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
not alway before me m 9. I will take no bullocke out of thine house nor he-goates out of thy folds n 10. For all the beasts of the forrest are mine and so are the cattle vpon a thousand hils o 11. I know all the foules vpon the mountaines and the wild beasts are all mine p 12. If I were hungrie I would not tell thee for the world is mine and all that is therein q 13. Thinkest thou that I will eate buls flesh or drinke the bloud of goates No no r 14. offer praise rather vnto thy God and pay thy voweâ— vnto the most high For as he is not a God of the dead letter but rather of the quickening spirit so he reiects this shadow till the substance doth come Almightie God in the first of Esay forgot his owne people to be the children of Iaakob because they forgot this oblation of loue to be the sacrifice of a God Heare the word of the Lord ye Princes of Sodome saith Å¿ Esa 1. 10. he hearken to the law of God ô people of Gomorrhe and asketh them in iealousie as hot aâ— fire t Vers 11. What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of your burnt offerings of rammes and the fat of fed beasts I desire not the bloud of bullockes nor oâ— lambes nor of goates 12. When ye come to appeare before me who required this at your hands to tread in my courts x 13. Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquitie nor your solemne assemblies y 14. My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed feasts they are a burden vnto me I am wearie to â—eare them z 15. And wheâ— ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though ye make many prayers I will not heare for youâ— hands are full of bloud This was the hearbe and roote of bitternesse that put death in the pot this was the dead flie that putrified their oyntment and made their sweet odours and incense to stink Thus loathed he the fat of their fed beasts when their heart was as fat as brawn Thus spued he out the bloud of their bullockes when their hands were full of bloud Thus refused he the flesh of their lambes when vnder this sheepes clothing they were rauening wolues Thus checked he their treading in his courts when entring into his house they looked not to their feete but gaue the sacrifice of fooles Thus abhorred he their new Moones when the old man of malice was not chaunged nor the new man of charitie put on Thus hated he their appointed feasts when they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feasts of loue Thus their sweet perfumes stinked in the nostrels of the most high and their incense incensed his wrath when their hands were full of bloud And as he began that Prophesie of Esai in this first so in the a Esa 66. 3. last Chapter with the same tune he ends it He that killeth a bullocke is abhominable as if he slue a man he that sacrificeth a sheepe regarded as if he cuts off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation approued as if he offered swines bloud He that remembreth incense is accepted as if he blessed an idoll when his hart or as hands are full of bloud For he desired mercie more then sacrifice and this knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Hos 6. 6. Thus he that is rather a God of the quickening spirit then of the dead letter requireth more the quickening spirit of loue then the dead carcase of any sacrifice whatsoeuer I hate and abhorre your feast dayes saith b Amos 5. 2â— the Lord and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies c vers 22. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and meat offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts d 23. Take thou away from me the multitude of thy songs for I will not heare the melodie of thy vials till e 24. iudgement runne downe as waters and righteousnesse as a mightie riuer Wherewithall then shall I come before the Lord saith his Prophet in the person of the people and bow my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeare old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle shall I giue my first borne for my transgression and the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule No no he hath shewed thee ô man what indeed is good and what the Lord requireth rather of thee surely to do iustly and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Mich. 6. 8. This shal please the Lord better saith Dauid then a bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes Psal 69. 31. And to loue God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices saith Dauids sonne and Lord Mark 12. 33. Therefore would f Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. Abel be in charitie with Cain before he offered therefore would g Gen. 33. 3. 4. 20. Iaakob be reconciled to Esau before he sacrificed therefore would h Psal 26 6. Dauid wash his hands in innocencie before he went to the altar therefore would i Act. 10. 11. Peter be in charitie with the Gentils before he preached therefore would k Rom. 10. 1. Paul be in charitie with the Iewes before he prayed For l 1. Cor. 13 3. almes without loue it is not accepted m Mat. 7. 