a man have a taste of Gods mercy in the remission of his sins The Prophet David being before cast down presently saith Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer S. Augustine asketh how David knew this and answereth himself habuit gustum aliquem divinorum he had some taste that God had forgiven him his sins 3. The third is when a man continueth in a patient waiting of Gods leisure as King David did 〈◊〉 till God came to him he would walk in a perfect heart and take no wicked thing in hand O when wilt thou come unto me saith he I will walk within my house with a perfect heart 1. The signes of true thankfulnesse likewise are diverse The first is when a man feeleth himself filled with marrow and fatnesse as rapt with consideration of Gods favours and benefits 2. When a man is jealous of his own ingratitude that after his cleansing he wallow no more in sin and lest he make himself uncapable of Gods hearing his prayer for any more mercies 3. When beneficia become veneficia when his benefits charm us and make us withstand strong temptations as Joseph did though his Mistris tempted him very strongly yet he answered her My Master hath done this and this for me how can I then do this great wickednesse and sin against God This is a great signe that a man is truely thankful unto God that when God hath bestowed his benefits upon him he is the more careful thereby not to break his law 4. The last signe is when we defer not our thanks A type of this was in the law The sacrifice of thanksgiving was to be eaten the same day not kept longer No procrastination of thanks Nihil citius senescit gratia nothing grows old sooner then thanks Now concerning the sixth rule as in the former we are to procure this duty to be performed by others 1. Saul when he should have betaken himself to prayer thought the enemies came too fast and not only layed away the ephod himself but willed the Priest to withdraw his hand it is noted by the holy Ghost to Sauls infamy Therefore as we are to avoid all impediments to our selves so are we not to discourage others with them in Job Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray to him One of the Fathers maketh this answer Beneficium projicitur ingrato collocatur grato a good turn is cast away upon an unthankful man but bestowed upon a thankful person He is kinde unto the unthankful and evil 2. And as we must not hinder others so for the affirmative part the invitation we have Davids and it is in the beginning of our Liturgie O come let us sing unto the Lord. O come let us worship and fall down And O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his name together But especially in the hundred fourty eighth Psalm he is not contented onely to the company of men in this duty but dragons snow fire and all creatures not that they could praise the Lord but that there is not the basest creature of them all that had not cause enough to praise the Lord if they could And thus much for prayer CHAP. XII The seventh vertue required is Love of God That God is to be loved Of mercenary and free Love The excellency of Love The measure of Love The opposites to the Love of God 1. Love of the world 2 Self-love 3 Stupidity 4. Loathing of God All the motives of Love are eminently in God 1. Beauty 2. Propinquity 3. Benefits bestowed Six signes of Love Of drawing others to Love God THe next duty is Love The same which the Apostle saith of the Law to have been for a time till the promised seed came may be said concerning the other affections and their actions that they were onely till the love of God came of which the Fathers say that occupare amorem to have love in us drowneth all other affections For we have fear first and being delivered from that we feared we love and being heard in what we hope and pray for we love God and say with the Prophet dilexi quia audivit c. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice There is a coherence between love and prayer We have formerly said that to enjoy and have a thing we are first to know it and the knowledge of it breeds in us a true estimate of it and the estimate of a thing makes us love it so habere Deum est scire to possesse God is to know him and this knowledge breeds a true estimate of God whereupon we love him for according to our estimation our love is more or lesse to that we have These affections of fear and hope are for this end that when God hath bestowed on us the things we either fear to lose or hope to enjoy we may the better esteem of them For as cito data vilescunt we sleight those things which are easily got when we can but ask and have so the things we have felt the want of so long and for which we have been humbled when they come we will the better regard them and love him the better for them The object of love is bonum in which the very natural reason of man hath found two properties viz. that it is 1. Communicative 2. Attractive 1. Every good is desirous to communicate it self to as many as are willing and meet to partake of it As we see in the Sun and other celestial bodies in the natural elements so there is in God a quality of desiring to communicate his goodnesse and indeed it was the cause why he created all things to have a church and to shew his glory and mercy on it So that the minde of man seeing this nature in God consequently hath a desire to it and that desire goeth so far till it come to a conjunction and that to an union ita conjungi 〈◊〉 uniantur because by the union of two good things there will come good to the desirer which he had not before and whereby he is made better 2. Secondly it hath vim attractivam It hath been said that if inferiour things be coupled and united with things of more excellent nature they are thereby made more noble As a potsheard being covered with gold As on the other side things which are excellent being joyned with viler are made more abject as the minde of man with inferiour creatures And there can be nothing which can make the minde more transcendent then the conjunction of it with that which in it self is all good and containeth all good things and that for ever and from hence ariseth this attractive property and force for in every good there is that force which allureth And therefore to shew us this good it is nececessary that faith and knowledge precede
Bonum non amatur as the School-men say quod non cognoscitur the good that is not known cannot be loved For if it were known it being the natural desire of all to be better we should love it to be the better by it It is therefore well said That good things have no greater enemy then ignorance Knowledge and faith then as is said shewing us this good love will be stirred up in us and then follows unio affectus the union of the affection all that we can have here and in the life to come instead of this fruition by faith fruition by cleer vision There are two sorts of love 1. Amor mercenarius a mercenary love 2. Amor gratuitus a free love They are distinguished thus when a man loves his meat and drink and when he loves his friend or brother it is certain these loves are not all one in the one there is a desire to have the thing loved that he may make use of it for his own benefit for the present not caring what becomes of it after but his love to his friend is to do him good for himself or for his own sake and it includes in it bene velle bene facere to wish him good and to do him good in the former á man looks at himself and his own good onely in the other at his good whom he loves the first is amor concupiscentiae the other amor amicitiae The Philosopher distinguishes them by Vnde Quo whence and whither In the first love the question is made by Quo in the other by Vnde In the first we ask what good comes to us by it in the other what good it hath in it self though it be no benefit to us The one hath an eye that looks inward on our selves the other outward upon others Yet these two though they may be distinguished yet are not alwayes divided for the one oft-times is the beginning of the other both in our loves to God and man for those that have been beneficial to us though we love them at first for the benefits we receive by them yet afterwards we come to love them for themselves 1. The first ariseth from hope Because a man being cast down by fear conceives hope upon Gods promises then sending forth prayer receiveth fruit and saith Praised be the Lord for he hath heard the voice of my humble petition And thou hast given me my hearts desire which fruit stirreth up the first love and this amor concupiscentiae the love of concupiscence which goes before 〈◊〉 gratuitum free love for as the Apostle saith that is not first which is spiritual but that which is natural or carnal and then that which is spiritual so free love of God for himself is not first but first we love him for his benefits and then for himself and this is true love Therefore it is said that 〈◊〉 vertues of clemency affability liberality c. were greater then Cato's of justice and fidelity in his dealings because the former looked at the good of others these reflected upon himself and his own good That which is natural will be first 〈◊〉 before amicitia or benevolentia and this is the inchoation of the other Perfect love is not attained at first for nemo repente fit summus now S. Chrysostome wondreth how men can slip themselves out of this love for if they will love any for his benefits none bids fairer for this amor mercenarius then God for he offereth for it the kingdom of heaven The Fathers compare fear to the wildernesse and these two degrees of love to the land of promise this mercenary love to that part of it which lay beyond Jordan and the other to that part upon which Sion and Jerusalem stood For amor gratuitus which looks not at reward Saint Bernard saith that Deus nunquam sine praemio diligitur our love to God is never unrewarded though sine intuitu praemii diligendus est he ought to be loved without looking at the reward The Apostle respected his own commodity so little that he wished himself accursed that the glory of God might shine in the salvation of Israel It is lawful to love God for his benefits for God uses them as motives to stir us up to love him and the best of Gods servants have so practised Moses looked at the recompence Hebrews 11. but we must not rest there nor love him onely or chiefly for them but for himself otherwise we love not him but our selves ratio diligendi est Deus ipse modus sine modo the cause of our love must be God himself and the measure without measure saith S. Bernard Some divide love into Quoniam Tametsi Because and Although 1. The first is that which is called mercenarius I love the Lord saith the Psalmist and why He is my defence Psalm 18. 1. And in another place Because he heard my voice yet seeing David did not love God onely or chiefly for his benefits his love was not properly mercenary but true though not perfect To shew the excellency of love S. Paul hath a whole chapter wherein he prefers it above all other vertues and saith in effect If a man for his knowledge and elocution might be compared with Angels and by his faith were able to remove mountains and by his liberality had relieved the poor with all his estate and for his constancy had suffered martyrdome yet were all these vertues little worth except they were joyned with the love of God And in the end of the Chapter after this general commendation of love he prefers it in particular above Faith and Hope 1. If we take the dimension of it it is greatest both in breadth and length of all other For whereas Faith and Hope are restrained within the bounds of mens persons and to singulars this dilateth it self and extendeth both to God and man in general to our selves our friends yea to our enemies S. Augustine saith Beatus qui amat te amicum in te inimicum propter te blessed is he that loves thee and his friend in thee and his enemy for thee And this is the latitude 2. In longitude also For whereas the other are but in us in the nature of a lease but for terme of life the gift of love shall be as a free hold and continue for ever in heaven Our Saviour maketh both the Law and Prophets to consist of one Commandment namely Love And the Apostle reduceth all to one head and if there were any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this of love And it is our Saviours mandatum novum admit that all the old Commandments were cancelcelled yet this new commandment ties us to the duties of all And indeed S. John saith commending this duty Brethren I write no new commandment unto you but an old Commandment for both the old and new are all one There is both in the
God and man Tho. 2. 2. q. 23. c. Saint Augustine exemplifieth it by the love and care a man beareth to the ungratious children of his friend for though they many times are not to be loved for themselves yet for the love he beareth his frend either alive or dead for his sake he overcometh that conceit and beareth affection to them aud thus in respect of similitude we are to love God for himself and man for God And for this we have received a Commandment from God That as we love God for himself so we love man for God the Commandment lieth upon us in both respects 2. And further this second is like the former because the love of our neighbour commanded in the second is a signe of our love of God commanded in the first table and therefore Saint John saith expresly that if any 〈◊〉 say that he loves God and hates his brother he is a lyer for how can he love God whom he 〈◊〉 not seen that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen and hence it is that Saint 〈◊〉 and Saint James say that all the law is fulfilled in this one Commandment thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self not properly and formally but ratione 〈◊〉 as the signe or effect argues the 〈◊〉 because the love of our brother is a signe of our love to God which is the cause of our obedience to all the other commandments for Saint Johns argument stands thus Things that are seen may sooner be beloved then those that are not seen If then our brethren cannot finde such favour at our hands as to beloved having seen them how shall we love God whom we never saw For as it is true downward whosoever loveth God must love his worke and the best of his work and therefore man so upward too it is necessary Whosoever loveth man of whom he oft times receives injuries must needs love God from whom he receiveth nothing but benefits Saint Gregory puts them both together Per 〈◊〉 Dei amor proximi gignitur per 〈◊〉 proximi amor Dei 〈◊〉 The love of a man to his neighbour is begotten by mans love to God and the love of man to God is nourished by his love to his neighbour and Amor Dei amorem proximi generat amorproximi cale facit amorem Dei which is all one with the other in effect and with that of Saint Augustine Diligendo proximum purgas oculum ad videndu 〈◊〉 Deum by loving thy neighbour thou makest thy sight the clearer to see God 3. Again this similitude holds in regard of the punishment or reward for keeping or neglecting of this second which is no lesse then for that of the first Inasmuch as ye did it not faith our Saviour to one of these ye did it not to me and econtra where we see the reward or punishment there mentioned to be given will be not for any duty done or omitted to God himself but as he cometh to be considered in the person of an afflicted brother for it is expressed both affirmatively v. 34 35. c. that what was done to them was done to Christ himself and negatively v. 42. 43 c. that what was denyed to them was denied to Christ. And thus we see the reason why Christ saith the second Commandment or second table is like the unto the first and withal the first end or scope of it viz. That God might be loved not onely in and for himself but also in our brother who is to be loved for his sake Another end of the second table is that as the first is the foundation and ground of all religious society as we are the Church of God and is therefore called the great Commandment so in the second should be laid the ground and foundation of all Common-wealths and Civil societies of men as the first doth perducere nos ad Deum as S. Augustine saith unite and bring us to God so the second unites one man to another by the matual duties they owe one to another this is a second end of this table and it is gathered from the creation of man at the first Gen. 2. 18. Where it is said that it is not good for man to be alone and therefore he must have a helper This second table therefore respects the perfecting of Gods purpose in the work of his creation that one man be an helpe to another The words Love thy neighbour as thy self contain three things 1. The duty or act Commanded Love 2. The object of this Love Thy neighbour 3. The manner of this Love 〈◊〉 diligendi As thy self In the duty Commanded which is the sum of the second table we must know first what is the sence of the words As there are in Latine so in Greek and Hebrew 〈◊〉 words that signifie to us the affection of love 1. The general word is Amor in latine it 〈◊〉 an affection that extends it self aswel to things unreasonable as reasonable whether it be Amor concupiscentiae or Amor amicitiae howsoever it be it comes under amor And in this respect we love al the creatures of God that is we desire to have them preserved which is to be in the state wherein God created them and thus we love not the Devil as Saint Augustine saith and his Angels but 〈◊〉 Dei judicium in 〈◊〉 his just judgement upon them in placing them in that estate and that they should continue in it 2. The second word to expresse love is benevolentia good will whereby we desire and seek the good of him we love and this is onely in reasonable creatures whereas that of 〈◊〉 may be in all creatures yet this is many times rash and accompanied with errour and not grounded upon sound judgement 3. The third is Dilectio which is without errour grounded upon judgement and upon a good and sufficient cause and that is when we love another in and for God for this distinguishes Christian love from all other love Saint Augustine saith that he that will be vetus amator a true lover must be verus 〈◊〉 astimator one that hath and can give a true estimate of things 〈◊〉 as Saint Ambrose saith quando errat judicium perit 〈◊〉 every good act is out of square and indeed is lost when our judgement 〈◊〉 Now in Christian love God is the ground for our love will decay if it be not propter Deum for Gods sake This makes our love extends even to our enemies whom we ought to love for God for though we be hated of those we love yet are we in no other case then Christ himself was who yet loved his enemies even Judas who betrayed him Therefore it pleased God to recommend unto us under the name of proximus neighbour all mankinde even strangers and enemies as our Saviour shewes in the parable of the Samaritan and the man that fell among
