Paul our wedding garment of loue according to his white robe of mercie Col. 3. 12. Now therefore saith he as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another sicut euen as Christ forgaue you As the elect of God that is if ye haue any internall seale to your soules of your election holy if any externall signe of sanctification to make it sure to your selues beloued if any experience of the loue of God to his Saints put on not for a forenoon like your cloake which in heat straight goes off againe nor for an houre like your hat which goes off at euery wrong that meetes you in the way but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put on f Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Col. 3. 12. neuer to put off againe the bowels of mercie toward the vnmercifull kindnesse toward the vnkind modestie toward the immodest meeknesse toward the cruell and long-suffering toward the hasti-minded man After whose example sicut euen as Christ forgaue and loued you his enemies as himselfe gaue them this new commandement Ioh. 13. that we loue another sicut euen as he loued vs that we loue one another A new commaundement g â—erus 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 13. because by him renewed from that Pharisaicall tradition h Mat. 5. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemie New because oftener and more excellently commaunded in the new then old Testament new because otherwise in the new then the old commanded in that with a sicut teipsum loue thy neighbour as thy selfe in this with a sicut â—go dilexi vos as I haue loued you that ye loue one another New because now confirmed with greater examples of God the Father and Christ his sonne new because though iudiciall and ceremoniall yet this euangelicall loue remaineth for euer and new because though to day discharged tomorrow it must be renewed to loue one another sicut euen as he loued vs. And what was the measure deare Christian of that sicut His Apostle meteth it out by foure adiuncts of our basenesse and demerit Christ when we were yet of no strength died for the vngodly Rom. 5. 6. Christ the onely Sonne of God died the most shamefull death of the crosse for vs when we were yet of no strength by nature yea sinners by profession yea vngodly by defection nay enemies by rebellion We had neither strength to stand in iudgement nor righteousnesse to satisfie the law nor godlinesse to moue mercie nor friendship to procure pardon and yet saith the Apostle yet notwithstanding or rather withstanding all these Christ when we were yet all these died for vs. Christ suffered saith i 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter the death most ignominious for sinnes the cause most odious the iust for the vniust the persons most vnequall that he might bring vs to God the end most glorious This sicut of his loue himself measureth out with a sic dilexit Ioh. 3. 16. as if he had bene sicke of loue as the spouse Cant. 2. 5. k speaketh and that sicknes of loue with those foure dimensions brâ—adth length heighth and depth of his loue Ephes 3. 18. himselfe meteth The onely Sonne of God there is the height was sent downe there is the depth into the world there is the breadth that it might haue euerlasting life without end there is the length of his loue Saint l Ser. t. de Adâ—â— Dom. Bernard measureth the quantitie of his loue with the same dimensions what was the cause sayth that Father Vt maiesâ—as tanta there is the height De tam longinquo there is the length Descenderet there is the depth In mundum locum tam indignum this is the breadth of his loue Quia misericordia magna quia miscratio multa quia charitas copiosa because his mercie reached vnto the clouds because his mercie was for euer without end because it reached to the deepe below because his mercie was ouer al his workes as the Psalmist speaketh it was a sic dilexit a loue-sicke affection strong as death that he should loue vs Tantus tantum tantillos tales he so great vs so little such enemies and with such loue saith m De dilig Dâ—o Bernard alluding to those foure dimensions of Saint Paul O that I had the tongue of men and Angels to decipher his loue to thee his enemie that this n 2. Cor. 5. 14. loue of Christ might constraine to do good to thy foes O remember we in the loines of our father Adam like strangers from God were going downe from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauen to hell and fel among theeues who robbed vs of our raiment and robe of righteousnesse O remember how they wounded vs so sore that from the top of the head to the sole of the foote there was no whole part in our bodies and soules but wounds and swellings and sores full of all corruption leauing vs not halfe like that traueller but quite dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and forget not deare Christian how then this good o Luke 10. 33. Samaritane as he iourneyed and came from the bosome of his father cured vs when both Priest and Leuite like Iobs friends Phisitions of no value passed by vs no eye pitied vs to do any thing vnto vs or to haue compassion vpon vs nay no creature in heauen or earth p Psal no man could deliuer his brother or make agreement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeem their soules so that they might let that alone for euer Then then this Sunne of righteousnesse being in the q Phil. 2. forme and glorie of God went backe ten degrees in our nature as the Sunne did in the diall of Ahaz and tooke on him the forme of a seruant that in the rags of our flesh he might Câ—drus-like tast death for his people He then came vnto vs when like r Ezek. 16. Israel we lay tumbling in our blood and bloodie sinnes bound vp our wounds and said Ye shall liue powred in not oile and wine but sweate and blood into our sores set vs on his owne beast nay Å¿ 1. Peter 2. 24 caried our sinnes on his owne body on the tree made prouision for vs and tooke out not two pence siluer and gold or t 1. Pet. 1. 18 19 corruptible things but his precious blood that great price of our redemption 1. Corinth 6. saying for man his enemie to his offended father like that good Samaritane to the host for the stranger Whatsoeuer he hath spent I will recompence it or as v Philem. 17. 18 Paul gaue his word to Philemon for his vagabond seruant Father if thou count our things common receiue him as my selfe if he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought that put on mine accounts I Iesus haue written it in blood with mine owne hand I will recompence
