waue tossing thy ship like that of the disciples Mat. 8. is in ieopardie of wracke and readie to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience And why so saith that Father because Christ within thee is asleepe awake him vp therefore stirre vp his gift that is in thee and crie Maister saue for we perish These raging waues shall but coole thy concupiscence like Iordan wash away thy leprosie and heale thy infirmities like the poole of Bethesda with Israell thou shalt safely passe thorough the middest of them and the wicked with Pharao shall be drowned in those waues thorough which they persecute and pursue thee They may dash into thy boate and fill it full that thou maiest be like to perish but they shall not swallow vp nor deuoure thee for thy head is still aboue these waters and though the waues of the sea rage horribly yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier saith Dauid Psal 93. 4. yea thine owne head shall be aboue these waues swell they neuer so much as Dauid did assure him He shall set me vp vpon a rocke and now shall he lift vp mine head aboue mine aduersaries round about me Psal 27. 6. Onely like the disciples a Mark. â— 41. call on him who being alone the true Aeolus can more then he commaund the winds and waues of the sea and they obey him he will rebuke the wind and say to these raging waues Tantâne vos generis tenuit fiducia vestri Iam câ—lum terramque meo sine numine venti Miscere tantas audetis tollere fluctus Peace and bestill and so will there be a great calme for he b Psal only stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of his waues and the madnesse of his people Howsoeuer it be these waues heare not his voice nor will cease from their raging yet as the disciples in their shippe rowed through the waues of Genezareth with a contrarie wind Mark 6. 48. so must we in this shippe saile through these raging waues with that contrary breath 1. Pet. 3 9. Not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse Christ the Pilot and maister of the shippe hath charged all passengers bound for heauen to saile with this contrarie wind Blesse them that curse you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Luk. 6. 28. Et quam id sanctè praecepit tam integre serâ—auit saith a c Sal 〈…〉 lib. 3. exemp cap. â— Writer His word and his worke like mercie and truth met together his praecept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other For when the Iewes cryed d 〈◊〉 â—â— â— Crucifige he cryed e 〈◊〉 3â— Ignosce O wonder saith f pas D 〈…〉 Bernard Iud â—i clamâ—nt crucifige ille conclamat ignosce ò charitas patiens sed compations The Iewes cry crucifie him and he outcries Father pardon them ô patient and compassionate loue Being beaten with rods crowned with thornes pierced with nailes nayled to the crosse filled with reproches vnmindfull of all his grieâ—es he prayeth for his persecutors This Lambe of God as a sheepe was dumbe before his shearer coram tondentem yea coram occidente obmutuit not onely before his shearer but euen before his slayer and butcher was he dumbe saith g Homil. 〈◊〉 laâ—d vâ—â—gin Bernard When he was thus vilified and reuiled he reuiled not againe when he thus suffered he threatened not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously saith his Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 23. And see what he committed to that righteous Iudge Father forgiue them for they know not what they do O loue of God passing all vnderstanding He now hung vpon the crosse compassed with his mortall enemies destitute of his owne friends mocked with taunts loaded with obloquies now readie to giue vp the last gaspe and yet as vnmindfull of himselfe and mindfull of his foes he prayeth for them he complained he was forsaken of his Father and he forsakes not his enemies he was crucified by them and he intreateth his Father for them he saw their treason and he excused it by their ignorance he felt their deadly hate and he sued for their pardon O loue strong as death ô heate of loue cruell as the graue which neuer had enough of tortures which neuer said Ho but still cryed Giue giue The bloud indeed of Christ saith h Lib. 13. moral cap 21. Gregorie is well said by the i Heb. 12. 24. Apostle to speake better things then that of Abel for the bloud of Abel k Gen. 4. 10. called for vengeance but the bloud of Iesus for forgiuenesse Father forgiue them Here is an example for thee thou tossed with waues Exemplum sume vnicum atque omnium praestantissimum Take the most excellent and onely example which if a man rightly obserue saith l Loco supracitat Sabellicus he may become far more like God himselfe then a man He shall be perfect as his heauenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. 48. He hath left vs an example * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2. â— 1. a copie to write our alphabet and Christs-crosse rowes after that we should follow his steps when we are reuiled not to reuile againe For how small are our sufferings of rebuke in comparison of his passions of reproch saith m Lib de conflict vit virt cap 9. Austine He willingly sustained reuilings derisions contumelies buffets spittings scourges thornes yea the ignominious crosses and we miserable wretches to our confusion and shame of face are wearied and faint with one word we are with one word of reproch cast downe and deiected Seeing then that his name was like oyntment of loue powred out Cant. 1. 2. which blasphemies reproches and reuilings those dead flies could not cause to stinke nor putrifie the oyntment of this Apothecarie as n Loco supracit Bernard out of o Eccles 10. 1. Salomon alludeth let vs runne in the sauour of this oyntment powred out on our head and running downe to the skirts of his clothing and lowest members of his bodie Let vs be followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe Thou wilt say perhaps How can I do this which the Lord could do But marke saith p Serm. 170. de Temp. Austine who did it euen thy Sauiour as he was man and remember where he performed it euen vpon the crosse in midst of all his torments and reproches where he shewed himselfe like a citie on an hill for al to behold as an example of humilitie in blessing their blasphemers He could haue prayed for them in silence sed tis non haberes exemplum but thou then shouldst not haue had an example Neuerthelesse if thou canst not learne of thy Lord who was humble and meeke yet imitate Stephen thy fellow-seruant who saith thee in Paules words Be ye followers of me
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
workes Do good to them that hate you The beloued Disciple an Euangelist in his Gospell an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Apocalyps prescribeth from his masters breast this trinitie of vnity 1. Iohn 3. 18. Let vs not loue in word or tongue onely but in workes and in truth from the heart And all these three of necessitie here must be meant seeing friendship requireth beneuolence of the heart beneficence of the hand and concord of the tongue as our * Arist lib. 9. 8. thâ—â— cap. 4. master of moralitie teacheth from the oracle of reason Wherfore treading in the steps of our blessed Sauiour his holy Apostle the grauest auncient Fathers our soundest moderne interpreters in the way of truth and naturall reason giue me leaue without censure of y Eccles 19. 24. that fine subtilty but vnrighteous wresting of the law to note here and hereafter handle a triple reconciliation and that in the order and methode of Saint Iohn first verball secondly reall thirdly intentionall reconcilement For the first Verbapacis words of peace must we giue our offensiue 1. Reconcilement verball or offended brother to moue and winne him to concord our speech must be gracious alway and poudred with salt Col. 4. 6. and like that word z 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20. of reconciliation beseech and pray our enemies for Christs sake to be reconciled as before in the dismission Go thy way and tell him his fault I haue at large declared Thus Abraham hauing not the law written in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of his hart did by grace the things of the law and shewed the effect of this law written in his heart for when such brawling and debate was risen betwixt his and Lots heard-men about grasing and pasture that their maister Lot like our quarelling Gentles counting his seruants supposed iniury his owne indignitie began to be inflamed Abraham that blessed peace-maker comes to him like the Doue with an Oliue branch of peace in his mouth Gen. 13. Let there be I pray thee no strife betweene me and thee neither betweene mine heardmen and thine heard-men for we are brethren Is not the whole land before thee If thou wilt take the left hand then I wil go to the right or if thou wilt go to the right hand then I will take the left He a Chrys hom 33. in Gen. 13. 