If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse and no secular learning which consenteth not to Gods word may we bring I confesse 2. These places if they marke them make most for the vse of secular learning in sermons for the Apostle forbidding to teach any other doctrine then coÌ„senteth to Gods word implieth that we may bring ab extrinseco whatsoeuer is consonant thereunto He saith not If any man preach any other thing then the scripture but if he preach any other thing and consenteth not to the doctrine of godlinesse If he meant our doctrine should be nought but scripture why willes he it to consent thereunto He bids vs keepe the patterne of the wholesome word therefore allowes he to vse whatsoeuer truth is consonant to that pattern He saith not Keepe the wholesome word and speake nothing else but keepe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the patterne whereto all doctrines must accord We must vse it as a samplar of truth how is it a samplar and patterne if we bring nought else but it selfe Neither saith he If any speake let him speake the words of God and nought else but sicut loquatur let him speake as the words of God that is secundum analogiam fidei according to the measure proportion and analogie of faith in the word Rom. 12. 3. Wherefore the Apostle here alloweth Preachers to bring all truth whatsoeuer agreeth with the word of truth and consenteth to the doctrine of Christ 7. Ob. Christ sent me to preach the Gospell not with wisedome of words least the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect saith Paul 1. Cor. 1. 17. And I brethren when I came to you came not with excellencie of words or of wisedome neither stood my speech and my preaching in the intising speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of the spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of God 1. Corin. 2. 1. 4. 5. Therefore all mans wisedome of secular learning and pleasant eloquence should be abandoned in the lips of the Preacher And this place is their Achilles that kils vs as they thinke 1. Resp. Hic locus placet crassis istis theologis qui sibi in coeli videntur esse quod procul absint ab omni eloquentia This place indeed saith h Schol in Ier 〈…〉 â—pi ad Pamâ—ach Erasmus pleaseth these grosse-pated Diuines who thinke themselues in heauen because they are farre from all eloquence Qui suae ignorantiae patrocinantur sentiunt Paulum hic damnnasse Rhetoricam eloquentiam exquisita selecta verba sermonem mundum tersum didacticam docendi rationem humanaÌ„ sapientiam suo in gradu consistentem They who patronage their ignorance saith Pomeranus on these words thinke Paul here condemned Rhetorical eloquence exquisite and choise words fine and cleanly speech and humane wisedome of words in it owne measure and degree Hoc loco abutuntur nonnulli contra bonas literas vt barbariem ruditatem defendant tanquam rem Euangelio congruentem cruditionem vero studium politioris sermonis in ministro minimè ferendum esse censent saith i Proâ—â—â— loc 151 eru litto mundana num in ministro Euangelij ferri debeat Aretius discussing this question and answering this place This place they abuse say these three learned men to pratronize their barbarous ignorance and rudenesse in preaching Shall I answer them with the auncient Fathers on this point No it were in vaine they are not ashamed to proclaime in Athens and eare of all learning Nos non curamus quid dicunt Patres we care not whatsoeuer the Fathers say Wherefore seeing in stead of the Fathers they haue children whom they make Princes in all lands I will answer them with Caluin P. Martyr Aretius Hemingius and Gualther on these words To begin with the chiefest and first Here two questions arise saith Caluin on this place one whether Paul here condemneth wholy the wisedome of words as aduersary to Christ No saith he à ratione valdè dissentaneum est It is very dissonant from reason that Saint Paul should condemne those arts which is euident are the excellent gifts of God wherby as with instruments men are helped to good vses The arts as they are not superstitious but containe solide learning so no doubt they came from the holy Ghost and the profite that commeth by them must be ascribed to none but the Lord. This therefore that Paul here speaketh must not be taken in contumeliam artiuÌ„ to disgrace the arts as if they were repugnant to pietie This Caluin on the first question that the Apostle speaketh nought in this place against the arts and secular learning or wisdome of words in the pulpit A second question he proposeth whether Paul meaneth there is so perpetuall contrarietie and iarre betweene the doctrine of the Gospell and eloquence that they cannot stand together and that the preaching of the Gospell is contaminated siquis ad eam ornandam eloquentie color adhibeatur for the Apostle saith the crosse of Christ is made of none effect if any wisedome of words be adioyned I answer saith he we must consider to whom Paul here speake namely to the Corinthians whose eares itched with a foolish desire of magniloquence Before other therefore were they to be called back to the humility of the crosse that they might learne to embrace nakedly Christ and simply the Gospell without deceipt and therefore came he not to them in the wisedome of words But what saith he if any now Paulo nitidiùs disserendo Euangelij doctrinam eloquentia illustret by preaching more elegantly then Saint Paul beautifieth the Gospell with eloquence and wisedome of words is he therefore to be refused as if he contaminated it or obscured the glory of Christ I answer first saith Caluin Eloquentiam nihil pugnare cum simplicitate Euangelij that eloquence is no way against the simplicitie of the Gospell which without disdaine not onely yeelds to it but subiecteth it selfe and like an handmaid serues and waites on her mistresse For as Austine speaketh He who gaue vs Peter a fisherman gaue vs also Cyprian a Rhetorician whereby he signifieth that both are of God howsoeuer the one which in dignitie was much superior was destitute of all grace of speech the other who sitteth at his feet excelled in eloquence His conclusion is This eloquence therefore is not to be condemned nor abandoned which aymeth not at this to hold Christians in the outward colour of words that it may inebriate their eares with vaine oblectation and delight but that it may bring vs by perswasion to receiue the simplicitie of the Gospell Vt denique tanquam praeconis officio fungatur ad comparandam piscatoribus illis idiot is audientiam That like a Cryer it may get those Idiots and fishermen audience qui nihil praeter
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.
