then to have the same both masters of our life and also witnesses Wee must inquire likewise in every action what agreeth to the persons times and ages what also is fit for the wits and natures of every severall wight For oftentimes what beseemeth one beseemeth not another One thing may bee accommodated to youth another to age one to danger and distresse another to peace and prosperity David b 2 Sam. 6.14.13 danced before the arke of the Lord Samuel danced not Neither was hee therefore reprehended but this more commended Hee changed his c 1 Sam. 21.13 countenance before King Achish But if hee had not done this through feare lest otherwise hee might have beene discovered hee could not have wanted the reprehension of lightnesse Saul being in the company of the Prophets did also himselfe prophecie and mention is made of him only as unworthy and of none beside is d 1 Sam. 10.10 Saul also among the Prophets CHAP. XLIII Every one ought to addict himselfe to that in the matter of Office which may best accrue to him EVery one therefore being not vnacquainted with his owne strength and wit let him applie himselfe to that which he maketh choise of as fittest for him But first let him well consider what is best for him to follow neither let him so much take notice of his towardnes as of the vices wherevnto he is inclined and let him shew himselfe an equall iudge of himselfe that avoiding evill he may be bent to a vertuous course One is fitter for distinct reading of the Scriptures another more carefull to expell divels by a Exorcisme and anointing the sicke had their expiration with the working of miracles They were peculiar gifts of the holy Ghost serving for the primitive times and exorcisme was then vsed extra baptismum as Tertul. witnesseth in his Apolog. to vse it therein with the Papists is without warrant and absurd beca-by Christ in baptisme the devill is driven away For as St. Cyprian Epist ad Magn. well observeth Sicut scorpij serpentes c. As scorpions and serpents prevaile in their poisoning on dry land but being throwen into the water prevaile not so likewise evill spirits can remaine no longer neither any further annoy then vntill the holy Ghost beginneth to dwell in the baptized and sanctified exorcisme another of more regard in the quier another can better apply himselfe to the keeping of the vestry Hee that is toward the Church set him haue respect to all these and let every one be deputed to that office which is most agreeable to his disposition For to whatsoever office nature leadeth a man or doth best become him that doth he execute with more grace But as to performe an office with grace and credit it is a hard thing in every calling so is it much more hard in ours For every one loves to follow the life of his parents The most part whose parents haue beene souldiers are drawn to lead their lives in the warres others accordingly in other professions wherein their fathers walked before them But in the ecclesiasticall function thou maist find nothing more rare then a sonne treading in his fathers steps either because the graue and weighty imployment therein doth deterre him or because in a slippery age abstinence and forbearance of worldly pleasures is harder or because it seemeth a more obscure life to cheerefull youth and therefore they convert their studies to those exercises which they thinke more plausible For more preferre what is present then what is to come hereafter But howsoever they are for their present welfare our warfare is for ensuing comfort Whence it followeth by how much our cause is better by so much ought our care to be greater and more attentive CHAP. XLIIII Of that which is comely and that which is honest LEt vs preserue therefore and preferre verecundie or shamefastnesse and that modesty comprehending and commending comlinesse as the ornament and honour of our whole life For it is no small matter to keepe measure and obserue order in every thing wherein doth truly shine forth that which is called comely and is so ioyned with honesty that it cannot be separated For what is comely is honest and what is honest is comely insomuch that there is distinction rather in the speech then a difference in the vertue discerned they may be in the vnderstanding no way well expressed in words And that wee may indevour to fetch out some distinction betweene them honesty is as it were the good health and wholesome constitution of the body comelines is as it were the complement and beauty thereof As therefore beauty doth seeme to excell health and goodnes of constitution yet cannot be without these neither any way separated from them because vnlesse good health be beauty and well-fauorednesse cannot be so honesty containeth in it that is comely in such manner that it may seeme to have proceeded from it and cannot bee without it Honesty therefore is as the soundnesse of the worke and of our whole fabricke and comelinesse is as the beauty or shape and confounded with it as subsisting together in one masse but distinguished from it in opinion For albeit it may seeme to exceed in something yet in the roote it belongeth to honesty but as a speciall floure thereof so that without it it may fade with it may flourish For what is honesty but that which avoideth turpitude or deformity of manners even as death What dishonesty but that which draweth in the drought of good manners and consequently death Wherefore the substance of this vertue of honesty being greene comelinesse because there is soundnesse at the roote doth budde out as a flower But the roote of our purposed vertue being rotten there appeareth no blossome the plant of honesty decaying the fruit of comelinesse must needs wither Thou hast this much better expressed in our sacred bookes For David saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 93.