Thomas Adams
Or, by position, infusing his owne bad qualities into thee. Lot hath a little tang from Sodome, that stickes by him in the Mountaine. Iacob sware by the Feare of his father Isaac: but Ioseph learned in Aegypt to sweare by the life of Pharaoh: Peter durst draw his sword against a whole troupe in his Masters quarrell: but after all protestations of inseparablenesse was infected with the aire of the high Priests hall: and then he fell to cursing; it is likely that was their fashion, to get credite to their speeches. Herode was loth to give away Iohn Baptists head, but for the company, Matth. 14.9. As a musician tunes his instrument, so he will stretch all thy cords, till he hath brought thee to his owne key: thou shalt be forced to sing as he will have thee, Psal. 137.3. Let sinne be but an embrion in thee, he will so midwife it that he will deliver thee of it by action: yea so nurse it, till he make it the darling of thy affection. Is thy soule thus ravished of her chast love to CHRIST? thou mayest say to her as Absalom to his sister Thamar: Hath Amnon beene with thee? hath the bad associate met with thee? This poyson is never more dangerous than when it comes in a golden cup. All the spight of Iosephs brethren was not such a Crosse to = as the inordinate affection of his mistresse. Tentations on the right hand are more perilous, because they are more plausible and glorious. Ioseph saw this pleasure would advance him: he knew what it was to be the minion of one of the greatest Ladies in Aegypt. Yet he contemnes it; How shall I doe this great wickednesse, and sinne against God? He knew that all the flouds of honour could not wash of the guilt of one sinne. He shunnes her societie: O that we were so wise to avoid the occasions of evill company. She impudently catcheth hold of his garment, he hand seconds her tongue. But Ioseph wil rather lose his cloak than this faith, rather be spoiled of his livery, than of his chastitie: refuse all, rather than blemish her honour, his masters in her, his owne in both; Gods in all. Were we all such Iosephs, the pedler of hell durst not open his packe: his damned wares might lie like dead commodities stinking upon his owne hands.
Let this teach us all to flie the societies of the wicked: lest we follow them home, through their transgression to their destruction. But if I consort with them, I doe it to convert them. Alas, there is a great deale more danger of poysoning the physician, than curing the patient. They are such as have taken the divells oath of allegiance; that what he cannot doe immediately by himselfe, he may doe mediately by his instruments. To erre Humanum, is the part of man: but to seduce [Diabolicum], cum, is the part of a divell. It is ill to play the wanton, worse to play the [beast], worst of all to play the divell. There have beene such cursed men, that delight in the murther of soules. Paul fought with such Beasts at Ephesus: the men of Nazareth were worse to CHRIST than the divell: he saies, mitte te, cast downe thy selfe: they would violently throw him downe: and that on the Sabbath day, when they tooke exception against him for curing on the Sabbath day, Luk. 4. The Gadarens but besought him to depart: his owne countreymen were worse, for they drove him out. Cain replyed, Am I my brothers keeper? yet he could be his brothers butcher. These violences indeed are not alwayes in sociable fellowes, but subtle and supple fomentations. Persecutio facit martyres, haeresis apostatas: plus nocuerunt horum togae, quàm illorum galea, Tertul. Persecution hath made Martyrs, schisme apostates: the former corrosives are not so noxious as the others balsames. Wee call sour divells, familiars. Psal. 55.13. It was thou my guide, my companion, my familiar; that didst mee the mischiefe: he that eates our salt betrayes us. There is no such speeding engine of destruction, as the friendly seducer; that damnes a man in kindnesse. As a man sinking into the deepe water, catcheth hold of him that is next him: so men diving into the bottome of iniquity, pull downe their adherents. The sheepe make the ground fruitfull wheresoever they lie: so the godly make all places blessed where they dwell. But the wicked, like the weed Gosses, make the land barres where they grow. When such a one provokes thee to sinne, though with the smoothest face; it thou say not to him as CHRIST to Peter. Get thee behind me Satan: yet take thy leave of him, as the Angell did of the divell, Increpet te Dominus, The Lord rebuke thee, Iud. ver. 9.
Oh that we could see the mischiefe that evill company doth us: the sinnes unpurposed, unthought of come thus to be committed. Let a tempter but hold up his finger, the Sabbath shall be profaned, the word relinquished, and all religion suspended. This man is a Harpy that peckes up all the good seed: a great beast that breakes through the sense of Gods Law; makes a vast gappe or breach; and as my Text saies, the whole heard followes him. How does Dives in hell now curse his flatterers! If thou knowest whose factor thy ill companion is, thou wouldest hate him. He is such a pleasing murtherer that he tickles thee to death; and like Salomons foole, thou dyest laughing. A good man accompanying an evill, is like a living body bound to a dead corps: noisome and irkesome. When God shall charge thy soule with sinne, wilt thou answer; such a one brought me to it; Adam, The woman gave me? Tu errando miser, quamvis ille in provocando miserior: thou shalt be wretched in sinning, though he be more wretched in tempting. He hath helped the to much of thy sinne, he shall beare none of thy torment. Be circumspect = with whom thou eatest and drinkest than what thou eatest and drinkest, Sen. Leave them, Nunc te melioribus offer. Leave them? then must we goe out of the world, 1 Cor. 5.10. But have no fellowship (nullo modo cum operibus; in quantum potes, nec cum operatoribus) with the unfruitfull workes; and if thou canst avoid it, neither with the workers of darkenesse. Si cum malis, non tamen in malis. If we must converse with evill men, yet let it not be in evill matters. Dilige malos homines, non quia malos, sed quia homines. Love evill men, not in that they are evill, but in that they are men. Love quod fiunt, non quod faciunt: love what they are, not what they doe, as God made them, not as they make themselves. Affect virum, non vitium, the man not his fault. As in releeving an evill beggar; damus homini, non moribus; we give to the man, not to his manners. But if by admitting their persons, we cannot avoid their vices, let us deny both. How should we hope, feasting with Iobs children, the house should not fall downe on our heads! When we find our selves following evill men, I wonder we doe not tremble at their ends. Can we walke in the midst of the fire, and feele no scorching? mans nature is like the fire; if there be any infection in the roome, it drawes it strait to it selfe. Like jette, it omits all precious objects, and attracts strawes and dust. Trust not thy selfe with these incendiaries: cull out the best and follow them: Oh sweet is the communion of Saints! Worldly mirth is more talked of then felt, spirituall joy is more felt, then talked of. I appeale to any mans conscience, that hath beene softened with the unction of grace, and truly tasted the powers of the world to come: suppose thou hast tried both; beene mad-merry with thy friends at a luxurious feast, sung Psalmes with the Saints in the Church; whether of these have most refreshed thy heart? Alas, temporall mirth is like the widdowes joy, a blaze and goodnight: spirituall rejoycing leaves an impression in the soule behind it, the unspeakeable comforts of the Holy Ghost, never to be raced out.
