hauing in this Epistle purged himselfe from such crimes as he was charged withal by certaine false teachers who were crept into the Church of Corinth and especially from that which was the ground of all 1. Cor. 16.5 his not comming amongst them according vnto promise made for which they accused him of leuity and inconstancy doth in the beginning of this Chapter renew his promise The order of the words telling them of his readinesse a third time to come amongst them and withall sheweth after what manner it shall be namely with seueritie and more then wonted rigour against such as were obstinate Now being to make an end he windes vp all with a friendly Farewel wherein he doth somewhat allay and mitigate what-euer he had formerly wrot that might sauour of bitternesse and that hee might not leaue their minds exasperated hee giues them a taste of the louing affection hee bare towards them in this his valediction Finally Brethren Farewell which words The summe of them with the other following in the verses subsequent containe in them the conclusion of the whole Epistle which is spent in Exhortation Salutation and Prayer The Exhortation is contained in this 11. verse The Salutation verse 12 13. The Prayer verse 14. The logicall resolution In this Exhortation we may consider First the Manner of it Finally Brethren Farewell Secondly the Matter of it Be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you In the Manner we haue First a note of conclusion Finally Secondly a Louing compellation Brethren Thirdly a Friendly valediction Farewell In the Matter obserue wee First the duties whereto exhorted Secondly the motiue or argument wherewith they are enforced The duties foure First Perfection Be perfect Secondly mutuall consolation Bee of good comfort Thirdly vnanimity or consent in matters ecclesiasticall Be of one minde Fourthly concord and agreement in matter domesticall and ciuill Liue in peace The Argument taken à Commodo from the profit that thereby will insue The God of loue and peace shall be with you The interpretations of these words be various we will search for the best The Theologicall exposition Finally Some read it thus For the rest others Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Remainder Not much amisse to take either For so the word here vsed signifieth and may haue reference either to the Apostle or to the People To the Apostle thus as if hee had sayd I haue written as large vnto you yet still there is a Remainder behind for me to exhort you vnto which I comprehend in these few words Be perfect Be of good comfort c. To the people thus As if he had sayd Hitherto I haue not been wanting in my dutie but haue sufficiently instructed and admonished you c. Now the remainder is for you that you doe your dutie and obey my precepts Brethren Text. There bee three sorts of Brethren mentioned in holy Scripture First such as are brethren by Race as they who haue the same Father and Mother as Iacob and Esau had Gen. 25.25 or they who are of the same stock and kinred Gen. 13.8 and so Lot and Abraham were called Brethren Secondly such as are Brethren by Place who are of the same nation and countrey and so the Iewes are tearmed Brethren in the Law Deut. 23.20 To a stranger thou maist lend vpon vsury but not vnto thy brother Thirdly such as are Brethren by Grace and that either more common or more speciall More common in respect of creation and so all men are Brethren Gen. 9.5 At the hand of a mans brother will I require the life of man more speciall in respect of Adoption and so Christians are Brethren and they onely In this respect doth the Apostle call them Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Farewell The word signifieth properly to rejoyce and is by most so translated and read Yet Erasmus and some others renders it as wee haue it as well he may for the word signifieth as wel Farewell as Reioyce wherein the Apostle wisheth all good to betide them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be perfect The signification of this verbe is likewise diuerse and by som rendred for consummation by others for restauration The Apostle's meaning is that whereas the members of this Church were all as it were bones displaced and out of joynt they should now again bee joyned together in loue and they should endeauour to make perfect what was amisse amongst them either in faith or manners They should bee perfect in respect of truth though not is respect of absoluteness they should desire and endeauour after perfection though in act they attain it not Be of good comfort or take yee comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some read it thus Take exhortation for the word heer vsed signifieth indifferently to comfort to exhort to intreat But the former reading is best liked by Chrysostome who thinketh the Apostle rather intends consolation than exhortation in regard of the many oppositions and trials they had were to meet withall in their course of Christianity and therfore willes them to chear vp themselues and mutually one another that they may not make shipwrack of their faith in the day of trouble Bee of one minde to wit in matters of faith and religion For by this precept he seemeth to note out that some things were amisse amongst them and that many things were done through contention and vain-glory Hee wills them therefore to be alike-minded and affectioned that all discord and dissension