out his bitter words against their family Ver. 9. 10. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread let them seeke it also out of desolate places He curseth their externall goods and riches vers 11. 12. 1â— Let the extortioner consume all that he hath and let the stranger spoile his labour Let there be no man to pitie him nor to haue compassion on his fatherlesse children Let his posteritie be destroied and in the next generation let his name be cleane put out Yea he curseth their soule vnto death and prayeth for their damnation Vers 14. 15. Let the wickednesse of his fathers be had in remembrance with the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be done away Let them alway be before the Lord that he may roote out the memorial of them from off the earth Behold here indeed as many imprecations of Dauid against his enemies as euer Callimachus the virulent Poet spent execrations on his mortal foe Apollonius and as bitter cursings as Ouid euer spent on his enuious foe whom in imitation of him he titled Ibis yea as that banner ended his imprecatory inuectiue with this summary execration Haec tibi quae precibus iustis mea deuouet ira Eueniant aut his non leuiora malis so concluded here Dauid his with not vnlike imprecation vers 20. Let it thus happen from the Lord vnto mine enemies and to those that speake against my soule Which practise of Dauid though it may seeme at first to giue allowance and warrant to words of bitternesse in cursing our blasphemers yet if with a single eye we more nearely looke into it we shall find that this imprecation was non optantis voto sed spiritu praeuidentis as Saint r Lib. 1. de serm Dom. in moâ—t ca. 4â— Austine resolues it not so much from a desire and wish of their ruine as from the spirit of foreseeing what would befall them As our Sauiour when vpbraiding the vnthankfull cities in the 11. of Mathew he anathematized the inhabitants of Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum Non maleuolentia optabat sed diuinitate cernebat did not as men from malice wish it but as God foresee it For Dauid as a graue Å¿ Cal 〈…〉 in Psa 69. 23 writer noteth was not herein caried with a turbulent passion of choler to powre out his bile as most men wronged by their enemies intemperatly giue their tongue the raines but the spirit of God did dictate these imprecations to his Prophet in wisedome to discerne these reprobates from curable beleeuers and in vprightnesse to respect Gods glory rather then his owne priuate reuenge in confusion of his enemies and in moderation to execrate his and Gods enemies without turbulent passions of hatred malice and maleuolence which three if like him we could obserue Probè â—um imitaremur we might lawfully do as he did But seeing our vnderstanding is not so mollified that we haue that 1. Corinth 12 gift of discerning spirits but the Lord onely knoweth who are his and who are reprobates nor our wils so rectified but that vnder zeale for Gods glory we reueÌ„ge our own wrongs nor our affectioÌ„s so sober from disturbance that we are angry and sin not v M 〈…〉 in Psal 10â— Non est hoc cuiuis vsurpandum Christiano in exemplum trahendum this practise of Dauid is no pretence for our cursings nor his example to be vsurped of any Christian as x Balaâ— of Rome doth in hiring his Baalams of Saint Francis order daily to pronounce this spalme in execration against those whom they hate and to curse Israel whom the Lord would haue to be blessed If any for farther satisfaction require a larger discourse of these imprecations I referre him to Martin Bucers disputation of prayer in his explanations on the fift Psalme and to Mollerus his Lecture on the seuenth verse of the 54. Psalme where this at large is discoursed I conclude this point with Musculus in the place before cited It is a common prescript to all which Christ the King of heauen hath commaunded Math. 5. Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that persecute you His Embassadors the Apostle of the Gentiles from his maisters mouth hath enioyned it Rom. 12. 14. Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not The Apostle of the Iewes hath from his Lord giuen this charge 1. Pet. 3. 9. Render not rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse By which iniunction of both al both Iewes and Gentiles must blesse for cursing and pray for their reuilers and what else should they pray for them saith y Lib. 4. d 〈…〉 cap. 44. Gregory but z 2. Tim. 2. 25. that of Saint Paul that God may giue them repentance to know the truth and come to amendment of life out of the snare of the diuell of whom they are taken at his pleasure to do his will And let both the offender confesse and the offended forgiue and testifie his reconcilement by words of friendship and loue to his enemy though he continue yet in his vnrighteousnesse of reuiling So much be spoken of this first namely verbal reconcilement Be reconliled in word But here beloued brethren we must not stay In atrio reconciliationis in the vtter court of reconcilement where men like the a Luke 1. 10. common people stay without and like the b Actâ— 5. 12. vulgar Iewes are with one accord in this Salomons porch and portall of peace but all being priests by our Christian profession to offer vp spirituall sacrifices 1. Pet. 2. 5. we must enter sancta the holy places of peace and amity by this beautiful gate of the temple of our body and offer to our brethren not onely the calues of our lips but the sacrifice of our hands to manifest our reall reconcilement For we haue a c 2. Sam. 3. 27 Ioab that will speake peaceably to Abner and yet vpon aduantage smite him for the bloud of his brother Asahel that will giue d 2. Sa. â—0 9. 10. Amasa words softer then oile Art thou in health my brother and yet with his precious balmes breake his head yea stâ—b him deadly and shed out his bowels on the ground For thus lip louing Ioab spake friendly to his neighbours e 1. Kings 2. 5. Abner and Amasa two captaines of the hoast of Israel but hauing warre in his heart with the sist of wickednesse he smote while he smiled he killed while he kissed and as Dauid there told his sonne Salomon shed the blood of battell in the time of peace And therefore if our loue and vnity will speake truly we must passe from this atrium to the sancta from word to workes from the tongue of friendship to the deeds of agreement and secondly be reconciled in deeds to our brethren Our Sauiour as before I shewed by symmetry and proportion Second reconcilement reall in my text inioyneth