I conclude with three cautions given by three severall Saints from one most holy Spirit. Exod. 23.2. Follow not a multitude to doe evill. Foolish birds follow the kite in hope of a part of the expected prey, when she drawes her owne guts after her, Rom. 12.2. Fashion not your selves to this world: it is a fashion that must be washed off with fire and brimstone. Prov. 28.14. Blessed is the man that feareth alway. Salvianus gives the reason; Nemo magis diligit, quam qui maxime veretur offendere. No man so truly loves, as he that feares to offend. I confesse, there be many things lawfull that the common people doe, but I will suspect that which the common people doe. The Iewes might give offenders fortie stripes by the Law, yet they gave Paul but nine and thirty. Perhaps they thought that if they had given the full number, their fingers might have itched to give one more. Qui a nullis abstinet licitis, vicinus est illicitis: he that abstaines from nothing that is lawfull, neighbours upon that which is unlawfull. Nam mala sunt vicina bonis. The note which comes too neere in the margent, will skippe into the Text at the next impression. Of all studies, let us never study to range in the borders and extremities of our libertie. As how much of this world we may swallow, and riches not choake us. How neere we may come to the skirts and suburbes of hell, and hell not wholly devoure us. How much we may drinke, and be no drunkards: how farre we may wade in usurie, and yet scape hell? The divell is crafty and watchfull; if he spy our venturous outrodes, and find us extravagant out of our owne grounds; hee will not lose one inch of his advantage.
4 Wee must not fall off from the faith and Church of CHRIST, because multitudes travell another way. He that proclaimes pleasure and carnall content to all his followers, shall have many Schollers in Courts, Palaces, Colledges, Senates, Fields, Shops, Offices: for all they love darkenesse whose deeds are evill. There are few whose faith finds a passage through the streight gate. Of sixe hundred thousand Israelites but two entred into the land of promise. Non facile invenies multis è milibus unum, virtutem pretii qui putat esse sui. The Papists fable to us of Saint Bernard, that the fifteenth day after his death he appeared to a certaine Monk: and when the Monke asked whether it were a difficult thing to be saved; he should thus answer him: The same day I died there died also foure thousand three hundred; and of all them Ego solus cum quodam Heremite vitam caelestem intravimus, only my selfe and one Hermite were received into heaven: there was one cast into the fire of purgatory, and all the rest went to hell. For the story, I have not so spatious a faith as to credite it: but I feare of the many thousands which every day depart this life, the greater number take the wrong way. If this be so, strive we to make sure our own salvation: that when many follow these damnable wayes, we may be found of that number that followed IESUS CHRIST. When Agelmond King of the Lumbards (be it reported upon Sigeberts credite) passed by a pond into which seven infants were cast, he thrust downe his speare, and that Infant which tooke hold of it he brought up from the poole, brought home to his house, and brought up at his house like the Kings Son; and at last he succeeded him in the kingdome; he was called Lanussio, or Lamussius, from Lama a ditch out of which he was taken. So when the great King of heaven came into the world, and the world knew him not, he found us all drenchd in the whirlepoole of sinne, and ready to be everlastingly drowned: he thrust downe his speare the saving Gospell: and Ioh. 1.12. As many (not many, scarce one of seven) as received him, (tooke hold on his speare, as it followeth there exegetically) that beleeved in his Name: To them he gave (not only obtaining for them, nor proclaiming to them, but to them hee gave) Power to bee the Sonnes of GOD, to bee repossessed of the kingdome, and to divide the Inheritance with the principall heire, himselfe.
5 Lastly, seeing there is such certaine danger in following after common copies; give me leave to avert you from all these pestilent examples, and propose to you one worth your praise and imitation. It is the glory of all precedents the life and excellencie of what is good in man; that man of God, and God of man IESUS CHRIST. Here is a patterne: the godly, like the Eagle, disdaine all objects but the Sun. Summa religionis est imitari quem colis: it is the marrow of religion to imitate him whom thou worshippest. The Italians got up all the excellent Pictures in the world, that out of them all they might make one Master-piece, or most excellent picture. The sweetnesse of all the best flowers makes most sweet honey. CHRIST in the whole course of his life was a patterne of goodnesse. In his birth a patterne of humilitie, in his life a patterne of Innocencie, in his death a patterne of patience, in all a patterne of holinesse. Si praecipienten sequi non vis, sequere praecedentem, Lactant. If thou wilt not follow him in his word commanding, yet follow him in his worke directing. Now saith Paul, Put on Christ. Hee is put on two wayes; by Imputation, and by Imitation: the first justifies, the other sanctifies. He is put on Sacramentally by Baptisme. Gal. 3.17. All that are baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. He is put on internally by faith, externally by imitation. Hebr. 12 2. Looke unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith: looke upon him, and so eye him that you may follow him; and so follow him that you may live like him. That you may say; Sic oculos, sic ille manus, sic ora ferebat. When thine eyes be haughty with ambition, did he carry his eyes so? Like a Lambe before that bloudy Wolfe Pilate, his looke was meeke and lowly, though lovely. When thou cursest him that angers thee, did he carry his mouth so? No, Father forgive them. Thou art provoked with words, and returnest blowes, did he carry his hands so? No, being stricken, he stroke not againe. Heb. 12.3. Consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners. Against covetousnes put on the contentednesse of CHRIST: against anger put on the meekenesse of CHRIST: against wrongs put on the patience of CHRIST: against pride put on the humblenesse of CHRIST. For as he told Peter. Ioh. 13.8. If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me: so he saies to every one, If I lead thee not, thou shalt never come to my kingdome. The Painter went to one Virgin for an eye, to another for a lip, to a third for a forehead, to a fourth for a chinne; to make exquisite the face of his goddesse. We need not goe to one Saint for this vertue, to another for that: for perfection take CHRIST, and take all. In him dwells the fulnesse of God-head: there can be no want where all is infinite. Let the Many follow their owne fancies, or the fancies of others, let us follow CHRIST. This is the praise of those Virgin-Saints; that they followed the Lambe whithersoever he goeth, Rev. 14.4. The inseparable effect of Iustification is obedience: now we follow him in following his, relieving them whether in want or prison, sicknesse or persecution. And this he will acknowledge at the last day, with a Come yee blessed. Come to me, for you have followed me wheresoever I went. I was hungry, and you followed me with meate: thirsty, and you followed me with drinke: a stranger, and you followed me with lodging: naked, cold, and sicke, and you followed me with clothes, warmth, and comfort. Whithersoever I went, I had your company; now you shall have my company for ever. Matth. 18.28. You followed me in the regeneration; you shall be with me in eternall glorification.
By whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of.] I come to the Detraction, the cursed effect of their perversion; which is not only pernicious to their owne soules, but also derogative to the glory of GOD. Herein I considered two generalls; the Patient and the Injurie: in the Patient, the Singularity and the Sincerity.
1 The Singularity; ὁδὸς, The way, that excellent way. There is only one way of Truth, and of salvation by it. There are many wayes in the world, yet but one way of Truth. Eph. 4.4. There is one Lord, one faith, &c. The Turke hath his way, the Iew his way, the Gentile his way, Heretickes their way, Schismatickes their way, though there be almost as many wayes as feete to walke in those wayes, yet the way of truth is but one. Diversitie of wayes is sought out; either for peevishnesse, they cannot abide the common rode: because most men passe through the gate, they will climbe over the wall; and if others climbe, they will creep through. They are so crosse, that if authority should command them to weare cleane linnen, rather than not rebell they would goe woollward. Or, for pride, when men scorne to goe the Kings high way, because there they have the company of beggars and base fellowes. There are some that disdaine the poorer sort, and will rather forbeare the common duties of religion. But alas, what bragge of estate should there be in the Church? there is no spirituall difference; bond or free, all are one in CHRIST. The Emperor eates of the same bread that his Lacquay doth: the beggars child is baptised in the same font that the Kings. This they disdaine, and therefore will have Sacraments by themselves, a Synagogue of their owne. Or, else for glory, that their singularity may be pointed at. Diogenes was ducking himselfe in cold water in a frosty morning: the people beheld and pitied him: alas saith a Philosopher; Depart you to your houses, and leave gazing on him; I warrant you that he will come out quickly, and keepe himselfe warme. There are many wayes, as it is said of Poland, if a man chance to lose his religion, he shall find it there, or give it gone for ever. But truth hath one way, not a second, not another. What so neere one as two, yet a Christian must not goe so farre from one as two. Luk. 11.23. He that is not with me, is against me: Whatsoever is not with this way, is against it. Now it is neere to impossibilitie, Vt res oppositas mens ferat una duas. To write with two pens together, to hunt two games together, to fight with two swords together, to travell two wayes together; is a troublesome follie. Eccl. 2.13. Woe to the sinner that goeth two manner of wayes. It is said of Salomon that he went two wayes; the way of the Lord, and the way of Ashteroth, 1 King. 11.5, 6.
Let us all seeke this one way, and all false wayes utterly abhorre. Matth. 23.9. You have but one father in heaven, and but one way to please him; which is to walke in this one way of truth. Gal. 6.16. As many as walke after this rule, peace bee on them, and mercie: all other rules are warped and out of square. Luk. 10.42. One thing is necessary. Psal. 119.9. Wherewithall shall a young man clense his way? by ruling himselfe after thy word: all other wayes defile, doe not clense. There are innumerable wayes to hell: you may goe thither by pride, by avarice, by malice, by hypocrisie; any way will serve to meet at the bottome of the hill, that infernall center: but still to heaven there is but one way. There is a way to honour, by flattering insinuations into the bosome of Princes: there is a way to pleasure, by making the flesh mistresse, and denying her nothing: there is away to be rich, by usury and oppression: there is a way to get offices and livings; by swallowing a simoniacall oath, or putting out the givers eye by bribery. But there is but one way to make a man blessed, and that is The way of truth. Withall it shall make thee great enough, and merry enough, and rich enough; but howsoever, happy enough. Refuse all to take this way: they write of the stone Pyrrhenus, that so long as it is whole it swimmeth; but being broken, every part sinketh. So is mans heart, if divided, it sinkes all to confusion; keepe it whole to the way of truth, it shall be saved.
2 The Sincerity; the way Of Truth. Which is that way? as Pilate as asked Christ, What was the truth, when the Truth stood before him, Ioh. 18.38. There is veritas legalis, a legall truth; Gods Law is the truth. It was a custome among the Heathen, to derive the authoritie of their Lawes from their gods, that they might be received for truth; Trismegist to the Aegyptians from Mercury, Erontes to the Carthaginians from Saturne, Solon and Draco to the Athenians from Minerva, Numa Pompilius to the Romans from Aegeria. But we have from the true God, the truth of God. Deut. 4.8. What nation is so great, &c. Now if they magnified their Lawes so full of errour, how shall we dare to blaspheme Gods Law so full of truth? No, let us blesse it, and obey it. David in his hundred and nineteenth Psalme beats in every verse upon that one string, The Law, the Statutes, the Ordinances, Commandement, Truth, &c. of God. There is also Veritas Evangelica, the Truth of the Gospell, Gal. 3.1. But if this be the truth, then is the other excluded? No, for the Gospell is not contrary to the Law; neither delighteth in others overthrow, but both espouse friendship in a kisse of peace. But it is said, Ioh. 1.17. The Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ. But then the Law was not the Truth; for here seemes to bee a comparative opposition. No; Truth is not denied to the Law, but only the truth of Iustification: the Law is true, but not the true meanes of salvation to us. Non negatur Legi veritas Ligandi, sed ascribitur Evangelio veritas [Absolvendi]; The Law is a condemning truth, the Gospell an absolving truth. For if the Law could have justified us, God might well have spared his owne Sonne: but the Grace of justification, and the Truth of salvation is onely by Christ. If yee beleeved Moses, much more beleeve mee, saith Iesus: if you embraced your thraldome, then much rather accept your freedome. Only, Vos liberabit veritas, Ioh. 8.32. You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. Christ is called the End of the L••; not Finis terminans, sed perficiens, sed complens: Not a terminating, but a fulfilling and accomplishing end. Having then received the truth, so gracious a truth, such promises of everlasting life, from a God so true; they are wretched men that blaspheme it. Thus it is the Truth both for the Infallibility and excellencie of it.
