Athenians after my death for these wrongs Neither let them draw curtaines ouer their bed-rid enmitie because Dauid forgaue Shimei his cursing 2. Sam. 19. and yet at his death left it Salomon in his will to kill him for his curses 1. King 2. For though Dauid at his comming to the crowne as our gracious king at his ingresse of this kingdome in his princely mercie not willing to begin his raigne with bloud pardoned railing Shimei as u In 2. Sam. 19. Martyr obserueth yet onely promised he him he should not die then nor for that onely fault nor at all by his hands as the learned x Lyra Hugo lun in 2. Sam. 19. interpret And whereas the iniurie to Dauid was double as one y Hugo Card. ibid. noteth priuate to him as a man and publike to him as a king the former according to the law Thou shalt not auenge nor be mindfull of wrong against the children of thy people Leuit. 19. he then wholly and freely forgaue whereas the other in the loue of iustice he willed Salomon to requite saith z Quast 18 19 in 1. Râ—g 2 Abulensis yet so that albeit he seeme to mention Shimei reuiling as a cause motiue of reuenge yet chargeth he not Salomon to kill him for that alone but when he takes him tripping in another offence he shall then pay him home for both For thou art a wise man saith he to his sonne and knowest what thou oughtest to do vnto him 1. Ki. 2. Wherefore let none by this example forgiuing the fault to his foe thinke by his sonne he may prosecute the offence A parable saith Salomon in the mouth of a foole is like a thorne in the hand of a drunkard wherewith he pricketh himselfe Prou. 26. 9. And this is to wrest the Scripture or to vse Saint a 2. Pet. 3. 18. Peters word to make it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looke a squint to their owne destruction And indeed it is lamentable to behold how wilfull children execute the last will of their malicious parents to reuenge and like those hostile beasts in b Lib. de mirab mun ls Albertus which being at deadly enmity in time of their life partes eorum pili their parts and haire are enemies after their death Or as ' Plutarch reports of Eagles and Dragons Crowes and Owles the Libbard and Linnet whose c Lib. dâ— inuid olâ—â— enmitie while they liued makes their bloud after death at such strife that it can neuer agree or be ioyned together in one vessell But let vs learne beloued of the liuing God at our death to leaue peace to our children the best legacie of our will and remit all though greatest offences and thereof both the guilt and punishment before we die to forgiue each one from our hearts all trespasses Vnto seuenty times seuen times For it may be thou replyest 5. Time when Alwaies saith d Lâ—b â—e constit viâ— vâ—â—t c. 9. Austine he hath offered me so many wrongs and offended so often that I am wearie with bearing and forbearing reuenge And indeed we which are debters of loue to many say like him who is debter to no man in the first of Amos For three offences of Edom and for foure I will not turne to it because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pittie and his anger spoiled him euermore and his wrath watched him alway and remembred not the brotherly couenant for three offences and for foure I will not turne to it This is the manner of mankind and therefore euen Peter himselfe asked his Lord to set downe some definite number of forgiuing Mat. 18. 21. Maister how oft shall my brother trespasse against me I shall forgiue him Vnto seuen times The worlds custome is to forgiue but once or twice or three times at the most and therefore Peter thought himselfe very liberall saith e Homil. 6â— in Mat. 18. Chrysostome if he went so farre beyond worldlings as seuen times to forgiue What vnto seuen times Lord Indeed the number of seuen is wont in Scripture to import an vniuersalitie of all saith venerable f Ser. Post 1 Do quadrag tom 7. Bede as all time is limited by seuen daies and all vice by seuen euill spirits Mat. 12. 45. as with Chrysostome Ansclmus doth obserue Neuerthelesse because the number of sixe seemes to be a number of worke and labour and seuen a number of rest therefore Peter vnderstanding this saith g Tract â— in Mat. 18. Origen thought in sixt times as in sixe dayes he might finish his worke of forgiuenesse and rest the seuenth time from all his labour Wherefore Christ his Lord and maister scoreth vp a greater number of remission I say not to thee vnto seuen times but vnto seuenty times seuen times alluding saith Hilarie to that number of Caine and Lamechs punishment Gen. 4. 24. If Caine shall be auenged seuen times truly Lamech seuenty times seuen times that as their auengement and requitalll was by this imported infinite so his forgiuenesse hereby should not be lesse finite For this is a number finite put for an infinite saith Chrysostome as if he had said Wilt thou know how often Peter doest thou tell me of seuen times man I tell thee vnto seuentie times seuen times in h Chrysost ibid. which number yet is no bound nor limitation but seuen times i that is semper alwaies or seuen dayes in a weeke yea seuen times in a day saith our Sauior Luk. 17. 