22. Prophesie without loue it is not respected knowledge without loue it is not approued miracles without loue they are not regarded burning martyrdome without loue it is as if it freezed prayer without loue it is reiected Esa 1. 15. yea it is abhominable Prou. 28. 9. nay no lesse then abhomination it selfe to the Lord Prou. 15. 8. And it is impious that a wicked man in thought or deed shall come to pray as the vaine n Hesiâ—d lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. ex Plat. Cicer. lib. 2. de legib heathen could obserue This loue then is the fire which purified Abels offering for want whereof putrified Cains oblation this is it which so iudged between the cleane and vncleane that wheâ— two were sacrificing at the altar the one was receiued and the other refused This is the sweet incense which perfumeth our sacrifice of praise and praying and setteth them foorth as the incense and the lifting vp of our hands as an euening sacrifice This is the ointment boxe of Spikenard which sweetneth the calues of our lips and maketh them better then a bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes This is the salt which like that in the o
Paul our wedding garment of loue according to his white robe of mercie Col. 3. 12. Now therefore saith he as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse and long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another sicut euen as Christ forgaue you As the elect of God that is if ye haue any internall seale to your soules of your election holy if any externall signe of sanctification to make it sure to your selues beloued if any experience of the loue of God to his Saints put on not for a forenoon like your cloake which in heat straight goes off againe nor for an houre like your hat which goes off at euery wrong that meetes you in the way but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put on f Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Col. 3. 12. neuer to put off againe the bowels of mercie toward the vnmercifull kindnesse toward the vnkind modestie toward the immodest meeknesse toward the cruell and long-suffering toward the hasti-minded man After whose example sicut euen as Christ forgaue and loued you his enemies as himselfe gaue them this new commandement Ioh. 13. that we loue another sicut euen as he loued vs that we loue one another A new commaundement g â—erus 〈◊〉 in Ioh. 13. because by him renewed from that Pharisaicall tradition h Mat. 5. 43. Thou shalt hate thine enemie New because oftener and more excellently commaunded in the new then old Testament new because otherwise in the new then the old commanded in that with a sicut teipsum loue thy neighbour as thy selfe in this with a sicut â—go dilexi vos as I haue loued you that ye loue one another New because now confirmed with greater examples of God the Father and Christ his sonne new because though iudiciall and ceremoniall yet this euangelicall loue remaineth for euer and new because though to day discharged tomorrow it must be renewed to loue one another sicut euen as he loued vs. And what was the measure deare Christian of that sicut His Apostle meteth it out by foure adiuncts of our basenesse and demerit Christ when we were yet of no strength died for the vngodly Rom. 5. 6. Christ the onely Sonne of God died the most shamefull death of the crosse for vs when we were yet of no strength by nature yea sinners by profession yea vngodly by defection nay enemies by rebellion We had neither strength to stand in iudgement nor righteousnesse to satisfie the law nor godlinesse to moue mercie nor friendship to procure pardon and yet saith the Apostle yet notwithstanding or rather withstanding all these Christ when we were yet all these died for vs. Christ suffered saith i 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter the death most ignominious for sinnes the cause most odious the iust for the vniust the persons most vnequall that he might bring vs to God the end most glorious This sicut of his loue himself measureth out with a sic dilexit Ioh. 3. 16. as if he had bene sicke of loue as the spouse Cant. 2. 5. k speaketh and that sicknes of loue with those foure dimensions brâ—adth length heighth and depth of his loue Ephes 3. 18. himselfe meteth The onely Sonne of God there is the height was sent downe there is the depth into the world there is the breadth that it might haue euerlasting life without end there is the length of his loue Saint l Ser. t. de Adâ—â— Dom. Bernard measureth the quantitie of his loue with the same dimensions what was the cause sayth that Father Vt maiesâ—as tanta there is the height De tam longinquo there is the length Descenderet there is the depth In mundum locum tam indignum this is the breadth of his loue Quia misericordia magna quia miscratio multa quia charitas copiosa because his mercie reached vnto the clouds because his mercie was for euer without end because it reached to the deepe below because his mercie was ouer al his workes as the Psalmist speaketh it was a sic dilexit a loue-sicke affection strong as death that he should loue vs Tantus tantum tantillos tales he so great vs so little such enemies and with such loue saith m De dilig Dâ—o Bernard alluding to those foure dimensions of Saint Paul O that I had the tongue of men and Angels to decipher his loue to thee his enemie that this n 2. Cor. 5. 