It is certaine. Esay 8.20. It is called the Testimony; because it beares witnesse unto it selfe: so it is called The Truth, because it shall accomplish it selfe. God doth promise Abraham a Seed like the Starres for number: and Salomon sayes, I am in the midst of a people that cannot be numbred; here is an accomplished Truth, 2 Cor. [1.20]. All the promises of God are Yea, and Amen in Christ. Abraham in affiance of this Truth, ventured to forsake his Countrey, offered to sacrifice his only sonne, Noah upon this Truth layes out money to build an Arke. Moses upon this Truth forsooke the Court, to suffer affliction with the children of God. Wee must all venture on this Truth, or perish. When the soule is to leave the body, woe to him that hath not a firme dependance on this Truth.
It is excellent, as being the Letters patent of our salvation. The Law was a killing truth, this is a saving truth. Incomparably fairer is Veritas Christianorum quàm Helena Gracorum; The Truth of the Christians, than that Helen of the Grecians. Let my soule not be deficient in beleeving, and as sure as Christ is Truth, I shall be saved. O farre be it from me to vilipend that Truth, without which I were eternally lost! If we had an Antidote warranted to us by some Naturalist, to preserve our life temporall, how would we esteeme it? But for that Truth which preserves our life eternall, how precious is it, and beyond value? Let heaven thunder, earth reele, and hell roare, I will hold fast this Truth, and be blessed for ever.
By whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of.] We have considered the Patient that suffers, let us looke upon the Injury that is offered to it. By whom: and herein two things. The Instruments or occasioners of this Scandall; those mis-led proselytes; and the Effect or aspersion cast upon the Gospell by their meanes, which is maledicentia, Blasphemie.
By whom.] The Seminaries of infection have poisoned them, and they divulge that pestilence, to the dishonour of Christ and the scandall of his Gospell. Nay, as if their teachers could not doe mischiefe enough, these strive to goe beyond them in wickednesse. According to that, Matth. 23.15. They make them two-fold more the children of hell than themselves. And indeed, albeit the other were originally the worse; yet these are instrumentally and operatively worse than they. For if false teachers had not store of followers, their hereticall positions would fall to the ground, and themselves slinke away with reproch and shame. Here occurre two notes to our observation.
First, that not only the Principals, but even the accessaries in Schisme are guiltie of sinne, and liable to punishment. The receiver is worse than the theefe: and the abettours of sinne doe more mischiefe than the authours. So long as the infected person is shut up, his plague doth not spread: while the evill man doth intra orbem suum furere; onely bee mad at home, his evill lives and dies with himselfe: the diffusion or dispersion of it is the bane. Let it wander like a fatherlesse childe up and downe, no man taking it in, but all shutting their doores against it; the very aire will stifle it, it will be the owne death. But when it becommeth Filius populi, and every one challengeth a part in the generation of it, the multitude fostering it; now it stands up in defiance, and (although a bastard) dares challenge the true heire, and wrangle for the inheritance. How ridiculous appeares a fantasticall fashion, while it is singular in the Inventers wearing and habite? The first apparition of an Hic mulier, was like a monster. But when it had stollen an approbation into womens hearts, and gotten a custome on their backes; now it stood on the termes of justification, called it selfe a noble accoutrement, and scorned to be dashed out of countenance. It is the many’s acceptation of evill, that brings a scandall on the truth. When Theudas had gotten foure hundred followers, he thought himselfe a jolly fellow, Act. 5.36. The Pope did once send Vsurers into this Land; they were at first howted at, like Owles in a desart: but necessity forced men to borrow; and when they had store of customers, they stood upon their points for very honest men (in their owne opinions) and thus the way of truth was blasphemed. The Pope might be the father and founder of the sinne, but these executioners gave occasion of the blasphemie.
Secondly, the authours of this seducement are not discharged, though their schollers have dissipated the evill. The breeder of a sin, is the father of a bastard; and he that kindles a mischievous fire, shall answer for all the harmes it doth. Those whom thou hast taught to doe ill, encrease thy sin so fast, as they encrease their owne. Matth. 5.19. He that breaketh the Law, and teacheth others to doe so, shall be called least in the Kingdome of God. It it easie to be guilty of anothers wickednesse: for if he doth evill by thy suggestion, thou shalt answer for it. The parent that either commands, connives, or exemplifies sin to his childe by patterne, makes himselfe liable to all the iniquities which that infused habite shall produce, 1 Tim. 5.22. Be not partaker of other mens sinnes. Therefore a man may be partaker of others sinnes. This may be done nine wayes:
1 Consulendo, by counselling. Thou advisest, he practiseth, both are guiltie of the sinne that but the one doth. Achitophel counselling Absalom against his Liege, was guilty of treason: so was Caiaphas counselled to put Christ to death. Some advise and instigate others to that mischiefe, wherein they will not be seene themselves; thinking thus to extricate and deliver their own soules; but as the Prophet saies, They shall perish in their owne counsels.
2 Mandando, by commanding. Thus David sinned in the murther of Vriah; Saul in charging Doeg to kill the Priests; Iezabel in commanding the Nobles of Iezreel to stone Naboth. This is a sin that stickes to many tradesmen: they command their servants to lye; and their falshoods shall lye on their masters soule. Oh stay this running sore; and when thou repentest, thinke not onely on thine owne personall sins, but upon others committed at thy bidding.
3 Consentiendo, by consenting. Thus Saul sinned in keeping their garments that stoned Stephen, Act. 22.20. When the bloud of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I was consenting to his death, and kept the rayments of them that slew him: It was the confession of Saint Paul himselfe. It is Gods charge, Prov. 1.10. If sinners entice thee, consent thou not. It is the reprobates brand, Rom. 1.32. That they not only do evill things, but consent with them that doe them. Sentient eandem poenā, qui consentiunt in eandem culpam, They that consent to the same sin, shall feele the same punishment. Every mans hand is not an able instrument of mischiefe: but whosoever the instrument be, the consenter is as deepe both in the sinne and penaltie. For Quod deest operi, inest voluntati: And God values (both in good actions and evill) the will for the deed. Ioah for consenting to David, in the murther of Vriah, and numbring of the people, bore a part in those sinnes.
