The Drunkards Character, Section 52
§ 52.
FOurthly, that the example of the best and holiest men,4. The best and holiest men, no certa…ne rule to walk by. is no cettaine rule for us to walk by, is plain: for if eueryevery act of the holiest persons should be our rule, we should have but crooked lives: for then because Noah was drunk; Lot committed incest; Abraham lied; David committed adultery, and murther; Peter forswore his Master▪ &c. we should do the like; which no man with a reasonable soule can affirm; (though some infatuated and incorrigible sinners, would faine justifie their abominable wickednesse, by the falls of Gods children recorded in holy writ;) for every action that is reported, is not straight way allowed. Yea, God hath given us rules whereby wee may examine the examples of the best Saints, and as well censure the bad, as follow the good: which made S. Augustine answer some Hereticks, who alledged for themselves, the authority of Saint Cyprian, I am not bound to S. Cyprians authority, any further then it is Canonicall.
The just Saints are to bee followed, but onelyonly in their justice and sanctity: we are not bound to be good mens Apes; let us follow such as excell in vertue, Psalm. 16. 3. in such vertues wherein they excell, as every Saint excells in some vertue; one, excells in knowledge; another, excells him in faithfulnesse; a third, excells them both in zeale; a fourth, excells all in humility; a fifth, excells the rest in that Christian vertue, yea, Christs vertue, forgiving of wrongs; and yet a poore man may out goe them all in an admirable patience, 1 Corinthians 12. 31.
Now as when Paul had propounded many rare graces, hee concludes with desire you earnestly the best gifts, 1 Cor. 12. 31 so take the best of every man, and therwth make up an excellent man. As the Italians got up all the excellent pictures in the world, that out of them all they might make one masterpeece, or most excellent picture: (for the sweetnes of all the best flowers make most sweet and excellent honey) so learne of this man, zeale; of another, knowledge; of another, patience; &c. follow David, where hee followed Gods heart; not where hee followed his own heart; if he turn toward lust, blood, idlenesse, let us leave him there: let us follow Peters confession, not his abnegation; be ye followers of me, saith S. Paul, even as I am of Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 1. We must not imitate every one, but such as Paul, Philip. 3. 17. nor Paul in every thing, but wherein he followes Christ: the great Apostle injoyneth our imitation, but gives a limitation, doe not yee follow after me, unlesse you see the tract of Christ before me, imitemur bonos, sed in bonis, let us follow good men, but onelyonly in what they are good: for otherwise no motion can want a pretence, as calling for fire from heaven, to consume such as displease us; Elias did so, and why not we? Offering our children in sacrifice; Iephta (did so as some thinke) and why not we? Marying of many wives, and putting away such as they did not like; the Fathers did so, and why not we? Borrowing, but never paying againe; the Israelites did so by the Egyptians, and why not wee? Murthering of Princes, Ehud did so, why not we? &c.
Yea, there is nothing more perilous▪ then to draw all the actions of holy men into examples. Actions are not good or evill, because done by good or evill men; but because commanded or forbidden by God: now they, perhaps in many cases, may have had peculiar warrant signed from heaven, whether by instinct or speciall command, which we shall expect in vaine; therefore much caution must be used in our imitation of the best paternes, whether in respect of the persons, or things; els we shall make our selves Apes, and our acts absurdities. So that as Demosthenes was wisely wont to say, in civill matters, wee live and rule by lawes, not by examples: so say I in divine, precepts must be our guides, and not patterns, except the patterne of our Saviour Christ.
And to imitate him is the marrow of all Religion, and the true worship of God; for then are our actions and intentions warrantable, and praiseworthy, when they accord with his, (and what Painter would not rather make his picture by the living face, then by any other picture) wheras to square our lives by other mens lives, without respect to his, is to set our Clocks by others Clocks, without looking to the Sun, which is the readiest way to have them go wrong; for many times, hee that is most unfit to observe man, is the most fit to serve God. The Sybarites desirous to know from Apollo, how long their prosperity should last; were answered, that so soone as they began to prefer men before God, their state should bee destroyed: and the same vve may apply to our selves.
Wherefore let us honour good examples, but live by good precepts; and for such as are contrary minded, let them knovv, that that gold vvhichwhich dreads the touchstone, is but counterfeit; that fellon who doth refuse his tryall, and labours to suppresse the evidence which is brought against him, doth but confesse himselfe guilty.