spiritus energiam gratiae habent who haue no grace of speech to perswade but onely the power and efficacie of the spirit The summe of his answer is that this place is no cloake for the rude and illiterate preaching of any seeing Paule speakes nought here against the vse of good arts in Sermons as if they were repugnant to pietie 2. That he spake but this to taxe the itching eares of the Corinths who thirsted after nought but eloquence in their preachers for which cause he preached to them onely in simplicitie of words to bring them backe from that humor 3. That a Minister may lawfully yea must necessarily nitidiùs Paulo disserere preach more eloquently then Paule that his eloquence like a cryer or perswader may allure auditors to the simplicitie of the Gospell and get audience to those fishermen and idiots who haue no grace of perswading but from the efficacie of the spirit What should I cite the rest Plato est instar omnium to these men Hemingius on this place iumpeth with Caluins exposition resoluing that a Preacher may adorne and beautifie the Gospel nitidiori sermone Paulo with more enticing speech of mans wisdome with wisedome of words and a more polished stile then Saint Paules Licet quidem omni eloquentiae gratia illustrare Euangelium It is lawfull saith he to illustrate and garnish the Gospell with al grace of eloquence so that men be not made drunk with vaine delight of words And in fine he aduiseth vs in what part of our Sermon we should vse it praestat it is best to vse plainnesse and simplicitie in teaching grandiloquence and eloquence in exhorting and confuting Peter Martyr agreeing with both their expositions giues two good lessons one to learned Preachers that although in preaching the Gospell they be decked with these good arts yet they trust not in them Another to illiterate and rude speakers Neque praetextu sermonis impolitioris diuinarum Scripturarum committere debent Ecclesiastici homines vt de industria putide loquantur Ministers and Ecclesiasticall men must not of purpose speake rudely vnder this pretence that the Scriptures stile is not so eloquent Gualther is of the same iudgement on this place and Aretius in his cited Problemes answereth this place so largely that I cannot cite him The reasons why the Apostles vsed not nor needed eloquence and why for vs it is more necessarie are these out of P. Martyr First perfect Rhetoricke was so rare a thing as Tully prescribed an Orator that none could attaine that Christ at first publishing of his Gospell chose not so rare hard and laborious a meanes because he had need of many who could not easily be found and when afterward they came he refused them not saith Chrysostome 2 It had bene suspitious to haue perswaded this new doctrine as it seemed by wisedome of words enticing speech of Orators Philosophers Poets and coloured eloquence lest the hearers should report they were allured by enticing speech to beleeue it and not forced by the spirit but we knowing it to be true and beleeuing it to be of God want onely eloquent preaching it to perswade vs obedience and to allure vs to follow it in our liues which cannot be effected without grace of speech and power from aboue as k Nequa quam per se satu valet quod dicitur etsi de se sic verius si◠〈◊〉 digmissiâ—um vt humana◠〈◊〉 maâ— queat instruere nisi diuinitùs virtus dicenti aâ— cesserit dictu gratia afforescat quae vtique nec siâ—e Deo his traâ—â—tur qui ad aliorum profectum â—oquuntur Lib 6. contr Celsum Origen obserues 3 The spirit wherewith they were inspired was more powerfull in them then it is in vs Paul spake in the euidence of the spirit 1. Cor. 2. and therefore as l Lib. 2 â—e ras concion Erasmus well obserueth Quoniam non omnibus fortè etiam nullis ea donorum vbertas obtingit à spiritu quae Apostolis nulla fuerit impiet as quod donis illius diminutum est supplere disciplinarum adminiculis Seeing few or none haue that power and gifts of the spirit that the Apostles had it is not amisse to supply that defect with eloquence and the arts 4 God gaue them power to worke miracles and when they preached the Lord wrought with them and confirmed and perswaded their word with signes that followed Mark 16. 20. God himselfe bare witnesse to their preaching both with signes and wonders and with diuerse miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his owne will Heb. 2. 4. And therefore needed they not in eloquence because their preaching was with power of doing miracles 1. Cor. 2. as Theophilact and Chrysostom obserue Which power to perswade seeing we want with those other extraordinarie gifts 1. Cor. 12. Maioribus dicendi viribus opus est saith m Lib 4. de doc Christ cap 40. Austine Et quaecunque valuit ad commouendos animos sunt necessaria 5 It was meet rude and illiterate men should first plant the Gospell a new and strange doctrine to the Iewes that such weake things confounding the mightie and foolish things the wise it might appeare to be the finger of God and worke of his hands and therefore was it so maruellous in their eyes as we see Act. 2. 7. Act. 4. 13. But for vs id explodendum est saith Peter n Comment in 1. Cor. 2. 6. Martyr quòd multi falsò arbitrantur They are to be hissed at who falsly thinke that Paul or the Gospell doth tollere aut debilit are either take away or lessen this wisedome of the world It is not condemned of the Apostle but in that the false Apostles so mingled it with religion that they left Christ troubled the Church with scisme eique primas darent summam iudicij de pietate and preferred it before the doctrine of the Gospell making it the chiefest Iudge and Vmpier in matters of faith which none in this Church doth I am sure The summe of his answer is that although Christ for good reasons vsed not then this externall eloquence in first planting the Gospell yet refuseth he it not when it commeth as we see in all ages For as o Homil. 3. in 1. Cor. 1. Chrysostome well noteth on this place which they vrge He who at first needed not learned men if afterward he tooke them to preach it was quoniam noluit vllam facere differentiam because he would not make any difference of either and afterward when they came he refused them not Secondly whereas they pleade the impolished and rude stile of the Scripture for a cloake of their homely if not barbarous speaking they build vpon a false ground It is not so naked as they thinke nor so incult as their manner of teaching It appeareth saith p Homil. 15. in Gen. 45. 46. Origen Scripturam diuinam non vt plurimis videtur inerudito agresti sermone
workes Do good to them that hate you The beloued Disciple an Euangelist in his Gospell an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Apocalyps prescribeth from his masters breast this trinitie of vnity 1. Iohn 3. 18. Let vs not loue in word or tongue onely but in workes and in truth from the heart And all these three of necessitie here must be meant seeing friendship requireth beneuolence of the heart beneficence of the hand and concord of the tongue as our * Arist lib. 9. 8. thâ—â— cap. 4. master of moralitie teacheth from the oracle of reason Wherfore treading in the steps of our blessed Sauiour his holy Apostle the grauest auncient Fathers our soundest moderne interpreters in the way of truth and naturall reason giue me leaue without censure of y Eccles 19. 24. that fine subtilty but vnrighteous wresting of the law to note here and hereafter handle a triple reconciliation and that in the order and methode of Saint Iohn first verball secondly reall thirdly intentionall reconcilement For the first Verbapacis words of peace must we giue our offensiue 1. Reconcilement verball or offended brother to moue and winne him to concord our speech must be gracious alway and poudred with salt Col. 4. 6. and like that word z 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20. of reconciliation beseech and pray our enemies for Christs sake to be reconciled as before in the dismission Go thy way and tell him his fault I haue at large declared Thus Abraham hauing not the law written in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of his hart did by grace the things of the law and shewed the effect of this law written in his heart for when such brawling and debate was risen betwixt his and Lots heard-men about grasing and pasture that their maister Lot like our quarelling Gentles counting his seruants supposed iniury his owne indignitie began to be inflamed Abraham that blessed peace-maker comes to him like the Doue with an Oliue branch of peace in his mouth Gen. 13. Let there be I pray thee no strife betweene me and thee neither betweene mine heardmen and thine heard-men for we are brethren Is not the whole land before thee If thou wilt take the left hand then I wil go to the right or if thou wilt go to the right hand then I will take the left He a Chrys hom 33. in Gen. 13. 