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
burnt them immediatly And though he could moderate his wrath and in sobrietie be angrie at his followers Maluiâ— tamen non possâ— faith mine author yet wold he not know a cause that he might be angrie When one had vnwares hit Cato in the bath and came after to aske him forgiuenesse I remember not quoth he that I was struck Melius putauit non agnoscere quà m ignoscere a Ibid cap. 32. saith the same author It was not without mysterie as some obserue that our Sauiour when he should be b Math. 27. spitted on buffetted and reuiled wold be blindfold before that as man he might not know his smiter and reuiler least with c Act. 23. Paul he might be prouoked to reply as after he did when he beheld his smiter Iohn 18. Lessoning vs it may be to blindfold the eyes of our vnderstanding when we are smitten with the toong and be as stockes and images at reproch which though they be railed on and reuiled by their enemies of imagery yet haue eares and heare not noses and smell not hands and reuenge not feet and are not swift to shed blood no nor so much as flow to wrath neither is there any breath in their mouth to reply Psal 115. Dauid was as deafe and dumbe at reproch as any of these were Psa 38. 12 13. They that seek after my life lay snares and they that go about to do me euill talke wicked things all day long but I was as deafe saith he and he ard not and as one dumbe which doth not open his mouth I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes They talked wicked things of him not once but all day long and this innocent Doâ—e was so wise as a Serpent that he stopped his eares and refused to heare the voice of these blasphemous in chaunters charmed they neuer so skilfully For both he was deafe at their reproches and as one that heard not the tale-bearer who raiseth contention among brâ—thren Proâ—er 6. 19. Teaching vs thereby that not onely we our selues be deafe at reuilings but also neither heare it from the tale-bearer without whom strife ceaseth as without wood the fire is quenched Prouerb 26. 20. And indeed seeing a d Prouer. 16. 2â— Tale-bearer maketh diuision among Princes and as the Greeke interpreter reades it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuides friends themselues we should not be talehearers like kans as Bion called them which are caried vp and downe by the eares whithersoeuer their informer lusteth nor take information from our intelligencers and Abishâ—â—s of the barking of these Shimeis and dead dogs for as they are forbid to walke about with tales among the people Leâ—is 19. 16. so are we aduised by wisedome Eccles 28. 13. to abhorre the tale-bearer and double tongued for such haue destroyed many that were at peace and who so hearkneth vnto it shall neuer find rest and neuer dwell quietly Which the rather we should do because when thus hucksterlike we take our notice at second hand the reporters tongue proues oft that secunda lingua as some reade it and addeth more then the first did relate And therfore I wish that our tale-bearers who neuer receiue a voice which they do not resound would like the c Ouid. Me 〈…〉 eccho that true tel-tale either carry nothing but what they heard extremave verba remittant or extenuate reproches by an halfe relation I wish these pratlers and busi-bodies in other mens matters which like those f 1. Tim. 5 13. women in Ephesus being idle go from house to house speaking things which are not conuenient would follow Monica Saint Austins mother who as he g Lib. 9. Confess cap. 9. confesseth was such a peace-maker among disagreers that when she heard many most bitter things spoken of the one partie in the absence of the other nihil alteri de altera proderet wold not disclose a word of the one side to the other but that which might help their reconcilement But we as there he addeth not onely carry speeches of angrie men to their enemies but adde to their sayings some roote of bitternesse which putteth death in the pot Whereas we should not onely not stirre vp mens hatred by relation of truth nor augment it by that word which as wood increaseth the flame but striue to extinguish it by welspeaking And howsoeuer these informers which like spies are sent out to note the weaknesse of the land bring vs of the fruite thereof in their mouthes yet should our eare which trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate be stopped at their report with that of the Apostle Touch not tast not handle not or if we giue eare yet giue not our mind to all words that men speake against vs Eccles 7. 23. Wherefore let vs not if but the hemme of our good name be touched looke backe in wrath and aske our informers Quis me tetigis who hath touched me behind my back least if there be no feare of God before our eares Satan open our throates as sepulchers to send out Ephes 4. 29. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rotten speech and stinking breath which is a signe of inward corruption and that our inward parts are very wickednesse Least he tip our tongues with deceit to misconster least he put the poison of Aspes vnder our lips to reuile least he fill our mouthes full of cursing and bitternesse to reproch and make our feet swift to shed blood And thus taking no notice by our owne eares or others tongues we shall stop the mouthes of these barkers and be stayed our selues from answering a foole to his folly and barking againe A second prescript or counterpoison against their virulent 2. Not suspecting them tongues may be this if we be not too suspitious of their baying at vs. The cause of wrath indeed and toong-warre is opinio iniurio saith i Lib. 2. de Jâ—a cap. 22 Seneca conceit of iniury when too credulous we apply mens propositions in grosse and in our consciences assume what they proposed in generall yea eftsoones from very iesture and laughing as k Ibid. cap. 23. â— he noteth so censuring a phisiognomist is a suspitious conscience we interprete worse then their words in charitable construction might import When the men of Syria were at feud with the Romaines they sent them but these foure letters by an Herald S. P. Q. R. which in too much suspition of defiance they misconstrued Syris populis quis resistet who will resist the people of Syria And answering them backe with the same characters S. P. Q. R. too credulously they mis-expounded Senatus populus que Romanus the Senate and people of Rome Which letters the Romaines after that conquest ingrauing as an embleme of triumph in the forefront of their Temple for all to reade a traueller reading them without vnderstanding and asking what they meant one of the citizens expounded them by this question Sancte
out his bitter words against their family Ver. 9. 10. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread let them seeke it also out of desolate places He curseth their externall goods and riches vers 11. 12. 1â— Let the extortioner consume all that he hath and let the stranger spoile his labour Let there be no man to pitie him nor to haue compassion on his fatherlesse children Let his posteritie be destroied and in the next generation let his name be cleane put out Yea he curseth their soule vnto death and prayeth for their damnation Vers 14. 15. Let the wickednesse of his fathers be had in remembrance with the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be done away Let them alway be before the Lord that he may roote out the memorial of them from off the earth Behold here indeed as many imprecations of Dauid against his enemies as euer Callimachus the virulent Poet spent execrations on his mortal foe Apollonius and as bitter cursings as Ouid euer spent on his enuious foe whom in imitation of him he titled Ibis yea as that banner ended his imprecatory inuectiue with this summary execration Haec tibi quae precibus iustis mea deuouet ira Eueniant aut his non leuiora malis so concluded here Dauid his with not vnlike imprecation vers 20. Let it thus happen from the Lord vnto mine enemies and to those that speake against my soule Which practise of Dauid though it may seeme at first to giue allowance and warrant to words of bitternesse in cursing our blasphemers yet if with a single eye we more nearely looke into it we shall find that this imprecation was non optantis voto sed spiritu praeuidentis as Saint r Lib. 1. de serm Dom. in moâ—t ca. 4â— Austine resolues it not so much from a desire and wish of their ruine as from the spirit of foreseeing what would befall them As our Sauiour when vpbraiding the vnthankfull cities in the 11. of Mathew he anathematized the inhabitants of Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum Non maleuolentia optabat sed diuinitate cernebat did not as men from malice wish it but as God foresee it For Dauid as a graue Å¿ Cal 〈…〉 in Psa 69. 