4. or toties quoties as with k Dionys Carthus in hunc lâ—cum others l Ser. 15. de verb Dâ—m in Mat. Austine doth expound it and by this is meant a toties quoties of forgiuenesse as that number seuen is vsed Prou. 24. 16. This infinite number our Sauiour there setteth downe to condemne the mercilesse debter Mat. 18. who it seemes standing vpon the number would not forgiue his fellow because he had runne so long on his score that the debt was now growne to an hundred pence Howbeit let vs be followers of God as deare children who forgiueth not onely talents and great sinnes but euen tenne thousand that is all sinnes committed saith m Ibid. Austine against the ten commaundements Let vs I say be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull who when he had often deliuered the Iewes from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the Ammonites and from the Philistines and from the Zidonians and from the Amalekites and from the Moabites pardoned them often vpon the promise of amendement Iudg. 10. 11. though when after breach of their couenant they cryed againe for further pardon he answered I haue done it so often and still ye offend wherefore I will deliuer you no more vers 13. yet for all this when they cryed We pray thee onely deliuer vs this day and saue vs this once he heard their complaint and pittying them
thinke that such as they are in word by letters when they are absent such can they be with S. Paul when they are present with the people 2. Corint 10. All which considerations as they may stirre vp spirituall Fathers to present their young Samuels to the temple of the Lord by the mouth of which babes and sucklings his praise may be made more perfect among men so sith the tabernacle is not quite finished free offerers need not feare their oblation though of goates haire shall be reiected when infirmissima the weakest things are as necessarie for the spirituall as that was for the materiall tabernacle of the Lord. It were ridiculous saith l Ridiculum certe fuerit corum qui sunt boni ac studiosi scriptis repudiatis eos qui tales non sunt componentes admittere Sed Theopompo quidem Timaeo qui fabulas maledicta componunt praetereà etiaÌ„ Epicuro quoque qui estprinceps author impietatis quin etiam Hipponacti Archilocho tam turpiter scribere coÌ„cedendum est ei autem qui veritatem praedicat prohibendum est posteris vtilitateÌ„ relinquere lib. 1. Strom. Clemens Alexandrinus to refuse the writings of good men studious admit or liceÌ„ce theÌ„ that are neither Neither need any feare that of ours which he addeth of his dayes For my part when I saw many rich men cast of their superfluity so much into the Lords treasurie I thought the widowes farthing would be needlesse and once resolued with m Lib. 3. adu Pelag. Ierome in like case to surcease from this worke lest I should poure water into the sea or carie wood into the forrest as he speaketh aut enim eadem dicereÌ„ ex superfluo for that that is hath bene and there is now no new thing vnder the Sunne aut si noua voluerim dicere à clarissimo ingenio occupata sunt meliora And indeed to speake truth this diseased Sermon like the poore creeple at Bethesda had kept its couch to the death had not an Angell at a certaine season that trobled the water put it downe into the poole and made it walke abroad Whos 's first conception as it was sudden and too present so like the vntimely fruite of a woman that perisheth before it seeth the Sunne might the wombe haue bene its tombe or at most like the Ephemeron Seg niùs irritaÌ„t animos demissa per aures Quà m quae sunr oculis subiecta sidelibus Horat. haue liued but one day but that thinking it would profite more by the eye then it did by the eare many reasons forced me to publish it to the eye of the world that was priuatly spoken in the eare of a Colledge Some it may be will aske me Amphora cepit Institui currente rota cur vrceus exit Horat. Why I extend it to a booke that was intended but a Sermon and propose a pitcher what I purposed but a kanne Indeed like the woman of Samaria I brought a pitcher at first to the well of liuing water but because of short meditation I had nothing to draw with I haue now drawne deeper of Iaakobs well filled my water pot to the brim and this abortiue issue hath reentred as it were into the wombe and bene borne againe In whose second birth I haue as Galen speakes of nurces or mid-wiues framed the vnfashioned feature and lims of this infant before I durst presume to bring it to the church and christen it in the Presse with the name of a booke An argument deare Christian