8. saith not What stirre is this my Nephew Dare thy seruants or any of thy houshold open their mouth or mutter against me and my substance Do they not remember how farre they are inferiour to vs Whence hast thou so great abundance was it not from my care and prouision VVho made thee thus eminent and glorious among men did not I who was to thee in stead of all I was a father to thee in all things and doest thou thus requite my seruice and charges Did I for this hope alwayes take thee for my companion in my iourney Be it so that nothing which I haue done for thee come into thy mind oughtest thou not at leastwise to honour my crowne of age and reuerence my hoary haires No Abraham saith none of these things saith Chrysostome but parleth for peace with words of meeknesse and speeches of pacification And although Lot as a b Philo lib. 1 de Abrahamâ— Iew noteth was Amicus suspectae fidei no constant but a wauering friend who often * Contemptim superbè proudly and disdainefully vsed Abraham yet see saith Chrysostome how with faire words he intreates his agreement and prayeth him be reconciled Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee neither betweene my heardmen thine Amputauit fibiam discordiae ne contagium so reperet saith c Lib. 1. ad â— â—rde cap. 3. Ambrose he crusheth the serpent in the head lest it creepe and bring in the taile he letteth not the roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble them lest many therewith be defiled And if intreatie will not perswade refractarie Lot yet see what reasons he vrgeth to induce him to concord We are brethren saith he brethren in the flesh and kinsfolkes by bloud brethren in the spirit and consorts in religion in the midst of a naughtie and crooked nation for yet the Canaanites and Perizzites dwell in this land whose dissentions our discord will vnite whose idolatrie this staining of our religion will aduantage and cause these wicked nations to blaspheme the God of Abraham And if this inducement cannot draw yet see with what a strong motiue he haleth him to vnity as with a threefold cord Is not the whole land before thee take which hand of my inheritance thou wilt chuse and thus pacificis verbis with peaceable words he would decide the controuersie and end the former strife saith Philo. This was the precept of God to Laban toward his offensiue shepheard d Gen. 31. 1â— Take heede that thou speake not to Iaakob ought saue good and therefore e Vers 44. he said vnto him Come and let vs make a couenant of peace I and thou which may be a witnesse betweene me and thee This was Iaakobs practise to his brother Esau who sought his life for he spake vnto him mildly by the mouth of his f Gen. 32. 18. 19 20. seruants and submissiuely by his g Gen. 33. owne Let me find grace in the eyes of my Lord for I haue seene thy face as though I had seen the face of God And by these meanes he accepted him and was reconciled For indeed a soft answer putteth away wrath saith Salomon The reason of the doctrine Prou. 15. 1. or as with Ierome most reade it breaketh wrath A Metaphor me thinkes borrowed from two in a combat wherein he compareth a soft answer to a soft buckler of a subtill champion which accepting the blow into it selfe so breaketh the weapon that the aduersarie giueth ouer For a Prince b Prou. 25. 15. saith he is pâ—câ—ified by 〈◊〉 and a soft tongue breaketh the â—oner as 〈◊〉 doth the fâ—â—ce of a stone that as thrown against it When the Ephramites contended with Gâ—deou for not calling them to â—arre against the Mâ—diâ—nites he gaue them this soft answer that k Vers 2. he preferred their exploits so farre aboue his owne as the glâ—â—ing of grapes of Ephraim was better then the vintage of Abiâ—ner And when he had spoken these words saith the l Vers 3. tâ—xt their wrathfull spirits abated toward him For as there is curatie lingua a cure that the tongue caust do on its patient Prou. 15. 4. so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith an old m Erasm chil 3. câ—nt 1. adag 100 Poet Faire language is a Phisition for the disease of anger which is impatient as that towne-Clearke of Ephesus Ille regit dictis animos pectora mulcet with his soft answer appeased the rage of those seditious Citizens Act. 19. â—5 Which doctrine of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
I none but such as I haue I giue and forgiue thee In all other good works some one sometime may pretend some colorable excuse saith g Serm. 61. de Temp. Austine but for loue none can excuse himselfe Some bodie may say vnto me I cannot fast but can he say truly I cannot loue he may say for my stomackes sake and owne infirmitie I cannot abstaine from wine or flesh-meate but can he iustly say I cannot loue Some man may say I cannot keepe my virginitie he may say he cannot sell all his goods and giue them to the poore but can he say truly I cannot loue and forgiue them that trespasse against me Let no man deceiue himselfe beloued brethren for God is not mocked nor deceiueth any for though there be many good workes which through humane infirmitie we cannot corporally performe it is too abhominable and a filthy excuse that in this worke of the mind either the lame or the deafe or maimed should for its wearisomnesse make excuse For in this worke of loue neither the feet labour in running nor the eyes with seeing nor the eares with hearing nor the hands in working It is not said vnto vs go ye to the East and seeke charitie saile to the West and ye shal find loue it is engrauen in our heart by that lawe of nature Do as ye would be done to Luk. 6. 13. Whosoeuer thou art this commandement of loue which he commaundeth thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it far off as h Deut. 30. 11. 12. Moses speaketh It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who shal go for vs to heauen and bring it to vs that we may do it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it But loue is very neare vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart to giue it in forgiuing each one his brother Some man may say saith i Ser de Maâ—â—yr Leo I cannot watch I cannot fast I cannot giue all to the poore I cannot liue single but can he say I cannot loue It may be saith k H 〈…〉 l. 6. 〈…〉 d Maâ— 5. 44 Vâ—de tom 6. â—b 〈…〉 a Aâ—hmant â—â— 17. ser 59. dâ—â—â—p Austine that sometime thou hast not gold and siluer apparell or corne wine or oile in thine house to giue to the poore but what shadow of excuse canst thou pretend that thou hast not a penniworth of charitie a wedding garment of loue a graine of mustard-seed of amitie a drop of dilection and ointment of loue in thy coffer and wardrobe and garner and chalice and boxe of thy heart No no this is the tribute of loue wherewith all the world is taxed and all may go to be taxed euery man to his owne citie It is an easie offering alwayes at hand or at heart that with Isaac thou needst not aske but where is the Lambe for the oblation It is within which thou maist easily offer as of that which cost thee nothing In forgiuing each one From the heart For because man ofteÌ„ forgiues with his mouth â— manne◠〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter homines as l Hâ—â—d 〈…〉 rat Dom. Austine noteth and keepes hatred in his hart propter daemones and m Ierom lib. 3 an Math 18. 35. can say of his brother He knowes I beare him no euill will I will leaue him to God his Iudge I haue for my part forgiuen him for n Buâ—â—r enarra in Math. 18. 35. thus we wold often seeme to pardon our brother when we scarce from our hart forgiue him that we loue him as before yea o Tom. 1. ad epâ— Castor say in the Lords prayer Forgiue as we forgiue animo discrepante cum verbis oratione dissidente cum factis as Ierome noteth therefore Christ saith that Father taking away all hypocrisie and colour of fained peace commandeth to forgiue from our hearts And that if not from his precept yet after Gods example Qui remittit ex corde as Musculus on these words obserueth Who so forgiueth men from his heart that he p Ier. 31. 24. remembreth their trespasses no more but q Micha 7. 19 casteth them into the bottome of the sea and imputeth them not vnto them but couereth al their offences Psalme 32. 1. Which most motiue example of his Father his Apostle vrgeth as the strongest inducement Ephes 4. 32. Be ye tender hearted forgiuing one another But how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as God forgiues you And if this loue of God shed abroade in our hearts and r Mathew 3. 11 fire of the spirit like that purifying flame in the Å¿ Numb 31. 23. law cannot burne out all our drosse of malice till it be pure and take away all our tinne of hatred from the heart certainly it argueth we remaine full like those wicked Gentils Rom. 1. 29. of all vnrighteousnesse wickednesse maliciousnesse full of enuie murder and debate and poisonous affections of the heart For as we reade of Germanicus Caligula his father that when according to the t Suet. â—n Tyber cap. 75. vide comens Beroald custome of the Romanes who burned their Emperors bodies and other least being interred in forrame wars the enemie should dig them vp though his bodie was consumed in the fire yet his heart could not â—e prierced by the flame but lay vnburned among his bones because being opened it was found full of poison whose nature is such that dipt in poison it resisteth all fire as v Suet. in Calig cap 1. Tranquillus and x Li. 11. nat hist cap. 37. Plinie both obserue euen so and more then so if this fire of Gods spirit That he forgiueth vs from his heart kindle only our tongues and hands to loue our enemies in word and worke alone and inflame not our hearts also to loue them in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. it tels the searcher of the heart that yet for all this our heart is wicked and deceitfully malicious aboue all things and as y Iames 3. 8. Iames speaketh of as little a member full of deadly poison And though this stonie heart cannot be burned with this fire but lieth buried in the whited tombe of the body though this whited tombes rottennesse and ranc or appeare not to flesh and blood and men that go ouer it perceiue not for it is wicked and deceitfull aboue all things who can know it Ier. 17. 9. yet he who onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men 1. Kings 8. 39. z Iob 10. 4. hauing not carnall eyes nor seeing as man seeth a 1 Sam. 16. 7. looketh not like man on the outward appearance but beholdeth the heart yea so searcheth the heart and trieth the reines he I say who as Ierome speaketh is all eye when he seeth the hearts hypocrisie and all hand when he
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.