23 writer noteth was not herein caried with a turbulent passion of choler to powre out his bile as most men wronged by their enemies intemperatly giue their tongue the raines but the spirit of God did dictate these imprecations to his Prophet in wisedome to discerne these reprobates from curable beleeuers and in vprightnesse to respect Gods glory rather then his owne priuate reuenge in confusion of his enemies and in moderation to execrate his and Gods enemies without turbulent passions of hatred malice and maleuolence which three if like him we could obserue Probè â—um imitaremur we might lawfully do as he did But seeing our vnderstanding is not so mollified that we haue that 1. Corinth 12 gift of discerning spirits but the Lord onely knoweth who are his and who are reprobates nor our wils so rectified but that vnder zeale for Gods glory we reueÌ„ge our own wrongs nor our affectioÌ„s so sober from disturbance that we are angry and sin not v M 〈…〉 in Psal 10â— Non est hoc cuiuis vsurpandum Christiano in exemplum trahendum this practise of Dauid is no pretence for our cursings nor his example to be vsurped of any Christian as x Balaâ— of Rome doth in hiring his Baalams of Saint Francis order daily to pronounce this spalme in execration against those whom they hate and to curse Israel whom the Lord would haue to be blessed If any for farther satisfaction require a larger discourse of these imprecations I referre him to Martin Bucers disputation of prayer in his explanations on the fift Psalme and to Mollerus his Lecture on the seuenth verse of the 54. Psalme where this at large is discoursed I conclude this point with Musculus in the place before cited It is a common prescript to all which Christ the King of heauen hath commaunded Math. 5. Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that persecute you His Embassadors the Apostle of the Gentiles from his maisters mouth hath enioyned it Rom. 12. 14. Blesse them that persecute you blesse I say and curse not The Apostle of the Iewes hath from his Lord giuen this charge 1. Pet. 3. 9. Render not rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse By which iniunction of both al both Iewes and Gentiles must blesse for cursing and pray for their reuilers and what else should they pray for them saith y Lib. 4. d 〈…〉 cap. 44. Gregory but z 2. Tim. 2. 25. that of Saint Paul that God may giue them repentance to know the truth and come to amendment of life out of the snare of the diuell of whom they are taken at his pleasure to do his will And let both the offender confesse and the offended forgiue and testifie his reconcilement by words of friendship and loue to his enemy though he continue yet in his vnrighteousnesse of reuiling So much be spoken of this first namely verbal reconcilement Be reconliled in word But here beloued brethren we must not stay In atrio reconciliationis in the vtter court of reconcilement where men like the a Luke 1. 10. common people stay without and like the b Actâ— 5. 12. vulgar Iewes are with one accord in this Salomons porch and portall of peace but all being priests by our Christian profession to offer vp spirituall sacrifices 1. Pet. 2. 5. we must enter sancta the holy places of peace and amity by this beautiful gate of the temple of our body and offer to our brethren not onely the calues of our lips but the sacrifice of our hands to manifest our reall reconcilement For we haue a c 2. Sam. 3. 27 Ioab that will speake peaceably to Abner and yet vpon aduantage smite him for the bloud of his brother Asahel that will giue d 2. Sa. â—0 9. 10. Amasa words softer then oile Art thou in health my brother and yet with his precious balmes breake his head yea stâ—b him deadly and shed out his bowels on the ground For thus lip louing Ioab spake friendly to his neighbours e 1. Kings 2. 5. Abner and Amasa two captaines of the hoast of Israel but hauing warre in his heart with the sist of wickednesse he smote while he smiled he killed while he kissed and as Dauid there told his sonne Salomon shed the blood of battell in the time of peace And therefore if our loue and vnity will speake truly we must passe from this atrium to the sancta from word to workes from the tongue of friendship to the deeds of agreement and secondly be reconciled in deeds to our brethren Our Sauiour as before I shewed by symmetry and proportion Second reconcilement reall in my text inioyneth
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the q Arist lib. 2. Rhâ—roric naturall man telleth Gentils and friendship worke through as the r Galat. 5. spirituall man teacheth Christians Let our friendship shew it selfe Å¿ Arist li. 8. Eâ—h c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beneuolence not latent and lurking but patent and working in the deeds of reconcilement and be reconciled not in word and tongue onely but in worke and in deede Yet here beloued must we not stay in these Sancta and holy 3. reconcilemet intentionaâ— places of vnitie where is but the candlesticke of concord and shewbread of friendship for there is a Iudas that can not onely kisse with his mouth but embrace too with his armes and workes of loue when his heart is farre from vs. And therefore thirdly this agreement must enter into the heart the holiest of all where is the hidden Manna and hidden man too the arke of this testimonie and the mercie-seate of reconcilement For as she said to Sampson How canst thou say I loue thee when thine heart is not with me Iudg. 16. so how canst thou truly affect and be friends with thy brother who staying him in the atrium and sanctuary of thy loue shuttest vp thy heart from him and scant once a yeare admittest him into this holiest of all The Lord by his Apostle commaunds thee this last but not least degree of agreement 1. Iohn 3. 18. Let vs loue not in word and like trecherous Ioab by workes deny it neither in tongue onely with traiterous Iudas to giue good words with our mouth and curse with our hearts but as in deed against the former so in truth that is sincerely from the heart against the latter saith Lyra on these words which is loue indeed out of a pure heart 1. Tim. 1. 5. Christian without dissimulation saith t Rom. 12. 9. Paul brotherly without faining from a pure heart feruently saith v 1. Peter 1. 22. Peter For though men not onely speake with the tongue of men and Angels to their brethren but euen giue all their goods to their enemies yet as x Tract 6. â—n â—pi Ioan Austine out of Saint y 1. Corinth 13. Paul collecteth truly if they haue not this feruent loue out of a pure heart it profiteth them nothing because though it be in deed yet not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth not before God who seeth their hearts and knoweth their roote to be rottennesse but before men who iudging the tree by her fruite are eft soones deceiued with z August lib 21 de 〈◊〉 Deâ— ca. 5 apples of Sodome that seeme ripe to be taken but being rotten within turne to ashes and smote when they are touched Whereas then many exhibite their beneficence when their beneuolence is inhibited some like the a Mathew 6. 1. Pharisees to be seene of men and some like those b Luke 14. 12. feasters to receiue the like againe both these haue opus non veritatem saith a c Ferus in 1. IoaÌ„ 3. 18. writer they loue indeed before men who looke on the outside but not before God who beholdeth the inside of the platter whereas their left hand of worldly respect should not haue a finger in their giues of loue nor so much as know saith S. Austine what their right hand of pure conscience and sinceritie doth but as feruently to loue in God their friend so hartily for God their foe whose image and superscription he beareth Which loue of God aboue all seeing it begetteth the loue of our neighbor as our self Mat. 22. like d Ruth 1. 16 Naomi and Ruth they will not be parted but the daughter professeth to her mother as Ruth did to Naomi Whither thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall be my people and where thou diest I will die And therfore as those paire of Turtle-doues or two yong Pigeons were ioyntly a legall oblation for Christ Luk. 2. so must these two both together be an Euangelical sacrifice of Christians 1. Iohn 4. 21. And if the one Doue come alone without her mate she shal not be receiued into the ark of Gods rest nether wil he put forth his hand to receiue her vnlesse she bring an Oliue branch of peace in her mouth and of peace with all men Heb. 12. 14. Which two wings of charitie to vse the words of Saint e 〈◊〉 10. hom 27 Austine seeing as f â—â— Psal 10 4. elsewhere he noteth they are the two wings of the soule which were giuen to that Eagle the Church of God that she might flie from the Serpent into her place Apoc. 12. we should wish them the more and pray with Dauid that we had the wings of a Doue that we might flie away to the hill from whence commeth our helpe and be at rest because though these two be commanded loues and so a burden yet are they not g 1. Iohn 5. grieuous but as wings they are light Mat. 11. saith the Doue that was couered with siluer wings and her fethers like gold Onus est sed loue a burden they are but a light one saith h Sâ—r. 24. de 〈◊〉 Apost Austine and though commaundements of God yet not grieuous to the godly Non pondus ouerati sed alae volaturi not burdens such as beastes do carry but such as wings are to birds Portant illaâ— in terra portantur ab illis in câ—lum if these wings wee carry here on earth they will carry vs vp into heauen One tearmes them Pedes animae the two feete of the soule whereby she runneth the race that is set before her and walketh in loue on either whereof if she halt like lame i 2. Sam. 4. Mephibosheth she shall fall in the way or rather for her halting be turned out of the way And therefore confessed Paul himselfe that though he had the right foote of his soule to loue God so dearely as to giue his body to be burned and wanted yet the left foote of loue to his neighbour it would profit him nothing 1. Corinth 13. Teaching vs thereby to make straight stâ—ppes not with one foote alone but with both our feete in following as holinesse toward God so peace with all men least that which is halting be turned out of the way Hebr. 12 13. 14. Like the two blessed k Iohn 20. 4. Apostles Peter and Iohn they must runne to Christ both together though the loue of God like the beloued Disciple must runne before For as the Apostle hath l Ephes 6. 15. shod both our feet with the preparation of peace to run the way of his commandements so this is the way through which thou must run vnto life That he which loueth God should loue his brother also 1. Ioh. 4. 21. and that by good propottion seeing we must not halt in the way but make straite steppes with our feete nor hoppe but walke in