might be auoided and the Church no way thereby troubled Liue in Peace Peace is of three sorts Eternall which is cald Pax Numinis the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding which wee haue with him through Christ Internall which is called Pax pectoris the peace of conscience which is a fruit of the former and proceeds from that Externall which is called Pax temporis the peace which wee haue with men for the time wee liue in the world This last onely is heer meant and this precept respects things ciuil as the former things ecclesiasticall And the God of loue and peace shall bee with you Som construe this clause by way of enunciation affirmatiuely as if the Apostle should haue said In thus doing you shall haue the blessing of God attending you c Others Imprecatory by way of wish or praier as if hee had said The God of loue and peace be with you and enable you to do thus But the former is the better God of loue and peace Hee is so tearmed first say some because he is loue and peace it self it is his Essence secondly because he delights and takes pleasure in it and thirdly and especially because hee is the Authour and Giuer of it Shall be with you That is by his gratious protection and comfortable presence to blesse you and defend you
not vex our selues others with brawls and needlesse contentions let vs purge our hearts of this turbulent humour which maketh men so stout in their conuersation contentious in prouocation injurious in action full of molestation and far from pacification A third lust which is an enemy to peace is curiosity or a busie-meddling in things that concerne vs not and therefore the Apostle joyneth these two likewise 1 Thes 4.11 Study to be quiet and do your owne business And this was a main cause of that vnquietnesse which was among the Thessalonians 2 Thes 3.11 which walked disorderly or vnquietly working not at all but were busie-bodies they loued to haue an oar in euery mans boat as our sawcy inter-meddlers doo who loue to bee meddling where they haue little cause and lesse thanks This was censured as the chief cause of the Emperour Antonius his troublesome raign That he was full of curiosity prying into the estates and conditions of other men And who seeth not that busie prying eyes haue troublesome hands and vnquiet hearts Desirest thou peace would'st thou practise quietnes then beware of busie curiosity It was that which our Sauiour reproued in Peter when he enquired of Christ what Iohn should do Iohn 21 21 22 What is that to thee saith our Sauiour follow thou mee If things be thus or thus order'd in Church or common-wealth by the wisdome of thy gouernours what is that to thee follow thou Christ by walking conscionably in thy owne calling There are necessary duties â—now in that which require the imploiment of the whole man Tantumne abs re tua est tibi aliena vt cuâ—â—s There is work enough at home why dost thou busy thee abroad These among many others are some inward causes of vnquietnes and discontent and enemies to peace There are other outward Enemies to the practice of this grace personall disturbers of peace who must bee shunned as first The tale-bearer who busieth himself in raising tales and carrying newes to the defamation of others Of these and concerning these Salomon thus speaketh Pro. 26 1â— Where no wood is there the fire goeth out so where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth 1 Iam. 5 1â— Such were those of whom the Apostle complaineth They being idle goe about from house to house prattling and busying themselues with what is not conuenient So long as these are entertained peace cannot possibly be followed and therefore abhorre tale-bearing and tale-receiuing if thou would'st lead a quiet and peaceable life amongst thy neighbours for indeed there is no great difference between either of these Fern de consid l. 2. in fine the one hath the diuell in his tongue and the other in his ear as a Father wittily obserueth And when any of these Peddlers come for Leuit. 19.16 that very phrase is attributed to them in scripture desiring to vent their ware sharply reproue them And according to that of Salomon Pro 25.13 As the North-winde driues away raine so let thy angry countenance a backbiting tongue As the tale-bearer so the flatterer is a great enemy to peace Pro. 29.5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet saith the Wise-man His base minde is well matched with a mercenary tongue which is a willing slaue to any mans eare he neuer regardeth how true but how pleasing and like the Chameleon will turne himselfe into any colour for a booty Beware of him whosoeuer thou art that louest peace The wounds of a louer are faithfull Pro. 27.6 but the kisses of an enemy are to be shunned And yet amongst many other that might be named one more must not be forgotten and that is the wrangling Lawyer who maketh it the mystery of his profession to nourish contention who out of a couetous desire of gain encourageth men to contend and goe to law with neighbours yea though their cause be neuer so bad yet they will say with Absalon to euery man 2. Sam. 15.3 His cause is good and righteous I speak not against all but against some and they that are vnconscionable against whom I take vp that complaint of Sir Thomas Smith Sir Tho. Smith de rep Ang. These busie-heads and prating pettifoggers are permitted by the just judgement of God like flies lice and other vermine