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
alij sua eruditione aut ingenij dexteritate as there are some who so malepartly despise learning and other gifts of God that meane while they trust and take more pride in their ignorance and rudenesse then other in their learning and dexteritie of wit Thou shalt find also some at this day who stiffely pretend this example of the Lord for a cloake of their slothfulnesse and idlenesse and when they are reproued for their idlenesse in handling the word that they apply not the Scriptures neglect to learn tongues that better they may handle the word they haue alwaies in their mouth God called not many wise after the flesh Whom we must answer Neither called he many euill beasts and slow bellies qui sanctam eruditionem adeò contemnunt operatione spiritus tanta oscitantia fidurt Who so much contemne sanctified learning and in their great idlenesse trust too much on the spirits extâ—mporall suggestion The summe of all is this the gifts of God learning skill in the tongues and painfulnesse in handling the Scripture are to be sought after and highly esteemed Againe many * Pluâ—â—nt rursus â—u â—â—â—die c. drones at this day thrust themselues into the ministerie fitter for any thing else who not onely that they may cloake their slouthfulnesse but euen c Spiritus titulo impiâ— venditent palam è suggestu audent damnare impurissimo eâ—e prosciâ—â—erâ— impiously boast of the spirit dare stoutly condemne and with a most impure mouth raile on the studie of the tongs and diligent decking of the Scripture openly in the pulpit Againe Enarrat in Mat. 13. 52. Euery Scribe saith he taught to the kingdom of God must bring old and new things not onely from the old and new Testament but affatim quâ—libet any truth from any Writer as the maister of the familie brings to his guests d all kind of meates and dainties that they may want nothing whose liberalitie he must follow plenteously teaching all things whereby the mind is sed and delighted Againe Explanat in Psal 1. 6. Though God saith he for our soules hath giuen vs the Scriptures yet for repressing of fleshly affections for framing of our life to Gods glorie and good of others multa alia praeclarè scripta impartijt he hath giuen vs many other excellent writings For all truth as Austine truly writeth is from the holy Ghost wherefore whatsoeuer truth and goodnesse is any where commaunded legis Dei nomine iure censebitur it may lawfully be called the law of God for what things soeuer any way pertaine to true godlinesse and sound righteousnesse vniuersa quidem at non singula sacris literis explicata sunt they are in generall laid downe but not particularly explaned in the Scriptures For the Gentiles therefore the Lord both before and after he made them partakers of the Scriptures gaue many things of excellent and admirable wisedome to be written of Poets Philosophers Historians and Law-makers whereby he expounded that eternall and boundlesse force of his law and called mankind to a good and godly life Quare ingrati Deo sunt sibi ipsis salutaria monita inuident c. Wherefore they are both vnthankfull to God and depriue themselues of wholesome admonitions that disdaine to reade and gather out most things as well of heathens as the holy Scriptures while they may For it was not without the speciall and notable blessing of God that so many notable things which haue so excellent meanes of making a good life should both be written of Poets Historians and Philosophers and also be preserued for vs. If any thing in the workes of mechanicall arts smell of a more excellent wit Gods mercifull bounty who gaue that wit we iustly admire and those things which of vertues of religion of all good and right liuing most Philosophers and Poets by an vnimitable dexteritie and elegancie Immita 〈…〉 dexterâ—tate atque 〈◊〉 haue written shall we not admire kisse and as Gods singular blessings highly to be reuerenced embraced and accepted with both armes Non faciemus quicunque Deum ritè veneramur Christi vox est quicquid verum est quicquid recti aliquid praecipit eam vndecunque sonuerit exaudiamus atque sequamur We will not do this wrong to the gifts of God so many of vs as worship and feare God aright it is Christs voice whatsoeuer is truth whatsoeuer commaundeth any right thing by whomsoeuer he spake it let vs heare and follow it Therefore vnder the name of Gods law both in place before all will we first count the holy Scriptures which containe the law that is absolute doctrine of God euery way perfect which we grant to none other Writers and in this also without choice will we adore and reuerence all things The next place in our account shall the writings and monuments of them haue who of purpose giue precepts of Christs religion and innocencie of life although nothing of theirs without iudgement and diligent collation with Gods commaundements we will embrace In the last place wil we not disdaine to reade and vse all kind of prophane Writers when time and place shall require For if Plinie said truly that there is no booke so bad out of which some fruite may not be gathered and they bring no fruite vnlesse they be the words of God Certè Dei verba contempserit qui vel Ethnicorum scripta in totum repudiet Certainly he contemneth the words of God who wholly refuseth the writings of the heathen Thus Bucer And let them looke to it whether they despise not part of Gods lawe and contemne his words who disdaine to vse his truth in heathens when they preach to his people I cannot yet leaue Bucer he is so excellent in this point for Enarrat in Ioh. 4. 38. on that Other men haue laboured and ye are entred into their labours he vnderstandeth by these former labourers not onely the Prophets among the Iewes but also the Philosophers among the Gentiles who taught them good Per â—es quos di cit laâ—crasse intelligo quicunque doceâ—dis homâ—nibus operam suam impenderunt aequè Ethnicos atque Iudees life For they wrote many bookes of religion of duties of the bounds of good things and euill c. which they had got of the Iewes and so prepared the Gentiles for the Gospell as the law was the Iewes schoolemaister vnto Christ But let it not offend any man saith he that I thinke the labour of Philosophers furthered the Gospell for all truth is of God and certainly much truth is read in the writings of Philosophers and Poets and how little soeuer it be which they deliuered of the truth ad Deum certè animos hominum attraxerunt eoque Euangelio illos prâ—pararunt they drew without doubt mens mindes vnto God and therefore prepared them for the Gospell For he is the God not onely of the Iewes but of the Gentiles also in whose hearts he wrote the worke
their other wares into Egypt and to make their gaine x Lyra Tâ—st Aâ—ul â—n 〈◊〉 locum raised the price and sold him againe at second hand at a higher rate to Potiphar king Pharaohs steward vers 36. But though Ioseph whom they sold to be a bond-slaue in Egypt became afterward y Psal 105 21. lord ouer all Pharaohs house and ruler of all his substance yea gouernor throughout all the land of Egypt Gen. 45. 8. and was now armed with power to reuenge yet see how he recompenceth them good for euill see when his enemies did hunger how he fed them and when they were thirstie gaue them drinke For whereas they had z Gen. 37. â—â— stript him of his parti-coloured coate in recompence of that a Gen. 45. 2â— he gaue them all change of raiment he gaue them a measure running ouer into their bosome They sold him for twenty peeces of mony and put him in their purse and in recompence of that he would not sell them corne but gaue it them freely for nought and put their money in their sackes Gen. 42. 25. he gaue them a good measure pressed downe and shaken together They cast him into a pit to feed him with bread water of affliction Ge. 37. 24. and in lieu thereof he brought them into his owne lodging and feasted them sumptuously with delicate fare and sent them dishes from his owne princely measse Gen. 43. 33. 34. and with what measure they had met to him he would not mete to them againe Holy Dauid trode the steps of good Ioseph for â— Dauiâ— when Saul had bent his bow and made readie the arrowes within his quiuer to b Psal 1â— 2. shoote at this vpright in heart and sweet singer of Israell yea when this fouler c 1. Sam. 26. â—0 hunted him like a partridge to the mountaines so that his soule was faine to aske for the wings of a Doue that he might â—lie away and be at rest yet see when his mortal foe was deliuered into his hand in the cauâ— where he couered his feet he would not lay hands on his enemie nor suffer his bloud-thirstie followers to fall vpon him but onely to giue his notice what he could haue done cut off the lap of his garment and rendred him good for euill as Saul himselfe confessed 1. Sam. 24. 18. Yea againe when he sound him asleepe in the field and tooke him napping he spared his life which was in his hand and to giue him a second warning took away his pot of water and his speare that was sticked at his bolster 1. Sam. 26. and therefore might this Doue safely contestate his harmlesse mind and innocent hands to Cushies accusation that he sought Sauls life Psal 7. O Lord my God if I haue done this thing or if there be any wickednesse in mine hands if I haue rewarded euill to him that had peace with me yea I haue deliuered him that without cause is mine enemie then then let mine enemie persecute my soule and take me yea let him treade my life downe vpon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust No no when he found but one Egyptian rouer in the field he gaue d 1. Sam. 30. 11 him bread to eate when he was hungrie and when he was thirstie he gaue his enemie drinke And as did Dauid so did his sonne and Lord Christ Iesus 5 Christ the sonne of righteousnes from whose brightnesse these starres borrowed this light of grace whose words of truth as they were instructions to their minds so were his workes and actions medicines and cures to the bodies of his deadly foes healing their sicke cleansing their leapers restoring their lame to their legs making their blind to see though they would not behold the light of the world making their deafe to heare though they stopped their eares at the wisedome of the world making their dumbe to speake though they blasphemed the God of the world Yea when their sinne was a bloudie sinne a scarlet sinne a crimson sinne Esa 1. 