Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII. Of Inuiries, offences, and controuersies.
WHen an iniurie is offered thee, the Lord doth trie thee, what louelove,Iniurie. patience, and meekenesse is in thee to blesse them that curse thee, which will followe if thou be the childe of God: contrariwise if thou requite euill for euill, then doth the Lord shewe vntounto thee the corruption, which thou must labour to pull out of thee if thou wilt ouercome.
2 When we see that others stand in neede of our helpe, and wee areHelpe. able to helpe, the Lord requireth our obedience.
3 Meditations of GODS promises and prouidence, will driue from vsus all desire ofReuenge. reuenge.
4 We must not tarry vntill others reconcile thēselues vntounto vsus: but as God doth rather oftentimes, by heaping his benefits than powring his plagues vponupon vsus, shew vsus our sinnes; so must we rather by courteous dealing than seuere handling, shew others how they hauehave offended vsus.
5 The more Pharaoh restrained, the more Moses stood in the thing that was commanded;Offēces small sinnes. cōtrary vntounto those which making a mingle mangle in religion, yeeld in some things, but wee must not yeeld a lot of that the Lord requireth, although in worldly matters wee ought for peace to yeeld one to another. In religion it skilleth not how little the matter seeme, for which we doe contend. The least thing that God commandeth is great in theMatth. 5. Num. 20. sight of God: and Gods children hauehave been punished for small offences in appearance, as Moses and Aaron for grudging were debarred from the land of promise. Iosiah was slaine because he asked not counsell to goe to warre, which may teach vsus to beware of the least offences. It ought not to be condemned nor counted precisenesse not to giuegive consent in the breach of the least thing, though we may beare them (when they cannot be redressed) but not with consent.
6 Shall we be contentious? I thinke no nature is so mis…reant, that it doth delightHow far controuersies are permitted in the Church o… God Fia… pax as fiat lux. in contention: if any delight to dwell in Mesh…ch, as Dauid calleth it, I would he had a tabernacle there: if any delight in contention, I wish no more harme, than that he may be neuer without it. What then, shall we blot out controuersies? That were to teach the spirit of God wisedome. Could he not as well hauehave said, let there be peace, as let there be light? …ay, God hath ordained there should be contentions, and not onelyonly permitted them, but saith, they must be, and such as be about the waightiest matters in truth called heresies, 1. Cor. 11. Then it is a dreame of idle braines, that any good can be receiued without controuersies, and as the Prophet Esaiah saith, without the barking of some dog or other. It is not so in euill things; they are receiued with silence: what then shal we play the pots, and aske the potter a reason of his doing? Albeit I like not that humorWherefore controuersies and heresies be in the Church. of men, which wil search out the reason of God his doings, when they know his flat wil, yet in this we may, because he hath set it downe. There be three reasons, first that those, That are stedfast may be approued, we will hauehave it in this. As Sathan did to Iob, God called him, what saiest thou of my seruant Iob▪ Liueth he not vprightly? No grandmercie, said he, for he hath all blessings of thee, but take away them, and then &c. Secondly,1 there are cities to be gouerned, and to that ende we must vse our talent. Iohn reproued2 the Scribes and Pharisies and came to reproue Herod. Samuel reproued Ely, and came to reproue Saul, that might hauehave smitten off his head. Thirdly, that the Diuell may hauehave the3 greater ouerthrow, that as God triumphed ouer him in Iob, so in our constancie he might doe the like. Then controuersies are necessarie. How then is it, that God is called the God of glorie and peace? that Christ is called the prince of peace? the Gospell, the Gospell of peace? the Ministers, the Ministers of peace? of glad tydings and vnitie commended so generall? Surely it is the fault of our age to deliuer the word by halfes, and so I say, that he that teacheth peace to be good simplie without exception, teacheth an errour. Therefore peace must be peace in truth, and for this cause Christ saith, I am the way, the life and truth: for to hauehave contention with such as hold not in him, is no breach of peace. Nay the wicked among themselues hauehave no peace, it is but truce, they hauehave couenanted with hell for a