Dauid Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee yea I hate them right sore as though they were mine enemies Psalm 139. 21. I saw the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy law Psal 119. 158. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the workes of vnfaithfulnesse there shall no such dwell with me Psal 101. And thus may we be angrie against sinners no not so much the man as his manners as hereafter shall be shewed Thirdly how it must be spent not in fume like the foaming sea that cannot rest till it cast vp mire and dirt for this anger is furor breuis a short madnesse as he q Hâ—rat speaketh and onely they differ said wise r Plut. Apâ—th Cato in continuance of time For whereas there be two kinds of madnesse one of the head which makes men run out of their wit and another of the heart which puts them out of their right mind these angry men hauing neither the wit to gouerne nor the mind to be gouerned in this passion are the maddest of all other seeing as Å¿ Lib. 1. de ira cap. 1. Seneca noteth in them they haue the same signes and tokens that mad men haue and this mist of anger so darkeneth their eye of reason that it cannot discerne things that differ but as obiects though little in themselues thorough a thicke cloud seeme bigger then they are indeed so whatsoeuer moate the eye of anger thorow cloudie browes beholdeth in a brother seemeth no lesse then a beame For as t Lib. 11. nat â—â— cap. 37. Pliny noteth Oculos in comitiali morbo apertos nihil cernere animo caligante that the eyes in the falling sicknes though open see nothing when the mind is darkened and dim-sighted so in comitiali morbo irae as one u Plut deirâ— cohib tearmes it in the falling sicknesse of anger wherein they fall on others men haue like those Iewes eyes and see not the right as eares and heare not the truth but their minds being blinded that they see not Satan euer boweth downe their backe for a load of sinne and anger the daughter of iniurie as Sabellicus speaketh becomes in them the mother of reuenge And as anger in her madnesse is blind to augment all faults and make a moate a beame and a mole-hill a mountaine so is she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as x 2. Pet. 2. 9. the Apostle speaketh and cannot see farre off but diminishing the person of men maketh a Cedar of Lebanon but a bramble of the bush and like the purblind man in the y Maâ—â— 8. Gospell seeth men but like trees which with the z Ioâ— 1â— â— good husbandman when she should but loppe with the pruning-knife of correction she heweth downe with the axe of her owne iudgement and reuenge And therefore because he will neuer obserue the meane nor keepe a right measure in punishing who in his anger comes for to punish as a Lib. 1. Oâ—â—â—â— Tully said most truly the Romains wisely tyed a bundell of rods to those axes that were caryed before the Consuls vt ijs soluendis inijceretur aliqua mora irae antequam ad puniendum accederent that in loosing of them some delay of time may allay their anger before they came to punish as neither Socrates nor Plato nor Architas whom I mentioned in the beginning durst punish euen their seruants in their anger lest vnder correcting their manners they should reuenge them on the men and turne iudgement into worm-wood as b Cap. 5 7. Amos speaketh and c Apo. 6 12. iustice into gall Wherefore seeing optimum est temperare iram non tollere as Seneca d Lib. 1. de ira cap. 7. noteth to temper anger and not take it away be angry but sinne not saith Paul Ephes 4. 26. Be angry at his manners but sinne not by anger against the man Or if ye chaunce to exceede this golden meane Irascimini are ye angrie as some Bez annot matâ—r in hunâ— lxum interogatiuely vnderstand it sinne not that is so moderate your affection that it be appeased before it burst foorth as our English note on that place expounds it If turbulent motions arise in the mind through the corruption of nature yet let not reason consent and obey them in the lusts thereof that although in our flesh we serue the lawe of sinne yet in our spirit we serue the lawe of regenerate part as f In Psal 4. 4. Austine most excellently expounds it His meaning is this serpent like Goliah must be smote dead in the fore-front and crushed in the head lest if he get in the head as he did into Eue he bring in the whole body wheÌ„ sin is finished from this taile of the serpent leaue g 1. Cor. 15. 55 that sting of death in our soules We must crush this Cockatrice in his egge we must take this little foxe before he do hurt lest growing vp to be great like Sampsons foxe he set all on fire and like Herod the foxe fall to be bloudthirstie and rauenous We must purge out this little leauen lest it soure the whole lumpe we must giue this water of bitternesse no passage no not a little lest like that in Ezechiel it grow from the ankles to the knees and from the knees to the thighes and proue a riuer that cannot be passed without drowning we must dash this youngling of Babell against the stones lest after growth it cry down with him downe with him euen to the ground for this little fire will kindle a great matter this least graine and mustard-seed of anger will grow vp to a great tree of hatred vnder whose branches of enuie and malice the foules of the heauen and princes of the aire will build their nests And therefore this roote of bitternes must not be let grow vp lest many therewith be defiled this little cloud of anger if it be not dissolued by his heate will couer all the skie hide the sunne of righteousnesse and cause much raine and no little storme this cord of vanitie will pull on a cart-rope of iniquitie and therefore for the manner how ye may be angry be angrie but sinne not in your anger For whose season and oportunitie of time when it must be drawne as there is a time to hate as a time to loue and a time of peace as a time of warre Eccles 3. 8. so must anger not rashly out of time nor vnaduisedly out of season be mispent Mat. 5. 22 Sauls flatterers mistooke their time They are mine enemies vniustly saith Dauid and hate me without a cause Psal 39. 19. They gather themselues not for mine offence not for my sinne but without my fault O Lord Psal 59. 3. They hate me without a cause and would destroy me guiltlesse Psalm 69. 4. Thus h Gen â— Caine was wroth with Abel