18. of a double die dyed in the threed being a seed of the wicked and corrupt children and dyed in the web be being a sinfull nation laden with iniquitie and therefore worthie of that double die morte morieirs of the first and second death yet how did he shed his most precious bloud to make their crimson sinnes like wooll and their scarlet sinnes white as snow Yea when with the malice of hell in greatest industrie they went about the act of his condemnation most mercifully with greater diligence he went about the worke of their saluation when they shed his bloud to quench their malice he swet water and bloud to wash their soules Thus the sunne of righteousnes shined on the euill and the good though it softened the waxe and hardened the clay Thus the raine of righteousnesse descended on the iust and vniust though the blessed earth brought forth herbes meete for the dresser and the reprobate ground briers and thornes whose end was to be burned Yea God the Father though he be debter to none doth benefite 6. God his foes to testifie his loue The Father of lights maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and the good and the fountaine of grace sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Math. 5. 45. A blessing indeed not much esteemed nor iustly weighed as it ought euen of the godly themselues as e Zanch. lib 5. do Nat. Dei cap. 2. quaest 3. one noteth yet in it selfe of great estimate and value seeing by these two Sunne and raine all things as f Ib. c. 1. quaest 1. he noteth are begotten and bred and they be the parents of earthly blessings For seeing the whole condition of mans life dependeth on these two Christ did fitly instance in them saith g In hunc locum quast 353. Abulensis because the former being the cause of siccitie and heate the latter of moisture and frigiditie which foure qualities as our h Ariâ—â— lib. 2. de anâ—â— cap. 3. maister in the schoole of nature teacheth the food and nourishment of all liuing creatures they comprize omnia bona nostra al our earthly blessings as the causes of their effects by a synecdoche coÌ„preheÌ„d innumerable other benefites saith Caluin euen those which Musculus on these words recounteth that he giues life to the euill as to the good that he bestoweth necessaries for life on the euil as on the good that he hath giuen the earth to be inhabited of euill as of good for the i Psal earth hath he giuen to the children of men and k Acts 17. 26. made all mankind to dwell on the face of the earth his fire warmeth the bad as the good his bread doth feede and his wine drinke both alike his rayment doth clothe and his cattel serue both alike Yea the wicked his enemies receiue these blessings from his hand and almes-basket in greater abundance then
his children do enioy as both l Iob 21 6 ad â—â— Iob and m Psal 7â— 3. aâ— 15. Dauid with admiration complained he giueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17. 25. all things to all kind of persons n 1. Tim 4. 10. He is the Sauiour of all men temporally as he saueth both man and beast Psal 36. 6. though specially and eternally of them that beleeue o Ephes 5 13. of his body p Mat 1 21. and of his people He maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and his raine to fall on the vniust though specially on the good he maketh his q Mal 4. 2. Sunne of righteousnesse to shine and sendeth downe the r Ioâ—l 2. â—â— raine of righteousnesse vpon the iust euen the first and the latter raine as the Prophet speaketh the first raine of precedent and the latter raine of subsequent grace as Å¿ Ju lac 5. 7. Hugo moralizeth those words the first raine of present grace and the latter raine of future glorie Rom. 6. 22. The fruite in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Thus common blessings and good turnes God himselfe bestoweth on his ennmies euill men and vniust to testifie his loue and reconcile them to their Creator Howbeit if any miscreant of them all shall open his mouth against heauen and barking at the Sunne pleade against his bountifull benefactor that the Sunne and raine are not his speciall fauours to them but indifferent and generall donatiues due by the law of nature and necessitie let him know from the mouth of wisedome that these are not natures donation but Gods donatiues they are * â—orâ—â— his Sunne and his raine saith our Sauiour as t Lib. 1. de fer Dom. in mont cap. 46 Austine well obserues and this possessiue his sheweth that not nature but the God of nature is the owner and possessor of them as Musculus wel noteth Neither are they the blessings of fate and necessitie falling on his enemies by his leaue and permission as Erasmus miâ—rendred that word Exoriri sinit he giueth leaue and suffereth the Sunne to rise on the euill and vniust though in his notes on this place better obseruing the force of the word he maketh God not onely a permissite but an efficient cause of them both for Christ saith not his Father suffereth the Sunne to rise and raine to descend but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being as v Bez. Cheâ—â—it Pisca in hunc locum some obserue in the forme of the coniugation of Hiphil with the Hebrewes it intendeth the words as the Syriacke and our English translator well rendred them He maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and sendeth raine on the vniust Though these naturall effects then of sun-shine and raining in themselues be necessary and determinate from the x Gen. 1. 7. 18. day of their creation wherein he gaue them a law which shall not be broken Psal 148. 6. yet in God their author their Lord and director are they wholy free and spontaneous saith y Totaliter liberi spontanti in Mat. 5. Abulensis and waite on his word to execute his will as the Psalmist speaketh And though the wicked impute them to necessitie nature and destinie and extenuating his bountie and loue vpbraide him with vnkindnesse like them in the first of Malachy Wherein hast thou loued vs yet are they in truth his greater fauours toward the euil and vniust then to the godly and iust men because by their enmitie and rebellion they are farther from deseruing them as noteth Abulensis Foolishnesse then was the wisedome of that wise and disputer of the world z S 〈…〉 lib. 4 de benefic ca. 20. â—â— 28. who confessed that indeed Sceleratis sol oritur Deus quaedam in vniuersum humano generi dedit à quibus excluditur nemo that the Sunne ariseth on the euill and vniust and God hath communicated somethings to mankind indifferently and in generall from which none are excluded but the wicked saith he being mixt with the godly of necessitie receiue them Quia ex corpore singulos non potuerunt because they could not misse the vngodly nor single out the godly to bestow theÌ„selues on them alone and therefore God being forced by necessitie of this mixture thought it better to let them fall on the wicked for the godlies sake then to depriue the godly of these blessings for the wicked and vngodly No thou errest Seneca not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God These two parentblessings fall not on the euill by any such necessitie of commixture with the godly as thou supposest The Almightie can withhold his Sunne from the wicked and send a black darknes for three dayes in all the land of Egypt that no man saw another neither rose vp from his place in three daies when the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Exod. 10. 22. And he can withhold his raine froÌ„ the euil vniust for three yeares and sixe moneths at Elias intreatie send it againe at his Prophets request Iam. 5. 17. as himselfe auoucheth by the mouth of his Prophet I haue withholden the raine from you and haue caused it to raine vpon one citie and haue not caused it to raine vpon another citie one peece was rained vpon and the peece wherupon it rained not withered Amos 4. 7. We see then God himselfe though debter to no man yet beneficiall and bounteous dayly to his enemies to shew them his fauour and friendship Thus the starres and Saints of God haue caused their face and fauour to shine on their foes thus the Sunne of righteousnesse himselfe shined on the wicked and thus the Father of lights maketh his sunne to arise on the euill whose steppes thou shouldst follow to feede thine enemy if he hunger and to giue him drinke if he thirst The reason of which doctrine Saint Paul from Salomon subnecteth The reason of the doctrine For in so doing thou shalt heape coles of fire vpon his head Rom. 12. 20. not for his greater iudgement as most imagine saith a Tom. 3. lib. 1. aduer Pelagian Saint Ierome but for his amendment and repentance that being ouercome at length with thy good turnes and inflamed with the heate of thy loue Inimicus esse desinat he leaue off wrath and let go displeasure Some indeed are wont saith b Ser. 168. de Temp. Austine to take this precept to satisfie their fury and satiate their reuenge resoluing with themselues Behold I feed mine enemy vt ardeat in aeternum that I may heape coales of hell fire on his head but we must not follow the killing letter but the spirit that giueth life for thou shalt thus heape coales of fire on his head that when thou often from thine heart doest good to thine enemie though he be wicked cruel barbarous and bloody yet seeing thy continuall beneficence he will be at length
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
the dead and Christ shall giue thee light We reade of Iohn Baptist that not onely he had a voice but he was a voice Ioh. 1. 2â— a voice in his head a voice in his hand a voice in his word a voice in his worke a voice in his eye a voice in his eare a voice in his feet and a voice in his apparell a voice in his meate and a voice in his fasting that I may truly say of him as said z â— Cor. 14. 10. Paule in another meaning There were so many kinds of voices as it came to passe in th◠〈◊〉 word and none of them was dumbe and he might say of himselfe with a Verse 18. S. Paule of as good tongues I thanke God I speake moe languages then ye all And this clouen tongue of Iohn Baptist this vox vocis vitae of life and learning drew the wicked Pharises to his baptisme And as the Poets fable of Amphtons voice that it drue sauage men to ciuilitie as it had bene trees stones to the building of Thebes so this voice drue dead trees to be trees of righteousnesse and of stones raised children to Abraham Math. 3. Many haue a voice indeed like Herod the voice of God rather then of men but like Iohn they are not a voice Or as Plutarch spake of the Nightingale Voxes praeterea nihil manie a sweet singer in Israel haue a voice and nothing else which crieth peace peace to their sheepe when there is no peace in them to the shâ—pheards and their sermons of peace to their babes confuted by an vnpeaceable life to stronger men nourisheth them not with sincere milke sith like milke vnder too much fire in turnes in the seething Wherefore as Publicans and harlots came to Iohn in the way of obedience because he came to them in the way of righteousnesse Math. 21. 32. and euen the Priests and elders reâ—oiced for a season in his light b Ioh. 5. â—5 because he was both a shining in doctrine and a burning lampe in life yea many walked in his light because this starre went before them to Christ and standing ouer him pointed him out both by life and doctrine Behold the Lambe so will thy sheepe flocke to thy food when thou leadest them by life to greene pastures come to thy light when thy deeds are not reproued Otherwise if thou hold out the word of truth and peace to others when thou art vnpeaceable thy selfe thou art but as a swifler which carieth a torch in his owne hand to shew others his deformitie whereby he is derided and thou lettest thy light shine before men that they may see thine euill workes whereby thou art despised Thou breakest downe with one hand what thou buâ—ltest with the other like the mother that waking nourished her child but with her falling asleepe killed him 1. Reg 3. 