14. loue of Christ might constraine to do good to thy foes O remember we in the loines of our father Adam like strangers from God were going downe from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauen to hell and fel among theeues who robbed vs of our raiment and robe of righteousnesse O remember how they wounded vs so sore that from the top of the head to the sole of the foote there was no whole part in our bodies and soules but wounds and swellings and sores full of all corruption leauing vs not halfe like that traueller but quite dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 1. and forget not deare Christian how then this good o Luke 10. 33. Samaritane as he iourneyed and came from the bosome of his father cured vs when both Priest and Leuite like Iobs friends Phisitions of no value passed by vs no eye pitied vs to do any thing vnto vs or to haue compassion vpon vs nay no creature in heauen or earth p Psal no man could deliuer his brother or make agreement vnto God for him for it cost more to redeem their soules so that they might let that alone for euer Then then this Sunne of righteousnesse being in the q Phil. 2. forme and glorie of God went backe ten degrees in our nature as the Sunne did in the diall of Ahaz and tooke on him the forme of a seruant that in the rags of our flesh he might Câ—drus-like tast death for his people He then came vnto vs when like r Ezek. 16. Israel we lay tumbling in our blood and bloodie sinnes bound vp our wounds and said Ye shall liue powred in not oile and wine but sweate and blood into our sores set vs on his owne beast nay Å¿ 1. Peter 2. 24 caried our sinnes on his owne body on the tree made prouision for vs and tooke out not two pence siluer and gold or t 1. Pet. 1. 18 19 corruptible things but his precious blood that great price of our redemption 1. Corinth 6. saying for man his enemie to his offended father like that good Samaritane to the host for the stranger Whatsoeuer he hath spent I will recompence it or as v Philem. 17. 18 Paul gaue his word to Philemon for his vagabond seruant Father if thou count our things common receiue him as my selfe if he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought that put on mine accounts I Iesus haue written it in blood with mine owne hand I will recompence
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
â—4 hating as not louing talents as pence ten thousand as an hundred the beame as the mote and the worke of thy bodie as the thought of thy mind Euery sinne he forgiueth vnto men Math. 12. 31. saue onely that sinne of sinnes against the holy Ghost verse 32. which is impossible to be forgiuen because these cannot possibly repent Hebr. 6. 6. And if God thus forgiue thee all the debt oughtest not thou to haue like pittie on thy fellow seruant euen as the Lord hath on thee O remember the mercilesse debter Math. 18. whom when his Lord had forgiuen ten thousand talents of sinnes he would not forgiue his fellow an hundred pence of offences See how his master weigheth him in the ballance to aggrauate i Io Ferus come in Mat. 18 lib. 3 〈…〉 etan idem euery circumstance of his vnthanfulnesse first vnthankfull when his Lords remission was yet in his eare and that seruant departed k Chrys nâ—m 62 in Mat. 18. to his debter 2. he vseth so hardly not a stranger but found out one of his fellowes 3. not for any great summe for he ought him but an hundred pence 4. he exacteth the debt not with words alone but layd hands on him and tooke him by the throate 5. though his Lord forbare him in patience yet he wold not spare his fellow an houre Pay me that thou owest 6. though his Lord heard his intreatie he would not be intreated of his fellow who fell downe at his feete and besought him and he would not 7. he wold not be moued with that very prayer of his fellow wherewith he wrung pittie from his master Appease thine anger toward me and I will pay thee all 8. so soone as his fellow craued respite he cast him into prison till he should pay the debt But what doth he scape thus the hand of his Lord No no then his maister called him and vpbraideth his monstrous ingratitude O euil seruant I forgaue thee all the debt because thou prayedst me Oughtest not thou also to haue had pittie on thy fellow euen as I had of thee And see his eternal punishment So his master was wroth we reade not he was so for his owne debt saith Chrysostome nor gaue him this terme of euill seruant and deliuered him to the â—ayler till he should pay all that was due to him Not that he exacted the debt of those talents which before he had forgiuen him as our aduersaries hence collecting after iustification and forgiuenes their final fal peruert this scripture to their owne destruction No parables as noteth l Sapâ—as dixi non ad verbum exponenâ—â—esse parabolas ne mulia sequatur absurda homil 48. in Mat. 13. non oportet cuÌ„â—tacuriosè in parabolis scrutars nec nimi â— in singulis verbu cura perangi