according to the multitude of his mercies deliuered them againe Wherefore as when 2. Reg. 5. 13. Naaman the Syrian thought much to wash so oft as seuen times in Iordan that his leprosie might be cleansed Father said his seruants if the Prophet had commaunded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it how much rather then sith he saith Wash seuen times and be cleansed So seeing not a Prophet but that Prophet Christ Iesus hath commaunded vs no great thing but onely seuen or seuentie times seuen times to forgiue that our sinnes may be forgiuen and cleansed Mat. 6. vers 14. who is he that will not take the paines to forgiue each one from his heart all trespasses seuenty times seuen times â— Person whoÌ„ Our Brother To his brother who is not a straunger from God or an alient from the commonwealth of Israel but of the houshold of faith and of that family so neare as our brother He might haue said Forgiue thy fellow seruant but becauâ—e the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 95. â— Mat â— title moued not the mercilesse debter he calleth him our brother to put vs in mind that as we are Gods seruants by condition of life so brethren among our selues by vnitie of affection For as that p Bern â—â—r 2. â—â— resâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Father before mentioned considering himselfe that he might be tempted compassionately said of the fall of his brother Ille hodie ego â—ras he hath offended me to day and I shall offend him it may be to morrow He that shall thus when like the hypocrite Math. 7. he hath seene extra mittendo the mote in his brothers eye shall thus I say reflecting his eyes into himselfe and behold intramittendo the beame in his owne Ne is non magno vitiorum in alys odio indulserit seipsum venia plurima indigere sentiens saith q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch he will surely restore his slipping brother with the spirit of meeknesse considering himselfe that he may so be tempted Galat. 6. 1. and will professe like r Horaâ— de arte Poâ—t him mutuall need of forgiuenesse hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim I must forgiue my brother his trespasses euen as he must do me when I trespasse against him For peccabis tu illi cras qui tibi hodie peccauit saith Å¿ Chrys sâ—r 13â— one perchance thou shalt offend him to morrow who hath offended thee to day Et erit tibi iudex qui erat ante tibi reus and he shall be then thy iudge who before was guiltie vnto thee and shall restore thee pardon if to him thou gauest it or if thou didst not either denie it thee or by giuing it make thee more guiltie before God And this is indeed the debt which still we must pay Rom. 13. and yet still owe it our brother because though to day we discharge it to morrow comes a fresh charge of loue saith Lyra whose coÌ„mandement is therfore called new Iohn 13. because though to day it be kept yet to morrow is it so new as if before it had not bene heard I alwayes saith t Epi 63. ad Câ—l Austine owe this debt to my brother which only being payd alwayes still keeps vs in debt Neither by paying is it lost but multiplied thereby and like the widowes oile by bestowing more increased Yea v Aug. ser 205. de Temp as the poore widdow hauing nothing to satisfie her creditors but a cruse of oyle was hid by Elisaeus to borrow vessels of her neighbours which she filled with oyle and payed all the debt 2. Kings 4. so the Church or Christian soule saith that Father hauing nothing to pay her debt of offences not shillings but a little oyle of loue is commaunded by our Sauiour to borrow vessels of her neighbours which filling vp with oyle she may satisfie her creditors While her oyle decreased her debt it increased and while the oile was augmented the debt it diminished While she kept it in her cruse it suffiâ—ed not her selfe nor was able to pay the debt till shee borrowed vessels of her neighbours Wherefore seeing euery brother may like that seruant Math. 18. say to his fellow Pay me that thou owest let vs owe nothing to any man but to loue one another Yea if we want vessels for increasing of this oyle let vs borrow them of our neighbours and poure it into them out of the cruse of our heart And if thou art willing and not able to giue it if thy soule like the poore widdow crie The creditor is come and thine hand-maid hath nothing to pay he that made thee willing saith x Eâ—arr in Psal 33. Psal 36. Austine to promise will also make thee able to pay that debt which is loue not in word and tongue onely but in deed and in truth and the act of Christes commission here spoken of so much Be reconciled in word in worke and in will Which triple reconcilement of two seeing it must be by a The 2. part of the commissioÌ„ third as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est per 3. aâ—queÌ„ mediatorem ad amicitiam v 〈◊〉 duci Budâ—n coment bâ—â—g Grâ—â— Step. Thesau Pha. word importeth which must make them both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one behold here is a brother which is a mediator betweene them to be their peace to make of both one to breake the stop of the partition wal to preach peace to him that is farre off from agreement and to him that is neare that reconciling both to God in one bodie he might make of twaine one new man so making peace and slaying hatred thereby Which dayes man seeing it was the peace-maker betweene Abraham and Lot Gen. 13. and should haue set those two Iewes at one Acts 7. y Guill in Math 5. 24. therefore vseth Christ in this exhortation the name Brother because it is most effectuall to perswade concord or vnitie that it is thy shame if either thou wilt not retaine or canst not obtaine amity with thy brother Wherefore as the interlinearie glosse on that of the Apostle Let brotherly loue continue Heb. 13. 1. doth fitly make this word the motiue of continuance in loue because ye are brethren so doth our Sauiour here make it the reason of reconcilement and by the word brother admonisheth of keeping concord and restoring it as z one obserueth For indeed latet in hoc vno verbo argumentum as another a speaketh in like case the very name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brother saith an b heathen seemes by good reason to put vs in mind of loue and goodwill And c Saâ—el lib 3. exâ—tap cap. â— what affection men should carrie one toward another the very name brother whereby they are called plainely declareth Wherefore as d Lib. 5. 〈◊〉 Tully told his friend Metellus mentioning their agreement Whereas you write of our reconcilement I see not why you should call
this one faith which before they destroyed yea we wil giue thanks vnto God with these words of Dauid saith h Comment iâ— Psal 133. 1. Calume Ecce quam bonum quam incundum habitare fratres in vnum We will sing and make a merrie noise to the God of Iaakob when he shall turne them from the power of Satan to God as i Gen. 9. 27. he perswaded Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. Meane while saith that writer we must embrace all of them which submit themselues to this one faith and righteousnes of God and let vs wish with stretched out armes to embrace all that dissent from vs if to returne in vnitatem fidei into this vnitie of faith they refuse not If any kicke against the prickes valere sinamus let vs bid them adieu because no fraternitie must we haue but with the chil-of God and brethren in one faith Which seeing we hold fast as 2. One faâ—th of God the anker of our hope stedfast and sure in all stormes we should not like Pauls mariners so iar in our iudgements as to leaue the ship of the Church in her straight course of heauen and fly each one to the cockbote of his priuate opinion For seeing that one faith in God is grouÌ„ded on this one faith of God which is the word of truth surely as that doctrin is no other but the k Ephes 2. 17. Gospel of peace nor hath any author but the l 1. Cor. 14. 33. God of peace nor any ministers but the m Rom. 10. 15 messengers of peace so requireth it no dutie more then the n Rom 12. 18. studie of peace nor commendeth any vnitie so much as the o Ephes 4. 3. bond of peace nor coÌ„mandeth any profession so often as her followers to be p Luke 10. 6. children of peace nor any charge so straite as her Apostles and sent ones to be Embassadors of peace Neuertheles though we all proceed by one rule of this matter yet mind we not so all one thing in the manner but that consenting in the doctrine which is according to godlines we dissent in some questions and strife of words whereof commeth enuie and euil surmises 1. Tim. 6. 