theevs and this is to love with judgement when though there is no other motive of love in the party yet we love him propter 〈◊〉 for God for when a man loveth a friend he loveth him propter aliud quam Deum for some other cause then for God alone but when he loveth his enemy there is no other cause but propter Deum for God onely Again when our love is ad 〈◊〉 onely to our friend it is debilis 〈◊〉 weak and slight work for as Christ saith if we love them that love us what great matis this the Heathnes and publicans do the like therefore God would have our love to be like his stretcht out usque ad 〈◊〉 to those that are fardest from us to our very enemies as he doth when he causes the sun to shine and the raine to fall upon the good and bad And this is no such hard matter as flesh and blood would make it Saint Augustine saith Dices non possum vigilare non possum jejunare numquid dices non possum 〈◊〉 perhaps thou wilt say I cannot watch nor I cannot fast but wilt thou say I cannot love And this indeed is a point of special consideration because it makes a difference betwixt the love of Christians and the love of Heathen for our love to men must flow from the fountain of our love to God Take away propter Deum and then as Saint 〈◊〉 saith our Christian vertues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common and vulgar such as were in the Heathen our fortitude nothing but the fortitude of Socrates and so of other vertues wherin ours and theirs differ in nothing but in this propter Deum for God And therefore our 〈◊〉 rule must be according to Saint Gregories excellent direction 〈◊〉 rinus justitiae 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 pietatis The river of our righteousnesse towards men must have 〈◊〉 original from the fountain of piety to God that is that our love to our brother must arise from our love to God and though we see how our love must be guided by our judgement in the cause or ground of it propter Deum for God And as our judgement must be rectified that we are not in the cause so consequently our affection which followes the understanding must be right and herein though we are not tyed to that high measure which was in Saint Paul who wished himself 〈◊〉 from Christ for his brethrens sake viz. for the salvation of the Jews yet thus far we are bound as to desire their salvation with our own and to will the same good to them that we will to our selves and to nill the same evill to them which we nill to our selves and consequently there must be those works or fruits of love mentioned by the Apostle which as they refer to our neighbour are especialy three 1. The first is Joy That as we wish our neighbours good so when any good hath befallen him we be glad and rejoyce at it yea after Saint Barnards rule gandere in bono alieno magno magis quam in proprio parvo rejoyce 〈◊〉 in the greater good of our neighbour then in the lesser good of our own Opposite to this is if either we repine that any should come to the participation of the same good which we possesse which is one part of envy and was the fault of the unfaithful 〈◊〉 in the Gospel that did not occupy his masters talent or if we stand thus affected that if we have it not our selves we will not be content that any other should have it And of this part of envy is it that Saint Chrsostom speaks thus 〈◊〉 pestiferum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in diabali conditionem in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per 〈◊〉 venit in mundum propter ipsam Abal est interemptus c. Envy is a most pestilent evil it turnes and transformes a man into the nature of a most cruel devil By it came 〈◊〉 into the world for it was Abel stain It was the envy of 〈◊〉 toman which made him seek 〈◊〉 fall because he would have 〈◊〉 in better estate then himself And in this respect it is that S. Augustine said Invidia vitium Diabolicum quo solo Diabolus reus est inexpiabiliter reus Non 〈◊〉 Diabolo dicitur 〈◊〉 damnetur adulterium commisisti furtum fecisti villam alienam rapuisti sed homini stanti invidisti Envy is a Devillish vice of which onely the Devil is guilty and 〈◊〉 without expiation for it is not said to the Devils damnation Thou 〈◊〉 committed adultery or thou hast stollen or thou hast violently seized on anothers possessions but this is objected to him Thou hast envied man in his Innocency 2. The next is Peace a desire of agreement with our Neighbour plainly prescribed by the Apostle Have peace with all men And if at any time there happen a breach we should not pertinaciter aggredi obstinately set upon one another for this is the badge of Sathans Disciples as S. Gregory saith Si Dei 〈◊〉 filii qui pacem faciunt procul dubio Satanae sunt silii qui pacem confundunt If they which are the Authors of peace be called the sons of God without question they are the Devils children which disturb it When Christ came into the world the Angels sung at his birth Glory to God and peace on earth and yet himself saith I came not to send peace but a sword To reconcile which places we must conceive it to be discordia in 〈◊〉 war against that which is evil which Christ speaks of in that place for as Nazianzen well saith Melior est talis pugna quae Deo proximum facit quam pax illa quae separat a Deo that dissention is better which makes a man come 〈◊〉 to God then that peace which separates him from God Therefore as a Father saith As there is nothing more to be wished for then concordia in bono agreement in that which is good and nothing more to be laboured against then discordia in bono disagreement in the 〈◊〉 so nothing more to be desired then disagreement in evil and nothing more abominable then agreement in that which is bad And as our Saviour pronounceth them blessed that are Peace-makers in good so are they no lesse blessed that are Peace-breakers in evil that make discord in evil and they are no less the children of God then the other and threfore peace with hereticks and Schismaticks must not be held though in lesser matters which trench not upon the foundations of faith worship or government difference of opinions may be allowed For there may be a 〈◊〉 or disagreement allowable in questions and disputations that touch not upon those foundations and so that it go not so far as to trouble the peace of the Church but that the unity of the spirit be kept in the bond of peace For as S. Gregory
kindred or cohabitation but Mercy that 〈◊〉 a man to be a Neighbour and seeing every man even an enemy may be an object of mercy therefore every man even an enemy is a Neighbour And it is not Christs exposition onely but the Law saith the very same in the case of a stray ox or asse If thy brothers ox or asse go astray c. which brother in another place is said to be even an enemy for there is in the same Law 〈◊〉 23. 4 5. where it is said If thy enemies ox or asse go astray c. He that is the object of our love is expressed in Scripture by three words which are distinguisht in the Hebrew as well as in the Latine 1. Amicus a friend or fellow 2. Proximus a neighbour 3. Frater a brother which is used by S. John constantly in his first Epistle In all which are motives and grounds of love For 1. In brethren there is identitas naturae c. identity of nature which makes all creatures love one another one beast delighting in another of the same kinde and little children delighting in their image in the glasse shew this 2. Now as this similitude is a 〈◊〉 of love so is identitas originis identity of beginning therefore it is a natural thing for brethren born to love one another because they have the same original and nothing so unnatural as one brother not to love another 2. Between Friends love is the cause of love for it will be mutual and reciprocal 〈◊〉 amoris magnes love is a loadstone to love Our Saviour knew this well and therefore in the Commandment of love he expresseth it is thus That ye love one another it must be amor mutuus mutual love Another ground of love among friends is societas periculi 〈◊〉 when men partake of the same danger or deliverance as Captives under the Turk delivered by the same ransom This ground of love we have who being all in danger of hell and become captives of Sathan are delivered by the same ransome by Christ. This makes friendship and causeth love in men that never saw one another before 3. Now for proximus it is defined ab usn of the use and benefit that one hath by another God hath not given to any man such gifts but that he needeth the gifts of his brother God hath not given all his gifts to any one and therefore there is none but hath need of another and therefore 〈◊〉 utilitas use and utility are the grounds of propinquity and make men become proximi neighbours 4. Lastly there is 〈◊〉 instituti both amongst 〈◊〉 friends and neighbours all do tendere ad idem tend to one and the same end that is to be partakers of the blessednesse which the angels of God enjoy for this is institutum 〈◊〉 proximi 〈◊〉 amici nostrum omnium the end and scope of my brother neighbour friend and my self and of all of us These then are the reasons of Gods using those words and the reasons also of our love Now in this object of our love proximus our neighbour there are two things to be 〈◊〉 1. That we must beware we take not the sin of our neighbour for our neighbour for that which hath interposed it self and indeed is not de 〈◊〉 is sin and 〈◊〉 proximus a sinner It is sure that Omnis peccator quatenus peccator odio habendus est every sinner as he is a sinner is to be hated and omnis 〈◊〉 quatenus 〈◊〉 diligendus every man as he is a man is to be beloved Therefore Sic homines diligendi ut non errores diligamus diligendi quia facti sunt non quia fecerunt we are to love men so as not to love their errours and so to love them that are made as that we love not that they do so to love that which God made them as not to love what by sin they made themselves The reason is because we have all one 〈◊〉 or end we do therefore love one another because we shall be partakers of the same soveraign good of eternal happinesse and sin being an hindrance or obstacle to that end how can we love that which hindreth from that whereto we tend He that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul. And so we may say he that loveth the sin of his brother hateth his soul. 2. We must know that in proximitate neighbourhood there are degrees of neernesse whereby one is neerer then another In which respect that affection which causeth us to remember some before others in our prayers is not from any corruption of our nature because omission of duty to one is a greater sin then to another for the duty to a father is greater then to a stranger But as in natural things there is major 〈◊〉 a stronger motion where there is major 〈◊〉 a stronger inclination so where there is a greater duty owing there God will have a greater affection Because the earth is to come 〈◊〉 to the Center then the water therefore it hath majorem gravitatem a greater degree of 〈◊〉 to draw it thither and so where the greater actions or duties are required there greater affections or a greater measure of love which is a weight pressing to the 〈◊〉 is necessary not onely charitas but also ordo charitatis cadit sub 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 determine As therefore the affection of love is required so our love must be ordered as the Schools speak The demonstration standeth thus If wheresoever there is principium a beginning there whatsoever is 〈◊〉 principio 〈◊〉 to it is 〈◊〉 first and so consequently there is an order and so every thing as it is 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 off must first or latter be intended Now there are two causes or principles of Love God and our selves and therefore the neerer any are to these principles as some men are neerer to our selves as Fathers Mothers c. so are neerer to God by grace the more they are to be loved Let us see then this order in our charity that it may be ordinata charitas charity well ordered To which purpose it must stand thus 1. God 2. Our own souls 3. Our brothers soul. 4. Our bodies 5 The body of our neighbour or brother 1. God is to be loved especially and in the first place because he is that chiefest good by the communication whereof we are all made good So saith S. Augustine 〈◊〉 vera summa vita in quo a quo per quem bona sunt omnia 〈◊〉 bona sunt God is the true and chief life in from and by whom are all good things And as another Cum 〈◊〉 Deum 〈◊〉 in ipso 〈◊〉 by loving God we finde all things God is the universal nature to whom all things give place He must have the first place in our love as in policie the publick good is preferred before all private respects and therefore a good Citizen will be
lovest thy self or for the same cause And thou lovest thy self because thou lovest God and so consequently all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei that are Gods because thou thy self art aliquid Dei something of God therefore thou lovest thy self and so consequently thou must love they neighbour propter 〈◊〉 for God and 〈◊〉 for this cause thou lovest thy brother thou 〈◊〉 him as thy self in respect of the end So also and in this 〈◊〉 thou must love thy brother 2. The second is the 〈◊〉 the applying this love to that end And that is that in asmuch as I love my self I wish my self good and that not in my 〈◊〉 but best part which is my reasonable soul and therefore I wish more especially the chiefest good of it 〈◊〉 bonum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is eternal blessednes and this is it which I must look to in my brother If I love him as my self I must love him ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partis for the good of his better part and that is the good of the inward man of which the Apostle speaks whereas the most love onely the outward man now the chiefest good of the inward man consists in 〈◊〉 Dei in the sight and fruition of God But because none can come to this except the impediments be removed which is sinne Saint Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligit proximum hoc cum 〈◊〉 debet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse 〈◊〉 toto corde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that truly 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 must work upon him so 〈◊〉 he also love God with all his heart Take care to remove his sinnes and as for a mans self 〈◊〉 his will do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to some sin non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it would hinder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 good so ought he to love his neghbour as not to consent to the evil will of his neighbour in any bad action because that would hinder his chief good The Scripture speaks of things not alwayes as they are but as they ought to be and so requiring us to love others as our selves it is not meant of our self love 〈◊〉 it is corrupt but as we ought to love our selves specimen naturae capiendum ex optima natura a pattern in nature must be taken from nature pure and 〈◊〉 in its integrity so that a man ought not to love his neighbour as he doth himself but as he should love himself For Saint Augustine saith when I love my self either I love my self because I am or should be blessed the very same rule we should observe in our brother I must love him aut quia est 〈◊〉 ut sit either because he is or because he should be good Which I cannot do unlesse I win him ab impedimentis from the impediments and set him in via in 〈◊〉 right way for as Saint Augustine saith Non 〈◊〉 proximum tanquam seipsum si non ad id 〈◊〉 ad quod ipse tendis adducis Thou lovest not thy neighbour as thy self if thou 〈◊〉 him not to that good to which thou thy self tendest And he saith in another place 〈◊〉 est regula 〈◊〉 it is the onely rule of