most needfull for these iarring and vncharitable times wherein I beseech my ecclesiasticall brethren in the bowels of Motiues to Ministers that they preach faith that worketh through loue and ioyne necessity of works with their doctrine of faith Christ Iesus that they would preach faith that worketh through loue and adioyne to their doctrine of faith the necessitie of good workes more then some do who by beating solely on sole faith haue made her solitarie O ye Priests and Ministers of my God remember the high Priest caried pomegranates as well as bels and a pomegranate for euery bell when he went into the sanctuary of the Lord Exod. 28. And so the high priest of our profession his doctrine still was Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire Mat. 7. Those beasts in Ezekiels vision whereby the foure Euangelists are prefigured as not onely auncient 1. The practise of Christ and his Apostlas Fathers but modernes obserue had hands as well as wings and an hand for euery wing Ezek. 1. It was the Apostles and euen S. Pauls practise who and where and to whom he stood most on iustification by faith onely as in his Epistles to the Romanes and the people of Galatia when in the former part he had layed that good foundation of faith omitted not in the latter end to build thereon gold siluer and precious stones of good workes It was his straite charge to Titus and in him to al Preachers this 2. Pauls precept is a true saying and these things I would thou shouldst affirme That they which haue beleeued in God might be carefull to shew forth good workes these are good and profitable vnto men I may adioyne what he addeth And let ours also learne to shew forth good workes for necessary vses that they be not vnfruitfull Tit. 3. 8. 14. A doctrine as necessary in all ages so most needfull in our times 3. These loose and vncharitable tâ—â—es wherein workes are changed of many into words walking in goodnes into talking of God hands into tongues and hearts into eares that to cure the superstition we neglect true deuâ—tion and to auoid the opinioÌ„ of meant we cast off the care of well doing that the faith which was wont to be in words of any is now scarce found in the otheâ— of many Wherein the disease of our forefathers heads is so dangerously fallen vpon our hearts that whereas they hauing good hearts and bâ—d heads being but children in vnderstanding might truly crie with the Shunamites boy Mine head mine head and their mother could not helpe them We hauing good heads and bad hearts may cry out with Ieremy in another meaning My belly my belly I am pained at the heart and euery where barren faith like Rachel crying Giue me children or else I die giue me workes or I am but a dead faith yea she weepeth for her children and will not be comforted because they are not How much the rather should spiritual fathers open by these meanes 4 The slandâ—r of our Church the wombe of barren faith again with whom as it did with old Sarai it ceaseth to be after the maner of women that God may take away her slander of barrennesse and her rebuke among women and hauing her quiuer full of these arrowes she may be blessed before God and not be ashamed when she speaketh with her
a serpent to discerne all things and see what is euill could subscribe on the night this Epigram to the inscription of the Consuls o Plut. vit iv temple Actus vecors templum facit Concordiae bloudie and warrish hands build a temple to Concord And we in this wise charitie may iudge that though themselues they inscribe with the Temple of Concord though in their forehead and front like the p Exod. 28. High Priest they carrie the inscription of Holinesse to the Lord and amitie to their brother yet vocabulum opere destruxerunt saith q Comment in Mich. 7. Ierome though in words they professe it with their workes they denie it though they make a shew of loue yet haue they so denyed the power thereof that in their stonie heart like that r Act. 17. Athenian altar we may iudge is written Vnto the vnknowne God of Mars and malice of enmitie and enuie Å¿ Sâ—â—ll 1 enarr in Luk. 12. One compares them to Apothecarie boxes which are without titled with names of medicine and sweet hearbes when within there is nothing but Wormwood and Gall Aloes or poison And though like Ioab they haue titles of health Art thou in health my brother or like Iudas God saue thee maister yet do they flatter with their tongue saith Dauid for their inward parts are very wickednesse Pal. 5. 