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. Hebr. genth of goath celsitudo and sometimes excellentia and this excellency is comelinesse Is 24. the Lord hath raigned hee hath put on comlinesse And againe the Apostle saith Let us walke honestly which in Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13 properly signifying such as is of a good habite of a good forme and proportion God therefore when he first made man formed him in a good feature and in a good composition of his members and parts and gave him the best portraiture of all his creatures yet gave him not the remission of his sinnes but afterward renewed him by his Spirit and infused into him grace hee that came in the forme of a servant in the similitude of sinfull flesh tooke upon him the glory and comelinesse of humane redemption In commemoration whereof as was before mentioned the Prophet thus breaketh out The Lord hath raigned and put on comelinesse And
posterities to take of this fire This is the fire that fell vpon and consumed Moses o Levit. 9.24 Hic est ignis qui cecidit super sacrificium Moysi et consumpsit illud sacrifice with this fire the sacrifice ought to be sanctified hereupon the sonnes of Aaron bringing strange fire were p Chap. 10.16 devoured The tabernacle the arke and altar of incense were layed vp also by Ieremy and the doore stopped vp But this when some of them neare him more curiously searched that they might haue noted they could not find which when he perceived he told them to this effect that the place should not be knowne untill God should gather againe his people and mercy should be shewed them then should the Lord declare these things then should his glory q Our Author in this relation of Nehemiah and Ieremie out of the Apocryphall seemeth to be transported with the sway of the times those being received of the Church For in the time of Iehoshua and Zerubbabel under Cyrus was the Altar set up and offrings tendred Ezra 3.2.4 under Darius Ezra 6.10.20 they kept the Passeover oblations were offered in the reigne of Artaxerxes Ezra 8.35 which was 40. yeares after the first returne under Zerubbabel Besides mention is make of the morning and evening sacrifice Ezra 3.3 9.41 where the consuming it with fire from heaven was a signe of Gods presence 1 Kings 18.38 2 Chron. 7.1 Iudg. 6.21 The time of Ezras returne being the second was in the 7. of Artaxerxes Ezra 7.7 Nehemiahs being the third in the 20. Neh. 2.1 According to which computation the finding of the holy fire here mentioned falleth short of the truth above fifty three yeares But howsoever the application is good appeare We understand when the Congregation of the people should be we acknowledge the same to bee the propitiation of our Lord God which hee the propitiatour in his owne person hath wrought by his passion How can we be ignorant of this fire when wee reade that the Lord Iesus did baptize with the holy Ghost and with r Math. 3.11 fire The sacrifice was rightly consumed and brought to nothing because it was for the utter abolishing of sinne That fire was the type of the holy Ghost which was to descend after the ascention purging sinnes inflaming the mindes and hearts of the faithfull Whence ſ Ierem. 20.9 Ieremy his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones I was weary of forbearing and I could not stay Whence fell the holy Ghost upon the t Acts 2.3.23 Apostles and upon the rest waiting for the promise of the Lord in the similitude of cloven tongues like to fire and whence was the elevation of the spirits of them that spake diversity of languages that they were thought for their nimblenesse and fluency therein to be filled with new wine But what may this import that the fire was made water and againe that the water stirred up fire but the spirituall grace burneth by fire and by water cleanseth our sinnes For sinne is both washed and burned away Hence the u 1 Cor. 3.13 Apostle the fire shall trie every mans worke what it is and afterward if x 15. any mans worke shall burne he shall suffer losse but himselfe shall bee saved but as it were through fire This then as a type of future remission of sinnes descended upon the sacrifices In the time of captivity when sinne reigned it is hidden but it is drawne out in the time of liberty Howbeit it were changed into likenesse of water yet reteyned it still the nature of fire that it might consume the sacrifice And no marvell For God the Father saith I am a y Deut. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 consuming fire and they have forsaken mee the fountaine of living z Ier. 2.13 waters and the Lord Iesus of himselfe I came to a Luke 12.49 send fire upon the earth and I am the b Iohn 4.1.4 7.27.38.39 water of life fire to inflame the hearts of the hearers and the drinke of the water of life to coole the thirsty soules This is resembled in Eliahs sacrifice when hee confounded c 1 Kings 18.23 Baals priests whom he provoked to kindle their altar without putting to it ordinarie fire As for his owne when hee had powred foure barrels thrice upon the burnt offering and wood replenished the ditch round about it with water likewise crying to the Lord fire came downe from heaven and consumed the whole burnt offring Thou O man of God whosoever thou art art the sacrifice consider therefore seriously and in silence this worke For the blessed vapour of his holy Spirit descendeth upon thee and burneth up thy sinnes In Moses time the sacrifice which was consumed with fire was a sacrifice for sinne and observe that it was d 2 Maccab. 2.11 Lev. 10.16.17 18. 