8. saith not What stirre is this my Nephew Dare thy seruants or any of thy houshold open their mouth or mutter against me and my substance Do they not remember how farre they are inferiour to vs Whence hast thou so great abundance was it not from my care and prouision VVho made thee thus eminent and glorious among men did not I who was to thee in stead of all I was a father to thee in all things and doest thou thus requite my seruice and charges Did I for this hope alwayes take thee for my companion in my iourney Be it so that nothing which I haue done for thee come into thy mind oughtest thou not at leastwise to honour my crowne of age and reuerence my hoary haires No Abraham saith none of these things saith Chrysostome but parleth for peace with words of meeknesse and speeches of pacification And although Lot as a b Philo lib. 1 de Abrahamâ— Iew noteth was Amicus suspectae fidei no constant but a wauering friend who often * Contemptim superbè proudly and disdainefully vsed Abraham yet see saith Chrysostome how with faire words he intreates his agreement and prayeth him be reconciled Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee neither betweene my heardmen thine Amputauit fibiam discordiae ne contagium so reperet saith c Lib. 1. ad â— â—rde cap. 3. Ambrose he crusheth the serpent in the head lest it creepe and bring in the taile he letteth not the roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble them lest many therewith be defiled And if intreatie will not perswade refractarie Lot yet see what reasons he vrgeth to induce him to concord We are brethren saith he brethren in the flesh and kinsfolkes by bloud brethren in the spirit and consorts in religion in the midst of a naughtie and crooked nation for yet the Canaanites and Perizzites dwell in this land whose dissentions our discord will vnite whose idolatrie this staining of our religion will aduantage and cause these wicked nations to blaspheme the God of Abraham And if this inducement cannot draw yet see with what a strong motiue he haleth him to vnity as with a threefold cord Is not the whole land before thee take which hand of my inheritance thou wilt chuse and thus pacificis verbis with peaceable words he would decide the controuersie and end the former strife saith Philo. This was the precept of God to Laban toward his offensiue shepheard d Gen. 31. 1â— Take heede that thou speake not to Iaakob ought saue good and therefore e Vers 44. he said vnto him Come and let vs make a couenant of peace I and thou which may be a witnesse betweene me and thee This was Iaakobs practise to his brother Esau who sought his life for he spake vnto him mildly by the mouth of his f Gen. 32. 18. 19 20. seruants and submissiuely by his g Gen. 33. owne Let me find grace in the eyes of my Lord for I haue seene thy face as though I had seen the face of God And by these meanes he accepted him and was reconciled For indeed a soft answer putteth away wrath saith Salomon The reason of the doctrine Prou. 15. 1. or as with Ierome most reade it breaketh wrath A Metaphor me thinkes borrowed from two in a combat wherein he compareth a soft answer to a soft buckler of a subtill champion which accepting the blow into it selfe so breaketh the weapon that the aduersarie giueth ouer For a Prince b Prou. 25. 15. saith he is pâ—câ—ified by 〈◊〉 and a soft tongue breaketh the â—oner as 〈◊〉 doth the fâ—â—ce of a stone that as thrown against it When the Ephramites contended with Gâ—deou for not calling them to â—arre against the Mâ—diâ—nites he gaue them this soft answer that k Vers 2. he preferred their exploits so farre aboue his owne as the glâ—â—ing of grapes of Ephraim was better then the vintage of Abiâ—ner And when he had spoken these words saith the l Vers 3. tâ—xt their wrathfull spirits abated toward him For as there is curatie lingua a cure that the tongue caust do on its patient Prou. 15. 4. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith an old m Erasm chil 3. câ—nt 1. adag 100 Poet Faire language is a Phisition for the disease of anger which is impatient as that towne-Clearke of Ephesus Ille regit dictis animos pectora mulcet with his soft answer appeased the rage of those seditious Citizens Act. 19. â—5 Which doctrine of
delighted with this Paronomasie and likenesse of words So againe Rom. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This elegancie of words we find in S. Paul whose rude style as they call it they pretend for barbarous rusticitie Qui socordes ignaui sunt praetexunt Pauli vt vocant imperitiam nè scilicet ab eis requiratur doctrina they that are slouthfull and sluts pretend the vnskilfulnesse of Paule as they call it namely least learning should be required of them saith d Claâ— alt part tract 5 de stylo sac lit Illyricus But indeed as he was more learned in humane learning then they all so shall they that search find that he was more perswading eloquent then they all He who presently vpon his conuersion confounded so many learned Iewes Act. 9. He whom the men of Lystra for his eloquence called Mercurie and would haue sacrificed vnto him crying out Gods are come downe to vs in the likenesse of men Act. 14. He that confuted not onely most learned and eloquent men but of those euen Philosophers nor those common but them of Athens and of those the Stoickes who were nati disputationibus as one noteth Act. 17. He that continued his preaching till midnight and that to so many auditors that some were faine to sit in windowes Act. 20. quî fieri poterat how could it be saith Illyricus that he could keepe his auditors so long qui tam barbarè vel ineptè diceret vt isti confingunt that preached so barbarously and sillily as these men faine and imagine For although he modestly suppose as the false Apostles obiected that he was rude in speaking 1. Cor. 11. 6. yet was it but in respect of his weake voice as after he confesseth not in respect of his Epistles style which was vehement and strong 2. Cor. 10. 10. Neque patrocinatur hoc linguarum artiuÌ„ osoribus saith e Homll 82. in 2. Cor. 11. 6. Gualther though he had not bene so But now euen his Epistles witnesse saith f Iâ— 1. Cor. 11. 6. Piscator that this Apostle was endued with a certaine natural or rather supernatural eloqueÌ„ce though purposely he abstained à pigmentis illis fucata rhetorica therefore g Epist ad Pammach Ierome termes him flumen eloquentia Christiana the riuer of Christian eloquence for else Festus on the bench saith h Apolog. aduer Ruff. he wold neuer haue said ad imperitum to an vnskilfull babler Thou art mad Paule much learning hath made thee mad And hence it was one of the three wishes of S. i Piscat in 1. Cor. 11. 6. Austine vt Paulum in ore vidisset that he had but once seene and heard Paule preaching with his mouth And because I am fallen into the point of eloquently preaching let me further acquaint you with the iudgement of the ancient and late writers in this matter S. k Lib. 4. de doct Christ cap. 4. Austine speakes excellently to euery Minister of this thing If as a Doctor he will conuince gainesayers saith he he must vse reasons and probation of truth but if as a Pastor he exhort with wholesome doctrine to do that truth which they know maioribus dicendi viribus opus est he must vse greater force of perswasion then this ibi obsecrationes imprecationes concertationes coertiones quaecunque alia valent ad commouendos animos sunt necessaria as I shewed before And wheras saith he Cap. 5. some do it bluntly ilfauoredly and coldly others acutè ornatè vehementer wittily eloquently and vehemently he that will more profite his auditors must not onely speake sapienter sed eloquenter wisely but eloquently also because m SapientiaÌ„ sine eloquenâ—â—a paruÌ„ prodesse wisedome without eloquence profiteth litle as out of n Lib 1 de Iuâ—â—nt Tully he obserueth vnlesse he could be inspired with the spirit and haue the power thereof in his preaching in such measure as had the Apostles and also worke miracles to confirme and perswade his doctrine the more And therefore addeth he a definition of right Preachers Sunt ergo Ecclesiastici viri c. therefore they are right Church-men and Preachers Qui diuina eloquia non solum sapienter sed etiam eloquenter tractauerunt who handle and teach the Scriptures not wisely onely but eloquently also and they profit and do most good to their people He spake by experience being conuerted by the eloquence of Saint Ambrose as o Ambr. ser 92. de bapt August August lib. 6. Confess ca. 13. 