9. And when we open these bâ—xes we shall find them no lesse then full of those rootes of bitternesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. with the Paranomisia of which words Paul as one t Pisâ— at schol in R 〈…〉 â— 29 noteth was not more delighted then they are with the things themselues which they signifie I wish these men whose heart is so deceitfull and wicked aboue all things that none can know it had in their pretence of loue that fenestratum pectus glasse windowes in their breast which Momus in Plutarch looked for and found lacke of in the fabricke of mans bodie Tunc si mentes recluderentur possent aspici laniatus ictus as one u Tacit. Ann. 6. speaketh then should we see their malitious rancor in the heart like a Lion lurking in his den then should we see their mischiefe in the deepe of their hearts as it were a Lions whelpe lurking in secret places that he may rauish the poore then should we see their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart and a hart how they speak euery one deceitfully to his neighbor and flattering with their lips speake with a double heart Psal 12. 2. one heart in their mouth and another in their breast outwardly speaking one thing and inwardly thinking another saith Musculus on these words Then should we see how they x Thom. in hunc locum reioyce at our miserie when they seeme to bewaile our misfortune how they hate when they seeme to loue how they laugh when they seeme to lament our affliction But seeing nature hath not set that glasse window in their brest yet holdeth grace the y Iam. 1. glasse of the word before their eyes which being a z Heb. 4 12. discerner of the intents and secrets of the heart casteth such a reflexe of their inward meanings that in it as in a glasse we may behold not darkly but face to face what manner ones they are For euery one of them speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth but in his heart layeth waite for him Ierem. 9. 8. Wherefore let euery one take heed of his neighbour and trust you not in any brother saith the Prophet for euery brother wil vse deceit and euery such friend will deale deceitfully and euery one will deceiue his friend and not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly Whose mirie pits and filthie puddles though now they lye couered with sweetnesse of apparant sanctitie and loue like dirtie bogges couered with snow in winter yet when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall rise and breake foorth in no lesse heate then flaming fire then shal these vngodly melt at the presence of God saith the Psalmist as water at fire and snow at the Sunne and then shall he lighten things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of their heart manifest and when their snow is melted by that consuming fire and brightnesse of his comming then shall appeare their myrie places their pits and plots their Serpents subtiltie that lay hid vnder the Doues simplicitie And he before whom the graue it selfe is naked Iob 26. 6. shall open these whited tombes which appeare outward so beautifull and amiable to their brethren that men going ouer them perceiue not but are within full of dead mens bones of iniquitie and all filthinesse But to leaue this snow-coloured earth and earthly whitenesse to that finall melting by the Sunne of righteousnesse to leaue these Apothecary boxes whose ointment of loue those dead flies iniuries suspitions enmities truce warre and yet againe seeming peace as the seruant told Phaedria in the a Terent. 〈◊〉 act 1 scena 3. Comedie causeth it to putrifie and stinke in the nostrils of the Almightie to b Eccles 13. that last opening of all hearts and secret things To leaue these ambidexters Quiamant tanquam osuri as c Lâ—b de amiciâ— cap. 8. Austine out of Tully speakes who loue so and are friends to day that to morow they may be foes so friendly to al that faithful to none now praising and straight dispraising now fawning and presently biting to day ready to kisse and to morrow more ready to kill to leaue these ambidexters to him that wil reward them according to the work of their hands to leaue these fast and loose men to him that d Iob 5. 22. 23. catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse and maketh the counsell of the wicked foolish yea scattereth the deuises of the craftie so that their hands cannot accomplish their intended enterprise and to leaue lastly these masked hypocrites who in the theater of this world are now the diuels stage-players to that last catastrophe when they haue acted their parts of dissimulation Exite maledicti in ignem aeternum Go out ye cursed into euerlasting fire let all true reconciled friends as they pretend the shew and shadow so extend the bodie and substance of friendship and be reconciled indeede Which doctrine as it vnmasketh the face of hypocriticall 3. Vse Ioabs so bindeth it the hands of blood-thirstie Esawes vnder whatsoeuer their pretence of reuenge Whosoeuer shal smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also commands Christ our Lord and law-giuer And if any will sue thee at the law for thy coate let him haue thy cloake also and whosoeuer will compell thee to go a mile go with him twaine Math. 5. 39. Vnder which triple iniury of our person If any smite thee and of our good If any sue thee and of our body If