6.18 19. wholly wasted signifying the e Kom 6.3.4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Author readeth Vetus homo noster exterior crucifixus est Cruci but exterior the outward not foūd in the originall mortifying wholly of the old man in the Sacrament of baptisme The Egyptian is f Heb. 11.29 drowned the Hebrew rising againe by renewment of the holy Gost in the g 2 Cor. 4.16 inner man passeth through the red Sea without stumbling as upon drie land All the Fathers were h 1 Cor. 10.2 baptized in the cloud and in the sea In the deluge all flesh i Gen. 7. perished but just Noah with his familie were preserved Is not the old man consumed when this mortall is swallowed up of k 2 Cor. 5.4 life when though the outward bee corrupted yet the inward man is l 2 Cor. 4.16 quickned Neither only in Baptisme but also in repentance there is a death of the flesh for the renovation of the spirit the holy Apostle delivers over the incestuous to Sathan for the m 1 Cor. 5.3 destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus A more prolix excursion in admiration of this mystery while we study to open more largely the revealed Sacrament may seeme to be made howbeit so farre forth in truth as it is full of honesty as it may be granted to be full of religion How honourable is the regard of honesty among the ten n Iudg. 20.1 tribes when with one joynt consent the o Chapt. 19.25 violence offered to one woman was in so bitter termes of hostility pursued against their brother Benjamin whom when they had overcome how did they obtest p Chapt. 21.1 Victo populo tribus Benjamin obtestarentur in conjugio se eis proprias filias non daturos against him in the case of affinity denying him their daughters in mariage in so much that using the liberty of q Remanserat tribus sine ullo posteritatis subsidio nisifraudis necessariae accepisset
In which words St. Chrysostome taking away preventing grace falls into that heresie Verba habentur in aliqua Homil in Epist ad Hebr. the Pelagian that we have them pure but that in our first conversion our will being assisted and sanctified by grace is enabled thereby afterward of it selfe to well doing which with this exception not by our own strength and by addition of continuall supporting divine power to that theirs of assisting at the first we may produce vertuous actions in some good measure is the orthodox One end of morall Philosopie Ethnick being a part of politick is Admit that Aristotle teaches to distinguish inter bonum civem bonum virum and admit that hee together with Theophrast Plutarch Seneca Galen c. haue endevored to make good men yet have they effected no more then to make them civilly good morrally vertuous but where notwithstanding is inward sanctitie The Aransican Councell celebrated A.D. 440. abound with strong proofes for this of sole infusion of sanctifying spirit to make citizens good by obeying the Lawes This is proved by two of the chiefe law-givers Minos of Crete and Lycurgus of Lacedaemon who writ lawes not only to their owne but for other people to stirre them up to the study of vertue that thereby they might become good citizens and I suppose no man can denie this to be one end of the orthodox and a primarie end of the now Roman Church namely to bring to outward obedience to Ecclesiasticall discipline The renewment of the heart is proper to the spirit and is only peculiar to Christian philosophie comprised in the two sacred volumes of the old and new Testament But doubtlesse they all agree in this the whole praise of vertue to Omnis laus virtutis in actione consistit Cic. l. 1. Offic. Tit. 2.12 consist in practise The knowledge of precepts concerning honest actions to bee inherent in nature and that necessarily for the conservation of civill society which the Apostle calleth the worke of the law written in Rom. 2.15 the heart others jus naturale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law not written lumen mentis nobiscum natum the light of the mind borne with us though this be Ethnick yet there is no divine but confesseth with S. Paul that ingrafted in nature because this being styled morality humane was not lost in the fall Ethick doctrine divine teaching God to be the chiefe good the knowledge of God the true beatitude and all humane arts to be referred to him as their sole fountaine who cannot but acknowledge And likewise as by Honestum etiamsi a nullo laudetur tamen suâ naturâ est laudandum Cic. l. 1o. Offic. Non solum jus injuriae sed omnia honesta turpia à natura dijudicantur Idem l. 1o. de Leg. naturall instinct man to bee able to discerne betweene what is honest and dishonest so not to bee corrupted and depraved in his essence but in his qualities who is there but seeth For God saw all things that hee had made and they were exceeding Gen. 1.31 good and so to remaine still to all posterities in regard of their essence They all convene in this that a young man in manners because transported by his evill affections which he is not able of himselfe to resist is an unfit hearer both of morall and divine philosophie and that no lesse he then one of antient yeares being able to moderate his lusts and desirous to order his life aright is a profitable hearer They all attaine to the knowledge of Arist lib. de mundoe Vnus Deus cum sit pluribus nominibus appellatus est Eum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suis ijs effectibus omnibus quorum specimen edere ipse solet denominarûnt Seneca l 4 de Benefic C. 7 Quoties voles tibi licet aliter suà m Deum hunc authorem rerum nostrarum compellare Iovem c. Acts 17.23 one God and so the Turke but the dissenting is about the mediatorship The Turke maketh Mahumet his intercessor the Ethnick stockes stones the altar the 1 Cor. 10.20 divell in their oracles the Papist the mother of Christ with the Saints the crosse idols reliques of Martyrs the Protestant and orthodox Christ Iesus only Againe what is in the manner of worship ceremoniall corporeall externall is that which is frequented ioyntly of all the three former which surely is a very proper combination internall worship and spirituall with hearts elevation to the true God is that of the true Church only The Ethnick acknowledgeth that God is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agamemnon to Achilles in Hom. l. 1º Iliad author of vertue the Papist howsoever in his heate of superstition may seeme to be of another mind in his judgement accordeth the orthodox Christian attributes the whole praise thereof in Christ by the holy Ghost to him the father of all grace solely and will have all the light and life thereof absolutely to proceed from the bright beames of his Ierem. 