4 Provocando, by provoking. All they sin, that provoke others to sin. Eph. 6.4. Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Potiphars wife was a strumpet, because the provoked Ioseph to have made her one. Prov. 7.13. Shee caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him; Come, let us take our fill of love. Thus libidinous women feed their paramours high, to provoke them to lust. Drinke is given to provoke shamefull drunkennesse: offences, to provoke indignation and blowes; that the striken might be revenged on the striker. But they that thus provoke others to wickednesse, provoke God to vengeance, 1 Cor. 10.22. Doe we provoke the Lord to jealousie? Are we stronger than hee?
5 Adulando, by flattering. When we sooth up others in their sinnes; this is to make them our owne. Esay 9.16. Beatificant populum istum; They blesse the people in their errours; and cause their delinquishments by flattery, Psal. 10.3. The wicked blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The flatterer thinkes to make all his, his patrons favour his, his wealth his: but withall hee makes his sinne his, his damnation his. He gets all; he gets entertainment, he gets riches, he gets respect, he gets wickednesse, he gets hell, he gets the Devill and all. Esay 5.20. Woe to them that call evill good, and good evill, &c.
6 Participando, by partaking. Ephes. 5.7. Be not partakers with the children of disobedience. If you partake of their sinnes, you must partake of their plagues. Rev. 18.4. Aequum est, ut qui participes fuerunt in peccato, participes fiant in supplicio. It is just that they who have made themselves partners in sinning, should not be separated in suffering. The same law condemnes the receiver, that judges the theefe. They may say one to another, as that malefactour on the crosse to his fellow; Thou art in the same condemnation, Luke 23.40. In the matter of bribery, the taking hand, and the giving hand, shall be equally punished. As they shooke hands in the iniquitie, so they shall shake hands in the penaltie. For this sinne Iehu reproved Iehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 19.2. Shouldest thou helpe the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee. In this predicament they stand, that prefer bad men to good offices: the faults of that mans insufficiencie: lye upon the head of his promoter. Psal. 50.18. Thou hast beene partaker with the adulterers. To give entertainment to them we know dissolute, is to communicate with their sinnes. 2 Ioh. vers. 11. He that biddeth him God-speed, is partaker of his evill deeds. There are cases, wherein to give a good speed to the wicked, is said, Communicare operibus ipsius malignis: Psal. 101.7. Hee that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house. If thou bestow on them the offices of thy friendship, thou receivest the blemishes of their fellowship.
7 Conticendo vel connivendo: by silence or connivence. When our tongues ought to reprove, and our hands to correct, the forbearance of those duties drawes us into guiltinesse of other sinnes, Eph. 5.11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse; but reprove them rather. Cum peecata non reprehendimus aliena, facimus nostra. While we rebuke not their sinnes who belong to us, we make them our owne. Eli concerning the sinnes of his sonnes, did not connive, nor altogether hold his peace: but because he touched them so lightly, and reproved them so slightly; this brought a temporall destruction upon himselfe and his familie. If this fault befall a Minister, it is grievous, Levit. 5.1. If a man offend in blaspheming, another hearing it, and being witnesse of it; if he doe not utter it, he shall beare his iniquity. Si non indicaverit, portabit: nothing more plaine: that sin he hath concealed, it as much as if by himselfe committed. Ezek. 3.18. When God saies to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and the watch man gives him not warning; His bloud will I require at thy hand. Pardon us then in our reprehensions: if we reprove not, your transgressions become our afflictions: and wee have reason to love our owne soules better than your sinnes. Not to reprove, were the way to harden your hearts, to make you thinke well of evill, and to justifie that, God condemneth. Duobus modis te non maculabit malus; si non consentis, & si redarguis. Two wayes thou mayest escape the guiltinesse of anothers evill; if thou consent not to him, and if thou reprove him. Levit. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but shalt rebuke him, and not suffer sinne upon him. Not to rebuke him, is to hate him in thy heart: the originall carries it thus, That thou beare not sin for him.
8 Defendendo, by defending. When others iniquities are not considered of us in their true value, but find an estimation far lighter than the gravitie of them requires; this is a sin that God abominates. Prov. 17.15. He that justifieth the wicked (as he that condemneth the just) is an abomination unto the Lord. Iustice would punish a malefactor, but the protection of some great one delivers him; and now the law may put up his dagger. Thus a lewd person need not feare to offend, that hath a great man to his friend, or hath not a great man to his enemie. Tegunt eum umbrosa nemora umbraculis suis. I•• 40.22. The shady trees cover him with their shadowes. The robber rifles a passenger, is apprehended and indited: the bootie he gives to some mightie one to procure his pardon and escapes. Thus the poore traveller is robbed doubly; both of his money, and all reliefe of the Law: and the protector of the lewd person is become the greater theefe. This is a common appropriation of others sins: when mens wittes are set on worke to make that good, which their malice hath made necessary. Covetousnesse begot Vsurie, unjustice doth practise it, and some are fee’d to defend it. Pride and profanesse makes tythes arbitrary; and is there no man will take paines to justifie it? This is to bring the sins of all men that transgresse in that nature, to become that mans, whose pen did patronize such sacriledge.
9 In praecedendo, in giving bad example. He that leads men to sinne, is guiltie of their sinne. An unruly beast breakes the hedge, and feeds in a forbidden pasture, the whole herd followes: the owner must answere for all these harms. The reproch of Ieroboam was, that he made Israel to sin: not only imperando, by commanding: but also exemplum dando, by leading them in precedent: and the wickednesse of Israel will not be taken off from his soule for ever. In a rebellion, the captaines intend nothing but some reformation; but the multitude is not so qualified: they breake into houses, pillage, spoile, and commit outrages, shall not the exemplary leaders be guiltie of all this? If the Master love quaffing, there will scarce be a sober familie, he shall answer for that sin in his servants. One peevish teacher broacheth a schisme or pernicious doctrine, presently many catch hold of it: thus the truth hath a wound, and suffers blasphemie. He that gave the occasion shall beare the burden, unlesse timely and hearty repentance recant it, retract it, and his soule find mercie.
Thus easy is it to be guilty of others sinnes. Indeed Credimus nulla peccata nobis nocere, nisi nostra: we beleeve that no sinnes shall hurt us but our owne: but by all these wayes, we make other mens sinnes our owne. Prov. 5.22. His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe. His owne? why not anothers also? Yes, if he make them his owne by any of the former conveyances. Wee have all sinnes enough of our owne, wee need not attract others. Wee deserve punishment enough for what we have done in our owne persons; it were heavy for us to adde to our vengeance by participation of others wickednesse. In all this let us confesse our owne guiltinesse, and for all this implore GODS mercifulnesse in IESUS CHRIST.