5. Of which teaching otherwise I dare not as q Lib 3. Off. c. 3. Tully said of some Nobis nostra academia magnam licentiam dâ—t our Vniuersitie this way giues vs much libertie vt quodcunque maxime probabile occurraet id iure nostro liceat defendere that we may broach whatsoeuer strange doctrine we thinke probable Yet dare I with r Lib. 18. Moral cap. 6. Gregorie auouch of some new-fangled questionists Praedicamenta doctrinae quae quaerunt ad questionem habere non valent ad refectionem that they giue heed to brawlings about the law which breed questions rather then godly edifying which is by faith 1. Tim. 1. 4. as whether the late writers are not to be preferred to the auncient fathers and whether humanitu in sermons be not vnlawful The Apostle bids such put away these questions because they are foolish and vnlearned 2. Timoth. 2. 23. Foolish in preferring the children before their fathers as our greene haire doth it selfe before gray heads and imberbis theologiae thinks it self able to teach graue Doctors how to preach Vnlearned in calling the lawfulnesse of learning into question and in Timothy and Titus commaundeth all Bishops which are the heads of the tribes and ouerseers of the seers not onely to put them away when they are broached by them but to stay foolish questions or as the word may import to quench them in one before they set many or any in the Church on fire 2. Tim. 2 16. Tit. 3. 9. For as fire saith Å¿ â—â—rp gerâ—nd pâ—aec p. Plutarch begins not first in the sacred and publicke places but breedes first in a priuate house by some snuffe of a candle among straw and after sets on fire the church of the towne so these snuffes of candles that fall among our papers in the study if they be not staid will fire the Church of God How much the more were it to be wished that as our reuerend fathers haue happily caused an vniformitie of discipline in the Church so they wold not only execute that peace-making Canon that none preach against the doctrine of another but prescribe also generant tenants of our Church to be followed by Churchmen in the lesser matters of doctrine that these foolish questions and vnlearned might be stayed And if the Iewes be tied to their Cabala the Turkes to their Alcaron Logicians to the axioms of their Aristotle Phisitions to the aphorismes of their Hippocrates and Galen Geometricians to the compasses of Eisclide Rhetoricians to the precepts of Tully Lawyers to the maxims of their Iustinian yea Grammatians to the rules of their Lilly why not babes in Christs schoole to her rules who is a Lilly of the vallies and as a Lilly among thornes so this Christs loue among the daughterâ— Cant. 2. 2. We reade of a craftie King in t Lib. de 〈◊〉 Orisâ—a Plutarch who knowing his enemies the Egyptians would out match him in strength if they matched in minds and accorded in their counsel enioined each country the worshipping of diuers beasts which were enemies by nature and would prey each on other and while euery one defended his beast against the rauin of another and tooke his wrongs impatiently it came to passe at last saith mine author vt ob animaliuÌ„ immicitias ipsae quoque gentes re no obseruaâ—a infestae sibi inuicem hostesque reddereÌ„tur that by the enmity of their beasts the people themselues vnawares became such enemies that he subdued them Thus and more then so subtile is the Prince of darknes who perceiuing vs to be insuperabiles nisi separabiles impregnable while knit in one mind and iudgement he soweth strange questions among vs as tares among wheate which no lesse we adore then they did their seuerall gods for alas though in generall like the u 2. King 17. 33 41. Samaritanes we worship one God hold alone truth of faith yet some haue like theÌ„ their houshold gods and priuate opinions which as idols they adore and these contray opinions while we defend against others contend about strife of words ob opinichum inimicitias re noÌ„ obseruata ipsi quoque hâ—stes reddimur of this doting on questions and strife of words to English it from S. Paul commeth enuy strife railings and euil surmisings through vaine disputations of men 1. Tim. 6. 4. After which nouelties as mens eares do naturally itch 2. Tim. 4. 3. when x Acts 17 21. Athenian-like they giue themselues to nothing so much as to heate some new things so are thereby y Ephes 4 14. wauering children caried about with euery wind of vaine doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by hazard-cast and chance-throw of men that speake at
Writers for opening the Scripture and giuing the sence nor for confuting of naturall men by reason maketh the Scripture vnsufficient this reason is not sufficient to exclude it from Academicall or popular Sermons 3. Ob. Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together nor sow thy field with diuers kinds of seedes Deut. 22. 9. that is as Philosophers could teach vs Non est de vno genere disciplinae transeundum in aliud We must not confound Philosophie with Theologie or Aristotle with Christ For which Ierom taxed Eustochium saying What communion hath light with darknesse what concord Christ with Belial what agreement the temple of God with idols Quid Horatio Psalterio Virgilio Euangelistis Ciceroni Apostolis wherefore come out from among and separate your selues Or as Tertullian speaketh Praesâ—râ—pt adâ—er Hâ—retiâ— Quid Athenis Ierosolymis Quid Academiae Ecclesiae Quid Haereticis Christianis Nostra institutio de porticu Salomonis est viderint qui Stoicum Platonicum Dialecticum Christianis praetulerunt The beleeuer hath no part with the infidell Diuinitie must not be vnequally yoked with humanitie nor an Oxe with an Asse therefore away with humanitie out of Sermons 1. Resp That law in the old the Apostle expounds well in the new Testament 2. Cor. 6. No fellowship should righteousnesse haue with vnrighteousnesse nor any communion light with darknesse And so secular learning which is darknesse and descended not from the father of lights but ascended rather from the bottomlesse pit should not be brought to the Scripture but to be reproued of the light Yet when it is true he that commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse maketh as the Psalmist speakes this darknesse to be light Wherefore if the Asse will know his masters crib for I must answer this brutish reason in it owne kind this beast as one wel notes may like Balaams asse be taught to speake to good purpose and as an Asse caried a false Prophet then so may it now carrie Christ as once one did Isis and speaking with mans or rather Gods voice forbid the foolishnes of a Prophet whence reuerence secular learning as the people did him with Non tibi sed religioni not for it selfe but for Gods truth that it caryeth And when Caesaris effigiem quilibet assis habet any farthing of their coyne beareth Gods image and superscription of truth we bring it vnto God to whome it belongeth and cast it though but a farthing into the treasurie of the Lord. And therefore seeing it may bring Christians to his Church as the Asse caried Christ to the temple I say to all Preachers as spake he to his disciples Go ye to Bethphage go to Poets Historians and Philosophers and there shall ye find an Asse tyed and her colt loose them and bring them hither for the Lord hath neede of them 4. Ob. Moses though learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians yet preached he nought to the people but from the mouth of the Lord. The Prophets though filled with knowledge yet prophesied they not of any priuate motion or by the will of man but spake onely as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. Yea euen BalaaÌ„ durst not for an house full of gold go beyond the word of the Lord to say more or lesse Num. 22. 18. Christ himselfe preached nothing but what he receiued from his father Ioh. 12. 49. 50. and charged his Apostles to preach whatsoeuer he commanded them nought else Mat. 28. 20. therefore his sent-ones and messengers may preach nothing but his word 1. Resp By this reason no Preacher may speake a sentence in his Sermon which is not immediatly the Scripture according to matter forme and words and shall we so condemne all the men of God preaching since the Apostles times Nay out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee ô euill seruant and slouthfull For what shall we thinke then of our talking Preachers who speake most of their owne braine and in many sentences speake often neither Scripture nor scant good reason to their people 2 By this reason they may not alleage Caluins exposition vnlesse they will make him the thirteenth Apostle and hath his Comments by diuine inspiration as had the Apostles Nay this excludeth Fathers Doctors and Schoolemen out of our Sermons when we dispute against the Papists 3 Who knoweth whether these holy men of God vsed not secular learning in their Sermons as well as Saint Paul Their Prophesies that we haue are but generall notes and summa capita of their Sermons as the c Prophetis fuiâ— mos postquam iussâ— crant aliquid populo nuncâ—are paucis summas rerum coÌ„plecti valâ—â—s templâ— praefigere ait Caluin praefat in Esa Comment in cap. â— 1. in Aba 2. 