from knowledge and seeking for learning in bookes which carrie fruitfull instruction but good letters and studie to encrease knowledge are not to be neglected Such as presume of Gods spirit ouer boldly that without their indeuour to vse the wholesome meanes which he hath left vnto his Church they shall and do by speciall inspiration vnderstand his will do tempt God Thus we see that Preachers in the iudgement of auncient Fathers and late writers cannot open the Scriptures nor diuide the word aright without secular learning 2 This appeareth by the practise of all ecclesiasticall expounders who cannot giue vse of the true sense of Scripture nor diuide it aright without this knife of secular learning How oft are our moderne interpreters to speake nothing of the auncient Gualther Peter Martyr Musculus yea Caluin and most of all Iunius and Beza faine to consult with Poets Philosophers and Historians for the vse and acception of words for proprietie of phrase for vnderstanding of stories and hard places in the Scriptures Are we better able then they to explane them without it and may we not cite it as they do without ostentation of learning Indeed some haue practised and said they bring no prophane author but when they find him cited in Caluine or Beza because I thinke it is then hallowed as Paul sanctified Menander and the Poets but what is this else saith Aretius then to be led by Commenters onely and see with other mens eyes If Caluin or Beza bring the sense of a word from a Poet and we take it from him why is it not as lawfull to cite it as Beza or rather to drinke the fountaine then the brooke 3 As c Lib. 1. de rat stud Theolog. cap. 11. Obs 8. Hyperius auoucheth that diuerse matters of all kind are handled in Scripture which without secular Writers we cannot vnderstand nor open their meaning to our people so sheweth he diuerse instances and examples thereof as Esa 15. Ioel 2. to explane their custome how the Iewes testified griefe of mind by shauing their heads and beards by putting on sackcloth and renting their garments operaepretium est it is needfull to shew from prophane Writers the like custome of Ethnicke nations who tooke it of them as most auncient as the Graecians Milesians Carthaginians Persians Egyptians Assyrians Romaines and many other as Alex. lib. 3. genial dier cap. 7. sheweth at large how Archâ—laus king of Macedon in token of sorrow shaued his head at the death of Eurypides and Achilles d Homer Iliad lib. 5. at the funerall of Patroclus We tell them Deut. 11. 10. that Egypt hath no raine for extremitie of heate and though Scripture there tels vs it is watered with labour vid. Esa 23. 3. yet how can we assure them the meanes of the whole lands fertilitie but by shewing out of e Lib. 5. nat hist cap. 9 li. 18 cap 18. Plinie f Lib. 3 cap. 9. Pomponius Mela g Cap. 41. Solinus h Lib. 2 de excid Ierus cap. 9. Egesippus c. that it is by the ouerflow of Nilus which we reade not in Scripture Will they not maruell and say like Nicodemus How can these things be vnlesse we thus expound and explane it So Mat. 9. 23. they will maruell what minstrels did at a funeral They will not if we shew them how antiquitie by musicke as i In vet musie Proâ—m Boetius sheweth moued their friends to lament yet moderately and therfore ordained k Stat. lib. 6. Theb. tibiam a pipe at the death of youth as it was now at the death of Iairus daughter and l Virgil. lib. 11. Pers Satyr 3. tubam a trumpet at the death of old folke How can we open fully this place without the helpe of these Poets Shall we say It was an auncient custome Suppose an hearer say of vs truly what Aristotle of Moses falsly for Genesis Hic home multa dicit sed nihil probat Sir I beleeue you not vnlesse you shew me more then your owne bare word So Luk. 7. they will maruell how Mary could with teares wash Christs feet sitting at supper and wipe them with her haire Went he bare-foot no from m Plin. iun. lib. 8. Epist 7. Horat. lib. 2 ser vnde Martial lib. 5. Deposui soleas c. Eâ— Terent Heaut Accurrunt seruâ— soleas detrahunt video alâ—oâ— festinare lectos strucre cunam parare antiquitie I must shew how in eating they leaned on a bed and put off their shooes lest they should defile it So Luk. 15. of the bloud of those Galilaeans Act. 5. of Theudas and Iudas of Galile this cannot be fully explaned without n Ioseph lib. 18. antiq Euseb lib. 1. cap 3. lib. 2. cap. 11. them who haue written of them at large Ioh. 8. 25. when the Iewes asked our Sauiour Who art thou and he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what stirre do Interpreters keepe on this place how doubtfull hard and vncertaine is it at first looke whereas if we shew the vse and phrase of the Greeke tongue which vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primitùs first or before as o Lib. 7. polit cap. 11. ad fin Aristotle vseth the word it is easie The Iewes of old searched and to this day spend their wits to make Gods promise true of their eternall possessing the holy land though they be cast out and are driuen to many shifts but see how briefly Austine explanes it from a like phrase in Horace Seruiet aeternùm qui paruo nesciet vti To be short many stories of the kings of Babylon the Medes Persians and Macedonians occurre in Scripture which without prophane stories we cannot explane The people are bid learne of the Turtle Crane and Swallow Ier 8. often mention of trees as the palme tree like which the righteous is promised to flourish and spread abroade like a Cedar in Libanus Of the Oliue tree whereunto we Gentiles are compared Rom. 11. Of the Vine whereto all Christians Iohn 15. Often also are infinite elegant similitudes drawne from naturall things In his omnibus locis saith Hyperius opus est eos authores consulas qui de quadrupedibus serpentibus auibus arboribus herbis alijsque rebus simplicibus ex professo disputarunt And seeing Salomons Philosophy wherein he wrote of all plants from the Cedar to the Hyssope on the wall is perished what better helpes of explanation then Plinies naturall historie then Aristotles storie of beasts then Columella for rurall matters then Leuinus Lemnius de herbis biblicis for declaring the nature of herbes in the Bible then Cardan and Aelians diuerse stories or Gesner for the qualitie natures feature c. of all beasts fishes and serpents in those his large volumes I may find a beginning but no end in examples of these things But who seeth not by these few that without this knife we cannot cut and diuide the word aright We reade 1.
it reconcilement sith we neuer fell out so strange may it seeme our Sauiour should write to a brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be reconciled and not rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer fall out seeing brother with the Hebrewes so much importeth vnitie that they call a stocke or stone brother and sister because it is vnited to another Exod. 26. 3. Ezec. 1. 9. Howbeit seeing Sathan who made e Esa 50. â— separation betweene God and man that the father was deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father hath also made a diuision among men that now the bonds of brotherhood are dissolued and brother as Christ prophesied is deuided against brother Mat. 10. as it was needfull for Paul to beseech the sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be reconciled to God thy Father 2. Cor. 5. so here necessarie for Christ to say to the brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be reconciled to thy brother or to paraphrase with the Glosse be reconciled because he is thy brother But as the Lawyer asked Christ of his neighbour Luk. 10. thou wilt say vnto me Who is then my brother Saint f Tem â— adâ—â— Heâ—uid Ierome finds in the Scripture a foure-fold brother First naturall as Iacob g Gen. 2â— 30. and Esau in the old h Mat. 4. 21. Iames and Iohn in the new Testament which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne of the same parents as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth which i Scap. Steph. â— Linguists deriue either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vter because they are couterini of the same wombe or k Macroâ— lib. â— Satur. cap. 17. from the priuatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnus that is not one because one cannot be called a brother whence we call him brother in our tongue as it were bred-other But the Latine frater is more generall which some thinke l Ambros calap dict comes of the Atticke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Eustathius on those words in m Lib. 2. Iliad Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriues from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and imports men who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by any law of fellowship haue communitie among themselues whether they be fellow-citizens or fellowes in religion or of the same familie or of the same tribe or at the same feast or of the same bloud so neare linked that each is frater quasi ferè alter as n Aâ—l. Gel. lib. 13 cap. 10. Nigidius deduced it a brother as if he were almost another And therefore Ierome finds a second brother namely by nation as all the Iewes are tearmed brethren Deut. 15. 12. because within the land of Iurie vers 7. and all other straâ—ngers and not brethren vers 3. because alients from the commonwealth of Israel Thirdly is there a brother by consanguinitie as all of one stocke and linage So Lot Abrahams nephew is tearmed his brother Gen. 13. So Paul calleth the Iewes his brethren though but kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9. 3. and Christ is said to haue brethren Luk. 8. 20. that is as our English translation on the margent there rendreth it kinsfolkes or cousins as o Mat. 13. 55. Mar. 3. 31. 6. 3. Ioh. 2. 12. 1. Cor. 9. 5. elsewhere it doth interpret From which place although Heluidius and other Antimarites would inferre Christ had naturall brethren and staine so Maries virginitie who was a Virgin after child-birth and a chast mother before mariage as p Tom. 3. apolo prolib aduers louâ—â—an Ierome speaketh yet was her wombe as with q Lib. 13. in E zec 44. loco â—itat him Austine r Serm. 2. de Temp. ser 14. applies it like the gate into the holiest of all into which our high Priest onely entred Eze. 44. 2. and said This gate shall be shut and shall not be opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israell hath entred by it and it shall be shut It appertaineth to the Prince the Prince himselfe shall sit in it he shall enter by the porch of that gate and shall go out by the way of the same And s Tom 3. fol 5. adu Hel. de perpet virgiâ— beatâ— Mariae Ierome there against Heluidius by many arguments proueth she remained a perpetuall Virgin as the Orthodoxall both Greeke and Latine Fathers Ignatius Irenaeus Origen Basil Ierome Austine Ambrose Bernard Chrysostome Gregorie Nyssene Epiphanius Damascene and Theophilact with t Vide Georg. Soh tom 2 art 3 de pers â—ssâ—c Corâ—stâ— quaest 3. de natâ—â— moderne Writers affirme and confirme at large No her wombe saith u Lib. 4 in Mat. 27. Ierome was a tombe for Christs bodie and new sepulcher wherein neuer man but he was laid Vpon proofe of which point he produceth this distinction of brethren now in hand and saith there is a fourth kind of brethren spirituall by profession of one faith whence all Christians by our Sauiour are tearmed brethren Mat. 23. Neuerthelesse sith that x 1. Ioh. 5. 7. three-one hath conioyned all persons in a triple-vnitie naturall as men ciuill as fellow-citizens and spirituall as Christians for he made all mankind of one bloud as men to dwell together on the face of the earth as cohabitants to seeke him as Christians Act. 17. 26. 27. and in him as men we liue moue vp and downe as fellow-citizens and haue our spirituall being as Christians I may semblably speake of this triple fraternitie naturall of brethren by birth and all men by bloud ciuill of societies and spirituall of Christian brethren And to begin reconcilement of naturall brethren whose being 1. Brother 〈◊〉 was from two leauing no lesse then father and mother to become one flesh for their coexistence whose bed was one wombe for their infant growth whose life and vital spirits were from one concord of contrarie qualities and conspiring temper of elements in the hodie whose diet and meate was one milke from the breasts of loue yea whose hearts tongues and hands were from one heart one tongue and hands for their agreement in thought word and deed this vnion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith y Lib. 8 Ethâ—c cap. 12. Aristotle so naturall that I may with the z 1. Cor. 11. 15. Apostle send them to the schoole of nature and aske them nonne ipsa quidem natura hoc vos docet Doth not nature it selfe teach you this thing and grace should not need to learne them reconcilement For euen nature as an a Plut lib de frat amor Heathen noteth to teach them loue reciprocall and mutuall ayde hath put a booke into their hands their owne bodie in whose brotherly members as in so many columes they may reade this borowed beneuolence in whose fabricke and structure she hath made most parts double germana