9.23 24. glory What if Plutarch extolls the Worthies of Rome and Greece What if Dennis Carthusian his of all sorts and some that were no Saints but sotts without due respect to the God of glory What if some orthodox divine should not well consider from what wel-spring they received the waters of life whom hee commendeth above measure without this regard yet God forbid that this should be passed over without just censure The fathers of our religion registred for eternall memorie in sacred record are of farre more desert then all their successors yet ought it to beheld for a truth even in them gratiam invenere non meriti mercedem and not only this of most speciall note but that of our authors of singular soliditie fulget Hexam l. 4 C. 8. Our Father is excused for his high praises of the servants of God found in the Scripture more in these bookes then in some other of his workes and that with some neglect of what may bee conceived to be justly due to the Master himselfe ecclesia non suo sed Christi lumine Rapt with zeale was hee because of the great opposition of the Gentiles in his time as is evident in his apologie against Symmachus affixed to this worke which manifested his true Christian disposition carried with admiration was he in himselfe in lieu and love of the rare and divinely inspired vertues of such commended in Scripture with a wonderfull fervency of spirit with a desire as hot as fire for their most worthy imitation above all others next unto the sonne of God from whose light as members of his body they drew their light of holy life and lastly transported with an incredible piety toward them with such indefatigable care for the advancement of the honorable cause of religion in them that as there in his hexameron so here in these his offices he might not exactly remember that maine marke And so I come to the differences themselves Who may accord the great and
prayer used in the Church Ad te nostras rebelles compelle propitius Preces voluntates This cuts the throat of that misconceived opinion misleading too many of universall grace standing upon it that they are able to make it good that God openeth the eyes of all to see and the eares of all to heare the mysteries of salvation if they will when they cannot will without some speciall motion of Gods spirit The more this their acute position is sifted the more braine is found in it The finest wits go a wooll-gathering sometimes as did Plato when hee would not bee drawne from this perswasion of his that vice was not voluntary when it is well known to bee cleane against divine truth testifying Gen. 6.5 8.21 Mat. 15.19 Iob 15.16 Psal 62.4 36 4. Rom. 3.15 Es 59.7 every where that it is willingly committed and with delight in the unregenerate And had hee understood of the fall of our first parents who fell willingly hee would easily have yeelded Yea had hee considered the pleasure that is taken in sinne breaking out of our corrupt nature hee would never have maintained it That of the Philosopher reason to bee not only a lampe to guide the understanding and a Queene to moderate the will but attributing to it power perfectly to governe it selfe to seeke after the best things to avoide offence is no lesse erronious when in truth it not only comprehendeth not what true piety is but remaineth uncapable of many things incident to this life Who seeth not that humane reason openeth her mouth even against the Rom. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnesse of God it selfe invents some obloquie alwayes against his sacred truth Grace hath need of nature Luminis naturalis ductum repellere non modò stultum est sed impium Aug. de Trinit l. 4 C. 6. her light and guidance cannot be denied to be necessary yet in Rom. 1.21.23 discerning of things spirituall starke blind her science darknesse Let it bee granted that it is exact and absolute in it selfe yet in comparison of that great luminary of divine grace it is as nothing No humane reason can reach unto that maine principle whereupon our Christian faith dependeth that the sacred bookes are the oracles of God Neither can this bee so effectually proved by any other motives and inducements neuer so strong and consonant to reason as by the testimony of the spirit All the powers of naturall reason joyned with experience and science are not available to worke faith are not able to see much lesse to feele what the speciall grace of the holy Ghost is cannot inlighten for that only comes from Gods spirit the understanding and as for the donation of grace it concurres solely in the study of the word of God accompanying no other and the gift of sanctification is so peculiar to it that it is appropriated and the proper passion thereof Such a tye goes with it as with no science beside as to be believed what is Hebr. 11.12 contrary to common reason and sense it selfe first to Es 7.9 2 Chr. 20.20 beleeve afterward to learne and Chrisostome affirming no inquirie must be made of it but subscription and obedience tendered Summes 2.2 q. 10. Art 14. Aquinas interpreting that of the Rom. 14.23 Apostle whatsoever is not of faith is sinne saith this may be thus understood that the life of Infidels cannot bee without sinne when sinnes are not taken away without faith whereunto he addeth that it followeth not from hence infidels