time, a day, a few yeares, or as the rearme of their life, and then is great and euerlasting debate, we may see it in the first agreement among the wicked. The serpent disputed with Heua, vntill she had yeelded; then all was quiet vntill the euening, but thenTruth and peace goe together. came one & brake the truce. Separate peace from truth, and peace is no peace. The reason therefore is set down, Ps. 138. Lord thou hast magnified thy truth aboue al things, therfore aboue peace. And that I fal not into that error aforesaid my selfe, I will tell you what truth is. We thinke we are at peace, & hauehave vnitie perfect among vsus if we be of the same religion, and we agree, that we must, and wilbe all Protestants: but the fathers hauehave al distinguished truth into three parts. *See chap. 71.First, truth of doctrine in religion: Secondly, of life in our conuersation: Thirdly, of iustice in giuing preferments. Vnlesse a man hath al these, he hath none of them: and if in all these be peace, I will seeke & ensue after peace; as saith the Psalmist: if any offend in these, I will not hauehave peace with him. We knowe, that veritas doctrinae hath had witnesses martyrs; so hauehave the other two, though they send vsus not to heauen in a firie chariot: but an euil name which eueryevery mā for their stakes must prouide to suffer: we must be in this, as Christ, when he kneeled before his father in the garden. If mās saluation may be wrought, let this cup passe; if not, thy will be done. So if a man should hold vsus a cup of the wrath of a multitude, or a mightie man, we must say, if it be possible, the truth may be defended without this; then let this cup passe: but if it cannot be otherwise, let me drinke the dregs & all. So that God himselfe in such cases is the author of dissention. He will hauehave dissention, hee sweareth, Esay. 59. that hee is angrie, for that none will make dissension in taking part with the truth. GOD the Father may seeme farther off. But euen CHRIST the Prince of peace himselfe, Mat. 10. saith: I came not to bring peace, but a sworde, that they which consent in wickednes, might sticke no longer together: And Psal. 94. Dauid saith, Who will take my part against the wicked? That was a voyce of dissention (if euer there wereFlabellum. anie, euen that which Tullie calleth the fanne of dissention. Augustine saith, this is nothing but a question betweene the Counsell, and the Tribune, they will agree with the inferiour magistrate against him, that is as farre aboue him, as the Counsell is aboue the Tribune. Therefore when there is dissention wee must not be dismaide. It is foretold, Esay.Sedition. 5. 24. Ieremiah is faine to crie, my Mother hath borne mee a contentious man. The Israelites said, we shall neuer be quiet till Amos be from among vsus. Euen the Diuel himselfe chargeth our Sauiour Christ with it, Art thou come to torment vsus? And the lesse dismaide shall we be, if as a learned father saith: first, if we praied against it: secondly, if we hauehave desired to ioineIn dissention, what we must obserue. peace and truth: thirdly, if we hauehave felt a mourning, for that there is dissention: fourthly, if we be readie to yeeld a reason of that we doe: fiftly, and will (for quietnes sake) confesse a fault, where there is is none. They hauehave one great argument, that it breedeth no offence1 2 so to contend. This troubled manie in the primitiue Church, leauing many good things vndone, which otherwise they would hauehave done; till at the last they concluded in a councell,3 which hath bin held of all fathers, schoolemen, and Diuines hitherto, and I pray God4 5 it may be so of vsus. It is better that an offence arise, than that truth be forsaken: and thus much of controuersies.
Manie now a dayes in giuing voyces, hauehave a pretie wise policie, because it is so euill aVtilius scand… lum nascitr, quàm veritas deseritur. thing▪ I will giuegive no voice at all, hold you content, such be foreign, neuterpassiues, indifferent men, that will doe neither good nor euill. These are odious vntounto the Lord, Zephani, 1. 12▪ If there be any man, that saith, I will neither do good nor bad, or hath set downWe will either doe as we list, or not doe any thing at all. that rule with himselfe, I will, saith the Lorde, seeke him out with a lanterne to a straunge iudgement. They will say, as it is Ps 12. Our tongues & lungs are our own, and therefore we may speake, as we list, and when we list. By this they shew, that they hauehave neither Logike nor Diuinitie. The holy Ghost saith, thou shalt not giuegive thy voice. If the precept be affirmatiue, it bindeth semper not ad semper; but if it bee negatiue, it bindeth but semper and ad semper. The like precept is, thou shalt be no vsurer: well, I will not lend at all, but thou must lend, and yet not lend to vsurie. Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy GOD in vaine. Well, I will not sweare at all; yea, thou must sweare by his Name, & yet not take it in vaine. Thou shalt not beare false-witnes: well, I will beare no witnes at all; yea, thou shaltOf giuing voyces in ciuill, or Ecclesiasticall assemblies. beare a witnes, but yet not a false witnes. So I will not giuegive my voyce at all; yes, thou shalt, and yet not to a Rabbi, or a multitude. The reason hereof is, because we were born to beare witnes to the truth. Therefore was I borne saith Christ. Whereupon Augustine saith, this belongeth to all Christians. Fulgentius a good and holy father saith, when Truth is indangered, both he which denieth it, & he which holdeth his peace, do betray the Truth. Well, it is said, thou shalt not answere, and therefore wee hold it not needfull to giuegive our witnes to the Truth, except we be asked and intreated. But is it not often said in the Euargelists, Then IESVS answered & said, whē no man spake vntounto him? Hereupon one said, Truth demanded it in his Conscience. As GOD is said in Esay, to heare vsus, before we call vntounto him; so will he hauehave vsus to answer him, before he speake to vsus. Psal. 5. Dauid tarieth not to defend the innocent, till he be intreated; taketh no reward to doe right, being rea…ie without desiring. As we hauehave two kindes of sinnes, sinnes of omission, and commission, and Psal. 128. if they put but their hand to wickednesse, touch it with one finger, and not put to their shoulders; so is it not onelyonly vnlawfull not to doe good, but also not to worke together in good. And as the man that lusteth after a woman, cōmitteth adulterie, but she is cleere: so those that giuegive not witnes to the Truth, thogh it preuaile, hauehave to themselues ouerthrowne the Truth; and those that hauehave giuē witnes to it, thogh the Truth fall, to them it standeth. But that is flat without all exception, He that is not with me, is against me. Yet some hauehave answered this place vntounto me in priuate conference with that other place, He that is not against me, is with me: So then, if ye giuegive a voice, and not against the Truth, ye are with it▪ Marke, of whom Christ speaketh, of one that was no disciple, that had not giuen his name to Christ, of him Christ saith: If he be not against vsus, he is with vsus. As if one be of another land, if he be not against the Prince, he is with him; but if he be a subiect, if he be not with the prince, he is against him, and shall sustaine the punishment of a rebell.Who they be that preuent, and what it is to preuent others.
8 If we would know what it is to peruert, wee shall see it in Augustine. De vera religione cap. 34. to put out of order, as it were shuffling the cardes to place a deuce with a King, to bring in that which should bee kept out. Now what is order? that the worst be subiect to the better. Then those are peruerse, which place the worst aboue the best, which place them in great callings, which are vnworthy to bee among the base people. To them it is saide, cease to doe peruersly. None peruerts another, but first hee peruerts himselfe; and those that peruert themselues, peruert their rules or their ends: their rules, as to prefer mans lawes before Gods lawes; their ends, as preferring temporall things, as this case, this gaine, before eternall: now and then at their leisure thinking of the chiefe end of all, but preferring the other. Euen as the crab going backward himselfe, perswadeth al other fishes they swim wrong: so these being peruerse themselues begin then to shuffle the cards, then they will hauehave men be of their mindes, or they will turne iustice into wormwood, that it shall be as bitter as wormwood to the good man to doe iustice: for my part I would Achab troubled Israel no more, though Eliah beare the blame.
9 Hee saide that when hee considered how Noah, Moses and others fell in their latter daies, and how the most excellent hauehave fallen; hee most earnestly prayed that the Lord would take him out of the world; before that his life should bring any offence to the Church of God.
10 Iacob and Esau cannot agree in one wombe, Sarah and Agar cannot agree in one house, Isaac and Ishmael must not dwell together: there is no agreement between the children of God, and the children of Belial.