most horridely the eyes flash like lightning and sparkle fire the temples frowne with wrinkles and gloome with cloudie browes the nostrils snuffing with disdaine the teeth gnashing like a dogge inter se acietati and whetting one another like the grunning of a Bore or grinning of a Dogge the cheekes swelling like a bladder puft with the wind the countenance truculent and fierce now pale as death the bloud retiring presently red as a Turkie it returning the veines swelling with heate of the bloud the breathing thicke panting with sighes the lippes trembling with threats the tongue faltring with abrupt and imperfect speech From which palsey of anger they fall into the Epilepsia and falling sicknesse of reuenge vt cadant ipsi vel potius in alios incidant that they fall downe themselues dead or rather fall deadly vpon others Which deformed face of anger when g Dial de ira cohib Plutarch obserued in other men lest he should seeme terrible and vncouth to his friends wife children and family he bids his boy hold him a glasse in his anger that beholding his deformity as women do their spots hee might correct his countenance thereby We reade it fabled in that h Ibid. author of the Goddesse Minerua that playing on a pipe which blew vp her cheekes and being checked by a Satyre saying That visage beseemes thee not lay away thy pipe obeyed him not then but beholding her mâ—sshapen face in the riuer as in a glasse threw it away in greater anger I procul hinc dixit non est mihi tibia tanti Vt vidit vulâ—us Pallas in amne suos saith the i Ouid. l. 3. de art Poet. And many angry men which haue not beleeued it by report by beholding their face in a glasse haue bene pacified and appeased Qâ—ibusdam iratis profuit aspexisse speculum It hath mended some angry men to look themselues in a glasse as k Sene. l. 2. de ira ca. 38. Sextius obserued whose strange and sudden alteration of countenance hath so affrighted them that they knew not them selues as said the said l Ouidabid Poet Vos quoque si media speculum spectetis in ira Cognoscet faciem vix satis vlla suam And how little of their inward deformitie in mind saith Seneca did that image reflect and the glasse represent Qualemintra putas esse animum cuius extra imago tam foeda est what a one within doest thou thinke is the mind whose outward face is so deformed How much more within the breast lies there a more terrible countenance a more cruell aspect a more vgly spirit and a more deformed face For if the whited tombe and painted sepulcher be so ilfauoured without how filthy may we thinke is the iniquitie and dead bones of rancor and rottennes within If the mind it selfe could be shewed and shine thorough any matter transparent Intuentes nos consunderet it would confound vs with shame when we beheld it and as she seeing her mis-shape and monstrous metamorphosis in a wel started with affright Sese exteritafugit it would for feare runne away from her selfe Whose foulnesse and disfigure if through bones and flesh with other impediments it seeme so great and monstrous Quid si nudus ostenderetur what if she were bare of these fig-leaues that her nakednesse might appeare Surely she would be ashamed with Eue and like the deformed woman loath while she lookes on her selfe in a glasse Thus wrathfull anger leaueth man quite dead in sinne while he liueth a sinner thus maketh it the liuely image of God that anatomie of sinne Rom. 3. taking the feare of God from before his eyes filling his mouth full of cursing and bitternesse vsing his tongue to deceiue putting Aspes poison vnder his lips making his feete swift to shed blood and when he is thus dead in trespasses and sins she puts his filthinesse and dead bones in a whited toombe and painted sepulcher Thus all his members as the Psalmist speakes are out of ioynt and from head to the foote nothing but wounds and swelling and sores full of corruption thus are all his members weapons of vnrighteousnesse to serue sinne and reuenge in the lust thereof as if man with his members were nothing but corpus peccati that dead body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. sit for the graue and pit of destruction For as the corporall sicknes is most dangerous and declining to the first death of the body which maketh the sickmans face most vnlike it selfe as m Dial. de â—racch b. Plutarch out of Hippocrates hath obserued so the spiteful angrie man sith he changeth his linely colour of countenance into the palenesse of death doth argue to others and might to himselfe that his soule is very heauie and sicke vnto the second death of whom I cannot say The maide is not dead but sleepeth but like the volupâ—uous widdow 1. Tim. 5. 6. diuorced from her God by the death of grace she is dead in the spirit while she liueth in the bodie and her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her bodie but a sepulcher wherein as our Sauiour speaketh the dead doth burie her dead Mat. 23. 27. Wherefore if this swelling one against another condemned by Saint n 1. Corint â— â— Paul be so deformed in the conception of malice and trauell of mischiefe how vgly may we thinke is reuenge the monster it selfe at the birth when they bring forth vngodlinesse in the field Neuerthelesse if beholding thus thy naturall face in a glasse thou blushest not at thy selfe but going thy way forgettest immediatly what manner of one thou art yet if thou wouldest view thy soules face in the glasse of Gods word and looke into the perfect law of libertie Iames 1. 25. thou shouldst find therein like that in the law Exod. 38. as a glasse to shew thee her spots so a lauer of liuing water to wash away her filth And certainely if as o Orat. 1. de reconcil Monach. Gregorie Nazianzen often read Ieremies Lamentations to coole his heate of pride in the sunne-shine of prosperitie thou woldest in thy heate of anger and fire of wrath but reade the lamentable end of those reuengers Ammon Moab Seir Idumea and the Philistims Ezek. 25. it would allay thy heate if not set on fire of hell and abate yea turne thy sharpest edge of reuenge if not desperate to run headlong on the pikes of Gods displeasure We reade of Saint p Li. 8. cons c. 12 Austine that being prone in his youth as he q Lib. 2. cap. 2. confesseth and ready to coole his lust with the act of vncleannesse preuented by grace he was warned by a voice from heauen saying Take vp and reade take vp the Bible and reade wheÌ„ being directed by the finger of God to that sentence of Saint Paul Not in chambering and wantonnesse Rom. 13. 13. he so beheld in this glasse the foule face of his soule that it was