to sinne in every worke when in them that naturall goodnesse of reason which exhorteth to the best things is not altogether extinct and abolished Wee grant it to bee so concerning the substance of worke sinne in it selfe and civill actions but concerning Sapientia simpliciter est cognitio divinarum rerum Aug. de Trinit spirituall to bee so wee utterly deny and that upon sure warrant of the holy Ghost testifying that Rom 8.7 Hic observemus hominis voluntatem Divinae voluntati per omnia adversari Calv. all wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God The adversarie Sophists restraine it to sensuality but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of the sense but of the reason Whereby it appeareth that the reasonable part with the will as well as the sensuall is averse from God And so much doth the ordinary Omnis infidelium Vita peccatum est glosse intimate and so doth Lib. 6. Annotat. 25◠Anselm Ambros l. 1. de vocat Gent. speake to this sense Sixtus Senensis a learned man of their owne side Lib. 5. Cap. 6. Bellarmine seeing these streights slips by it and falls upon another Lib. Arb. place interpreting faith there to be the conscience affirming all the Fathers to expound it so Rom. 14.23 But whether yee take without faith concerning that of the Infidell or weake Christian though they both want it yet are they not without conscience And as for the Fathers they affirme that faith there is the knowledge of Christian libertie which more particularly concerneth conscience then generally to understand the same according to his sence whatsoever is without faith that is without conscience is sinne The truth is whatsoever we enter upon unlawfully under the guilt of conscience and under the knowledge of the breach of Christian liberty is sinne And therefore the law of God written in the consciences of the infidell Gentiles accuseth them when they sinne against it and convinceth them of transgression Wherefore to grant Bellarmine what he desireth that whatsoever is against conscience not whatsoever is against Christian liberty which is the orthodox exposition is sinne he hath gained nothing I resolve the point then with In Cap. 1. Iob. Origen That I may speake briefly and boldly all things whatsoever men shall doe either in virginity or abstinency or in the chastity of the body or in the distribution of their goods they doe all in vaine if they shall not doe it in faith For all severity all justice which any man shall use without a true inward faith hee useth it to no purpose it shall nothing profit him in the day of perdition nothing helpe him in the day of wrath Thus farre of differences in a triplicity Now in a duplicity some few more which stand betweene the Christian and Ethnick For these our points of morality they have spoken wonderfull well and if any shall say otherwise he shall wrong them Christianitie then hath this in common with them and her sonnes disdained not to Eustathius a Bishop commenting upon Homer Aug. Lact. Iren. Cyp. Hil. reade their bookes for their goodly documents but yet so that it selfe hath gone a great deale farther That of Plato before specified wee are not borne for our selves c. is much short of Pauls rule charitie seeketh not her owne and of our Saviour we must love our neighbour as our selves He goes to country parentage friends and there leaves now what becomes of the poore These if they had not
Verse 20. inspiration of the holy Spirit they recovered from their weaknesse and grew strong Who was ever more molested with z Iob 2.7.13 sores of body and a Chap. 6.4 sorrowes of soule then holy Job Witnesse the b Iob 1.16.14.15.17 the harsh opposition of his friends chap. 6.14 15.21 15.34 19.3 The strange disposition and desperate advise of the wife of his bosome chap. 2.9 the scornes and scoffes of his villans and vassals chap. 30.1.10 the terrors of sinne the horrors of death chapt 7.3.19 the anguish of spirit chapt 7.15 27.21 the wounds of conscience cbapt 6 4. the arrowes of the Almighty mustered themselves and brake in suddenly upon him making him a spectacle to men and Angels 1 Cor. 4.9 burning of his house the losse of his cattell the sudden death of his ten children the swelling and raging ulcers the burning and angry blaines and botches of his whole body In all these was he lesse blessed then if hee had not suffered them nay was he not much more approved by his rare and admirable patience shewed therein Let it be granted that there was exceeding much bitternesse in them what griefe is there so great that the vertue of the mind doth not cover and overcome I cannot deny the sea to be deepe because in the shore there be many shallow foordes neither the haven to be bright because it is sometimes obscured with clouds neither the earth fruitfull c qâ—â—a jejuna glarcaest because the drift sand pible stones and gravell lying on the shore maketh it so in some places or the standing corne toward the time of harvest to be faire goodly to the sight because it hath some small sprinkling of wilde oates intermist In like sort deeme thou of the harvest of an happy conscience that is never so cleare so calme but the cloudes of sorrow and vexation infest and interupt the tranquillity thereof If any crosse or bitter incombrance happen is it not shrowded vnder the sheaves of a blessed estate as the wild and worklesse oates the bitter and distastfull darnell vnder the sweet and pleasantly savoring wheat But now let vs proceed to the things proposed in our former booke CHAP. VI. Of profit not that which raked together by vnjust lucre but of that which is just and honest IN our former booke we have so made our division that honesty and comelinesse from the which duties might well bee drawne and were to goe before in the first place what belonged to vtilitie were to follow after in the second And as in the former we have noted a certaine distinction and difference betweene that which is honest and that which is comely but yet such as might better be vnderstood then expressed so now when wee handle that is profitable this seemeth to be a cheife and prime thing to be considered of what is more profitable But we value not profit according to the estimate of pecuniary commoditie but according to the gaine of piety The Apostles rule a 1 Tim. 4.8 must be our derection godlines is profitable vnto all things having the promise of this life and that which is to come Therefore when wee doe diligently search the divine scriptures wee often find therein that what is honest is also called b 1 Cor. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profitable All things are lawfull for me but all things are not profitable He spake before of vices now therefore he saith it is la full that his sins are in our power but vnseemely is it and dishonest to fall into them Free-will we have to run into evill but not to be honest ready and easie is the way to grow loose and riotous but not righteous and iust For thereby meate is made to serve the belly not to c Non vivendum est vt edamus sed edendum vt vivamus vivendum verò vt dei gloriae promovendae studeamus 1 Cor. 10.31 Cum bona sit omnis creatura benè potest amari malè benè scilicet ordine custodito malè atuem perturbato Aug. de civit Dei Lib. 15 Cap. 22. serve the Lord Wherefore whatsoever is profitable that also is iust it is iust that wee should serue Christ who hath redeeemed vs. Therefore they are iust who for his names saks have offered themselues to death vniust who haue refused or sought to avoyd it In the person of these latter the Psalmist d Psal 30.9 breaketh out what profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to corruption or at least his phrase may well fit this construction what profit doe I reape by my righteousnesse and if it may accord with theirs in the booke of Wisedome Let vs e Wisd 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth let vs sit or lie in waite circumvent the iust for hee is not for our profit that is hee is vnjust because he reprooveth condemneth chastiseth vs. Howbeit this also may be vsed against the covetousnesse of the wicked which is neere to perfidiousnesse according to that we read of Iudas the traytor who through the study of avarice and desire of money fell into the snare of treason and desperate strangling of his owne body of this we are to speake as of that which is replete with honesty and as the Apostle defineth it in the same forme of words This I say for your profit not that I may take you in a snare but that ye may follow that which f Psal 119.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is honest Å¿ 1 Cor. 7.35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Participium nominis vim obtinens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so signifieth not improperly It is manifest therefore what is honest to be profitable and just and what is profitable to be honest and iust and what is just to be profitable and honest For neither is my discourse to merchants covetous after the desire of gaine but to sonnes and of offices which greatly reioyce to inculcate and am very desirous likewise to infuse into you whom I haue chosen into the Lords ministery that those things which have growne vp and beene imprinted in your mindes and manners by long vse and institution may appeare in your speech and discipline Wherefore addressing my selfe to speake of vtility I call to mind that propheticall g bat sah coÌ„cupiscere Ariaâ— Montanus rendreth it concupiscentia Tremel Iun. neque sinas deflecti ad quaestum veâ—â—â—le Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto covetousnesse Lest the sound of vtility should stirre up to the desire of money Beside some reade incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not to h vtility to that vtility to those faires of game to that hunting after lucre in vre with men fully bent vpon profit wholy set and fixed vpon such cares as deriue commodities to them For vulgarly
mercy seate may find remission Whatsoever fault hath crept into this worke O Christ pardon it Thou hast vouchsafed to make me a dispensor of thy heavenly mysteries we of the ministerie are all thy messengers but not Ex libro ejus 5. cap. 1. de fide equally all because thou hast bestowed thy gifts according to thy good pleasure Wee are all O Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.1 Chrys in his Tractat on the shepheard and sheepe coworkers together blessed is hee that bestoweth his talent to the best advantage Blessed is hee that buildeth upon the foundation of faith in thee gold 1 Cor. 3. silver pretious stones If our diligence satisfie not men let it suffice when we shall render our account to thee that we have done our best indevour Make them that reade this learne being purged thereby with the working together of thy sacred spirit from their corruptions to shine as gold tried in the fornace in the beauty of holy duties Thou art the good Samaritan cure the wounds of the people powre in wine and oyle heale the breaches of the land It is overwhelmed with vanity covered with injustice it swarmeth with intemperance lyeth naked and is stripped of zeale fortitude courage and constancy in the cause of the maintenance of thine honour of syncere doctrine vertuous life true practise after much profession many religious exercises and perusing multitudes of godly bookes We acknowledge that this increaseth our sinne heapeth an heavier judgement upon us with-holdeth thy love from us and incenseth thine indignation when wee bring not forth answerable fruits Adde therefore we beseech thee deare Saviour the fire of thy Spirit to warme our affections and by the flames thereof so kindle our spirits that we may