sâ—d quum quid per parabolam intendie didicerimus ande vâ—â—litate colleeÌ„da nihil est vlterius anxio conatu iâ—â—â—stigaÌ„duÌ„ Chrys hom 65. in Mat. 20. Chrysostome must not be racked beyond their intent and meaning And the Papists by pressing them too hard straine out of these teates blood in stead of sincere milke as when they get this parable by the end they ring it so deepe that they turne the clapper as one m Greenb â—a 48 traâ—t minister speaketh but the Lord casts this euill seruant into hell for the debt of n Hug laâ—s in hâ—rc locum ingratitude and vnmercifulnesse to his fellow which was as great by equall proportion as the benefite of forgiuenesse which he had before receiued seeing to whom much is forgiuen he should loue as much Luke 7. and to whom much is giuen of him shall be no lesse required And our Sauiour in the end of all giueth vs the kernell of this nut and the spirit of his letter So likewise saith he shall mine heauenly Father do vnto you except ye forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses whatsoeuer This parable is the glasse wherein al may behold their face what maner of ones they are But as Stella spake of that of the vniust Iudge Luk. 18. so may I wish of this parable of the mercilesse seruant Math. 18. Serui parabolam vtinam nos non faceremus historiam would God this parable of the seruant we made not an historie Vtinaem nunc esset parabola non pro historia posset recenseri would God it were now but a parable and might not be related for a storie But I feare from the proposition I may assume with Saint o 1. Cor 6. 11. Paul Such are some of you and particularize with p 2. Sam. 12. Nathan to many one in particular Thou art the man who hope remâ—ssion of talents from their Lord and will not forgiue pence to their brethren Or if when their Sunne is going downe they forgiue all before men at the houre of their death yet remittunt culpam non poenam as one speaketh they say I forgiue all in this will and testament q Lauat in Ezec. 35. 5. Odia inimicitias quasi per manus liberis suis tradunt They bequeath their hatred and malice by tradition to the handes of their sonnes and make them haeredes paterni odij as noteth r Lib. de irae cap. 34. Seneca heires of their fathers hatred paralel with the children of Esau Obadiah 1. which remembring the old quarrell of their Grandfire Esau with Iacob for the blessing as heires of his malice caryed a perpetuall hatred against the children of Israell Ezechiel 35. vers 5. Amos 1. vers 11. and cryed in the day of Hierusalem downe with it downe with it euen to the ground Psalm 137. Thus were they mindfull of their fore-father his enmitie quasi haereditate quadam retinuissent odium aduersus Israelem saith Lauater as if with his substance he had bequeathed his perpetual malice in his wil and left the rest of his hatred for his babes These men may be ashamed saith Å¿ Lib 15 Epist 95. Seneca not onely warring and iarring in their life but euen committing it to their children quasi haereditaria successiâ—ne as it were by haereditarie succession sith we see not the most sauage beasts deale so cruelly one with another I wish these Esaus at their death which haue learned that popish remission of the guilt and not the punishment of great offences would learne if not of bruite beasts whom they scorne yet of the Almightie himselfe who remitteth not onely the guilt in him whom he made sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. 21. but also the punishment through him on whom he laid the chastisement of our peace and the iniquitie of vs all Esa 53. at least for shame let them learne of t Plut. Apoth AElian var. hist Phocion the Athenian who being asked at his vniust execution by a friend whether he would any thing to his sonne at home Nothing quoth he but that he neuer stomacke the
Iudgement in his soule Thou art cursed from the earth iudgement in his goods The earth which opened her mouth to receiue his blood from thine hand mistrusting no harme from brothers which were but two on the earth l Ambr. lib. 2. de Caâ—â— Abel c. 10. Nam quomodo poterat suspectare parrâ—â—dium quae adhuc not viderat homicidium for how could it suspect brotherly murder which had not yet seene man-slaughter the earth is cursed for thy sake not as it was to thy father Adam to giue m Gen. 3. 17. no fruite without his sweate and labour but when thou shalt till the ground it shall not yeeld thee henceforth her strength And thirdly iudgement in his bodie a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be in the earth And after sentence see how this condemned caitife is caried from the barre with despaire of mercy My sinne is greater then can be pardoned with horror of iudgement My punishment is greater then can be borne and with terror of conscience Behold thou hast cast me this day from the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and whosoeuer findeth me shall slay me But of whom saith that n Ambr. lib 2. de Caâ—â— Abel cap 9. Father was he afraid to be slaine that had none with him on earth but his parents He might feare iustly the incursions of natural brute beasts who more