love ut 〈◊〉 sibi 〈◊〉 bona pervenire illi velit that he would have the same good come to his neighbour that he wisheth to himself 3. The third is the manner In loving any thing that is good there are two motives first Either it is for the sole and alone good of him that loves it or 2. Secondly for the good of the thing it self that is loved He that loves any thing not for it self but for himself doth not love it as himself this is not diligere 〈◊〉 seipsum but propter seipsum this is not ut faciat bonum sed ut potiatur quis bono not to seek his good whom we love but to make use of what good is in him for our selves as men love their instruments meerly for the use they have of them and not otherwise thus a man loves his shooing horn to make use of it to serve his turn in the morning and casts it away all the day after but our love to our neighbour should be gratuitus without hope of recompence and that he that we love may have the sole good by it Otherwise if we love him not as our selves for no man loves himself ut se potiatur that he may make use of himself as he loves meat drink c. and therefore must he love his neighbour not to make use of him for his own ends but propter seipsum for himself seeking and desiring his good 4. The last is the order It is sicut teipsum not sicut 〈◊〉 as our selves not as we love God we must beware of loving him so for we must love our selves infra Deum in a pitch below God and by consequence we must love our neighbour infra Deum after God Therefore we must not 〈◊〉 the will of any man be he of never so great excellency before the will of God Gods will must not give place to ours God is not so unwise as to bring in the second Table to overthrow the first but his scope in it was that it should be a table to direct and help us in performing the duties of the first 1. So that if our love to our neighbour in the first place be for God alone then it is Sancta dilectio 2. If it be to bring him to that end we aim at our 〈◊〉 then it is amor justus a just love 3. If it be meerly for our neighbours without respect to our selves then it is verus amor true love 4. and lastly if we prefer the love of God in the first place then it is ordinata dilectio well ordered love Now God in both these tables proceedeth further then earthly priuces he taketh order for the regulating of the heart and soul even for restraint of concupisence that there be no entertainment of sin within us and that we conceive no delight in it And this is the internal obedience of the second table to entertain no concupiscence prejudicial to our neighbour and it is the sum or substance of the tenth Commandment which God hath placed last not first that those two the first Commandment and the last the one concerning the inward worship of God the other the inward love and duty to our neighbour might be the bounds of his law Thus far for the second table in general Now for the fift Commandment being the first of the second table CHAP. II. The division of the commandments of the second table Why this is set here between the first and second table The parts of it 1. A precept 2. A promise In the precept 1. The duty Honour 2. The obiect father and mother The ground of 〈◊〉 1. Excellency 2. Conjunction The order of honouring differs from that of love Why God did not make all men excellent and fit to be superiours All paternity is originally and properly in God In man onely instrumentally
publica infamia nor ex semiplena probatione upon publick fame nor upon probable grounds but were to make him accuse himself in such cases a man may not answer And again in some 〈◊〉 if there be two things in the accusation and both true he may answer to the one and occultare partem veritatis hide or conceal the other part as S. Paul did when he was accused for perceiving that part were Sadduces who denyed the resurrection and part 〈◊〉 who held the resurrection he cryed out that he was a 〈◊〉 and held the resurrection and for that was questioned which was true for that was one thing for which he was called in question but it was not that alone So if a man have diverse wayes to defend himself he may choose which he will as he that hath diverse weapons may use which he will for his own defence But if according to due form of Law he be proceeded against he must answer as Achan did when Joshua urged him to confesse the truth 2. Whereas the benefit of appeal is granted for a remedy of those that are oppressed if any shall use appeals meerly to protract the cause and avoid a just sentence this is a second fault in the Defendant for this is to delay 〈◊〉 contrary to Jethro's advise who would not have people wait long for justice but to be dispatcht that they might go home to their place in peace 1. The Defendant offends if when sentence is given he do not submit to it for Qui resistit Dei ordinationi resistit he that resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God 5. For the witnesse he may likewise 〈◊〉 guilty diverse wayes 1. If being lawfully required by a Superiour demanding his testimony and asking him nothing that is 〈◊〉 to the matter in question if he do not declare all that he knows for the Law is 〈◊〉 that a witnesse if he 〈◊〉 not utter 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 seen and known shall bear his 〈◊〉 2. Though one be not required by a Superiour yet if it be to 〈◊〉 an Innocent man in danger he is bound to bear witnesse and he 〈◊〉 if he be silent Solomon makes it no small sin not to give testimony for the preservation of an innocent person If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death and those that are ready to be slain if thou 〈◊〉 behold I knew it not doth not he that 〈◊〉 the heart consider and shall not be render to every one according to his works But out of these cases if one not be called to witnesse by a Superiour or if an innocent person be not 〈◊〉 by his silence and if he be not examined about other things which belong not to the matter in question he is not 〈◊〉 to answer 3. Besides these Solomon intimates another way whereby a witnesse may offend when he bears false witnesse to deliver the wicked for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand yet shall not the wicked escape unpunished The Greeks have a Proverb Da 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jusjurandum lend me an oath This lending an oath is that which Solomon calls a joyning of hand in hand and he saith plainly that though they may escape the hands of men yet shall they not escape unpunished that is God will be sure to punish them 6. Sixtly and lastly for the Advocate he may offend two wayes 1. If he undertake an evil cause knowing it so to be This is a great sin God saith having first prohibited any to raise a false report Put not thy hand unto the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse now he that pleads 〈◊〉 a bad cause puts his hand to the wicked And in the third verse it s added Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause viz. if his cause be bad If a man might plead for any in a bad cause surely it might be for a poor man but even for a poor man he must not Jehu said to Jehosaphat Wilt thou help the wicked and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. And the Apostle saith that not onely the doers of evil things are worthy of death but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that take pleasure in them or consent to them such are they that plead for them they give their placet as we use to do at congregations in the Universitie Greeks used the same words and gave their suffrages by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it pleaseth me and therefore whosoever pleads for the wicked cryes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am pleased with it he helps him and is partaker of his sin with him 2. Another way is by the Wise man when a man for defence of a cause in difference though it be good perverts the Law or receives a bribe The wicked 〈◊〉 he takes a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of judgement As it is evil to joyn with the wicked to help an evil cause for he that saith to the wicked thou art just him shall the people curse so to bolster any cause by wrong means and thereby to pervert the course of judgement is wicked And because judgement is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the bench but also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the place of consultation therefore false witnesse or testimony must not be given in elections or in choice of men to places or preferments for there ought to be justice and truth in both and he that gives his voice for one unworthy bears false witnesse and goes against justice and truth 〈◊〉 justice as the Philosopher defines it well is rectitudo in affectu impressa a recta ratione a rectitude stamped upon the affections by right reason and as electio dicit excellentiam so excellentia dicit magis aut plus as Election or choyce imports excellency in the party elected so excellency imports the best or most eminent now that in our choyce the best is alwayes to be chosen is the second rule in moral Philosophy which he that follows not goes against the truth and so justice is broken CHAP. IIII. Of false witnessing out of judgement Four things to which the tongue may do harme The branches of this kinde of false witnessing 1. Contumelious speaking 2. Taunting 3. Backbiting Which is 1. By words 2. By letters 3. By deeds 4. In all these a man may be a false witnesse 〈◊〉 he speak the truth AND thus we have done with false testimony given in judgement Now for that which is out of judgement When a man is out of judgement he is not to say with those in the Psalm Ego sum Dominus linguae meae my tongue is my own I may speak what I will for nemo est Dominus sui nisi ad licita no man is Lord of his own further then to imploy it for a lawful use Solomon hath a strange speech Be not a witnesse against thy 〈◊〉 without cause
Docilitas Diligentia 2. About instruction Instruction helps the natural and infused light so doth prayer and reading the word c. The Scholars duties answerable to these The particular duties of a Teacher The duties of those that are to be taught The resultant duties of both CHAP. VII Page 365 Of honouring spiritual fathers in the Church The excellency and necessity of their calling Four sorts of ministers in the Church 1. The thief 2. The hireling 3. The wolfe 4. The good shepherd whose duties are 1. To be an example to his flock 1. In himself 2. In his family The peoples duty answerable to this 2. To use his talent for their good Rules for doctrine and conversation The peoples duty 1. To know their own shepherd 2. To obey and follow him 3. To give him double honour 1. Of reverence 2. of maintenance CHAP. VIII Page 373 Of fathers of our country Magistrates The duty of all towards their own country God the first magistrate Magistracy Gods ordinance Power of life and death given to kings by God not by the people Addition 31. That regal power is only from God proved out of the authors other writings The ends of Magistracy 1. To preserve true religion 2. To maintain outward peace Magistrates compared to shepherds in three respects The duties of the supream power viz of Kings and of inferiour officers The duties of subjects to their Prince CHAP. IX Page 383 Of fathers by excellency of gifts The honour due to them is not debitum justitiae as the former but debitum honettatis 1. Of those that excell in gifts of the minde The honour due to them 1. To acknowledge their gifts Not to envy or deny them Nor to extenuate them Nor undervalue them Nor tax them with want of other gifts The duty of the person gifted 2. To prefer such before others to choose them for their gifts Reasons against choice of ungifted persons The duty of the person chosen c. 2. Of excellency of the body by old age and the honour due to the aged 3. Of excellency by outward gifts as riches Nobility c. Reasons for honouring such How they must be honoured 4. Excellency by benefits conferred Benefactors are fathers Rules for conferring of benefits The duties of the receiver CHAP. X. page 391 That this law is spiritual The duties of Superiours and Inferiours must proceed from the heart Special means conducing to the keeping of this commandement Signes of the true keeping of it CHAP. XI page 396 The second part of this Commandement a promise of long life Reasons why this promise is annexed to this Commandement How this promise is made good Reasons why God sometimes shortens the dayes of the godly and prolongs the dayes of the wicked The Exposition of the sixth Commandement CHAP. I. page 400 Why this Commandement is placed in this order How it coheres with the rest Of unjust anger the first step to murther how it differs from other affections Of lawful anger Unlawful anger how prohibited The degrees and fruits of it The affirmative part of the precept to preserve the life of another The life of the body and the degrees of it The life of the soul and the sinnes against it The scope of this Commandement CHAP. II. page 404 Of murther in general The slaughter of beasts not prohibited but in two cases Of killing a mans self diverse reasons against it Of killing another many reasons to shew the greatnesse of this sinne The aggravations of this sinne from the person murthered CHAP. III. page 407 The restraint of this Commandement 1. That Kings and Princes may lawfully put malefactors to death That herein they are Gods ministers Three rules to be by them observed Their judgement must not be 1. Perversum nor 2. 〈◊〉 patum nor 3. Temerarium 2. That in some cases they may lawfully make war In a lawful war is required 1. Lawful authority 2. A just cause 3. A just end And 4. A right manner Addition 32. Of the causes of a just war Some other cases wherein a man may kill and not break this Commandement First for defence of his life against sudden assaults Inculpata tutela Secondly by chance and without his intention CHAP. IV. page 412 The extent of this Commandement Murther committed 1. Directly 2. Indirectly A man may be accessory to anothers death six wayes A man may be 〈◊〉 to his own death diverse wayes Of preserving life CHAP. V. page 414 Of the murther of the soul. Several sinnes against the life of the soul. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be accessory to the death of his soul. This sinne may be committed both by them 〈◊〉 have charge of souls and by private persons That this law is spiritual according to 〈◊〉 third rule CHAP. VI. page 417 The fourth rule of avoiding the Causes of the sins here sorbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards inferiours The suppuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. by murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. railing The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand CHAP. VII page 421 Of the means against anger How to prevent it in others How in our selves Anger must be 1. Just in regard of the cause 2. Moderated for the measure 3. We must labour for gravity 4. For love without hypocrisie The vertues opposite to unjust anger 1. Innocency 2. Charity In the first there is 1. The Antidote against anger which consists in three things 2. The remedy in three more How charity prevents anger The fruit of charity Beneficence 1. To the dead by burying them 2. To the living And that first generally to all Secondly specially to the faithful Thirdly to the poor by works of mercy Fourthly to our enemies CHAP. VIII page 424 Rules for the eradication of unjust anger 1. To keep the passion from rising 4. Rules 2. After it is risen to suppresse it How to carry our selves towards those that are angry with us 1. To give place 2. To look up to God 3. To see the Devil in it Of the second thing in anger viz. Revenge Reasons against it If our anger have broken out Rules what we must do Of the act viz. requiring one injury with another Rules in going to law The sixth rule of causing others to keep this Commandement The Exposition of the seventh Commandement CHAP. I. page 428 The scope and order of this Commandement Of Marriage The institution and ends of it explicated out of Genesis 2. 22 23 24. Married persons are 1. to leave all others 2. to cleave to one another Rules for those that are to marry Duties of those that are married
