The City of Peace, Description of gates

The City of Peace · Description of gates

p. 36The first Gate

Is Innocence; The first Foundation of Peace.and this may bee called Bishopsgate; the Ministers of the Gospell being both p. 37the Preachers and Precedents of Innocencie. If men would abstaine from doing wrong▪ the Peace could not be broken. St. Bernard writes of the Doue, that Felle caret, she hath no Gall: Let vsus bee such Doues to purge our harts from all bitternesse.

Now the first shelfe that wracks Innocence, is Anger. It were rare if the wrath of man should fulfill the righteòusnesse of God: The angry man cannot be Innocent.euen a curst anger breakes the Peace. It is an euidence whereby God will iudge men p. 38guilty: now there is no malefactor going to the barre for his try all, would willingly hauehave that euidence found about him, that should cast him. Iratus non videt legem, sed Lex videt iratum. The wrathfull man takes no notice of the Law, but the Lawe takes notice of the wrathfull man. Let vsus take heede lest wee carry our anger with vsus vntounto God. That which offends our eyes, we remoue either our sight from it, or it from our sight▪ but that which offends p. 39our soules, we too often lay next our heart. But, it is the voice of transportiue fury, I cannot moderate my anger. Cannot? Wherfore serueth grace, but to mortifie such natural, yea rather vnnatural passions?

How easily doth this rage often inueter at; making some so angry with men, that they will searse bee pleased with God himselfe! And either he must take thē with their anger, or let them alone. So soone it rankles into malice, & that is full opposite to Innocence.

p. 40What shall a man do? In this sudden fitt shall he come to the Lords Table, or forbeare it? Si non accesserit, periculum: Si accesserit, damnum. To refuse the Sacrament in anger, is euill: to receiue it in anger, thats worse. Is the Body & Bloud of Christ no more worth, but that for louelove of a peeuish humour we should neglect it? Shall we starue our consciences, to feed our misbegotten passions? What is then to be done in this straight? The answer is easie: Let vsus p. 41excommunicate our wrath, that wee may communicate with the Church: leaue our lusts behinde vsus, and wee are welcome;Gen. 22. 5Gen 22:5 as Abraham left his Asse when hee went about his Sacrifice. In the Leuiticall Law no vncleane thing might be touched: if it were touched, the Temple by that person must not be approched. Now for the Israelite to absent himselfe from the assembly of Saints, and seruice of God, was ponderous: to come so polluted, was dangerous. p. 42He knew the remedie; either not to be vncleane at all, or soone to get himselfe clensed. The first best is to harbour no malice; the next to deliuer our selues from it with all possible speed.

In a word, let vsus turne our anger whē it comes, another way. Let all our hate be the hate of sin; and all our anger bent against our owne corruptions. Let our wrath, like the Shepheards dogge, sleepe till the Wolfe comes. Be we at peace with God by repentāce, p. 43with our neighbour by innocence, with our owne heart by a purified and pacified conscience; and the Prince of peace, the Lord Iesus shall embrace vsus.

The second Gate

Is Patience; The second Foundation of Peace.which is not vnlike to Ludgate: for that is a Schoole of patiēce; the poore soules there learne to suffer. The first entrance of peace is to doe no iniury, the next is to suffer iniury. It is one speciall commendation of Charitie, that it Suffers p. 44all things; Pro fratribus, a fratribus, propter fratres. For our brethren wee must sustaine some losse: hee that suffers not an abatement of his owne fulnesse, to supply their emptinesse, is no brother. Of our brethren wee must put vp some wrong, rather then make a slaw in the smooth passage of peace. Because of our brethren, and for the Elects sake, 2 Tim 2. 182 Tim 2:18we must endure all things, that they may obtaine Saluation. Let vsus bee infirmed, to hauehave them confirmed: brooking p. 45a temporal losse, to procure their eternall good.