of diuision God defend that Bethmarraboth the house of bitternesse wiped out should become Behoram the house of anger and wrath God defend that Hierusalem the vision of peace which in Dauids gouernment was like a citie at vnitie in it selfe Psal 122. should in Lysias the chiefe captaines time be like Ierusalem all on an vprore Act. 21. God forbid that the head should reioyce to see the members bite and deuoure one another or nourish drones in the hiue which work not at al but are busie-bodies For howsoeuer skilful Bee-keepers and cunning hiue-heards iudge that swarme to be best fruitfull in making honie apud quod strepitus susurrus frequens tumultusque plurimum est which buzzeth most and makes the greatest stirre and tumult as l Loco citaâ— Aristotle noteth yet that regent cui Deus ciuilis examinis curam imposuit who hath gouernment of the ciuill hiue saith m Reip. gâ—rend praecept Plutarch must iudge them to make then most honie when they are most peaceable and quiet and thinke that when they are busie-bodies they worke not at all For where strife and enuying is there are all manner of euill workes Iam. 3. 16. Let me end this point with the n Rom. 16. 17. Apostles exhortation Now I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which ye haue receiued and auoid them for they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies and with faire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple o Phil. 2. 1. 2 3. 4. And if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels of compassion and mercie fulfill my ioy my ioy yea your heauenly Fathers ioy the Church your mothers ioy on earth mens ioy the Angels ioy and the diuels griefe and sorrow that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement that nothing be done through contention or vainglorie but that in meeknesse of mind euery man esteeme other better then himselfe Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other and the God that maketh p Psal 68. men to be of one mind in an house giue you that ye be like minded q 2. Cor. 13. 11 Be of one mind liue in peace ciuilly with your brethren and the God of peace and loue shall be with you But be it that naturall brethren of one Adam and Eue breake 3 To thy spirituall brother the linkes of consanguinitie and ciuill brethren of one head and common weale dissolue the bands of brotherhood in ciuill societie yet seeing saith r Lib. de discip Christ cap. 1. Austine as Christians we haue all one father which is God one mother the Church whereby we are brethren in the spirit let vs keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace For seeing almightie God our Å¿ Mat. 23. 9. heauenly father hath t 1. Pet. 1. 2 3. begot vs by the immortall seed of his word in the u Esa 46. 3. wombe of his x Cant. 4. 9. 10. Hos 2 19 spouse the Church which is the y Gal. 4. 26. Esa 54. 1. 13. mother of vs all all ye Christians are brethren saith Christ our elder z Rom. 8. 29. brother Mat. 23. 8. Which spirituall fraternitie so the a 1. Pet. â— 9. Apostle cals it as it is more holy then carnall brotherhood for sanctior est copula cordium quà m corporum saith b Tom. 1. lib. de mod beâ— viâ— ser 5. de châ—râ—â— Bernard so should it be nearer linked in loue seeing coniunctiores sunt qui animis quà m qui corporibus coniunguntur nearer are they of kinne which are allyed in the spirit then they who are but of linage in the flesh as c Lib. 6 diuin instit cap. 10. Lactantius obserueth Whereupon as for that the son of the Virgine Mary counted his mother more blessed for carying him in her heart by grace then in her wombe by nature Luk. 11. 28. so for this our elder brother Christ preferred his spiritual brethren to his mother and brethren in the flesh Mat. 12. 49. Which mysticall bodie of the Church sith Christ hath knit together by ioynts and bands proceeding from him Col. 2. 19. as the head doth our naturall bodie by arteries and sinewes deriued froÌ„ it therfore sheweth the Apostle to vs seuen of these bands and nerues of loue Ephes 4. 4. First we are one bodie whose members must needs be knit together secondly we haue all one spirit whereby we are vnited together thirdly one hope of our vocation for which as hopefull coheires we should reioyce together fourthly one Lord whom as fellow-seruants peaceably we serue together fiftly one faith which we maintaine together sixtly one baptisme in which we promised against his foes to fight together and seuenthly one God and Father of all who will haue his children to be and reioyceth to see them in vnitie together Which bonds of peace common to vs all shold linke vs in loue as those primitiue Christians were one heart and one soule when they had all things common Act. 2. 4. For seeing amitie and loue springeth from likenesse and equalitie as d Lib. 8. Ethic. cap. 8. Aristotle e Lib de amicit Tully and f Lib. de multit amicorum Plutarch teach this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this though earthly onenesse and identitie wrought euen with heathen men so much that old Hegio in the g Terent. Adel. act 3. sâ—en 5. Comedie from this could resolue neuer to breake friendship Cognatus mihi erat vnâ à pueris paruoli Sumus educati vnâ semper militiae domi Fuimus paupertatem vnâ pertulimus grauem Animam relinquam potiùs quà m deseram We were borne together we were brought vp together at home and abroad we alwaies were together we suffered want both together nothing but death shall diuorce vs. h Val. Max. li. 1. cap. de â—iraâ— Philostratus and Hippoclides because they were borne in one day had one schoolemaister and lesson of Philosophie and one decrepit age they had one mind and one affection and one purse their loue continued to the last houre of their death and dyed both together What knit Tully and Scipio so together that they were of one heart and one soule in two bodies but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and likenesse as himselfe i Lib. de amicit confesseth whereby they both liued in one house fed at one table learned one knowledge fought in one warre trauelled in one peregrination and conuersed in one rustication and countrie life Such vnitie of minds this onenesse of manners bred in these men that he professeth himselfe he neuer offended him in any thing to his knowledge and confesseth of his friend that he neuer heard any thing from his
it fully to euery mans conceipt Moses receiued the law from the Lord at mount Sinai bringeth he nought else to expound it to Israel The Prophets explane Moses pentatench bring they nought else to declare it to the Iewes Christ and his Apostles explane the Prophets did not the holy Spirit cause them to bring Allegories Tropes Parables and Similitudes with many other things which are not in the Prophets to expound them And how can we silly ones of our selues open all the meanings of all these shew the nature of things to which they allude note the right acceptatiō of words which are ambiguous find out the distance of places which they insinuate and such like without Philosophers Poets Historians who haue truly declared them at large The reason then followeth not The Prophets and Apostles in laying downe the will of God and grounds of faith spake nothing but what they receiued immediatly from the Lord therfore Preachers in further opening of this will may not bring any truth from writers to expound it or make it more plaine to the ignorant Why then are any expositions of commenters alledged why do we open it by our own discourse ranging one sentence beyond the very words of the word but onely because they and we speake that which consenteth with the doctrin of faith And why is it not as good from Philosophers Poets and Historians as from our owne braine when it suteth with truth of the word and is according to the analogie of faith 5. Other reasons kept the Prophets and Apostles from alleadging Secular learning to their people which restraine not vs Christians First there were few or no secular writers before Moses wrote as witnessed f Lib 1. contra Appion Iosephus with others therefore he could not cite any And yet being learned in all the wisdome of Egypt see how in his books especially Genesis Philosophie Astronomie Geographie Arithmetike Histonographie and the liberal Arts shew themselues without the axiomes maxims and principles wherof we see commentators cannot fully expound him And how then can we deuide that word aright and search his scriptures to the bottome as we are commaunded Iohn 5. without these helpes affoorded vs from the Lord Secondly for the Prophets for Christ and his Apostles to what end should they haue alleaged any learning of the prophane Gentils to the Iewes who hated them extreamely They abhorred their companie and would not meddle with them Iohn 4. 9. much more would they detest their doctrine according to that law Deut. 7. They thought it pollution to eate of their meate Acts 11. 3. much more to tast of their learning They thought it pollution to admit their persons into their Temple Acts 21. 28. 29. and g Ioseph lib. 2◠contra Appion made them stand without as strangers Luke 18. 13. much lesse would they admit their doctrine into their hearts though they heard it with their eares And yet Paul being taught by Gamaliel and skilfull in secular learning thought it fit to cite it to the Gentiles who he knew woud receiue and beleeue it which for the contrary reason he would not do to the Iewes Wherefore fith neither this reason hindreth vs for God hath giuen vs these helpes to explane and contestate to his word and seeing we learne these heathen authors from our youth to informe our vnderstandings and reforme our wils and know them to be truth from the Lord who is the author of al truth we may more lawfully vse them for opening of his word when we find them agreeable thereunto 5. Ob. Yea but Ieremie chap. 14. 14 counts them false Prophets who spake any thing which they had not from the Lord but prophesied their owne vision vanitie and deceitfulnesse of their owne heart And chap. 23. 21 They prophesied saith the Lord when I spake not vnto them But if they had stood in my counsel they would haue declared my words vnto my people and not haue prophesied the deceipt of their owne heart They thinke to cause my people to forget my name by their dreames which they tel euery man to his neighbour The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully What is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord Ergo they are false teachers who speake from any but the Lord in his reuealed word 1. Resp. This place toucheth them most who in a priuate spirit of singularitie refusing all other mens writings open and preach his word presumptuously relying wholy on their owne iudgement and so make the Scripture propriae explicationis condemned by the Apostle 2. Pet. 1. 20. It toucheth not them who follow the iudgement of Gods Church conduct of that spirit which animateth the whole bodie of Christ the true expositions of Fathers commentators and grather truth dispersed among the heathens seeing the truth in al these is onely from the Lord. 2. Ieremie reprooueth them who spake that which was not from the Lord but all truth in secular writers being frō the holy Ghost euen from the Lord as anone shall be shewed this place rather is for it then against it He counts them false Prophets because they spake their own vision that was falshood as he after expounds it vers 26. 27. and mixed their lies with his truth as chaffe with wheate as the auncient and moderne both expound it And if any preach falshood out of secular writers this place checketh his teaching if truth sutable to the rule and square of Gods word he speaketh frō the Lord who is author of all truth as in my next answer shall be shewed Wherefore as the Apostle prophesied of these latter times that some should so farre giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrine of diuels that they wold command to abstaine from some kind of meates 1. Tim. 4. so may I say of them that forbid vs the lawfull vse of prophane writers which God hath giuen to be receiued with thankesgiuing of them that beleeue and know the truth For as euery creature of God so euery truth frō God is good and nothing of it ought to be refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 6. Ob. Yea but Saint Paul chargeth euery Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1. 3. that he teach none other doctrine but keepe the patterne of wholesome words which we haue of Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1. 13. And if any man speake in the pulpit let him speake as the words of God 1. Pet. 4. Therefore neither may we speake any other thing nor otherwise then is in the word which is to adulterate and like hucsters to mingle it with humane deuices 2. Cor. 4. 1. Resp By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle meaneth teaching otherwise then agreeth with truth and analogie of faith in the scriptures as he expounds himselfe 1. Tim. 6. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c.