to disquiet them who would practise peace And therefore hearken not to these you that would liue peaceably for they are of Demetrius his resolution Sirs you know Acts 10.10 that by this craft we get our gain And thus we haue some causes both internall and externall of vnpeaceablenesse the remoueal whereof is the first means for peaceable and quiet liuing A second means is practicall Second meaâ— consisting in Aequity or vpright dealing with those among whom we liue And this is an excellent means for our liuing peaceably Dauid praying for his sonne Salomon that God would giue him his judgements that he might judge the people with righteousnes and the poor with equity addeth Psal 72.3 The mountaines shall bring peace vnto the people and the little hils righteousnes Which is by some thus allegorized The magistrates as the mountains shall keep the people in peace and the little hils the inferiour subjects shall enjoy quietnes and all by righteousnes This was that which Marcus Aurelius did commend to his son vpon his death-bed Wouldest thou liue quietly my sonne said hee and haue others with thee and by thee to liue peaceably Then carry thy self vprightly deal plainly iudge truly abstain from iniury right the wronged relieue the oppressed suppresse the great c. And this answer did Solon make to one who asked him what it was that kept men most from troubles Do saith hee to others as thou would'st be done vnto so thou shalt not disquiet others nor others trouble thee From which saying see thou receiue instruction Third means To these let Prayer be added that thou mayst haue wisedome from aboue Iames 3.17 which wisedome sayth Saint Iames is peaceable This is more effectuall to the practice of quietnesse then all the rest and without this the other will be ineffectuall and therefore see thou fail not in this Pray feruently and thou shalt be enabled to liue peaceaby Probatum est And thus wee haue seen what is to bee done for the leading of a quiet and peaceable life amongst our Brethren Quest But are wee to haue peace with all men and in all matters Are there not some enemies of the Crosse of Christ idolaters and hereticks are we to haue peace with them And are there not others again so contentious as that they will not hear of peace Resp The Apostle answereth If it bee possible as much as in you lieth liue peaceably with all men First If it be possible that is so far forth as may stand with your faith and good conscience and no further for vnder pretense of peace the truth
sixteenth chapter to the Romans in a manner he spends in this kinde But when the Prophet Elisha sent his seruant Gehazi to the Shunamites house he charged him Ob. 2 Kings 4.29 if he met any man Salute him not and Luke 10.4 if any man saluted him not to answer him again The same charge did our Sauiour giue to his Disciples when hee sent them out to preach Salute saith hee no man by the way The intent and meaning of the Prophet and of our Sauiour in those places Râ—sp is not simply and absolutely to forbid greeting and salutation but only to enjoyn an omission of the practice of those duties of common curtesie and ciuility so farre forth as they are a hinderance of the performance of waightier affairs and other far more necessary duties This then is their meaning Rather then you should any way hinder the quick dispatch of the business laid vpon you speak to no man that you meet withall by the way So then this makes nothing against this truth Now for the vse Vse 1 Heer wee see Religion and Christianity doth not make men rude and rusticall as men of the world think and speake God hath his Ethicks a doctrine of behauiour in his word whereby hee teacheth vs how to carry our selues wisely and ciuilly towards all and amongst all And therfore it is a slander cast vpon religion by the father of lies that it makes men clownish for Gods schollers are taught better manners than to neglect so much as salutations either in writing or speaking Vse 2 And secondly seeing it is a duty and that so antient and so commendable let vs conscionably learn to perform it both by word writing Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest Phil. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report saith the Apostle of which nature as wee haue seen this is think on these things to doo them And let no man say These are small slender matters to be spoken of and stood vpon for it is a duty we are all bound vnto and our obedience is to bee shewed as well in the least as in the greatest matters And therefore let euery Christian make conscience of it and of the manner of performing it and let him look First to the Form of salutation Salutations must be first Holy Doct. Boys post that it bee first holy and not idle profane and vnsauory as the salutations of swearers swaggerers and rude ruffians for the most part are not a pox in stead of peace nor The diuell take you for The Lord be with you not swearing to stead of praying But our Salutations are to be holy heauenly wherein we are to craue the greatest blessings that are at at the hands of God and beg the chiefest good for the persons we salute Secondly hearty and therfore not hollow Hearty nor formal and customary Som there are that speak friendly to their neighbours but imagine mischief in their hearts as we see in Ioab 2 Sam 3.27 who cloaked his inward malice with sweet and sugred salutations and most treacherously murdered