Aristotle and c â—â— 11. nat hist ca. 18. Plinie both obserue by stinging others exentorate and therewith shed forth their owne bowels Animasque in vulnere ponunt and loose their liues by ther stinging And it is as true in reuenge she sailes with her owne wings and dasheth on that rocke whereon she makes shipwracke of faith and a good conscience The reuenger like the bee he hath a reaction or repassioÌ„ rather and receineth the wrong that he hath done Col. 3. 25. and while he seeks vengeance on man finds vengeance of God Eccles 28. 1. While he shooteth his sting of reuenge he doth euiscerate himselfe of those bowels of mercie kindnesse humilitie meeknesse long-suffering and forbearance Colos 3. 12. Animamque in vulnere ponit and looseth his soule in the wound of his foe Alium laedit extrinsecus se vastat intrinsecus saith d Ser. 16 de ver Dâ—â— Austine like the bees outward stinging he onely kils the bodie of his foe but like her inward bowelling kils the soule of himself and casteth both bodie and soule into hell fire And therefore would e Homil 〈◊〉 popâ— Antiocis Chrysostome haue vs be warned by the Bee and by her example be weaned from reuenge Doest thou not see the Bee saith that Father how she dies by her stinging By that liuing creature doth God teach vs that we wound not our brethren for we do it through our owne sides and perchance like the Bee we hurt them but little but we our selues shall be no more no more then that creature Heare this also thou bloody stabber who beyond the law of retaliation exactest not onely a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye Deut. 19. but like Ioab repayest a stabbe for a lie a wound for a word with Lamech for a small hurt wilt slay a man and not onely mete to them as they measured to thee but an Epha of wrongs for an Hin of iniuries and as f Orat 9. de ira mimie Basil out of the g Luke 6 38. Gospell speaketh from thy seperfluitie of maliciousnesse giue mensuram superfluentem a measure running ouer into their bosome I wish thou wouldst learne of Christ our Sauiour who as a lambe before his both shearer and slayer was so dumbe that he opened not his mouth to reuile when he was reuiled nor so much as threatned when he felt the stab of their speare 1. Pet. 2. But if thou wilt not learne clemencie of the Lambe of God yet learne it for shame of crueltie it selfe of the Lion of the field who as Aelian noteth ' is so iust in his crueltie that he keepes an equall meane and measure of reuenging his enemie for though he see a man shoote at him and deadly pursue him yet as h Li. 9. de hist animal cap. 44. Aristotle and i Lib. 8. nat hist ca. 16. Plinie both obserue if the archer do not wound him he neither wounds him if he catch him in his pawes but shakes him onely without hurt and throwing him downe when he hath thus affrayed him lets him go free And if thou wilt not be more cruell then crueltie it selfe and from thy Brittish clemencie degenerate into more then brutish crueltie at least be as gentle as the roring Lion who seemes here to exhort thee with that voice of the lambe Math. 11. 29. Take my yoke on thee and learne of me that am lowly and meeke to my foe For there is none saith k Lib. 5. din. Inst calâ—â— Lactantius who had not rather die then be transformed into any shape and feature of a beast though he might retaine the mind of a man and how much more is it wretched to haue the mind of a beast in the forme of a man sith the soule so much excelleth the body But alas Aspernantur corpora beluarum quibus sunt ipsi saeuiores they disdainfully abhorre the bodily shape of wilde beastes who are themselues more sauage and cruell then they and so much please themselues in that they are men of whom they carrie nothing but the outware lineamennts and figure Wherefore to conclude this point which thou regardest not a point if nothing that is said can end thy contention and reuenge yet as the wise man aduiseth thee Remember thine end and thou wilt let enmitie passe Eccles 28. 6. For like as when the bees fall out and fight among themselues Dimicatio iniectu pulueris tota discutitur the throwing of a litle dust vpon them saith l Li. 11. nat hist ca. 17. Plinie endeth all their deadly strife so cogitatio mortalitatis the thought of death saith m Lib. 3. de Ira â—ap 42. Seneca the remembrance of this generall mortalitie by plague and pestilence say I which thus long hath toled for her last gasp might now me thinks ring out at last the death of all malice might bury all wrongs in the graue of obliuion neuer to rise againe And indeed Se de hoc mundo quotidiè migraturum credere as n Abbas Ioseph de amicit collas 13. cap. 6. one speaketh to thinke this day of his strife may be the last of his life is a common peremptory and killer of all iarres omnium comprimet motus and will still the most turbulent sticklers And howsoeuer the remembrance of dust and death cannot bridle the mightie buls of Basan who set vp their horne on high and speake with a stâ—ffe-necke but like those buls in o De solart Animal Plutarch Ad pugnam sepuluere conspergunt vt magis irritati ferociant sprinkle this dust of mortalitie on their faces to whet their courage to the combat And as the Lion beateth himselfe with his taile to set an edge on his wrath so they remember their end to hasten their swift reuenge like that p Iudg. 16. 30. Lion of might who conquered the roring Lion Let me loose my life with the Philistines yet iam par acerrimum media mors dirimet saith Seneca euen now wil death steppe betweene these two hot spurres and part the fray And though no remembrance of death could extinguish the memorie of iniuries betweene them yet iniectu pulueris cast but a little dust of the graue vpon their heads then are they as quisht as a Bee and now their hatred and their enuie is perished saith Salomon Eccles 9. 6. But let vs beloued Christian who haue better learned Christ let vs leaue off wrath and let go displeasure before they leaue and let go vs at our death Let vs die to our malice least it die to vs and leaue as our bodies with the mete-wand in the graue so our soules with the rod of Gods wrath in the lowest pâ—t Let vs bury it in our life that at our death we may go to our graue in peace and in peace with all men Let our loue awake that sleepeth and stand vp from the dead that is interred And seeing a friend must 〈◊〉