great fault If I have made gold my hope or have said to the fine gold Thou art my confidence If I rejoyced because my wealth was great or because my hand had gotten much Or if our trust be in great men as the Prophet who denounceth a curse against him that trusteth in man or maketh flesh his arm And not onely in great personages but in Common-wealths and the strength of them and their chariots and horses Or in wisdom Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom Or in outward priviledges Trust not in lying words saith the Prophet saying the Temple of the Lord c. Or as Ezekiel in ordinary coming to sermons as the people did to his and so to rest doing no good works and reaping no fruit by them But to use these things well not trusting in them which may be done 1. By a right judgement of them 2. By a right use of them 1. For the first Moses saith It is not bread that man liveth by onely but by the word of God his will and decree In nature bread should nourish but it is withall if God give the staffe of bread with it His blessing gives a nutritive vertue to bread and this is the staffe The Psalmist look'd upon his bow and his sword and yet could not be confident in them I will not trust in my bow saith he it is not my sword that shall help me And except the Lord build with us and watch with us our building and watching will be to no purpose It is the Lord that must give the staff of building watching nourishing c. else all our means will be used in vain nothing can prosper without his blessing Every thing depends upon God both in esse and in operari as the Schools say and no second cause can work without the influence of the first cause and this must be our judgement concerning the means 2. The right use is the second and this because the means are of no force without a blessing annexed we are to seek for some thing further that may adde vigor and strength to them which as the Apostle saith is thanksgiving and prayer to sanctifie the means And this thanksgiving and prayer are not to be formall It was that which Job feared in his sons for he knew by his good education of them that they omitted not thanksgiving nor prayer every day but feared that they performed not those duties as they ought and therefore every morning he offered burnt offerings according to the number of them And in doing thus we shall make the right use of the means and be in the number of the Saints whose practise we shall finde in scriptures to be the same Jacob in reconciling himself to his brother used all the means that could be as in sending messengers before he met him thereby to feele his affection towards him not forgetting presents to make his way the better and withal instructing his servants to separate his wives and children and droves in several stations that if his brother should set upon one the other might escape yet for all this we see that in the first place he giveth himself to prayer thinking that all the means he used could be of little force except God blessed the means So in Exodus we finde that in the war with the Amalekites all things were provided Iosua made Captain and the battle set in order but knowing that all this was not available without Gods blessing Moses went up to the top of the mount with Aaron and Hur to pray and we see that no longer then Moses listed up his hands no longer did the Isralites prevail We finde in the fathers two several wayes whereby a man may know and certifie himself whether his trust be more in the means then in God the author and giver 1. Quid primum in mente venit cogitandum what first comes into a mans thoughts 2. Quid postremum what last 1. For the first say they when thou goest about any thing cometh thy wealth first into thy minde or thy mony or thy charriot or thy horse or thy arm of flesh or cometh he that hath the prerogative of all these the first that first offereth it self to thy minde trieth it and tieth it to it self and all other are but secondary means If there be first a calling to minde of God it is probable that he is the ground of thy confidence 2. And secondly what we set down in our minds as our last refuge and this is too commonly seen to be the means The wiseman saith The rich mans wealth is his strong city which the fathers expound thus when the Justice and goodnesse of his cause when God and good men and all else forsake him then will that stick to him as he conceives and help him at a pinch and he is perswaded that argento respondent omnia pecuniae omnia obediunt when we are like to them against whom the Prophet denounceth a woe that devise iniquity and worke evill upon their beds and when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their hand And indeed our nature is such that as long as means prevail so long we trust in them But when a man in the plenty of his means can say I will do nothing against the truth but for the truth notwithstanding all my means wisdome freinds c. I will do nothing against a good cause if the event conduce not to the Glory of God non est faciendum I will not go about it when a rich man shall be poor to do evill and so a wise man foolish and ignorant in evill then he hath a good warrant that flesh is not his arme and that his trust is not in his meanes 〈◊〉 God though his means be many Nay when we can trust in God though means be wanting The Greeks have a proverb while the pot seetheth their love seetheth and so we can be content to hold out so long as our means hold out and no longer And this is the cause that provoketh God in his just judgement to give the means without the blessing as also to bring many things to passe without means For as where the blessing of God is there it falls out that mens bellies are filled with Gods hidden treasure there is thriving and growing no man can tell by what means So where he 〈◊〉 the means it fares with them as with those in the Prophet ye have sowen much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloth you but ye are not warme and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes whatsoever means they use it prospers not And the experience of this we see in king Asa albeit Physick be the ordinary means to recover health yet
proper to God and yet in our practise nothing is more common then to ascribe infallibility to our selves and others whom we admire and thus that pride which we tax in them we practise our selves So likewise it is usual among great men They will speak in Gods phrase and as God saith I will be gratious to whom I will be gratious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy So they will prefer whom they will prefer and whereas God hath appointed to prefer whom he will without gifts they will prefer without gifts and lastly whereas there are no merits with God but all is ex gratia out of favour they will have no merits but all favour and so in all things they behave themselves not as men but Gods and that comes because our hearts are lifted up as the Prophet there speaks Come we to the common sort and in them we shall finde S. Bernards seven notes or signes of pride two whereof are in the soul. 1. Pursuing our own counsel 2. Following our own will and pleasure Two in the mouth 1. Grudging against our betters 2. Disdaining and vilifying our inferiours And three in outward things 1. Superbia habitus pride of apparel 2. Superbia habitus pride in our table and 3. Superbia supellectilis pride in our furniture In the means of grace which God gives us to beget in us humility and other graces we shew much pride as when we take a pride in praying hearing c. and do herein affect the praise and applause of men but an higher degree is when men reject those means of grace especially when they resist the good motions wrought in them and quench those sparkles which are kindled by the word when it comes home to their hearts as if they could have the motions of Gods spirit when they please whereas they know not whether God will ever offer them the like again and so this may be the last offer of grace Nay not onely in the means of grace but even in the graces themselves will pride appeare and whereas the objects of other sins are base and vile even the best things and most excellent graces are made the object or matter of pride Cineres 〈◊〉 peccatorum fomes superbia when other 〈◊〉 are consumed to ashes even out of those ashes will pride spring up yea we are apt to be proud even of our humility There is a pride in the crosse when we are humbled under Gods hand we may be proud in that we are not proud or not so proud as other men or as we have been before Thus the greater our gifts are the more secure we grow and the lesse jealous and suspicious of our selves and so are overtaken as 〈◊〉 David 〈◊〉 and others Therefore where the greatest gifts are there is greatest danger and therefore the greater watch ought to be kept and where the richest prize is there the devil will use his greatest power and subtilty to rob us of it Therefore the more any man hath received the more ought he to humble himself and watch that he be not overtaken with pride 1. We will adde a little to that we have said and that shall be concerning the punishment of this sinne Gods glory as one well saith is fiscus regalis his chief treasure and exchequer into which the proud man breaks robbing God by extenuating his glory and taking it as much as he can to himself But as the wise man speaks the Lord will destroy the house of the proud as he did Pharoah Haman Herod and many others who were taken away even when they magnified themselves most of all 2. Or else God punisheth him by depriving him of the guist which was the cause of his pride His tongue shall cleave to the roof of his mouth or his right hand shall forget her cunning 3. Or when he thinks he hath gotten strength enough that he is able to leane upon his own staff God suffers him to fall under every small temptation because he seeks not to God for supply of his spirit whereas by humility he might have withstood the greatest assaults Thus some of great parts when they will be singular as vnicorns that will have no match they break the net of humility which should bring men unto God by pride and so God leaving them to themselves they become the authors of heresies and errors 4. Or though it pleaseth God to let the gift remain whereof they are proud yet he gives not a blessing to it but leaves it fruitlesse Some have been endued with excellent graces but without fruit they haue made no returne to God of his Talents not a soul gained unto him by them whereas a man of mean endowments joyned with humility hath gained more then the golden tongue of an eloquent Tertullus 5. Or Lastly which is the greatest punishment there is in the minde as ost times in the body as towards the end of a mans dayes a Palsy or an Appoplexy a certain stupidity or numnesse so that neither threats can terrifie them nor perswasions allure them to repentance but passe out of this world without the fear of God or sense of his judgements so that they die and perish like beasts And God punisheth their pride with this dulnesse lest they should feel as Saint Paul did a thorn in the flesh which as the best interpreters expound it was a wrestling against pride 1. Another thing forbidden is forced humility coacta humilitas And such was that of Pharoah So long as Gods hand was upon him and his people and that he was sensible of the plagues sent by him so long he humbled himself and promised to let the people go but when he perceived that the plagues ceased he and his servants hardened their hearts and grew to that height that he said who is the Lord that he should let his people go Saint Bernard describeth these kind of humble men thus vidimus multos humiliates sed non humiles we see many humbled few humble 2. Counterfeit or bastard humility spuria humilitas for in every vertue besides the two extreams there is that which hath the likelihood of vertue which they call spuriam virtutem wherewith many are deceived Thus some are naturally of a low servile disposition which some take for humility though it be nor neither is it true humility to give in Gods cause and not to be stout in maintaining it for detrimentum veritatis non est ornamentum humilitatis that which brings detriment to the truth can be no ornament of humility So to deny the gifts or graces of God in our selves is not true humility Saint Paul would have the Ephes. understand his knowledge in the mysterie of Chist Ephes. 3. 4. 5. and preferres the Jews of which himself was one before the Gentiles Gal. 2. 15. and all this without pride In every one there is somewhat of God somewhat of nature somewhat of sinne now it s true every man
his own sinne and his own transgressions are ever before him and not busie himself with other mens faults whereas the proud mans thoughts are bona sua mala aliena the evil in others and the good that is in himself 3. Another signe is when a man is able to suffer the slander backbiting and reproches of ill tongues and not regard them as King David did As for me saith he I was like a deaf man and heard not and as one that is dumb and openeth not his mouth and in the next verse I became even as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth is no reproof Thus he shewed his humil ty when he bare patiently the railing of Shimei Christ being reviled reviled not 4. The fourth not to do any thing that may be against Gods glory though it be to a mans own reproach and suffering in this world when he is willing to suffer any thing himself rather then any dishonour should red ound to God or his Church by opening the mouths of the wicked Psal. 69. 6. Let not them that trust in thee be ashamed O Lord God of hosts for my cause let not those that seek thee be confounded through me c. 5. The last is not to rob God of his glory or to give it to another How can yee beleeve saith Christ that seek glory one of another The humble man as the Psalmist saith setteth not by himself but is lowly in his own eyes Psal. 15. 4. this is evidentissimum signum appropinguantis gloriae for before honour goes humility as a proud looke before a fall Pro. 33. CHAP. X. Of the fift inward vertue Hope Hope and fear come both from faith The several vses of hope The nature and exercise of hope Of presumption and despair Reasons against both Means to strengthen hope Signes of true hope Spes Hope AS the knowledge and belief of Gods justice worketh in us fear and humility of which we have spoken so from the knowledge and apprehension of his mercy ariseth hope and love After humility we come to the valley of Achor for a doore of hope as the Prophet speaks When we have been brought to the valley of mourning and have bin in fear and despaire then will God open to us a door of hope so that in stead of the first spirit the spirit of bondage unto fear we shall receive the spirit of adoption unto hope Now by conferring our strength and performances with the strict rule of Gods justice we finde it impossible that we should hope for salvation but by faith apprehending Gods mercy it may be possible it may be considered as attainable two wayes 1. either by our selves 2. or by some other 1. Now concerning the former if we look upon our selves the effect of faith is fear inasmuch as the object of it is Gods justce and so we can have little comfort in our selves for this shews that it is impossible to us as of our selves but as it is in the Apostle every mouth must be stopped and all the world must become guilty before God ther 's little hope that way 2. But we are not left alltogether to despair for though it be impossible to us of our selves yet if it be possible by another if another way may be found ther 's some hope Faith reasoneth as the Psalmist doth Hath God made all men for nought or in vain If he hath then why falleth not his wrath at once And searching further for the cause why we are not consumed we finde that his mercy is the cause It is of the Lords mercy saith the Prophet that we are not consumed for his compassions fail not and that the work of his creation is not in vain Then consequently a remnant there shall be and God will have a tenth alwayes preserved to himself and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof and as it is in the Gospell there shall be a little flock and we may hope that of that little flock we are If the Lord were sparing of his mercy that might be a great impediment to our hope but when we read that the Lord waiteth to be gracious to us it setteth our hope in a better forwardnesse Now because that out of the gate of mercy all our hope cometh we are to consider upon whom God vouchsafeth to bestow this mercy how they must be qualified The prophet saith he will thrust his face into the dust that is he will humble himself if peradventure he may have hope And hope is given to them that fear and are of a contrite spirit and that tremble at Gods word Spes timentibus Deum hope is a reward to them that fear God And as fear is requisite so faith much more God shews this kindnesse to them that put their trust in him and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute or forsaken And when we hear God himself say liberabo eum qui sperat in me when the act of hope shall have such a reward ther is good encouragement and we may surely expect it Now to hope is to trust in Gods mercy and so the psalmist saith My trust is in thy mercy for that is Porta spei the gate of hope there 's no entrance unto God but by this gate and no issue of good to us but by it for faith apprehending mercy hopeth and the rather because there is such plenty of mercy promised to them that hope in God that it will compasse them round Who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy imbraceth him on every side But it may be demanded how faith can beget both fear and hope two contraries or how two contraries can stand in one subject To this may be answered first we should not question it in respect that the holy Ghost hath put them together so often The Psalmist saith The Lords delight is in them that fear him and put their trust in his mercy Again faith breedeth fear in us in respect of our weaknesse and it breeds hope in respect of the mercies of God so that they being contraries non secundum idem they may well stand together in the soule of a just man For distinction sake Fides credit promissis faith beleeveth the promise and spes expectat credita hope looketh for the things we beleeve Again a thing may be believed and yet not hoped for as no true Christian though he hopes not for hell yet he believes there is such a place So the general truth of God being the object of our faith and containing many threatnings bringeth forth fear and the mercy of God in his promises being likewise an object of our faith produceth hope And so we see they are distinguished ab objecto the one having Gods justice and the other his goodnesse for its object S. Bernard distinguisheth the three vertues of Faith Hope and Charity by presenting to