valiant Abner euen in the act of saluting him The like was his dealing with Amasa for Cap. 20.9 while hee said vnto him Art thou in health my Brother and took him by the beard with the right hand to kiss him with the other hand he smote him with the sword and shed out his bowels to the ground And so Iudas can come with Hail Maister Mat. 26.49 as well as Gabriel with Hail Mary Many such wee haue whom a man would judge to bee the flowre of curtesie and to haue all complements of humanity in them and yet notwithstanding all is but a mask and vizard to colour their hypocrisie Others there are who according to the worlds fashion rest themselues onely in a company of idle ceremonies and childish complements ducking and imbracing and the like wherein consists all the grace of their greetings It is well and truely said by one that A handfull of old friendship is worth an arm full of this new curtesie for that which is the pith and marrow of Christian salutation viz. the lifting vp of the heart in desiring the welfare of those that wee salute is growne out of fashion But let vs renew it and not content our selues in vsing good and holy forms as God be with you God saue you The Lord blesse you or the like vnless we vse them in a holy maner feeling our harts affected with reuereÌ„ce towards God and inlarg'd in loue towards our Brethren still remembring Salutations are praiers to God and therefore our hearts must be lifted vp vnto him and his Name on whom wee call must with all reuerence bee thought vpon For if we onely speak of custome not minding what wee say wee take Gods holie Name in vain Exod. 20.7 for which hee will not hould vs guiltlesse Such a fault this is as ought to be matter of humiliation vnto all yea to the very best Vse 3 And yet I cannot passe ouer this point without a third vse which is Reprehension of such as neglect this either in whole or part through wilfulnesse or weakenesse Some there are who are so strongly possessed and rankly ouer-growne with malice and reuenge that they will neither salute such as they meet nor answer such as salute them These are possessed with a dumb diuell which had need to bee cast out by fasting and by praier Others there are and they of the better sort who take occasion to neglect this duety because they are praiers and therefore think it vnlawfull to salute passengers ordinarily with God bee with you or The Lord bless you For say they wee knowe not who they are we meet withall neither knowe we whither they go or about what or if wee do yet suddenly so to say is a taking of Gods Name in vain and so a sinne most fearfull To answer these thus much 1 Cor. 13.5 Charity biddeth vs to thinke and hope the best in matters of vncertainty But admit that he thou meetest with bee an vnbeleeuer and an alien from the common-wealth of Israel yet greetings and common salutations are due to such Our Sauiour as wee heard before commanded his Disciples whensoeuer they entred into any house they should salute the same Mat. 10.12 and gaue them a form of salutation which they must vse whether the Son of peace were there or no saying Peace bee to this house Luke 10.5 And if the Sonne of peace be in the house your peace shall com vpon it saith our Sauiour if not your peace shall return vpon you So then wee see there is no hurt done whomsoeuer wee salute If they be the children of GOD whom we salute then wee doo good vnto them if not we do good vnto our selues for that good we desire may befall them shall fall on our
things that are reuealed let vs hold fast And this is the way to haue the joy of our Sion full Liue in peace As the former precept had respect to matters Ecclesiasticall so this to things ciuill whether Politicall as between neighbour and neighbour superiour and inferiour or Oeconomicall which is to be practised in the priuate family between the husband and the wife the parent the childe the master and the seruant c. The obseruation is this Doct. Christians are to liue peaceably one with another Christians are to lead a peaceable and a quiet life one with another All discord and contention is to bee auoided euen in ciuill and externall things and peace and quietness is to be followed Doct. Hall Rom. irrecon sect 2 There is nothing saith a Worthy of our times which the Angels did more gladly congratulate vnto men or which Christ did more carefully bequeath or the Apostles more earnestly enjoyn than this practice of peace How oft and how vehemently doth the Spirit intreat and command vs to haue peace and to imbrace it Wee are commanded to loue and affect it Zach. 8.19 Loue the truth and peace Neither is it sufficient to loue but wee are enjoined to seek it Psal 34 14 Depart from euil and do good seek peace and ensue it Neither is this sufficient to seek it but we must also haue it Haue salt in your selues Mark 9.50 and haue peace one with another But what if peace will not be had what then S. Iames then chargeth vs to make peace by our endeauours Iames 3.18 by our patience The fruit of righteousnes is sowen in peace of them that make peace But if in case it be once made and had what if it will not stay nor abide with vs Rom 14.19 Then saith S. Paul Follow after the things which make for peace And what if it will needs away and hide it self what is then to bee done S. Peter wils vs in this case to follow peace 1 Pet. 3.11 inquire after it And how if we knowe not where to finde it or how to