frequensque via est per amici fallere nomeÌ„ and he gaue his censure of such cosining Tuta frequensque licet sit via crimen habet A safe and common way it is by friendship to deceaue But safe and coÌ„mon though it be its knauery by your leaue And as it was then euen so is it now in these perilous times wherein as the g 2. Esdr 5. 10. Scribe speaketh vnrighteousnesse and voluptuousnesse haue gotten the vpper hand vpon earth wherein the land shall be barren from faith as he prophesied and iniquitie shall be increased more then thou hast seene or hast heard in time past that all friends shall fight one against another when wit shal hide it selfe and vnderstanding depart into his priuie chamber Our Sauiour foretold the like cause of not vnlike effect Math. 24. Because saith he iniquitie shall be increased the loue of many shall be cold because of a flood of iniquitie as h Calui in hunc locum one expounds it where men are frozen in their dregs the loue of many shall be cold or frozen as i Enarr in hunc locum Bucer doth interprete it For as an inundation of much water freezeth in those regions from which the Sunne is fare remote so a flood of iniquitie in those parts from which the Sunne of righteousnesse is farre distant hath made such a frost of charitie that frater infidelis to vse the words of Hugo fratrem fidelem one brother betrayeth another as our Sauiour prophesied Math. 24. 10. and breaketh the knot of friendship EtiaÌ„ cum familiarissimis euen with their dearest friends and familiars as Theophylact a most ancient Archbishop nearest the Apostles times on these words obserueth And if Iudas brought vp in Christs bosom if the worme bred in virenti ligno in the greene timber did thus fret and consume that tree of righteousnes quid fiet in arido as himself reasoneth what will this worme do in drie wood Luke 23. 31. If the head drinke deepe of this wormewood from the hands of his owne who gaue him gall in his meate and vineger in his drinke what may the members of his bodie expect but to pledge their head in receiuing that potion into themselues If these Bees of his owne hiue brought our head hony in theis mouthes and a sting in their taile to wound it vnto death what might Dauid looke for but that they come about him also like bees to giue good words with their mouth but curse with their hearts Psal 62. 4. What might k 2. Sam. 20. 9 Amasa looke for from lip-louing Ioab but mel more verba lactis honie in the mouth or buttered words as the Psalmist speaketh Art thou in health my brother And felin corde fraudem in factis an heart full of gall and bitternesse and an hand full of blood Thus speake they friendly to their neighbours when mischiefe is in their hearts Psalme 28. 3. Art thou in health my brother It is the voice of Ioab when he meant to be his butcher But Amasa might haue answered this dissembler as the sicke Hen in the fable replied to the Cat asking how she did Bene si tu discedas better I thanke you if ye would go farther from me Such a visiting Cat was he who came to see Dauid Psalme 41. 6. If he come to see me he speaketh lies he heapeth vp iniquitie in his heart and when he commeth forth he telleth it When shall he die and his name perish now that he lieth let him rise vp no more Thus one thing floteth in their mouth saith a l Ierom coment in Math. â— Father and another thing is diued deepe in their heart Et venenum animi linguae mella tegunt like cunning Phisitians that should poison they couer the poison of their heart with sugred words that more easily we may receiue their bitter potion and drinke their cup of deadly wine VVith Iudas they kisse their brethren but osculo oris non charitatis saith Austine with the kisse of Iudas not of Iesus of their mouth not their mind Oris attactu non mentis affectu coniunctione labiorum non commixtione spirituum they draw neare their brethren with their lips but their heart that heart is farre from them m Hom. 15. in Ephesâ— in iliud cum omni mâ—litia Chrysostome compares them to the worst kind of dogs which barke not at passengers nor make shew of any rancor as other common curres do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but fawne vpon them and shew an outward face of gentlenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but comming behind them in priuate and taking them at aduantage when they see not nor perceiue priuily they snatch them by the heeles And he there giues his censure of such fawning spaniels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these fawning dogs saith he are worse then common barking curres that very honestly giue vs warning of their teeth before they bite and that father fitly applieth his comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and euen some men are dogges saith he which neither bawle with their mouth nor snarle in their anger nor shew any rancor in outward behauiour towards others as those barking curres which I sneaped in the verball reconcilement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but secretly they concinnate and fainedly forge deceites or as Dauid may expound Chrysostome they courage themselues in mischiefe and commune among themselues how they may lay snares and say that no man shall see them They imagine mischiefe and practise it that they may keepe secret among themselues euery man in the deep of his heart Psal 64. 5. 6. Thus false brethren among whom n 2. Cor. 11. 26 Paul himselfe was in perill speake with the voice of Iaakob when indeed they haue the hands of Esau Exteriora serenitas tenet interiora tempestas as one o Euseb Emis homil 9. ad Monach speaketh of some Monkes such euill beasts and slow bellies which being fruges consumere nati like the frogges and grashoppers of Egypt eate vp the greene hearbes and fat of the land They speake friendly to their neighbors but imagine in their hearts And it were lesse vnnaturall if euen thy brethren onely and domus patris tui and the house of thy father as they vsed p Ier. 12. 6. Ieremie were perfidious and thy kinsmen and friends did betray thee as prophesied our Sauiour they would but when pater domus tuae the father of thy house fulfilleth Christs q Mat. 24. 10. prophesie and betrayeth his owne bowels into the hands of sinfull men this is most vnnaturall Improbus ille pater crudelis tu quoque mater thy father is an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite as the r Ezec. 16. 3. Prophet spake of Israels parents Scelus est Iason magis scelus Medea mater More cruell then the Å¿ Lam. 4. 3. dragons in the wildernesse to their young yea then the t Iob. 39. Ostrich who sheweth