use of his punishment and know that all things worke together for good to them that love God And to this we may apply the speech of the Heathen man Patior ne patiar I suffer now that I may not suffer hereafter That Abraham make not that argument against us which he did to the rich man Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things therefore now thou sufferest pains but Lazarus who suffered pain shall for his patience have his reward That this conclusion may not be here we must suffer those pains that may be ended mitigated endured with patience and have hope of an end that we may not hereafter suffer those pains in which there is no patience in bearing no hope to be delivered no mitigation to be expected but the end will be without end And indeed this continuus cursus temporalium to have no misfortune or trouble nor to be plagued as other men is a dangerous signe of Gods disfavour to us And these for the corrective part The motives for patience in that affliction which is explorativa or probativa are 1. To consider before hand what troubles and crosses are incident to a Christian life Our Saviour upon this hath two comparisons of a builder and a king going to war both whom it behoveth to cast their accounts before hand what charge they may be at For the want of forecast of them that intend to live a Godly life what troubles what temptations they must go through makes them unprepared and unresolved when the crosse cometh and so they give over 2. The Apostle though it may be equally applied to other vertues tells us that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope that is in this point of patience we may see in scriptures what the Saints of God have endured and by considering their afflictions and sufferings what it cost them and what they suffered we may see what it will cost us and what we must endure and so we may be the better armed against the like and especially if we consider our Captain as the Apostle calls him and what he suffered Recogitate illum consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds This is a good preparative to patience Si paessio Christi saith Saint Gregory in memoriam revocetur nihil tam arduum quod non aequo animo toleretur if we would but call Christs passion to remembrance there 's nothing so difficult but we would willingly endure it He suffered so much in all parts of soul and body that its impossible for us to endure the like 3. Martyres 〈◊〉 flamma esse possumus si in anima patientiam retineamus we may be martyrs without fire if we endure Gods crosse with patience And to endure them we shall be enabled by Gods own promise in the words of the Apostle God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but with the temptation will also make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it He will not trie us above our patience but either give us sufficient strength to suffer great afflictions or lesson our trials as our patience shall decrease And the consideration of this is also a great motive to continue in this vertue 4. Lastly The hope of the reward laid up for those that suffer in this world is a principal means to stir us to this duty Saint Paul saith I reckon not the sufferings of this present time worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And he gives the reason in another place For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Here is a gradation of so many steps that a man cannot reach to the top of it The glory great the affliction light the glory exceeding the affliction for a moment nay the glory far more exceeding with an eternal weight added to it Here is Hyperbole upon Hyperbole and yet no Hyperbole can fully expresse it The Apostle could not expresse it and we cannot conceive it So much of the means The signes of patience are these 1. Tolerantia Crucis When a man findes upon examination that he is able and willing according to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide under the crosse it is a good signe When a man is so affected to the Crosse that if it please God to take away his sinne the cause of punishment he is willing to beare the punishment Let me onely be assured of forgivenesse and let the Crosse lie on me still 2. The second is when we can Tolerare et amare beare and love too When our suffering turns not to murmuring or disobedience but so affecteth us that notwithstanding our chastisment we can love God with his chastisment and for it say with Job Blessed be the name of the Lord. When it is Benedictus Dominus in donis suis blessed be God in his gifts Jobs wife can say grace aswell as he but when it cometh in ablationibus suis blessed be God who takes away a true note ariseth of difference between true and counterfeit patience It is in this as in the affections when they arise from contrary objects they are true and not counterfeit as when justice which properly stirs up fear works love in us and when we can fear him for his mercy which properly stirs up love Wicked men may fear God for his justice and love him for his mercy but the true note of difference is if we love him for his justice and can say with David There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared So that when a man can love God as we count it post injuriam this is true love and is a signe of true patience The Heathen man said that 's true love cum amare possis post injuriam when one can love him that hath injured him 3. The third is when we finde our selves humble in our sufferings which is a distinction between true Christian patience and heretical The Fathers in the primitive Church had much to do to make the people observe the difference of patience between a true Christian and a Donatist and were forced to use these two notes of distinction 1. That in the suffering of a Donatist which is to be observed in our dayes they should finde a spirit of pride and vanity whereas true patience is humble And this humility appeared in the Martyrs sufferings which was without disputation with God about the cause or murmuring at the torments tolerabunt non gemuerunt or else respondent pro Deo they either bear them and mourn in silence or if they reply it is on Gods behalf like Job of whom the Holy
another some come into the Church at prayer some not till the sermon begin But as the Apostle enjoyns tarry one for another that is all praise God together Inward unanimity and outward uniformity being a delight to God It was Davids joy I was glad when they said to me Let us go into the house of the Lord and soon after he addeth Jerusalem is as a City that is compact together or as some translation at unity in it self And this spiritual union is without question a great strengthening to the Church for when either one comes after another or if in time of Gods service some sing not nor pray with the other this must needs make a breach in the fabrick of it In Discordia saith Augustine nemo benedicit Dominum God is never truely or well served where there is discord or separation The Prophets earnest desire is O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together And therefore it is that the holy Ghost mentioneth so often this unanimity to be in the infancy of the Church as being one of the chief causes of the growth and enlarging of it The Spirit came upon them when they were all together with one accord in one place as if the whole Church were one person and had but one tongue and one lip And in prayer it is said They lift up their voice with one accord And they heard so too The people with one accord gave heed to the things which Philip spake So in the point of uniformity we see that he was punished that was not like the rest of the guests that had not a wedding garment And as the separation and division of tongues was a curse that the earth was no more unius labii of one speech or language so it is a great part of the blessednesse of the heavenly Jerusalem that the Elders sing with one voice unto the Lord. The Fathers beat much upon this and Saint Chrysostome extolleth it highly and saith that it falleth upon God like a showre of hailstones and Saint Augustine saith of singing of prayses that it sounds in Gods eares tanquam resonantia maris as the voice of many waters which he seemeth to take from that place in the Revelation 2. The second is fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all fear saith S. Peter with fear and trembling saith S. Paul for if the service of men according to the rule of S. Paul and Saint Peter must be so much more the service of God But in our exteriour service of God there is commonly so little fear or rather such want of fear that commonly we sleep in it like the Apostles who could not hold open their eyes being in horto in the garden with their Master they could not watch one hour and therefore that judgement befell them that they all forsook Christ and fled And there is little fear in sleep When Jacob was afraid of his brother Esau he slept not all that night The Example of the Christians in the Primitive Church is left upon record for our observation That they heard S. Paul preaching till midnight Upon which place Chrysostome saith Ad hoc commemoravit eos qui media nocte vigilabant ut pudeat eos qui media die dormiunt the Evangelist recordeth those that watch till midnight to this end that they may be ashamed that sleep at mid-day Now because the actions of a natural man are eating drinking and sleeping the same reason which 〈◊〉 the using of the two former in the Church must needs be of force to condemn sleeping too Have ye not houses to eat and drink in saith the Apostle thereby condemning those that used to eat and drink in the Church So if he could have supposed that the Corinthians would have slept there he would have asked the same question concerning sleeping And as he reasons from the place so we may reason from the time out of another place of the same Apostle Vigilate nam qui dormiunt nocte dormiunt watch for they that sleep sleep in the night But with us we may say They that sleep sleep in the day And so whereas the place of sleeping should be our houses and the time of sleeping the night we because we will be crosse in the day-time sleep at Church Natural reason tells us that Actio vestita indebitis circumstantiis illicita est every action cloathed with undue circumstances is unlawful The Prophet as his manner is after he had denounced a curse upon a carelesse people falleth to blessing the Church of God in which he saith Non dormiet quisquam neque dormitabit none shall 〈◊〉 nor sleep among them And our Saviour gives this caveat Beware that the Lord when he cometh find you not sleeping which though it have a spiritual understanding yet there follows a temporal punishment In prima poena est estimatio peccati we may consider of the sin by the first punishment and so we may weigh every 〈◊〉 in prima poena God usually punisheth sin in its own kinde We see it from the beginning Cains murder God threatneth with blood Sodoms heat of lust punished with fire c. Eutychus sleep in this case with a dead sleep This carelesnesse in Gods service is the onely way to bring us first to 〈◊〉 and then to Apostacy and no religion at all We finde it punished in the Church she slept and awoke but found not her beloved And this judgement followed the Apostles themselves because they could not watch one hour they all forsook our Saviour and Peter forsware him But howsoever it stands in respect of Gods punishments or mercies yet the former reasons condemn it and we may adde that the heart truely and rightly affected in Gods service is ardens cor as the Disciples were that talked with our Saviour going to Emaus their heart 〈◊〉 and a Father saith that it is impossible to have cor ardens sub oculo gravi a burning heart and a heavy eye are not compatible 3. There must be with these Cordis praesentia our heart must be present and watchful too for though we watch outwardly yet there may be such extravagant and wandering thoughts in the heart that we may be said to be praesentes absentes absent though present And where the heart is absent the other members will discover it The note of Cor fatui a fools heart is to be in domo laetitiae it turneth that way where the sport lyeth whereas cor prudens the heart of him that hath understanding quaerit scientiam seeketh to get knowledge The inner parts of a fool are like a broken vessel he will hold no knowledge so long as he liveth it runneth out as fast as it is poured in but the wise inquire at the mouth of the wise in the Congregation and ponder his words in their heart And these are testified by
that though by the common Canon-law all festivals are from evening to evening Cap. 1. 2. de Feriis 〈◊〉 cap. 13. n. 5. Covar in 4. variar resol cap. 19. n. 9. yet where the custom is to observe them from midnight to midnight or from morning to morning such custom ought to be kept if there be lawful prescription for it as Panorm resolves 7. Before we conclude this observation about the Sabbath it may be fit to consider why it was so long observed after our Saviour together with the Lords day for we finde that for many years after the Apostles times the Sabbath was kept as well as the Lords day until the Councel of Laodicea which was not long before the Councel of Nice and that it is still observed among the Abyssines and that Balsam saith that the holy Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did in a manner equall the Sabbath with the Lords day Gregory Nyssen calls those two dayes fratres brethren Clem. constit l. 7. cap. 24. Diem Sabbati Diem Dominicam festas habete quoniam illa creationis altera resurrectionis memoria dicata est observe those two festivals the sabbath and the Lords day the one in memory of the creation the other of the resurrection hence was that old Custome of not fasting upon the sabbath or Saturday because it was a day of rejoycing and therefore those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festival dayes in the 53 Canon of the Apostles are expounded by Zonaras to be the Sabbath or Saturday and the Lords day and in the 65 Canon it is prohibited to fast either on the Sabbath or Lords day 〈◊〉 onely the Sabbath before Easter Ignatius in Epist. ad Philadelph saith If any fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Lords day or on the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is a murderer of Christ. Tertul de jejuniis saith Sabbatum nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum est none must fast on the Sabbath or Saturday save before Easter And from this cause it was that Constantine whose Edict we may read in Eusebius for the free exercise of Christian Religion forbids that they should be impleaded on the Sabbath or Saturday as well as on the Sunday because both dayes were observed with publick meetings And in the Synod of Laodicea it was appointed that besides the Law which was anciently read upon the Saturdayes the Gospel should be also read on that day By all which it may seem that the Jewish Sabbath and the Lords day are both to be kept and by some learned men it is hence urged that the sunday doth not succeed the 〈◊〉 but wassuperadded to the sabbath But to this I answer 1. That the sabbath was for some time used as a thing indifferent as were some other legal rites in favour of the Jews and that they might be the lesse offended and more easily gained to the Christian Church as S. Paul circumcised timothy and S. Peter abstained from some meats c. not as things necessary but 〈◊〉 2. That though the legal rites were void at 〈◊〉 death and then expired yet as S. Augustine saith some time was required for their decent burial 3. That though holy duties were performed in public on the Saturday for many years yet the symbolical and typical rest which was proper to the Jewish sabbath was not allowed or practised in the Church and therefore when some began to 〈◊〉 on the Saturday by resting on that day it was forbid by several Councels as that of Laodicea cap. 29. the Councel of Lyons in cap. 1. de consecr d. 3. and the Sabbatarians were generally condemned for Hereticks And therfore the observing of Saturday as a half holy day as it is still in a manner kept in many places with us was not with reference to the Jewish sabbath but for the more honour of the Lords day as a preparative to that great festival and therefore though the Church did allow some publick meetings on that day in the Church yet we never finde that the symbolical rest which is the proper and characteristical difference of the Jewish sabbath from Christian festivals was ever allowed but generally condemned And thus I have done with these observations and positions which I conceived necessary to insert concerning the 〈◊〉 to give some light if possible to this so much agitated question submitting all to the judgement of my superiours in the Church and ready to yield to what any judicious and learned man shall upon better reasons propound CHAP. IIII. Reasons of this Commandment 1. Gods liberality in allowing 〈◊〉 six dayes and requiring but one for himself 2 The seventh is his own proper day Who are comprehended in the prohibition 1. The Master of the family 2. Children 3. Servants 4. Cattel 5 Srangers The general reasons of this precept 1. Gods rest from the creation Addition 22. Moral reasons sometimes given of a ceremonial precept The reason why a rest and why on this day are different things out of Maimon Abenezra 2. Reason the benefit coming to mankinde by the creation 3. Reason God blessed the seventh day IN the three next verses namely the ninth tenth and eleventh God first explaineth his meaning or gives an explication or further exposition of this Commandment verse 9. 10. and then gives a reason of the Commandment verse 11 why they should yield obedience to it In the explication there is order taken as well concerning works as persons First for works Six dayes shalt thou labour c. verse 9. Secondly for persons Thou and thy son c. verse 10. And again in the same verses there is 1. An Affirmative Six dayes thou shalt labour c. verse 9. and 2. secondly A Negative Thou shalt do no manner of work c. verse 10. Again there is 1. a Permission Six dayes God hath given thee wherein thou mayest labour and do all that thou hast to do 2. And secondly an Opposition or Antithesis But the seventh day he hath reserved to himself Six dayes are thine but the seventh his He hath bestowed six dayes on thee but the seventh he hath reserved to himself In the six dayes thou shalt do all but on the seventh no manner of work Now in the opposition there are two by-reasons included for the main reason is in the 11. verse for in six dayes c. The first is That because God hath dealt so liberally with us as to give us six dayes for our selves and to reserve onely one to himself therefore we should be the more ready to give him that day for by right of Creation we and all ours are the Lords for he made us of nothing and in that regard he might justly challenge 〈◊〉 and our service all our dayes and we being but his Creatures could not justly challenge to our selves one day In so much as if it had pleased God to have given us but one day and reserved the other six to himself we should