According to the Apostles counsell, Let vsus beare the burthen one of another, Gal. 62.and God shall beare the burthen of vsus all. As in the Arch of a building, one stone beares mutually, though not equally, the waight of the rest. Or as Deere swimming ouer a great water, doe ease themselues in laying their heads, one vponupon the backe of another: the formost hauing none to support him, changeth p. 46his place, and rests his head vponupon the hindmost. Beare thou with his curiousnes, hee doth beare with thy furiousnes: let mee beare with his arrogance, hee doth beare with my ignorance. In Architecture, all stones are not fit to bee laid in eueryevery part of the building: but some below, as the fundamentall, and chiefe cornerstone to sustain the load of the rest: some higher in the wall, other in the top for ornament. In the Church, which is built of Liuing Stones, p. 47Christ is the Head of the corner, the Foundation that supports all. Gracious Saints hauehave the next places, and are so set that they may helpe to beare vp the weaker.

Materialls that bee onelyonly of a hard nature, will neuer fadge well in an Edifice. The Italians hauehave a Prouerbe; Hard without soft, the wal is nought. Stones cobbled vp together, without morter to combine them, make but a tottering wall. But if there be morter to ciment them, p. 48and with the tractable softnesse of the one to glew and fixe the solide ha…dnesse of the other; this may fortifie it against the shocke of the Ramme, or shot of the Canon. The societie that consists of nothing but stones, intractable and refractory spirits, one as froward and peruerse as an other, soone dissolues. But when one is reaking with the fire of rage, and another shall bring the water of patience to coole and quench it; here is a duration of peace. When p. 49yron meets yron, there is a harsh and stubborne iarre: let wooll meete that rougher mettal, and this yeelding turnes resistance into embracements.

Let not then the voice be an eccho of ill words, nor the hand a Racket to bandy back fire-bals. Patience makes euen the wicked confesse; Thou art more righteous then I. Infoelix victoria qua hominem superamus, 1. Sam. 24.1 Sam 24vitio succūbi. 18. Bern.It is a wretched victory that ouercomes our soules, and slaues vsus to our lustes. Patientia p. 50mea à Domino, Psal. 62. 5.Ps 62:5as the Fathers read it: and indeed who can giuegive this patience, but God? Paul had many liues, yet he sacrificed them all;Cor. 15. I die daily. Etsi non mortis experientia, 31. Chrys.tamen proposito. Though he could loose but one, yet in regard of his patience and purpose, hee was ready to loose them all.

Nor is Christian patience thus confined within the bearing of iniuries; but it extends also to the remitting of them. Some can suffer for the present, as Haman p. 51before Mordecay, Animo vindicandi. Forgiuenesse is the demonstration of patience. Not to contest because wee cannot conquer, is called Patience perforce: but can we remit? The ciuill man can forbeare, the Christian must forgiue. Let vsus bee remisse to note a wrong, remissiue to forget it, writing all our iniuries in the dust. Yea, let humilitie sweetly order our forgiuenes:Sen. for Grauissima poena est contumeliosa venia: a proud and scornfull pardon, is a reprochfull p. 52wrong; there is in it more bitternesse then merciemercy; more punishment then reconcilement.

Otherwise how can we pray, Forgiue vsus our trespasses, As wee forgiue them that trespasse against vsus? O but say some, God is merciful: what, shall wee therefore bee vnmercifull? I may forgiue, but I cannot forget; is the faint reseruation of another. Take we heed, let not vsus be in iest with God, least hee be in earnest with vsus. Do we not otherwise beg a p. 53remouall of merciemercy and pardon from our owne soules? Will not God say, Euill seruant, Ex ore tuo, out of thy owne mouth wil I iudge thee? Hath Christ with his owne blood made thee friends with God, and cannot that blood intreat thee to bee friends with thy brother,Mat. … ▪ 24. when thou commest to the holy Altar with thy gift, and remembrest thy offended brother: Leaue there thy gift▪ first be reconciled to him, then offer to God. A gift doth pacifie wrath, and God is p. 54pleased with our Sacrifice vponupon his Altar: yet Cum omnis culpa munere soluatur, Aug.sola iniuria incondonata reijcitur: when eueryevery fault is solued with a gift, Iniury alone is sent away without pardon.