The way of truth shall be evill spoken of.] Lastly, we come to the effect, or aspersion layd upon the Gospell by their means: which is Blasphemy, pessimum [genus] maledicentiae. Be the way of truth taken for CHRIST, who is both the way and the truth; then woe to him that dares blaspheme CHRIST. Or, be it taken for the true meanes of bringing man to everlasting blessednesse; will any man blaspheme the meanes of his owne salvation? Is the sacred word of truth, which the Saints have valued above all gold and Iewels, treasures and pleasures; of so poore an esteeme with them, that they should blaspheme it?
Blasphemy] is now the subject of our discourse; and therefore first begin wee with the definition, next with the distinction of it. Dicitur Blasphemia ἀπὸ τοῦ βλάπτειν τὴν φήμην, quia laedit alterius famam; it blemisheth the credit of another. It differs not from αἰσχρολογία, vel κακολογία, maledicentia. They that would derive it from βλάξ, a fish so vile that the very dogs will not touch it, come short: for it is more than a stoliditie or stupiditie; even a curst malice of the heart desiring to hurt. The contrary vertue is εὐφημία, a studie to speake well of others. It is a vice that offends in Defectu; depressing and disgracing that is good, and in Excessu, extolling and magnifying that is evill. For distinction, it is maledicentia derogans, vel contra veritatem Dei, vel contra Deum veriratis, vel contra amicos et Dei et veritatis. Blasphemie is a speech of derogation, either against the truth of God, or against the God of truth, or against the friends of both God and truth. That blasphemie which is against Gods friends and true worshippers, I will lightly passe, because it is not here within the center of the text, though not out of the circumference.
The Sonne of Rapha defied Israel, and Ionathan slew him, 1. Chro. 20.7. This sinne is interdicted, Exod. 22.28. Principi populi tui non maledices. Thou shalt = revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. This is the vulgar sinne of this world, for the greater sort are apt to blaspheme the better sort. The Apostles could not scape it. 1. Cor. 4.13. Blasphemati precamur: being defamed, we intreat. Such were the aspersions of the infidels against the christians in Iustines and Tertullians times; that their feasts were Thyestean bankets, that they had promiscuous mixtures &c. 1. Pet. 3.16. They speake evill of us, as of evill doers, accusing our good conversation in Christ. This blasphemie what Saint hath escaped? Because God wrought miracles by Moses, they called him a conjurer. Because Iohn Baptist lived an austere life, they said he had a Devill. Because Paul spake of Christs death and our redemption by him, Festus called him a mad man. They abused holy Cyprian, with the nickname of Caprion, when Christ himselfe cast out Devils, they blasphemed that he did it by Belzebub. Now all these maledictions offer injurie and ignominie to God himselfe: because his Saints are the organs whereby he will propagate the glory of his Name: they doe what they can to obscure his majestie. 1. Sam. 17.10. when that proud Philistine defied the armies of Israel, David sayes directly that he had blasphemed God himselfe, ver. 45. I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, whom thou hast defied. Rabshaceh defied the Iewes; yet saith Hezekiah, hee hath reproved the living God, Esa. 37.4. The waight of this sinne is felt in the punishment. If it be against the magistrate, a bird of the aire shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter, Exod. 10.20. If it be against parents; the Ravens of the valley shall pecke out that eye, and the young Eagles shall eate it, Pro. 30.17. He that despiseth you, despiseth me, saith Christ to his Apostles. And in that you have done it to these little ones, you have done it to me saith the Lord Iesus.
Blasphemie] immediate against God is, vel non tribuendo sua vel tribuendo non [sua], vel abutendo in malitiam, quae referenda sunt in gloriam. Either by denying God his owne, or by ascribing to him that is not his owne, or by abusing that malitiously, which is to be referred to his glory. 1. Such as deny his wisedome, Iustice, mercie, providence; as if he had neither care nor power to redeeme his people, Esa. 52.5. The rulers make the people to howle, as if God had forgotten them; and thus is my Name blasphemed. 2. Such as make him the author of evill, lode him with affections, charge him with injustice. Ezek. 18.25. ye say, the way of the Lord is not equall: as if the Lord had delt unjustly with them. 3. Such as execrate and curse the Lord, and (this is the proper acception of blasphemie, Rev. 16.11. They blasphemed the God of heaven,) because of their paines. Thus too many make that sacred bloud which saves the world, and washeth all our soules white; the subject of a furious oath: and fortifie the credite of a trifle with those wounds, that cost the Sonne of God his life. What is this but lacerare Christum, to rend in peeces the Lord Iesus; and to obiect him to new sufferings, so farre as their malice can extend? For they sinne no lesse, Qui blasphemant Christum regnantem in coelis, quàm qui crucifixerunt ambulantem in terris: that revile CHRIST raigning in heaven, than they that crucified him living on earth. Oh that we should be more insensible of this injurie, than the very senselesse creatures. Matth. 27.51. The vaile of the Temple was rent, the earth did quake, and the rockes clove asunder. When the Iewes heard blasphemie, it was their custome to rend their garments. So Act. 14.15. When the Apostles heard the superstitious Lystrians intention, they rent their clothes. Loe now when the Son of God was blasphemed upon the Crosse, because mens hearts were so hard, the very Temple it selfe rent her vaile, her garment, the earth rent her bosome, yea her very ribbes, the stony rockes. So execrable is the sinne of blasphemie: some have observed that the greatest sinnes against God are words: obliquities in speech offend more than those in action. Their blowes cannot reach God, but their blasphemies shall flie upon him. Therefore the sin that is never to be forgiven, is blasphemie against the Holy Ghost. He that doth a sinne, breakes Gods Law: he that blasphemes, strikes the person. Such offenders were to be stoned by the Mosaicall Law, Levit. [24]. By the civill Law, to have their tongues cut out: as most unworthy to have a tongue, that abused it to their makers dishonour. In a word, to derogate any thing from God, is blasphemie, Matth. 9.3. when CHRIST pronounced remission of = to the paraliticke; the Iewes said, This man blasphemeth. Why, wherein? because he forgiveth sinnes; and who can forgive sinnes; but God onely, Mark. 2.7. For man to arrogate that which is Gods peculiar, they call blasphemie. For otherwise, to heale both body and soule; to cure his sicknesse, and to forgive his sin, had not beene to blaspheme, if they had knowen CHRIST to be God. Matth. 26.65. The high Priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemie: yee have heard his blasphemie. Why, what was it? Visuros filium, &c. Yee shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power. This is Gods right, therefore when he chalenged it , they say, he blasphemed. Ioh. 10.36. Say you to me, Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Sonne of God? Now which way the Romists, in giving that honour to the creatures, which is only due to the creator, can quit themselves from blasphemie, viderius ipsi, let themselves looke to it.