their other wares into Egypt and to make their gaine x Lyra Tâ—st Aâ—ul â—n 〈◊〉 locum raised the price and sold him againe at second hand at a higher rate to Potiphar king Pharaohs steward vers 36. But though Ioseph whom they sold to be a bond-slaue in Egypt became afterward y Psal 105 21. lord ouer all Pharaohs house and ruler of all his substance yea gouernor throughout all the land of Egypt Gen. 45. 8. and was now armed with power to reuenge yet see how he recompenceth them good for euill see when his enemies did hunger how he fed them and when they were thirstie gaue them drinke For whereas they had z Gen. 37. â—â— stript him of his parti-coloured coate in recompence of that a Gen. 45. 2â— he gaue them all change of raiment he gaue them a measure running ouer into their bosome They sold him for twenty peeces of mony and put him in their purse and in recompence of that he would not sell them corne but gaue it them freely for nought and put their money in their sackes Gen. 42. 25. he gaue them a good measure pressed downe and shaken together They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread water of affliction Ge. 37. 24. and in lieu thereof he brought them into his owne lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and sent them dishes from his owne princely measse Gen. 43. 33. 34. and with what measure they had met to him he would not mete to them againe Holy Dauid trode the steps of good Ioseph for â— Dauiâ— when Saul had bent his bow and made readie the arrowes within his quiuer to b Psal 1â— 2. shoote at this vpright in heart and sweet singer of Israell yea when this fouler c 1. Sam. 26. â—0 hunted him like a partridge to the mountaines so that his soule was faine to aske for the wings of a Doue that he might â—lie away and be at rest yet see when his mortal foe was deliuered into his hand in the cauâ— where he couered his feet he would not lay hands on his enemie nor suffer his bloud-thirstie followers to fall vpon him but onely to giue his notice what he could haue done cut off the lap of his garment and rendred him good for euill as Saul himselfe confessed 1. Sam. 24. 18. Yea againe when he sound him asleepe in the field and tooke him napping he spared his life which was in his hand and to giue him a second warning took away his pot of water and his speare that was sticked at his bolster 1. Sam. 26. and therefore might this Doue safely contestate his harmlesse mind and innocent hands to Cushies accusation that he sought Sauls life Psal 7. O Lord my God if I haue done this thing or if there be any wickednesse in mine hands if I haue rewarded euill to him that had peace with me yea I haue deliuered him that without cause is mine enemie then then let mine enemie persecute my soule and take me yea let him treade my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust No no when he found but one Egyptian rouer in the field he gaue d 1. Sam. 30. 11 him bread to eate when he was hungrie and when he was thirstie he gaue his enemie drinke And as did Dauid so did his sonne and Lord Christ Iesus 5 Christ the sonne of righteousnes from whose brightnesse these starres borrowed this light of grace whose words of truth as they were instructions to their minds so were his workes and actions medicines and cures to the bodies of his deadly foes healing their sicke cleansing their leapers restoring their lame to their legs making their blind to see though they would not behold the light of the world making their deafe to heare though they stopped their eares at the wisedome of the world making their dumbe to speake though they blasphemed the God of the world Yea when their sinne was a bloudie sinne a scarlet sinne a crimson sinne Esa 1. 18. of a double die dyed in the threed being a seed of the wicked and corrupt children and dyed in the web be being a sinfull nation laden with iniquitie and therefore worthie of that double die morte morieirs of the first and second death yet how did he shed his most precious bloud to make their crimson sinnes like wooll and their scarlet sinnes white as snow Yea when with the malice of hell in greatest industrie they went about the act of his condemnation most mercifully with greater diligence he went about the worke of their saluation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice he swet water and bloud to wash their soules Thus the sunne of righteousnes shined on the euill and the good though it softened the waxe and hardened the clay Thus the raine of righteousnesse descended on the iust and vniust though the blessed earth brought forth herbes meete for the dresser and the reprobate ground briers and thornes whose end was to be burned Yea God the Father though he be debter to none doth benefite 6. God his foes to testifie his loue The Father of lights maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and the fountaine of grace sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5. 45. A blessing indeed not much esteemed nor iustly weighed as it ought euen of the godly themselues as e Zanch. lib 5. do Nat. Dei cap. 2. quaest 3. one noteth yet in it selfe of great estimate and value seeing by these two Sunne and raine all things as f Ib. c. 1. quaest 1. he noteth are begotten and bred and they be the parents of earthly blessings For seeing the whole condition of mans life dependeth on these two Christ did fitly instance in them saith g In hunc locum quast 353. Abulensis because the former being the cause of siccitie and heate the latter of moisture and frigiditie which foure qualities as our h Ariâ—â— lib. 2. de anâ—â— cap. 3. maister in the schoole of nature teacheth the food and nourishment of all liuing creatures they comprize omnia bona nostra al our earthly blessings as the causes of their effects by a synecdoche coÌ„preheÌ„d innumerable other benefites saith Caluin euen those which Musculus on these words recounteth that he giues life to the euill as to the good that he bestoweth necessaries for life on the euil as on the good that he hath giuen the earth to be inhabited of euill as of good for the i Psal earth hath he giuen to the children of men and k Acts 17. 26. made all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth his fire warmeth the bad as the good his bread doth feede and his wine drinke both alike his rayment doth clothe and his cattel serue both alike Yea the wicked his enemies receiue these blessings from his hand and almes-basket in greater abundance then
