that his sonne Brutus gaue him went nearer to his heart then all the stabs of his foes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what thou also my sonne Brutus made him crie like Dauid Psal 55. If mine enemie had done me this dishonor I could haue borne it but it was euen thou my companion my guide and mine owne familiar friend And to imply his greater wrong he doth explicate their nearer vnitie We tooke sweete counsell together and walked in the house of God as friends and this cause of disiunction of vnitie from so neare coniunction of amitie he cannot let passe without imprecation to his trechery Let death come hastily vpon them and let them go downe quick into hell for wickednesse is in their dwellings and among them For as things which are ioyned saith d Lâ—b â— de frat amor Plutarch though the glue be melted may be recombined when a bodily substance rent in sunder can hardly be reioyned so loue of men after falling out may be reintegrated when brethren of one bodie seuered one from the other can with difficultie be reconciled Neuerthelesse brotherly loue as out of e De 〈◊〉 Nazianzene I noted like the graffe or cience of a tree though it be broken off from the stocke may be ingrafted againe but seeing the coales of this hatred are fiery coales and a vehement flame which no water can put out nor floods can drowne take heed of heating this Asbestos which being once incensed no water no not of teares can quench And seeing this amitie is the chiefe and head of all knit by so many sinewes and arteries of nature beware of breaking its neck bone which can so hardly be knit againe And let all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take heed how they f Iudg â—â— follow the way of Caine g 1. Iohn â— 12. who was of that wicked one and slue his brother least that woe which ouertooke him ouerturne them hauing warre in his heart he gaue good words with his mouth and spake h Ferus in Gen. â— 8. friendly to his brother Gen. 4. 8. See his hypocrisie to oportune place for his murderous intent he perswades him to walke into the field see his policie not into Paradise a place of puritie that abounded with fruite but into the field And where indeed should his brother be slaine but in the barren field saith i Lâ—b 2 de Caâ—â— Abel cap â— Ambrose where there wanted fruite Oportunitie of place fitting his purpose he rose vp and slue his brother Behold his crueltie O audacious abominable and wretched mind and whatsoeuer can be said is too little saith a k Châ—ysost 〈◊〉 19. 1. Gen. 4. Father How did not thine hand tremble at this deed how could it hold thy sword and strike a blow at thine owne bowels Thou art thy fathers eldest sonne the beginning of his weaknesse and heire of his sinnes the patriarke of murderers thou hast not a second man to quarrell with on earth beside thy father and thou wilt slay thy brother that thou maist not be a brother and kill the fourth part of all mankind with a blow But see how the Iudge of all the world arraigneth this murderer at the barre of his iustice Where is thy brother And at his conuention see his churlish answer I cannot tell am I my brothers keeper as if he had bid God go seeke him if he would any thing with him And see in what admiration of the fact he examineth the offender What hast thou done oh what hast thou done The voice though not of thy murdered brother yet of thy brothers blood yea of his bloods of his possible posteritie whom thou hast slaine in the loynes of their father Abel not onely speaketh but crieth vnto me for vengeance How long Lord holy and true doest thou not auenge our blood on him that dwelleth on the earth Yea it crieth from the earth which followeth thy murder for her sonne for her inhabitant and for her keeper and see his triple iudgement according to her three-fold accusation
fire and oft times into the water Mat. 19. 15. It was a tongue denying the faith and forswearing nature which cursed its fellow-members Mat. 26. 74. They were hands possessed with a legion of diuels which stroke their fellow-members with stones Mark 5. 5. and most vnnaturall teeth which did p Esai 9. 20. eate vp the armes and q Esai 49. 26. deuoured their owne flesh For if thus the feete of the bodie mysticall shall presume to rise against the head and each member against his fellow what is this saith r Orat. 1. de reconcil Monach. Nazianzene but the dissolution of the ioynts and destruction of the whole If the mysticall members shall thus striue each with other the reuerend bodie of Christ must needs be rent asunder and Satan by our hands shal deuide the seamelesse coate of Christ which by the cruell souldiers that crucified the head he could not effect Iohn 19. 24. Because indeed the twelue tribes of Israel according to the flesh should be deuided in themselues and rent in two parts Ahijah the Prophet tore Ieroboams garment in twelue peeces 1. Kings 11. 