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
knowledge and learning quam alius Dei cultor inuenerit which another strange worshipper of God found out and first maried Neque enim noua tantùm contenti debemus esse doctrina sed veterem excolere nostro iungere comitatui si tamen sacro cultu fuerit erudita Thus farre Saint Ierome for the vse of secular learning in the pulpit 14. S. Austine lib. 2. de doct Christ cap. 18. is as peremptory 14 Austine in this point If prophane Writers saith he haue said any thing well it is not to be refused for their superstition for then shold we refuse to learne letters because they say Mercury first found them and flie iustice and vertue because the heathens built temples to them and worshipped them in stones which they shold haue caryed in their harts Imo verò quisquis bonus verusque Christianus est Domini esse intelâ—igat vbicunque inuenerit veritatem Nay rather let euery one who is a good and true Christian know that it belongs to his Lord and is Gods wheresoeuer he findeth truth And chap. 40. of that booke he is as learned as large in this point Philosophi autem c. If the Philosophers so called especially the Platonickes haue by chance spoken any thing that is true and consonant to our faith non solùm formidanda non sunt sed ab eis tanquam iniustis possessoribus in nostrum vsum vendicanda Not onely we should not be afraid to vse them but we must bereaue them thereof as vniust owners and apply it to our owne vse For as the Egyptians had not only idols and heauie burthens which the people of Israell fled and detested but vessels also and ornaments of gold and siluer and rayment which that people going out of Egypt priuily chalenged to themselues for a better vse not by their owne authority but by Gods commaundement the Egyptians ignorantly lending that which they knew not to vse aright So all the learning of the Gentiles hath not only fained and superstitious figments and heauie burdens of needlesse labour which each of vs going out of the societie of heathens by Christs direction must abhorre and detest but also containeth liberall sciences more seruiceable to the truth and some most profitable precepts of manners and some things also true of the worship of the true God are found in them which as it were their gold and siluer not which theÌ„selues found out but digged from certain mines of Gods prouidence vniuersally infused into the minds of all men and which they wickedly abused to idolatrie a Christian being separated in mind from their wretched societie debet ab eis auferre ad vsum iustum praedicandi Euangelij he ought to take it from them for the right vse of preaching the Gospell And he afterward numbreth the Christian Israelites that went out of Egypt laden with these spoiles For what else saith he did many good faithfull men of our religion Do we not see with how much gold and siluer and rayment Cyprian that most sweet Doctor and most blessed Martyr went laden out of Egypt with how much Lactantius with how much Victorinus Optatus and Hilarie To say nothing of them now aliue with how much innumerable Greeke Writers To all which the idolatrous Gentiles wold neuer haue lent their profitable knowledge and learning especially in those times when throwing off Christs yoke they persecuted Christians if they had suspected it would haue bene conuerted to the vse of Gods true worship whereby the vaine worship of their idols was extinguished but they gaue their gold and siluer to Gods people going out of Egypt not knowing how those things they gaue might be restored to the seruice of Christ For conclusion he fully resolues Illud in Exodâ— factum fine dubio figuratum est vt hoc praesignaret that that wise policie of Israell in robbing the Egyptians did vndoubtedly praefigure this our spoiling of the Gentiles Thus farre Austine And this is the iudgement of the auncient Fathers those reuerend Bishops of Gods Church constant Martyrs of Christ Iesus profound Doctors of the Gospell bright starres of all learning and burning lampes of the sanctuarie for the vse of secular learning in the pulpit But alas why spend I my strength in vaine and for nought Their answer is still this Nos non curamus quid dicunt patres Puritanes or rather Pruritanes haue those prurientes aures itching eares 2. Tim. 4. 3. and after their owne lusts haue got them an heape of teachers to whose verdit onely they stand or fall vt illis religio sit ab interpretationibus suorum praeceptorum vel minimùm deflectere as Zanchius I said noted in this Church They thinke the Fathers haue eaten soure grapes aetas parentum is peior quis and therefore censure them in the words but not with the spirit of a Iob. â—2 â— Elihu Great men are not alwaies wise neither do aged alway vnderstand iudgement therefore I say Heare me I will shew you mine opinion Each nouice can now teach his seniors and Senators wisdome and pronounce from b Psal 119. â—9 Dauids lips but not his spirit I haue more vnderstanding then all my teachers I vnderstand more then the auncient for my part I thought it best to relye on the Fathers iudgement when Gods word and the analogie of faith is not repugnant and thought stil with my selfe Elihu his modest submission befitted greene heads Iob. 32. 6. I said I am young in yeares and ye are auncient therefore I doubted and was afraid to shew you mine opinion for I said The dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome But sith in stead of the Fathers they haue children whom they make Princes in all lands as I haue said men of yesterday shall speake and shew their opinion 15 Martine Bucer enarrat in Mat. 11. vlt. he also witnesseth Bucer this truth For Prophesie in all ages among the heathen saith he both by dreames by wonders and by a certaine instinct and heauenly inspiration it is good to reade Tullies bookes of Diuination And he there addes the reason for nothing is to be neglected which plainely appeareth to be the gift of God And he that doubteth so many excellent bookes of prophane Writers wherin such knowledge of heauenly things and workes of God are not the excellent gifts of God without doubt he hath little regard of Gods prouidence without whose singular blessing it could not come to passe that these bookes preserued in so many ages and through so many chaunces should come to our hands Againe Enarrat in Mat. 4. 18. on those words They were fishers he checketh them sharpely who vnder this pretence condemne learning and shew of Gods gifts in Diuinitie Let none saith Bucer vnder pretext of this text contemne them vt sunt quidam quia adeò cruditionem aliâ—que Dei dona spernunt vt ipsi interim sua inscitia ac ruditate plus fidâ—nt atque superbiant quà m
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
of men and deride their ridiculous customes which is not my wont let me craue pardon for my want If in hate and heate against the spirit of singularitie and scisme and to auert the readers therefro being prouoked I haue called some deceiuers of minds Puritans or Pruritans beare with this zeale also Ipsa enim necessitas aduersus huius certaminis doctrinas instans talem nobis sudorem efficit vt lectores auertantur as saith Epiphanius in not vnlike case I did it because sinful scisme is impudent and hauing a whores forehead will not be ashamed till we spit in her face In which respect as I cannot hope for better acceptance of my widowes mite then did x Prooem in lib. 2. commeÌ„t in Oscam Alij quasi parua contemnunt quicquid dixerimus coÌ„trectare despiciâ—it Alij odio nominis nostri non res sed personas consideraÌ„â— magisque aliorum silentium quà m nostrum studium probant Sunt quae audacter nos facere asserant c. Quidam in eo se disertos arbitrantur doctos si alieno operi detrahant c. Ierome of his much cast into the treasurie Some will despise it as a thing of no value and whatsoeuer we write disdaine to reade it Others in hatred of our name consider the person not the thing more commend others silence then our indeuor some count vs bold for handling a matter neuer written of before some thinke themselues skilfull and learned if they can detract from other mens labours non quid ipsi possint sed quid nos non posâ—umus dijudicent so may I iustly wish with Lucilius that neither the best nor worst learned might be my readers because they vnderstand nothing at all and these more then perchance I do meane y Cicer. lib. 2. de Orat. Perseum non curo legere Laelium volo Perseus is too learned honest and not vnlearned Laelius I wish for my Reader And now thee I intreate good Christian if thou hast not written suspend thy censure till thou know what it is to write and be buried in a dead letter of lesse delight and perswasion if thou hast written yet suspend thy iudgement till thou meet with a matter wherein thou hast euery man and yet none for thy helpe It is an easie matter to chaunge an Author è Graeco in Latinum from his Athenian cloke into a Romaine gowne A more easie matter like Chrysippus to take Euripides his Medea and concealing his name make it our owne Tragedie as some do I speake not this to taxe others or commend my selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the brag of a proud Painter that thought be farre from my heart onely I tell Momus Carpere vel noli nostra vel ede tua If I haue done well Martial Epigr. and as the storie required it is the thing that I desired let God haue the praise thee the profite and me the paines But if I haue spoken slenderly and barely as thou shalt perceiue it is that I could The God of peace enlighten thine vnderstanding and sanctifie thee throughout that after thou hast enioyed the peace of conscience thou mayst possesse that eternall peace of God in the heauens Amen Thine in the Lord Egeon Askew BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT MATH 5. 24. Go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother THose a Mat. 23. 13. Porters of the kingdome who had taken away the Key of knowledge Luke 11. did with their forged glosse that b Bulling conc 39 in Apoc 9. 1. Doctrina adulterata est clauis adulterina false key so wrest the locke and sence of the Law that sooner they could enter those c Deuter. 29. 29. secreta Iehouae the priuie chamber of Gods secret counsell then open these reuelata the presence-chamber of his reuealed will For whereas Law was not only d Rom. 7. 12. holy to bind the hand from the action of bloodshed Leuit. 19. 18. but e Vers 14. spirituall also to bridle the hart from the affection of hatred vers 17. the Scribes and expounders of the Law whose f Ier. 8. 8. pen it seemes taught falshood by tradition misconstruing the turbulent passions of anger malice and enuie as g Bellar. lib 1. da statu pâ—ccat c. 3. 9. 12. Papists now do to be but h Chrysost Homil 11. op imp in Math. 5. sic glossord Caluin muscul Chem. Aret. Bez. Pisc Ferus Quill in Mat. 5. expon least matters of the law Mat. 5. 19. 20. restrained by their glosse the sixt precept Thou shalt not kill to the outward act of murder vers 21. and openly professed out of not i Math 23. 2. Moses chaire but their stoole of k Psalme 94. 20. wickednesse whereon they imagined mischiefe for a law yea publikely proclaimed as if not l 2. Corint 3. 15. their heart alone but m Acts 28. 27. eyes too in reading of n Leu. 19. 17. 18. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart nor remember iniuries Moses had bene couered with a veile that this outward action of killing onely and not these inward motions of the mind were forbidden in this commandement as o Nic. Lyra in Exod. 20. 17. Mat. 5. â—â— Lyra a Iew by ofspring out of their owne p Joseph Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 13. Antiquarian wel obserues Thus these text-corrupting glosers staying their superficiall knowledge in the vtter court and dead letter of this precept nor once entring into the spirit and holiest of all measured murder but with the span of a bloody hand and mete out homicide with the a Esay 58. 4. stroke of the fist of wickednesse Thus like theâ—â— b Esay 8. 17. fathers they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 ng to the dead and Mez 〈…〉 like 〈◊〉 the liuing spirit of this precept to the dead letter of the law they stifled the life therof with the dead caracter they murdred its soule with the killing letter and made the commandement of God of no authoritie by their glossing tradition Wherefore our Lord thinking it now time to put to his hand seeing they had destroyed his law purgeth it from their glosses as he did the c Mat. 21. 12. Temple of the buyers and sellers and opening with his Key of knowledge the meaning of his Fathers will quickneth the dead letter of this precept with the spirit of truth who laying his axe not onely to the hands and branches of the tree but euen to the heart the roote of bitternesse both chaines vp thereby an Herodian d Luk. 13. 31. 32. foxe from violence or blood and in him also takes the e Cant. 2. 15. vid Iun. Fen. little foxes anger hatred and malice which lurking in the denne of his heart would eftsoones destroy the vine and like f Iudg. 15. 4. 5. Sampsons foxes set all on fire proclaiming with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from heauen that euen