19. Wherefore to conclude this point if pastors will haue their people to bring aures dextras their eares and right hands to build vp theÌ„selues in loue as the women brought in aures dextralia their eare-rings and bracelets to the building of the Tabernacle they must like the high Priest haue Vrim and Thummim written in their breasts as those beasts in c Chap. 1. 8. Ezechiel had an hand for euery wing and a work for euery word as he had a d Exod. 28. 34. Pomegranate for euery bell And then illa vox libentius auditorum corda penetrat quam dicent is vita commendat as e Past part 2. cap. 3. Gregorie speaketh that preaching best speedeth which hath commendatorie letters from the practise validior est operis quà m linguae vox more effectuall to perswade saith f Ser. 59. in CaÌ„t. Bernard is the word of a worke then the worke of ame word to them whose eares are in their eyes and their eyes in their hands that like Thomas they beleeue not thy words vnlesse they see the print of g Eccles 12. 11 those nailes in thy hands and thy feete which were sastened by the maisters of the assemblie And seeing the contentious pastor that beates his fellow seruant carrieth a sword in one hand to cut downe what he built with his trowell in the other let him take heed saith h Lib. 5. diuin instit cap. 2. Lactantius least as his good preaching reproueth his euill life so his euill life reproue his good preaching that it become a cast-away That when men refuse his doctrine he may answer with the i Ioh. 5. 36. shepheard of his soule The works that I do they beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me and if ye beleeue not me at least beleeue me for the verie workes sake which are the fruits of the spirit And let these spirituall fathers be brethren of peace if they will beget sonnes of peace with one faith that as by hauing salt in themselues they may saue their souls so by atteÌ„ding to this one faith they may haue peace one with another and saue those that heare them Which vnitie of faith we should the rather keepe in the bond of peace sith we haue all One baptisme the solemne sacrament and oath of our warfare 6. Linke One Baptisme wherein we haue sworne before God men and Angels to fight vnder our Captaine against his enemies together as one man For seeing k Arist lib. 8. Ethie cap. 12. nature hath taught euen natural men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loue and vnitie among fellow-soldiers whose affectioÌ„s and fists the same cause combineth in the field much more may grace teach Christians who are fellow-soldiers for the soule to fight together like Israel as one man Iud. 20. 11. Let your conuersation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ saith Paule to his Philippians that ye continue in one spirit and in one mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighting together through the faith of the Gospell Philip. 1. 27. l Lib. 9. Curtius storieth of certaine barbarous people that though they were euer banding in armes one against another yet when Alexander the Great came vpon them quos aliâs bellare inter se solitos tunc periculi societas iunxerat the qualitie of danger wherein they were ioyned ioyned also their hearts and hands together as one man m Lib. de frat amor Plutarch reporteth no lesse of the meÌ„ of Crete who though they were often at ciuill warre and sedition among themselues yet when forreine power did assault them pacem ac societatem coierunt they conioyned their mutuall aide tooke truce with themselues which they termed n Erasm Chil. cent 1. adig 11. syncretismum the ioyning of the Cretans together as one man And seeing we wrestle not like them against flesh and bloud but principalities and powers the gouernours of the world and princes of darknesse Eph. 6. 12. for this cause should we take vnto vs the whole armour of God that we may be able to resist
incipit esse in fronte quod latchat sub veste And surely sith Papists receiue Antichrists marke in their foreheads Apâ—c 13. 16. why should not Protestants contrariwise receiue Christs mark and signe in their foreheads Those that were saued in the cities destructioÌ„ Ezek. 9. were signed in their foreheads with T. which last letter of the Hebrue alphabet to this day vsed by the Samaritans hath the forme figure of Christs crosse which we make in our forheads as Ierome auoucheth the elect also who are saued from the power of hel Apoc. 7. are and must be sealed in their foreheads as the Angell auerreth I speake not now of the Popish abuse but of the right vse of it in baptisme I know some ancient did attribute too much therunto while h Laâ—tan lib. 4. cap 26. some thought it droue away diuels i Ruff. lib. 10. c. 8. others that it raised the dead k Epion haeres 30. Niceph. lib. 10. cap. 3. some others that it expelled diabolical incantations that it l Niceph. lib 8. cap. 3. Euseb lib. 1 de vita Consta Niceph lib. 7. cap 37. gaue and caused great victories that it m Niceph. lib. eadem cap 32. August lib. 22. de ciuitat Dei cap 8. helped and healed diuers diseases that it n Procrâ—p apud Eâ—agrium lib. 4. cap 26. 27. quenched fires that it o Jerom. in vita Hi. ar appeased the raging of the sea that it p Sophron. in prat spirit expelled poison out of the cup and that it q Prudent Cath. hym 6. Cyril lib. 8. in Joan. cap. 17. expels all faults And the Papists who beleeue vse it to this end superstitiously abuse it But this is no reason ProtestaÌ„ts may not lawfully vse it because Papists â—nlawfully abuse it This is to giue aduantage to the aduersary who r Annot. in Tertustian calleth Caluinists Claudius TaurineÌ„sis his sectaries for this may be likened to * Abeant in malain rem Caluinistâ—e ait annot in Tertull. Abeant Iudai qui citra coninmelid ferre nequeunt transuersa in medium crucis festucas velligna quibus si proponeres ad solunt siue pe lem crucifixt mille aureos quos dâ—res ausereÌ„â—i mallet eorum qui 〈…〉 â—â—tam pauperimus tanta carere pecunia quam hoc paâ—io se ad maginem crucifixi inclinare ait Deâ— arben lib. de mâ—rib Iud. cap. 3 30. Iews who caÌ„not abide to see two peeces of wood laid crosse one ouer the other for whoÌ„ if any should lay downe a thousand crownes at the feete of the crucifixe promising to giue it them for stouping and bending to take it vp each of them though most poore and needy wold rather want so great a masse of mony then thus bend incline themselues toward the crucifixe Let me rather exhort al men or wisedome to preferre the Churches peace before their priuate credite And though some think it conscience to make a scisme in the Church and seuer themselues like those fiue Presbyters wherof Cyprian so complained yet as he addeth to some other Sed nemo vos filios ecclesiae de ecclesia tollat PereaÌ„t siâ—t soli qui perire voluerunt Extra ecclesiam soli remancant qui de ecclesia recâ—ssâ—ruÌ„t Soli cum Episcopis non sint qui contra Episcopos rebell 〈…〉 Conuirationis suae poenas soli subeant qui per Dei iudicia sentitiaÌ„ ceniurationis malignitatis suae subire meruerunt si quis autemâ— Felicissimi satellitum eius partes concesserit se haereticâ— factioni coniunxerit sciat se postea ecclesiam redire cum Episcopis plebe Christ communicare non posse saith Cyprian For alas whence are these wars and contentions among you are they not hence saith c S. Iames euen of your lusts that fight in your members Ye lust and haue not ye enuy and haue indignatioÌ„ because ye cannot obtain ye fight and warre because ye get nothing They would and will not they dissemble ambition vnder the cloake of dislike because the master of the feast bids them not Friend sit vp higher as of some here in his daies speaketh Ioannes d Lib. â— de mâ—gis curial c. 18 vâ—d Sarisburiensis And we haue many a Iohn who if he could be Sarisburienâ—ss wold preach the faith which before he destroied and retract like Paul When I was a little one I spake like a child I vnderstood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things 1. Cor. 13. 11. And as these mutine in the campe against the discipline of our warfare so other gregarij milites in doctrine sheath their pens like swords in the captaines of our boast For as e Plut. de garraâ— Antipater the Stoick when he neither could nor would dispute with Carneades that wise and learned Philosopher who oppugned the Stoickes wrote yet bitter bookes against him whence he was well called Calamoboas as pen-pratler so haue we some Stoical Antipaters sonnes fighting against the fathers of our Church whom selfe-loue as the f Torent Eunuc Act. 3. Scen 1. Parisite counselled Thraso to crosse Thais in euery word hath made contradict their fathers in euery point of least moment And though they cannot preach against them by mouth because the strings of their tongues are tyed vp yet dicere quae nequeunt scribere iussit amor seeming loue to the truth makes them loue what they cannot vtter and may be tearmed calamoboontes pen-preachers I wish these who haue the voice of Iaakob but indeed the hands of Esau that as their tongue iustly cleaues to the roofe of their mouth so they could not haue pen and paper to fight against their fathers but their right hand also might forget her cunning For certainely as they of Athens said truly of their diuisions Auximus Philippum nostris dissentionibus so haue we strengthened the Pope and Philips faction by these our dissentions and many as said our wise Salomon and liuing Librarie are drawne to be Papists by such factious behauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good Lord it brings great sorrow to all Greekes said g Homer lib. 1. Iliad Nestor of the strife betwixt Agamemnon and Achilles it causeth much griefe to Gods Church when sonnes fight against their fathers greene heads against gray haires and men of yesterday crosse antiquitie when veritie doth concurre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly king Pryame and his sonnes the prince of darknesse and his children will laugh at it and other Troians our Romish enemies that trouble vs will reioyce at it Contention I graunt may oft fall among Christs Saints and fellow-souldiers of one faith as betweene Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. betwixt Paul and Peter Gal. 2. Cyprian and Cornelius Origen and African Chrysostome and Theophilus of Alexandria Epiphanius and Iohn of Ierusalem Ruffinus and Ierome Ierome and Austine Austine and