14 both do confesse Quid valeat apud homines saeculi eloquentia sapientia saecularis saith Saint p Comment au Jon. 3. Ierome Demosthenes Tully Plato Xenophon Theophrastus Aristotle and other Orators and Philosophers do witnesse who are counted as it were the Kings of mens minds and their precepts not as the precepts of men but of God As the Scriptures style saith q Tract 5. de style sac liâ— Illyricus in teaching is oft low and meane and in perswading and preaching for most part grandis sublimis aut magniloquus high loftie and great so a low and humble style is fitter for expounding especially in the schoole Contrà grandis magis conuenit ostentationi dicentis oblectationi auditorum commotioni ac persuasioni praesertim rudioris turbae ideoque in concionibus forensibus adhibetur Ea enim non tam simplici rei veritate quà m ingenti quadam vi ac impetu orationis impellitur ac protruditur Contrariwise a loftie style is fittest to grace the speaker to delight the hearer to moue and perswade especially the rude people in our popular sermons who are more led moued and perswaded with force and eloquence of speech then with bare and naked truth of things And therfore saith r Lib. 2. de doctr Christ cap. 6. Austine Figuratae locutiones sacrae scripturae suauius iucuÌ„dius nos afficiunt quam si eadem sententia planis verbis diceretur because as Å¿ In Rhetorie Quia vsitata fastidiam nouitas autem voluptatem affert Aristotle noteth vsuall things bring wearisomnes and noueltie delight Erasmus lib. 3. de rat concion giues the like aduice to euery Preacher Prorsus id agendum est Ecclesiastae vt aliqua voluptate detineat auditores and moderates it full well sed danda est opera vt delectatio comitetur vtilitatem non accersita This was the practise of the Prophets of Christ of his Apostles in their sermons to the people of the ancient Fathers in their homilies specially Origen Basil Nazianzene and Chrysostome in our times of moderne Preachers of them all saith t Tract 1. de rat cognosc script Illyricus and so euery Preacher addeth he In populari tractatione ea omnia operose congerit quae ad mouendos affectus conducere arbitratur nihil omittit quod modo ad persuadendum inculcandumque animis vim habet neque illa praeterit quae orationem illustrant ac
put against me when I vrged this practise of all writers and it was verbatim this But M. Caluin vseth not humanitie in sermons Wonder deare Christian and now marke if these be not the men whom Zanchius as I said before marked in this Church Sunt plerique etiam inter nostros quibus religio est ab interpretationibus suorum praeceptoruÌ„ vel minimum deflectere ita fit vt ipsi sponte se priuent vera scripturae intelligentia dum suos praeceptores in omnibus per omnia volunt tueri turbas excitant in Ecclesia Res est perspicua vel me tacente And indeed if Caluin had worne cap with surplisse and vsed humanitie in sermons I thinke neither that controuersie about ceremonies nor this about the manner of preaching against the auncient Fathers and late writers had bene maintained Caluin was learned indeed and a light of the Church but when thus they pinne themselues to his sleeue and do sacrifice vnto him as the men of Lystra would haue done to Saint Paul saying Gods are come downe to vs in the likenesse of men they abuse him Acts 14. with his learning and if he were now aliue could teare his clothes hereat and crie out with the Apostle Men and brethren why do ye these things we are men subiect to like passions that ye be But though Caluin as a Doctor weekly reading writing very much as we see by his Tomes could not as a Pastor preach so exactly but of little meditation to his people yet his iudgement is that secular learning may lawfully be vsed in Sermons for comment in 1. Cor. 15. 33. he is peremptorie in this point saying Paulus vtitur testimonio Poetae Menandri quemadmodum vndique mutuari nobis licet quicquid à Deo est profectum Quum autem omnis veritas à Deo sit non dubium quin Dominus in os posuerit etiam impijs quaecunque veram salutarem doctrinam continent sed huius argumenti tractationem peti malo ex oratione Basilij ad iuuenes Saint Paul saith Caluin vseth the testimony of the Poet Menander as in like manner it is lawfull for vs to borrow from any whatsoeuer came from God And seeing all truth is from God there is no doubt but the Lord put into the mouth euen of the wicked whatsoeuer things containe true and wholesome doctrine But the handling of this matter I would rather to be taken out of Basils oration to his nephewes Who could haue said more matter in fewer words for the vse of secular learning in sermons And least any should think he thought so but once and afterward changed his opinion he secondeth it againe comment in Tit. 1. 12. where speaking of Pauls citing Epimenides the Poet he strongly concludeth Colligimus ex hoc loco Superstitiosos esse qui ex profanis scriptoribus nihil mutuari audent Nam quum omnis veritas à Deo sit si quid scitè verè ab impijs dictum est non debet repudiari quia à Deo est profectuÌ„ Deinde quuÌ„ omnia Dei sint cur fas non esset in eius gloriam applicare quicquid in eum vsum aptè conferri potest sed de hac re legatur Basilij oratio ad iuuenes We gather from this place saith Caluin that they are superstitious who dare borow nothing of prophane writers For seeing all truth is of God if any thing be well and truly spoken of the wicked it ought not to be refused because it came from God Againe seeing al things belong to God why should it not be lawfull to vse and apply to his glorie whatsoeuer may fitly be bestowed to that vse but for this point reade Basils oration to his nephewes Caluins iudgement we plainely see is that Preachers may cite any truth from all heathen authors though neuer so wicked His reason is because it came to them from God who put into their mouth things containing true and wholesome doctrine If true then to be vsed in controuersie if wholesome in exhortation And for reproofe of our Puritanes he calleth them superstitious men that stand too much on points who dare not vse it nay that it ought not to be refused sith it came from God and belongeth vnto him but must be vsed to his glorie Wherefore to conclude all seeing the scripture forbids not secular learning in popular sermons as in examination of their obiected places I haue shewed seeing God himselfe preached it to the people for the knowledge of himselfe Rom. 1. 19. seeing the knowledge thereof taught the people to do the things of the law Rom. 2. 14. Seeing the Apostle forbids onely the vaine deceit of it to the people Col. 2. 8. Seeing Saint Paul chargeth vs to trie all things in any author and keepe that which is good 1. Thess 5. Seeing Preachers in things not forbidden must be all to all to Iewes in the law as Iewes to Gentiles without law as Gentiles that they may winne the mo by al meanes saue some 1. Cor. 9. Seeing they must deuide the word aright to their people 2. Tim. 2. which without this knife they cannot do but pull it asunder and teare it with their teeth Seeing the heathens doctrine which is true is taken out of the scriptures sith truth remaineth stil truth wheresoeuer we find it Seeing we thinke it fit to season our children and new vessels for their knowledge and good manners Seeing for the vse of it we study it many yeares furnish our studies with profane authors stay in the Vniuersities and frequent libraries Seeing lastly the auncient Fathers and precisest late-writers haue thought and iudged it lawfull and much vsed it themselues when they preached to their people at least seeing Caluin thinks so this might perswade theÌ„ if they were not of a priuat spirit that secular learning yea much of it is not only not vnlawful but also necessary in popular sermons Rob the Egyptians of this gold siluer and raiment borrow these iewels of the heathens but make not a calfe thereof to worship and adore and leaue the word of God If there be any such as f Sed dicam innum quod tameÌ„ verissimum esse comperi esse permulcos sic prosanu addictos literu vt inerudituÌ„ vt infaâ—â—s vt sordidum videatur vbicunque Christianae professionu vocabula viderent Romuli Caâ—â—illâ— Fabricij Julij 〈◊〉 delectantur ad Christi ad Pauli Bart 〈…〉 vocabula nauseant Erasmus in vita Ierom. praefix Ierâ—â— Erasmus complaineth of who delight more to heare the names of Poets theÌ„ Apostles of Philosophers then Prophets in sermons I tell them with Hugo coment in Tit. 1. 12. secular learning must ancillari Theologiae non principari errant qui sequuntur Philosophos non Theologos magis innituntur vanitati quà m vtilitati No his word onely is the glasse by looking whereinto we are transformed into his image as by the spirit of the Lord 2. Cor. 3. And