rancor at reproofe and by wholesome admonition become more sicke then salued thereby lest not onely like swine they treade them vnder foote sed illorum prebitorem persequantur calumnijs ipsum impetentes iniurijs afficientes saith h Cap. 43. Coment in concord Euâ—ng Iansenius lest as mad dogs they turne againe all to rent you onely then must we pray for the assâ—â—aging of their impetuous furie that God may giue them repentance to know the truth and come out of that snare of the diuell to amendement of life 2. Tim. 2. 25. The child and sonne of God by nature and grace hath in spirituall wisedome obserued this caution and in pollicie of the spirit eschewed for a season the rage and wrath of the furious as i Gen. 27. 43. Iaakob fled from Esau k Exod. 2 15. Moses from Pharaâ— l 1. Sam 27. 1. 2 Dauid from king Saul m 1 King 19. 3. Elias from Iâ—sabel a Act. 9. 25. 2. Cor. â—1 33. Paul from the Damascens b Luk. 4 30. Ioh. 11. 54. and Christ himselfe from the Iewes nec defuit eis refugium consolatio saith a Father neither wanted they in this flight comfort for a citie of refuge for c Gen. 29. 13. 14 Iaakob found fauour in Labans house d Exod. 2. 22. Moses a rich father in law e 2. Sam. 2 4. Dauid the kingdome f 1 King 19. 5. Elias an Angell to feede him g Act. 9. 27. Paul spirituall brethren to comfort him and Christ the comforter All these gaue place to wrath for a season and when it came most of them seeing the wrath of their enemies allayed fitted oportunitie to pacifie their fury Therefore the faults of offenders saith * Lib. de const vis vur c. 8. Austine must estsoones craue silence for a season he meanes anger wrath and fury Vt aptiori tempore corrigantur That in fitter time they may be corrected Ne exasperatus increpatione non proficiat sed magis ex correptione scandalnm sumat Least the partie exasperated by rebuke be not bettered but more scandalized by vnseasonable reproofe And this he thinkes discretum silentium a discreet silence and * Augu lib 1. de Cinis Deâ— cap. 9. consilium charitatis the counsell of charitie and policie of the spirit For as the * Carbo ad Pru 〈…〉 siâ— Hebr. cold and dead coale saith Salomon is to a burning coale Pro. 26. 20. that is augmenteth the heate saith Hugo so though thy heate be cooled and thine anger dead out yet if thou come to thy brother in the heate and flame of his fury thou shalt but lay stickes vpon his fire saith Syracides and increase the flame Eccles 8. 3. therefore his aduice is wise vers 10. Kindle not the coales of sinnes when thou rebukest them least thou be burnt in the fiery flames of their sinnes Neither offer to make friendship saith Salomon with the wrathfull man or man in his wrath nor walk with the furious man least thou learne his wayes and receiue destruction to thy selfe Prou. 22. 24. the frenzy and strength of anger like the citie Ai Iosh 8. 5. must be wonne by retiring from it for a season Go then to thy patient not in his impatiencie and hot fit of fury but when the feauer slacketh and the heate is abated and then Phisitian-like apply thy medicine to his malady and Tell him his fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproue him saith h Math 18. 15. Mat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell him his fault sharply rebuke him saith i Luke 17. 3. Luke The Apostle in his charge to k 2. Timoth. 4. 2 Timothy ioyneth both these together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproue rebuke as if he had said after rebuke where first reproofe will not preuaile and then powre in wine to search when oile cannot salue But in this priuate parley of pacification the former must qualifie the later 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reproue him or as our english translation moderatly rendreth that word Tell him his fault that is saith l Comment in Mat. 18. 15. Aretius Lay his trespasse before his eyes the ground of his fault the qualitie and quantitie of his offence Non quaerendo quid reprehendas sed videndo quid corrigas saith m Serm. 16. dâ— verb. Dom. Austine not prying what thou canst reproue but marking what thou maist amend For n Chrysost hom 61. in Mat. 18. Christ here saith not accuse rebuke aske satisfaction and punishment but tell him his fault as if he had said o Brent in Lex 17. 3. Obiect not againe contumelious tearmes vpbraid not the iniurie with reprochfull words but admonish him louingly reproue him friendly and intreate him gently that he do so no more euill intreate thee Brethren saith the Apostle if a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. The Metaphor of restoring the Apostle borroweth from Surgeons or Bone-setters as p Heming Aret Illyr in Gal. 6. 1. some thinke who softly handle a member out of ioynt that more nimbly they may set it and restore the luxate member to his proper place to teach them who must Surgeon-like set and restore a member out of ioynt to handle it warily and charily with the spirit of meeknes that is q Heming ibid. not snappishly but gently not with delusion but commiseration not rigorously but meekly And to induce thee therto the Apostle vseth euery word as a motiue of meeknesse for each is pregnant and perswasiue saith r In hunc locum Illiricus Brethren whom sympathie should moue to commiseration if a man whose humane nature Å¿ Gen. 6. 5. Leuit 6. 3. Hos 6. â— as he is man prone to erre slip and be deceiued must of men be borne with and pitied be ouertaken not through obstinatemalice but Sathans subtiltie and the fleshes infirmitie in any fault which is no notorious fall from his God but a slip toward his brother you which are spirituall t 1. Cor. 2. 15 discreet to iudge all things and u Rom. 15. 1. strong to beare the infirmitie of the weake restore such a one not broken off from the body but a little out of square with the spirit of meeknesse who himselfe being the comforter is x Chrysostom pleased with this lenitie of reproofe y Caluin with thy spirit of meeknesse lest thy gesture be mild when thine heart is truculent and insulting considering thy selfe that thou art a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 5. 17. man subiect to like passions as he is and must therefore haue compassion on his infirmities as in naturall passions z Heb. 2. 17. Christ our Lord was made in all things like his brethren that he might be compassionate that
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
Leuit. 2. 13. law must season our sacrifice without which it is vnsauourie Mark 9. 49. and without this like the Iewes in the Prophet Hos 5. 6 we shal go with our sheepe and our bullockes I meane our p Heb. 13. 15. prayers the calues of our lippes Hos 14. to seeke the Lord and shall not find him for he will withdraw himselfe from vs and though we stretch out our hands he will hide his eyes from vs though we make many prayers he will not heare if our hands be * Esa 1. 15. full of bloud The reason whereof our Sauiour gaue the woman of Samaria God which is a spirit will be worshipped in spirit and the houre cometh and now is saith the Lord when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for euen such and none other requireth he to worship him Ioh. 4. 24. Whether then we offer the sacrifice of prayer or thanksgiuing 1 Vse exhorting to vniue before we pray in this must we lift vp pure hands without wrath 1. Tim. 2. 8. and in that out of one mouth must not proceed blessing of God and cursing of our neighbour Iam. 3. 16. For q Eccles 34. 15 when one prayeth and another curseth whose voice will the Lord heare And indeed how canst thou aske God forgiuenesse of thy sins when thou wilt not forgiue man his offences How canst thou beg reconcilement with thy heauenly Father when thou art not reconciled on earth to thy brother How darest thou offer him a sacrifice of praise in those lips which are full of cursing and bitternesse He will aske thee saith r Serm. 16. de verb. Dom. Austine What hast thou here brought me Offers munus tuum non es munus Dei thou offerest me thy gift and giuest not me thy selfe for an offering Thou prayest against thy selfe and through malice makest thy prayers frustrate before thou doest make them they are sinne because not of faith they are not of faith because they wrought not through loue For if charitie be as Å¿ Serm. 24. in Cant. Bernard speaketh quaedam anima fidei as it were the soule of faith or as the t Iam. 2 26. Apostle more truly teacheth spiritus fidei the breath and pulse of faith whereby we may feele if she be aliue and see if the maid be not dead but sleepeth surely the diuorce of these two which God hath so coupled together cannot be possible but like Naomi and Ruth they will liue and die together And therefore if thy prayer be not of faith which worketh through loue it doth but solemnize the funerall of thy faith which thou before killedst through hatred And as it was no maruell saith that Father if Cain slue his brother who had killed his owne faith and brotherly loue before so no wonder if God respected not his offering whose person he for that cause despised Quia etsi nec dum fratricida iam tamen fideicidae teâ—ebatur because though not yet he had killed his only brother yet now had he slaine his owne faith whose carcase and cation made his sacrifice stinke in the nostrils of the Almightie This then saith u Ser. 166. da Temp. Austine is the bond of peace which both clerickes and laickes must bring with their sacrifice sine qua non suscipitur sacerdotis oratio nec plâ—bis oblario without which neither the Priests prayer nor the peoples praise is accepted with God For seeing we must as well with one mind as one mouth praise and pray God the Father of Iesus Christ Roman 15. 6. surely vnlesse both like those x Apoc. 8. 3. odours which were the prayers of the Saints be kindled with this heauenly fire they cannot ascend to the Lord of hosts neither thence will he smell a sweet sauour of rest For as the Saints are said to praise God in choro Psal 149. that is in vnitie of loue as the y Interlinear in hunc Psalm Glosse descants on it and to sing praises vnto him with timbrell and harpe in signe of concord and consort of loue as Lyra harpes on those instruments of musicke so must we with the elders Apoc. 5. 8. when we offer vp these odours the prayers of the Saints haue euery one his harpe which is a symbole of harmonie as z Comment in Apoc. 5. 8. Aretius obserues and sing with one consort and consent of spirits before our voice shall be heard or our prayers get a blessing of the Lord. And therefore when the Psalmist exhorted euery Leuite in the temple to praise the Lord Psal 134. 1. 2. he tels them the blessing of the Lord is not giuen vnto them therefore till they all be one vers 3. The Lord blesse thee not the Lord blesse ye but the Lord blesse thee out of Sion Plures hortatur vt benedicant ipse vnum benedicit saith a Euerrat in Psal 133. 3. Austine he exhorts many to blesse the Lord and he blesseth not them till they all become one Therefore came Christ to his disciples with a blessing of comfort when on the sea they were rowing together Mat. 14. 27. Therefore came he to his Apostles with a blessing of peace when in vnitie they were assembled together Ioh. 20. 19. Therefore sent he not them the holy Ghost till with one accord they were gathered together Act. 2. 1. Therefore filled he his Saints with the holy Ghost when in one soule and one heart they conuersed together Act. 4. 31. So true was his promise which he made to them all Verily I say vnto you that if two of you 〈◊〉 shal with harmony agree in any thing vpon earth whatsoeuer ye shall desire it shall be giuen you for where two or three are gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them Math. 18. 19. And so needful it is that before we do offer the calues of our lips to our God we be first vnited and reconciled to our brother Et quam diu illum placare non possumus nescio an consequenter muner a nostra offeramus Deo and so long as we cannot pacifie and appease him I cannot tell saith b Coment in Mat. 5. 24. Ierome whether after we may offer our gifts of praise and prayer vnto God And if this sacrifice without precedent vnitie be not accepted 2. vse exhorting to charitie before we communicate much lesse maist thou hope for acceptance of thy selfe if when thou receiuest the bodie of the Lord thou be not first reconciled to thy brother For if like the factious Corinthians when ye come together in the Church to receiue there be dissentions among you the Apostle tels you this is not to eate the Lords body but to eate of the bread and drinke of the cup vnworthily to your owne damnation 1. Cor. 11. 29. Let a man therefore first examine himselfe of his brotherly loue and reconcilement and till then not dare to eate
verball reconcilement as Christ straightly 2 Vses of this doctrine prescribes it and the faithfull haue offectually practised it so may it yeeld vs two of the n 2. Tim. 3. 16. Scriptures vseâ— one of instruction to vse words of peace to winne our brethren Another of reprehension to deterre vs from words of hatred to wound our brethren In application of which medicines if I powre in more wine of reproofe into old festred sores as a biting corasiue to eate vp the dead then oyle of exhortation into bleeding wounds as a lenitiue to supple the liuing flesh the o 1. Cor. 4 21. Apostles practise may warrant my doing who came to exhort p Rom 15. 14. obedient Romaines with the q Vers 30. spirit of meeknesse and came to the r Gal. 3. 1. foolish Galatians with a rod and prepared a rod for the fâ—â—les backe as the Wiseman speaketh His charge to Å¿ 2. Tim. 4 2. Tinnibit may discharge me of censure if I exhort the priuate sinner and rebuke them that sin openly that the rest may feare The t Act. 2. 3. clouen tongues may apologize me if with u Vers 37. 38. Peter I sing not of mercie alone but of iudgement also The x Heb. 4. 12. two eaged sword may defend me if I vse its double edge of y August lib. 20 de 〈◊〉 Dei cap. 21. in Apâ—c 1. 16. both Testaments to mourne with the law as well as to pipe with the Gospell if I vse its double edge to cut z Chrysostem hoâ—ul 26. in Matth 10. off either the sinne or the sinner as it is also two edged because it a Aquin. in â—eb 4. 12. reformeth the will as well as informeth the vnderstanding Wherefore let none thinke I make my selfe a trespasser and breake downe by reproofe the things which before I builded by exhortation if with b Ier. â— Ieremy I build and breake downe plant and plucke vp For as the repairer of that breach in Ierusalems wall had a trowell in one hand to build and a sword in the other to cut downe all resistance Neh. 4. 17. so the restorer of the breach of peace among the liuing stones of Ierusalem aboue must both exhort with wholesome doctrine and rebuke the gaine-sayers and all gaine-doers too Tit. 1. 9. 1. Vse exhorting either partie to reconcile his brother with gentle speeches This doctrine then beloued in Christ Iesus may first lesson vs froÌ„ Christs precept and Abrahams practise to intreat peace with our offending brother which better we shall effect if we insult not ouer his offence saith c Lib. de frat amore Plutarch with speeches of reproch or aggrauation of the wrong but in pitie and commiseration of his person lessen and extenuate his offence by imputing it to folly rather then contempt to necessitie of offending rather then to obstinacie of the offender and to perturbation rather then wilfull malice and maleuolence If he hath slandered backbited railed or spoken euill of thee saith d Lib. 2 dâ— ira cap. 23. Seneca thinke whether thou hast not done so before remember how thou hast spoken euill of many and the same is Salomons aduise Giue not thine heart to all the words that men speake for oftentimes also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast spoken euill of others Eccles 7. 23. 24. Let vs thinke saith that graue Philosopher that some do not iniure vs but requite our wrong and as it were make restitution Others do it prone and propense therunto some ignorantly and those that do it wittingly and willingly were by vs forced thereunto either he slipt through vrbanitie and pleasantnesse of iesting or he said this not to harme vs but because he could not effect his purpose without our repulse Who so would thus retire into himselfe how iust occasion of offence his tongue hath giuen to others should quicken and extenuate his offenders speeches and giue him verba remissionis words of forgiuenesse which is indeed the word of reconciliation This word of remission our Sauiour thought the best meanes Offended to forgiue to winne him from discord and therefore commaunds thee to forgiue him his offence if he do repent Luk. 17. 3. forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrel to another Col. 3. 