30. but because Israel after the spirit should not be rent in schismes 1. Cor. 3. Christ would not haue his seamelesse coate diuided as Å¿ De vnitâ—t Ecclesia Cyprian well obserueth and yet it is dolefull to see what diuision among the members of Christ in whose bodie humorists like distempering humors in the fit feuer of blind zeale runne beyond the sobriety of knowledge and the temper of Christs bodie But blessed be that Phisitian which giueth them a cup of cold water to drinke for allaying of their hot fit verily he shall not loose his reward It is ruthfull to see how when the Galatians would haue plucked out their eyes to giue t Gal 4. 15. Paul the hands of Christs bodie would plucke out the eyes to giue themselues sport as the Philistines did Sampson and our tongues of perswasion would teach the eyes to be no higher then themselues in the bodie and haue no greater lights then starres in the Church which is a u 1. Tim. 3 15. firmament of truth nor those to differ one starre from another starre in glorie We haue not wanted many a Diotrephes Qui quoniam non possunt primum locum obtinere in Ecclesia idcirco eam scindunt vel ab ea deficiunt as x Maior annâ—â— in 1. Cor. 12. 15. Beza speaketh who it seemes said by experience of some in our Church and for loue of good brethren concealeth the Church who because they could not haue the preheminence among vs to be one of the two eyes of this bodie would therfore not be of the bodie and when blazing comets could not be the Sunne or Moone would fall from heauen with the taile of the Dragon and become wandring starres as the y Iud. 13. Apostle well termes them And though as z 2. Tim 3. 8. 9. Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses these also resist the truth yet the comfort is they shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shal be euident vnto all men as theirs also was but of this more anone and meane while let them know from Saint a Ser. 2 de pace aâ—frat in erem Austine that as the spirit of man viuifieth not the corporal members vnlesse they be ioyned in vnitie so neither the spirit of God quickneth the spirituall members vnlesse they be vnited in peace and so vnited that like as those though they haue not the same office haue yet the same care one for another 1. Cor. 12. 4. 25. so these though they haue diuers giftes and operations of the spirit yet be one anothers 2. Community members in the bodie Rom. 12. 5. 6. For as the eye seeth more for other parts then for it selfe so must the wise with b Iob 29 15. Iob be the eye of wisedome in counsell to the ignorant and blind and looke not euery man on his owne things but on the things also of other men Philip. 2. 4. As the hands are not strong for themselues alone but for defence of the rest so must with c Verse 12. him the hands of helpe in the Nobles deliuer the poore the fatherlesse and him that hath no helpe As the feet sustaine not or cary themselues but the whole so must those strong men of supportance in the gentrie with d Verse 15. him be feet to the lame and support one another through loue Ephes 4. 2. As the head deuiseth not so much its owne as the good of the whole so with e Verse 16. him must the head of aduice in the Lawyers seeke out the cause for them that know it not As the eare heareth not alone for it selfe but the whole so with him must the eare of iustice in the magistrats deliuer the poore that crieth Iob 29. 12. and so as they did him the eye that seeth their iustice shall giue witnesse to magistrates the eare that heareth their wisedome shall blesse the counsell the hands that receiue their helpe shall defend the Nobles the feete that feele their sustenance shall support the gentrie that as f In Psal 130. Austine noteth though the eye see and heare not the eare heare and see not the hand worke and neither heare nor see and the foote walke and neither heare see nor worke yet the eye may say the eare heareth for me and the eare may say the eye seeth for me and either say the hand worketh for me and the hand say both see heare for me and all three confesse the foote walketh for them seeing singula seruari totius interest the safetie of one is the safegard of all as g Lib. 2. de ira cap. 31. Seneca wel obserues Thus those three thousand Christians which were members of this bodie had such care one of another that none among them lacked but had al things common which were communicable Acts 4. and each distributed to other as he had need as the naturall members haue care one for another Thus those other Christians in the Primitiue Church had a communitie of hand and heart one with another Omnia indiscreta sunt apud nos praeter vâ—cores All things said they by h Apol. aduers Gâ—mez Tertullian their mouth are common amongst vs except the mariage bed In illo loco consortium soluimus in quo solo caeteri homines consortium exercent in that place we breake company in which alone these heathen are companions This should be the mutuall care of Christs members sith the members of the body haue such care one for another that as these if one suffer all suffer with it 1. Cor. 12. 26. 3. compassion so also they suffer one with another 1. Pet. 3. 8. Which place of Saint Paul father i Tom. 10. homil 15. de mod quo noâ— inuic dilig deb tract 32. in Jâ—an in Psal 130. Austine