deuenerit Quod enim neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos viuitur societate seruandum est Cum Romam venio saith he ieiuno Sabbatho cum hîc sum non ieiuno Sic etiaÌ„ tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris eius morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quemquaÌ„ tibi If our gnat-strainers weighed this well they wold not for wearing of a surplise bury their talent in a napkin they would not stand on a corner cappe as on the corner stone they would not trouble Christs spouse for a ring in mariage and refuse to present her as a chast virgin to Christ they wold not for the crosse in Baptisme leaue the fountaine of liuing water and become such enemies to the crosse of Christ Iesus The vse whereof if it be Antichristian and Popish as they pretend then was the good Emperour Constantine a Papist then were the auncients all Papistes who vsed it so often I find indeed three vses of it among them First they signed their foreheads with the signe of the crosse at their going out coming in apparelling shooing washing eating lying downe sitting lighting of candles as b Lib de Corâ—n milit ad omnem progressum atque promotum ad omnem adituÌ„ exitum ad vestitum calceatum ad lauacra ad mensaâ— ad lumina ad cubilia ad sedilia quamcunque nos conuersatio exercet frontem cruâ— is signaculo terimus Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplnaruÌ„ si legem expostules scripturarum nullam inuentes traditio tibi praerendetur auctrix consuetudo confirmatrix fides obsiruatrix Rationem traditioni consuetudeni fidei patrocinaturaÌ„ aut ipse perspicies aut ab aliquo qui perspexerit disces Tertullian sheweth those Primitiue Christians did by tradition and custome which afterward c Ierom Epist ad Heliodor Epist ad Eustoch de virgiâ—â—tate Lact in lib. 4. de vera sap cap. 27. Chrysost tom 3. demonst aduers Gent. Cyrill Ierysol Catech 4. August in Psal 141 lib. 2 de Symb ad Catech. cap. 1. others vsed as they thought to driue away the diuel And thus the d Gregor mag lib. 3. dialog Vincent lib. 23. cap. 29. 103. c. Papists who neuer found an error spued out by any ancieÌ„t which they licked not vp superstitiously do abuse it Secondly as the Iewes for better remembrance sprinckled the pascall Lambes blood on their doore postes Exod. 12. so those auncient Christians in like manner for better memoriall of Christes death and passion signed their forehead with the signe of the crosse as e Lib. 4. de vera sapient cap. 26. Lactantius and Saint Austine obserue Thirdly wheras the heathen taunted Christians with their crucified Christ as the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. in his dayes insinuateth of some We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes euen a stumbling block vnto the Grecians foolishnesse the ancient Christians stoutly resoluing with Saint Paul Gal. 6 But God forbid that we should roioyce in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the f Cap. 20. de Catec rudib world is crucified vnto vs and we vnto the world in the place of al shame make the signe of the Crosse in signe that they were not ashamed of their crucified Christ And this Austine in his 10. sermon on the feast of the holy Crosse preaching on that cited text of the Apostle Gal. 6. But God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ c. doth obserue His words because I speake onely to the learned I will cite in Latine Non est magnum in Christi sapientia gloriari magnum est in cruce gloriari Vnde tibi insultat impius gloriatur inde pius vnde exultat superbus inde gloriatur Christianus noli erubescere de cruce Christiâ—ideo in fronte tanquam in sede pudoris signum accepisti Recole frontem tuamâ—ne linguam expauescas alienam And ser 8. de verb. Apost he saith As low Zacheus climed vp into the fig-tree to see Christ so must we vp to the crosse to find our crucified Sauiour De cruce Christi nobis insultant sapientes huius mundi dicunt Quale cor habetis qui Christum colitis Crucifixum Quale cor habemus saith he non vtique vestrum Sapientia huius mundi August lib. 4. de Symb. ad Catech. cap. 5. non debet erubescera anima Christiana in crucifixum se credidisse ChristuÌ„ Crux illa fidelibus non est opprobrium sed triumphus Crux illa vexillum nostrum est contra aduersarium diabolum stultitia est apud Deum c. Apprehendat Zachaeus sycomorum ascendat humilis crucem Parum est ascendat ne de cruce Christi erubescat in fronte illam figat vbi sedes pudores est ibi omnino ibi in quo membro erubescitur ibi figatur vnde non erubescitur puta quia tu irrides sycomorum ipsa me fecit videre Iesum Sed tu irrides sycomorum qui homo es stultum autem Dei sapientius est quaÌ„ hominum This third vse is religious howsoeuer the other be iudged superstitious and this is the end reason and cause why it is vsed in Baptisme by our Church as the Common prayer book teacheth where the Minister at Baptisme giueth this reason of vsing that signe We do signe him with the signe of the crosse in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight vnder his banner In this respect was it vsed in Baptisme in Saint Austines dayes Signo crucis consecratur vnda baptismatis saith he lib. 6. in Iulian. cap. 8. and his iudgement g Aug. tract 11â— in Euang Joan cap. 19. is that without it Baptisme cannot rightly be administred Quid est saith he quod omnes nouerunt signum Christi nisi crux Christi Quod signum nisi adhibeatur siue frontibus credentium siue ipsi aquae qua regenerantur siue oleo quo chrismate vnguntur siue sacrificio quo aluntur nihil eorum ritè perficitur Quomodo ergo per id quod mali faciunt nihil boni sig ufi atur quando per crucem Christi quam fecerunt mali in celebratione sacramâ—ntorum eius bonum nobis omne signatur Yea that father ser 15. in festo sanctae crucis saith further Signum veteris Testamenti circumcisio in latenti carne signum noui Testamenti crux in libera fronte ibi occultatio est hîc reuelatio Illud est sub velamine hoc in facie Nos enim reuelata facie gloriam Domini speculantes in eandem imaginem transformamur de gloria in gloriam tanquam â— Domini spiritu Nouum testamentum in veteri velabatur Vetus te â—â—mentum in nouo reuclatur Ideo signum ab occulto transcat in manifestum
incipit esse in fronte quod latchat sub veste And surely sith Papists receiue Antichrists marke in their foreheads Apâ—c 13. 16. why should not Protestants contrariwise receiue Christs mark and signe in their foreheads Those that were saued in the cities destructioÌ„ Ezek. 9. were signed in their foreheads with T. which last letter of the Hebrue alphabet to this day vsed by the Samaritans hath the forme figure of Christs crosse which we make in our forheads as Ierome auoucheth the elect also who are saued from the power of hel Apoc. 7. are and must be sealed in their foreheads as the Angell auerreth I speake not now of the Popish abuse but of the right vse of it in baptisme I know some ancient did attribute too much therunto while h Laâ—tan lib. 4. cap 26. some thought it droue away diuels i Ruff. lib. 10. c. 8. others that it raised the dead k Epion haeres 30. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 3. some others that it expelled diabolical incantations that it l Niceph. lib 8. cap. 3. Euseb lib. 1 de vita Consta Niceph lib. 7. cap 37. gaue and caused great victories that it m Niceph. lib. eadem cap 32. August lib. 22. de ciuitat Dei cap 8. helped and healed diuers diseases that it n Procrâ—p apud Eâ—agrium lib. 4. cap 26. 27. quenched fires that it o Jerom. in vita Hi. ar appeased the raging of the sea that it p Sophron. in prat spirit expelled poison out of the cup and that it q Prudent Cath. hym 6. Cyril lib. 8. in Joan. cap. 17. expels all faults And the Papists who beleeue vse it to this end superstitiously abuse it But this is no reason ProtestaÌ„ts may not lawfully vse it because Papists â—nlawfully abuse it This is to giue aduantage to the aduersary who r Annot. in Tertustian calleth Caluinists Claudius TaurineÌ„sis his sectaries for this may be likened to * Abeant in malain rem Caluinistâ—e ait annot in Tertull. Abeant Iudai qui citra coninmelid ferre nequeunt transuersa in medium crucis festucas velligna quibus si proponeres ad solunt siue pe lem crucifixt mille aureos quos dâ—res ausereÌ„â—i mallet eorum qui 〈…〉 â—â—tam pauperimus tanta carere pecunia quam hoc paâ—io se ad maginem crucifixi inclinare ait Deâ— arben lib. de mâ—rib Iud. cap. 3 30. Iews who caÌ„not abide to see two peeces of wood laid crosse one ouer the other for whoÌ„ if any should lay downe a thousand crownes at the feete of the crucifixe promising to giue it them for stouping and bending to take it vp each of them though most poore and needy wold rather want so great a masse of mony then thus bend incline themselues toward the crucifixe Let me rather exhort al men or wisedome to preferre the Churches peace before their priuate credite And though some think it conscience to make a scisme in the Church and seuer themselues like those fiue Presbyters wherof Cyprian so complained yet as he addeth to some other Sed nemo vos filios ecclesiae de ecclesia tollat PereaÌ„t siâ—t soli qui perire voluerunt Extra ecclesiam soli remancant qui de ecclesia recâ—ssâ—ruÌ„t Soli cum Episcopis non sint qui contra Episcopos rebell 〈…〉 Conuirationis suae poenas soli subeant qui per Dei iudicia sentitiaÌ„ ceniurationis malignitatis suae subire meruerunt si quis autemâ— Felicissimi satellitum eius partes concesserit se haereticâ— factioni coniunxerit sciat se postea ecclesiam redire cum Episcopis plebe Christ communicare non posse saith Cyprian For alas whence are these wars and contentions among you are they not hence saith c S. Iames euen of your lusts that fight in your members Ye lust and haue not ye enuy and haue indignatioÌ„ because ye cannot obtain ye fight and warre because ye get nothing They would and will not they dissemble ambition vnder the cloake of dislike because the master of the feast bids them not Friend sit vp higher as of some here in his daies speaketh Ioannes d Lib. â— de mâ—gis curial c. 18 vâ—d Sarisburiensis And we haue many a Iohn who if he could be Sarisburienâ—ss wold preach the faith which before he destroied and retract like Paul When I was a little one I spake like a child I vnderstood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things 1. Cor. 13. 