follow it Then must wee take the Apostles counsell 1. Thes 4.11 Reason Col 3.15 and study for it That Reason may be giuen amongst many others that might bee rendred for this truth which the Apostle makes You are called to it in one body Where the reason of it is double first from their vocation They were called to it and that not onely by men who by their lawes require peace but especially by God And that not onely in those generall precepts of the word before quoted and the like where this duty is vrged but in speciall maner in the word of reconciliation That word that conuerts vs which is called The Gospell of peace which makes lambs of lions as the Prophet sheweth when he speaks of the fruits of the Gospell in the Kingdom of Christ The wolf saith he Isay 11.6 shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie with the kid and the calf and the lion and the fat beast together and a little childe shall binde them The meaning is that in the Kingdome of Christ the Gospell should make the most mighty fierce and cruell who were as lions and wolues and such like to put off their woluish and lion-like nature and become gentle milde and peaceable The second reason that he giues Reason 2 is from their mutuall relation In one body They were members of one body And as it is vnnatural and vnseemly To see a man to rend and tear his owne flesh so is it most vnnaturall and vnseemly for Christians To bite and deuour the one the other by jarring wrangling or complaining The enemies vnto peace are heer to bee reproued Such as those of whom Dauid complaineth Vse Psal 120.5.6.7 Wo is wee that I soiourn in Mesech and dwel in the tents of Kedar My soule hath long dwelt with him that hates peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for warre They are neuer well but when they are in brabblings contentions and sutes of law if they be out of these they are out of their own element as a fish out of the water You shall hear little else come from between their lips but Law Law Iustice Iustice and that for matters of no moment for the value of a groat nay less for very nothing And when there is difference between them and any other how hardly are they drawne to peace or any good agreement A Bear is with far more ease drawne vnto the stake than they to that The like failings may be found in priuate families between the husband and wife parent and childe master and seruant to the dishonour of God discomfort of themselues and ruine of the whole house Hence it is that there is so much complaining of the married estate for scarce more vse it than doo accuse it And how so They themselues make bitter sauce and then cry out of the meat they liue not in that estate according to Gods direction but after their owne lusts From whence Iames 4 1 as Saint Iames sheweth proceed warres and contentions The house is full of brawles and chidings discord driues the blessing out of doores The Sonne of peace is not there Luke â—0 6 peace doth not rest there No wonder then if they complain Vse 2. To the practice of peace let vs be all exhorted Would to God wee could once frame our selues to liue in it and those vnquiet spirits amongst vs would once turne themselues to more amiable courses But let all such as looke for peace from the God of peace take vp Dauids Motto in sincerity of hart I am for peace Let vs long after peace Psal 120.7 and endeauour it seek peace and pursue it Vices follow vs vertues slee from vs. As wee must runne apace from vice lest it ouertake vs so wee must runne as fast after peace and other vertues that we may ouertake them Doth thy aduersary offer thee peace Then peace followeth thee see thou imbrace it Doth he not offer it Then doo thou knock at the gate of peace desire to speak with it In so doing thou shalt shew thy self to be a childe of peace But why should I be so base as to yeeld to him Ob. he did the wrong let him seek peace Nay R s Eph. 4.26.27 why should'st thou be so base as to yield vnto the diuell For whosoeuer giueth place to wrath giueth place vnto the diuell Hee offred the wrong and yet seeketh not peace it is his weaknes and folly Doo thou seek an end and pursue peace it will bee thy wisedome and glory There was sometimes a variance betwixt two famous Philosophers Aristippus and Aeschines Aristippus comes to Aeschines and seeks for peace Aeschines gladly entertaineth such a motion Well saieth Aristippus remember though I am your elder yet I sought the peace True said Aeschines
may not be betraied Follow peace and holinesse saith the Apostle Our peace then must be a holy peace and not vnholy Melius est disâ—duem pictatis ortum causa quam vttiosa 〈◊〉 ordia Hier. for a godly dissension is far better than it When question is of matters of religion when by our silence the truth is like to bee betraied God dishonoured and the saluation of our Brethren hindred in these cases peace cannot be retained Hence Apostles and Apostolike men haue chosen to contend by preaching and by writing against errors and superstitions as Paul with the Galatians Augustine against the Manichees and Donatists and so others rather then by holding their peace to betray the truth of Christ So ought wee then to haue peace with men as that we doe not make warre with God If the truth and righteousnesse be violated pluck vp thy heart be valiant and fight the Lords battaile and chuse rather to lose peace then truth and Iustice Our peace is a warfare