bee moved forward with a fervent affection in the way of a pious conversation abounding in all manner of good workes for the great glory of thy Name the credit of our profession the continuance of thy Gospell the turning away of thy judgements long threatned yet hitherto in thy unspeakable mercy with-held from us And because of thine inexplicable love toward us and merits above that we are able to aske or thinke with thy heavenly Father for us our humble duty also binding us thereunto stirre us up through the fervency of the same spirit of strength to seeke continually at thy mercifull hands by hearty and earnest praier the increase of thy speciall blessings upon thine anointed the breath of our nostrels King Charles with his royall consort upon Prince Charles the rest of the royall Progeny the Princesse Palatine likewise and her Princely issue upō the house of Levi and the whole Common-weale of this kingdome from the highest to the lowest Incite us we instantly pray thee in the last place but not with our least but best remembrance unto all thankfulnesse for thy primarie mercy unto us for the same our most religious and vertuous Iehoshaphat the continuance of the pretious jewell of thy Gospell under him our gratious Soveraigne Cause us in sincerity of soule in a burning desire and indevour to render for both these then the which nothing in the world can be greater not unmindfull of whatsoever benefit beside to thee our only Redeemer with the whole undividable most sacred Trinity one in Nature three in Person infinitely worthy to receive of the whole familie in heaven and earth of Angels men and all creatures everlasting honour and glory immortall praise and benediction Amen The translation of St. Cyprians Epistle ad Cornelium fratrem being then B. of Rome de sacerdotibus reformandis IN Deutronomie Deutr. 17.22 the Lord God speaketh saying And the man that will doe proudly and not hearken unto the Priest or Iudge which shall be in those dayes even that man shal dye and all the people when they shall heare it shall feare and shall do no more wickedly In like manner to 1 Sam. 8.7 Samuel when he was despised of the Iewes they have not despised thee but they have despised mee The Lord likewise in the Gospell Luke 10.16 hee which heareth you heareth me and him that sent me and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me who rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me And when he had clensed the leper Math. 8.4 goe saith he and shew thy selfe to the priest And afterward in the time of his passion when hee had received a stroke John 18.22 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a servant of the high priest and when he had said to him dost thou so answer the high priest The Lord against the high Priest answered nothing contumeliously neither from the honour of the priests detracted any thing but vindicating rather and shewing his owne innocencie If I have evill spoken upbraid me of the evill but if I have well spoken why smitest thou me Also in the Acts of the Apostles blessed Paul when it was said to him Act. 23.4 Dost thou so charge Gods high priest in reviling him albeit the Lord being now crucified they began to bee sacrilegious impious and bloudy neither did reteine at this time any of the priestly honour and authoritie notwithstanding thinking upon the very name it selfe howbeit voide and being a certaine shadow of a Priest was affraid I knew not brethren saith he that he was the high Priest For it is written thou shalt not speake evill of the ruler of thy people When these so great and such like and many other examples doe goe before us whereby the priestly authoritie is strengthened by divine verdict what manner of persons dost thou suppose them to be who being enemies to Priests and rebels against the Church Catholike are neither terrified with the threatning of the Lord forewarning them neither with the vengeance of the judgement to come Heresies and schismes whereupon they grow up For neither have heresies risen or schismes sprung up from any other ground then from hence that obedience is not given to Gods Priest Neither one Priest for the time nor one Iudge for the time is thought to bee in Christs stead to whom if according to magisteriall office divine the universall brotherhood would dutifully submit themselves there would be no moving at all against the Colledge of priests no man after divine judgement after the suffrage of the people after the joynt consent of the Bishops would make himselfe a judge not now of the B. but of God No man in the breach of the unity of Christ would rent asunder the Church no man pleasing and swelling apart abroad would build up a new heresie unlesse if there bee any of so sacrilegious temerity and reprobate mind that hee may thinke a Priest to bee made without the judgement and ordinance of God when the Lord saith in the Gospell g are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and neither of them falls to the earth without the will of your Father when hee saith not the least things to bee brought to passe without the will of God can any one imagine