11. And as these mutine in the campe against the discipline of our warfare so other gregarij milites in doctrine sheath their pens like swords in the captaines of our boast For as e Plut. de garraâ— Antipater the Stoick when he neither could nor would dispute with Carneades that wise and learned Philosopher who oppugned the Stoickes wrote yet bitter bookes against him whence he was well called Calamoboas as pen-pratler so haue we some Stoical Antipaters sonnes fighting against the fathers of our Church whom selfe-loue as the f Torent Eunuc Act. 3. Scen 1. Parisite counselled Thraso to crosse Thais in euery word hath made contradict their fathers in euery point of least moment And though they cannot preach against them by mouth because the strings of their tongues are tyed vp yet dicere quae nequeunt scribere iussit amor seeming loue to the truth makes them loue what they cannot vtter and may be tearmed calamoboontes pen-preachers I wish these who haue the voice of Iaakob but indeed the hands of Esau that as their tongue iustly cleaues to the roofe of their mouth so they could not haue pen and paper to fight against their fathers but their right hand also might forget her cunning For certainely as they of Athens said truly of their diuisions Auximus Philippum nostris dissentionibus so haue we strengthened the Pope and Philips faction by these our dissentions and many as said our wise Salomon and liuing Librarie are drawne to be Papists by such factious behauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Lord it brings great sorrow to all Greekes said g Homer lib. 1. Iliad Nestor of the strife betwixt Agamemnon and Achilles it causeth much griefe to Gods Church when sonnes fight against their fathers greene heads against gray haires and men of yesterday crosse antiquitie when veritie doth concurre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly king Pryame and his sonnes the prince of darknesse and his children will laugh at it and other Troians our Romish enemies that trouble vs will reioyce at it Contention I graunt may oft fall among Christs Saints and fellow-souldiers of one faith as betweene Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. betwixt Paul and Peter Gal. 2. Cyprian and Cornelius Origen and African Chrysostome and Theophilus of Alexandria Epiphanius and Iohn of Ierusalem Ruffinus and Ierome Ierome and Austine Austine and
Writers for opening the Scripture and giuing the sence nor for confuting of naturall men by reason maketh the Scripture vnsufficient this reason is not sufficient to exclude it from Academicall or popular Sermons 3. Ob. Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together nor sow thy field with diuers kinds of seedes Deut. 22. 9. that is as Philosophers could teach vs Non est de vno genere disciplinae transeundum in aliud We must not confound Philosophie with Theologie or Aristotle with Christ For which Ierom taxed Eustochium saying What communion hath light with darknesse what concord Christ with Belial what agreement the temple of God with idols Quid Horatio Psalterio Virgilio Euangelistis Ciceroni Apostolis wherefore come out from among and separate your selues Or as Tertullian speaketh Praesâ—râ—pt adâ—er Hâ—retiâ— Quid Athenis Ierosolymis Quid Academiae Ecclesiae Quid Haereticis Christianis Nostra institutio de porticu Salomonis est viderint qui Stoicum Platonicum Dialecticum Christianis praetulerunt The beleeuer hath no part with the infidell Diuinitie must not be vnequally yoked with humanitie nor an Oxe with an Asse therefore away with humanitie out of Sermons 1. Resp That law in the old the Apostle expounds well in the new Testament 2. Cor. 6. No fellowship should righteousnesse haue with vnrighteousnesse nor any communion light with darknesse And so secular learning which is darknesse and descended not from the father of lights but ascended rather from the bottomlesse pit should not be brought to the Scripture but to be reproued of the light Yet when it is true he that commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse maketh as the Psalmist speakes this darknesse to be light Wherefore if the Asse will know his masters crib for I must answer this brutish reason in it owne kind this beast as one wel notes may like Balaams asse be taught to speake to good purpose and as an Asse caried a false Prophet then so may it now carrie Christ as once one did Isis and speaking with mans or rather Gods voice forbid the foolishnes of a Prophet whence reuerence secular learning as the people did him with Non tibi sed religioni not for it selfe but for Gods truth that it caryeth And when Caesaris effigiem quilibet assis habet any farthing of their coyne beareth Gods image and superscription of truth we bring it vnto God to whome it belongeth and cast it though but a farthing into the treasurie of the Lord. And therefore seeing it may bring Christians to his Church as the Asse caried Christ to the temple I say to all Preachers as spake he to his disciples Go ye to Bethphage go to Poets Historians and Philosophers and there shall ye find an Asse tyed and her colt loose them and bring them hither for the Lord hath neede of them 4. Ob. Moses though learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians yet preached he nought to the people but from the mouth of the Lord. The Prophets though filled with knowledge yet prophesied they not of any priuate motion or by the will of man but spake onely as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. Yea euen BalaaÌ„ durst not for an house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord to say more or lesse Num. 22. 18. Christ himselfe preached nothing but what he receiued from his father Ioh. 12. 49. 50. and charged his Apostles to preach whatsoeuer he commanded them nought else Mat. 28. 20. therefore his sent-ones and messengers may preach nothing but his word 1. Resp By this reason no Preacher may speake a sentence in his Sermon which is not immediatly the Scripture according to matter forme and words and shall we so condemne all the men of God preaching since the Apostles times Nay out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee ô euill seruant and slouthfull For what shall we thinke then of our talking Preachers who speake most of their owne braine and in many sentences speake often neither Scripture nor scant good reason to their people 2 By this reason they may not alleage Caluins exposition vnlesse they will make him the thirteenth Apostle and hath his Comments by diuine inspiration as had the Apostles Nay this excludeth Fathers Doctors and Schoolemen out of our Sermons when we dispute against the Papists 3 Who knoweth whether these holy men of God vsed not secular learning in their Sermons as well as Saint Paul Their Prophesies that we haue are but generall notes and summa capita of their Sermons as the c Prophetis fuiâ— mos postquam iussâ— crant aliquid populo nuncâ—are paucis summas rerum coÌ„plecti valâ—â—s templâ— praefigere ait Caluin praefat in Esa Comment in cap. â— 1. in Aba 2. 2. SolebaÌ„t Prophetae ex more suarum concionuÌ„ argumenta pracipua capita scripto comprehensa publicè legenda proponere aâ—â— Gualâ— homi 5. in Abac 2 2. Sic Dan 〈…〉 prolâ—gâ—m in 12. Prophet cap. 12. Sohn lib. 1. de verb Deâ— Vnde fit vt partes librorum Propheticorum interduÌ„ non satâ—â— cohâ—rere videantur De quo Origen lib. 1. in C 〈…〉 uÌ„ cant Ierom. in Ierem. 21. aâ—â—bi annotaâ—â—t Learned obserue And yet S. Ambrose Lib. 3. de fide cap. 1. dare auouch that euen in these generall notes of their Sermons the Prophets haue relation to poeticall stories And Saint Ierome Epist ad Rom. auoucheth it of both saying Quis nesciat in Mose in Prophetarum voluminibus quaedam assumpta de Gentilium libris Who can be ignorant that in Moses and the Prophets some things are taken out of the bookes of the Gentiles For the Apostles though in their Epistles to particular Churches none saue Saint Paule cite humanitie yet who can shew that in their popular Sermons to the Gentiles throughout the whole world they alleaged not truth out of Poets Philosophers and Historians seeing Christ promised them that his spirit should leade them not onely into truth but in omnem veritatem into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. 4 Though neither did as in shewing vs the immediat will of God and laying downe the grounds of faith it was not so conuenient to mixe it with mens precepts yet in expounding this will in explaning the sence of words and phrase of speech in declaring the nature of birds beasts and stones c. to which they allude we cannot cut the word aright without the vse of Grammarians in the proprietie acceptation of words without helpe of Logicians in distinguishing ambiguities without ayde of Rhetoricians in following precepts and rules of speech to perswade without helpe of Historiographers to calculate times of naturall Philosophie to scan causes and their effects Geometrie to find sites and situations and such like Wherefore though they onely spake immediatly from the Lord in declaring his will yet can we not without these helps expound