the first there is an objection of some that no man is to kill or be killed upon the speeches of our Saviour Resist not evil But the answer is easy for it is not publick 〈◊〉 but private revenge that is prohibited But for publick vengeance God tells us it is his Which place Saint Paul quoteth And God hath derived his power to kings who are his delegates who as the same Apostle are a 〈◊〉 to the evil for they beare not the sword in vain but have it given to them to execute vengeance upon malefactors and may by Gods own immediate warrant put an 〈◊〉 to death Thou 〈◊〉 not suffer a witch to live saith God And a wise king saith Solomon scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele over them Thine eye shall not pitty saith the law but life shall go for life c. For the nature of man is so perverse as that without 〈◊〉 thou shalt kill ne occides Thou shalt not kill will not be observed God hath given this power and commandment to kings and princes who are the supreame Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ne sanguit 〈◊〉 that blood should be shed to Prevent a further shedding of blood As in the body the Physitian prescribes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incision must be made to prevent an excision or cutting off the member and in curing of some diseases of the eyes the sight must be as it were 〈◊〉 up for some dayes and the eye covered that it cannot see that so the sight may be preserved and the eye may see better afterward So here the shedding of nocent blood by kings and those that have authority from them for to such and none else hath God given the sword of justice is the way to prevent the shedding of innocent blood In the beginning Government was establisht upon this ground Optabilius est timere unum quam multos it is beter to fear one then many and therefore more fit it was for one to have power to kill then for all to have this power And he that hath this power may lawfully use it and cut off some thereby to preserve the whole body For as in the natural body if any member become so infected as that without cutting it off the whole body will be endangered as in the case of a gangrene the rule is melius est utpereat unus quam unitas better to cut off that member then the whole body perish so it is in the Civil body better one offender be cut off then the whole land endangered And as in a common fire when one house is on fire if water will not quench it the best way to prevent the rest from taking fire is by pulling it down Extinguit incendium 〈◊〉 by the ruin of that they stay the fire from doing more harm so in the Civil state they stay further mischief by one mans ruin And therefore God commands Tollere homicidam ut malum tollatur ex Israele to take a way the manslayer that evil may be taken away from Israel And this malum to be taken away is two fold 1. The wrath of God against the whole land which is defiled so long as innocent blood is shed and not punished 2. Liberty of offending further which arises by impunity by doing justice on the offender is prevented for as God saith those that remain shall heare and fear and shall henceforth commit no more such evil Thus we see that blood may by shed without pollution of our hands nay it is so far from that that Moses calleth it 〈◊〉 themselves to put some to death by lawful authority so that Tamnecesse est homines habere qui accent alios ab 〈◊〉 quam oculis habere palpebras it is as necessary to have men to keep others from exorbitancies as for the eyes to have lids for they keep out outward injuries and that which would hurt the eyes yea they keep and preserve the sight from hurting it self which without eye lids would disperse it self with continual beholding the object Therefore the Prophet David saith that it should be his common exercise every morning to cut off all the wicked from the city of the Lord. This is or should be the study of the wise king as Solomon saith how to scatter the wicked and to make the wheel to go over them It was found at first when magistracy was establisht that Cains city was the cause of Seths and that even amongst the seed of Seth were some of Cains spirit which were to be restraind with the sword or els they would like the Rams and Hee goats in Ezechiel 〈◊〉 at the leane sheep with their borns and therefore that blood may be shed to prevent the shedding of blood is evident for he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed and he that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword Now it is properly God and not man that sheds the blood of wicked persons for he is 〈◊〉 Dei the miuister of God to whom God hath given the sword and he must not beare it in vain Now as we do not impute the death of a man slain to the sword but to him that striketh with it so must not we 〈◊〉 the death of a malefactor to the judge or king but to God whose minister he is For Quod organon 〈◊〉 vtenti id minister est iubenti the minister is no more to him that commands then the instrument to him that useth it Now jubens est Deus the Commander is God for as we look not at the sword so neither must we to man the minister but to God whose delegates Princes are when they cut off evil doers Now as the Sheriffe may not execute any man but ex praescripto 〈◊〉 by warrant of the kings writ so may not the prince or magistrate do any thing in this behalf but ex praescripto Dei by warrant of Gods writ and his prescript is onely against malefactors The malefactor must die by Gods command but the innocent and righteous slay thou not his soul must be bound in the bundle of life He must not go beyond his prescript or bounds in either case For he that justifieth the wicked and he that conde mneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord saith Solomon The sparing of the guilty and condemning the guiltlesse are alike 〈◊〉 sins in the sight of God we have examples of Gods anger to such as have transgressed in either kinde 1. For the acquitting and sparing the guilty Saul by Gods command and prescript was sent to destroy the Amalekites and he having got Agag the king into his hands spares him but what followed his utter rejection because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath rejected thee from being King Again God gave Benhadad the King of Syria into the hands of King 〈◊〉 whom he let go contrary to Gods
penes principes not onely Christian religion but even the Law of nature requires that the authority and command for war be from the Prince And therefore it stands all others upon to consider what they do when they 〈◊〉 any war without the Authority or 〈◊〉 of their Princes much more if it be against him for let the cause be never so good or specious though it be for religion or for God yet without his authority to whom God hath committed the sword all the blood they shed be the persons never so wicked is murder and they murderers Let them consider further what the Heathen man could see That omne bellum sumi facile 〈◊〉 aegerrime desinere nec in ejusdem potestate initium 〈◊〉 esse It is an easy thing to begin but a hard matter to end a warre the beginning and the end being not in one and the same mans power 2. It must be also in justa causa upon a just occasion and then it is like to speed the better Si bona fuerit causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exit 〈◊〉 malus esse non potest saith S. Bernard If the cause of battel be good the event seldom proves amisse supposing withall lawful authority to warrant it The causes of a just war are the same with the causes of a just action in Law for ubi judicia 〈◊〉 incipit bellum where courts of justice end war begins They are generally made three 1. 〈◊〉 defence against invasion 2. Recovery of what is unjustly taken from us 3. The punishing of some great injurie and wrong All which are mentioned in that 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 against the 〈◊〉 Omnia 〈◊〉 defendi repetique ulcisci fas sit to defend recover and revenge Thus Abraham undertook a war for recovery of Lot in whom an injury and wrong was offered to himself But here it must not be every light and small injurie for which war may be undertaken but great and notable or a continued course of injuries And even when there is just cause yet until necessity inforces war must be avoided for as S. Augustine 〈◊〉 gerere malis videtur 〈◊〉 bonis vero necessitatis evil men count it a happinesse to go to war but good men avoid it unlesse necessity enforce them Seneca could say Non 〈◊〉 homini homine prodige utendum one man ought not to be prodigal of another Though David fought the Lords battels yet God would not let him build his Temple because he had shed much blood The Heathen Greeks thought some expiation necessary even for them that had shed blood upon a just cause And in the Greek Church that ancient Canon was long observed which for some time restrained them from the Eucharist that had born arms even in the justest war 3. It must be ad 〈◊〉 justum There must be a just end proposed before a war be undertaken There must not be cupiditas nocendi a desire to destroy or libido dominandi a lust to reign over others But the main end must be the glory of God and the next 〈◊〉 in pace sine injuria vivatur war must be taken in hand that we may live in peace without receiving injury 4. And lastly It must be 〈◊〉 debito in a right manner according to that rule given by God to his people When thou goest out to war with thine host against thine enemies keep thee from all wickednesse How can men expect good successe in fighting against men when by their sins they war against God Abigail said of David that he fought the battels of the Lord and evil had not been found in him all his dayes Where this is wanting it may be said to such as David said of Joab to Solomon when he gave a charge concerning him that the blood of war was upon his girdle and in his shoes And thus we see what is required to make a war just and lawful and where it is thus qualified as in the Prince authorizing it it is an act of publick justice so in the souldiers it is an act of Christian fortitude when men fight for their religion their king and their countrey and as they said propter populum nostrum urbes Dei nostri for our people and the cities of our God There are other cases wherein a man may kill and yet not sin against this Commandment 1. The first is when a man is suddenly assaulted either upon the high-way or elswhere where he cannot make use of the power of the magistrate In this case when the necessity is extream he may cum moderamine inculpatae tutelae for saving his own life kill him that would take it away that is when he cannot otherwise preserve his own life In this case necessitas is not onely exlex without the Law but legem dicit legi prescribes a Law even to the Law it self But necessity must be taken as it ought that is not onely pro imminenti necessitate a necessity neer but pro termino indivisibili when at the Instant a man must defend himself or his life is lost in this case every man is a Magistrate This may be confirmed out of the Law 〈◊〉 minore ad majus The Law saith If a thief be found breaking up an house by night and he be smiten that he die there shall be no blood shed for him Then if I may kill a man for breaking into my house to steal my goods and not be within compasse of murther much more if he would take away my life And this was the cause as S. Augustine saith that gladius Petri S. Peters sword may be 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 to terrifie men from offering violence and to preserve one from danger And seeing the Law allows a man to carry his sword about him for his own defence it is not for nothing but implies that he may vse it in some cases otherwise it were in vain to wear it But when the terminus is divisibilis that the necessity is not without a latitude nor the danger present 〈◊〉 we are to follow S. Pauls example who when some had bound themselves by an oath to kill him but the necessity was not present but there was time to make use of the Civil power therefore in this case Paul doth not 〈◊〉 upon them and seek to kill them presently but caused it to be revealed to Lysias the chief Captain and so we must reveal it to the Magistrate but the danger being present a man is by the Laws of God and man allowed to defend his own life against the unjust invasion of another though thereby he kill another for this is not murther but inculpata 〈◊〉 a lawful defence which is when there is no purpose of shedding blood but onely to preserve a 〈◊〉 own life in order to which if blood be shed this is onely per accidens and not intended for every one ought by all law plus favere vitae 〈◊〉 quam 〈◊〉