but examine himselfe vpon his bed in his chamber and be still Psal 4. 4. lest on the day hauing conceiued sorrow he trauell with mischiefe in his bed and in the morning bring foorth vngodlines lest the cloud of anger to allude with that Father which was gathered on the day by his heate being not dissipated and dissolued with the Sunne be augmented with the nights vapors of chafe and fretting and make in the morning a tempest of wrath and storme of reuenge And therfore as to king Attalus Pompey and Antipater natalis fuit fataiis the day of their death was on the day of their birth so wold the Apostle vt ira die orta cum die decidat saith Ambrose on these words that as Ionah his gourd came vp in a night and withered in a night so this roote of bitternesse which sprong vp on the day should be smote at the roote with the worme of remorse on that day and wither away For as the beast b Arist lib. 1. de bist animal cap. 5. Ephemeron or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as c Lib. 11 nat â—â—st cap. 36. Plinie cals it rather whose name is from his nature for as his name is so is he being bred in the morning flies at noone and dies at night with the setting of the Sun So would the Apostle haue this beastly affection to be but Ephemeron also a day old at his death that although in the morning anger be bred and grow to strong hatred at noone in the height of his heate yet it liue not wrath till the Sunne be gone downe seeing Non amplius vna nobis die ad iram indulsit Apostolus The Apostle hath allowed saith d Hâ—mil 3. in Ioan. cap. 3. Chrysostome but the space of one day for the age of any anger Wherefore as we say of the Toad-stoole oritur moritur it growes vp in a night and dies in a night so must this Toad-swelling foole die on the day wherein it was borne its wombe be its tombe yea be like the vntimely fruite of a woman which perisheth ere euer it see the Sun lest sleeping with the mote of anger to vse S. e Sâ—r. 237. de Temp. Austines ofteÌ„ allusion thou water and feed it on the night with the dew of suspitions and rise vp in the morning with the beame of hatred and malice in thy mind This good lesson Epiphanius as he confessed to the Abbot Hilarion well obserued Ex quo tempore assumpsi hunc habitum non dimisi aliquem dormire qui aduersum me haberet aliquid neque dormiui habens aliquid aduersus aliquem Since I tooke this calling and habite vpon me I neuer let any man go to bed who I thought had any thing against me nor euer went to bed my selfe when I knew I had any thing against any man And thus indeed should the Sunne not go downe vpon s Mat. 6. 34. wrath And time too to let our wrath set before the Sunne seeing satis ad iram vna aut altera hora an houre or two saith Chrysostome is too long to be angrie sufficit diei malitta sua as the vulgar readeth it the day hath enough with his owne malice wrath to heape wrath against the day of wrath What shall they do then in this day of iudgement vpon â— Vse a reprâ—â—â— of implacability whose wrath non vnius diei sed tantorum annorum sol testis occubuit the sunne not of one day but of many yeares as g Tom. 1. epâ—â—â— ad Cast Ierome speaketh hath gone downe but that this eye of the world be as of their wrath a faithfull witnesse in heauen so a swift witnes to their iudgement in hell Which implacable and cruell men as they were foretold to come in these last and perillous times 2. Tim. 3. 3. euen so now are there many implacable men who this day haue fulfilled this scripture in our eares and eyes too to whom our Sauiour may in vaine crie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be reconciled being indeed as h Phil. â— Demosthenes called Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irreconcilable enemies or as Patroclus in i â—â—ad lib. v. Homer told Achilles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art vnappeasable Achilles Peleus sure he neuer was thy father nor Thetis thy mother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God sure is not thy father nor his spouse thy mother but the raging sea it bare thee because thou canst not rest and the hard rockes begat thee sith thy heart is as hard as a stone Whom if with k Idâ—m l. 9. 〈◊〉 Phoenix the Embassadour of peace I should aduise to be reconciled and appeased toward Agamemnon with that greatest example of perswasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen God himselfe will not alway be childing neither keepeth he his anger for euer Psalme 103. 9. yet this stonie heart would admit no instruction but like the wall send backe the last words and eccho of this exhortation that is anger for euer I will communicate with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither word nor worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before he hath feeled my fingers and payed for his bitter contumely Thus would Achilles answer peace-making l Idem lib. â— Hector 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no more possible for me and thee to loue and agree then the Wolfe and the Lambe nor shal any thing agree vs till I be reuenged And indeed when men as one noteth Puluere si laedant scribunt sed marmore lâ—si write their owne scandals in the dust and other mens offences in the stony tables of their heart with the point of a Diamond Vt plumbeas gerant iras as Plautus speaketh of such engraue them in lead with a pen of lead for euer how can there be reconcilement when they aske their brother as the serpent did the husbandman in the fable How can there be euer loue betweene vs two hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so long as I see this stone which in stead of me thou smotest and thou this toombe of thy sonne whom I slue Thus when all their other sinnes end with their act saith m De Zâ—lâ— liâ—are Cyprian and are bounded with that present time of commission as their lust ceaseth when cooled with stolen waters their gluttonie satisfied when their stomack is gorged their lying silent when the report is beleeued their idlenesse refreshed when the bones are wearied their drunkennes fulfilled when their appetite is quenched their slaundering surceasseth when their brother is disgraced and their oppression remitteth when he is deiected onely their implacable wrath and vnappeasable malice neuer endeth nor euer resteth but in the graue the house of its age Eccles 9. 6. and saith she doth well to be angrie vnto the death That as it was doubted of n Val. Max. lib. â— cap. 3. Sylla whose last gaspe breathed out threatnings whether himselfe or his anger died
