professor in Wittenberg and the other in Geneva I say no more but onely wish that they who approve the faith that is taught in the French Church wold imitate the moderation and sobrietie of the learned Doctors who have taught and maintained it And so I leave this first difference which is in Opinions and judgement II. The next is a difference in Christian vertues For though all true Christians be sanctified in everie part and have a portion of all necessarie graces yet God distributeth these graces in such a different manner and measure that in severall men some are eminent and glorious and other are scarse conspicuous or to be seene For example to one man God giveth a good measure of patieÌ„ce but not so much courage to another he giveth courage for the truth but not so much moderation or judgement to another he giveth mildnes of spirit but not so much zeale in Gods service so that we may say of one that he is patient or moderate or of a meeke minde but not so fitly that he is zealous or couragious or constant in his purpose And in this case I say that difference of such vertues should not cause distraction of minde but in this diversitie of graces wee should serve God with unitie of minde To this purpose S. Augustine hath a good note upon the stories of Zaccheus and the Centurion both of them mentioned in the Gospell Of the Centurion wee reade that when Iesus was coming to his house he sent friends to stop him by the way for saith he Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter under my roofe Luke 7.6 But for Zaccheus Christ had no sooner called to him Zaccheus make haste and come downe for to day I must abide at thy house but hee made hast came down received him with joy Luke 19.5 6. In which stories we may note that these two both of them good men did shew two diverse in some sort contarie vertues The Genturion hindered Christ from coming to his house because he thought himselfe unworthie of his presence herein he shewed much humilitie and reverence to his Saviour But Zaccheus at the first word received Christ into his house Neque litigâ—veâ—unt interse ant quisquam corum se alteri praposuit Zacchaeus et ille Centurio quum alter corum gandens in domum suam susceperit DominuÌ„ alter dixerit Nösum dignus ut intres subiectuÌ„ meum Amho Salvatose bonorificates diverse quast coÌ„trarie â—odo â—mbopeccâ—tis miseri ambo misericordiam coaseqanti Aug epist 118. ad Ianuar ca. 3. pag 190 and entertained him with all readines and by this he shewed great affection and love to his Lord. Now concerning the difference in their affections S. Augustines observation is this Neque litigaverunt inter se c. These two good men for all their difference in honoring Christ did not contend the one against the other nor did either of them prefer himselfe before his fellow Had they been like some hot spirits in our daies Zaceheus might have blamed the Centurion either for incivilitie or for lacke of faith that he would forbid Christ to come into his house and the Centurion might have condemned him againe for his boldnesse or want of due reverence that he durst receive the Lord of glorie into a sinfull cotage But non litigaverunt they strove both of them how they might best honour their Redeemer they did not one strive against another for honouring him in a different maner No saith this good father both of them did honour Christ in a diuerse and in some sort contrarie manner and both of them being miserable by reason of their sinnes did both of them obtaine mercy to free theÌ„ from their sinnes This is the note of S. Augustine upon the different qualities of these holy men A like but more direct note may be observed in the different and contrarie behaviour of Iohn the Baptist and Iesus our Saviour Of them both wee thus reade in one place Iohn came neâ—ther cating nor drinking and they say Hee hath a devill The Sonne of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man gluttonous a wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners Matt. 11.18 19. But what said they two that lived in this so different a manner What said Iohn and Christ the one of the other Why Iohn said of Christ Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And This is he of whom I said There commeth a man after mee who is preferred before mee c. Iohn 1.27 29. the latchet of whose shooes I am not worthy to stoope downe and unloose Mar. 1.7 And Iesus contrarily he said of Iohn Hee is a Prophet and more then a Prophet and among theÌ„ that are borne of women there hath not risen a greater then Iohn the Baptist Matt. 11.9 11. In which passages wee may for our learning consider three things 1 The different practise of Iohn and Iesus and their contrary course of life Iohn came neyther eating nor drinking and the Sonne of man came eating and drinking The meaning is that Iohn lived an austere life and kept a kinde