13. And albeit mans corrupt nature requireth a par pari in his recompence an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth and saith like Sâ—â—nio in the e T 〈…〉 Adol â—â—â— 2. siâ—â— 2. Comedie Neque tac verbis solnes vnquam quod mihi re malefecoris I will not take thy payment of good words for thy debt of euill deeds Yet should we not saith an f Plut. de frâ—◠〈◊〉 heathen thus neglect the offender nor reiect his intreatie but as we offending do anteuertere deprecatione iram preuent wrath by deprecation so should we offended deprecationem danda venia anticipate their intreatie by giuing the pardon of their offence When Iaakobs children had loaded their brother with reproches and iniuries at their peccaui it repenteth vs he forgaue them and spake kindly vnto them Gen. 50. 21. We g 〈◊〉 in o 〈…〉 viâ—a 〈◊〉 27 reade of Iulius Caesar though an heathen and an Emperour that he neuer conceiued so great displeasure and priuie grudge against mans speeches which vpon offered occasion he would not willingly lay away for when Caius Caluus after his infamous Epigrammes against him made sute by his friends for his friendship againe vltrò ac prior ad cum scripsit of his owne accord he first wrote to him for reconcilement Yea when Catullus the virulent Poet who diffamed him with some opprobrious verses came to make him satisfaction adhibuit coenae he bad him to supper and would not forsake his fathers Inne wherein he was wont to lodge And when h Sâ—â—â—l lib. 5. exemp cap. 3. Caius Memmius his professed enemy whose bitter inuectiues he answered stood to be Consul suffragator extitit he gaue him his voice to be Consul Go then to heathenish Caesar thou Christian learnâ— consider his waies who hauing no guide of the sanctifying spirit nor gouernor of grace forgot yet forgaue his detractors their ignominious libels bitter inuectiues slaunderous railings and reuilings Shall a wild Oliue tree growing vpon the barren mounts of Gilboa and nature where neither dew of the spirit nor raine of grace falleth beare such fruite and shalt not thou a greene oliue tree in the house of God planted beside the waters of comfort bring foorth this fruite of the spirit And as when thou art offended thou must winne him with Offender to confesse that word of reconcilement I forgiue thee so must thou when thou art offensiue woo him with that speech of submission I confesse vnto thee or else with Dauid when thou labourest for peace and speakest to him thereof he will prepare vnto battel that thou shalt not
r Com. 3. 32. Machiuell one that hath done much euill to politicians of our age gaue his statist that one should neuer offer nonis benefiâ— ijs veterem iniuriarum obliuionenâ— inducere to benefite or do good to him whom notoriously he had wronged least saith that match-deuil who seldome found his match in euill he which neuer truly but fainedly wil be reconciled when thou art secure of his loue reuenge vpon aduantage but rather saith that Achitophel Insigni iniuria aduersarium viâ—la continue on doing him some notable wrong and keepe him still in enmitie least being forced by his friendship to trust him with thy selfe he deceiue thee at a lype But this wisedom of the flesh is enmitie against God and is twelue times infatuated by the wisedom of God Rom. 12. fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and holy Let loue be without dissimulation abhorre that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good Be affectioned to loue one another with brotherly kindnesse Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not Be of like affection one towards an other RecoÌ„pence to no man euill for euill If it be possible as much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place to wrath and which is the vpshot of all if thine enemie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercome of euill nor be led by Machiauell but ouercome euill with goodnesse Howbeit if neither our heauenly Fathers example nor Christ our elder brothers example nor Dauid our fellow-seruants samplar can moue vs to exceed either Publicanes and beastly men or the beasts of the field yet with Å¿ Heb. 11. â—6 Moses let vs haue respect to the recompence of reward seeing by this we t Mat. 5. 48. shall be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and haue great reward in heauen Luk. 6. 35. For whereas saith a u Cmys st Homis 18. in Mat. 5. Father he blessed the meeke but with inheriting the earth Mat. 5. 5. and the poore in spirit but with appropriating to them the kingdome and the mourners but with hope of future comfort and thirsters after righteousnesse but with satietie and fulnesse and the mercifull but with obtaining mercie and the pure in heart but with hope of seeing God and peace-makers but with the appellation of the children of God and sufferers for his sake but with fruition of the kingdome by this last of doing good to our enemies we shall not onely enioy all these but we shall be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and though these many vertues these many daughters haue done valiantly yet this surmounteth them all To helpe vp his enemie that lyeth vpon the ground and increase his former dignitie with good turnes could euen x Orat. pro M. Marcello Tully tell his Emperour Haec qui facit non ego illum cum summis viris comparo sed simillimum Deo iudico The deed of God and not of man he shall be perfect as his heauenly Father is perfect Perfectorum sunt ista saith y Enchirid. ad Laur. cap. 73. Saint Austine this is not milke for babes but meate of strong men who are grown to the full age of Christs stature For see saith z Lâ—co cirat Ferâ—â— in Mac. 5. Chrysostome how he puts this as crowne on all the other vertues and addeth this the last as the perfection of all ye shall be perfect The ranges of this Iaakobs ladder he set downe before the first steppe is not to be angry the second is not to exasperate with behauiour the third not to reuile in speech the fourth not to do wrong in deed the fift not to requite euill the sixt not to resist iniurie the seuenth to beare it with patience the eight to prepare for more wrong then was offered the ninth to loue our enemies and lastly which is the end of all to pray for them and do them good and this is the toppe of the ladder that reacheth vp to heauen Which doctrine as it instructeth vs to loue our foes in deed 2 Vse in truth so reproueth it iustly them who loue in tongue onely and in word alone And as it requireth the hand of friendship in the tongue of friends so vnmasketh it all face-taking friendship which in word pretendeth amitie but in worke extendeth enmity to foes as they were their friends Grieuously complained Dauid of such familiar trecherie Psal 55. 12. It was not mine open enemie that did me this dishonour for then I could haue borne it Neither was it mine aduersarie that did exalt himselfe against me for then I would haue hid my selfe from him but it was thou my companion my guide and mine owne familiar friend which tooke sweet counsell together and walked together as friends My familiar friend whom I trusted which did eate with me hath lift vp his heele against me and laid great waite for me Psal 41. The Prophet Ieremie felt no lesse of false friendship Euen thy brethren saith God to his Prophet euen thy brethren and the house of thy father euen they haue dealt vnfaithfully with thee and they haue cryed out all together vpon thee beleeue them not though they speake faire to thee Ier. 12. 6. And therefore compareth Dauid them to bees Psal 118. They came about me like bees and very fitly faith a a Ioh. Hus in huâ—c locum Writer for the Bee as b Lab 5. de hist â—â—nal cap. 22. Aristotle noteth carieth hony in her mouth and a sting in her taile Such Bees were the Iewes to our head Christ Iesus saith Iohn Hus Mat. 22. Maister we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God truly behold the hony in their mouthes tell vs therefore is it lawfull to giue Caesar tribute behold their sting in the tayle But he knew their thoughts and pulling the vizard of false friendship from their face Why temptye me saith he ye hypocrites And the dux of this swarme was no other but euen Iudas who was c Act. 1 16. guide to them that tooke Iesus He came to his Lord with hony in his mouth Aue d Mat. 26. 49. God saue thee maister but in his taile was a sting which cryed Caue God saue thee from me maisâ—er for he betrayed him with a kisse into their hands And see how our Sauiour in greaâ—est indignation vpbraideth his trecherie and vnkindnesse Iudas saith e Luk. 22. 48. he betrayest thou the sonne of man with a kisse Euery word is ponderous and an argument of vnkindnes Iudas what my steward and mine almner yea mine owne disciple Iudas surely he is not our enemy though he come with swords and staues Friend wherefore
innocent bloud yet at the last iudgement shall returne to iustice to render tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest 2. Thes 1. And when the Iudge of the world shall exalt himselfe to render the proud after their deseruing then will he recompence these men their wickednes and destroy them in their owne malice yea the Lord our God shal destroy them Till which time of iudgement we must put vp our sword of reuenge into his sheath as I said of patience and of long-suffering and commit our reuenge to whom we committed our reward our hope and our hauen of rest whereto till then like his disciples on the lake must we saile with a contrarie weather of doing good for euill Mat. 5. 44. So sailed the maister and Pilot of his ship against the raging and tossing waues of Iudaea for when they went about his death and temporall destruction he went about their life and eternall saluation when they crowned him with thornes he stroue to crowne them with glorie when they gaue him vineger to drinke on a stalke of Hyssope he gaue them his bloud to drinke to purge them with Hyssope as Dauid speaketh and make them whiter then snow Psal 51. Thus sailed the Apostles and mariners themselues we are persecuted and buffeted and we suffer it 1. Cor. 4. and thus all passengers bound for heauen the hauen of their hope and harbor of their rest like Pauls mariners Act. 27. must keepe a straight course though wind and weather be contrarie do good to them that hurt you Luk. 6. 27. Wrest not then this sword of reuengeance out of his hand to whom vengeance belongeth lest thou grieue and make sad the spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. Euen bloudthirstie Esau would not be auenged on Iaakob so long as his father was aliue lest it should grieue old Isaac and bring his gray head with sorrow to the graue Gen. 27. 41. And must lesse must thou auenge thee to grieue the holy spirit of God who hath begotten thee lest thou bring not the l Dan. 7. 22. auncient of dayes to his graue who is the m Ios 3. 10. liuing God and n Deut. 32. 40. liueth for euer but thy selfe to Sheol the graue of hell and pit of destruction Thou sayest thou wouldst beate and kill such a foe if it were not for his maister whose cloth he weareth and whose cognisance he beareth And how darst thou murther or beate his seruant whether blessed or cursed whether of the o Mat. 25. 34. 41 right hand or left whether like the p Mat. 8. 9. Centurions seruants of going or comming go ye cursed or come ye blessed for these q Ier. 25. 9. also are his attendants to serue him which beare his badge yea the very image of himselfe How darst thou clippe the Lords coine and deface that image and superscription which his owne finger hath stamped on them whether pure or reprobate siluer whether currant gold or counterfeit slippes seeing he hath such compassion on them that he will auenge the bloud of all his seruants Deut. 32. 36. and 34. Neither must thou thinke it more lawfull to beate or misuse minimum sanctorum as the r Ephes 3. 18. Apostle speaketh the least in his kingdome Mat. 11. 11. though he were blacke as the spouse speaketh euen the scull in his kitchin and of-scouring of all things for whatsoeuer is done to the least of his he counts it done to himselfe Mat. 25. yea the but touching of them is the touching of him yea of his dearest part his eye and of that the most precious peece the very apple of his eye Zac. 2. 8. Nay if thou knewest him to be a vessell of earth and drosse to dishonour and not of gold and siluer to the honour of his maker yet how darest thou dash him in peeces like a potters vessell seeing he beareth the image of him that created him I say the image of God that created him For though when first he coyned man of the earth and stamped vpon him his owne image of Å¿ Iâ—â— in Gâ—â— 1. 26. essence to be a nature eternall and spirituall in soule and of the qualities of t Eph. 4. 24. holinesse and righteousnesse whereby he is partaker of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1. and of his attributes of power to be his Viceroy in this inferior world Gen. 2. 26. Psal 8. 6. Though I say when he first stamped this three-fold image on man Gen. 5. 1. man by his fall Eph 4. 2â— Col. 3. â—0 defaced that of holinesse and righteousnes and imprinted his owne image of another stampe which was vnrighteousnesse and impuritie in his posteritie Vers 3. yet in respect of the two other parts of this print spirituall eternitie of soule and powerfull soueraigntie in bodie ouer creatures euery man without exception carieth the image of God 1. Cor. 11. 7. and though he be but brasse and as I said reprobate siluer Quilibet effigiem Caesaris assis habet Euery asse and idiot hath the image and superscription of this heauenly Caesar and Emperor of the world Which seeing by man-slaughter and murther by wrath and reuenge thou wholy doest deface as his essence to thy power of eternall being in killing his body though thou canâ—t not kill his soule as it is of those diuine qualities by blasting his fruit in the blade and cutting off his growth and ripening in holinesse and righteousnesse to the image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. And thirdly his soueraigntie and Lordship that his kingdome ouer creatures by thy meanes is now departed from him This shold so bridle thine hand from breaking downe this image as it kept x 1. Sam. 24. 7. Dauid from laying hands on Saul because he was the Lords annointed We reuerence and dare not deface the kings picture in which his resemblings and disposition maiestie is but partly deciphered and how then may we aduenture to destroyman who as y Iam. 3 â— Iames speaks is made after the similitude of God in essence and qualtie and power of his creator And this if thou doest what may we thinke but that as Sathan shewed his hatred to God when he destroyed Christ the z Col. 1. 15. image of the inuisible God and a Heb. 1. 3. the engrauen forme of his person so thou hatest him that did beget when thus thou defacest him that is begotten 1. Ioh. 5. What can be imagined if charitie were thy Iudge but as the Pardale sheweth her malice to man when in * Basil serm de ira 〈◊〉 wrath she teareth that paper wherein she seeth his picture so thou bewrayest thy hatred to God when thou destroyest man wherein thou beholdest his image 1. Ioh. 4. Wherefore as he said of the body of wicked Iezabell Let vs vse her honourably for she is a kings daughter by procreation 2. King 9. so must thou not dishonorably misuse man