â—4 hating as not louing talents as pence ten thousand as an hundred the beame as the mote and the worke of thy bodie as the thought of thy mind Euery sinne he forgiueth vnto men Math. 12. 31. saue onely that sinne of sinnes against the holy Ghost verse 32. which is impossible to be forgiuen because these cannot possibly repent Hebr. 6. 6. And if God thus forgiue thee all the debt oughtest not thou to haue like pittie on thy fellow seruant euen as the Lord hath on thee O remember the mercilesse debter Math. 18. whom when his Lord had forgiuen ten thousand talents of sinnes he would not forgiue his fellow an hundred pence of offences See how his master weigheth him in the ballance to aggrauate i Io Ferus come in Mat. 18 lib. 3 〈…〉 etan idem euery circumstance of his vnthanfulnesse first vnthankfull when his Lords remission was yet in his eare and that seruant departed k Chrys nâ—m 62 in Mat. 18. to his debter 2. he vseth so hardly not a stranger but found out one of his fellowes 3. not for any great summe for he ought him but an hundred pence 4. he exacteth the debt not with words alone but layd hands on him and tooke him by the throate 5. though his Lord forbare him in patience yet he wold not spare his fellow an houre Pay me that thou owest 6. though his Lord heard his intreatie he would not be intreated of his fellow who fell downe at his feete and besought him and he would not 7. he wold not be moued with that very prayer of his fellow wherewith he wrung pittie from his master Appease thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all 8. so soone as his fellow craued respite he cast him into prison till he should pay the debt But what doth he scape thus the hand of his Lord No no then his maister called him and vpbraideth his monstrous ingratitude O euil seruant I forgaue thee all the debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had of thee And see his eternal punishment So his master was wroth we reade not he was so for his owne debt saith Chrysostome nor gaue him this terme of euill seruant and deliuered him to the â—ayler till he should pay all that was due to him Not that he exacted the debt of those talents which before he had forgiuen him as our aduersaries hence collecting after iustification and forgiuenes their final fal peruert this scripture to their owne destruction No parables as noteth l Sapâ—as dixi non ad verbum exponenâ—â—esse parabolas ne mulia sequatur absurda homil 48. in Mat. 13. non oportet cuÌ„â—tacuriosè in parabolis scrutars nec nimi â— in singulis verbu cura perangi sâ—d quum quid per parabolam intendie didicerimus ande vâ—â—litate colleeÌ„da nihil est vlterius anxio conatu iâ—â—â—stigaÌ„duÌ„ Chrys hom 65. in Mat. 20. Chrysostome must not be racked beyond their intent and meaning And the Papists by pressing them too hard straine out of these teates blood in stead of sincere milke as when they get this parable by the end they ring it so deepe that they turne the clapper as one m Greenb â—a 48 traâ—t minister speaketh but the Lord casts this euill seruant into hell for the debt of n Hug laâ—s in hâ—rc locum ingratitude and vnmercifulnesse to his fellow which was as great by equall proportion as the benefite of forgiuenesse which he had before receiued seeing to whom much is forgiuen he should loue as much Luke 7. and to whom much is giuen of him shall be no lesse required And our Sauiour in the end of all giueth vs the kernell of this nut and the spirit of his letter So likewise saith he shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses whatsoeuer This parable is the glasse wherein al may behold their face what maner of ones they are But as Stella spake of that of the vniust Iudge Luk. 18. so may I wish of this parable of the mercilesse seruant Math. 18. Serui parabolam vtinam nos non faceremus historiam would God this parable of the seruant we made not an historie Vtinaem nunc esset parabola non pro historia posset recenseri would God it were now but a parable and might not be related for a storie But I feare from the proposition I may assume with Saint o 1. Cor 6. 11. Paul Such are some of you and particularize with p 2. Sam. 12. Nathan to many one in particular Thou art the man who hope remâ—ssion of talents from their Lord and will not forgiue pence to their brethren Or if when their Sunne is going downe they forgiue all before men at the houre of their death yet remittunt culpam non poenam as one speaketh they say I forgiue all in this will and testament q Lauat in Ezec. 35. 5. Odia inimicitias quasi per manus liberis suis tradunt They bequeath their hatred and malice by tradition to the handes of their sonnes and make them haeredes paterni odij as noteth r Lib. de irae cap. 34. Seneca heires of their fathers hatred paralel with the children of Esau Obadiah 1. which remembring the old quarrell of their Grandfire Esau with Iacob for the blessing as heires of his malice caryed a perpetuall hatred against the children of Israell Ezechiel 35. vers 5. Amos 1. vers 11. and cryed in the day of Hierusalem downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Psalm 137. Thus were they mindfull of their fore-father his enmitie quasi haereditate quadam retinuissent odium aduersus Israelem saith Lauater as if with his substance he had bequeathed his perpetual malice in his wil and left the rest of his hatred for his babes These men may be ashamed saith Å¿ Lib 15 Epist 95. Seneca not onely warring and iarring in their life but euen committing it to their children quasi haereditaria successiâ—ne as it were by haereditarie succession sith we see not the most sauage beasts deale so cruelly one with another I wish these Esaus at their death which haue learned that popish remission of the guilt and not the punishment of great offences would learne if not of bruite beasts whom they scorne yet of the Almightie himselfe who remitteth not onely the guilt in him whom he made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. 21. but also the punishment through him on whom he laid the chastisement of our peace and the iniquitie of vs all Esa 53. at least for shame let them learne of t Plut. Apoth AElian var. hist Phocion the Athenian who being asked at his vniust execution by a friend whether he would any thing to his sonne at home Nothing quoth he but that he neuer stomacke the