of continuall fast as became him who was the Preacher of Repentance but Iesus lived a sociable life and kept company with men in a friendly manner as was fit for him who brought the glad tydings of the Gospell Such was their different and contrary course of life 2 Note the Censure which the Iews gave of theÌ„ both They were pleased with neyther of them Iohn for his austerity lived not like a man he doubtlesse had a devill and Iesus for his familiaritie lived not like a sober man he was a glutton and a wine-bibber This was their Censure 3 Observe the mutuall testimonie that Iesus and Iohn did giue the one of the other Iesus said of Iohn Hee is more then a Prophet the chiefe among the sonnes of women and Iohn said of Iesus that hee was more then a man and so farre above himselfe that he was not worthie to untie his shooes Non litigaverunt inter se These two rare men of verie differeÌ„t qualities coÌ„ditions yet did not strive one against another they strove how each might most honour the other And this may teach us what we should doe If we cavill at other mens vertues and deprave their doings when they agree not to our fansie we are not like either Iesus or Iohn wee resemble rather the Scribes and Pharises who were pleased neither with fulnes nor fasting But if we will imitate Iohn and Iesus then if wee see in divers men different vertues we must acknowledge God in them all And if one man bee sociable like Christ when we are severe like Iohn and if another be humble like the Centurion when wee are hearty like Zaccheus and if a third bee meeke like Moses while wee are zealous like Phineas wee may not judge them because they agree not
worke of his providence and wisdome This as also what our duty is herein wee may learne by S. Peter He when the Iewes out of their zeale to their own Nation contēded with him for that he had conversed with Cornelius his cōpany saying Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised and didst eate with them Peter made this Apologie for himselfe That God by a vision and a voyce from heaven had taught him that himselfe had cleansed those men that Peter therfore should not esteeme them as polluted and uncleane and that for further proofe hereof he had powred on them the Holy Ghost as hee had done vpon the Apostles in the beginning and then he addeth Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us who beleeved on the Lord Iesus Christ what was I that I could withstand God Acts 11.17 In this passage wee may note three things 1 That God had shewed extraordinarie mercy to these Pagans They were aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenant of grace and yet God had not equalled them to the best of his servants hee gave them the like gift of the holy Ghost as he had done to his Apostles 2 That S. Peter seeing this gracious gift of God toward them acknowledged them for his brethren partakers of the same grace though this were a disparagement to his owne Nation whose glorie it was to bee Gods peculiar people 3 That if S. Peter had done otherwise if he had still accounted them Aliens and forborne their companie as Infidels and denied them baptisme the seale of Gods covenant in so doing hee had withstood God And the like should be our resolution also If God have given any gifts or graces to any of our neighbours whosoever the men or whatsoever the gifts bee though they breede us preiudice in our credit or in our estate or in our preferment yet if we sleight or debase or denie them we do what in us lyeth oppose withstand God in his gratious proceedings And therefore as it is said of those Iews who at first contended with Peter that when they had heard his defence they held their peace and glorified God for his mercy to the Gentiles so should wee doe if it do appeare that God hath enabled any though one of our inferiors with some eminent gifts wee should cease grudging wee should rather glorifie God for his mercy toward thē A dutie which if it were well learned by us all it would preserve our neighbors frō wrong and our selves from sinne And that wee may both learne and performe it the better I commend both to you and my selfe these three rules following 1 Rule If God have bestowed any singular blessing on any of our brethren though the height thereof may over-shadow us yet we should readily acknowledge it to Gods glory who gave it and to the praise of them that do enioy it Thus the people of the Iews did in our Saviours time For when they saw Christ to heale a Palsey man by his bare word they marvelled and glorified God who had given such power unto men Matt. 9.8 and Matth. 