it is subiect to the law of God Prou. 16. 32. Stronger is he that is slow to anger then a mightie man and he that ruleth his owne mind then he that winneth a strong citie For whereas the spurre of anger makes our feete which should be slow to wrath swift to shed blood and like that messenger of Satan is a pricke in our flesh to buffet vs with its wicked fist and others with the fist of wickednesse we had need thrise with Saint Paul to beseek the Lord it might depart from vs. Wherein yet it is no lesse dolefull then dayly to behold how with toiles and trifles as z Lib. 2. de Ira. ca. 25. Seneca noteth our bile is moued to anger and our choler inflamed with heate and desire of reuenge As our seruant is not quick inough or our potion and drinke made too hote or the bed is ruffled and out of order or the table is negligently spred and serued yea the coughing of one or sneezing of another or the ouerturning of a cup or our seruants letting fall of a key driueth some into rage and furie Yea as the a Bull is angrie at a red colour the Aspe at a shadow the Beare and Lion prouoked with a tablecloth so often testie and writhen natures are with the very colour of iniurie and shadow of wrong incensed so farre that eftsoones iniurias vocent modica beneficia Small gifts and little good turnes they couâ—t iniuries Nay sometime as b 〈◊〉 cap. â— he noteth are we angrie that we are not angrie and prouoked to auenge without cause of reuenge like litle children who if they fall will haue the ground beaten and oft know not at whom to be angry but only they are angrie without cause and without iniurie yet not without some shew of wrong and desire of punishment and therefore are often deluded imitatione plagarum simulatis deprecantium lachrymis with semblance and counterfeit strokes and with fained tears of those that aske them forgiuenesse Et falsa vltione falsus dolor tollitur and their false griefe is satisfied with fained reuenge Some againe go by the eares for a woman and idem velle saith c Lâ—b â— cap â—â— Seneca their vnitie of affection which should be the knot of loue and bond of peace Phil. 2. 2. becometh the cause of their hatred and stirrer of contention Iter angustum ripas transeuntium excitat Others on horsebacke striue for the way and these are out of the way I mean Christs which is the kings high way of humilitie and may learne it of Saint Paul Ro. 12. To giue place and way to wrath and be not high minded but make themselues equall to them of the lower sort For because an high mind goeth before the fall Prou. 16. 18. therefore Saul being mounted on his steed was throwne down to the ground Act. 9. and being thus humbled from his horse was exalted on high and that humilitie was the stirrupe whereby he got vp into the seate of heauenly honour I wish these obuious quarrellers and goates which in their high mind arrogate the right hand when their place is the left would learne of those two goates in d Lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 50. Plinie which as Mutianus from his eye there reports meeting on a streight and narrow bridge that the one could not passe by the other nor turne aside to returne backe againe non vim sed viam sibi fecerunt neither made his way by ouerturning the other but the one lay downe that the other might go ouer him as it fared with those wayfaring pilgrimes Thou hast brought vs into so strait a place that men ride ouer our heads Psal 66. Some againe on foote in their pride contend for the wall these are as wise as a wall and their too much turning to the right hand before men will make them be set on the left by God himselfe These might learne of Abraham to yeeld their owne right to their inferiours for peace Let there be I pray thee no strife betweene thee and me neither betweene thy men and mine for we are brethren Is not the whole land is not the whole streete before thee depart I pray thee in quiet from me If thou wilt take the left hand then I will go to the right or if thou wilt needes go to the right hand then I will take the left For in thus giuing and not receiuing honor we are commaunded to go one before another Rom. 12. 10. We must not then like Ionah be angrie for a shadow and for these toyles and trifles be moued to vengeance but stay the first motions of wrath one and not the least whereof is opinio iniuriae opinion of wrong and conceit of offered iniurie saith e Lib. 2 de ira cap. 22. Seneca in these triuiall occurrences It was that Philosophers position to Serenus which he made the title of his booke That iniurie cannot befall a wise man and thereof f Cap. 3. giueth his reason because that is inuulnerable not that is smitten with a blow but which feeleth no hurt nor harme by the stroke as he in the paraemiast spake of a worse blow They haue strucken me but I was not hurt they haue beaten me but I felt it not Prou. 23. And yet is it a world to see how men in an house like those g Gen. 25. brethren in the wombe of Rebecca striue and struggle for preheminence whether should come out first and to receiue this honour of precedencie go one before another starting before others after a shadow which flies vs the faster we follow it and is caught indeed and catched by humilitie and falling downe vpon it Mat. 23. 12. It is a wonder to see how our right-hand walkers and cutting swaggerers stand on a wall vnto bloud and oft for the right hand therof make it a partition wall of strife betweene them and their brethren and so reare vp a partition wall of their sinnes to separate betweene them and their God Esa 59. 2. Like those two cockes in h Lib. 2. var. hist cap. 28. Aelian whose eager but causlesse fight when Themistocles beheld he cryed thus out in admiration These fight neither for their countrie nor for their houshold gods nor for their ancestors renowne nor for their libertie nor for their children nor yet for their owne true glorie but onely â—e alter ab altero superetur aut alter alteri cedat lest either should yeeld to the other and seeme to be ouercome And indeed as the maister of the pit oft sets two cockes together to fight vnto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Euen so saith i Pastoral part 3. 〈◊〉 10. Gregorie the maister of these two hot-spurres like a craftie aduersarie of both their souls setteth them by the eares for toyes that after mutuall conflict he may conquer them both and so suppe with their soules at