They smite downe thy people and trouble thine heritage It teacheth the oppressed to rely on his iustice that he will v Verse 23. recompence the vngodly their wickednesse and destroy them in their owne malice It telleth vs God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth euen the Lord of anger The Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and he reserueth wrath for his enemies Naum 1. 2. And therefore he that taketh and vsurpeth the sword shall perish with the sword and Gods vengeance still auengeth mans reuenge Because Edome x Ezek. 25. 12. 13 14 15. saith the Lord God hath done euill by taking his vengeance vpon the house of Iudah and hath committed great offence and renenged himselfe vpon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also execute my vengeance vpon Edome they shall know my vengeance saith the Lord God And because the Philistimes haue executed vengeance and reuenged themselues with a despitefull heart to destroy it for the old hatred therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I will stretch out mine hand vpon the Philistimes and I will cut off the Cherethims and destroy the remnant of the sea coast and I will execute great vengeance vpon them with rebukes of mine indignation and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shal lay my vengeance vpon them And thus God reuenged them according to their handy-worke in weight and measure his eternall for their temporall vengeance and measured to them againe as they measured to Iuda yea a measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer gaue he backe againe into their bosome Et libet hominem vindicare and hath any man now lust and courage to be reuenged saith y Tom. 10. ser 42 â— Orat. Dâ—â— Austine why stay the Lords leysure The holy Martyrs whose blood was powred forth vnto death are not yet auenged Apo. 6. but they that is their blood alone like the blood of Abel crieth with a loud voice How long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth and it was answered vnto them That they should rest for a little season vntill their fellow seruants and brethren that should be killed euen as they were were fulfilled Yea Christ himselfe is not yet all this while reuenged on his enemies but henceforth from his passion he tarieth till his enemies be made his footstoole Heb. 10. 13. At his bitter passion when he was reuiled he reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed it to him that iudgeth righteously righteously indeed for he smote his sonnes enemies in laying his wished blood vpon them and he smote them on the hinder parts for it is to this day vpon their children and hath put them to a perpetuall shame Thus tarieth the head with his members the Lords leysure who is that auenger of Israell and will recompence euery man at length according to his workes Who are we then asketh z Ibid. Austin that we should seeke reuenge If God should seeke it of vs vbi remaneremus what should become of vs and where should we remaine He whom a Prou. seuen times in a day yea dayly and hourely wee offend will not be auenged on vs and shall we seeke vengeance on man who hath wronged vs b Luke 17. 4. seuen times in a day yea though c Math. 18. 2â— seuentie times seuen times iniuried vs fellow seruants Beare then and forbeare aduiseth a graue d Seâ—â— l. 3. de Ira c. vlâ— Philosopher behold euen now is death comming which will make you equall What doest thou fighting and stabbing him doest thou wish any thing but his death whom thou wouldest reuenge Etiam morietur why he shall surely die thou loosest but thy labour Facere vis quod futurum est Like those blood-thirstie e Acts 23. 14. Iewes thou vowest with an oath that thou wilt neither eate nor drinke till thou hast killed him And whereas like a f 2. Timot. 2. 3. â— souldier of Iesus Christ as euery Christian is called in this warfare 2. Cor. 10. 4 he is here placed by his captaine in his stand and vocation in which g 1. Coâ—in 7. 10 calling he must stand and abide till he be called away as the h Math. 2. Angell told Ioseph Be there till I bring thee word as if thou hadst the i Math. â— 9. Centurions commaund thou sayest to this souldier Go and he goeth and sendest him from his station Iniussu Imperatoris without his Captaines leaue and Generals commaund Yea whereas his soule is cooped vp in his earthly tabernacle like a bird that is kept vp in a cage with Caine thou dissoluest his tabernacle and violently breakest the cage that his soule before she be called may flie as a bird vnto the hill Wherefore haue rather patience in the time of aduersitie vntill the pit be digged vp for the vngodly O tarrie thou the Lords leasure yet a while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie long to fet him away Meane while let his soule like k Act. 12. Peter lie in the prison of his bodie wherein it is imprisoned till thy God send his Angell to smite him on the side with sicknes that her chaines fall off and then shall she come out of prison wherein she was fettered and death the iron gate that leadeth to the holy citie shall then open to her of it owne accord The consideration of which motiues if it enter not thy mind yet nosce teipsum consider but thy selfe how nature hath framed thee a peaceable creature and thou wilt hardly seeke reuenge For whereas as the l Pliâ— nat hist lib. 7. proâ—m naturalist well obserues she hath giuen her younger sonnes I meane other creatures which are but her base-borne couerings as bucklers to defend and as weapons to offend their foe as shels to the fishes of the sea knottie barkes to trees of the forrest hard hides to the beasts of the field stings to the Bees bristles to Hogges and to Hedge-hogs their prickes rough haire to Bears feathers to birds scales to fishes and fleeces to the sheepe yea as the m Arist lib. 3. depart animal cap. 1. oracle of nature further addes stings to the Serpents spurres to Cocks horns to many beasts teeth and tusks to Elephants and Bores arma vel ad inuadendum vel defendendum their weapons of offence or armor of defence as he speaketh this mother hath brought foorth man though not her eldest sonne yet the beginning of her strength the excellencie of her dignitie and the excellencie of power vnweaponed vnarmed vnfenced and naked saith Plinie as the God n Gen. 2. 25. of nature first created him and since o Iob. 1. 21. Eccles 5. 14. returneth naked into the womb of his mother the earth as naked as he came from the belly of his mother yea nudissimum
Dauid Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee yea I hate them right sore as though they were mine enemies Psalm 139. 21. I saw the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy law Psal 119. 158. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the workes of vnfaithfulnesse there shall no such dwell with me Psal 101. And thus may we be angrie against sinners no not so much the man as his manners as hereafter shall be shewed Thirdly how it must be spent not in fume like the foaming sea that cannot rest till it cast vp mire and dirt for this anger is furor breuis a short madnesse as he q Hâ—rat speaketh and onely they differ said wise r Plut. Apâ—th Cato in continuance of time For whereas there be two kinds of madnesse one of the head which makes men run out of their wit and another of the heart which puts them out of their right mind these angry men hauing neither the wit to gouerne nor the mind to be gouerned in this passion are the maddest of all other seeing as Å¿ Lib. 1. de ira cap. 1. Seneca noteth in them they haue the same signes and tokens that mad men haue and this mist of anger so darkeneth their eye of reason that it cannot discerne things that differ but as obiects though little in themselues thorough a thicke cloud seeme bigger then they are indeed so whatsoeuer moate the eye of anger thorow cloudie browes beholdeth in a brother seemeth no lesse then a beame For as t Lib. 11. nat â—â— cap. 37. Pliny noteth Oculos in comitiali morbo apertos nihil cernere animo caligante that the eyes in the falling sicknes though open see nothing when the mind is darkened and dim-sighted so in comitiali morbo irae as one u Plut deirâ— cohib tearmes it in the falling sicknesse of anger wherein they fall on others men haue like those Iewes eyes and see not the right as eares and heare not the truth but their minds being blinded that they see not Satan euer boweth downe their backe for a load of sinne and anger the daughter of iniurie as Sabellicus speaketh becomes in them the mother of reuenge And as anger in her madnesse is blind to augment all faults and make a moate a beame and a mole-hill a mountaine so is she 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as x 2. Pet. 2. 9. the Apostle speaketh and cannot see farre off but diminishing the person of men maketh a Cedar of Lebanon but a bramble of the bush and like the purblind man in the y Maâ—â— 8. Gospell seeth men but like trees which with the z Ioâ— 1â— â— good husbandman when she should but loppe with the pruning-knife of correction she heweth downe with the axe of her owne iudgement and reuenge And therefore because he will neuer obserue the meane nor keepe a right measure in punishing who in his anger comes for to punish as a Lib. 1. Oâ—â—â—â— Tully said most truly the Romains wisely tyed a bundell of rods to those axes that were caryed before the Consuls vt ijs soluendis inijceretur aliqua mora irae antequam ad puniendum accederent that in loosing of them some delay of time may allay their anger before they came to punish as neither Socrates nor Plato nor Architas whom I mentioned in the beginning durst punish euen their seruants in their anger lest vnder correcting their manners they should reuenge them on the men and turne iudgement into worm-wood as b Cap. 5 7. Amos speaketh and c Apo. 6 12. iustice into gall Wherefore seeing optimum est temperare iram non tollere as Seneca d Lib. 1. de ira cap. 7. noteth to temper anger and not take it away be angry but sinne not saith Paul Ephes 4. 