40. yet vnite they their loue for the good of man as those sisters their care for Lazarus their brother Ioh. 11. 3. 19. and both like those two brethren in the q And. Alciat emblâ—m 160. Embleme which mutually lent the one his lame brother feet the other his blind brother eyes so the body being blind mutuat hoc oculos it boroweth eyes of the soule for his direction and the soule being lame mutuat illa pedes it borroweth feet of the body for his procession and both walke with such compassion and fellow-feeling of others harme that when the bodie is hurt the soule alone is grieued and when the soule offendeth the bodie offereth his backe to the smiters Whose safegard of the one as it is concentus qualitatuÌ„ an harmonie and consent of qualities so is the safetie of the other consensus affectionum an agreement and consent of the affections and the iarre of either the destruction of both and dissolution of the whole Thus contraries conspire in the great and little world for preseruation of mankind and why then should not man the summe of all these conspire with man most opposite for conseruation of man-kindnesse in the earth Thus euery beast loueth his like to teach euery man to loue his neighbour thus all flesh resort to their kind to shame man if he hate him that is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we commend them that loue men saith r Lib. â— Ethic. cap 1. Aristotle though it be but as they are men and therefore when Å¿ Dâ—og Lâ—ert lib. 5 â—e viiâ— Phâ—los himselfe in regard of this humane nature gaue a wicked man an almes and was checked for his mis-giuing Misertus sum humanitatem non iniquitatem I gaue it the man saith he but not for his manners Wherefore let the same mind be in you shall I say with the Apostle that was in Christ Iesus the same nay I am out of hope of it he was such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a louer of men as they were but men Tit. 3. 4. that he laid downe his most precious life to the most ignominious death for man his most rebellious traitor But if not the same yet let the like mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus at least let the mind of Aristotle an heatheÌ„ naturall man be in Christians for shame of mankind let not the mind of Tygers of Wolues of Beares and Lions be in you lest ye be shame-kins to mankind Nay let but the mind of these to their owne kind the mind of Lions to Lions of Wolues to Wolues be in you not to hate your mankind good enough But alas when it should be homo homini Deus man to man a preseruer now it is become homo homini lupus man to man a deuourer Euery man hunteth his brother with a net and carieth the mind of these beasts to his brother which they beare onely to them that in nature are other Yea whereas all minds and motions of enmitie are in them but singular and peculiar to their kind they all meet in one man like riuers in the sea who is to man in mind rauenous as a Wolfe in head craftie as a Foxe in heart fierce as a Tyger in tongue poisonous as an Aspe in the euil eye deadly as a Cockatrice in bloudie hands cruell as a Lion and therefore the Psalmist compareth this man not to one beast but to the beasts that perish Psal 49. Video blandas consalutationes amicos complexus hilares compotationes caeteraque officia humanitatis I see indeed saith Erasmus euery one giue faire-spoken and curteous salutations friendly embracings and congies mery meetings and kind drinking one to another and other such parts of humanitie at o rem indignam it is the complaint of t Erâ—s paâ—â— quâ—r Peace her selfe ficta fucata omnia all is fained friendship and hypocrisie One cannot see the least shadow of true amitie among men all is nought but dissimulation and deceipt they couer heart-burning and malice enuie and hatred vnder these duties of humanitie and cloakes of curtesie they come in sheepes clothing with the name of brother of friend cousin and kinsman Et astutam vapido seruant sub pectore vulpem and within they are rauening wolues Where is now a faithful yoke-fellow that is alter idem in whose eare a man may lay his heart and his life in his hand Where is a Ionathan with a Dauid a Nazianzene with a Basil an Austine with an Alipius which like a paire of Turtle doues mourne and reioyce together Where are two which like those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare one the others burthen and support each other through loue The heathen found in their dayes but eight yoke of such faithfull yoke-fellowes Pylades and Orestes Nisus and Euryalus Patroclus and Achilles Theseus and Perithous Castor and Pollux Tidaeus and Polynices Scipio and Laelius Damon and Pythias but if now the Lord should looke downe from heauen vpon the children of men to sâ—e if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke God in the loue of his neighbour that of Dauid might now be returned Psal 53. Ne vnus quidem there is scant a man to be found on the earth If now as once Diogenes sought an honest man in the street with a candle at noone day or if as the u Ierem 5. 1. Lord bad his Prophet one should now runne to and fro by the streets of Ierusalem to know and enquire in the open places thereof if he could find one man that is faithfull to a man he might I feare in many places returne his errant with Salomon Eccles 7. 30. Behold I sought one by one to find the count and yet my soule seeketh but I find it not I haue found one man of a thousand But here fleshly wisedome will couer her malice to the man with the cloake of maliciousnesse to his maners and plead that with Dauid She must hate them that imagine euill thâ—â—â—s if his law she will loue It was indeed the Pharisees corrupt glosse on the law Thou shâ—lt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie Mat. 5. 43. which yet in euery man saith x Serm. 1â—â— de Iemp Austine may trâ—ly though not in their meaning be fulfilled seeing in him is both an enemy and a neighbour for in that he is a man he is thy neigbour in that he is euill not onely he is thine enemie but his owne loue therefore in him bodie and soule that is thy neigbour which God made and loath his malice and impietie which by his consent the diuell made We must be y Zanch. in â—ph 4 26. â—erus in Mat. 5 22. angry against his viâ—e but sinne not by anger against his person Eph. 4. 26. pax cum hominibus beâ—lum cum vitijs We must saith Saint z Ser. 66 de Temp in Psal 138. Austine and Seneca haue peace with the