that restrain onely the outward act are like those that apply plaisters to the armour or weapon Which will never cure the wound The reason given by God himself why man-killing is not sometimes capital is because he that killed his brother did not hate him before whereas he that hated his brother and slew him was to die without mercy and not to have any benefit of sanctuary And this briefly for the third rule CHAP. VI. The fourth rule of 〈◊〉 the causes of the sins here forbidden Of unjust anger and the fruits of it It consists of 1. Grief 2. Desire of Revenge The effects and fruits of it 1. Towards Superiours Envy The causes of envy the greatnesse of this sin 2. Towards Equals 3. Towards Inferiburs The sappuration or breaking out of anger against Superiours 1. By the eyes and face 2. By the tongue 1. By murmuring 2. tale-bearing 3. backbiting Against Equals by 1. dissention 2. brawling 3. rayling The fruits of anger in Superiours 1. Threatning 2. Scornfulnesse The last fruit of anger viz. murther of the hand THe fourth rule teaches us that all the means or causes which concur or conduce to any act forbidden or commanded are likewise forbidden or commanded Here come in all those sins formerly mentioned which are occasions or provocations to murther as unjust anger and all the fruits of it As it was said at the beginning when we entred upon this Commandment that pride is the 〈◊〉 of all the breaches of this Commandment so we say now that it is the fountain of unjust anger and of all those sins that arise there from Onely by pride saith the Wise man cometh contention and wrath and the Apostle dehorting from provocation and envy mentions vain glory or pride first as the cause of both Be not desirous of vain glory saith he provoking one another envying one another For as was said formerly every man sets down this with himself That he is good and therefore whosoever loveth him doth his duty as on the other side whosoever hurts or injuris him is necessarily evil and one against whom he may justly conceive anger for omnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just a each froward man thinks his anger just according as we said before omnis iniquus mentitur sibi every wicked man deceives himself And from this proud conceit of a mans self arises unjust anger against all such as do any way offend him This anger is compounded of two things 1. Grief for some indignity offered to us 2. Desire to requite it 1. In the first is 〈◊〉 animi or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animosity or inward boyling of the blood or fretting from which through pride we condemn the party that injured us as evil and thence follows mala mens a malicious intent towards him the judgement being corrupted by the affections and therefore the Apostle joyns anger and malice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together and exhorting to put away all anger and wrath and clamour he adds with all malice because this makes us condemn all his actions as evil for hereby we become busie in other mens matters full of evil surmises and judices malarum cogitationum judges of evil thoughts and thus we come to have an evil opinion of him that offends us 2. Then follows the second thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire of revenge James and John 〈◊〉 in Christs companie and perceiving the Samaritans not willing to receive them would needs call for fire from heaven to consume them Now if this anger be towards Superiours or men in high place dignity and estate or eminent for vertue then it produces envy which is odium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu superiorum quia eis non 〈◊〉 a hatred of another mans felicity in respect of Superiours because we cannot be equal with them For there is in this case as S. James saith a spirit in us that lusteth after envy and as Elihu saith in 〈◊〉 Envy flayeth the inferiour as some read it because that inferiours are apt to 〈◊〉 those that are above them or exceed them any way And hence ariseth in inferiours as the Apostle calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swellings towards others which either presently break forth or if they lie long and come to suppuration or impostume as 〈◊〉 calls them they prove rubigo 〈◊〉 the rust and canker of the soul which is a fearful thing and worse then anger for anger is cruel and wrath raging but who can stand before envy saith the Wise man this usually produces murther Pilate saw that it was out of envy that the Jews delivered Christ to be put to death Therefore Seneca saith that is casier for a poor man to escape contempt then a rich man envy We see it in Cain that envied Abels acceptance In Rachel that envied Leahs fruitfulnefse and Saul Davids happinesse 1. The occasion of this sin is grounded especially 1. Upon the merits and wel-deserving of others we envy them because they are 〈◊〉 then our selves S. John tells us it was the cause why Cain slew Abel because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous For every man desiring his own excellency thinketh that he which is more excellent then himself doth offuscare lumen ejus darken and eclypse his light stand in his way and if that man were 〈◊〉 he should be more esteemed therefore by this envie he seeks to bring him under water that he alone may swim above This we may see in the Princes against Daniel because Darius had preferred him above them And in Johns Disciples they thought that Christ stood in the Baptists way and got all from him because more people followed him And in the elder son against the younger who when he came home from the field and saw the entertainment of his younger brother he envied his brother and out of envy would not go in the reason was he thought himself better then his brother the fatted calf was never kild for 〈◊〉 c. though he had deserved better of his father Thus nothing can be done but envy will make it matter to work upon If David once come to his ten thousands Saul will never after be brought intueri 〈◊〉 rectis oculis to look aright upon him but the evil spirit will enter into him for so we read verse 10. that the next day there came an evil spirit upon him for there are none that the Devil can so easily fasten upon as upon such The making of a better coat for Joseph and a little more love of Jacob to him then to the rest was a marvellous moat in the eyes of his brethren and it is true that Jacob said though in another sence an evil or cruel beast hath devoured him for envy is fera 〈◊〉 pessima the worst of all wilde beasts S. Basil saith Canes 〈◊〉 cicurantur cultu mansuescunt 〈◊〉 invidi vero ad obsequium
Locusts that devour all where they come and the Fathers term them unprofitable and superfluous Creatures The Apostle alluding to this saith Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour 4. In regard of the breach of the sixth Commandment forbidding 〈◊〉 For idlenesse is the mother of many diseases For as there are none of Gods creatures but putrifie without motion as the air and water stagnantes 〈◊〉 stantes aque nec dulces nec salubres 〈◊〉 Seneca standing waters are neither sweet nor wholsom so ease in the body bringeth forth 〈◊〉 the gout and other diseases Computrescit in stercore saith the Prophet the seed rots under the clod And it were to be wisht that not onely the losse of time wasting the creatures and the hurt of the body were all the prejudice that came by idlenesse so that the soul might be kept untainted by it but that also is subject to detriment by it for from nihil agere doing nothing comes male agere doing ill Idlenesse teacheth much evil saith the son of Syrach and by this comes the disease which S. Basil calls podagram animi the gowt of the soul. Now idlenesse consists in two things Either 1. in too much sleep or 2. in not being exercised when we are awake in the works of our calling 1. For the first of too much sleeping After the Apostle had told the Romans it was high time to awake out of sleep he gives them a caveat to walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony vnd drunkennesse nor in chambering and wantonnesse after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drunkennesse then he comes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate 〈◊〉 but it is properly lying long in bed and there is joyned with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wantonnesse the companion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and beginning of concupiscence The Prophet 〈◊〉 those of his time with stretching themselves upon their beds and not without cause for another Prophet tells us that by it men begin 〈◊〉 nequam to devise iniquity to have wicked thoughts We see the experience of it in David who after his sleep was disposed to take the air in his Turret and by that means was made fit for the impression of this vice upon the sight of a tempting object for which cause Solomon gives good counsel 〈◊〉 this purpose Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes and thou 〈◊〉 be satisfied with bread for having spoken verse 11. of young men that by their actions they may be known whether their work be pure and whether it be right and in the 12. verse that they may be known by this whether they apply their ears and eyes to knowledge as God created them he 〈◊〉 in the 13. verse that otherwise if they love sleep these effects of it shall come upon them For remedy hereof two things are to be observed in sleep 1. The Quantitie 2. The manner 1. For the quantitie Our sleep must not be too long Vsque quo dormis How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard ultra horam beyond the hour there is an hour when to arise Hora est jam saith the Apostle the hour is at hand or as we read it it is now high time to awake out of sleep but the sluggard when the hour cometh when he should arise lies still in his bed and is as a dore which turneth alwayes upon the hinges and yet remains in the 〈◊〉 place 2. For the manner of our sleep It must not be like that of Ionah who was in a dead sleep in a time of danger It must not be as S. Jerome calls it sepultura suffocati as the burial of one without breath but requies lassi the rest of one that is weary The Prophet threatens it as a great plague from God to be given up to the spirit of slumber which is true of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drowsinesse of the body as well as the soul. And as Ionah was in the midst of the tempest when he slept soundly so these are under Gods visitation who are possest with this spirit of slumber 2. The second point of idlenesse is when we are not exercised in the duties of our calling but give our selves to ease Desidiae est somnium vigilantis sloth is the dream of him that is awake and by want of labour and exercise and giving our selves to ease we come to the hanging down of the hands and the feeble knees of which the Apostle speaks and so become fit for no good thing For as all other creatures of God by standing still grow corrupt as we see in standing water which putrifies and being putrified ingenders toads and such venemous creatures so in man ease brings discases both in body and soul it produces in the body podagram the gout and it brings forth the like indisposition in the soul which made S. Basil call it podagram animi the gout of the soul. And therefore S. Ambrose calls idle persons creaturas Dei superfluas superfluous creatures of God which do no way profit the body politick where they live but are as the Heathen man saith of the 〈◊〉 such qui animam pro sale habent who have their souls instead of salt to keep their bodies sweet S. Paul measureth not idlenesse onely by doing nothing but also by not doing the duties of a mans place As he that is placed in the Vniversity and studies not though he hawk hunt or dance or uses other exercises that are laborious yet because he doth not that which he ought to do he is to be accounted an idle fellow If men be as he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not working at all then they become busie bodies and if women be idle then wil they be pratlers or tatlers upon which cometh tale-carrying lying 〈◊〉 and forging whereby they disquiet others And not onely so but they are busie bodies medling out of their callings where they have nothing to do These are to be restrained And because hereby groweth a disposition from the body for evil motions in the soul therefore S. Peter enjoyns the vertue of abstinence and commands us to abstain from such fleshly lusts as do militare contra animam 〈◊〉 against the soul. The remedy against sleep is that which the Apostle calleth sobriety properly watchfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sober be vigilant saith he in another place for sleep and drunkennesse are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works of the night and we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of light and of the day our desires therefore ought to be after the works of the light and of the day and we must walk accordingly 2. The remedie against idlenesse the Apostle gives us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set our selves to do our own businesse and the works of our calling And blessed shall
a just punishment of this barrenness of the wombe For this fault were the two Tribes punished as the ten Tribes for Incest So that the Common-wealth is endamaged by this sin and therefore accordingly was the punishment made Capital 〈◊〉 Baker was taken out of the same prison where Joseph was committed upon a false accusation of this crime and was hauged so that it seems among the Egyptians to have been capital Among the Babylonians Adulterers were burnt with fire as may be gathered by that threatning of the Prophet against Ahab and Zedekiah that for committing villany with their neighbours wives the king of Babylon should rost them in the fire And the comparison made by Solomon sheweth that Adultery is worse then thest 2. Of them that are solutae free and unmarried either the party continueth with us and then it is called concubinatus the keeping of a Concubine or a 〈◊〉 that is not common for such being servants and by that means base men would not marry with them because it is a disparagement God hath shewed how he 〈◊〉 this by continual crossing it first in Agar Cast out the bondwoman and her son Then in Jacob by Reubens incest with Bilhah A Levite took a Concubine and assoon as he had taken her she began to play the whore Saul was punished in his Concubine Rizpah to whom Abner went in And David was punished in his Concubines with whom Absalom lay in the sight of all the people and Solomons Concubines with his wives turned away his heart from God to set up Idolatry In the next place the act is committed either once only or often Once only is called stuprum deflouring which may be done either to a widow or to a virgin This God forbiddeth by the Law and punished with death We see Gods hand was upon a whole city for the rape of Dinah a virgin And we know what should have followed upon dishonouring of Tamar a widow for a virgin and widow when they are not in potestate sua sed in potestate patris in their own but their fathers power there is in both cases by deslouring them an injury done to the parents as well as tothemselves The act often committed is called fornication which word though it be many times used for the general sin yet it is more properly called vaga 〈◊〉 a wandering iust or vagus concubitus a promiscuous use of many This sin we finde reckoned up among those other of the Heathen Romans for which God gave them up to their own desires and the same Apostle makes it one of the fruits of the flesh The punishment of this sin we finde mentioned by the Apostle out of the book of Numbers in the case of Zimri and Cozbi where twenty four thousand were destroyed and for the abuse of the Levites Concubine twenty five thousand almost a whole tribe This is a bewitching sin Solomon saith They that enter into it shall hardly return again and at last he that useth it shall wonder at himself and say how have I been deceived The falling into this sin is like to the falling into a deep narrow pit where a man cannot help himself and therefore shall hardly get out The harlots guests are in the grave they that are buried in the grave can never rise again by any ordinary power and so they that are given over to this sin can never return without special and extraordinary grace nay her guests are not onely in the grave but even in the bottom of hell whence there is nulla redemptio no redemption she strikes a man into so deep a pit that he can hardly ever get out again without the special grace of God as Solomon did who spake this out of his own experience Beyond all these there is prostitution which is either of private persons which is called prostitution when a man prostitutes his daughter sister or kinswoman or a woman prostitutes her self c. This is also severely forbidden in the law Or publikely allowed They built stews or brothel houses in every street which he there detesteth And so have Godly princes ever been careful to remove them as Asa did The last pitch of this sin is defensio defending it as we know some have done by publick writings And this maketh it a crying sin The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great saith God because their sin is very grievous The Sodomites 〈◊〉 out upon Lot when he reproved them for it justifying their wicked act And Solomon saith that the Adulteresse is so impudent as to wipe her mouth and say I have done no wickednesse And this is it which the Prophet calls frous meretricis a whores forehead 〈◊〉 brought a strumpet before Moses and the Congregation when they were at their 〈◊〉 openly into his tent And of such it is that the Apostle speaketh That glory in their shame CHAP. VII The remedies of this sinne 1. Chastity of a single life 2. Matrimonial chastity The means to preserve us from this sinne Of drawing others to keep this Commandment NOw against these vices there are two vertues opposed as remedies 1. Castitas coelibatus chastity of a single life 2. castitas conjugalis matrimonial chastity both commended by Saint Paul 1. For the first there 's no doubt but it is beter then the other either if we take it simply He that giveth not his virgin in marriage doth better or in regard of the present necessity which is to be thought upon for the Apostle would have men to be without carefulnesse But in a married estate there is the care and trouble of a family to attend it she that is married careth for the things of this world Besides the married must neither watch nor fast nor pray without each others consent which the unmarried may do freely at their own will without the consent of another Besides he that is single may better provide for himself and shall not need to be chargeable to others which was one of the Apostles motives to preach the Gospel freely that he might not be burdensome hereby also a man may live more free from covetousnesse and exercise the vertue of liberality the better And lastly as the Apostle urges the unmarried may the better attend upon the Lord without distraction They may be more constant in adhering to Christ and suffering for his cause more willing to die and to follow Christ Minus mali metuit qui minus delicias gustavit he feares the evil of affliction the lesse who hath had a least tast of the delights and pleasures of the world whereas those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural affections of parents and married persons beget in them a greater care of res familiares their domestical affaires that they may provide for their children c.
