A Preparative to Contention, Book · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Stop not one inconuenience with another, be thankfull to God, and preuent miſchiefes timely.
It is no good policie to moue vp matters, and ſeeke to ſtop them with vaine wordes.AS it is no point of wiſedome for men to fling fire into drie Flaxe, and then to aſſay to quench it with greaſie Oyle: ſo neither is it anie policie to mooue vp matters vnneceſſarie among the people, and then to aſſay to allay and pacifie them with ambages and vaine verboſitie, in the inconſtancie of fleſhly conceites, and wandring luſts. For this is euen as if wee ſhould thinke to ſtop one inconuenience with another. Where offēces be taken and not giuen,How to withſtand offences and their effects. VVo vntounto them that take them: but if offences be offred, VVo vntounto them that offer them. If the vnthriftie effects of offences muſt be preuented (as they ſhould indeede, and the offences alſo) yet in all good reaſon and learned iudgement, muſt this be done orderlie, by ſuch wayes and meanes as the word of God, and good conſcience and reaſon ſhal direct.
The cōdition of our time ſhould moue vsus to thankfulnes to God and feare.And ſurely if we well weigh the nature and condition of this age and time, wee cannot but graunt, how needfull it is that fierce firie flames ſhould bee quenched, by the fountaine of Gods ſpirit, and the miniſterie of the lawfull ordinaunce: and that men ſhuld yet at ye leaſt be moued to expreſſe (with hand and heart, with mind and mouth) ſome good tokens of vnfaigned louelove, and right gratefulneſſe vntounto God our heauenly father, for ſo manie his bounties and noble bleſsings beſtowed on them, vnderunder the moſt happie gouernment of our moſt Chriſtian ſoueraigne Princeſſe, Queene ELIZABETH. It is muſt meete, that we ſhould heare the worde of God, and beleeue in Chriſt Ieſu, that we ſhuld feare God, & honor our Prince: that we ſhould louelove one another, as brethren, and help one another as neighbors and friends: that we ſhould abandon all occaſions of wicked cōtentions and diſcords: and that we ſhould liue in godly peace & Chriſtian cōtentation one with another, within the bounds of our lawfull vocations and callings, eſpecially in this time.
2 To and for this ende and purpoſe,VVhy God hath beſtowed on vsus ſo many bleſsings. the Lord of all mercies hath vouchſaued vsus his holie worde, to lighten and direct vsus, wherein hee hath diſcloſed vntounto vsus the hidden myſteries of his will, hee hath graunted vsus the daylie vſe of his inſtituted Sacraments, wherby our ſoules ſhould be ſatisfied to our good eueryevery way. Then the which, what treaſure is there of greater price & eſtimation? By this we may be well aſſured of the louelove and fauour of God to vsus ward, as to his deare childrē, to whom he hath prouided that bread of life, which he would not ſhould be caſt vntounto dogs, and hath cōmitted thoſe precious pearles, which he vouchſafeth not to giuegive to ſwine, vntounto theſe heauenly and ineſtimable legaſies, hee hath added many tēporal bleſsings in this our time, as peace, health, wealth, and proſperity, with free libertie to ſit at home vnderunder our vines and fig trees,God hath bleſſed vsus aboue other nations. when other nations hauehave bin grieuouſly toſſed and troubled with wars & vexations, euen to the loathſomnes of their liues: oh how many kings, prophets and righteous men,God hath bleſſed vsus aboue other nations. hauehave in their times deſired to ſee ſuch ioifull daies wherein they might hauehave embraced theſe and ſuch like bleſsings and commodities, and yet could neuer ſee them? Neither hath the lord dealt with eueryevery other nation in that meaſure of his mercies, as he hath dealt with vsus. God graunt that through our vncharitable cōtentions, and vnthankfulneſſe, his holy ſpirit be not moued to complaine of vsus, as he did ſomtimes of the ingrateful Iſraelites, that He had riſen vp early, Eſay 65.12.and in mercy ſtretched forth his holy hand to an vnthankfull people, ſuch as were euer rebelling and running away from him.
This is the deſire of the godly.3 But, would to God, that in this our time wee could content our ſelues in charitie with theſe his great bleſsings, and be right thankful for the ſame in our hearts: that we would not loath, contemne and diſdaine ſuch his precious iewels and ineſtimable treaſures exhibited vntounto vsus, but in all obedience run to the liuely waters,Iſay. 55. as ſuch as be thirſtie, and come to buy wine and milk of the Lord with them that in holy louelove do hunger & thirſt after righteouſnes, thē ſhall we eate of the beſt, our ſoules ſhall hauehave pleaſure in plenteouſneſſe, and be bleſſed for euermore.