of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of the spirit to purge their bad humor with hunger and meane fare and giue them a litle portion of hony whereon they surfet But this is it I say with Saint Austine He profiteth his hearers the most Qui sapienter eloquenter diuina eloquia tractat who handleth a text both wisely and eloquently also and wise matter serued in in eloquent words is as eloquently speaketh the wise man like apples of gold in dishes of siluer Though Salomon forbid too much eating of honey yet was some commaunded to be vsed and season the sacrifice in the law Est veluti quoddam condimentum cibo permixtum saith o Lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus It is as sauce to the meate procuring appetite in him who cannot tast the good word of God and relish the things of the spirit 1. Cor. 2. And vnles our speech be thus powdered with salt it will tast no more in their eare then the white of an egge in their mouth as Iob speaketh seeing the eare trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate Entising words saith p Orat. ad nepor Basil and secular wisedome are like faire leaues that grow by the fruit make it more pleasant and delightsome Wherefore when we find truth in any writer sacred or prophane when we go to Ephrata and find it in the wood we may hew timber out of the thicke trees and bring it to an excellent worke though these men breake downe all the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers I say they qui prodesse volunt delectare delight that they may profite and q Omne tulit punctuÌ„ qui miscuit vtile dulci. mingle both together in mine opinion do best This sawce in Saint Ambrose made Saint Austine as he r Lib. 6. confess cap. 13. confesseth tast the good word of God and better relish the things of the spirit I went onely to heare his eloquence saith he and was delighted with the sweetnesse of his words Å¿ Cap. 14. Cum eum non satagerem discere quae dicebat sed tantùm quemadmodum dicebat ea audire veniebat in animum meum simul cum verbis quae diligebam res etiaÌ„ quas negligebaÌ„ Et dum cor aperirem ad excipiendum quam disertè diceret pariter intrabat quam verè diceret This is it the baite that taketh the fish with the hooke of truth in the net of the Gospell This is it saith Caluin that must comparare piscatoribus idiotis illis audientiam And surely these disciples of fishermen as Saint t Epist ad Marcellam Crassam illi rusticitatem solunâ— pro sanctitatem habent Ierome noted of such who bragged so and held grosse rusticitie for the onely sanctitie as if they were therefore holy because they knew nothing if they fish with a bare hooke of truth seeing with the Apostles they haue not such efficacie and power of the spirit nor worke miracles to perswade their plaine doctrine as those fisher-men and fishers of men did like Peter in his other kind of fishing Luk. 5. they may labor al night and perchance take nothing Wherefore to conclude this point seeing the Scripture is most eloquent in the forme in the text and web of the word and most elegant in the threed and phrase of words as by some examples of Esay and S. Paule and by manie testimonies of Ierome Austine Rupertus Ambrose Musculus Erasmus Illyricus and Hyperius who read them more thoroughly then the men that say thus this pretext cannot patronage their rude manner of teaching qui tum sibi videntur Apostolis proximi si quam spurcissimè loquantur as u Schol. in IeroÌ„ ep ad Eustoch Erasmus speaketh of such fishermen rather then fishers of men I confesse indeed with Lib. 2. de â—at Stu. Theolâ— c. 38. Hyperius the holy Ghost if he list needed not this artificiall polishing of his truth but our naturall imbecillitie is such that by no other ordinarie meanes it can be drawne to embrace it And though S. Paule came not to the Corinthes with wisedome of words because thirsting after eloquence onely and leauing Christ he would diet them for their surfet and purge them of this humor to make them relish better the things of the spirit yet in the iudgement of Caluin Gualther Hemingius Martyr and Aretius a Preacher may and must nitidiùs Paulo disserere ad comparandam piscatoribus illis idiotis audientiam qui nihil praeter spiritus energiam gratiae habent Wherefore let them who plucke out the tongue of the learned as Fuluia Anthome his wife cut out the tongue of Tully and like Heli his sonnes indeed sluts slubber vp the sacrifice so that they cause Gods people loath the oblation of the Lord let them heare y Comment in 1. Cor. 1. 17. Pomeranus his censure of their rude teaching Neque laude digni erunt stupidi quidam concionatores ineruditi qui sic omnia confundunt ineruditè tractant vt dicendo multa nihil dicant docendo multa nihil doceant mirum tamen interim quam sibi blandiantur quà m sublimiter de se sentiant contemnentes eruditionem Let them heare z Lib. 1. de rat concioâ— Erasmus Ad conciones sacras admittuntur interdum etiam assiliunt quilibet adolescentes leues indocti quasi nihil sit facilius quam ad populum exponere diuinam scripturam abundè sufficiat perfricuisse faciem abstersâ— pudore linguam voluere What saith a Eâ—asm in vit Iâ—râ— he An Christi professio pugnat cum eloquentia quid autem vetat si Cicero de suis daemonibus dixit eloquenter quo minùs Christianus item de pietate veraque religione dicat eloquenter Shall our boyes take such paines such care and labor for their triuiall orations to perswade vertue or proue a theame in peroration and shall not we take much more to perswade Christs cause and our people to receiue Christ I will not conceale his censure withall of too much affectation AnxiaÌ„ eloquentiae affectionem in Ecclesiaste non probo quae nec villis Philosophis nec Senecae nec vlli graui viro vnquam probate est No he must care for words and carke and care for his matter as I said I end this point with b Cap. 49. in his tract of the ministerie Greenham to perswade them the more Eloquence is not simply forbidden but when it waiteth on carnall wisdome for otherwise ioined with the power of the word and demonstration or euidence of the spirit it is effectuall And these good Reader be their obiections out of Scripture which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest saith S. Peter or to vse his owne word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them looke asquint at learning and good letters Their second sort of Obiections are these vnreasonable reasons 1. Ob. Paule vsed it sparingly but thrice neither vainely with 2. Their reasons
auncient Fathers nor our late best Homilists who preached preached I say oftener then many of these do I will shew them anon that if they vsed it more often then they do they should preach more and talke lesse in the pulpit then some do Iesus went about all cities and townes teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Gospell saith the Euangelist Mat. 9. 35. On which words Musculus thus taxeth talking Ministers Non dicit loquens sed praedicans exigit enim non simpliciter narrantem aut loquentem sed praedicantem Quemadmodum non satis est ad praedicandi Euangelij munus exequendum simpliciter ad populum dicere quae scripta sunt sed opus est vt totis viribus ista gratiâ depraedicentur Licet enim vera dicat qui ea dicit quae in Euangelicis scriptis leguntur non tamen mox dici potest Euangelij praedicator nisi praedicantis etiam referat conditionem iudicium He addes his censure of such talkers Proinde parùm apti sunt ad praedicandum Euangelium qui tantùm hoc curant vt ad horam dicant ad populum vtcumque he giues no lesse censure e Loc. com cap. de ossic minist Habent â—sticertos dies per septimanam quibus concionentur rectè hoc quideÌ„ o Illud vero probandum non est quod ex horum numero admodâ— muâ—ts nec ex animo sed perfunctoriè aâ— frigidè dicunt c. nec verbum Deipertinenter vtiliter secantes ad aeds ficationem auditorum accommo lant sed admodùm sese 〈…〉 cium adâ—mplesse putant si vicunque ad horam dixerint elsewhere of their profiting the people If Musculus had heard some of our talkers he would haue reported of some place Loquitur non praedicat iâ—iâ— To what end learne we in seauen years the arts To what purpose Libraries and stored studies to what end tongues nay to what end studying twenty yeares in the Vniuersitie if a Preacher must say no more on a text then an artisan a tailer a shoomaker and a trades man can with a testimonie and an example from an Index If this be to preach then euery silly lay-man that can reade may serue the turn ad quid perditio haec What needed such paines and cost in the Vniuersities Is it not excellent when euery idiot that heareth vs may say with himselfe Eadem tu ex hoc loco possis dicere as out of Keckerman I noted No it hindereth no artists from preaching who haue it at commaund and helpes them to diuide Gods word aright from often preaching How oft wold they preach the best and most famous Preachers in this land haue ingeniously confessed that they cannot preach aboue twise aweeke they could speake indeed sixe times but they are charged to preach the word 2. Tim. 4. 