26. Be angry at his manners but sinne not by anger against the man Or if ye chaunce to exceede this golden meane Irascimini are ye angrie as some Bez annot matâ—r in hunâ— lxum interogatiuely vnderstand it sinne not that is so moderate your affection that it be appeased before it burst foorth as our English note on that place expounds it If turbulent motions arise in the mind through the corruption of nature yet let not reason consent and obey them in the lusts thereof that although in our flesh we serue the lawe of sinne yet in our spirit we serue the lawe of regenerate part as f In Psal 4. 4. Austine most excellently expounds it His meaning is this serpent like Goliah must be smote dead in the fore-front and crushed in the head lest if he get in the head as he did into Eue he bring in the whole body wheÌ„ sin is finished from this taile of the serpent leaue g 1. Cor. 15. 55 that sting of death in our soules We must crush this Cockatrice in his egge we must take this little foxe before he do hurt lest growing vp to be great like Sampsons foxe he set all on fire and like Herod the foxe fall to be bloudthirstie and rauenous We must purge out this little leauen lest it soure the whole lumpe we must giue this water of bitternesse no passage no not a little lest like that in Ezechiel it grow from the ankles to the knees and from the knees to the thighes and proue a riuer that cannot be passed without drowning we must dash this youngling of Babell against the stones lest after growth it cry down with him downe with him euen to the ground for this little fire will kindle a great matter this least graine and mustard-seed of anger will grow vp to a great tree of hatred vnder whose branches of enuie and malice the foules of the heauen and princes of the aire will build their nests And therefore this roote of bitternes must not be let grow vp lest many therewith be defiled this little cloud of anger if it be not dissolued by his heate will couer all the skie hide the sunne of righteousnesse and cause much raine and no little storme this cord of vanitie will pull on a cart-rope of iniquitie and therefore for the manner how ye may be angry be angrie but sinne not in your anger For whose season and oportunitie of time when it must be drawne as there is a time to hate as a time to loue and a time of peace as a time of warre Eccles 3. 8. so must anger not rashly out of time nor vnaduisedly out of season be mispent Mat. 5. 22 Sauls flatterers mistooke their time They are mine enemies vniustly saith Dauid and hate me without a cause Psal 39. 19. They gather themselues not for mine offence not for my sinne but without my fault O Lord Psal 59. 3. They hate me without a cause and would destroy me guiltlesse Psalm 69. 4. Thus h Gen â— Caine was wroth with Abel
their names in preaching his Gospell for a memoriall of them o Epist ad Hel. de Scripturis edisserens libenter Patrum testimonia nomina in illarum expositione produceret voluit quod cuiuis esset simpliciter confiteri atque in hunc modum eruditionis gloriam declinando eruditissimus habebatur Illud aiebat Tertulliani istud Cyprians hoc Lactancij illud Hilarij est sic Minutius Foelix ita Victorinus in hunc modum est locutus Arnobius me etiam quandoque citaret c. Ierome commaundeth Nepotian that in handling the Scripture he willingly would produce the testimonies of the Fathers and their names in exposition of them and would plainely confesse euery saying of each one and by this meanes refusing the glorie to be thought learned was counted most learned That said he is Tertullians this Cyprians this Lactantius that is Hilaries so Minutius Foelix thus Victorinus after this manner spake Arnobius and me also eftsoones would he cite For omission whereof as I cannot quite acquit our moderne Writers of one part of a learned p Salmeron praefat comment in Euang. Satu mirari non valeo quorundam recentiorum scriptorum confidentiam ne dicam audaciam temeritatem quâ— vetus ac nonum Testamentum ita enarrare aggressi sunt vt 〈…〉 quâ— in eorum Commentarijs Basilij vel Athanasij nusquam Ierom mâ— aut Ambrosij â—â—squam Augustini aut Chrysostome aut denique aliorum antiquorum Patrum facere mentionem dignentur Suas tantummodo cogitationes sua inuenta aut potiùs somnia nobis obtundentes Papists reproofe who saith In expounding the old and new Testament they scant any where deigne in their Commentaries to name and make mention