2. SolebaÌ„t Prophetae ex more suarum concionuÌ„ argumenta pracipua capita scripto comprehensa publicè legenda proponere aâ—â— Gualâ— homi 5. in Abac 2 2. Sic Dan 〈…〉 prolâ—gâ—m in 12. Prophet cap. 12. Sohn lib. 1. de verb Deâ— Vnde fit vt partes librorum Propheticorum interduÌ„ non satâ—â— cohâ—rere videantur De quo Origen lib. 1. in C 〈…〉 uÌ„ cant Ierom. in Ierem. 21. aâ—â—bi annotaâ—â—t Learned obserue And yet S. Ambrose Lib. 3. de fide cap. 1. dare auouch that euen in these generall notes of their Sermons the Prophets haue relation to poeticall stories And Saint Ierome Epist ad Rom. auoucheth it of both saying Quis nesciat in Mose in Prophetarum voluminibus quaedam assumpta de Gentilium libris Who can be ignorant that in Moses and the Prophets some things are taken out of the bookes of the Gentiles For the Apostles though in their Epistles to particular Churches none saue Saint Paule cite humanitie yet who can shew that in their popular Sermons to the Gentiles throughout the whole world they alleaged not truth out of Poets Philosophers and Historians seeing Christ promised them that his spirit should leade them not onely into truth but in omnem veritatem into all truth Ioh. 16. 13. 4 Though neither did as in shewing vs the immediat will of God and laying downe the grounds of faith it was not so conuenient to mixe it with mens precepts yet in expounding this will in explaning the sence of words and phrase of speech in declaring the nature of birds beasts and stones c. to which they allude we cannot cut the word aright without the vse of Grammarians in the proprietie acceptation of words without helpe of Logicians in distinguishing ambiguities without ayde of Rhetoricians in following precepts and rules of speech to perswade without helpe of Historiographers to calculate times of naturall Philosophie to scan causes and their effects Geometrie to find sites and situations and such like Wherefore though they onely spake immediatly from the Lord in declaring his will yet can we not without these helps expound
of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of the spirit to purge their bad humor with hunger and meane fare and giue them a litle portion of hony whereon they surfet But this is it I say with Saint Austine He profiteth his hearers the most Qui sapienter eloquenter diuina eloquia tractat who handleth a text both wisely and eloquently also and wise matter serued in in eloquent words is as eloquently speaketh the wise man like apples of gold in dishes of siluer Though Salomon forbid too much eating of honey yet was some commaunded to be vsed and season the sacrifice in the law Est veluti quoddam condimentum cibo permixtum saith o Lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus It is as sauce to the meate procuring appetite in him who cannot tast the good word of God and relish the things of the spirit 1. Cor. 2. And vnles our speech be thus powdered with salt it will tast no more in their eare then the white of an egge in their mouth as Iob speaketh seeing the eare trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate Entising words saith p Orat. ad nepor Basil and secular wisedome are like faire leaues that grow by the fruit make it more pleasant and delightsome Wherefore when we find truth in any writer sacred or prophane when we go to Ephrata and find it in the wood we may hew timber out of the thicke trees and bring it to an excellent worke though these men breake downe all the carued worke thereof with axes and hammers I say they qui prodesse volunt delectare delight that they may profite and q Omne tulit punctuÌ„ qui miscuit vtile dulci. mingle both together in mine opinion do best This sawce in Saint Ambrose made Saint Austine as he r Lib. 6. confess cap. 13. confesseth tast the good word of God and better relish the things of the spirit I went onely to heare his eloquence saith he and was delighted with the sweetnesse of his words Å¿ Cap. 14. Cum eum non satagerem discere quae dicebat sed tantùm quemadmodum dicebat ea audire veniebat in animum meum simul cum verbis quae diligebam res etiaÌ„ quas negligebaÌ„ Et dum cor aperirem ad excipiendum quam disertè diceret pariter intrabat quam verè diceret This is it the baite that taketh the fish with the hooke of truth in the net of the Gospell This is it saith Caluin that must comparare piscatoribus idiotis illis audientiam And surely these disciples of fishermen as Saint t Epist ad Marcellam Crassam illi rusticitatem solunâ— pro sanctitatem habent Ierome noted of such who bragged so and held grosse rusticitie for the onely sanctitie as if they were therefore holy because they knew nothing if they fish with a bare hooke of truth seeing with the Apostles they haue not such efficacie and power of the spirit nor worke miracles to perswade their plaine doctrine as those fisher-men and fishers of men did like Peter in his other kind of fishing Luk. 5. they may labor al night and perchance take nothing Wherefore to conclude this point seeing the Scripture is most eloquent in the forme in the text and web of the word and most elegant in the threed and phrase of words as by some examples of Esay and S. Paule and by manie testimonies of Ierome Austine Rupertus Ambrose Musculus Erasmus Illyricus and Hyperius who read them more thoroughly then the men that say thus this pretext cannot patronage their rude manner of teaching qui tum sibi videntur Apostolis proximi si quam spurcissimè loquantur as u Schol. in IeroÌ„ ep ad Eustoch Erasmus speaketh of such fishermen rather then fishers of men I confesse indeed with Lib. 2. de â—at Stu. Theolâ— c. 38. Hyperius the holy Ghost if he list needed not this artificiall polishing of his truth but our naturall imbecillitie is such that by no other ordinarie meanes it can be drawne to embrace it And though S. Paule came not to the Corinthes with wisedome of words because thirsting after eloquence onely and leauing Christ he would diet them for their surfet and purge them of this humor to make them relish better the things of the spirit yet in the iudgement of Caluin Gualther Hemingius Martyr and Aretius a Preacher may and must nitidiùs Paulo disserere ad comparandam piscatoribus illis idiotis audientiam qui nihil praeter spiritus energiam gratiae habent Wherefore let them who plucke out the tongue of the learned as Fuluia Anthome his wife cut out the tongue of Tully and like Heli his sonnes indeed sluts slubber vp the sacrifice so that they cause Gods people loath the oblation of the Lord let them heare y Comment in 1. Cor. 1. 17. Pomeranus his censure of their rude teaching Neque laude digni erunt stupidi quidam concionatores ineruditi qui sic omnia confundunt ineruditè tractant vt dicendo multa nihil dicant docendo multa nihil doceant mirum tamen interim quam sibi blandiantur quà m sublimiter de se sentiant contemnentes eruditionem Let them heare z Lib. 1. de rat concioâ— Erasmus Ad conciones sacras admittuntur interdum etiam assiliunt quilibet adolescentes leues indocti quasi nihil sit facilius quam ad populum exponere diuinam scripturam abundè sufficiat perfricuisse faciem abstersâ— pudore linguam voluere What saith a Eâ—asm in vit Iâ—râ— he An Christi professio pugnat cum eloquentia quid autem vetat si Cicero de suis daemonibus dixit eloquenter quo minùs Christianus item de pietate veraque religione dicat eloquenter Shall our boyes take such paines such care and labor for their triuiall orations to perswade vertue or proue a theame in peroration and shall not we take much more to perswade Christs cause and our people to receiue Christ I will not conceale his censure withall of too much affectation AnxiaÌ„ eloquentiae affectionem in Ecclesiaste non probo quae nec villis Philosophis nec Senecae nec vlli graui viro vnquam probate est No he must care for words and carke and care for his matter as I said I end this point with b Cap. 49. in his tract of the ministerie Greenham to perswade them the more Eloquence is not simply forbidden but when it waiteth on carnall wisdome for otherwise ioined with the power of the word and demonstration or euidence of the spirit it is effectuall And these good Reader be their obiections out of Scripture which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest saith S. Peter or to vse his owne word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them looke asquint at learning and good letters Their second sort of Obiections are these vnreasonable reasons 1. Ob. Paule vsed it sparingly but thrice neither vainely with 2. Their reasons