Blasphemie.] Against Scripturall doctrine, this way of truth. Paul confesseth that in his persecution of the Church he enforced men to this blasphemie. Act. 26.11. I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme. Iam. 2.7. Doe not they blaspheme that worthy Name, by which yee are called? He meaneth, they reproch the doctrine of Christianitie. Revel. 2.9. I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes and are not. This is done two wayes according to the difference and qualitie of the persons blaspheming: and they are either enemies or friends. If they be enemies, they disgrace it by their language: if friends, by their lives and conversations.
Enemies by their tongues, casting fowle aspersions on the faire cheeke of truth. They accuse the very sunne of darkenesse, and peace it selfe of contradictions. To omit the Turkish calumnies, and Iewish contumelies; even they that call themselves Christians, have not stucke to vilipend the Truth of CHRIST. The Romists have called it a Shipmans house, a waxen nose: it is little beholden to them; for it hath heard as ill of them, as David did of Shimei, or, the living God of Rabshakeh, God saies, it makes wise to salvation; but they seale it up under an unknowne tongue, that the people might be fooles still. Harding called it a spirituall dumbnesse: such a mouth should be made dumbe for ever. How doe they magnifie the writings of their owne, how vilifie the writings of God! Those, they say, will make men good Catholickes: these will make them Heretickes. O blasphemie in the height; that a Iesuites pen should make Saints, and the HOLY GHOSTS pen should make sinnners! What divell durst rore out such a blasphemie above ground? These are they that speake evill of the truth of God, the God of truth be their Iudge.
Friends by their bad lives. Rom. 2.24. The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you. That men should be in profession Christians, and in conversation Pagans, vident & rident daemones; the divells looke on it, and laugh at it. The profession of faith, and operation of good workes, are the integrall parts of Christianitie: and in the children of God admit of no divorce. 1 Thes. 4.7. God hath not called us to uncleannesse, but to holinesse. But this is to be called one way, and to run another: as Ionas being sent to Niniveh, went to Tharshish. Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: God shall render to every man according to his workes. In our baptisme we give a defyance to sin and Satan: shall we re-entertaine what = have sworne to renounce? In the Lords Supper we professe to be made one with Christ: now can we partake of the Lords table, and the table of divells, 1 Cor. 10.21. These are incompatible. Nature it selfe loves nothing simulated or counterfeit; but would have us know the veritie of things from their effects. We know the Nightingale by her sweete notes, and can discerne the Eagles from the Vulture by the cry: Leonem rugitus discernit a lupo: Christianum mores ab ethnico: our manners distinguish us from unbeleevers. Suppose a Christian and a Pagan were together, and both should sweare and forsweare; how could a stranger tell, which was the Pagan, which the Christian? Anacharsis approved Operum copiam, verborum parsimoniam: Socrates among Philosophers, and Hippocrates among the Physicians, desired practicall orations, and would have their schollers in verbis breves, in operibus prolixas; speake little and doe much. And if any did not philosophize in his life, they rejected him as a blasphemer of their profession. This is a waightie point, whereon the Scripture liberally spends it selfe: and out of that armory I will produce five weapons, to convince this kind of blasphemie.
Ezek. 36.22. Yee have prophaned my holy name among the heathen, whither ye went. They should have converted the heathen to the true God, and they suffered themselves to be perverted by the heathen to false gods. Psalm. 106. They learned their workes, served their Idols, and sacrificed their children unto divells. Thus they became twice their slaves; their bodies conquered by their weapons, and their hearts by their vices. Thus the Iewes brought them out of love with God, and to mislike his religion, which they might judge to produce such cursed effects. So the crueltie of the Spaniards to the Indians made them cry; Quis (malum) deus iste; [with a] mischiefe what god is this, that hath such bloud-hounds and Tygers to his servants.
1 Tim. 6.1. Let the servants that are under the yoke, count their owne Masters worthy of all honour; that the Name of God, and his doctrine be not blasphemed. Let Christian servants honour their unchristned Masters; lest their rebellion be laid as an imputation upon God, and as a blasphemie upon religion. And the same Apostle saies that even servants may adorne the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, Tit. 2.10. The lowest condition, blessed with an honest conversation, may grace the Gospel. Often it is true, that mundo infimus may be Deo intimus: the lowest in the worlds eye, the highest in Gods estimation. While superstition dwelt in this land, how was it adorned! the garments of an Idol cost hundreds; and the appurtenances to some, thousands: men gave their estates, as the Israelites their eare-rings and most precious Iewels, to make a golden calfe. Now the Truth is advanced among us, we are so far from adorning it, that we shame it.
1 Pet. 2.12. Have your conversation honest, that they who speake against you as evill doers, may by your good workes which they shall behold, glorifie God in the day of visitation. There be many elected, that are not yet called: they are yet out of the fold, but they belong to the covenant by Gods everlasting decree. Now the clew whereby God will unwind them out of the Labyrinth of error, may be the = of your exemplary life, Ioh. 17.20. There be some that shall beleeve on CHRIST, through our word. Now if we live as they live, how can we hope they will beleeve as we beleeve? The pagan concludes, if I saw their workes better than mine, I should thinke their faith better than mine. Suppose the robbed and wounded passenger (Luk. 10.30.) had beene an heathen; finding no mercie of the Iew, much of the Samaritan; would he not have embraced the Samaritans religion sooner than the Iewes? yet the Iewes religion was true, and not the Samaritans. As our Saviour said; Salvation is of the Iewes, Ioh. 4.22. Thus as at the Barre, truth is often wronged by an ill pleader, so religion is scandald by an ill professor. The •ewes called them the sonnes of Abraham: yet they wanted faith, which was the most glorious grace of Abraham. So many stile themselves the children of God, yet have not so much holinesse as should make them in any respect like their Father.