I none but such as I haue I giue and forgiue thee In all other good works some one sometime may pretend some colorable excuse saith g Serm. 61. de Temp. Austine but for loue none can excuse himselfe Some bodie may say vnto me I cannot fast but can he say truly I cannot loue he may say for my stomackes sake and owne infirmitie I cannot abstaine from wine or flesh-meate but can he iustly say I cannot loue Some man may say I cannot keepe my virginitie he may say he cannot sell all his goods and giue them to the poore but can he say truly I cannot loue and forgiue them that trespasse against me Let no man deceiue himselfe beloued brethren for God is not mocked nor deceiueth any for though there be many good workes which through humane infirmitie we cannot corporally performe it is too abhominable and a filthy excuse that in this worke of the mind either the lame or the deafe or maimed should for its wearisomnesse make excuse For in this worke of loue neither the feet labour in running nor the eyes with seeing nor the eares with hearing nor the hands in working It is not said vnto vs go ye to the East and seeke charitie saile to the West and ye shal find loue it is engrauen in our heart by that lawe of nature Do as ye would be done to Luk. 6. 13. Whosoeuer thou art this commandement of loue which he commaundeth thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it far off as h Deut. 30. 11. 12. Moses speaketh It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shal go for vs to heauen and bring it to vs that we may do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But loue is very neare vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart to giue it in forgiuing each one his brother Some man may say saith i Ser de Maâ—â—yr Leo I cannot watch I cannot fast I cannot giue all to the poore I cannot liue single but can he say I cannot loue It may be saith k H 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈…〉 d Maâ— 5. 44 Vâ—de tom 6. â—b 〈…〉 a Aâ—hmant â—â— 17. ser 59. dâ—â—â—p Austine that sometime thou hast not gold and siluer apparell or corne wine or oile in thine house to giue to the poore but what shadow of excuse canst thou pretend that thou hast not a penniworth of charitie a wedding garment of loue a graine of mustard-seed of amitie a drop of dilection and ointment of loue in thy coffer and wardrobe and garner and chalice and boxe of thy heart No no this is the tribute of loue wherewith all the world is taxed and all may go to be taxed euery man to his owne citie It is an easie offering alwayes at hand or at heart that with Isaac thou needst not aske but where is the Lambe for the oblation It is within which thou maist easily offer as of that which cost thee nothing In forgiuing each one From the heart For because man ofteÌ„ forgiues with his mouth â— manne◠〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter homines as l Hâ—â—d 〈…〉 rat Dom. Austine noteth and keepes hatred in his hart propter daemones and m Ierom lib. 3 an Math 18. 35. can say of his brother He knowes I beare him no euill will I will leaue him to God his Iudge I haue for my part forgiuen him for n Buâ—â—r enarra in Math. 18. 35. thus we wold often seeme to pardon our brother when we scarce from our hart forgiue him that we loue him as before yea o Tom. 1. ad epâ— Castor say in the Lords prayer Forgiue as we forgiue animo discrepante cum verbis oratione dissidente cum factis as Ierome noteth therefore Christ saith that Father taking away all hypocrisie and colour of fained peace commandeth to forgiue from our hearts And that if not from his precept yet after Gods example Qui remittit ex corde as Musculus on these words obserueth Who so forgiueth men from his heart that he p Ier. 31. 24. remembreth their trespasses no more but q Micha 7. 19 casteth them into the bottome of the sea and imputeth them not vnto them but couereth al their offences Psalme 32. 1. Which most motiue example of his Father his Apostle vrgeth as the strongest inducement Ephes 4. 32. Be ye tender hearted forgiuing one another But how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as God forgiues you And if this loue of God shed abroade in our hearts and r Mathew 3. 11 fire of the spirit like that purifying flame in the Å¿ Numb 31. 23. law cannot burne out all our drosse of malice till it be pure and take away all our tinne of hatred from the heart certainly it argueth we remaine full like those wicked Gentils Rom. 1. 29. of all vnrighteousnesse wickednesse maliciousnesse full of enuie murder and debate and poisonous affections of the heart For as we reade of Germanicus Caligula his father that when according to the t Suet. â—n Tyber cap. 75. vide comens Beroald custome of the Romanes who burned their Emperors bodies and other least being interred in forrame wars the enemie should dig them vp though his bodie was consumed in the fire yet his heart could not â—e prierced by the flame but lay vnburned among his bones because being opened it was found full of poison whose nature is such that dipt in poison it resisteth all fire as v Suet. in Calig cap 1. Tranquillus and x Li. 11. nat hist cap. 37. Plinie both obserue euen so and more then so if this fire of Gods spirit That he forgiueth vs from his heart kindle only our tongues and hands to loue our enemies in word and worke alone and inflame not our hearts also to loue them in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. it tels the searcher of the heart that yet for all this our heart is wicked and deceitfully malicious aboue all things and as y Iames 3. 8. Iames speaketh of as little a member full of deadly poison And though this stonie heart cannot be burned with this fire but lieth buried in the whited tombe of the body though this whited tombes rottennesse and ranc or appeare not to flesh and blood and men that go ouer it perceiue not for it is wicked and deceitfull aboue all things who can know it Ier. 17. 9. yet he who onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men 1. Kings 8. 39. z Iob 10. 4. hauing not carnall eyes nor seeing as man seeth a 1 Sam. 16. 7. looketh not like man on the outward appearance but beholdeth the heart yea so searcheth the heart and trieth the reines he I say who as Ierome speaketh is all eye when he seeth the hearts hypocrisie and all hand when he
mouth that displeased him wherefore well might he speake as he k Ci◠in Lalio doth from his experience that nothing doth more beget and bring vp amitie then paritie equalitie and likenesse in the things of the bodie of mind and of fortune What knit Austine and Alipius so indissolubly together to come to more spiritual friendship but because as he l Lib. 6. 8. 9. conf confesseth they were borne both in one towne Togasta in Affricke brought vp in one studie of learning almost of one age conuerted by one Ambrose at Myllaine at one time from one heresie receiued one baptisme and one spirit of new birth And what should more linke our hearts then that we are all borne of one immortall seed in one wombe of the Church growing vp in one bodie to the full stature of Christ as members knit together by one spirit all trauelling to one Canaan and hope of our calling in this way seruing one Lord maintaining one faith fighting together in one Sacrament and oath of Baptisme and louingly liuing together as sons of one God and Father of all O hearts harder then Adamant complaineth m Eras pacis quarim peace In rebus tam multis consortium in vita tam inexplicabile dissidium In so many things fellowship and in life no friendship All one bodie and in the members no sympathie In all one spirit and in the affections no harmonic All one hope of heauen and in coheires no symphonie All one Lord and in fellow seruants no vnitie All one faith and in opinions no symmetrie Al sworne in one Baptisme and in fellow soldiers no symmachie all adopted by one Father and in brethren no fraternitie For all these one 's no vnitie This of all other is argumentum maximi momenti the most inducing motiue saith a n Beza maior ann in Eph. 4. 4. Writer and strongest argument that may be to loue that we are all by one God and Father made one bodie through one Spirit to serue one Lord in one faith and consecrated to him by one Baptisme doe hope all for one glorious inheritance whereunto we are called Which seuen o Zach. 11. 14. bands of brotherhood seeing Satan hath dissolued as Antiochus cut off the seuen brethren which were knit together 2. Mach. 7. giue me leaue to bind them faster then before and seeing the vnitie of one God and Father is p Rolloc in Eph. 4 first in order somewhat inuerting the linkes to order them as Beza in that golden chaine hath proposed them First we haue all one God and Father of all who as he is the 1. linke of Christian brotherhood One Father author not of confusion but of peace 1. Corint 14. 33. so will he haue all things in his house done honestly and by order ver 40. And rather so done because as mightily he hath shewed himself a Father of generation to vs all Esai 64. 8. wherein yet are both q Acts 17. 24. 28 beasts and r Verse 26. beastly men our brethren and our sisters but the ſ Iob 17. wormes so mercifully hath he bene a Father of regeneration to redeeme vs his children Esai 63. 16. for which cause we may call t Math 13. 9. none our father on earth but him nor any brethen but the children of his spirit From which former paternitie of creation as he called his creatures onely good when they were seuered apart but then indeed very good when in one view he saw them v Iun. in Gen. 1. 31. in symmetrie vnited together Gen. 1. 31 so frō this later fatherhood of recreation he counts his new creatures good when in peace they serue him by x Mat. 18. 20. two or three but then only commendeth them for very good when they all continue together with one accord in the temple and in symphonie praise him together Acts 4. 46. yea so good that in admiration thereof he crieth out in exclamation Ecce quà m bonum behold how good it is when brethren dwell together in vnitie Psalme 133. For indeed as the eye saith Saint y Lib. 3. de Gen. ad lit cap. 24. Austine the light of the body though it seeme faire and is well fauoured in it selfe when it is apart from the whole is yet more beautifull and comely when vnited with the members of this little world so the light of the world was glorious and good in it selfe when it was without the firmament of his luster Gen. 1. 4. but then onely called most glorious and very good of its Father when he saw it ioyned with the members of the greater world verse 31. Which vnitie of creatures if it be so good and comely in the eye of their mightie Father who formed them of dust by his word then Quà m bonum quà m iucundum how good and comely is it in the eye of their mercifull father who framed them anew by his essentiall word to see his children like brethren dwell together in vnitie Which dutie of accord though as father rightly he might claime by that title of father A sonne honoreth his father If then I be a father where is mine honor And which seruice of vnitie though as God iustly he might challenge by that right of master a seruant honoreth his master If then I be your master where is my feare Mal. 1. 6. yet draweth he them with promise of reward in that Psalme that they might do it at least like hired seruants for their profit which they would not for his pleasure as dutifull children Ecce saith he behold how profitable and how pleasant it is which sith for himselfe is not pleasant any thing vnto the Almightie that thus thou art righteous nor profitable vnto him that thou makest thy wayes thus vpright Iob 22. 3. for as thy goods are not profitable Psal 16. so neither is thy goodnesse pleasant vnto him for himselfe Iob 35. 7. surely the profit and the pleasure of this concord redounds to them alone that like brethren dwell together in vnitie And though vertue haue no reward better as vice no punishment greater then it selfe so that we should not need the spurre of reward to be pricked forward to this as neither the bridle of punishment to be restrained from that yet is he here driuen to call on our dull nature with the spurres of profit and pleasure when we behold how profitable and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie For seeing omne amabile euery obiect of our loue which lodestone-like draweth our iron hearts to affect and embrace it must be as our z Arist li. 8. eth cap. 2. Moral-master teacheth either good or profitable or pleasant he setteth here this Psalme before our eyes as a glasse wherein we may behold how good how profitable and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in vnitie The glorie of which vertue was so eminent to the eye of his
knowledge that as a Ser. 2. de pace ad frat in erem Austine noteth Prius miraretur quà m ostenderet quid vtilitatis iucunditatis haberet He first stood admiring it before hee shewed what profite and pleasure it affoorded and therefore that Father admiring this admiration of our heauenly Father crieth out and exclaimeth O quà m grandem admirationem proposuit O what admirable and wonderfull admiration he shewed when he cried out Behold What maruellous profit and pleasure he proclaimed when he wondred how profitable and pleasant a thing it was For pleasantnesse he b Psal 133. 2. likeneth it to the sweete sauour of Aarons precious ointment which ranne downe from his head to the skirts of his clothing and for profite to the c Verse 3. deaw of Hermon which watered the mountaines of Sion and made them fruitfull hilles Some things indeede are good saith d Ibid. Austine but not delightsome as fasting watching and afflictions are profitable but not pleasant Hebr. 12. 11. some things are delightsome but not good as gluttonie drunkennesse chambering wantonnesse and sinne is pleasant but not profitable 2. Pet. 2. 13. But wouldst thou haue a good thing sweetened with pleasure and a pleasant thing relishing of goodnesse Ecce Behold how good and pleasant it is Miscuit vtile dulci he hath mingled here pleasantnesse to make thee tast with good to make thee sauor this great thing of God and both procuring health in this life and happinesse in the oother For there saith the Prophet the Lord promised his blessing in this life and life for euermore in the world to come Psalme 133. 3. Behold then how good and pleasant it is when loue faiths yonger brother like e Gen. 43. 