place but onely out of the fiue bookes of Moses Math. 22. which alone they allowed So did Paul the Philosophers at Athens by the inscription of their altar Acts 17. The Atheists at Corinth not by Scripture which they refused but became as one without law to them that were without law Conciones suas illorum captui moribus accommodauit omissis scripturae testimonijs argumentis est vsus Poetarum quoque authoritate pugnauit saith f Homil 47. in 1. Cor. 9. Gualther ou this place I vrge By whose practise as they are checked who bring nought but scripture against Iudaisme Paganisme Atheisme as g Ierom. Epist ad Roman Cyprian is sharply taxed in Lactantius because against Demetrius he brought testimonies of Prophets and Apostles which he counted fabulous and not of Philosophers and Poets whose authoritie he could not refuse so are they much to blame who become not all to all all true writers to all hearers that by all meanes they may saue some and winne the moe Some desire in such a doctrine Gods testimonie alone become as a Iew to the Iewes some heathens testimony to witnesse that truth become as a Gentile without law to them that are without law become all Philosophers Poets Historians in truth that by all meanes we may saue some Sunt enim etiam animae propria habentes nutrimenta saith h Lib. 1. Stroâ— Clemens Alexandrinus aliae quidem augentur per agnitionem scientiam aliae verò per Graecam pascuntur Philosophiam cuius quâ—madmodum nucum non est quiduis esculentum Euery soule hath its owne proper food and feeding some are fed and nourished by the scriptures alone others stomacke will haue it sawced with secular learning else they will not tast our receit nor relâ—sh the things of the spirit Neque vero verebuntur nostri c. saith he vt ijs quâ— sunt pulcherrima ex Philosophia ijs quae praecedunt disciplinis he brings this place of the Apostle for his reason non enim solum oropter Hebraeos eos qui sunt sub lege par est fieri Iudâ—um sed etiam propter Graecos Graecum vt omnes lucrifaciamus Let vs therefore saith he as the Apostle did peaching Christ admonish euery man and teach euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus 7. Preachers are commaunded to studie to shew themselues approoued worke-men that need not be ashamed deuiding the word of truth aright 2. Tim. 2. 15. But the word of truth we cannot cut and deuide aright to our people without the knife of secular learning Therfore is it lawfull yea necessary in our sermons The proposition being cleare I proue the assumption 1. by the iudgement of auncient and late writers 2. by the practise of them both 3. by many instances of scripture For the first Saint i Lib. 2. de Doct. Christ cap. 28. Austine sheweth plainely that history is needful plurimuÌ„ nos adiuuat ad sanctos libros intelligendos and sheweth for want of this many haue erred in expounding the scriptures S. k Prooem in Dan. ad Pammach Multiplex Gracorum historia necessaria est Ierome auoucheth that for the opening of Daniels Prophesie many stories of secular writers are necessary as of Suctorius Callimachus Diodorus Hieronymus Polybius Possidonius Claudius Theon and Andronicus surnamed Alipius Iosephus those he citeth chiefly our Liuy Pompeius Trogus and Iustine who explane all the storie of the last vision and describe the warres of Syria and Egypt that is of Seleuâ—us and Antiochus and the Pâ—olomies after Alexander euen to Augustus Caesar And if at any time I be compelled saith he to vse secular learning it is not my will so much as great necessitie that inforceth me that I may proue those things which the Prophets foretold so many ages before tà m Graecorum quà m Latinorum aliarum Gentium literis contineri are contained in the writings of Greeke and Latin authors Yea l Ora. 2. de conser in Eccl. pur put Deâ— verbâ— Adminicula vâ—â—o artâ—um dâ—ceÌ„di ac prâ—â—â—puarum Phâ—losophiae parâ—ium maximè Ethices Physices cognitto Zanchius himselfe confesseth that Preachers must come to handle the word necessarijs instructi adminiculis furnished with these necessary helpes if they will profite their hearers and do any thing worthy praise These helpes are the arts and the chiefest parts of Philosophie especially the knowledge of morall and naturall Philosophie Absque his enim non modò plurimas scripturarum sententias non intelligent sed multas grauissimas disputationes de prouidentia Dei de peccato de libero arbitrio de lege Dei de virtutibus c. non assequentur sine illis verò ne quidem quae assecuti fuerint commodè tradere alijs poterunt Marke him neither can they vnderstand and open the scripture without the helpe of secular learning nor deliuer the meaning they haue to the people fitly without it For we know saith he citing this very place I vrge that the Apostle requireth in a Preacher skill to cut and deuide the word aright And lastly there condemneth he them who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod hominum genus rarò Ecclesiae profuit teachers from their owne braine which sort of men seldome haue profited the Church As he resolued in that Preface so in his m Zanch. quâ—st 12. de saâ— scrip reg 8. booke alleaging that place before vrged 1. Thessal 5. Trie all things and keepe that which is good to proue that we must reade interpreters for getting the sense he addeth that to attaine the true meaning of scripture we must sift it and trie it consultis lexicis libris de Tropis scripturarum siquid occurrat in verbis consultis verò historijs aliarum artium libris siquid talium rerum scitu necessariarum occurrat And n Regula 9. QuoruÌ„ cognitiâ— petenda sit ex Grammaticu vel Dialectics vel historijs vel Mathematâ—cis vel alijs artibus c. after auoucheth that we must take care that we vnderstand the signification of words the force and proprieties of speeches and any other things the knowledge wherof must be fetcht from GraÌ„marians or Logicians or Historians or Mathematicians or other arts illa ex ijs libris cognoscantur let the knowledge of those things be fetcht from such bookes and authors A Preacher must open his text as well by prophane as sacred writers saith o Prafat in minor Prophet Gualther applying those things in either to these times for our instruction and comfort Et haec est illa verbi Dei secatio quam Paulus suo Timotheo in illo ministris omnibus commendat and this saith he is that cutting of Gods word aright which Paul commendeth to his Timothy and in him to all Ministers of the word Who can vnderstand the phrases of Scripture without Grammer saith p Comment in Col.
had read Moses whence he is tearmed Moses Atticus the Atticke or Graecian Moses Homer of the paines of hell and honouring our parents Tully of Gods prouidence and rewards of vertue Whence f Lib. 1. in Da. cap. 1. vers 1. Ierome doubted not to tell thee That thou maist find some of the vessels of Gods house in the bookes of Philosophers And surely if euery man that found his neighbours oxe going astray was commaunded by the law to bring him home to his maister that owed him much more me thinkes are we bound to bring home these vessels into the house of God and carrie home all their truth as stray goods from the temple of the Lord. In many points they witnesse our truth And though Christ and his Apostles refused testimonie of the diuels because it was needlesse sith their miracles did sufficiently witnes their doctrine as g In Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact obserues yet these failing in vs we haue need to call both Apostles and Philosophers Prophetâ— and Poets as Moses did both heauen and earth to witnesse his truth And though the testimonie of God be greater yet may we receiue the witnesse of men as Demetrius had good report not onely of the truth it selfe but of all men Wherefore when we dare appeale to enemies and say with our Sauiour Yea let euen these speake this is glorie for it as it was for him 2 Truth is still truth wheresoeuer we find it and may be cited 2. Reason of whom soeuer it be spoken saith Aretius S. Paul giues a reason Tit. 1. 13. why he alleaged the Poet hoc testimonium verum est this testimonie is true Sith all truth is from God saith h Commenâ— in Tit. 1. 12. Caluin if any thing be truly said of the wicked heathens it ought not to be refused because it came from God and seeing all things belong to him why is it not lawfull to apply and vse any saying to his glorie which may fitly be bestowed to that vse And i Comment in 1. Cor. 15. 33 againe seeing all truth is from God there is no doubt quin Dominus in os posuerit etiam impijs quaecunque veram salutarem doctrinam continent But the Lord put into the mouth euen of the wicked whatsoeuer things contain true and wholsome doctrine k In 1. Cor. 15. 33. Peter Martyr witnesseth this truth we may borrow it of the heathens seeing by whoÌ„soeuer truth is spoken it is of the holy Ghost and when we take it out of their books non aliena rapimus sed nostra ab iniustis possessoribus nobis vendicamus There is but one truth among all saith l Lib. 2. de lib. arb cap. 12. Austine and this one truth of whomsoeuer it be spoken must be receiued as he sheweth lib. 13. confess cap. 31. But that Father lib. 2. de Doctr. Christ cap. 18. is excellent in this point as in al. If prophane writers haue said any thing well it is not to be refused for their superstition if we can take any thing from them profitable for vnderstanding the scriptures For then ought we not to learne letters because Mercury as they say was their inuentor or because they dedicated temples to Iustice and Vertue and because those things which are to be borne in our hearts they rather would adore and worship in stones therefore we should flie iustice and vertue Imò verò quisquis bonus verusque Christianus est Domini sui esse intelligat vbicumque inuenerit veritatem And surely then in Saint Austins iudgement they are not good and true Christians that refuse Gods truth when they find it in heathens Quicquid verum est Christi vox est saith m Jo Psal 1. 