and striue to please men as the Apostle speakes in whose person Chrysostome homil 30 in Act. 14. lamentably complaineth Nos slosculos verborum compositioneÌ„ harmoniam curiosiùs sectamur vt canamus non vt prosimus vt I am in Eccle. ista queruntur omissaque ApostoloruÌ„ simplicitate puritate verboruÌ„ quasi ad AthenauÌ„ ad auditoriae conuenitur vt Paulus circuÌ„slantium suscitentur vt oratio Rhetoricae artu fucata mendacio quasi quaedaÌ„ meretriculae procedat in publicum non tam erudita populos quà m famoreÌ„ populi quaesitura in modum psalterij tibia dulâ—è caneÌ„tis sensus demulceat audientium ve verè illud prophetae Ezekielu nostris teÌ„poribus possint aptart dicente Domino ad cum factus es en quasi vox cithara suauè caueÌ„tis benè coÌ„posit c audiuÌ„t as noÌ„ faciunt simus in admiratione non vt doceamus vt oblectemus non vt compungamus vt plausu laudibus obtentis abeamus non vt moret componamus No nothing lesse Nec doctor verbis seruiat sed verba doctori saith d Lib. 4 de Doct. Christ cap. 28. Austine a Preacher should not seeke matter for his words but words for his matter But as Fabius said wisely Curam verborum rerum volo esse solicitudinem he may and must with Salomon the Preacher seeke out as an vpright writing so pleasant words for his people Eccles 12. 10. as Christ had not onely verbum gratiae but gratiam verbi in his mouth He must preferre matter to words saith that e Aug. lib. de catechâ—ud praeponeÌ„da sunt verbis senteÌ„tia vt praponitur animus corpori ex quo sit vt malle debe aut homines prudentiores quam discritiores inuoture sermones Father as the soule is regarded before the bodie whereupon men should labour to find out more wise then more learned speeches care for the one and carke for the other Verbaque praeuisam rem non inuita sequuntur saith the f Hora. art Poet. Poet and the words will follow matter as the shadow accompanieth the bodie I hope I neede not complaine of our Preachers as S. g Proaem in Gal. 3. ad Paul Eustoch Ierome did of some in his dayes who were as Plutarch speaketh of the Nightingale that had a good voice and a small bodie Vox praeterea nihil If any do I say with the h 1. Cor. 4. 20. Apostle The kingdome of God is not in word but in power as God in the i Hos 6. 6. law desired mercy not sacrifice that is * Ex verbu sequentibus in eodem vers rather then sacrifice Yea I tell them with Origen comparatiuely speaking on those words Mat. 23. Woe to you ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup when within it is foule Admonemur vt non curam habeamus sermonum vel narrationum quae foris sunt sed quae ab intus sunt non verbis neque compositionibus eorum ornatis quia non est regnum Dei in sermone sed in virtute Vt puta qui studet composituÌ„ proferre sermonem magis quà m salutari sensu repletum calix narrationis eius à foris mundatus est ab intus autem sordibus vanitatibusque repletus Paulus erat sermone rudis non scientia Item qui pandens verbum aut aliquam legis scripturam compositionibus eius exterioribus magis quà m interioribus salutaribus sensibus delectatur calicem vel parapsidem diligit à foris mundatum ab intus autem sordidum I wish them as k Epist ad Rustic Menach LuxuriaÌ„tes flagellis vineas falcibus reprimebaÌ„t vt eloquetiae torcusarta non verborum pampiâ—is sed sensuuÌ„ quasi vuartum expressionibus redundarent Ierome speakes of the learned Grecians to lop the luxuriant branches that their vine may become more fruitfull vnto others Onely my complaint is with Ludouicus l Li de caus corrupt Rhetor. Viues complaining of this very defect that whereas Princes at the receit of Christian religion permitted that Priests should speake to the people of sacred and diuine things our sermons haue succeeded those auncient orators dissimilimo successu with most vnlike successe Nam quantò illis superiores sumus rebus tantò in persuadendi sententijs argumentis dispositione actione partibus omnibus eloquentiae illis sumus inferiores how much we haue cause to be more materiall then they by so much are we inferiour to them in vsing sentences reasons methode action and all parts of eloquence to perswade which is the chiefest part of an Orator both humane and diuine And indeede seeing as m Ep. ad Pauliâ— de inst Monach. Ierome noteth each imitator proposeth to himselfe the best in euery trade to be followed as the valiant Romanes their Camillos Fabricios and either Scipio Philosophers Pythagoras Socrates Plato and Aristotle Poets Homer Virgil Menander and Terence Historians Thucydides Salust Herodotus and Liuie Orators Lisias the Gracchi Demosthenes and Tully Painters their Praxitiles and Apelles and so in the rest why should not much more we for Gods cause and his Churches propose to our selues as I shewed Sohnius aduiseth Basill Athanasius Chysostome Nazianzene Austine