deceitfulnesse of their owne hart saith the Lord Ier. 14. 14. and yet crie they at the crosse that which crosseth Paul and shall anone be shewed to be against the crosse of Christ * A. W. Lect. 13 on Iude. Others not with their tongue alone but with their pens also haue ioyned in next ranke to Papistes Young wanton Diuines as some shall I say old want-diuines tearme them in both Vniuersities that stuffe their Sermons with the quotations of Philosophers Poets and make ostentation of humane eloquence and so preach themselues and not Christ Iesus But of all other faire so him * W. B. Ser. 3. God wooing of his Church who condemneth all secular learning in the pulpit in precept affirming that Arts and Doctors and Fathers and the tongues in priuat study may be vsed but not publikly in the pulpit by the testimonie of the Apostle except against the Papists and yet in practise vseth arts Philosophers histories Poets and tongues so oft in those sermons when no controuersy is in hand Thou knowest gentle Reader who should haue a good memory Opâ—rtet mendaceÌ„ esse memorem least he breake downe with one hand of practise what he built with the other hand of precept What edification was this to Gods people to condemne the preaching of their fellow-labourers as if we fed them with acornes and huskes instead of bread or brought our children a serpent for an egge and a scorpion for a fish when we bring humane learning as a knife to deuide euery one their portion aright It had shewed a good mind to haue spoken this onely to fellow labourers and not to their people or haue spoken it to some and not written it to all or if they must needs write it to haue spoken to vs in the Aramites language I meane Latine for we vnderstand it and not haue talked with vs in the Iewish in the English tongue in the audience of the people that are on the wall if they meant not hereby to disgrace our manner of preaching with the people For my part I haue reuised the auncient Fathers and late writers in this point and finde not one among them all of this mind that humanitie is vnlawfull in sermons saue onely Zanchius in his oration de conseruando in Ecclesia puto puro Dei verbo set out after his death by his heires and it may be was adulterated by some gatherers of his notes that foisted in this opinion of their owne The state of this foolish question which they make is whether Humanitie .i. any thing beside the wordes of Scripture whether of Ecclesiasticall writers as Fathers Doctours and Schoolemen or prophane writers as Philosophers Poets and Historians be lawfull quoad esse or quoad gradum at all as some denie or onely against aduersaries as some hold in sermons academicall or popular The Obiections against it which I haue heard or seene are threefold 1. from Scriptures 2. reasons 3. Ecclesiasticall writers 1. Ob. Christs voice onely should be heard in his Church Ioh. 10. The sheepe heare his voice and follow him for they know his voice and they wil not follow a stranger but they flie from him for they know not the voice of strangers Therefore Ethnicke learning which is not his voice but the voice of strangers must not be heard in sermons 1. Resp Our Sauiour by his voice meaneth all truth agreeable to his will Christi vox est quicquid verum est saith a Explanaâ— in Psal 1. 6. Bucer quicquid recti aliquid praecipit eam vndemque sonuerit exaudiamus atque sequamur Whatsoeuer is truth whatsoeuer commaundeth any right is Christs voice from whencesoeuer he shall sound it let vs both heare and follow it And therefore all truth in the heathens being a part of Christs voice and a portion of his law as that writer well proueth this place rather includeth then excludeth humanitie in Sermons 2. By the voice of strangers he meaneth false doctrine of deceiuers whom he termeth theeues and robbers vers 8. and from their voice whether they be Ecclesiastical or prophane writers must we not speake 1. Tim. 1. 3. Commaund them that they teach none other doctrine saith his Apostle And if any teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholesome words of Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is puft vp and knoweth nothing from such separate thy selfe 1. Tim. 6. 3. 3. Christ alone was still heard in Pauls preaching 2. Cor. 4. 5. 2. Cor. 13. 3. and therfore when he cited truth out of a Poet Tit. 1. 12. And he giueth the reason both why he alleaged it and why it should be beleeued as Christs voice vers 13. Hoc testimonium verum est this testimony is true though Callimachus was a most lying fabulous Poet in the rest as some truly obserue Wherefore seeing truth in the mouth of Balaams Asse is from God and all true sayings of the heathens from the holy Ghost as b Coment in 1. Cor. 1. 17. Caluin and c In â—undâ— locuÌ„ P. Martyr witnes this place rather admits then dismisseth secular learning from sermons seeing it is from the holy Ghost and a sound of his voice though not so speciall as his word 2. Ob. The Scripture of it selfe is sufficient to saluation and is able to make the man of God absolute and perfect vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3. 16. therfore secular learning is needlesse the alleaging whereof iniureth the Scripture as if it were not sufficient Therefore neither needeth it nor must it be cited in Sermons 1. Resp. Although the Scripture affoord Gods steward sufficient food for his houshold of faith Luk. 15. 17. They haue meate enough yet must he deuide this bread aright to euery one their dimensum and due portion 2. Tim. 2. 15. which without the knife of secular learning and helpe of other Writers he can not do aright as anone shall be shewed more at large Wherfore this reason is not sound to exclude it from Sermons 2 S. Paule wronged not the sufficiencie of the Scripture when he quoted secular Writers and Poets which he had read Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15. Tit. 1. To conuince Atheists he was faine to appeale vnto the heathens for witnesse To perswade Epicures of the resurrection he vrgeth naturall reason of seed in the ground from Astronomie of starres in the skie 1. Cor. 15. and thought this the best way of preaching And how can we in popular Sermons not onely conuince Papisme of error but Atheisme which now pipeth in the thoughts of too many of irreligion without it What better weapons can we vse in these things then take in our mouth Philip Mornay of the trunesse of Christian religion How can a teacher perswade a naturall man better that the soule is immortall then with Zanchius out of natural reason laid downe by Aristotle and other Philosophers Wherefore seeing neither the citing of Doctors Fathers Schoolemen CoÌ„menters nor prophane
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
a reason to proue this point in hand 5. Saint Paul 1. Thess 5. commaundeth vs to trie all things and keepe that which is good And in this precept Socrates before cited thinkes the Apostle commaundeth Preachers to search for learning in all bookes for their people that we be exquisiti numularij quo omnia exploremus and it is euident saith he that the Doctors of the Church frō their youth to their last old age in Gentilium disciplinis se exercuisse idque partim diserti sermonis mentis exercendae causa partim vt eos ipsos scriptores doctrinae qua tradenda errore lapsi sunt penitùs conuincerent They tried all secular writers and for their vse tooke out of them that which was good So x Probl. loc 150. Aretius vnderstandeth this place of the Apostles precept commaunding Preachers to reade and trie any secular authors and take out of them that which is good Vt apum more per omne scriptorum genus volitemus ac quicquid boni apud singulos deprehenderimus in vsum nostrum transferamus One saith he will teach vs methode another purer speech a third examples of vertues This author history that piety for our people And there is no booke as Plinie noteth so bad out of which some good may not be learned Our Sauiour in his sermons bad the people trie bruite beasts and learne of them that which is good and why may not we bid our people trie Poets Philosophers Historians learne of them that which is good Esai bad the people trie Oxe and Asse and learne of them that which is good and why not much more of wise and prudent men Ieremie the Swallow Turtle and Crane and why not we much more Plato Aristotle and Xenophon Salomon the Ant and why not Aristides Ieremie Dragons and why not heathens Our Sauiour rauens lillies and fowles of the ayre and why not Poets Philosophers and Historians He taught the people from vintners husbandmen builders pipers sowers marchants fishers dough-kneaders weather-wise and wizards butchers and what not and why not we from any that which is good He said to his people Learne of the Lillies of the field learne of the fowles of the heauen and why may not we say of Tully of Plato and such like Wherefore if they be bid trie all things in any authors and keepe that which is good let them looke to it who trie none nor take ought at all from strange authors Paul saith Trie all and keepe that which is good As Christ said to Peter Arise Peter take and eate but they answer Not so Lord for no vncleane thing hath euer entred into our mouthes 6. Seeing secular learning is not forbid by the word we should not withhold it from the people who desire to heare heathens and infidels witnesse Gods truth and this after Pauls example 1. Corinth 9. who became all to all to winne the more And this place y Lib. 5. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus vrgeth for this point in hand Saint Paul became all things to al men that by al meanes he might saue some that is changed all shapes in things indifferent saith Caluin as the matter required and put on diuers persons of men for the more profit of his hearers To the Iewes he became as a Iew not onely in manners when for them z Acts 16 3. he circumcised Timothy a Acts 21. 26. purified himselfe b Acts 18. 18. shore his head in Cenchrea and obserued some legall rites of which he discharged the Gentiles Acts 15. but in his doctrine also when disputing with the Iewes he vsed the testimonie of the Prophets and not of the Apostles as c Enarrat in Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact obserueth that he might winne the Iewes To the Gentiles that were without law he became as a Gentile as if he had bin without law in preaching to Philosophers not from Scripture but from Philosophy and Poets when he tooke the inscription and epigramme of their altar for his text whereon he made his sermon as Theophylact Ierome Chrysostome Ambrose P. Martyr and Gualther expound this place that he might thus win them without law that were indeed without law Solent enim omnes ex proprijs cognitis argumentis conuinci saith d Ib. in Tit. 1. 