They smite downe thy people and trouble thine heritage It teacheth the oppressed to rely on his iustice that he will v Verse 23. recompence the vngodly their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice It telleth vs God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth euen the Lord of anger The Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and he reserueth wrath for his enemies Naum 1. 2. And therefore he that taketh and vsurpeth the sword shall perish with the sword and Gods vengeance still auengeth mans reuenge Because Edome x Ezek. 25. 12. 13 14 15. saith the Lord God hath done euill by taking his vengeance vpon the house of Iudah and hath committed great offence and renenged himselfe vpon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also execute my vengeance vpon Edome they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God And because the Philistimes haue executed vengeance and reuenged themselues with a despitefull heart to destroy it for the old hatred therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I will stretch out mine hand vpon the Philistimes and I will cut off the Cherethims and destroy the remnant of the sea coast and I will execute great vengeance vpon them with rebukes of mine indignation and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shal lay my vengeance vpon them And thus God reuenged them according to their handy-worke in weight and measure his eternall for their temporall vengeance and measured to them againe as they measured to Iuda yea a measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer gaue he backe againe into their bosome Et libet hominem vindicare and hath any man now lust and courage to be reuenged saith y Tom. 10. ser 42 â— Orat. Dâ—â— Austine why stay the Lords leysure The holy Martyrs whose blood was powred forth vnto death are not yet auenged Apo. 6. but they that is their blood alone like the blood of Abel crieth with a loud voice How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth and it was answered vnto them That they should rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruants and brethren that should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled Yea Christ himselfe is not yet all this while reuenged on his enemies but henceforth from his passion he tarieth till his enemies be made his footstoole Heb. 10. 13. At his bitter passion when he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously righteously indeed for he smote his sonnes enemies in laying his wished blood vpon them and he smote them on the hinder parts for it is to this day vpon their children and hath put them to a perpetuall shame Thus tarieth the head with his members the Lords leysure who is that auenger of Israell and will recompence euery man at length according to his workes Who are we then asketh z Ibid. Austin that we should seeke reuenge If God should seeke it of vs vbi remaneremus what should become of vs and where should we remaine He whom a Prou. seuen times in a day yea dayly and hourely wee offend will not be auenged on vs and shall we seeke vengeance on man who hath wronged vs b Luke 17. 4. seuen times in a day yea though c Math. 18. 2â— seuentie times seuen times iniuried vs fellow seruants Beare then and forbeare aduiseth a graue d Seâ—â— l. 3. de Ira c. vlâ— Philosopher behold euen now is death comming which will make you equall What doest thou fighting and stabbing him doest thou wish any thing but his death whom thou wouldest reuenge Etiam morietur why he shall surely die thou loosest but thy labour Facere vis quod futurum est Like those blood-thirstie e Acts 23. 14. Iewes thou vowest with an oath that thou wilt neither eate nor drinke till thou hast killed him And whereas like a f 2. Timot. 2. 3. â— souldier of Iesus Christ as euery Christian is called in this warfare 2. Cor. 10. 4 he is here placed by his captaine in his stand and vocation in which g 1. Coâ—in 7. 10 calling he must stand and abide till he be called away as the h Math. 2. Angell told Ioseph Be there till I bring thee word as if thou hadst the i Math. â— 9. Centurions commaund thou sayest to this souldier Go and he goeth and sendest him from his station Iniussu Imperatoris without his Captaines leaue and Generals commaund Yea whereas his soule is cooped vp in his earthly tabernacle like a bird that is kept vp in a cage with Caine thou dissoluest his tabernacle and violently breakest the cage that his soule before she be called may flie as a bird vnto the hill Wherefore haue rather patience in the time of aduersitie vntill the pit be digged vp for the vngodly O tarrie thou the Lords leasure yet a while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie long to fet him away Meane while let his soule like k Act. 12. Peter lie in the prison of his bodie wherein it is imprisoned till thy God send his Angell to smite him on the side with sicknes that her chaines fall off and then shall she come out of prison wherein she was fettered and death the iron gate that leadeth to the holy citie shall then open to her of it owne accord The consideration of which motiues if it enter not thy mind yet nosce teipsum consider but thy selfe how nature hath framed thee a peaceable creature and thou wilt hardly seeke reuenge For whereas as the l Pliâ— nat hist lib. 7. proâ—m naturalist well obserues she hath giuen her younger sonnes I meane other creatures which are but her base-borne couerings as bucklers to defend and as weapons to offend their foe as shels to the fishes of the sea knottie barkes to trees of the forrest hard hides to the beasts of the field stings to the Bees bristles to Hogges and to Hedge-hogs their prickes rough haire to Bears feathers to birds scales to fishes and fleeces to the sheepe yea as the m Arist lib. 3. depart animal cap. 1. oracle of nature further addes stings to the Serpents spurres to Cocks horns to many beasts teeth and tusks to Elephants and Bores arma vel ad inuadendum vel defendendum their weapons of offence or armor of defence as he speaketh this mother hath brought foorth man though not her eldest sonne yet the beginning of her strength the excellencie of her dignitie and the excellencie of power vnweaponed vnarmed vnfenced and naked saith Plinie as the God n Gen. 2. 25. of nature first created him and since o Iob. 1. 21. Eccles 5. 14. returneth naked into the womb of his mother the earth as naked as he came from the belly of his mother yea nudissimum