1. Bucer eam vndicunque sonuerit audiamus and indeede euery Christian whensoeuer he heareth truth out of Philosophers Poets or Historians will know his voice yea follow it and say with his spouse Vox dilecti mei est It is the voice of my beloued that knocketh Cant. 5. 2. If wicked Saul if trecherous Iudas and sonne of perdition yea if a foolish Asse speake truth vnto Balaam he must receiue it and if a Rauen bring Eliah meate he must not refuse it because it came froÌ„ the Lord. And indeed whether we search in the Prophets or Poets in the Apostles or Philosophers in Moses or Aristotle there is but one truth diuersly apparelled If Peter confesse and the diuels professe of Christ Thou art the Son of God it is not a truth in the one and a lie in the other but though the persons be contrary the motiues diuers and ends different in either the substance of the confession in both is the same Onely as that learned man excellently noteth out of n Lib. 18. noct attic cap. 3. Sic bona senteÌ„tia mansit turpis author mutatus est Gellius the difference between them is this That as in Lacedaemon somtimes when in a weightie consultation an eloquent but an euill man had set downe a good decree which they could not amend they caused it to be pronounced by one of honest name and conuersation and then receiued the good sentence as autenticke so truth spoken by Aratus Menander or Callimachus is not more true in the mouth of Saint Paul but onely hath gotten as out of Origen I noted a more sanctified author Neither refused the Apostle the saying Paulus significaâ—â—â—â— Origen of Callimachus though he was a most lying Poet in the rest but alleaged it when he saw it to be true After whose example and with the like reason may euery Preacher cite truth from lying Poets and euery hearer receiue it as sanctified from the spirit the author of all truth when they know hoc testimonium verum est this testimonie and saying is true It is true of all whosoeuer speake his truth The voice of Christ and part of his law as Martin Bucer cals it He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Nec refert quod ad nos attinet quis eam nobis indicet saith o Probl. loc 150. 151. Aretius disputing this point in hand For as a godly matrone vnder meane and base apparell is worthy of honour and reuerence so truth saith he spoken by the wordes of an heathen Poet Philosopher or Historian is to be embraced not because they spoke it but because it is truth because this testimonie is true So I approoue what Homer said of honouring our parents not because he said it but because God first so appointed So likes it me that Plato said the soule is immortall not for Plato but because it agreeth with Gods ordination Nec deterior aestimari debet veritas propter Ethnicos scriptores who like Parots spake truth which they knew not what it meant like Balaams Asse vttered veritie which they vnderstood not and like Caiphas knew not what they proclaimed 3. They thinke it profitable and good to season those
money in their bags and merite in their hands that they haue corne enough at his hands for nought and their money backe againe that they haue saluation for nought and their merits backe againe For as God tooke from our first parents their clothes of figge leaues which couered not all their shame and made them coates of skins to hide all their nakednesse Gen. 3. 21. so till Christ take from them their rags of righteousnesse and figge leaues of merites and put on them his sheepes clothing which is the robe of his innocency we must thinke they haue not put on the Lord Iesus the author and finisher of this one faith neither saith Christ here in my text Be reconciled to these brethren Yea sith they n Ier. 2 13. leaue the fountaine of liuing water from which wel-spring of life they should draw their health and digge to themselues broken cisternes that can hold no water sith as o Ionah 1. 5. Ionahs mariners called in their trouble euery man on his god so to them in their miserie are as manie gods and to speake with p 1. Cor. 8 5. S. Paule as many Lords as euer had the q Aug. lib 4. de ciuit Dei cap. 8. heathen on whom they call In r G. So 〈…〉 to 3 in Psal 65. dangers Nicholas in shipwracke as the heathens did Neptune Laurence and Florianus in house-burnings as the Ethnicks did Vesta Iohn and Paule in tempests Leonard in bonds imprisonment for diseases Valentine in the falling sicknesse as they did Hercules Roctius and Sebastian in the Plague Ottilia for sore eyes Apollonia for the tooth-ach Margaret in child-birth as the pagans did Iuno and Petronella for feuers For tēporall things generally Anne as the painims did Iuno S. Lupus for their corne as the other did Ceres Vrban Medard for their vines as they did Bacchus Gallus for their geese Anthonie for their swine Wendeline for their sheepe Eulogius for their horses Pelagius for their oxen In liberall sciences in generall Gregory and Catharine as they Apollo and Minerua in speciall Augustine for diuinitie Iuo for law Casman and Damianus in physicke as the other Esculapius In mechanicall trades Crispine in the shoes trade Gudman in the butchers Seuerine in the weauers and Ioseph in the carpenters trade In hunting Eustachius and in riding Saint George on horsebacke Yea sith euerie nation region prouince nay towne and village haue their tutelar or rather titular gods on whom they call for helpe in distresse as in Germanie S. Martine and S. George in Italie Peter and S. Paule In Spaine S. Iames in France Michael and Dionysius in Heluetia Marie in Hungary Lodouick in Poland Stanislaus in Muscouie Nicholas in Borussia Albert in Colen the three wisemen of the East called the three Kings of Colen in Auspurge Huldericke in Millaine S. Ambrose and at Francfort Bartholomew quomodo possint vno loco libri huius commemorari omnia nomina deorum dearum quae grandibus voluminibus vix comprehendere potuerunt as speaketh Austine in that catalogue of the gods among the heathen how can I in one Chapter of this booke recken the beadrole recite all the names of their gods and goddesses which a large volume could not containe seeing singulis rebus propria dispertiunt officia numinum as he speaketh of them they haue tutelar gods in euery toy trifle that I may iustly exprobrate to them as Ieremie did to the idolatrous Israelites Where are thy gods that thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can helpe thee in time of thy trouble For ſ Ier. 11. 13. according to the number of thy Cities are thy gods ô Iuda Ierem. 2. 28. Seeing I say they haue made this shipwracke of this one faith on the sands of their merites and haue not built but runne against the rocke and stumbled at the stone of offence seeing wicked men like those false Prophets Deut. 13. 13. haue gone out from among vs as the Rauen from the Arke neuer to returne and drawne away the inhabitants of their Citie saying Let vs goe and serue other gods which we haue not knowne seeing they t 1. Ioh. 2. 19. went out from vs that were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs either for ambitious preheminence like u 2. Ioh. 9. Diotrephes by that serpentine perswasion x Gen. 3. 5. Here shall ye be as gods or with y 2. Tim 4. 10. Demas for gaining this present world with that z Mat. 4. 9. diabolicall promise All these things will I giue thee or as said a 1. Sam. 22. 7. Saul to his seruants Heare now ye sonnes of Gemini will the son of Ishas will Christ the roote of Iesse giue euery one of you fields and vineyards will he make you all Captaines ouer thousands and Captaines ouer hundreds that ye all haue conspired against me Seeing they haue forsaken vs in the foundation iustly we them in the building of this one faith as b Gen. 7. 1. 7. Noah forsooke the old world c Gen. 12. 1. Abraham the Canaanites d Gen. 19. 17. Lot the Sodomites e Exod. 12. 37. 41. Israel the Egyptians and Christ himselfe the Pharises and though they would build with vs how can we build with them when they on the sand and we on the rocke when they Babel and we Ierusalem How can we go with a right foote to their worke when they giue vs not the right hands of fellowship but sinistraes societatis the left hands of their Iesuiticall societie Wherefore no reconcilement to them who are the enemies of one faith as Israel was forbiddē to make peace with Moab and Ammon Deut. 23. 6. And though they crie like f 2. Iehoram Is it peace Iehu is it peace Protestant we may answer like him What peace whiles the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her whichcrafts are yet in great number For as the Prophet g 2 Iehu asked Ichosaphat Wouldest thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord Should Christians be friends with them who are enemies to the crosse of Christ No no saith God to his Prophet If thou returne to them then will I bring thee backe againe and thou shalt stand before me and if thou take away the precious from the vile thou shalt be according to my word Let them returne vnto thee but returne not thou vnto them Ier. 15. 19. and I will make thee vnto this people a strong brazen wal and they shall fight against thee but they shall not preuaile against thee for I am with thee to saue thee and deliuer thee saith the Lord. Howbeit if euer God shall grant thē repentāce that they may know the truth and come out of the snare of the diuell wherein they are taken if euer they shall come into the vnitie of this faith we will glorifie God for them when they preach