12. Theophylact Id ipsum facit Deus cum singulos hisce ex rebus trahit ad sui cognitionem quibus insueuerunt magis credunt As himselfe taught Balaam by the mouth of his Asse Numb 22. and by his foolish beast whereon he rode forbad the foolishnesse of that Prophet Saul by the witch he confuted whom he beleeued 1. Sam. 28. The soothsayers by the Oxen that caried the Arke 1. Sam. 6. He called the wise men of the East by a starre Mat. 2. because they were giuen to Astronomie and starre-gazing as Musculus obserueth and why not we then by Astronomie who are giuen to that most He drew fishermen vnto him by a draught of fish Luke 5. and why shold not fishers of men baite their hooke with stories of fishes and draughts to catch fisher-men alike Vnto the Capernaits that followed him for bread he preached of heauenly bread gaue them food from heauen Iohn 6. Vnto the Samaritane that came to draw water at Iaakobs well he discoursed of other water and opening the fountaine of Dauid gaue her water of life Iohn 4. Et hoc exemplo Doctores Euangelij monentur saith e In Math. 4. Musculus by this example are we admonished to become all to all that by all meanes we may saue some and winne the moe Thus as Caluin spake of his Apostle Paul Omnes formas mutauit diuersas hominum personas indui◠To Marie in the garden he appeared like a gardener and why should not we to planters and grafters appeare from Plinie Dioscorides and herbalists with the nature of trees and plants as the Scripture doth To those two trauellers Luk. 24. he appeared like a traueller and why should not we speake vnto trauellers of peregrinations iourneyes by sea and land out of stories To strong Iaakob he appeared like a wrastler Gen. 32. 24. 25. and so should we to souldiers with stories of battell and warres as oft doth the Scripture Thus appeared he to his people in preaching with similitudes parables allegories stories and what not Thus his Apostle was made all to all to winne the moe that is saith Piscator Omnium ingenijs se accōmodauit and so should we in sermons frame our selues to all mens knowledge and nature to husbandmen with stories of husbandrie from Columella to Philosophers with axioms of Astronomie from Aristotle to Phisitions with aphorismes of medicine from Galen and Hippocrates to Lawyers with maxims of law from Iustinian and to Atheists with naturall reason and testimonies from heathen and kill Goliah with his owne sword Christ prooued the resurrection to the Sadduces not by Iob 19. which is the most pregnant and plaine
3. Reason yong vessels their children with this licour both for knowledge and manners whereof they cannot chuse but tast all their life long as the p Quo semel est imbuta recenâ— seruabit odorem Testa diu Horat. Poet speaketh and q Si literas didicisses â—lcret testa ingeniolâ— tui quâ— semel fuerat imâ—â—ta Apolog. adversus Ruff. Ierome told Ruffinus And if it bred this profite in them why not much more in old folke If it nourished not their vnderstandings and minds why rather set we not them to sucke the two breasts of the Testaments alone 4. Why spend we seauen yeares in attaining secular learning and that in the Vniuersities with much cost of Founders and benefactors with great paines of our owne why so many famous Libraries why Preachers studies stored with prophane authors if there be no vse of it for a Preacher Quò mihi diuitiae si non conceditur vti What needed this lost this mâ—ght haue bin sold for much and giuen to the poore Why in Christian Vniuersities is not rather read and expounded Moses Genesis then Aristotles Phisicks Salomons Prouerbes then Aristotles Ethicks Moses then Plato Dauid then Tully Salomon then Seneca as r Râ—m spec 〈…〉 in Eccl. 12 14. one spake more according to zeale then knowledge And what is this else but with Lucinus to count learning and good letters the plague of common-wealths and wish that all prophane authors like those bookes of curious arts might be burned in the market place Indeed some would count it as he did when he saw the bookes of vsurers burnt the brightest and purest fire that euer they saw 5. The enemies of Gods truth in diuellish policie haue forbidden 5. Reason Christians the vse of secular learning because they saw it much helped Christs cause and religion which they persecuted for when Iulian the Apostate saw learned Apollinarius eloquent Basill Gregorie and many other then learned men confute them out of their owne writers he inhibited that Christians children should be trained vp any more in secular learning or reade Poets Philosophers or other prophane authors as Gregory the Great Å¿ Lib. 3 hist Eccles cap. 14. Socrates and Sozomen relate And Sozomen giues this reason of his diabolicall subtiltie Hinc solùm vetuit t Lib. 5. cap. 17. ne Christiani Gentilium disciplinis instruerentur quoniam magnam ad persuadendum facultatem posse parari censebat For this cause onely he forbad that Christians should be instructed in the arts and learning of the heathens because he perceiued that much skill to perswade the truth might be gotten from their bookes and therefore he prohibited it by law that he might corrupt religion with Barbarisme saith Aretius Ideo iudicare debemus vel hoc nomine vtendos esse eo ipso quòd hostis Christiani nominis id prohibuit saith that author And surely they that forbid Christians the vse of it in the pulpit do no lesse in will then Iulian did in deed and although they be not hostes Christiani nominis yet are they hostes Christianae rei whose simplicity of knowledge the diuell hath cunningly abused with blinde and intemperate zeale Thus much for my second proofe which is reason The third generall proofe shall be the authoritie and iudgement 3. Proofe the authoritie of al auncient and Ecclesiasticall late-writers of all auncient and Ecclesiasticall late-writers for the vse of secular learning in the pulpit whose authorities though I haue dispersed in expounding those places and reasons I alleaged yet will I now muster them all together as one armie roial and a great cloud of witnesses for this truth First Iustine Martyr to take them in order from the Apostles 1. Justin Martyr times his iudgement we heard before apol 2. whatsoeuer excelleÌ„t things or of diuine matters Philosophers or Poets haue said they had them from the Prophets And finding great harmonie betweene both and the seeds of truth in them al he auoucheth Apol. 1. what things were excellently said of all Philosophers Poets and Historiographers nostra sunt Christianorum they are ours that are Christians 2. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1. Stromat saith The soules of 2. Clem. Alexan. men haue each their owne proper and peculiar nourishments and some are fed by diuine knowledge others by Ethnick Philosophie whereof euery thing is not as of nuts to be eaten Neither need our Diuines feare to vse those things that are most excellent in Philosophie and other arts for it is not meet onely to be a Iew to the Iewes and them that are vnder the law but euen a Gentile also to the Gentiles that we may winne all admonishing and teaching euery man in all knowledge that we may present euery man perfect in Christ And this secular learning saith he est veluti condimentum cibo permixtum not so much delighting as procuring a good appetite in the minde to relish better the things of the spirit Philosophie truly was necessary before Christs comming for the Gentiles vnto righteousnesse and iustice but now it is profitable for the worship of God and piety in them who collect faith by demonstration For God is the cause and author of all good things of some things indeede principally as of the olde and new Testament and of other things by consequence as of Philosophie And perchance it was principally giuen to the Gentiles before the vocation as the law was to the Iewes that it might be their schoolemaster to bring them to Christ Praeparat ergo Philosophia ei viam muniens qui à Christo perficitur Lastly he produceth that simily and type Gen. 16. As Sarai Abrahams wife when she was barren her selfe gaue Abraham Hagar the Egyptian handmaide to beare him some children so Gods Church alloweth secular learning to beare sonnes vnto God when the Scripture is not so pregnant 3. Origen lib. 1. contra Celsum plainly and peremptorily auerreth 3 Origeâ— Gentilium doctrina Christi fidem confirmat the learning of the heathens confirmeth the faith of Christ and therefore to be vsed in sermons And homil 14. in Genes 26. he compareth the Scripture to Isaac and it to Abimelech who comming from Gerar with his friends vnto Isaac he said vnto them Wherfore come yee to me seeing ye hate me and haue put me away from you And they answered We saw certainly that the Lord was with thee and we thought thus Let there be now an oath betwixt vs euen betweene vs and thee and let vs make a couenant with thee This Abimelech as I see hath not alwayes peace with Isaac but sometimes he dissenteth sometimes he asketh peace so secular learning with Gods law neque in dissensione potest esse neque semper in pace for Philosophie neither in all things is contrary to Gods law nor in all things consonant thereunto But when it makes a couenant of peace and agreement with scripture it must be entertained and bid to its table as Isaac did
Abimelech thus Origen 4. Tertullian lib. 1. de patient he saith Disciplinae seculi vanae 4. Tertullian ad laudem gloriam Dei promouent aut nunquid potius iniuria cum diuina res in secularibus rebus volutatur Secular learning which some hold so fabulous and vaine promoteth the praise and glorie of God or is it rather an iniury to it when diuine matters are handled therein 5. Cyprian lib. 4. epist 2. when the Apostle saith he biddeth 5. Cyprian take heede least any deceiue you with Philosophie and vaine deceit Vitanda sunt quae non de Dei clementia veniunt sed de Philosophiae durioris presumptione descendunt 6. Damascen lib. 4. de Orthod fid cap. 14. his iudgement is 6. Damascen Si ab ijs qui foris sunt decerpere quippiam vtile valuerimus non aspernabile est If we can take any profitable thing from prophane writers it is not to be abhorred Let vs become approoued Gold-smiths keeping the lawfull and pure gold but refuting and refusing the adulterine Sumamus sermones optimos Deos aâ—tem ridiculos fabulas alienas canibus proijciamus Let vs take their best sayings but their ridiculous gods and strange fables let vs cast to the dogs 7. Epiphanius in ancorat sheweth that the very fables of the 7. Epiphanius Poets proue the resurrection and hauing declared it in many addeth withall Et multa de his dici possunt ad confirmandam fidem nostram atque ipsos redarguendos And is not that which confirmeth our faith needfull in popular sermons 8. Theodoret lib. 1. de fid is excellent in this point At least 8. Theodoret. saith he speaking to the heathens beleeue your owne Philosophers ye friends who by a certaine previous tradition prepared and taught you to entertaine our religion For they seeme to be like those birds which they call singing birds that imitate mans voice and vnderstand not the meaning of those words they vtter and in like manner when they speake of diuine and heauenly matters they were ignorant of the truth of those things they deliuered This dew of heauenly knowledge fell on the Prophets and Apostles like raine vpon good ground that brought forth much fruite but on them like raine vpon dâ—sart and sauage places that with briars and thornes oft brings forth things that may be eaten And as I thinke they deserue some pardon seeing they were not guided