11 Moses was angrie, and is commended for it, so that eueryevery anger is not condemnable,Anger. but to be angrie without a cause and without measure. Some men will bee angrie for their owne cause, and very hot; but in Gods cause they will not bee angrie at all: this is a fleshly anger: but when men sinne either to the dishonour of God, or their owne destruction, then to be angry is a good anger, if the saluatiō of our brother doth moue vsus therto, not our owne iniuries: for we can beare with patience, iniuries so farre as priuately it concernethWhat iniuries are to be borne. vsus, but when it toucheth GODS glorie, we cannot but be angrie. Some are angrie for eueryevery thing, and in light matters, and yet not in waightie matters; then let those men take heede, for these are very faultie. But if we be like the Lord, not marking what is done amisse, nor being angry continually, that we had rather be loued than feared, and according as the matter is, so is our anger; then is it good: otherwise it is not to be allowed; for as the Lord doth vse more meanes to cause vsus to louelove him than to feare him; so ought we…o doe, and to bee more carefull with louelove to winne, than with anger to compell. The Lord is slow to wrath: and anger resteth in the bosome of fooles, whereas a wise man will represse anger. Then let our anger be according to the fault, a light fault, a light anger, ofTo win with louelove. small continuance, but we must beleeue the Lord to bee greatly grieued with great sinnes. In Gods cause some men are moued, when themselues are also touched; but if themselues be not touched, they can be quiet: but when their brother is hurt, though God bee dishonoured, they care not. If we see our selues moued but then, when our selues are touched, let vsus suspect the want of faith, of louelove, and zeale of Gods glorie, and thinke wee stand too much to our o…ne praise: but if we cannot be content when the things doe not touch vsus, but euen the glorie of God doth moue vsus to anger, then is it good, and of God: Though some be our very friends, yet we can be most angrie with them when they fauour vsus; and when they displease vsus, we can remember the old louelove, and so still mingle anger with louelove: and if I can bee angrie with whomsoeuer I see the same sinne in, then is it also of God, and to be allowed: and indeede true Christian anger will sooner bee to his friend, than to his enemie. Againe, when wee can first beginne with our sinnes, and be more angrie for them than for others (for no man can euer bee angrie for other mens sinnes, which cannot be angrie for their owne) and this is that which Christ saith; Cast the beame out of your own eyes, &c. But when our anger first beginneth with our selues, and that there is no sin which wee would willingly rest or fauour our selues in, then if wee bee angrie with others for the same sinnes, this is of God; if we cast the first stone at our selues, and if the sinne bee in vsus, we striue against it; if it be not, we feare it may bee, and therefore studie to preuent it. Againe, when our anger doth let vsus from doing any duties to them which wee are angrie with; then is anger to be misliked: but when wee are readie to shewe all duties to them, as to pray for them, and all other duties of louelove, then let vsus hauehave here a testimonie of good anger: but if it make vsus to hauehave a troubled minde, though it be for a good cause, it is to be respected: for the workes of Gods spirit in vsus, doe not hinder one another, but rather doe further; and if we were colde before, and yet now shall be quickened to prayer and other good exercises, this if we finde, it is a note of good anger. Againe, our anger for the breach of Gods commandement, is ioyned with a compassion ouer them which hauehave thus offended, because of the wrath of God which hangeth ouer them; thus was Christ angrie and sorie, Mark. chap. 3. and also when he wept ouer Ierusalem, and Paul, 2. Cor. cha. 12. ver. 21. faith, he should be humbled when he commeth with a rodde to them, and therefore he describeth fleshly anger, that they were puffed vp, 1. Cor. 5. Rom. 15. Wee should support the weake, and be so grieued, as though we had done that they hauehave done. When wee see the sinnes of others, wee must bee so grieued, as if we had done them our selues: Christianitie hath griefe, flesh hath ioy in the sight of the sinnes and infirmities of other men.
12 Worldlings being poore, looke onelyonly to the iniurie of men; and being sicke, lookeWorldlings know not the God of prouidence. onelyonly to the meanes; and in whatsoeuer trouble they are, they are like the dogge that looketh to the stone, and not to him that throweth it, because they know not that the Lord is the healer, but thinke it is by fortune, and not Gods prouidence; and therefore they looke not to God, nor their sinne at all, or els looke onelyonly to the angrie countenance of God, andSimile. so come to miserable ends. Therefore it is a blessing of God to see, that for his sinnes a man hath any trouble. The contrarie commeth to passe by the ignorance of Gods prouidence, which must by faith be beleeued, as the creation is, and therefore a man may see, and yet beleeue not Gods prouidence; for God hath time, and all things that in time come to passe, be in his hands, Eccl. 3. So both must necessarily be beleeued, for they are both the first article, and one without the other cannot be beleeued▪ Then let vsus beleeue that hee is our healer, and therefore when we are stricken, let vsus looke if wee hauehave walked well in our calling, then is it for our triall, and in the end we shall hauehave euerlasting ioy: but if wee want a good conscience, then let vsus know it to be for our sinne; therfore looke to the law, where we shall see, though not the particular sinne, yet one of these which God hath ordained to keepe vsus from sinne: as wee shall see it is either for that wee hauehave not heard the word, nor prayed, nor been thankfull, or not receiued the Sacraments, or else done these for fashion, and not in truth, and these are such sinnes as the Lord will punish: as Paul saith, 1. Cor. 11. Though there were many other sins, yet if they had vsed these aright, they should either not hauehave fallen into these sins, or els he would hauehave giuen them repentance, whereby they should hauehave preuented his iudgements.