34. Beniamin the yongest hath his messe doubled of our Ioseph and this holinesse that is so pleasant and profitable vnto all things hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. The profitable pleasure of which brotherly vnitie as God the Father did admire when he beheld it so fell that good father into admiration of this peace and vnion of brethren when he saw it O peace saith f Ibid. Austine mother of Eremites father of Caenobites sister of solitaries thou bond of the Patriarks thou chariot of the Prophets thou refuge of the Apostles thou solace of the Martyrs thou girdle of Confessors thou dance of virgines thou glasse of widdowes thou spectacle of maried folkes thou hate of tyrants and halter of robbers O peace and brotherly loue thou calmenesse of the mind thou tranquilitie of the soule and singlenesse of the heart This is the happinesse which stantheth grudges and quencheth broiles and stinteth garboiles pulleth downe the crest of pride embraceth the humble appeaseth the disagreeing and pacifieth the furie of foes O peace let thy possessor keepe thee let him that wants thee seeke and him that hath lost thee go after thee for behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Which as it was ioyful for Dauid to behold in some of his kingdome for ostende bat qui dicebat ecce saith g In hunc Psal Austine he pointed the finger to some whom he said Behold so I wish this Psalme might now be said as truly Ecce behold how brethren of one heauenly father dwell together in vnitie I wish they that are without might point at vs as did the h Tertul. 39. apo aduers Gent. heathen at those Christians in the Primitiue Church and say Behold how these Christians loue one another This was the Prophet Dauids Ecce but I feare another ecce of the Prophet Esai may point out too many He that is their father looked for iudgement but ecce behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crying Esai 5. 7. Beloued in Christ Iesus haue we not all one i Mal. 2. Father hath not one God made vs why then do we transgresse euery one against his brother and breake the couenant of our father Though some false brethren as they dealt with k Gal. 2. 4. Paul that crept and came in priuily to spie out our libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus of things indifferent to bring vs into bondage haue appropriated this name of brethren to themselues yet conference found them like Simeon and Leui but brethreÌ„ in euil and into their secret descend not thou my soul my glory be not thou ioyned with their assembly and a CanoÌ„ hath discharged and dissolued the bonds of their brotherhood That all Christians are indeed brethren Rom. 8. 29. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fraternitie among our selues from this one Father 1. Pet. 5. 9. and therefore must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and loue as brethren 1. Pet. 3. 8. there is an herbe almost in euery hedge which for it nature by some l Vid. Kemb Dâ—d Herbalists is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 louer of brethreÌ„ or Cliuer because in loue it cleaues to euery one that doth but touch it This herbe we plucke vp and let the roote of bitternesse spring vp in our hearts whereby many are defiled But Paul the m 1. Cor. 3. best planter would haue vs let it grow on in our gardens Heb. 13. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let brotherly loue continue For as in a gardeÌ„ knot diuersitie of flowers and sweete herbes cause a more fragrant smell to him that keepeth them so incundum est it is a sweete smelling flower in the nostrils of him whom Mary supposed to be a gardener when brethren dwell together in vnitie I might adde with Dauid It is also profitable vnto them for surely saith n Ser. 11 de Quadrag Leo Apud suum patrem qui non fuerit in charitate fratrum non habebitur in numero filiorum he shall neuer haue the inheritance of sonnes with God his father in heauen who hath not the loue of brethen with his mother the Church here on earth Let vs not then by our iarres grieue the holy spirit of God our Father whereby we are sealed for sonnes vnto the day of redemption Ephes 4. 30. as Esau would not be auenged of o Genes 27. 41. Iaakob least he should vexe his father Isaac who the rather should not be grieued with his contentious children because he hath made them all One bodie whereof his owne sonne is the head Ye are the 2. linke one bodie bodie of Christ and euery man a member thereof for his part 1. Cor. 12. 27. Now how absurd in nature would it seeme to a naturall man that the members of the bodie as I sayd before 1. vnitie in the body should be deuided That head was mad in Iudas which plotted the feete were vnnaturall that went and the hands cruell which executed the other members with an halter Mat. 27. 5. they were lunatick feet possessed with a diuel which oft times caried their fellow members into the
the dead and Christ shall giue thee light We reade of Iohn Baptist that not onely he had a voice but he was a voice Ioh. 1. 2â— a voice in his head a voice in his hand a voice in his word a voice in his worke a voice in his eye a voice in his eare a voice in his feet and a voice in his apparell a voice in his meate and a voice in his fasting that I may truly say of him as said z â— Cor. 14. 10. Paule in another meaning There were so many kinds of voices as it came to passe in th◠〈◊〉 word and none of them was dumbe and he might say of himselfe with a Verse 18. S. Paule of as good tongues I thanke God I speake moe languages then ye all And this clouen tongue of Iohn Baptist this vox vocis vitae of life and learning drew the wicked Pharises to his baptisme And as the Poets fable of Amphtons voice that it drue sauage men to ciuilitie as it had bene trees stones to the building of Thebes so this voice drue dead trees to be trees of righteousnesse and of stones raised children to Abraham Math. 3. Many haue a voice indeed like Herod the voice of God rather then of men but like Iohn they are not a voice Or as Plutarch spake of the Nightingale Voxes praeterea nihil manie a sweet singer in Israel haue a voice and nothing else which crieth peace peace to their sheepe when there is no peace in them to the shâ—pheards and their sermons of peace to their babes confuted by an vnpeaceable life to stronger men nourisheth them not with sincere milke sith like milke vnder too much fire in turnes in the seething Wherefore as Publicans and harlots came to Iohn in the way of obedience because he came to them in the way of righteousnesse Math. 21. 32. and euen the Priests and elders reâ—oiced for a season in his light b Ioh. 5. â—5 because he was both a shining in doctrine and a burning lampe in life yea many walked in his light because this starre went before them to Christ and standing ouer him pointed him out both by life and doctrine Behold the Lambe so will thy sheepe flocke to thy food when thou leadest them by life to greene pastures come to thy light when thy deeds are not reproued Otherwise if thou hold out the word of truth and peace to others when thou art vnpeaceable thy selfe thou art but as a swifler which carieth a torch in his owne hand to shew others his deformitie whereby he is derided and thou lettest thy light shine before men that they may see thine euill workes whereby thou art despised Thou breakest downe with one hand what thou buâ—ltest with the other like the mother that waking nourished her child but with her falling asleepe killed him 1. Reg 3. 19. Wherefore to conclude this point if pastors will haue their people to bring aures dextras their eares and right hands to build vp theÌ„selues in loue as the women brought in aures dextralia their eare-rings and bracelets to the building of the Tabernacle they must like the high Priest haue Vrim and Thummim written in their breasts as those beasts in c Chap. 1. 8. Ezechiel had an hand for euery wing and a work for euery word as he had a d Exod. 28. 34. Pomegranate for euery bell And then illa vox libentius auditorum corda penetrat quam dicent is vita commendat as e Past part 2. cap. 3. Gregorie speaketh that preaching best speedeth which hath commendatorie letters from the practise validior est operis quà m linguae vox more effectuall to perswade saith f Ser. 59. in CaÌ„t. Bernard is the word of a worke then the worke of ame word to them whose eares are in their eyes and their eyes in their hands that like Thomas they beleeue not thy words vnlesse they see the print of g Eccles 12. 11 those nailes in thy hands and thy feete which were sastened by the maisters of the assemblie And seeing the contentious pastor that beates his fellow seruant carrieth a sword in one hand to cut downe what he built with his trowell in the other let him take heed saith h Lib. 5. diuin instit cap. 2. Lactantius least as his good preaching reproueth his euill life so his euill life reproue his good preaching that it become a cast-away That when men refuse his doctrine he may answer with the i Ioh. 5. 36. shepheard of his soule The works that I do they beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me and if ye beleeue not me at least beleeue me for the verie workes sake which are the fruits of the spirit And let these spirituall fathers be brethren of peace if they will beget sonnes of peace with one faith that as by hauing salt in themselues they may saue their souls so by atteÌ„ding to this one faith they may haue peace one with another and saue those that heare them Which vnitie of faith we should the rather keepe in the bond of peace sith we haue all One baptisme the solemne sacrament and oath of our warfare 6. Linke One Baptisme wherein we haue sworne before God men and Angels to fight vnder our Captaine against his enemies together as one man For seeing k Arist lib. 8. Ethie cap. 12. nature hath taught euen natural men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loue and vnitie among fellow-soldiers whose affectioÌ„s and fists the same cause combineth in the field much more may grace teach Christians who are fellow-soldiers for the soule to fight together like Israel as one man Iud. 20. 11. Let your conuersation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ saith Paule to his Philippians that ye continue in one spirit and in one mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighting together through the faith of the Gospell Philip. 1. 27. l Lib. 9. Curtius storieth of certaine barbarous people that though they were euer banding in armes one against another yet when Alexander the Great came vpon them quos aliâs bellare inter se solitos tunc periculi societas iunxerat the qualitie of danger wherein they were ioyned ioyned also their hearts and hands together as one man m Lib. de frat amor Plutarch reporteth no lesse of the meÌ„ of Crete who though they were often at ciuill warre and sedition among themselues yet when forreine power did assault them pacem ac societatem coierunt they conioyned their mutuall aide tooke truce with themselues which they termed n Erasm Chil. cent 1. adig 11. syncretismum the ioyning of the Cretans together as one man And seeing we wrestle not like them against flesh and bloud but principalities and powers the gouernours of the world and princes of darknesse Eph. 6. 12. for this cause should we take vnto vs the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist
concupiscibilem iustitia irascibilem tranquilitate as Bernard speakes all our vnderstandings with wisedome all our wils with righteousnes and all our affections with rest and tranquilitie Where within vs al the glorification of our selues without vs the association of his Saints vnder vs triumph ouer our enemies aboue vs the vision of our God and Father ouer vs his right hand of comfort and round about vs delectation of ioy and blessednesse proceeding from the strongest loue of a father and the strength of a God shall fill vs and yet not satiate vs with ioy For there shall be satiâ—â—as insatiabilis saith l Ser. 59. de Tem. Austine they shall hunger and thirst when they are filled with righteousnesse Lord shew vs thy father and it sufficeth for in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy Or Father shew vs thy right hand and it sufficeth for at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore This is the inheritance of Hope which should linke coheires in loue this is the peace of God and good wil to men of peace on earth this is the nemo scit in heauen the m Apoc. 2. 17. hidden Manna that none knowes but he that tasteth it this is the white stone wherein is a name written which no man knowth sauing he that receiueth it These be the n 1. Cor. 2. things which eye hath not seene nor eare hath not heard nor euer mans heart could conceiue which the God of peace hath prepared for his sonnes of peace This is the light that none can approch vnto and peace that passeth al vnderstanding Non vidit oculus lucem inaccessibilem non audiat auris nec intelligat cor pacem incomprehensibilem saith Bernard But why do I bring you some clusters to shew you of the fruite of this good land Why do I labor with this lure of peace to call ye on in the way of peace Why do I speake of the praise of peace saith o In Psal 14â— Austine which passeth all your vnderstanding and is not possible for me to vtter Let vs deferre the praise of peace till we come to this Hope and country of peace Ibi eam planius laudabim us vbi eam plentus habebimus Si mâ—hi tercentum linguae centum ora darentur â—f I had the tongue of men and Angels to declare and speake of them they are more then I am able to expresse But truly glorious things are spoken of thee thou citie of God Where is a citie and the gates of it pâ—arle and the streetes of it gold and the walles of it precious stones and the temple in it the Almightie God and the light of it the father of lights and the Sun of it the Sun of righteousnes the vessels to it Kings of the earth Apoc. 21. where is a riuer the spring of it the throne of God and the water of it water of life and the bankes of it set with trees of life Apoc. 22. where is the great supper of the Lambe and the cheare of it fulnes of ioy where is mirth and the exercise of it singing whose subiect is God the quire Angels the dittie praise and the song Alleluia And beloued sonne of peace when thy soule like the p 1 King 10. Queene of Saba shall trauell to this new Ierusalem to see this Salomons wisedome and prince of peace for behold a greater then Salomon is here and his house whose builder maker is God and the meate of his heauenly table and the sitting of his seruants and the order of his ministers she will be astonied with admiration of his kingdome and say vnto the King It was a true word that I heard in mine owne land of thy glory of thy wisedom howbeit I beleeued not this report till I came and had seene it with mine eyes I q Iob 42. 5. haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee and lo the one half was not told me for thou hast more glorie more wisedome and prosperitie Iesus my Prince of peace then I haue heard by report happie are thy men happie are these thy seruants which stand before thee and heare thy wisdome This beloued brethren which shal be the end of al is our hope which being such a country of peace should perswade coheires in a strange countrey here to be at peace This is new Ierusalem the vision of peace whither this one God and Father shal bring vs whom he made one bodie that its members might be knit by one spirit to serue him one Lord in one faith through one baptisme where the God of peace shal keepe sessions for eternall peace where conscience shall be the clarke of peace an Angell the crier of peace Messias the Iudge of peace Saints the Iury for peace Innocent the verdit of peace Come ye blessed of my Father the oye of peace and receiue the kingdome the sentence of peace To which country of peace the Father of peace bring vs through his Son of peace to whom with the holy Spirit three in person one in essence immortall and onely wise God be ascribed all honor maiestie glorie and dominion now and for euer And let all creatures say Amen Praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen Apoc. 7. 12. Psalme 122. 6. O pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee 7. Peace be within thy walles and prosperitie within thy pallaces 8. For my brethren and companions sake I will wish thee now prosperitie An Apologie of the vse of Fathers and Secular learning in Sermons IN handling perswading this ChristiaÌ„ vnion if I haue borrowed Iewels of the Egyptians and called secular learning to serue and waite on her mistris Theologie thinke not good Christian that I feede thee with Onions and Pepins of Egypt in stead of heauenly Manna or leaue the fountaine of liuing water to dig cisternes that can hold no water of life as some humorists slaunder our maner of preaching While some in Athens and mother of all learning with their blacke coale grime and besmeare the face of the Muses and make collation betweene the auncient Fathers and moderne writers as if the gleanings of Ephraim were better then the vintage of Abiezer And what haue these done in comparison of them Others in most famous places of this land edifie Gods people by preaching or rather speaking against learneder preaching of others then themselues can attaine vnto so farre that if they can find in their text but Thus saith the Lord they make the Lord speake against cleanly and learned handling of his word when thus the Lord hath not said But thus saith the Lord of such men The Prophets prophesie lies in my name I haue not sent them neither did I command theÌ„ neither spake I thus vnto them but they prophesie vnto you a false vision a lying diuination and