a lauer also of pure water to wash it of this vncleannesse And if when thou art readie to satisfie thy lust in the heate of reuenge thou wouldest but looke her face in the next sentence of S. Paul Neither in strife and enuying if thou wert not past grace it would make strife against thy strife enuie thy enuious mind hate thine owne hatred and maligne thine owne malice Or if thou requirest a comment on that text that r Tract 5. in epi. Ioann Father doth aduise thee to reade the first Epistle of Saint Iohn wherein charitie and loue is most commaunded and in no Epistle as he speaketh more commended For though the whole Scripture be an Å¿ Greg l. 4. ep 84 Epistle from God to man to loue the one aboue all and the other as himselfe Tract 8. in caÌ„d Math. 22. yet nulla hac Epistola ardentior est ad commendandam charitatem no Epistle is there more earnest and hotter for loue as he speaketh then this of the beloued Disciple who leaned so on the breast of Christ Iesus that he seemed to sucke the â—eates of his loue In which perfect law of libertie yet must thou not looke as that foole in Saint Iames beheld his naturall face in the glasse to forget when thou art gone what manner of one thou wast but as the framers of the Iewish Cabala adde this Selah to their reader at the end of euery sentence Reputa apud te consider what thou readest so must thou therein at euery period and precept of loue remember that Selah of our Sauiour Let him that readeth consider it Mathew 24. 15. But if thou be of that gracelesse spirit that with * Sozowâ—â—â— c. 17 Iulian the Apostate thou answerest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue read vnderstood and disallow it I must answer thee as Appollinarius did him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast read it indeed but not vnderstood it for if thou hadst thou wouldst not haue disallowed to obey it yet if thou dashest this glasse against the wall for shewing thee thy spots and blemishes of the mind if through pride of the flesh and worldly reputatioÌ„ thou refuse this humilitie of the spirit and as v Numb 2â— 27 Balaam the blind Seer beat the Asse for seeing the Angell staying him from going to curse which himself did not see so thy worldly wisedom checketh this x 1. Corinâ— 1. 1â— foolishnes of preaching for shewing thee this Angell which might stay thee from reuenge yet must thou thus be y 1. Corinâ— 3. 1â— a foole that thou maist be wise seeing this foolishnesse of God condemnes those wages of vnrighteousnesse in worldly wisedome as the Asse speaking with mans voice forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet 2. Pet. 2. 16. Vincamur quò vincamus let vs here be conquered saith a z Nazian oraâ— 3. de paâ—e Father that we may ouercome seeing hîc vinci quam vincere est praestantius in this cause to loose is to winne the victorie as a Homil. â—5 iâ— Math. 1â— Chrysostome auerreth Go not forth to fight and thou hast wonne the field striue not and thou art crowned make thine aduersary admire thine inuincible patience that he may report himself without fight to be ouercome of thy long-sufferance and longanimitie And this is indeede the life of loue and soule of Christan charitie To loue of whom it is hated to honour of whom it is contemned to blesse of whoÌ„ it is cursed and to do good vnto him of whom it is persecuted wronged saith b Lib. de 〈◊〉 1. ca. 16. Austin if he be not the putatine father of that book For these are the true proprieties of loue saith Saint Paul it is patient it is courteous it seeketh not her owne it enuieth not and it is not prouoked to anger 1. Cor. 13. And if it be patient saith â—â—b 5. super Luc. 6. Ambrose debet patientiam verberanti it must turne the other cheeke to him that smiteth Mat. 5. If it be curteous it must not render rebuke for rebuke 1. Pet. 3. 9. If it seeke not her owne it must not forbid to take the coate also Luk. 6. If it enuy not it must not hate her enemie Leuit. 19. If it be not prouoked to anger it must not be angrie without a cause Mat. 5. 22. and if it endure all things it should not resist iniurie Vers 39. Which saying if it seeme so hard to flesh bloud that she cannot heare it the Apostle sweeteneth her bitter potion with fiue comforts and counterpoisons 1. Pe. 2. For first this is thank-worthy and acceptable to God if a man endure griefe and wrong suffering wrongfully And if this hope of reward cannot induce vs let vs secondly consider that it is exacted as a dutie for hereunto are ye called to be d Rom. 8. 29. like the image of his Sonne and comformable to your head For what disproportion should this be that in the heads passion the members shold haue no coÌ„passion What analogie that the head should be crowned with thornes Mat. 27. and the members be crowned with rose-buds Wisedom 2. 8. What reason the head e Ioh 11. 33. 35. should haue that dolefull sympathie to f Rom. 12. 15. weep with them that weepe and the members that Stoicall apathie to feele no griefe and sorrow or rather that antipathie mentioned of some by g Homil. 53. ad pop Anâ—â—och Chrysostome To reioyce with him that wept and wept not with his eyes alone but with all his members tears of bloud and droppes of sweat as h Serm. 61. in Cant. Bernard speaketh And if his most pathetical crosses cannot crucifie vs with Christ which are Christians yet seeing thirdly he suffered for vs what reason but like Paul we suffer for Christ who hath left vs an ensample to follow his steppes to mount Caluarie And this so much more willingly should we i â— Pet. 3. 13. suffer with Christ because when he did no sinne neither was there found any guile in his mouth with the good k Luk 23 41. theefe we may truly confesse that we are indeed righteously here on the crosse of wrong-suffering and receiue things worthie of that we haue done but this man hath done nothing amisse And if thou doest hope for reuenge thou must commit with Dauid thy cause vnto God the Iudge of right as Christ committed it to him that iudgeth righteously who seeing he is the auenger the auenger of Israell Psal 94. 1. he will in due time shew himselfe clearely though the wicked the wicked do long triumph though they speake disdainefully and make such proud boasting though they smite downe his people and trouble his heritage though they murther the widow and put the fatherlesse to death and say Tush the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iaakob regard it though they gather them together against the soule of the righteous condemne the
