The City of Peace, Section 4
The Law of this Citie
Is the Gospel of Christ:The Lavv of Peace. a law indeed, but a law of peace. It made peace betwixt God and man, and it must make peace betweene man and man. If it cannot reconcile vsus one to another, it shall reconcile none of vsus to the Lord. It is a lawe, not to bee obserued for State, but for Conscience. Indeed those Catuli Catilinarij, Statising Iesuites, turne all their Religion into Statisme, yea into Atheisme. And there be many Church-Recusants, a monstrous, menstruous brood, the Moone-calues of that lunatick religion. Come they doe, but more for feare of the Law, then for louelove of the Gospell. And al the children that euen hang on the brests of peace, cannot be excused: for some through nescience or negligence, scarce cast an eye on the statutes of peace.
I will heare what the Lord will speake: Psal. 85. 8for hee will speake peace vntounto his people. One takes snuffe at his poore neighbour; perhaps it is Mordecai's cap that hath put Haman out of his princely wits: and now hee resolues to trounce him: proud beggar! Hee will teach him to knowe his betters. O but tarry, and heare the Statute of Peace.Pro. 22. 22. Rob not the poore because hee is poore: for the Lord will pleade his cause, and spoyle the soule of them that spoile him. Lust makes this a spurre to opression, Quia pauper, because hee is poore: the Law makes this a bridle from it, Quia pauper, because he is poore. Another is erop-sicke of Ceremonies; hee hath a toy in his head, that the Churches garment should not bee embroydered, nor hauehave more lace and fringe then his owne coat: there is in him so little of man, that he talkes of nothing but the Beast. Rather then his children shall bee crossed in Baptisme, hee will out of the Arke into some fantasticall Wherry. Let him tarry, and heare what the Lord speakes, in his Law of peace.Gal. 6. 15. In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auayleth anything, nor vncircumcision, but a New creature. That is, neither Ceremony, nor no Ceremony, but the Substantiall; a new Creature.
Another flatters himselfe; I need not stand on strict performance of Tythes, the Gospell requires nothing but Beneuolence: experienced men iustifie it, I hauehave the warrant of good Lawyers for it. O but such a Lawyer is the Barrister of Barathrum, a sworne enemy to the law of peace. The voice of Christ is not in it, heare that. Let him that is taught in the word, Gal. 6. 6communicate vntounto him that teacheth, in all good things.
This City of Peace hath one immutable Rule, and it is sufficient to direct all actions. And as many as walke according to this Rule, Gal. 6, 16peace be on them, and mercy, and vponupon the Israell of God. A man is proud of his victorious mischiefes, flesh'd with his fortunat wickednesse; thinkes he hath carried himselfe brauely, in out-bribing his aduersary, fooling Iudge and Iury by false testimony, and triumphs in his vnblest gain; but is this according to the rule of Peace. Vincat veritas, let Truth ouercom. The loser may sit down with content, but the winner shall ye down in tormēt. A rich man carries himselfe proudly,; aboue others in scorne, aboue himselfe in folly: hee thinkes all his Titles beneath him, and euen those that worship him, still to vnderualue him: others hee lookes vponupon, as if they were made to serue him, yea, and bee proud to bee commanded by him. Crosse him, and hee rages, swelles, foames, like the Sea in a storme: but is this after the Rule of Peace?Mat. 11. 29 Learne of mee who am meeke and lowly in heart. Alas, what is the difference in dust? The Beggar dies, Luk. 16. 22so doth the rich man. Before, the rich could not endure the beggar neere him, here one verse containes thē both. In life the rich hath the preheminence of ease, and wealth, and honour: in death the poore man goes first to peace.
In driuing a trade, it is Mammons prime policy, to take aduantage of others necessitie, or simplicity. Sold you it for so much? Acts 5. 8.Saith Peter: For so much, answers Ananias. Did it cost so much? sayes the buyer: yes, saith the seller. Let him tremble at the Iudgement, which was a sudden death. This is the Rule of an vniust Citie, not of the Citie of Peace. Pereat mundi lucrum, ne fia… animae damnum. Perish that gaine which comes with the soules losse.
Many thinke Charity to the poore, to bee a worke of meere Supererogation; that they are not bound liberally to giuegive part of that to lasie beggars, which they hauehave laboriously gotten by their endeauours. But heare the Rule of Peace; Breake thy bread vntounto the hungry; Sell that thou hast, Mat. 19. 21and giuegive to the poore. But as when Christ disswaded from Couetice, by the difficultie of entrance that wealth finds to heauen, they amazedly replied, Who then can be saued? Who can walk after this Rule? When we preach this doctrine, the world cries, Durus Sermo, this is a hard saying, a harsh Sermon. Yet is this the law of peace, and thus minded are the citizens of peace. When the poore at your gates aske you Panem quotidinum, their daily bread; they after a sort make you gods; therfore shew your selues at least to be men. Charitie is the food of Peace on earth, and the Seed of peace in heauen.