2. 3. Ob. It hath no promise of blessing ergo 1. Resp Euery good gift comming downe from the Father of lights hath a promise of blessing 1. Cor. 12. 7. when it is vsed to his glorie Truth ouercommeth all things saith f 1. Esdr 3. 12. Esdras truth is greater and stronger then all All the earth calleth for truth and the heauen blesseth it 1. Esdras 4. 6. And indeed as riuers in their channels though they tast of the earth and relish of the mudde wherein they runne yet coming into the sea resume their auncient saltnesse so truth in the heathens though it tast of their paganisme when they vse it to worldly respects yet returning to the authors seruice from whence it first came receiueth its old vigor and may serue as salt to season the nations withall 2 It had a blessing in Paul who confuteth Philosophers and Atheists thereby Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15. It had a blessing in the Fathers who confounded Heretickes and Apostates therewith and so may we Papists Turkes Heretickes Atheists Epicures Scismatickes Puritans Anabaptists and Brownists out of naturall reason g Ser. 92. de bap August Ambrose professeth he conuerted Austine by the helpe hereof It lead the heathen to the knowledge of the Godhead and diuine matters Rom. 1. 19. It made them morally iust wise and vertuous and taught them to do the things of the law Rom. 2. 14. 15. and how much more may it Christians when it is directed by the word and made powerfull by the spirit of sanctification This their second Obiection from reasons Their third is the authoritie â— Argument from Fatherâ— and others of all Writers 1. Ob. The auncient Fathers and recent Homilists vsed it not in their Sermons therefore they thought it vnlawfull or at least not expedient Resp They all allow it and whereas most the auncient were busied in disputation with Heretickes yet euen those who only preached to their people vsed it often and much in Sermons popular and that when no controuersie was in hand but the doctrine of faith and good manners as anone shall be shewed at large And surely the obiector of this reason read neuer God knoweth and he too the auncient and moderne thorough me thinkes but tooke it by heare-say from the huâ—sters hand 2. Ob. Yea but Chrysostome excuseth himselfe to the people and maketh an Apologie for vsing secular learning in sermons ergo he thought it either vtterly vnlawfull or much inconuenient to be vsed Resp I might here answer with h Apollog adue Russ Ierome Sed ipsa loca nomina nec hoc mihi sufficiet nisi eadem dicta ad verbum protuleris the obiector might haue noted him where if he had it not from others report Indeede I find Chrysostome orat 2. aduersus Iudaeos excuseth himselfe to the people by Pauls example that in his sermon speaking of Christ he cited Ethnicke Philosophers as Pythagoras Plato Tyaneus Socrates and Diagoras Which if he did in respect of Iewes he might iustly who reiected heathens learning and witnesse as I shewed before If in respect of his people and auditors he might iustly because speaking of Christ he brought something from Philosophers who neuer heard nor dreamed of the Messias Howsoeuer he there apologizeth his alleaging of it then he often after as hereafter I will shew cited it to his people And in the next sermon contra concubinarios he alleageth the fable of Tantalus in the Poets to his auditors for no point of controuersie at all and very often vseth it in his popular sermons without all apologie when no controuersie was in hand This was but a gesse of some who had not read the father throughout 3. Ob. Yea but Ierome in his Epistle to Eustochia reprooueth her for reading prophane authors with the Scripture saying What communion hath light with darknesse what concord Christ with Beliall what Horace with the Psalter Virgill with the Euangelists Tully with the Apostles Is not a brother scandalized if he see thee sit at table in the idols temple And although to the pure all things be pure and nothing to be refused if it be receiued
with thanksgiuing of them that know the truth yet ought we not to drinke together the cuppe of the Lord and the cup of diuels And to disswade her from this tels her a story how he was in a vision cited before Gods tribunal and beateÌ„ for spending so much time in reading Tully Plautus and such like was told Ciceronianus es noÌ„ Christianus thou art a Ciceronian Ierome and not a Christian At which word he promised to reade prophane authors no more and kept his vow for the space of fifteene yeares as we i Ierom. prooem in Gal. 3. ad Paul Eustoch reade in his writings ergo I answer with k Probl. loc 150. Aretius Ierome prescribeth to Eustochia Qualis debeat esse lectio Monialis Nonnae what a virgine consecrate to Christ should chiefly reade Not Horace as the Psalter nor Virgil as the Euangelists nor Tully as the Apostles Epistles Not these more or so much as Eustochia did He reprooueth this in women as he might in all Christians specially consecrated virgins and Nuns giuen to deuotion but in his Epistle vnto Romanus he alloweth men to reade and vse them with moderation especially Ministers who must be apt to teach apt to conuince and able to deuide Gods word aright to his people 2. For his storie that he told her if it was true he was iustly to be blamed because as he confesseth to Ruffinus he read them with such delight that he disdained the Scriptures and therefore defineth no man should reade heathens more or so much as prophane authors which no Christian will denie 3. Whereas many saith l Schol. in Epist IeroÌ„ ad Eustoch Erasmus beleeuing this fable dare not meddle with secular learning least with Ierome they be beaten they are deceiued with a dreame For Ierome himselfe in his Apologie to Ruffinus who charged him with breach of this promise and periurie for reading them after it tels him that it was but a meere illusion of Satan and fantasticall dreame as there he confesseth he had many such and not to beleeued I promised saith he when I was asleepe and not mine owne man m Dâ— futur spâ—â—sio est â— prâ—tâ—ritâ— meâ— viae 〈◊〉 â— Apolog aduâ— Ruff. I vowed neuer to reade them for further knowledge but to remember what before I had read in those authors And whereas he told Eustochium that he had not read Tully Virgil nor any prophane writer for 15. yeares it was not because of his dreamie promise sleepie vow but because he had sore eyes much sicknesse and infirmitie of his whole bodie as n Trooeâ— â—â— Gal 3. there he confesseth and telleth Ruffinus who accused him for reading them when he mended that being acquainted with them from a boy he could not vtterly forsake them adding Si literas didicisses oleret testa ingenioli tui quo semel fuerat imbuta thou readest truly and therefore art so learned and blamest me for reading him vt solus inter ecclesiasticos tractatores eloquentiae flumine gloriâ—ris Wherefore seeing neither Scripture rightly vnderstood nor any reasons truly examined nor any precept or practise of auncient Fathers or late Writers disallow secular learning in popular SermoÌ„s as at large I haue shewed it is not vnlawful to be vsed in the pulpit at any time as some from this do pretend The consideration whereof made me bold to vse that whereof I saw no prohibition either from Gods word reason or mans iudgement And therefore as the o Oppian lib. â— Lacedaemonian women with child laid faire pictures before them whereon looking often and earnestly their reflexe might make them conceiue as faire children so did I in conceiuing this Brotherly Reconcilement lay the beautifull workes of the Fathers the faire images and pictures of their minds before mine eyes that this child might be like and resemble them at least in some little member of the bodie The lawfull vse whereof both ecclesiasticall and prophane Authors in the pulpit though it hath bene sufficiently proued by a p D. K. lect 40. on Ionas famous Preacher and Doctor of our Church yet sith it is now called into question againe not onely in Athens but euen in the pulpit giue me leaue for apology of mine owne practise to gleane after that labourer in Gods haruest and shew first by Scriptures secondly by reason thirdly by the auncient Fathers and late Writers that humanitie is lawfull in popular Sermons when no controuersie is in hand For the first That learning which the Scriptures forbid not to be vsed in popular Sermons may be lawfully vsed therein 1. Cor. 6. 