of diuision God defend that Bethmarraboth the house of bitternesse wiped out should become Behoram the house of anger and wrath God defend that Hierusalem the vision of peace which in Dauids gouernment was like a citie at vnitie in it selfe Psal 122. should in Lysias the chiefe captaines time be like Ierusalem all on an vprore Act. 21. God forbid that the head should reioyce to see the members bite and deuoure one another or nourish drones in the hiue which work not at al but are busie-bodies For howsoeuer skilful Bee-keepers and cunning hiue-heards iudge that swarme to be best fruitfull in making honie apud quod strepitus susurrus frequens tumultusque plurimum est which buzzeth most and makes the greatest stirre and tumult as l Loco citaâ— Aristotle noteth yet that regent cui Deus ciuilis examinis curam imposuit who hath gouernment of the ciuill hiue saith m Reip. gâ—rend praecept Plutarch must iudge them to make then most honie when they are most peaceable and quiet and thinke that when they are busie-bodies they worke not at all For where strife and enuying is there are all manner of euill workes Iam. 3. 16. Let me end this point with the n Rom. 16. 17. Apostles exhortation Now I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which ye haue receiued and auoid them for they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple o Phil. 2. 1. 2 3. 4. And if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels of compassion and mercie fulfill my ioy my ioy yea your heauenly Fathers ioy the Church your mothers ioy on earth mens ioy the Angels ioy and the diuels griefe and sorrow that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vainglorie but that in meeknesse of mind euery man esteeme other better then himselfe Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other and the God that maketh p Psal 68. men to be of one mind in an house giue you that ye be like minded q 2. Cor. 13. 11 Be of one mind liue in peace ciuilly with your brethren and the God of peace and loue shall be with you But be it that naturall brethren of one Adam and Eue breake 3 To thy spirituall brother the linkes of consanguinitie and ciuill brethren of one head and common weale dissolue the bands of brotherhood in ciuill societie yet seeing saith r Lib. de discip Christ cap. 1. Austine as Christians we haue all one father which is God one mother the Church whereby we are brethren in the spirit let vs keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace For seeing almightie God our Å¿ Mat. 23. 9. heauenly father hath t 1. Pet. 1. 2 3. begot vs by the immortall seed of his word in the u Esa 46. 3. wombe of his x Cant. 4. 9. 10. Hos 2 19 spouse the Church which is the y Gal. 4. 26. Esa 54. 1. 13. mother of vs all all ye Christians are brethren saith Christ our elder z Rom. 8. 29. brother Mat. 23. 8. Which spirituall fraternitie so the a 1. Pet. â— 9. Apostle cals it as it is more holy then carnall brotherhood for sanctior est copula cordium quà m corporum saith b Tom. 1. lib. de mod beâ— viâ— ser 5. de châ—râ—â— Bernard so should it be nearer linked in loue seeing coniunctiores sunt qui animis quà m qui corporibus coniunguntur nearer are they of kinne which are allyed in the spirit then they who are but of linage in the flesh as c Lib. 6 diuin instit cap. 10. Lactantius obserueth Whereupon as for that the son of the Virgine Mary counted his mother more blessed for carying him in her heart by grace then in her wombe by nature Luk. 11. 28. so for this our elder brother Christ preferred his spiritual brethren to his mother and brethren in the flesh Mat. 12. 49. Which mysticall bodie of the Church sith Christ hath knit together by ioynts and bands proceeding from him Col. 2. 19. as the head doth our naturall bodie by arteries and sinewes deriued froÌ„ it therfore sheweth the Apostle to vs seuen of these bands and nerues of loue Ephes 4. 4. First we are one bodie whose members must needs be knit together secondly we haue all one spirit whereby we are vnited together thirdly one hope of our vocation for which as hopefull coheires we should reioyce together fourthly one Lord whom as fellow-seruants peaceably we serue together fiftly one faith which we maintaine together sixtly one baptisme in which we promised against his foes to fight together and seuenthly one God and Father of all who will haue his children to be and reioyceth to see them in vnitie together Which bonds of peace common to vs all shold linke vs in loue as those primitiue Christians were one heart and one soule when they had all things common Act. 2. 4. For seeing amitie and loue springeth from likenesse and equalitie as d Lib. 8. Ethic. cap. 8. Aristotle e Lib de amicit Tully and f Lib. de multit amicorum Plutarch teach this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this though earthly onenesse and identitie wrought euen with heathen men so much that old Hegio in the g Terent. Adel. act 3. sâ—en 5. Comedie from this could resolue neuer to breake friendship Cognatus mihi erat vnâ à pueris paruoli Sumus educati vnâ semper militiae domi Fuimus paupertatem vnâ pertulimus grauem Animam relinquam potiùs quà m deseram We were borne together we were brought vp together at home and abroad we alwaies were together we suffered want both together nothing but death shall diuorce vs. h Val. Max. li. 1. cap. de â—iraâ— Philostratus and Hippoclides because they were borne in one day had one schoolemaister and lesson of Philosophie and one decrepit age they had one mind and one affection and one purse their loue continued to the last houre of their death and dyed both together What knit Tully and Scipio so together that they were of one heart and one soule in two bodies but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and likenesse as himselfe i Lib. de amicit confesseth whereby they both liued in one house fed at one table learned one knowledge fought in one warre trauelled in one peregrination and conuersed in one rustication and countrie life Such vnitie of minds this onenesse of manners bred in these men that he professeth himselfe he neuer offended him in any thing to his knowledge and confesseth of his friend that he neuer heard any thing from his