and the rest of the auncient Fathers who were all these euen most stout and valiant souldiers yea captaines of Christ most learned and profound Christian Philosophers most sweet and diuine Poets most faithful and true historians in heauenly things in their sermons painted out Christs passion so liuely as if he had bin now crucified before our eyes as Paul did before the Galatians Neither speake I this to patronize them whose Corinthian-like itching eares are so tied to the tongue of golden mouthes that in faction each followeth their affected with that voice of scisme 1. Cor. 3. I am Pauls and I am Apolloes and I am Cephas and I am Christs I like this man for vtterance I this for learning I this for methode c. Ezekiel found such itching eares chap. 33. 32. Loe saith God thou art vnto them as a pleasant and loue song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare thy words but they do them not Saint Paul foretold them in these latter times 2. Tim. 4. 3. The time saith he will come when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shall after their lustes get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the truth and shall be giuen vnto fables n Loco citate Chrysostome found such among his auditors and reprooued them Vos non quaeritis audire sermonem qui compungere possit sed qui oblectet tinnulo strepitu verborum compositione quasi citharaedos cantores audientes and when teachers meet with such hearers they should with S. Paul abstainâ— to come to them with excellencie of words neither should their preaching then consist in the intising speech
3. Reason yong vessels their children with this licour both for knowledge and manners whereof they cannot chuse but tast all their life long as the p Quo semel est imbuta recenâ— seruabit odorem Testa diu Horat. Poet speaketh and q Si literas didicisses â—lcret testa ingeniolâ— tui quâ— semel fuerat imâ—â—ta Apolog. adversus Ruff. Ierome told Ruffinus And if it bred this profite in them why not much more in old folke If it nourished not their vnderstandings and minds why rather set we not them to sucke the two breasts of the Testaments alone 4. Why spend we seauen yeares in attaining secular learning and that in the Vniuersities with much cost of Founders and benefactors with great paines of our owne why so many famous Libraries why Preachers studies stored with prophane authors if there be no vse of it for a Preacher Quò mihi diuitiae si non conceditur vti What needed this lost this mâ—ght haue bin sold for much and giuen to the poore Why in Christian Vniuersities is not rather read and expounded Moses Genesis then Aristotles Phisicks Salomons Prouerbes then Aristotles Ethicks Moses then Plato Dauid then Tully Salomon then Seneca as r Râ—m spec 〈…〉 in Eccl. 12 14. one spake more according to zeale then knowledge And what is this else but with Lucinus to count learning and good letters the plague of common-wealths and wish that all prophane authors like those bookes of curious arts might be burned in the market place Indeed some would count it as he did when he saw the bookes of vsurers burnt the brightest and purest fire that euer they saw 5. The enemies of Gods truth in diuellish policie haue forbidden 5. Reason Christians the vse of secular learning because they saw it much helped Christs cause and religion which they persecuted for when Iulian the Apostate saw learned Apollinarius eloquent Basill Gregorie and many other then learned men confute them out of their owne writers he inhibited that Christians children should be trained vp any more in secular learning or reade Poets Philosophers or other prophane authors as Gregory the Great Å¿ Lib. 3 hist Eccles cap. 14. Socrates and Sozomen relate And Sozomen giues this reason of his diabolicall subtiltie Hinc solùm vetuit t Lib. 5. cap. 17. ne Christiani Gentilium disciplinis instruerentur quoniam magnam ad persuadendum facultatem posse parari censebat For this cause onely he forbad that Christians should be instructed in the arts and learning of the heathens because he perceiued that much skill to perswade the truth might be gotten from their bookes and therefore he prohibited it by law that he might corrupt religion with Barbarisme saith Aretius Ideo iudicare debemus vel hoc nomine vtendos esse eo ipso quòd hostis Christiani nominis id prohibuit saith that author And surely they that forbid Christians the vse of it in the pulpit do no lesse in will then Iulian did in deed and although they be not hostes Christiani nominis yet are they hostes Christianae rei whose simplicity of knowledge the diuell hath cunningly abused with blinde and intemperate zeale Thus much for my second proofe which is reason The third generall proofe shall be the authoritie and iudgement 3. Proofe the authoritie of al auncient and Ecclesiasticall late-writers of all auncient and Ecclesiasticall late-writers for the vse of secular learning in the pulpit whose authorities though I haue dispersed in expounding those places and reasons I alleaged yet will I now muster them all together as one armie roial and a great cloud of witnesses for this truth First Iustine Martyr to take them in order from the Apostles 1. Justin Martyr times his iudgement we heard before apol 2. whatsoeuer excelleÌ„t things or of diuine matters Philosophers or Poets haue said they had them from the Prophets And finding great harmonie betweene both and the seeds of truth in them al he auoucheth Apol. 1. what things were excellently said of all Philosophers Poets and Historiographers nostra sunt Christianorum they are ours that are Christians 2. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1. Stromat saith The soules of 2. Clem. Alexan. men haue each their owne proper and peculiar nourishments and some are fed by diuine knowledge others by Ethnick Philosophie whereof euery thing is not as of nuts to be eaten Neither need our Diuines feare to vse those things that are most excellent in Philosophie and other arts for it is not meet onely to be a Iew to the Iewes and them that are vnder the law but euen a Gentile also to the Gentiles that we may winne all admonishing and teaching euery man in all knowledge that we may present euery man perfect in Christ And this secular learning saith he est veluti condimentum cibo permixtum not so much delighting as procuring a good appetite in the minde to relish better the things of the spirit Philosophie truly was necessary before Christs comming for the Gentiles vnto righteousnesse and iustice but now it is profitable for the worship of God and piety in them who collect faith by demonstration For God is the cause and author of all good things of some things indeede principally as of the olde and new Testament and of other things by consequence as of Philosophie And perchance it was principally giuen to the Gentiles before the vocation as the law was to the Iewes that it might be their schoolemaster to bring them to Christ Praeparat ergo Philosophia ei viam muniens qui à Christo perficitur Lastly he produceth that simily and type Gen. 16. As Sarai Abrahams wife when she was barren her selfe gaue Abraham Hagar the Egyptian handmaide to beare him some children so Gods Church alloweth secular learning to beare sonnes vnto God when the Scripture is not so pregnant 3. Origen lib. 1. contra Celsum plainly and peremptorily auerreth 3 Origeâ— Gentilium doctrina Christi fidem confirmat the learning of the heathens confirmeth the faith of Christ and therefore to be vsed in sermons And homil 14. in Genes 26. he compareth the Scripture to Isaac and it to Abimelech who comming from Gerar with his friends vnto Isaac he said vnto them Wherfore come yee to me seeing ye hate me and haue put me away from you And they answered We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee and we thought thus Let there be now an oath betwixt vs euen betweene vs and thee and let vs make a couenant with thee This Abimelech as I see hath not alwayes peace with Isaac but sometimes he dissenteth sometimes he asketh peace so secular learning with Gods law neque in dissensione potest esse neque semper in pace for Philosophie neither in all things is contrary to Gods law nor in all things consonant thereunto But when it makes a couenant of peace and agreement with scripture it must be entertained and bid to its table as Isaac did
Abimelech thus Origen 4. Tertullian lib. 1. de patient he saith Disciplinae seculi vanae 4. Tertullian ad laudem gloriam Dei promouent aut nunquid potius iniuria cum diuina res in secularibus rebus volutatur Secular learning which some hold so fabulous and vaine promoteth the praise and glorie of God or is it rather an iniury to it when diuine matters are handled therein 5. Cyprian lib. 4. epist 2. when the Apostle saith he biddeth 5. Cyprian take heede least any deceiue you with Philosophie and vaine deceit Vitanda sunt quae non de Dei clementia veniunt sed de Philosophiae durioris presumptione descendunt 6. Damascen lib. 4. de Orthod fid cap. 14. his iudgement is 6. Damascen Si ab ijs qui foris sunt decerpere quippiam vtile valuerimus non aspernabile est If we can take any profitable thing from prophane writers it is not to be abhorred Let vs become approoued Gold-smiths keeping the lawfull and pure gold but refuting and refusing the adulterine Sumamus sermones optimos Deos aâ—tem ridiculos fabulas alienas canibus proijciamus Let vs take their best sayings but their ridiculous gods and strange fables let vs cast to the dogs 7. Epiphanius in ancorat sheweth that the very fables of the 7. Epiphanius Poets proue the resurrection and hauing declared it in many addeth withall Et multa de his dici possunt ad confirmandam fidem nostram atque ipsos redarguendos And is not that which confirmeth our faith needfull in popular sermons 8. Theodoret lib. 1. de fid is excellent in this point At least 8. Theodoret. saith he speaking to the heathens beleeue your owne Philosophers ye friends who by a certaine previous