12. All things indifferent are lawfull but the Scriptures forbid it not as in examination of the places alleaged is shewed ergo 2 That learning which God himselfe preached and reuealed to the people for the knowledge of himselfe is lawfull in popular Sermons if Gods practise may be a patterne to Preachers but secular learning God preached and reuealed to the people for knowledge of himselfe Rom. 1. 19. vide Martyr Gualt in id ergo 3 That learning or knowledge which taught people to do the things of the lawe is lawfull in popular Sermons I meane still when no controuersie is in hand but secular learning and knowledge taught people to do the things of the lawe Rom. 2. 14. ergo c. Compare their decrees with Gods law and see how neare they came to it by their naturall knowledge wherby they were a lawe vnto themselues Touching worshipping of one God in the first commandement of the former Table this knowledge taught them so much as their books witnes See Tully lib. 1. de Legibus lib. 2. de nat Deâ—r and q Lib 1. cont Iulian. Cyrill brings the doctrine of Pythagoras to proue this point In the second Commandement the Law forbiddeth images of God The Persians did so also as Strabo reporteth and in their war against the Grecians burnt the images of their gods not in contempt of religion as some Greeke writers enuiously accuse them but because saith r Homil. 1â— in Rom. 2. Gualther they desired to set vp the worship of the high God and purge it from idolatrie the like storieth Tacitus of the old Germains and Numa the second king of Rome counted it impietie saith Plutarch to represent the liuing God by the forme of a man or figure of anie liuing creature And though some of them when they knew God glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and turned the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of an image of a corruptible man and of birds of foure footed beasts and creeping things Rom. 1. 23. This was not Gods fault saith Gualther who plainly reuealed this knowledge and his will vnto them but their owne foolish heart which turne the truth of God to a lye For the third precept forbidding to take Gods name in vaine manie of them by this their knowledge detested Exorcismes
against it answered ostentation of naming the Poets nor producing long sentences in a strange tongue contrarie to the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. but in the same wherein he spake and wrote which is no warrant for vs to vse it often in our Sermons 1. Resp That triple cord bindeth not vs to vse it no more but as it was easily broken by all the ancient Fathers and moderne writers so may it by vs. Why he vsed it no more I haue shewed reasons before which take no hold on vs. The Greeke fathers Chrysostom Epiphanius Athanasius Damascen Clem. Alexandrinus Iustine Martyr and Latine fathers Ierome Cyprian Hilâ—rie Ambrose Austine and Lactantius filled their bookes full of it in their handling and expounding the Scripture as hereafter shall be shewed And shall we condemne all these who vsed it aboue thrice Vsed they it sparingly No no we may vse it more often then Paule did saith c Problem loâ— 150. Aretius Nec debet apud nos valere ignauorum hominum obtrectatio vt in illorum gratiam tot margaritas in sordibus Philosophiae delitescentes instar ignaui gallinacei negligamus ventrem aut granulum hordei magis admiremur quà m veritatis sapientiae ideam Like Esops Cocke they preferre the barley corne of their owne braine before the precious gemme that may be found in the dregs of Philosophie I wish these would cite their owne sayings but thrice or more sparingly then they do then should they preach more ofteÌ„ and talke more seldome in the pulpit Though Paule vsed it but thrice Ideo assumpsit Paulus verba etiam de his quae foris sunt vt sanctificet ea sayth Origen he therefore vsed prophane authours that he might sanctifie them vnto all and shew vp a president that all truth may lawfully be borrowed from any 2. For producing it in strange tongues in Academicall and learned auditories most vnderstand it in mixt many and in popular some and may we not speake a long sentence in any which all vnderstand not then Christ was too blame that spake so often in parables which the people vnderstood not The Euangelists may be our presidents and warrant who although they wrote Christs actions and sayings in Greeke which he spake in Syriak yet d Ioh. 1. 38. Io. 19 13. Mar. 3. 17. 5. 4. 7. 34. Mat. 21. 9. Mark 15. 34. Act. 13. 6. 8. Act. 9. 36. Mat. 12. c. often produced names words and sentences in Hebrue to the Gentiles and especially that his last voyce on the crosse Mar. 15. 34. Eli Eli lamasabacthanai that is saith the Euangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if we may not cite a sentence without interpretation which all cannot vnderstand then Paul was too blame who wrote a long Epistle in Greeke to the Romans whose naturall language was Latine neither all the vulgar I thinke so fully vnderstood it though Tully tell vs it was much knowne to the Latines The Apostle made a long Sermon in the Hebrew tongue to the Romaine gouernours Act. 22. which many of them vnderstood not especially the rude souldiers as we see Math. 27. 46. Mark 15. 34. who hearing him cry Eli Eli had thought he had called on Elias for help nay many of the Iewes there present vnderstood it not if he spake in pure Hebrue and not Syriack as some suppose And for the Apostle 1. Cor. 14. he condemnes them only whose all or most speech reading or preaching is in a strange tongue as it was at Corinth and now at Rome as we may see vers 23. Secondly he counts it vnlawful to cite it if none vnderstand it nor we interpret it vers 2. as who doth so alledge it Thirdly it is lawfull to speake many sentences without interpretation or vnderstanding of all as appeares by his comparatiue choyse vers 19. I had rather He counts it better to speake with vnderstanding of others therefore is the other lawful and good in time and place as Caluine noteth in vers 5. Accidit saepe vt tempestiuus sit alienae linguae vsus Often it falleth out that the vse of a strange tongue is fit and in season Hence the ancient Fathers in their writings and our moderne Writers in their popular sermons cited sometime many Greeke verses together to their people without interpretatioÌ„ as hereafter shal be shewed And indeed to speake truth we wrong the Fathers much when we cite so their golden sayings in our tongue that they lose their efficacie and grace of speech and each of them may reply to vs as e Marâ—â—l he did to Fidentine Quem recit as meus est ô Fidentine libellus Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuus The words that thou repeatest ô Englishman are mine But while thou dost them ill repeate they gin for to be thine We cannot expresse their meaning so fully and finely as they spake in Greeke and Latine toongs for Dulcius ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae as the Poet speaketh Sweeter is the water from the wels head then the vessels bellie Et quis contentus sit potare de riuulo quum possit haurire de fonte saith f Serm 48 de sepuâ—t Dom. Ambrose Multo purior manat fontis vnda quam riui saith g Cont. Heluâ—d Ierome optimum vinum in alia atque alia vasa transfusum suum tandem natiuum saporem deperdit And like as if we would change our walsh speakings into their sweet sayings we should turne water into wine so sith our toong attaineth not the proprietie of their words nor expresseth fully their meaning when we cite their sentences in English only we oft turne wine into water Wherefore seeing Christ sanctified these three famous toongs on the crosse and would haue himselfe gloryed by that royall superscription in Hebrue Greeke and Latine why are they not sanctified in the Pulpit and may there shew his glorie also Hodie inueniuntur homines barbari saith h Homil. 70. in 1. Cor. 14. Gualther he saw our day it seemes and was sory linguarum bonarum artium hostes qui vt propriam ignorantiam tegere possint in literarum studia scholas perinde inuehuntur ac si non aliae nocentiores sint verae religionis hostes quibus omnibus hoc Pauli votum possumus opponere vtinam omnes vos linguis loquamini would God ye all spake tongues and then would ye certainely allow it in others But my brethren couet to prophesie and forbid not to speake tongues 3. Touching quoting of authors names if for examples this be ostentation then Paul in citing such a cloud of witnesses Heb. 11. and quoting their names for examples was ambitious and shewed too much reading Then Christ and his Apostles citing the Prophets names when they alleaged their testimonies were ambitious then the auncient fathers and recent writers in often citing the names of Philosophers Poets and historians were ambitious Indeed it is that heauenly pride and holy ambition 1. Cor.