against Satan and his complices Pax nostra bâ—llum coÌ„tra Satanam Tert. l. ad Mart. Secondly So much as lieth in vs. Som are so quarrelsome and contentious as do one what hee can to appease and please them they will haue no peace Towards these wee shall do our dutyes when we are peaceably disposed neither giuing nor hastily taking any occasion of dissension We are to desire and seeke peace as much as lieth in vs that there be no defect in vs no neglect of our duty And if then we cannot gaine peace with them we shal bee sure to get praise with God and though heer peace fly froÌ„ vs yet in the end peace shall be our portion To dreame then of an vnity with the Papists of an vniformity with Schismatickes is an idle phantasie For so long as one is an enemy to truth the other an enemie to Peace both set on mischief coÌ„bined in faction though differeÌ„t in faith wee may wish for it but neuer haue it But is it lawfull for a man to sue another at the law seeing that seems to be contrarie to peace Quest It is lawfull if ther bee iust cause Resp Rom. 13.4 for the magistrate beareth not the sword in vain He beareth it to punish wrong-doers and defend the right which hee cannot doo if hee haue no knowledge of it And how shall he knowe if there be no Plaintiff And yet with these Caueats Caueats in suing at the Law First not for euery trifle or trespasse but in matters of waight and importance Secondly not vntill thou hast offred peace and it be refused and that not once but often Thirdly not accounting him whom thou impleadest as an enemy hauing war onely with his vices but peace with his person Fourthly prosecuting it with mildnesse not with extreamity As in suing of bonds and recouering dammages mercy must be shewed according to that rule of the Apostle Let your moderation be knowne vnto all men Phil. 4.5 Which rules being obserued As thou maist lawfully vse physicke for the recouery of thy health so maist thou vse the Law for recouering of thy right And thus we haue seen what the Apostle in this precept requireth how to perform that which he requireth at our hands What now remaineth but that wee put these things in practice and endeauour to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 Let vs not be vnpeaceable with the peaceable that argueth a diuelish minde nor vnpeaceable with the vnpeaceable which argueth a corrupt mind nor yet content our selues in that we are peaceable with the peaceable for that argues but a ciuill minde but if it be possible and as much as in vs lieth let vs bee peaceable with the vnpeaceable which is that that onely argues a true Christian and heroical mind And so should we make it good that wee are endued with true grace Esay 11.6.7 â— Rom. 14.17 and are true subjects of that kingdome which is the kingdom of Peace whose king is peace Peace was that last rich jewell which Christ departing to his Father left his Spouse for a Legacy Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Iohn 14.27 It is the last duty I shall exhort you vnto Be peaceable my Brethren I haue read of two Noble Lacedemonians who were at mortall hatred and beeing met with by their King called Archidamus in the Temple of Minerua hee requires them to put their matter to an indifferent Vmpire They chuse the King himself He makes them swear to abide his order which accordingly they doo Now saith the King I order that you shall not go out of this Temple vntill you be friends And so they were reconciled for an oath taken in that Temple was vnlawfull to bee broken My Brethren we are the Temple of God and now heer met together in the Temple of God and haue this day and now doo partake together of the holy things of God And yet as I hear 1 Cor 6 7 there is vtterly a fault amongst you in this respect in that there are contentions one amongst another and going to law one with another and that onely for such things as sauour but of spleen Might I be Vmpire the like order would I giue as that King did you should not depart out of this Temple till you were reconciled Remember my Beloued the diuell is the authour of dissension Hee it was that went about at the first to seuer man from God and it is he that now laboureth to seuer man from man Christ is our Salomon the Lord of peace The Church is the Shulamite the Lady of peace If thou belongest to Christ or to his Church be peaceable And so much be spoken of the duties whereto they are exhorted now a word or two of the Argument or Motiue wherwith they are enforced Text. And the God of loue and peace shall be with you God is heer called the God of loue and peace because hee is the authour approuer and rewarder of it And heer by the way it is worth our noting how that the Apostle praying for peace or exhorting to peace sets God before him as hauing that in him for which he praies and of which hee speaks giuing such titles to him as best fits the presents argument Doct. We are to see in God thâ— fulnes of these graces we desire of him and may teach vs wheneuer wee come to God by praier so to consider of him as that wee may see in him those things we desire Thus the Apostle exhorting the Romans to patience and consolation fals to praying for them and sets God before him as a God of patience and consolation Rom. 15.4.5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you c. And a little after Verse 13. he cals him the God of hope The God of hope fill you with all ioy c. And in the very next