power and take the meat by force And these unjust acts some do exercise by usurpdtion as the children of Dan who went and robbed Michah of mount Ephraim and afterwards spoiled a whole 〈◊〉 Laish and Abimelechs servants who by violence took from Abrahams servants a well of water for which Abraham reproved Abimelech Others by extortion when they are no usurpers but rightly possessed of their places yet by colour of their offices and places exact upon others This was the fault of Shebna and of this the Psalmist speaketh when men do ponere molestiam praeter statutum vex and oppresse beyond law exact 〈◊〉 no statute will warrant against such the Prophet pronounces a woe Wo be to them that decree wicked decrees and write grievous things which they have prescribed So did the Servants bear rule over the people besides the governours whereby they were exceedingly oppressed and unjustly took from men that which was theirs by propriety Therefore the Baptists rule to the Publicanes and toll-gatherers was Require no more then that which is appointed unto you And in this place we speak not onely of Princes and Magistrates but also of petty Lords and Gentlemen of whom as S. Augustine saith that magna regna great kingdoms so he might have added magna latifundia vel dominia great lordships or possessions remota justitia magna latrocinia sunt without justice are but great robberies The answer that the Pyrate made to Alexander the great taxing him for his pyracy is worth the observation Thou robbest whole countreys and nations saith he with a great army and I onely some few passengers with one ship and a small company of Seamen And the Lawyer made this difference between these great and little Thieves to be onely this that the one wears a Chain of Iron and the other a Chain of gold The like may be said of Noblemen Gentlemen and hard Landlords in respect of their poor Tenants of whom the Prophet saith The spoyl of the poor is in their houses and that they beat the people to pieces and grinde the faces of the poor And Micah that They pluckt off their skins brake their bones and chopt their flesh as small as hearbs to the pot The meaning whereof is that they binde their poor Tenants to such hard Covenants as neither by justice they ought nor can their estates bear and then when they come to be indebted to them they use them as that evil servant did his fellow servant whom he took by the throat and bid him pay what he ought and because he could not he cast him into prison which practise we see is condemned by our Saviour in that parable And in the Law If a man lent any thing to his brother he must not go into his house to fetch a pledge as if he were Lord of the house but he must stand without till the other bring him a pledge and if he were poor he must not sleep with his pledge But by oppression and exaction men become such as Esay speaketh of that joyn house to house and field to field till there be no place that they may be placed soli by themselves in the midst of the Earth Soli they will be they will dwell alone by Enclosures and Depopulations Lords alone Rulers and Magistrates they will be alone and have the sale of things alone Monopolizers also they will be and will sell all things alone themselves and at their pleasure and price especially if they can fortifie and arm themselves by authority when things come to this passe it goes hard with the Common-wealth in general but chiefly with the poor 2. The other sort are they which oppresse their Neighbours under colour of Law which should be a sanctuary and a rock to the poor Do not the rich oppresse you by tyranny and do they not draw you before the judgement seats saith the Apostle And the Psalmist saith there are some that frame mischief as a law The Preacher tells us that he saw wickednesse in the judgement seat Ye have turned judgement into gall by corruption and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormwood by protraction 〈◊〉 the Prophet They keep the poor from justice making a prey of the widow and spoyling the fatherlesse The same Prophet tells us the reason why men fall into this 〈◊〉 Every one loveth gifts and followeth rewards which hindereth them from judging the fatherlesse nor doth the widows cause come before them Of the same minde is the Prophet Amos They afflict the just and oppresse the poor and what is the reason they take bribes or rewards And therefore when Moses directed the people to choose them Judges he forbids them the taking of rewards and giveth his reason for a reward saith he blindeth the eyes of the wise and perverteth the words of the just We see the experience of it in the sons of Samuel after they were made Judges They took rewards and 〈◊〉 judgement And David himself by taking Ziba's presents awarded to him Mephibosheths inheritance upon a misinformation Now these sins as by the very light of nature they were odious so by the law of God were they to be punished severely being crying sins If you oppresse a stranger saith God or vex and trouble the widow or fatherlesse that they crie to me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath will be kindled and I will kill you c. And holy Job reckoneth up a catalogue of these sins and in the end of that Chapter tells what punishment shall fall upon the transgressours 1. Their portion shall be cursed in the earth 2. The grave and the worms shall consume them 3. The pitiful man shall forget them 4. Their remembrance shall be extinguished 5. They shall be broken like a tree 6. And though they be exalted for a time yet they shall be brought low destroyed and cut off as the top of an ear of corn Nathan the Prophet representing Davids sins in a parable of a rich man that had taken away the poor mans sheep David conceiving it to be a real story sware that the party so offending should surely die And his son Solomon gives this precept Robbe not the poor because he is poor nor oppresse the afflicted in judgement His reason is for the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoil them So much for those that spoil their neighbours in 〈◊〉 commodum to their own benefit There are a second sort that do mischief in detrimentum damnum proximi to the detriment and hurt of their Neighbour without benefit to themselves and these are they ofwhich the Psalmist speaks that offend of malicious wickednesse As they that turn cattel into another mans field or vineyard that out of malice spoyl other mens corn to their great hurt and for no good to
people might go home quickly This would be the benefit of quickdispatch As multitude of suits are causes of much falshood and false witnesse so also is the long depending of suits by non-suits dilatory pleas and other shifts to delay justice 3. The Judge may offend if his judgement be as we shewed before in the fifth Commandment 1. Vsurpatum usurped 2. or Temerarium rash and hasty or 3. Perversum perverse and wrong 1. Judgement is usurped if he give judgement in a cause of which he hath no cognizance or upon one over whom he hath no jurisdiction To such may be said what the Apostle saith in another case who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he stands or falls 2. His judgement is rash either when it is suddainly given in a hard case or before both parties be heard It was a blemish in David by a rash judgement to give away Mephibosheths lands to Ziba and after with much ado to let him have the one half and Ziba the other By the Law both parties were to meet before the Lord before any thing was determined and that Heathen Judge said It was not the custom of the Romans to condemn any before he have his accusers brought face to face and be heard speak for himself Solomon gives the reason He that is first in his own cause seems just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Therefore this is one step to rash judgement to give credit to the party that speaks first by this means Ziba so far prevailed that though 〈◊〉 prove all the lands to be his yet he must be content with one half 3. He ought not to give perverse judgement but must say All the words of my mouth are righteousnesse there is nothing froward or perverse in them The Law is expresse Thou shalt not pervert judgement Now judgement may be perverted either when the wicked is absolved or accounted just or the just is condemned and accounted wicked both which Solomon saith are abomination The words translated according to the original are He that justifies the unjust or unjustifies the just c. because it is all one in case of justice to affirm a thing to be and to make it so He must not in some cases release the guilty upon any pretence under the Law no satisfaction was to be taken for the life of a murtherer but he must die for blood cannot be cleansed but by blood when God therefore appoints the punishment it is not in the power of the Magistrate to remit it yet in some cases it is left to his Arbitrement but with two conditions 1. That it be expedient or not against the good of the Common-wealth 2. That the party wronged be content with it 2. For the Notaries or Registers The Prophet saith That as some decree wicked decrees that is the Judges so there are some that write grievous things which may be applyed to Registers and a woe is denounced against both for the Register many times makes the record more grievous then the decree which if it go not exactly according to the sentence pronounced it is a false record And to such as do thus it may be said Quando justitia revertitur ad judicium when righteousnesse shall return to judgement when Christ the true righteousnesse shall come to judgement they 〈◊〉 answer for it 3. For the Accuser he may be guilty of the breach of this Commandment three wayes 1. 〈◊〉 by slandering when he brings a false Accusation as Haman who slandered the Jews that they were not observers of the Kings Laws upon which false accusation the King gave temerarium judicium rash judgement against the Jewes 2. When he accuses any upon uncertain grounds as those that accused S. Paul and alleadged sundry 〈◊〉 against him which they could not prove and yet he was still detained 〈◊〉 till 〈◊〉 proof could be made 3. By prevaricating 〈◊〉 when there is collusion used in pleading so that he which accuses pleads faintly against another being reconciled to him underhand It is a Metaphore taken from those that were vari such as had crooked legs bending inward 〈◊〉 the knees the feet being 〈◊〉 asunder who by wearing long garments down to their feet as was the use of old 〈◊〉 some Common-wealths might easily deceive those that looked upon them the garment covering their deformity as if their knees had been as far asunder as their feet Hence those that did contend and strive together in publick and yet were friends privily were called pravaricatores prevaricators thus when a man seems to accuse and yet is friends with him whom he accuses he prevaricates and is a meere mockery of the place of judgement And as the Plantiffe himself so he that is Advocatus Actoris the Advocate for the Plantiffe is guilty in like manner of prevarication when he 〈◊〉 the cause of the 〈◊〉 whom he represents by weak proofs and grounds We read in Ezra that there were Counsellers about Artaxerxes that made shew of such as would advise him for the publick good whereas they had bin hyred and bribed against the Jews by their enemies to hinder the building of the 〈◊〉 which was not for the good of Artaxerxes and so he that is to represent another and is to advise for his good and yet is corrupted to do the contrary is 〈◊〉 to be blamed for prevaricating 4. For the 〈◊〉 or the party accused he may be guilty three wayes 1. If being demanded or required to answer in due form of law he use excuses or 〈◊〉 to avoid the matter objected against him though it be true or which is as old if he seek to excuse 〈◊〉 by accusing others This was Adams fault tergiversari to use tergiversation The question was whether he had eaten or no he makes no direct answer but layes the fault upon the Woman The woman which thou gavest me she geve me of the fruit c. Job therefore makes it part of his 〈◊〉 that he had not hid his sin as Adam did concealing iniquity in his bosom Being lawfully commanded therefore to answer in matters where there is publick fame and probable ground precedent we must answer for we must not adde 〈◊〉 evil to another to be evil is evil and to seem good when a man is evil is evil also and therefore he that being evil would seem good by 〈◊〉 the truth addes one evil to another But yet a man is not bound to accuse himself when he is not lawfully proceeded against nor before a competent Judge when the High Priest interrogated Christ concerning his doctrine he bids him ask those that heard him If any could accuse him let him come forth but he would not accuse himself and when Pilate asked him some questions he would give him no answer or no direct answer because his questions proceeded not ex
Canticles describes such an one well Vide magna praemitti suspiria you shall have him send forth great and deep sighs before and he will speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum quadam tarditate dimissis superciliis voce plangenti c. sic egreditur maledictio as if he were confounded and ashamed and then with an affected slownesse casting down his countenance with a whining voice and then cometh out the cursed venome of his heart you would think it were rather done dolenti animo quam malitioso with a mourning rather then a malitious mind he saith vehementer doleo quia vehementer diligo I am heartily sorrow for him because I heartily love him and then he saith compertus jam est it is now known otherwise I would never have spoken of it but seeing it is known I must needs say it is so and thus he breaks out his cursed speeches This is one extream CHAP. V. Of reproof or fraternal correption the vertue opposite to flattery Of flattery which is 1. In things uncertain 2. In things certain and those either good or evil Of boasting and vaunting a mans self and its extream THe other extream opposite to slandering and detraction is flattery of which before we speak we shall premise somewhat of the affirmative duties opposite to it which is Fraterna correptio fraternal admonition or brotherly reproof opposed to flattery and secondly the giving a true report opposed to detraction Because we are joyned together by the law of love or charity and for that as S. James saith In many things we offend all therefore God took order in his law that as we should not slander or speak evil of our brother so we should admonish and reprove him when he 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin to rest upon him This is as much to say that as the Heathen man said we should cum opus est contristari amicum when there is occasion even to make sad the heart of our friend by reproof If any be disordered by a bare admonition if the offence be small and without aggravating circumstances then to reprove him in the spirit of meeknesse but if it be otherwise to reprove him sharply and roundly if it be an open fault then openly and before all if secret then privately in the ear with this caveat except it redound to the damage and detriment of another for then it must be declared to the party whom it concerns So we see as S. Augustine saith that there is a double truth 1. Dulcis quae fovet a sweet truth which cherishes when we do well 2. Amara quae curat a truth which is bitter yet cures us when we have done amisse And therefore the Apostle writes to the Corinths Though I made you sory yet I repent it not though the example of the person punisht made you sorry for a 〈◊〉 Rather I do now rejoyce not for the act of punishment inflicted upon the offendor as for your amendment by that act Thus we see reproof is a way to bring men to repentance and therefore we are to perform this duty that thereby we may bring men to repentance and so having performed it we shall never repent us of it And this is the reason of that speech Non amo quenquam nisi 〈◊〉 I love not any till I have made him sad which is to be thus understood that by making him sad we bring him to repentance and so we testifie our love to him There are some such as the Philosopher saith who having done evil if a man come to deal with them he must either 〈◊〉 veritatem or prodere amicitiam betray the truth or lose their friendship they cannot abide this 〈◊〉 But though they be such yet we must not fear openly to rebuke them for as Solomon saith Open rebuke is better then secret love and vulnera diligentis the wounds of a friend are better then oscula blandientis the kisses of a flatterer as in Physick we know Amarum salubre a bitter thing whlosome is better then perniciosum dulce an un wholsome thing though sweet This duty must not be neglected though we shall be sure to meet with such as the Prophet Amos mentions who will hate him that reproves them For this was seen by the Heathen as appears by that speech Veritas odium parit truth brings forth hatred There are tres optimae matres trium filiarum pessimarum three very good Mothers which have three most wicked Daughters the first of which mothers is Truth quae parit odium which brings forth Hatred so there is mater optima filia pessima an exceeding good mother and a most naughty daughter Neverthelesse we must resolve to speak truth to our friend though we make him sad as Demaratus in Herodotus who speaking to Xerxes the King began thus Shall I speak truth or what will please you If I speak truth you will not like it and yet Non poteris uti me amico adulatore I cannot be both a friend and a flatterer therefore I will speak truth for though it be not to your liking yet it may be for your good The vice opposite to this duty of fraternal reproof is flattery which Hierom calls Natale malum our native evil for natali ducimur malo philantiae we are all transported with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inbred evil of self-love and hence it is as Plutarch observed that every one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own chief and greatest flatterer And because we love our selves therefore we think we are good and that he that loves us doth his duty and is therefore good ipso facto in so doing And therefore he that speaketh in commendation of what we do we thereupon think him to be a good man 〈◊〉 that he doth but his duty and for this cause we love him On the contrary he that grieveth us we think him to be evil and consequently hate him This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this native evil and that good 〈◊〉 which we have of our selves makes us 〈◊〉 we do cito nobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 please our selves if any good be spoken of us as if any will say we are 〈◊〉 presently we believe him and willingly hear him for ubi propitia mens est where the minde is favourable propitiae aures the ears will stand wide open to receive any thing that is said Nay further as 〈◊〉 saith when men will deny what the flatterer saith and say it is not so with them they deserve no such praise yet etiam blanditiae cum excluduntur placent flatteries do please men though they be not believed or received And hence it is that a man having this good perswasion of himself is 〈◊〉 to say as those in Esay Prophecy not to us true things but prophecy pleasing things such things as we do love and like and