The way how to defend our ſelues againſt our enemies.This is the way for vsus to ouercome the diuel and all his aſſaults: by this bulwark and rock of defence, ſhal we be wel able to withſtand the popiſh power, and inuaſions of forraigne enemies, contriued, entended and threatned agaynſt the Church of Chriſt in this Realme, agaynſt the Lords annoynted our ſoueraigne Princeſſle, and agaynſt the whole lande. This is the beſt courſe that can bee taken by vsus againſt the beaſtly wilde Bore, to force him from our Gardens, and to driue away thoſe noyſome Foxes from our Vineyards.Cant. 2.15. And this is the baniſhment of that wicked zeale, ſchiſme,Lib. 3. de vit. contempt. ſedition and vnchriſtian diſſention, the which are (as once Proſper ſaid) the greateſt plagues to the minde that can be.
4 But ambition is a diuelliſh ſickneſſe,Ambition forceth men to break forth aboue meaſure. Eraſ. in epiſt. ad Adrian. pap. ſuper Arnob. Pſal. 58. and a pernitious ſpirit (as Eraſmus writeth) with the which whoſoeuer be poſſeſſed, hauehave both deafe cares and giddy heads: they wil neither giuegive heed to the good counſell of the wiſe: nor abide within the limits of their owne places, nor will they be pleaſed that any man ſhould endeuour to diſſwade them from dealing in the affairs of other men. But they muſt needs bend to purſue that which they hauehave diſliked with ſterne faces, and to compaſſe and effect that which they hauehave conceited in mind, and affected with eager deſires: yea, & that far beyond that they are able to reach vntounto, whiles aſpiring in vaine,Some make a ſhew of good when they do euill. they onelyonly commend & glorifie themſelues, and aſſay to tread all other men vnderunder their feet. But yet this (notwithſtanding) they ſhame not to blaze their good purpoſes, and godly intents. Such a kinde of dealing was taken for an high diſgrace in that noble and eloquent Athenian Pericles, Perecles, Pileus.who in this reſpect was compared to one Pileus, who had woūded his moſt deer friend with his dart, when he thought to hauehave pearced a wilde beaſt. But I know (as alſo it will bee graunted in all Chriſtian reſolution) that though Pompey emulate the renow me of Iulius Caeſar, Pompey. Anthon.and Anthonie deſireth that Auguſtus were depoſed, ſo that himſelfe might rule alone: yet after the rule of the lawe of God, and the doctrine of Chriſt, ſuch deuiſes and practiſes ſhoulde bee farre off from Chriſtians. Neither may wee bee deceiued, if we perſwade, that by ſuch means, we may pretēd to weaken our forraigne enemies, but we ſhall endamage our owne Citizens: we may determine to hurt foes, but wee ſhall annoy our friends: and wee may deſire to pearce others, but wee ſhall wound our ſelues to the heart. Howbeeit, when ſuch tragedies bee in action, men endeuour to ſhift off the cauſes of all hard happes from themſelues on others (ſo well conceited are they of their owne integritie,The effects cannot ceaſe, vntill the cauſes be taken away. and ſuch is their hard cenſure of other men) in the meane whiles, they endeuour not to ceaſſe the effects by remouing the cauſes. They are much like vntounto the deformed perſon, which accuſed the Glaſſe wherein he gazed, and neuer acknowledged his owne defect, nor deformed himſelfe; but brake the Glaſſe in peeces: and they alſo reſemble that foole, which ſtanding crooked in the Sunne, would not lift himſelf vp from the earth, nor conſider from whence that kind of ſhadow came, but accuſed the Sunne as the cauſe thereof. On that the faults could once be acknowledged and confeſſed, that the cauſes of griefes being found out, the cure and amendment therof might ſoone enſue.
5 But, alas, this alſo is not the leaft hinderance (if it bee not one of the greateſt) to true concord and Chriſtian reconciliation;Hinderances to peace. Gen 3.16. and 25.22. Luke. 2.35. that prophane Eſais is encloſed in the wombe togither with holie Iaacob, wherby Heuah findeth her conception to be greatlie encreaſed, her ſorrowes augmented, Rebekah good woman groaneth with a double trauaile, and the ſword pierceth the heart of Mary. Hence diſtill a thouſand drops of bitter wormwood, & many deep drams of viperous poyſon,Heb. 13.15. as from bitter rootes, which thoſe, vnquiet heades of either ſort ſo vnſtable as the water, ſo inconſtant as the cloudes, ſo ſubtile as the Serpents, and ſo wilie as the Foxes, hauehave quaffed forth (though in golden cuppes) to all faculties and degrees, to the great trouble of the Church, and to the decay of the Common-wealth: and (howſoever the Daughters of Hieruſalem can digeſt it) they be no leſſe noyſome and perilous indeede, then rotten and corrupt members to founde bodies: and as a little leauen ſowreth the whole lumpe, and as a little corruption mixed with the ſoundneſſe of the holy doctrine and true Religion: ſo alſo one roote of bitterneſſe, and on ſuch peſtilent perſons that ſpreadeth and maintaineth the errours of the ſame, doth very much moue and trouble the Church, and daily diſquiet the family of Chriſtians, whereof the greefe is ſoone felt in the whole, and too late lamented there, where conuenient medicines are not timely prepared and wiſely applyed to ſtoppe imminent inconueniences. The malady is neere deſperate, and extreme ſickneſſe require the like ſaluès: but wheras the maladyes be incurable, this counſaile of the Poet (beeing ſo like to that ſentence of Chriſt, Marke 9.24. And to the requeſt of Sarah, touching the caſting out of Iſmael the mocker, Gen. 21.9. And to that aduiſe of Salomō, Cant. 2.5. And to that deſire of Paul in ſuch a caſe, Gal. 5.12.) may not be reiected.