by the light of the Prophets and Apostles but had onely the direction of nature Therefore they who are endued with iudgement and discretion know to take from them what may serue their turne and let the rest alone as they that gather Roses let the prickles alone And as Bees not onely light vpon sweete but also bitter flowers when they sucke out onely sweetnesse and abhorre bitternesse so making a most sweete hony of contrary qualities sweet and sower bitter and pleasant so we following their example Evestris illis amarulentis pratis compose pleasant and profitable honie for our selues And as Apothecaries confect wholesome medicines of venimous beasts as Serpents and Vipers refusing somethings and taking othersome driue away many diseases by their vertue Ita nos vestrorum Poetarum Historicorum Philosophorumque monumenta versantes alia ex ijs vt noxia pestifera declinamus alia verò sparsim nostrae inserentes doctrinae auxiliarem ac sâ—lutarem curationem afferimus What can be said for pregnant for this point 9. Socrates lib. 3. hist. Eccles cap. 14. answering the obiections 9. Socrates of them that refuse it pronounceth Doctrina Gentilium neque à Christo neque ab cius Apostolis vel approbatur vt inspirata diuinitus vel vt periculosa prorsus reijcitur And this I thinke saith he was done not without the prouidence of God for many Philosophers among the Gentiles resisted the false opinions of Epicures and Atheists and by their bookes haue brought no small profit to the fauorers of true godlinesse and pietie though they knew not of the Messias Again both Christ his Apostle commaund vs vt exquisiti numularij we trie all things keeping that which is good and take heed that none deceiue vs by vaine Philosophie which is not after Christ which we cannot do nisi hostium arma possideamus vnlesse we take from them the weapons of our enemies as did Saint Paul and such other of the Church that succeeded He addeth this short Epiphonema as a reason of all Nam honestum quocunque fuerit loco est veritatis proprium truth is still truth and like it selfe wheresoeuer we find it in Prophets or Poets Apostles or Philosophers 10. Lactantius in his third booke of diuine Institutions 10. Lactantius though a professed enemie to Philosophers confesseth of Philosophie that it agreeth with Scripture in many things where we may embrace it though oft it is corrupted with lies where we leaue it 11. Nazianzene monod. in Basil exceedeth all these in this 11. Nazianzene point I thinke saith he it is granted of all that are wise that al learning and knowledge first is in the kind and nature of good things not onely that Christian learning which hunteth not so much after wisedome of words as the sense and meaning of things but also that which is among the infidels or which some Christians hate as separate from God iudging amisse For if they despise it for this cause because some haue taken harme thereby and fallen into errors by the same reason they should hate the heauen and the earth and all things contained therein seeing many haue made them their gods and abused these to idolatrie In like manner the fire and other elements yea meate it selfe shall be eschued of all men as euill things because some abusing them haue gotten their death and destruction thereby But as we may reape good euen of euill things when of Vipers flesh we make Triacle a singular and soueraine medicine for all diseases Sic ex Graecis doctrinis c. so out of secular writers may we take whatsoeuer maketh for the knowledge of naturall things and framing of our manners Non enim ex eorum dogmatis ad Dei cultum parùm proficimus for by their lessons and sayings are we not a little furthered to worship and serue God No knowledge therefore or learning is to be refused sith al science whatsoeuer is in the nature and kind of good things Quin potiùs ipsam spernentes rusticos planè ignauoâ— existimare debemus but we must rather count them rude and slothfull that despise it Qui omnes pariter ignaros esse vellent vt ipsarum ignorantia in communilatens minimè deprehendi aut ab alijs taxari valeat who would gladly haue all men as ignorant as themselues that their owne ignorance lying hid in the common heape might not be espied or perceiued taxed of other men Thus speakes eloquent Gregory Nazianzene and this very same whole saying he hath almost
of his law whence came those excellent doctrines of vertues whereof we reade so many in their writings Sed quid opus verbis but what need many words They who acknowledge not euen in Tully wonderfull knowledge of Solidae pâ—tatis c. God and sound pietie without doubt he knoweth not what God is and pietie Iâ— it now therefore appeare that by the labour of Philosophers some knowledge of God and true righteousnesse was brought into the world who will denie eorum laborem Euangelio seruijsse that their labour was not seruiceable and helped the Gospell Thus much Bucer 16. Melancthon de legâ—nat is of the same mind where hauing 16. Melancthon largely shewed the law of nature to consent with the written law of God he saith We should highly esteeme of the true exposition thereof of demonstrations and consonant sentences whether in Philosophers or law-giuers detesting the contrary And that author de sac concion brandeth those who refuse them It is wicked and * Impium est â— impious so to contemne the studies of humane learning as most do we should rather giue God thankes for that blessing because the reading of Gentile writers helpeth vs to teach Gods word with greater * Foeliciùs clariùs dexteritie and plainnesse And for ornament of speech diligenter venanda nobis sunt ea tum ex Oratoribus tum ex Poeticis Latinis we must diligently seeke after those things as well in Orators and Latine Poets Neminem igitur Theologum pudeat c. with whom all manner of right speaking is buried Let no Diuine therefore be ashamed sometime to carry in his hands either some oration of Tully or the Poetrie of Virgil for he that will speake diligently shall straight perceiue that there is farre more vse of such learning then the common sort of Diuines of Quà m vulgus Theologorum nostri seculi intelligat our age vnderstand And though lib. de rat discend Theolog. he forbid vs to confound Philosophie with Christs doctrine vnfitly yet there wisheth he Diuines not to neglect Philosophie because Ego tamen optarim Theologos no negligere Philosopinam quia nonnulls vituperaâ—t alias artes cùm non nâ—rint qui si nossent plura facerent 17. Musculus some haue dispraised other arts when they knew them not who if they knew them would esteeme them more highly 17. Musculus comment in 1. Cor. 15. 32. on Pauls citing of the Poet Menander saith no lesse Hence we are to learne saith he quà m conueniat ministro Christi how fit and conuenient it is for the minister of Christ that from whencesoeuer it be he be furnished not with sacred onely but also prophane writings that he may apply himselfe to them whom either he should mend or edifie to true godlinesse And though he dislike them that cite either Poets Historians or Philosophers oft for no other cause but ostentation of learning yet resolueth he possunt in religionis causa Gentilium scripta citari onely in controuersies as now is the questions No in the cause of religion for confirming principles of our faith for manners either to commaund good or reprooue that which is bad 18. Illyricus in Tit. 1. 12. on the Apostles allegation of that Poet 18. Illyricus saith as much Hence it appeareth that it is lawfull sometime by occasioÌ„ to vse in ChristiaÌ„ doctrine sayings of the Gentils but so that they be not mistresses but waiting-maides to the truth nor be counted for oracles And who euer desired the latter or required more then the former But Clau. alt part tract 1. de rat cognosc script he is more plaine pregnant for the decisioÌ„ of this point in question In populari tractatione c. In popular sermons saith he a Preacher must bring many examples from scripture and excellent sentences punishments moreouer and rewards he proposeth sometimes he heapeth similies from dayly actions afterward he produceth sundry comprobations and also firmamenta suasoria any helpes to perswade now and then from the arts NonnunquaÌ„ quaedam argutè dicta à Philosophis aut alijs magni nominis hominibus veluti emblemata intermiscet somtime mixeth he certaine wittie sayings of Philosophers and other learned men of great note as emblemes Neither omitteth he those Quae orationem illâ—strant ac diuitem speciosantque readunt things which garnish his sermon and make it rich and beautiful Lastly he painfully heapeth vp all those things which he thinketh will moue their affection To be short he omitteth nothing that hath any force to perswade And examples of such preaching we see first in the Prophets Christs and the Apostles popular sermons secondly in the Homilies that is familiar sermons of Origen Basil Nazianzene Chrysostome and lastly in men of our times as Luther and many like in whose sermons many things are fitted to the learned most things to the ignoraÌ„t omnia vniuersis saith Illyricus 19. Peter Martyr in 1. Corint 15. 33. witnesseth this truth 19 Martyr Non veretur Apostolus c. the Apostle is not afraid to borrow Qumâ—am à quâ—cunque 〈…〉 tut a spiritu pâ—â—cio est truth of the heathens for of whomsoeuer it be spoken it is from the holy Ghost And when we take it out of their bookes we rob not others of their owne but claime our owne of these vniust possessors Hence are we taught that the bookes of heathen men are not wholy to be refused but truth which is read in them diligently to be heard so that time for the scriptures be not spent in these writers 20. Erasmus as he was a mirrour of much learning and conuersant 20. Era 〈…〉 in the Fathers so in his Scholia and notes on them often shewes he his iudgement and indeed a iudgement against antipaters and enemies of learning In his schole on Ieromes Epistle to Eustochium he displayeth their selfe-pleasing conceit Sibi placet quòd nihil attigerint bonorum authorum nos pueri c. they please themselues that they neuer read any prophane author When I was a boy saith he I hissed in a certaine booke the Qui praetextâ— religionis po 〈…〉 ores literas quia 〈…〉 certunt insectantur foolish superstition of these men who vnder pretence of religioÌ„ condemne and declaime against good letters because they haue not learned them But in his second booke of a Preacher he wisheth them if they will turne their speaking into preaching to vse Demosthenes and Tully for the force of speech Aristotle for iudgement and knowledge Plato for similies Liuie for eloquence Virgil for descriptions Tacitus for wit Seneca for shaming of vice and chiefly Plutarchs Morals cuius libri digni sunt qui ad verbum ediscantur whose bookes are worthy to be had without booke whereout Basil and Chrysostome seeme to haue taken so many things And to what end should a Preacher reade them if he may not vse them as a Preacher 21. Hyperius
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