15.31 when the multitude saw the dumbe to speake the maimed to bee whole the lame to walke and the blinde to see they glorified the God of Israel And in the Christian Church when the Disciples heard that Saul of a persecutor was become a Preacher they glorified God in him Gal. 1. ult and Gal. 2.9 when the Apostles Peter and Iames and Iohn perceived the grace that was given to Paul after his conversion they though this might obscure their owne glory yet gave him right hand of fellowship and ioyned with him in the worke of the Ministerie And so should we doe also If wee know of any man who out of his learning and depth of knowledge is able to unfolde obscure points in Divinitie we should acknowledge his gifts and praise God who hath given such a gift unto men And if we meete with another who though he have no deepe learning yet hath a readie tongue and can apply Scriptures to the stirring of the conscience wee should acknowledge that gift where we finde it and give God the praise for bestowing such gifts upon men And if we happen upō a third who hath a ready wit to take the present occasion of doing good or a steedie memorie that can readily recount what he hath heard or read wee should acknowledge his happiness that hath it and praise Gods bounty that did give it And so if wee see a Magistrate who hath wisedome to discerne the truth and conscience to iudge aright or if wee meete with an Artificer that is pregnant in his Art or any professor that hath skil in his profession wee must not denie or diminish Gods blessings in them for feare lest they disparage us but rather blesse God who hath given such gifts unto men And this indeed is our dutie but what is our practise Surely Moses Aaron were appointed by God to be Governors to his people the one for ordering the Church the other for governing the Commonwealth both for the safe leading of the people into the promised Land but Korah and his Companie grudged them this preheminence Moses and Aaron ye take too much upon you all the Congregation is holy as well as yee Num. 16.3 And so in our daies some will acknowledge no Bishop in the Church nor scarse any King in the Common-wealth but as if they were men that had no master they reproach the one and contemne the other But if wee descend lower Iacob obtained a better blessing then his brother had and Esau hated him for it David had more honour given him then Saul had and Saul eied him and envied him for it And Ioseph was more favoured of his father then his other brethren were and they maligned him and stripped off his coate and sould him into Aegypt Nay which is yet more and more wicked Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain did and was better accepted then he was and therefore Cain hanged downe the head and was wroth with his brother and in the end murdered him And wherefore slew he him saith S. Iohn and he answereth the question with his owne words because his owne works were evill and his brothers righteous 1 Io. 3.12 And so is it among us The Courtier envieth his fellow if hee stepp into an office sooner then himselfe The Citizen envieth his neighbour if by good husbandrie hee grow richer thē himselfe The Rich man envieth those of his owne ranke if they bee more liberall and free-hearted then himselfe yea the Parishioner envieth his or her pew-fellow if they be taken up to an higher Seate then thēselves And which exceedeth in impietie sin the profane man hateth every man about him if hee be more charitable in doing good or more conscionable in catechizing of his childrē and more constant in holy duties with his familie And why
For we finde that the Egyptians were scrupulous of eating with the Hebrews when the Hebrews for ought wee reade were not afraid of eating with them Gen. 43.32 And (a) Iohn 9.22 23. and 12.42 and 16.2 the Scribes and Pharises excommunicated Christ all that acknowledged him to be the Messias But b Matt. 23.2 3. our Lord acknowledged the Scribes and Pharises though corrupt Teachers yet to sit in Moses his chaire and to bee lawfull pastors of the Church whom men were bound to obey And in after-times the Donatists were so fierce and violent against the Catholiks that c In baresin schisma verterunt tanquam Ecclesia Christi de loto terraruÌ„ orbe perierit ubi futura promissa est atque in Africa Donati parte re manserit Audent rebaptizare Catholi os ubi se ampliùs baereticos esse firmarunt quum Ecclesiae Catholicae universae placuerit nec in ipsis baereticis baptisma communc rescendere Aug. de haeres cap. 69. they would not allow them to be a Church or to have any true baptisme therefore if any one fell from the Catholikes to the Donatists side they baptized him over againe as if his former baptisme were nothing worth But the Catholikes acknowledged the Donatists though heretikes yet to have a Church in which true baptisme was administred And d Quid vobis vultis saciamus qui quando vobis dicimus ut causam nostram vestram patienter audiatis noÌ„ nostis nisi superbire insanire Aug. epist 166. ad Donatistas pag. 257. C ibid. pag 258. G. Vestri Episcopi conventi à nobis nunquam nobisâ—um pacificè conferre