tradition prepared and taught you to entertaine our religion For they seeme to be like those birds which they call singing birds that imitate mans voice and vnderstand not the meaning of those words they vtter and in like manner when they speake of diuine and heauenly matters they were ignorant of the truth of those things they deliuered This dew of heauenly knowledge fell on the Prophets and Apostles like raine vpon good ground that brought forth much fruite but on them like raine vpon dâ—sart and sauage places that with briars and thornes oft brings forth things that may be eaten And as I thinke they deserue some pardon seeing they were not guided by the light of the Prophets and Apostles but had onely the direction of nature Therefore they who are endued with iudgement and discretion know to take from them what may serue their turne and let the rest alone as they that gather Roses let the prickles alone And as Bees not onely light vpon sweete but also bitter flowers when they sucke out onely sweetnesse and abhorre bitternesse so making a most sweete hony of contrary qualities sweet and sower bitter and pleasant so we following their example Evestris illis amarulentis pratis compose pleasant and profitable honie for our selues And as Apothecaries confect wholesome medicines of venimous beasts as Serpents and Vipers refusing somethings and taking othersome driue away many diseases by their vertue Ita nos vestrorum Poetarum Historicorum Philosophorumque monumenta versantes alia ex ijs vt noxia pestifera declinamus alia verò sparsim nostrae inserentes doctrinae auxiliarem ac sâ—lutarem curationem afferimus What can be said for pregnant for this point 9. Socrates lib. 3. hist. Eccles cap. 14. answering the obiections 9. Socrates of them that refuse it pronounceth Doctrina Gentilium neque à Christo neque ab cius Apostolis vel approbatur vt inspirata diuinitus vel vt periculosa prorsus reijcitur And this I thinke saith he was done not without the prouidence of God for many Philosophers among the Gentiles resisted the false opinions of Epicures and Atheists and by their bookes haue brought no small profit to the fauorers of true godlinesse and pietie though they knew not of the Messias Again both Christ his Apostle commaund vs vt exquisiti numularij we trie all things keeping that which is good and take heed that none deceiue vs by vaine Philosophie which is not after Christ which we cannot do nisi hostium arma possideamus vnlesse we take from them the weapons of our enemies as did Saint Paul and such other of the Church that succeeded He addeth this short Epiphonema as a reason of all Nam honestum quocunque fuerit loco est veritatis proprium truth is still truth and like it selfe wheresoeuer we find it in Prophets or Poets Apostles or Philosophers 10. Lactantius in his third booke of diuine Institutions 10. Lactantius though a professed enemie to Philosophers confesseth of Philosophie that it agreeth with Scripture in many things where we may embrace it though oft it is corrupted with lies where we leaue it 11. Nazianzene monod. in Basil exceedeth all these in this 11. Nazianzene point I thinke saith he it is granted of all that are wise that al learning and knowledge first is in the kind and nature of good things not onely that Christian learning which hunteth not so much after wisedome of words as the sense and meaning of things but also that which is among the infidels or which some Christians hate as separate from God iudging amisse For if they despise it for this cause because some haue taken harme thereby and fallen into errors by the same reason they should hate the heauen and the earth and all things contained therein seeing many haue made them their gods and abused these to idolatrie In like manner the fire and other elements yea meate it selfe shall be eschued of all men as euill things because some abusing them haue gotten their death and destruction thereby But as we may reape good euen of euill things when of Vipers flesh we make Triacle a singular and soueraine medicine for all diseases Sic ex Graecis doctrinis c. so out of secular writers may we take whatsoeuer maketh for the knowledge of naturall things and framing of our manners Non enim ex eorum dogmatis ad Dei cultum parùm proficimus for by their lessons and sayings are we not a little furthered to worship and serue God No knowledge therefore or learning is to be refused sith al science whatsoeuer is in the nature and kind of good things Quin potiùs ipsam spernentes rusticos planè ignauoâ— existimare debemus but we must rather count them rude and slothfull that despise it Qui omnes pariter ignaros esse vellent vt ipsarum ignorantia in communilatens minimè deprehendi aut ab alijs taxari valeat who would gladly haue all men as ignorant as themselues that their owne ignorance lying hid in the common heape might not be espied or perceiued taxed of other men Thus speakes eloquent Gregory Nazianzene and this very same whole saying he hath almost