Therfore Qualem vis erga te esse Deum, Isodo….talem te exhibeas erga proximum: bee thou to thy brother on earth, as thou wouldest hauehave thy Father in heauen bee to thee. Si laedens, pete veniam: st laesus, da veniam. If an iniurer, aske pardon: if a sufferer, giuegive p. 55pardon. Be we so farre from expecting his submission, that wee tender our…emission; and meet the trespasser with a pardon before hee aske it.Sen. Dissensio ab alijs, à te reconciliatio incipiat. Let strife begin from others, bee thou first in reconcilement. Christ healed Malchus his eare, that came to arrest him. Which amongst vsus so loues his benefactors, as Paul loued his malefactors? Hee would doe any thing to saue them, that would do any thing to kill him. Others offences p. 56to vsus are but small; valued with ours against God who is infinite. If he forgiue the pounds, let not vsus sticke at the farthing tokens.

The next Gate

Is Beneficence; Doing good,The third foundation of Peace. is the fortification of peace. This may be called Ald-gate; not only because there is the picture of Charitie: (at the gate: I doe not say, as neere going out; but at the gate, to keepe goodnesse in.) But because that is called the Old-gate, and Charitie p. 57was a vertue of olde times, not so much now in fashion. The heathen Moralist said, wee must vse men thus; Benevelle omnibus, benefacere amicis; wish well to all, and doe good onelyonly to our friends. But the cleere light of nature, which is the Gospell, chargeth vsus while wee hauehave opportunitie,Gal. 6. 10.Gal 6:10 to doe good to all men; albeit with some preferment of the best, especially to the houshold of Faith.

All men may bee ranked vnderunder one of these combinations: Rich and p. 58poore, home-borne and strangers, friends & enemies. First for the rich and poore; the Pharisee wil stand on good terms with the rich, inuite them for a re-inuitation as men at Tennisse, tosse the ball to another, that hee may tosse it to them againe: but who helpes the poore?Pro. 19. 4.Prov 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends, but the poore is separated from his neighbours. If hee doe well, he is not regarded: if ill, hee is destroyed. The poore man by his wisdome deliuered the citie from the force of a p. 59puissant enemy; yet whē all was done,Eccl. 9. 15.Eccl 9:15 no man remembred that poore man. But if hee stumble, Ecclus. 13. 23.Sir 13:23they will helpe to ouerthrowe him. How contemptibly doth a rich epicure look vponupon a poore beggar! yet the rich and the poore meete together, Prou. 22. 2Prov 22:2and the Lord is the maker of them all. In all our graund Feasts, the guestes that Christ spoke for,Luk. 14. 14.Luke 14:14 are left out.

For Domestickes and strangers; many hauehave so much religion as to prouide for their owne; yea so much irreligion as to p. 60do it with the preiudice of the publicke good, and hazard of their own soules: but who prouides for strangers?Heb. 13. 2.Heb 13:2 Entertaine strangers, for thereby some hauehave entertained Angels vnawares: but for all this possible happinesse, few will put it to the venture: and were they indeed Angels without angels in their purses to pay for it, they should find cold entertainment.