beastly had broken the course of nature he might feare rightly the teeth of wild beasts who brutishly had fleshed them with mans blood yea the blood of his brother He could not presume of the subiection of fowles who had taught them that a man might be killed He might now also feare the hands of his parents who had taught them that parricide might be committed and that they would learne to practise a murder who had taught him the precept in their original sinne This is Cains punishment in his person and yet see the taint of his blood in al his postetitie whom Noes flood washt away saith o Lib. 15 de â—iâ— Dâ— cap. 20. Austin from the face of the earth when it could not wash away their scarlet sinne of blood double died both in Caine the threed and in his of-spring the cloth and garment of vengeance whom the holy Ghost deigneth not to name in reciting the catalogue of Adams posteritie Gen. 5. for the face of the Lord is against them that did euill to cut off saith Dauid their remembrance from the earth For he would not take them in his mouth nor make mention of their names within his lippes as if that curse of the Lord had fallen on his progenie Psal 109. Let his posteritie be destroyed and in the next generation let his name be cleane put out O that all Caines which thirst the bloud of their Abel that all Ismaels which persecute their Isaac that all Esaus which pursue their Iaacob to the death would beware to follow the way of Caine that they might not perish in the gaine-saying of Core Are they Graecians or Barbarians wise or vnwise let those reade Plutarch a naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of brotherly loue and these their owne bodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of lime-loue how those brethren and twins of the bodie eyes eares hands and feet loue one another and for shame of their soules be reconciled to them who are flesh of their flesh and bone of their bones And surely if we yet looke further to the rocke whence we 2. Brother naturall in blood which is each man are hewne and to the hole of the pit whence we were digged if we consider Adam our father and Eue that bare vs we shall find that we haue all this p Iunius Polan in Mal. 2. 10 one father Mal. 2. 10. and all this one mother who is mater omnium viuentium Gen. 3. 20. aut iustiùs morientium as one q Ferus in Gen. 3. 20. cals her the mother of all men liuing or rather dead while they liue in her trespasses and sinnes and all men therefore brethren Gen. 9. 5. and this brotherly kinred of men made by him who made all mankind of one bloud Act. 17. 26. For as r Ser. 1. de â—eâ—uâ— Leo truly said of neighbour that euery man whether friend or foe bond or free is our neighbour so fratrem vt proximum vel omne hominum genus accipere debemus saith Å¿ Lib 2. in Zâ—c cap. 7. Ierome and Saint t Lib 2. locut de Exod. Austine Euery man is our brother by nature as our neighbor in the vse of naturall things Through which coniunction of mankind the very heathen u Cic lib. 1. Ossâ— could see in the twilight of nature that certaine duties of amitie and fellowship are naturally due from all men euery one to other and therefore x AEsch â—rat cont â—â—sâ—ph Arist lib. â—â—hetor ad Theâ—â—ect vsed the name neighbour as our Sauiour doth here brother generally for all men And indeed seeing as y Homil 51. ad Pop. Antioch 1. The greater world preacheth concord and vnity to man Chrysostome well noteth the God of all hath giuen all but one house the world to be domesticos naturae the houshold of nature that father of lights hath light all but one candle the Sunne to be filios lucis iust and vniust children of that light seeing he that spreadeth it out like a curtaine hath couered all but with one canapie and roofe of heauen to be one family of loue And seeing the feeder of euery liuing thing hath spread all but one table the earth at which boord we are all companions of one bread and drinke all of one cup the ayre doubtlesse this communitie of naturall things should breed such a common vnitie in nature as should make men in this one house to be of one mind and sons of one light to walke in loue as children of the light and the familie vnder one roofe to walke in this house of God as familiar friends and companions at one table to eate their meate together with singlenesse of heart as it vnited those Saints because they had all things common Act. 2. 44. Which communion of all things naturall if it cannot knit men in one with these bonds of nature yet beholding the common vnion of all things amongst themselues the musicke of this harmonie should breed concord and peace in man the son of peace For whether we lift vp our eyes to heauen aboue behold it is there the heauens declare the glorie of God in their peace and the firmament sheweth his handi-worke or whether we cast our eyes on the earth below behold also it is there both preaching peace to his people and to his Saints that they turne not againe Wherefore as z Prou. 6. Salomon sent the sluggard to the pismire as his schoole-maister to bring him to labour a Esâ— 1. Esau the vngratefull to the oxe and asse to learne