wherein it was prophaned and Theophrastus in Plutarke checked Pericles for this thing As for periurie wherein his name was abused they punished it seuerely as examples in their stories do witnesse For the fourth precept of keeping his Sabboth they ordained lawes for the like though abusing their knowledge they misused it with multitude of ceremonies and ridiculous rites Touching the second table in generall their precept of charitie was Do to others as ye would be done to which our Sauiour saith is the Law and the Prophets For the first precept of honouring our parents Homer bad the same and gaue the same motiue That thou maist liue long vpon earth And Solon as Tully reporteth made no law against parricides because he thought none would be so vnnaturall and vngodly as to kill his parents For the second Thou shalt not kill their reuealed law of naturall knowledge taught them this abundantly prohibiting homicide by their publike lawes as their bookes witnesse And such was their seueritie against it that from the building of the Citie the space of 620. yeares none was killed by anie priuate hand within the wals as Dionysius Halicarnasseus reporteth For the third Thou shalt not commit adulterie their lawes were seuere against it and punishments of it grieuous The Egyptians lawes punished it with a thousand stripes in the man and cut off the nose of the woman to deterre others from the like Diod. Sicul. lib. 2. de reb antiq cap. 2. Cael. Rhod. lib. 21. cap. 45. Solons law permitted that a man might kill the adulterer when he found him in the act The Athenians mulct it with a mullet vide Cael. Rhod. lib. 27. cap. 4. Plato with death lib. 9. de legibus The Lemnij so contemned the goddesse Venus that none wold sacrifice vnto her onely because they thought she had committed adulterie with Mars Alex. ab Alex. lib. 2. cap. 14. The Leprei led the men three dayes through the Citie contemning them all their life after and made the women stand vp in the market place to be a spectacle of shame eleuen daies Cael. Rhod. lib. 21. cap. 48. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. The Cretans mulct it largely and excluding adulterers from all office and dignitie crowned it with ignominie Aelian var. hist lib. 12. Cael. lib. 21. cap. 45. The Arabians punished it with death Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. and Parthians no sinne more seuerely The Pisidians made them be both led together on an Asse thorough the Citie for certaine dayes Stob. ser 42. The Thracians punished it grieuously Among the old Germaines adulteram excisis naribus maritus s Alex. lib. 4. cap. 1. Tacit. expellit say stories and lashed her thorough the towne The barbarous Gothes as Procopius relateth made it capitall The Romaines made them do publike penance in a long robe Cael. lib. 21. cap. 48. and made it lawfull to kill their wiues for that fault whereof Valerius shewes many examples lib. 6. cap. 1. But of all most famous is the law of Zaleucus who when his owne sonne was accused of adulterie before him and adiudged to lose both his eyes for the fault would not heare the whole Cities intreatie for the one eye but pulled out one of his owne and another of his sonnes to satisfie the law Val. Max. lib. 6. cap. 4. Volater lib. 20. And thus by this reuealed knowledge were the Gentiles a law to themselues For the fourth precept Thou shalt not steale Solon by his law punished theft double Draco by his ordained that he qui stercorandi causa stercus bubulum abstulisset aut olera who had but stolen a little ordure or dung should die for it Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. ex Gel. lib. 11. cap. 18. The Scythians punished no fault sorer The Indians iudged it the greatest The Atrians stoned it The Phrygians if one stole but an instrument of husbandrie made it death Stob. ser 42. Alex. lib. 3. cap. 5. and the lawes of the twelue Tables in Rome punished night-theft with death Gel. lib. 11. cap. 18. Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. For the fift Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse the Egyptians punished lying with death Diod. Sicul. lib. 2. cap. 2. the Persians and Indians imposed perpetuall silence on him who had thrice lyed Alex. ib. For periurie the Indians cut off the toes and fingers yea the outward members of the periured Alex. lib. 5. cap. 10. And for false accusation see how king Assuerus hanged Haman Esth 7. 8. and the Pisidians threw them headlong from a rocke Alex. lib. 6. cap. 10. For the sixt and last Thou shalt not couet the bookes of Philosophers Poets and Historians are full de fraenandis affectibus to speake nothing of their lawes Did this Ethnicke knowledge and learning teach and perswade them to do the things of the law and can it not helpe to informe our vnderstandings reforme our minds and conforme our wils also Yes doubtlesse being made powerfull by the word of the spirit and fruitfull by the spirit of grace may it helpe to breed holinesse in vs that made them so wise so prudent so iust so sober so temperate so continent that without law by this naturall knowledge they did the things of the law seeing as Peter Martyr noteth if we t Comment an Rom. 2. looke on the manners life and conuersation of Cato Socrates Aristides and such heathens we shall find they go beyond the Iewes and exceed many Christians Wrought it so much good in them who had not the spirit of grace and can it worke nothing in vs who haue the spirit of sanctification 4 That learning the abuse whereof Saint Paul condemneth in popular Sermons may be lawfully vsed therein but Col. 2. 8. Paul condemneth the abuse of Philosophie and the deceit of secular learning Ergo. Our moderne interpreters expound this place of the abuse when it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speakes doth beguile with paralogismes and vaine deceipt through the traditions of men according to the rudiments of men and not after Christ As that the world is eternall was a paralogisme of Aristotle that the soules go into new bodies was a paralogisme of Plato and Pythagoras that pleasure is the chiefest good a paragolisme of Epicurus So in Diuinitie difference of meates a paralogisme of the Iewes and Papists and such like Otherwise when it doth not beguile and brings such paralogismes the Apostle alloweth it therefore Paul spake warily saith Austia◠adding it of Philosophie after the elements of the world and not after Christ and vaine deceit saith Theophylact least he should deterre vs from hearing Philosophy Seeing then he biddeth the Colossians beware in their Preachers of Philosophie which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beguiling with vaine deceit and not after Christ he alloweth that which agreeth with the analogie of faith to be heard of the people at Colosse This place vseth u Lib. 3. hist Eccles cap. 14. Socrates for