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
Heró Phil. vide â—rat eius fuâ—eb in Athanas Nazianzene Sanctissimum orbis oculuÌ„ and was counted the light of the Church of Alexandria as r Immut dial 1. Theodoret reports this interpreter must be silent in the Church this eye plucked out of our sermons and this light couered vnder a bushell in our studies and not be set on a candlesticke to giue light to all in Gods house Basilius Magnus who sutable to his name was the great strength of the people which name was penes omnes in euery mans mouth saith Å¿ Orat funâ—b in laud. Basil magn Nazianzene whom t Lib. 4. hist Eccl. cap. 19. Theodoret called the light of the whole world whoÌ„ u Epist 14. vide Greg. Nyss orat in laud. Basil mag Nazianzene the eye of the world Magnificam Dei vocem ac tubam regiumque dicendi splendorem his strength seemes but weaknesse in our eyes this eye is darknes in our bodie this trumpet of God sounds harsh in our eares his siluer we count drosse Basill is but brasill in our account or but like Basilides the gnosticke Hilarie whom in his writings x Epi. ad Paulin. Ierome found Graeciae floribus adornatum and y Apol. adu Ruff called that most eloquent man the trumpet of God against the Arians and z Epist aduersus Lucifer Deucalion of the world his flowers smel not sweete in our nostrils this trumpet of God giues such an vncertaine sound in our eares that we cannot prepare our selues vnto battell we crie out with the Prophet in a worse meaning Woe is me I haue heard the sound of the trumpet and when we are bid take heed to the sound of the trumpet we answer like them Ier. 6. 17 But we will not take heed What shall I say some thinke of the rest Cyrillus whom a Lib. 2. hist Eccl. cap. 26. Theodoret termed Promptissimum defensorem Apostolicorum dogmatum the most readie defender of the Apostolicall truth he shall be but Chaerilus the paltrie Poet. Epiphanius the appearance and reuelation of truth but Epiphanes the Platonicke Gregorius surnamed by an excellencie the Diuine but Gregarius a common fellow Ambrosius whom his scholer b Lib. 6. confess cap. 13. Austine termed the Bishop knowne to the best throughout the world who sutable to his name as c Epist praefix Ambros Erasmus noteth flowing with heauenly Ambrosia is worthy to be Ambrosius that is immortall with God and men he shall be forgotten and his name cleane put out of our sermons Ierome such a map of all kind of learning that whatsoeuer gifts were singular in any seueral men were in him alone most excellent that he excelled al men in that wherein they excelled all as d Epist nuncap praefix 1. tom Ier. Erasmus auoucheth his diuersity of tongues is but a confusion of tongues for the building of Babel his wit without wisedome his inuention without iudgement in our esteeme and the tongue of the learned shall want an hearer of his infinite learning Chrysostome cui aurei oris cognomen tributum saith e Epist praefix Chrysost Erasmus interpreting his name for as his name was so was he whose Sermons to the coÌ„mon people how singular they were saith f Lib. 6. hist eccl cap. 4 Socrates I need not declare seeing euery one may reade and reape great fruit profit therefroÌ„ of whoÌ„ his g SozoÌ„ li. 8. hist Eccles cap. 2. master and predecessor Libanius witnessed at his death that he was ad dicendum ac persuadendum potens inter sui temporis oratores excellens his gold is too light and in the ballance of their braine is found wanting yea laid vpon the weights is altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe What lastly shall I say that we thinke of father Austine the perfection of all these Aurelius Augustinus then which writer the world hath nought vel magis aureum vel augustius saith h Epist praefix tom 1. August Erasmus that the very names seeme not in vaine but by Gods prouidence to be giuen to the man though we thinke quid hoc scriptore vel magis aeneum angustius whom i Pauli ad Aug. epist 31 â—om 2. Paulinus cald the salt of the earth a candle worthily set on the candlesticke of the Church his mouth a conduit-pipe of liuing water a veine of that eternall fountaine and k Epist 36. trumpet of the Lord this salt is vnsauory and meet for nought but to be cast out of our sermons and be troden vnder feete of men this candle to be couered vnder a bushell in our studies this conduit-pipe to be stopped this fountaine to be damned and dammed vp He was worthily tearmed the hammer of heretikes whose word was like an hammer that breaketh the stones as Ieremie speaketh But though this heauenly smith abode by his anvill and did his diligence to labour the iron that the vapour of the fire dried his flesh and he fought with the heate of the fornace though the noise of the hammer was euer in his eares and his eyes looked still vpon the things that he made though he set his mind to make vp his workes and watched to polish it perfectly as speaketh l Eccl. 38. 28. 29 Syracides yet must he now keep silence in the Church and the hammer not be heard in building the temple They are ashamed to name them in sermons whose names were so famous throughout the whole world whereas modernes the sonnes of these fathers they proclaime with great glorie m Epist praefix Hilaerio Erasmus saw it in his dayes and complained Video quosdam saith he prae nouis libellis qui nunc vndiquaque prouolant veteres authores fastidire in tantum vt Originem Ieronymum velut sexagenarios quod est in prouerbio de ponte deturbandos existiment Ego verò vt non arbitror aspernandum siquid horum temporum ingenia vel excogitarint vel instaurarint ita mentis est improbae vetustati non suum deferre honorem ingratae verò etiam eos reijcere quorum industriae tantum debet orbis Christianus Quid enim nunc possemus in sacris literis nisi Origenis Tertulliani Chrysostomi Ieronymi Hilarij Augustini monumentis adiuti If these men that condemne the naming of Ambrose and Austine would not also name Caluin and Beza their partiall dealing were lesse But if they dare name a Father it is low downe as that n Horat. epist hypocrite named Valerna in the temple Labra mouens metuens audiri they dare not speake out least all heare it But Caluin and Beza on whom they thinke as on Elisaeus Eliah his spirit is doubled they proclaime with courage and contention of voice Iane pater clare clare cùm dixit Apollo whereas rather they should contrariwise cite them as did those two or if they dare name Fathers it is but bare Ambrose and Austine whom the Church counted Saints and put Saint
before their names when master Caluin and master Beza they will be sure to sound out what partiall men are these Alas they might at least honor the fathers as much as their sons and call them master Ambrose and master Austine I speake not this to disgrace those men of yesterday whom in many places I oft counted true searchers of the sense and holy land of Canaan Neither yet wold I haue any to prefer those recent writers to the learned ancient Fathers as o Vide Piscat prafat in Gen. some too partiall indiscreetly haue done as if the gleanings of Ephraim were better then the vintage of Abiezer and what haue these done in comparison of them but onely to shew the factious spirt of singularitie of some sectaries who in stead of the Fathers haue children whom they make Princes in al lands Neither is my censure the obseruation of learned p Lib. de sac scr quast 12. cap. 2. Zanchius himselfe who hauing shewed that the proud contempt in some of learned men and interpreters to be one cause of not vnderstanding the scriptures aright taxeth those sharply with faction Qui nimium addicti sunt suis interpretibus who are pinned to the sleeue of their owne interpreters wherof as the Papists are guiltie saith he who are pinned to the Monkes and Doctors Thomas Aegidius Scotus and such like so sunt plerique etiam inter nostros there are not a few by your leaue euen among vs Protestants also quibus religio est ab interpretationibus suoruÌ„ praeceptorum vel minimum deflectere and he shewes the effect profit of such sectarisme Ita fit vt ipsi sponte se priuent vera scripturâ— intelligentia dum suos praeceptores in omnibus per omnia volunt tueri turbas excitant in Ecclesia Res est perspicua vel me tacente True Zanchius it is so plaine here that one may runne and reade it in this land For my poore part and little reading in the Fathers when I found such store of heauenly learning of diuine meditations sound expositions patheticall amplifications and godly admonitions I resolued in my self with q Epist prâ—fix tom 1. August lib. 1. de rat concion Erasmus who had read them all more then many of vs In Athanasio suspicimus seriam ac sedulam docendi perspicuitatem In Basilio praeter subtilitatem exosculamur piam ac mitem suauiloquentiam In Chrysostomo spâ—nte profluentem orationis copiam amplectimur In Cypriano spiritum veneramur martyrio dignum In Hilario grandi materiae parem grandiloquentiam atque cothurnum admiramur In Ambrosio dulces quosdam aculeos In Ieronymo diuitem scripturarum penum optimo iure laudamus In Gregorio puram nulloque fuco picturatam sanctimoniam agnoscimus And in Austine as in a map al these we admire Thus thought that learned man of these Fathers but Erasmus was deceiued and for this wil they count and write him but Eras-mus And though late writers froÌ„ them giue vs oft the true sense and meaning of Scripture yet in my simple iugdement profound Austine for questions learned Ierome for expositions patheticall Chrysostome for amplifications hony Bernard for meditations pithie Cyprian for perswasions sweete Ambrose for allusions which they call delusions eloquent Nazianzene for mouing the affections in stead of their children I still iudged these Fathers were made by the holy Ghost Princes in all lands And though in respect of informing the vnderstanding there may seeme some collation yet for leading and conforming the affection and reforming the will I speak before the Lord and his Saints I think there is no comparison Lege eos inuenies nos comparatione eorum imperitissimos saith r Jerem Epist ad Roman one Do but reade them good brother for such commonly neuer reade them if they did it were impossible they should dislike them and thou shalt finde many of vs vnworthy to cary their bookes which made me I confesse resolue with that excellent Å¿ Ierom. Epist ad M 〈…〉 Father Meum propositum est antiquos legere probare singula retinere quae bona sunt à fide Ecclesiae non recedere Wherein as I freely professe with Brentius Patres vt multùm amo ita canitiem eorum reuerenter veneror ac sentio eos plurimum vtilitatis in Ecclesiam conferre so can I not but with t Explâ—n in Psal 1. 1. Bucer proclaime against these Antipaters Inhumanum est nedum indignum filijs Dei verè pios vereque doctrinae sacrae studiosos ac non parum de Ecclesia Christi suis scriptis meritos temerè adeò in ordinem cogere adeoque omnem illis authoritatem derogare id quod plerique sibi nescio quo spiritu turbulento hoc nostro seculo nimium quà m licentèr permiserunt Thou saidst that truly Bucer they do it nescio quo spiritu it is from the spirit He addeth Hic candor hoc consensus studium quum omnibus debeatur this fauour of naming them whereas it is due debt to all authors Praecipuè debetur ijs quos multis iam seculiâ— sapientiae sanctimoniae nominibus totus ferè orbis suspexit veneratus est When I haue said neuer so much for them I cannot giue them more due commendation aboue late writers then learned u Lib. 4. de raâ— stud Theol. ca. 9. Hyperius doth in a whole chapter who had read compared both so throughly I wil set downe his owne words in Latin because in this question I speak to the learned Vehementer demiror quorundam malè feriatorum ingenia ac iudicia and so may all wisemen qui praestantissima remedia ad cuitandum omne incommodum et si porrigi cernant aegrè tamen ferunt vllos in sanctorum patrum lectionem incumbere witnesse the dustie deskes where they stand whereas the boords of late writers are worne bright and the bookes blacke with reading non aliter improbant damnant repudiant abijciunt veterum scripta vniuersa quà m si nihil in ijs extaret dignum cognitione de Christo nihil vnquam docuissent veritati sacrae scripturae consentaneum Atqui satis superque constat multos ex sanctis illis patribus vitae sanctimonia conspicuos plerosque etiam miraculis claros extitisse â—dhaec propter confessionem nominis Christi dira perpessos nonnullos etiam sanguine suo morte fortiter tolerata consignasse confessionis suae sanae doctrinae Euangelicae certitudinem Constat insuper quomodo Deus dignatus sit quosdam illoruÌ„ mirabilt virtute spiritus â—â— gratia in docendo celebres in Ecclesia reddere quomodo donis hisâ—e tantum valuerint vt in assereÌ„da veritate in redarguendis confutandiâ—que tà m Philosophorum quà m haereticorum erroribus in exhortationâ—m grauitate in acrimonia seueritate conuictionum in consolationum dulcedine Caeteros omne longo interuallo post se relinquant quorumvis hominuÌ„ conscientijs supra quaÌ„ dici