Friends and enemies; for friends, many will be at peace with them, till they bee put to the triall p. 61by some expressiue action. And then they will rather hazard the losse of a friend, then the lest losse by a friend. But suppose we answere our friendes in some slight courtesie, hoping for a greater: who will doe good to his enemies? If thine enemie hunger, Ro. 12. 20.Rom 12:20feed him▪ so thou shalt heape soales of fire on his head. Do it, not with an intent to make his reckoning more, but thy owne reckoning lesse. LoueLove your enemies, Mat. 5. 44.Matt 5:44blesse them that curse you, doe good to them that hate you, and pray for p. 62them that despitefully vse you. Doe vntounto them deeds of amitie, deeds of charitie, deeds of pietie. Of amitie, LoueLove them that hate you: of Charitie, Doe good to them that hurt you: of Pietie, Pray for thē that persecute you. There is the Diligite of the Heart, LoueLove your enemies. The Benedicite of the Tongu, Blesse them that curse you. The Benefacite of the Hand, Doe good to them that hate you. The Beneuelle of all, Pray for thē that persecute you. LoueLove your enemies, p. 63there is Affectus cordis: Doe them good, there is Effectus operis: Pray for them, there is Perfectio charitatis. But the wiseman counsels;Eccl. 12. 5. 7.Eccl 12:5Eccl 12:7 Doe well to him that is lowly, but giuegive not to the vngodly. And GiueGive vntounto the good, not to the sinner. Though not Qua impius, and quia impiu…; yet qua homo; and quia homo, wee must releeue him. Cherish himselfe, not his sinne. Wee must louelove him, non quoad culpam, sed quoad naturam. They are Gods children, licet insani, although they be sick; and p. 64our brethren, licet infirmi, although they bee weake. Therefore for the conformitie of nature, because we are the same workmanship: for our owne benefite, for hee that doth good to his enemy, euen in that doth better to himselfe: and for the imitation of Him wee worship, let vsus vphold Peace by Charitie. His Sunne rises, and raine falls, both on the iust and vniust. Noli negare, Mat. 5, 45.Matt 5:45quod Deus nulli negat. Thus looking vp with pietie to the Lords perfection, and downe p. 65with pitie vponupon mans imperfection, let vsus doe good to all.

Through the gate of Beneficence, doth the charitable man enter into the Citie of Peace. Hee that is couetous, must needs be mutinous. He that is greedy of gaine, Pro. 15. 27.Prov 15:27troubleth his owne house Salomon cals him a trouble-house, and wee doe find him a trouble-citie; as Demetrius did all Ephesus. But Charitie makes peace; Diuitem voluit Deus vt pauperem adiuvaret, Pauperem voluit vt diuitem probaret. p. 66God makes some rich, to helpe the poore: and suffers some poore, to try the rich. The loaden would bee glad of ease: now charitie lighteneth the rich man of his superfluous and vnweldy cariage. When the poor find mercy, they will be tractable: when the rich find quiet, they should bee charitable. Would you hauehave your goods kept in Peace? First, lock them vp by your prayers, then open them againe with your thankfull vse, and trust them in the hands of Christ p. 67by your Charitie.

This Citie heares ill for oppression, and is (I feare too iustly) suspected of Iniustice: now the most noble confutation of iealousie, is by deeds of charitie. This is the East-gate to the Citie of Peace, and I may (from Saint Paul) call it the principall, and most excllent way. 1. Cor. 12. 31.1 Cor 12:31Whosoeuer can shew you the way better, yet certainly none can shew you a better way.

The fourth Gate

Is Recompence, or Satisfaction; p. 68and this we may liken to Creeple-gate. It is the lamest way to peace, yet a way: it is a halting gate, but a gate. It were far better comming into this Citie by any of the former gates, yet better at this then none. All come not in by Innocence, nor all by Patience, nor all by Beneficence: but if they hauehave failed in these, they must be admitted by recompence, or not at all. The first best is to do no iniury; the next is Satisfaction, to make amends for that wee hauehave done. p. 69Hortensins sayd of his mother, Ego nunquam cum ea inivi gratiam, I neuer was reconciled to her, because we two neuer fell out. O that the Inhabitants of this citie could say so of their neighbours; Wee neuer were made friends, because wee neuer were foes.Non operter Officii, sed potius officiendi. But as our Sauiour saith, It is necessary that offences doe come: not that it should be so, but that it will be so. There is no necessity that compels a man to sinne; except that the heart being euill, will giuegive offence. p. 70As it is necessary for him that comes to the fire, to be made hot:Hieron. but there is no necessity that hee come vntounto the fire.

The malady of offences, will bee contracted, therefore the onelyonly Cure is by Satisfaction. That wee may know how to doe this, the Scripture sets downe diuers degrees in the accomplishment of this Satisfaction for iniuries. First, he must goe to the party wronged. Secondly, He must confesse his fault. Thirdly, He must p. 71humble himself. Fourthly, He must make restitution. Fiftly, Hee must reconcile himselfe. Sixtly, and this must be done quickly, with all possible speed.