Morbida facta pecus tolum corrumpit ouile:
Ne maculet reliquos, eſt ſeperanda grege.
Thus Engliſhed.
One taignted Sheepe among the flocke,
infecteth all the reſt:
Take hence that ſheepe from of the flocke,
and that's the medicine beſt.
The magiſtrate, the miniſter, the houſholder. Eccl. 11.1.6 Of theſe matters, the magiſtrate in his place, the Paſtour in his charge, and euerie man and woman in his and her houſe, ought to take due regarde in the feare of God. Neither ſhould any Chriſtian doubt to caſt forth his bread as on the face of the fleeting waters, as Salomon ſaide: And that which they cannot accompliſh or performe (when they hauehave done their beſt to their power) they muſt cō mit vntounto that high God Iehovah, which with his power made the earth, and with his wiſedome prepared the rounde world, and with his diſcretion ſpread out the heauens, which onelyonly is wiſe; and eſteemeth all men (as they are in compariſon with him) fooles: and then without al doubt, he will not denie to take vponupon himſelfe this thing to redreſſse.
1. Sam. 25.37 38. The iudgements of God ouertake the rebellious in their time 2. Sam. 16.10 1. King. 2.46.Then Abigail may entreate for Nabal; and Dauid may be perſwaded to ſpare him: but yet Nabals heart is dead within him as a ſtone, the Lord ſtriketh him for his wickedneſſe, and he dyeth with ſhame. So Dauid may reſtraine Abiſhai from the killing of curſing Shimei, for a time: but yet, the Lord which feeth all, and taketh vengeance in a duetime, cauſeth Benaiah (at the commaundement of Salomon) to ſmite Shimei, that he dyeth, and the kingdome is eſtabliſhed in the hand of Salomon.
7 This thing when the godly do behold, they are the rather moued thereby to feare God, and to ſay of thoſe rebellious people nowe ſubdued: Beholde the men that tooke not God for theyr ſtrength: but truſted in the multitude of theyr Riches, and putte their ſtrength in their malice! Pſal. 127.And theſe vngodly themſelues (ſeeing howe vainely they hauehave riſen vppe earely, how much labour they hauehave loſt about their owne buſie toyle, and now into what miſerie theyr owne wiſedome, theyr great vanities, their inconſtant deuices, their ſingular conceits,Ier. 23.32. and carnall cunning hath caſt them) they ſhall accuſe themſelues of folly, with him that ſaide:Iſa. 29.15. & 47.10.
Ingenio perii Naſo Poetameo.Ouidius proſpero.
Ingenio experior funera digna meo.
Lo, thus (álas) hauehave I now tane,
through mine owne wiſedome, mine owne banel
8 Therefore, let not Cham chop in twixt Shem and Iaphet to diuide them,A caueat for rebellious and vnthankfull perſons. for God in time will ioyne them againe, and wring out Cham from his vſurped holde. Lette not Achitophel counſaile abſalom againſt his Father Dauid, contrarie to all equitie and good conſcience: for God wil cauſe Chuſai to turne his Aduiſe into fooliſhneſſe, and Achitophel ſhall be forced to hang himſelfe for his labor.Ioſ. 7.28. Neither let Achan trouble Ioſuah and his hoaſt by his cloſe iugling any longer: for God will trie him out well inough, and trouble him with a iuſt meaſure.
In concluſion, as when an hungrie man dreameth that he is eating, & when he awaketh,Iſa. 29.9. his ſoule is empty: or as when a thirſtie man dreameth that he is drinking, and when hee awaketh he is yet faint, and his ſoule hath appetite: euen ſo ſhall the multitude of all nations bee, that fighteth againſt Mount Sion. Iudg. 5.31.So let all the Enemies of the Lord, of his Church, and of his holy annoynted, periſh and bee confounded: but let them that louelove him, that pray for the peace of Ieruſalem, and that liue in godly obedience, be as the Sun that riſeth in his might: that yet the land may hauehave reſt, and the fruition of the right peace, full fortie yeeres.