Matth. 5.6. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father in heaven. Shall that which should lighten others to heaven, be it selfe darkened? As Naaman said, 2 King. 5.11. I thought that he would come and doe something; strike his hand on the sore, &c. So Expectavimus opera, nil [manifestum] nisi verba: we looke for deeds, but behold nothing but words. Sanctum [audio], profanum video: to mine eares he is a Saint, to mine eyes a divell. The King sends an Ambassador to magnifie his state in a forraine countrey, and he to contract something to himselfe, by penurious and dishonourable courses, brings his [Soveraignes] Majesticke worth into question. When God put the Sun into heaven, he bad him shine there: when he placeth a Christian in his lower or be, he imposeth upon him an actuall remonstrance of that which he meant him. Every Christian is a Lampe that should shine to Gods glory: all sinnes dampe the light, continued wickednesse puts it out: and then darkenesse internall must unto darkenesse eternall.
Salomon saies, A wicked sonne is a griefe to his father, and a shame to his mother. If a man nourish the son of a stranger, and he prove rebellious, the sorrow sits as farre from his heart, as the offender is from his bloud. When his owne son = the shame redounds to himselfe. If we belong to Gods familie, let us shew what house we come of, not only by our liverie, but by our living. How doe the divell and his limbes triumph at the falls of professors? the Saints are reproched, the truth disgraced, and religion it selfe scandalised: this is to shame our father. The blame shall be laid on the religion, whereas it is because men are not enough religious. Yea, our mother suffers for us, the Church is dishonoured: and if any one protestant could be found a traitor, Rome would justifie her many thousand treasons by that singular exprobration. His life is bad, therefore his doctrine is false, I confesse, is a harsh non sequitur: yet will the world so conclude it: and it is a thousand times better that our good lives should prevent it, than afterwards be driven by our arguments to disprove it. We are but sory friends to God, that give advantage against him to his enemies. We beseech him to honour us in heaven, and he forbids us to dishonour him upon earth: how should men looke to be advanced, by that truth they have disgraced! Preserve we it from malediction of men, and it shall preserve us from the malediction of God: let us vindicate the truth from present blasphemie, and the truth shall deliver us from everlasting miserie, through him that is Truth and life, Iesus Christ.
To conclude; the Truth is not the lesse glorious indeed, but in the worlds estimation. It lyes not in the power of men, or malice of devils, to disgrace the truth: for it shall shine glorious, when heaven and earth perish, and all her maligners subjected under her conquering feete, it is of the nature that God himselfe is; whose glory is not capable of any augmentation, nor passive of any diminution. He is said to be dishonoured by our sinnes; to be magnified and glorified by our good works But let our workes be good or evill, still thou continuest holy. O thou worship of Israel, whether the Turkes despise Iesus, or the Christians adore him; still he abides, The same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Such is the immutability of truth: the patrons of it make it not greater, the opposers make it not lesse. As the splendor of the Sunne is not enlarged by them that blesse it, nor ecclipsed by them that hate it. That thing which may be extended, may also be contracted: if it admit addition, it may also suffer diminution: God and his Truth are lyable to neither. Indeed the blessed virgin sung, Luk. 1.46. my soule doth magnifie the Lord. This word may naturally seeme to signifie, magnum facere, to make great: but cannot there so be understood. God is so immense, that nothing can be added to him, nor taken from him. The sea may be multiplied, the earth swollen bigger, the heavens stretched out, hell enlarged: but God is ever the same. There is nothing greater or more than Infinite. It himselfe he is neither magnified, nor vilefied, but in respect of others. When we blaspheme his name, we doe what we can vilem reddere, to lessen his greatnes: when we praise his name, we doe what we can magnum facere, to augment his greatnesse. Because the former teacheth others to contemne him, the latter to admire him. So magnificare is onely magnum significare: to magnifie him, is to expresse him great let men bee wonne by your good workes, to glorifie God, 1. Pet. 12. qui maledicit Domino, ipse minuitur: qui benedicit, augetur. Aug. Thy contempt of the truth makes not it worse; but thy selfe: thy advancing it makes not it greater, but thy selfe better. Thererefore for Maries giving her soule to magnifie God, God doth magnifie her soule, Luk. 1.49. Hee that is mightie, hath magnified me. It is not wee that make free the Truth, but the truth that makes us free, Iohn 8.32. The truth shall make you free. When we professe it with our lips, and confesse it in our lives, the truth is not beholding to us, but we are beholding to it, that our testimony may be accepted. Our grace is the Lords glory: the more we are amended, the more hee is commended. Thus we may cause the truth to appeare greater in us, though it cannot be made greater by us.
So contrarily, by the wickednesse of their conversation, whose profession promiseth most holinesse; the truth appeares more inglorious to others, is no whit lesse glorious in it selfe. The truth is great and will prevaile; and how big soever they looke that blaspheme it, yet still wisedome is iustified of her children. The Lord will alwaies keepe some Defenders on foote, that shall glorifie the truth: it shall be strong enough in those weake and single adherences, to lay all the enemies on the ground. What hope was there of this event in Martin Luther, when hee disliked onely one point of Poperie: the base prostitutions of indulgences in Germanie? yet will that God (who glorifies his owne power in the disability of his Instruments) by that one man vindicate the truth from the universall blasphemies of those apostate times As Beza wrote of him, not without admiration.
Roma orbem domuit, Romam sibi Papa subegit. Viribus illa suis, fraudibus iste suis. Quanto illâ major Lutherus, major et isto; Illam istùmque uno qui domuit calamo!
Rome overcame the world by her power, the Pope overcame Rome by his cunning; and Luther overcame them both by his penne. If wee now shall wound that truth by our sinnes, which God hath sent to save our soules, no wonder if wee perish by her forsaking us, that have lost our selves by forsaking her, no, let us keepe her, and keepe her from unjust aspersions: let us beare her in our hearts: weare her in our lips, and reare her up in our lives that others may see, and our owne consciences feele, we are the friends of truth. She hath made that proffer to the Romanists, that Paul did once to the Iewes, Act. 13.46. The Truth hath beene first spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life; loe, I turne unto others. Hither she is come, and by the mercie of God hath long dwelt; let us now leave off to offend her, lest she flie to others that will give her more honour and better entertainement. Woe were it to us, if the kingdome of GOD should bee taken from us, and given to a nation that would bring forth the fruits thereof. Matth. 21.42. No, Lord give us hearts to love thy truth, that thy truth may love us: let her dwell with us while we live here, and let us dwell with her in heaven for ever.