volâ—erunt quasi fugientes cum peccatoribus loqui when the Catholikes offered them a quiet and Christian Conference they insolently rejected them as unworthy to be talked with Yea when the e V. Opratum adv Parmen lib. 1 in principio August in Psal 32. Conc. 2. Pag 81. cont Gaudent l 2. c. 11 p. 243. C. Catholikes called them Brethren they scornfully refused the name of brotherhood at their hands In all which who doth not see that pride and errour did still goe together and that the true beleevers shewed charitie toward their Adversaries when the enemies of Gods truth were implicable and peevish and would accept no termes of pacification and concord And iust so is the case now a daies betweene us and our Adversaries in religion For first they of the Roman Church doe condemne us for miscreants and Castawaies and allow us no place neither in heaven nor in the church but we as the true Catholikes were woont to doe grant theÌ„ to be a Church though it be a bad one and confesse that in that Church there is * See the learned answere of R. B. to Fishers Relation of his third CoÌ„ference pag. 67 68 69. a possibilitie to be saved though it be with difficulty much danger They againe cast out our name as abominable and unworthie their naming but wee say of them as S. Augustine did of the Donatists We will (a) Tune esse desineÌ„t fratres nostri si desierint dicere Pater noster Aug. in Psal 32. concio 2. pag. 81. A. not cease to call them brethren as long as they do not cease to say Our father And as Optatus said of those heretikes so we say of these (b) Sunt siue dubio fratres quaÌ„ vis non boni Optat adu Parmé l. 1 in prine fol. 2. They be our brethren though they bee but bad ones But what And doe we hereby give any such advantage to the Adversaries as that either our brethren at home should blame us for our lenitie or our enemies abroad should glorie in our testimonie Surely all the advantage that the Romanist gaine by this is the same that the Aeygptians had against the Hebrewes and the Iewes against Christ the Donatists against the Orthodox Church And if they will glory herein they shall glorie in their pride which wise men will say is all one as to (c) Ioh. 13.35 glorie in their shame As for us we hold it more honor to glorie in our Masters livery which is to shew charitie towards all that professe his name But yet somewhat to mitigate their pride we tell them further that if any of them be saved it is by vertue of that common truth wherein they agree with us it is not by that peculiar faith which they hold of their owne And if they will renounce those errors which they have mingled with this truth their faith will bee the more pure their salvatioÌ„ not so doubtfull Howsoever we are still resolved to keep the Apostles rule which is (d) Ephe. 4.15 to follow the truth in love that is so to defeÌ„d the truth as that we do not breake the bond of peace where wee have any meanes to keepe it Secondly our unkinde brethren of the German Churches though they agree with us in the maine points of faith yet doe scornefully reject our desire of their friendship and brother-hood (e) Audio Lutherum cum atâ—oci invectiva noÌ„ taÌ„ in vos quam in nos omnes prorupisse Calvin ad Bullinger Epist 57. Luther began with bitter invectives against Calvin his fellowes but (f) Saepe dicere solitus sâ— Etiâsi me DiaboluÌ„ vocaret me tamen hoc isti honoris habiturum ut insigneÌ„ Det servum agnoscam Calvin ibi Calvin did give so in 〈◊〉 respect to Luther as that beside the esteeme of his gifts he was wont to say of him Although Luther should call me Devill yet will I do him the honour to acknowledge him for an excellent servant of God Thus these two Chiefetaines began and their followers continued to treade in their Leaders steps In the conference at Mompelgart where Beza Musculus and others did appeare for the French Church and Iacobus Andreae and Lucas Osiander with their Associats for the other side wheÌ„ after some time spent in disputation the differences betweene theÌ„ could not bee accorded Beza (g) Rogat ut Bezam cum suu SuÌ„mystis profratribus agnoscant dextra sfraternitat is ifsis porrigere velint Colloq Mompelg in fine pag. 566. desired of the Divines of Wittenberg that they would acknowledge him and his fellow Ministers for their Brethren and would give them the right hands of brotherhood the other Divines made them a churlish and uncharitable answere (h) eos profratribus agnoscere non possint ibid. pag. 667. that they could not acknowledge them for their brethren And in after times others of each side have shewed the like temper as whosoever shall desire to see needes no more but to reade the bitter writings of (i) Meisner Philos p. Sobrit par 1. Sect. 2. cap. 3. pa. 547. Meisnerus and the temperate and charitable judgement of (k) Vedel Kational Theolog. l. 1 c. 7. pa. 67 68. ca. 9 pag. 84. Vedelius the one