but specially in his Epitaph upon Neopotian unnestles him in his couch For what is his stuffe stript of some little flourish P. Diaconus and P. Orosius St. Hieroms schollar and set on worke by St. Augustine by their pithy historicall discourse pinched him on both sides to the hard bones And at last St. Augustine himselfe in that everlasting monument of his f De Civitate Dei 22. bookes hath sifted him to the branne hunted him out of all his starting holes and loosing the lists of his refined lines hath quite and cleane like to a few Spiders webbes swept them away with all their wiles Thus you see that all these and many more not now extant as so many malls are hammering still upon this stithy and though they batter it every one in his turne yet they never leave striking till they have driven it to powder But this was one of the least not of the last of our prudent Fathers labours For hee applied himselfe to profit posterity as long as hee was able to handle a penne Every of the foure and he in the first place had his excellency He in his Allegorie Gregorie in Tropologie Hierome in History Augustine in Anagogie Each of these is doubtlesse for utilitie if we had the like will and wisdome to use it accordingly The Apostle bids Timothie bring with him his g 2 Tim. 4.13 bookes specially his parchment Hee being exraordinarily inspired and his time of dissolution now at hand what should hee doe with bookes As the sacred so other godly bookes in their degree be for comfort instruction strengthening the judgement establishing in the truth the day of reckoning being come of principall use for preparation and committed to parchment more durable But that the providence of God is wonderfull for the benefit of his Church wee might justly admire that the Fathers in their continuall care of government of preaching disputing conferring reading had any time left them at all to write much more so many large volumes Varro in his time was a mirrour to the Ethnicks and our Author may bee a h Vsque ad ultimam aegritudinem non cessavit scribere unde scribens in illum psalmum magnus Dominus laudabilis nimis c. mortuus est Th. Aquinas in Comment in 2 Ep. ad Tim. cap. 4. greater to us For his i Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 2. cōmendation with some additament may hee justly challenge Vir doctissimus undecunque Ambrosius qui tam multa legit tam multa toties concionando locutus est ut aliquid ei scribere vacâsse miremur tam multa scripsit eaque brevitate difficultate ut vix quenquam legere pauciores intelligere posse credamus But in so much pregnancy of wit as in our age what use is there of reading the Fathers themselves Pijs k Calvin Comment suo in 2. Epist ad Timoth. cap. 4 2.1◠omnibus commendatur l Continuall reading from which they may reape profit is commended to all the godly The furie also of fanaticall spirits is more refuted thereby who contemning bookes and condemning all reading boast only of the strong inward motion of the holy Ghost wherewith they are inflamed assidua lectio ex qua proficiant Magis etiam refellitur fanaticorum hominum furor qui libris contemptis damnataque omni lectione solos suos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jactant And where may we profit more then here whose assiduity is a wonderment to the world and so great that it had beene unpossible for them to have undergone it but that Vicit amor Christi fideique immensa cupido St. Ambrose to a Valentinian the second Socrat. Schol. l. 4. C. 26. Valentinian the Emperour earnestly craving Ex lib. 5. Epist Ep. 30. and effectually dealing with him that he would not at the Petition of the Gentiles bee induced to grant his Imperiall Decree for the restoring of their Altars shewing first by such a Decree no small injury to redound to God next to his b Valentinian the first brother to Valens the Emperour Father and c Gratian the Emperour Brother AMbrose Bishop to the most blessed and Christian Emperour d This young Emperour was very wavering in his religion here our Author feares his turning Pagan elsewhere mentioning with Auxentius that he would altogether become Arian as Orat. de Basil trad Epist ad Marcellin soror lib. 5. Epist Ep. 32. Ep. 34 ad Theodos Imp. to whom upō his decease he giving his testimonie plainly speakes it Quod ego non pro recordatione injuriae erga me veteris deprompsi sed pro testimonio conversionis Illud enim alienum hoc suum quod à te infusum sibi itatenuit vt matris persuasionem excluderet Now his mother was an Arian Valentinian Forasmuch as all men living under the dominion of the Roman Empire doe homage and service to you Princes and Potentates of the earth yee ought your selves in like manner to live under the command and obedience of the omnipotent God and to fight likewise under his banner for the maintenance of the holy faith For otherwise the weale of no man can possibly be in safetie unlesse he may be brought truly to worship the true God which ruleth all things by his power And hee only is the true God who in his devotion calleth for the e John 4.24 Psal 5◠6 heart and f Not regarding what is outward Micah 6.7.8 inward affections The Gods of the Gentiles as saith the Scripture are g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Sept. Psal 95.6 Divels Whosoever therefore taketh up armes in the cause of the true God and sincerely embraceth his holy service he stayeth not upon dissimulation and connivency incident to outward ceremonie but his whole care in all fidelity consists in the imployment of his mind upon the study of pure religion and godly devotion Last of all if these things be not performed at the least this must be done that in no wise consent bee shewed to any idolatrous service and prophane h Prophane that is wicked not otherwise then chalelei in Hebr. equally used for prophane and polluted Fraternas acies Alternaque bella profanis Decertata odijs Stathius He is properly prophane who is held with no love of the Fane or Temple howbeit here used for that which is most beastly and abominable And is not idolatry abominable when as the learnedst of them which most strongly standeth for it confesseth that revera Diabolus in ipsis loquebatur the Divel spake out of their idols Bellarmine apud D. Rainolds l. 2. de Idol C. 3. Paragr 8. which appeareth clearely to be so Lev. 17.7 That idols called Vanities Ier. 14.22 because they beare the vaine images of the true God or as Zach. 10.2 they speake vaine things these expresse somewhat their dotage that run after them but laie not open fully the foule deformity of