of Basill or Athanasius of Ierome or Ambrose of Austine or Chrysostome or lastly any of the ancient so for their theeuish and peeuish concealement cannot I but admire some moderne speakers who adopt as I said the Fathers sayings and father them on themselues suppressing their names Or if they affoord them this fauour for their instructions as if their proper names were odious and loathsome in their mouthes they cite but as the Pharisees did Christs name indefinitely Hic homo one saith not Ambrose but one saith as if we were affraid of their names So little honour affoord some sonnes the names of their fathers And if indeed we wold say what some of vs thinke in our harts the voice should be aetas parentum peior auis the fathers haue eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Yea Iustinus Martyr q Ierom. Catalo script Eccl. qui pro religione Christi plurimuÌ„ laborauit r Idem lib. 17 in Esa 64. vir Apostolicus diligentissimus who as he was next the Apostles times next them tooke greatest pains for Christs truth and Å¿ Epiph. lib. 3. cont haeres 46. sealed it with his bloud he is too full of Philosophie for our Sermons he shall but iust be as Iustine the Historian Irenaeus whom t Lib. aduer Valent Tertullian called omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum explanatorem the most diligent and curious searcher of all learning he shall be but an Ironie in our Sermons Clemens Alexandrinus to set them in senioritie whose volumes u Catalog cod Ierome saith are full of learning and eloquence humane and diuine whoÌ„ x Aduers Iuli. Cyrill so oft called that learned man endued with all kind of knowledge whose bookes of Stromes y Lib. 6. hist Eccl cap. 12. Eusebius saith are stuffed with all sort of most profitable learning he shall be of no more reckoning with vs then last Pope Clement of Rome Tertullian whoÌ„ z Lib. 5. Instit cap. 1. Lactantius calleth skilfull in all kind of learning of whom a Ierom. catal Cyprian when he asked his notarie for a booke to reade would say Da Tertullianum da magistrum Giue me Tertullian giue me my maister and would not let a day passe without reading some part of his worke yea vsed ad verbum his very examples and sentences oft in his writings he shall be but as Tertullus the Orator Origen whom b Ibid. Ierome called a man immortalis ingenij secularium litterarum doctissimum of immortall wit and most learned in all secular knowledge whose knowledge of the Scriptures he c Idem Apolog aduers Ruff. professeth he wondred at and though his name distasted to some yet d Idem prooem in quaest in Gen. Origenis scientiam cum inuidia nominis optaret he is too auncient and originall and we wonder as much at his name in a Sermon as euer did Ierome at his knowledge of the Scriptures Cyprian who was counted e Nazianzen Orat. in Cypria the great name of Carthage and of all the world whose name was famous in all churches both Heretickes and Christians whose name and workes Nazianzene professeth he reuerenced more then he did all other Martyrs and for his eloquence surpassed other men so farre as other men do bruite beasts Cyprian whom f Epist ad Paul de instit Monac Ierome termes sweet like a most pure fountaine whome g Lib. 2. de doct Christ cap. 40. Austine a most sweet Doctor and most blessed Martyr h Lib. 2. de bon perseueran c. 19. a most glorious Martyr and most bright Doctor whom as i Lib. 6. de Bap. câ—nt Donatist cap. 2. he witnesseth Inter raros pauces excellentissimae gratiae viros numerat pia maeter Ecclesia who was counted of the k Cyprian Epist lib. 5. Epist 10. martyrum ad Cyprian Martyrs of Christ Iesus omnibus in tractatu maior in sermone facundior in consilio sapientior in patientia simplicior in operibus largior in abstinentia sanctior in obsequio humilior in actu bono innocentior and was generally called Tuba Dei canens the shrill trumpet of God he shall be a well without water this glorious Martyr shall not haue the glorie to witnes any truth in our Sermons this trumpet of God giues an vncertaine sound in our eares and Cyprianus shall haue a letter changed in his name and be called Caprianus as of some such it l Erasm Epist Praefix Ambro. once was one that for gold brought but Goates haire to the building of the tabernacle Caelius Firmianus Lactantius whom m Catalog scri Eccl. Ierome styles in diuinis Scripturis studiosissimum whose volume De ira Dei n Lib. 2 in Eph. 4 he commended so highly for eloquence and learning that o Epist ad Paul de instit monach elsewhere he cals him flunium Tullianae eloquentiae he smels too much of Tully Caelius is not heauenly enough for our pure ones nor Firmianus firme in the faith nor Lactantius affoordeth any milke sincere enough for these babes Athanaesius whom good p Athan apolog 2. epist Constant ad pop Alexan. Constantine named Adorandae legit in interpretem whom q Orat ad