King 5. that king Salomon hauing plentie enough of timber and trees in mount Lebanon yet wanting so skilfull Carpenters in Iurie as were the Sidonians he hired Wrights of Hiram an heathen to cut downe and hew timber for building of the temple Marke Peter Martyr on this place that he saith the Sidonians and men of Tirus were cunning in hewing timber which he doth not attribute to the Hebrues Nos commonefacit Quod Hebrâ—â—â— non tribuit pijs hominibus licere artibus Ethnicorum vti si eis opus habuerint habuit quidem Salomon in ditione sua materiem quandoquidem Lebanos mons Hebraeorum fuit sed peritos artifices non habuit Praetereà conuenit vt mysteriuÌ„ noÌ„ praetereamus verùm spectâ—mus non sola Hebraeorum opera sed etiam Ethnicorum templum Dei aedificari Though Christ our Salomon haue timber enough in mount Lebanon matter in Scripture sufficient for building vs vp in faith yet needes he the Sidonians and skilfull Carpenters of Tyre to cut downe this timber to hew timber out of the thicke trees and bring it to an excellent worke that is to diuide and cut it aright for building of his temple And whereas some that are thought Stewards of Gods house thinke to cut it without a knife and diuide to euery one their portion without this diuiding aright Complures illud vndique lacerant atque discerpunt saith p Homil. 5. in 2. Tim. 2. Chrysostome on this very place I vrge many of them teare it and pull it in peeces or as Caluin here speaketh of each sort of them Alij mutilant alij discerpunt alij contorquent alij disrumpunt alij in cortice haerentes non perueniuÌ„t ad ipsam animam Some mangle it others teare it some wrest it others come neuer to the kernell and sense for want of breaking the shell the rest pull it asunder and for want of this knife teare it with their teeth I end this reason with q Lib. 2. de rat concion Erasmus His disciplinis c. By these arts and secular learning soberly deliuered and fitly applied is got a certaine dexteritie of wit both to iudge of the right sense and also fitly to deliuer it And the more plenteous grace of the spirit comming vpon that skill got by mans industrie non dissoluit sed absoluit non adimit sed adiuuat but rather hauing got excellent gifts of nature doth by them more excellently declare his efficacie and power as the cunning craftsman more curiously shewes his best art and skil on an excellent subiect Ita nostram industriam adeò non aspernatur spiritus ille caelestis vt exigat etiam nec indignatur sua dona nostro vicissim studio adiuuari tantùm absit impia nostri fiducia I speake to the learned iudge ye what he saith These be the places of Scripture expounded both by auncient and moderne which still I iudged allowed as lawfull if not commanded as necessarie humanitie in all Sermons Next this first proofe of Scripture shall secondly be reasons That doctrine which is taken out of the sacred Scriptures is First reason lawfull in all Sermons But most doctrine of heathen Writers that is true is taken out of the sacred Scriptures Therefore most doctrine of heathen Writers that is true is lawfull in all SermoÌ„s The proposition is cleare for do they not cite the Apocrypha when he hath a sentence taken out of canonical Scripture Approue we not and alleage in all written bookes that truth which the Authors tooke out of it Thinke not these men their owne sayings worthie to be vsed in all popular Sermons when in sense it is taken out or agreeth in substance with that pattern of truth For the assumption r Apolog 2. pro Christ Iustine Martyr who liued so neare the Apostles affirmeth al things that both Philosophers Poets haue deliuered of the immortalitie of the soule or of torments after death or of the knowledge conteÌ„platioÌ„ of diuine things or such like decrees argumenta à Prophetis mutuati intelligere potuerunt commemorarunt They borrowed them all of the Prophets had them but at second hand from the Scriptures Itaque in omnibus apud omnes veritatis semina videntur esse Magnus consâ—â—su◠〈◊〉 Christianâ— cum Philoâ—â—phâ— Poeâ—s and therefore he shewes at large in that second Apologie that there is great harmonie and agreement betweene Christian doctrine and Philosophers and Poets whence he claimed it thus Å¿ Apolog 1. before That whatsoeuer excellent things were said of all Philosophers Poets and Historiographers nostra sunt Christianorum they are ours who are Christians t Apolog. aduers Gen. Quis 〈◊〉 quis sophistaruns qui non 〈◊〉 de Prophetariâ— fonte potauerit â— Inde igitur Philosophâ— sitim ingenij sui rigauerunt c. Tertullian saith no lesse Which of the Poets which of the Philosophers is he who hath not drunke of the fountaine of the Prophets Thence the Philosophers watered and quenched the thirst of their wit vt quae de nostris habent ea nos comparent illis And hauing shewed how many things they haue like the Scriptures asketh Vnde haec oro vos Philosophis aut Poetis tam consimilia non nisi de nostris sanamentis vt de prioribus Those things saith u Lâ—b 2 de Abrah cap. 10. Ambrose which the Scriptures speake in plaine and simple words doth Aristotle and the Peripatetickes sing of and extoll magno quodam cothurno with excellencie of speech and wisedome of words x Lib. 2. ad Sâ—â—plic Epist 7. Againe let Poets and the Philosophers acknowledge that whatsoeuer excellent things they haue spoken they haue them from ours that is the Scriptures And y Lib. de bon mort cap. 10. againe I haue vsed the words of Esdras saith he Vt cognoscant Gentiles ea quae in Philosophiae libris mirantur translata de nostris that the heathens may know that those things they admire in the bookes of Philosophers are taken from the Scriptures De literis nostris saith z Lib. 2. de doc Christ cap. 2â— vid. lib. 18. de ciuit Dei cap. â—4 Austine habuerunt omnia quaecunque bona vera dixerunt All their sayings that are good and true they had them from the Scriptures This a Lib. 1. 10. contra Iulian. Cyrill b Homil. 65. â—â— Iohan. Chrysostome c Lib. 1. Graâ— Fabul Theodoret d Oratan Basil Nazianzene with many mo affirme and confirme and therefore Clemens Alexandrinus in his bookes of Stromes handling this point e Lib. 5. Strom. cals them theeues for stealing that truth out of Scriptures which they withheld in vnrighteousnesse and was none of their owne yea spends the whole sixt booke almost in detecting this theeuerie of Poets Philosophers and Ethnicke Historians They witnesse our truth in many things Plato hath much of the destruction of the world for many thinke he