He must goe to him, not tarry till hee meete him, or till some occasion bring them together;Mat. 5. 24.Matt 5:24 not Obuiamda; But Goe to thine aduersary, goe on purpose: enquire for him, seeke him out, rest not till thou finde him.

Humanity may worke some to this vndertaking, and ouertaking of peace: but man is naturally p. 72so good a constructor of his owne doings, that will hee confesse his fault?Num. 5. 7.Num 5:7 Yes, He shall confesse his trespasse.

An ingenious nature may be brought to acknowledge his fault: but will Pride, the contention-maker, admit Humilitie? will hee stoope to him hee hath abused? From insultation will hee descend to submission? He must; Goe and humble thy selfe.Prou. 6. 3.Prov 6:3

Touch of conscience may procure Humilitie; but yet wll he not spend twice as much at Law, p. 73ere he make restitution? Yet euen here, a quiet man for his owne peace sake may be brought to giuegive somewhat, for a part of amends: but will hee satisfie him the whole? The law of nature requires total satisfaction, but will hee besides giuegive dammages? The law of the Land allowes dammages; but now will hee giuegive any ouerplus to make an attonement? or bee at so much coast as to buy a reconcilement, rather then misse it? He must: Zacheus restores fourefold; p. 74and by the Law he is bound to adde a fifth part.Num. 5. 7.Num 5:7

But if all this be done, will hee yet euer bee friends with him? will he be truely reconciled? Hee must:Mat. 5. 24.Matt 5:24 Reconcile thy self to thy brother. Otherwise, when he desires of the Lord to be forgiuen, as hee forgiueth; God will answer as Ioseph did to his brethren;Gen. 43. 3.Gen 43:3 Looke me not in the face, vnlesse thy brother bee with thee. Shall the father thinke wel of that sonne, which reiecteth his brother? Doe we call the Author p. 75of Peace, our God, while wee are the children of dissention? Will he euer agree with him, that delights to quarrell with his? But suppose the iniurer doth intreate and perswade himself, without pr…uailing, will he vse his friendes about such a businesse? Yes, saith Seolomon, hee must employ his friends.

Time may worke all this, but to doe it when the flesh trembles, and the blood boyles for reuenge, suddenly; who can so preuaile ouer him selfe? He must doe it p. 76quickly; Mat 5. 25.Matt 5:25Agree with thine aduersary quickly. Yes perhaps, when leasure may serue: but will any man neglect businesse to goe about it? Yes, all busines set apart, though it were as important as offring sacrifice at Gods owne Altar; Leaue there thy gift, Pelican.&c. Non experieris Deum tibi propitium, nisi proximus te sentiat sibi placatum. Strife with our brother makes our best seruices vnacceptable to our Father. The Lord despiseth his own worship, to maintain our charitie: and will not be p. 77found of vsus,Chysost. till we hauehave found our brother, to make our peace with him. Come not to the Temples, heare no Sermons, say not your praiers, forbeare all worship and deuotions, while a festring and rankling hatred is in your soules.

Yet now all this may be done of an Inferiour to a Superior, either for feare or hope of gaine by his louelove: but would you hauehave a Superiour yeeld thus to an Inferior, to deprecate strife? Yes, Abraham disdained not to goe vntounto Lot, the p. 78elder to the yonger, the vncle to the nephew, the worthier to the meaner, and that in the kindest manner, to compose a controuersie begun by their seruants. O that this age, which seldome wakes but to doe mischiefe, would yet think, how after all iniuries to others, they doe this greatest iniury to their owne soules; that for want of a iust compensation, they exclude themselues from the blessing of Peace!

These bee the maine Gates, there is a little Posterne p. 79besides, that is Humilitie: for of all vices,Humilitie the conseruation of Peace. Pride is a stranger to Peace. The proud man is too guiltie, to come in by Innocence: too surly, to come in by Patience: he hath no minde to come in by Benefaction: and he scornes to come in by Satisfaction. All these Portcullises be shut against him: there is no way left but the Postern for him, he must stoope, or neuer bee admitted to peace. Pride is alwayes enuious & contumelious, thinking shee addes so much to her p. 80owne reputation, as shee detracts from others: she is no fit neighbor for Peace.