Now I beseech you vnderstand and consider that this heauenly wisedome, to which we are in this place inuited, is of diuers kinds, or rather hath diuers degrees. The first is prouidence, wher­by we do prospicere, looke before vs, & whereunto we are stirred vp: Prou. 6. Vade ad formicam ô piger: Go to the pis­mire ô thou sluggard, she prepareth her [Page 12] meate in sommer, and gathereth her foode in haruest. And in the 10. of the Pro­uerbs, verse 5. He that gathereth in som­mer is the sonne of wisedome: but he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of cōfusion. An example hereof we haue in Ioseph, in auoiding spirituall euil in the case of Potiphars wife, and in storing & hoor­ding vp temporal goods in the place of Pharaos officer: Gen. 41.

The second kinde or degree of this 2 wisedome is circumspection, not only prospicere, to looke before vs, but on e­uerie side of vs: the definition is cautela contrariorum vitiorum, a diligent heed of auoiding contrarie vices; and the worke is to order the affections. To be­ware of contrarie vices, it behoueth vs to be circumspect, lest in shunning co­uetousnesse we fal into prodigalitie, or in auoiding rashnesse we become too fearefull; and therefore it is wisedome to be circūspect, that is, to looke round about vs, & to order all our affections. And to this purpose the holy Ghost [Page 13] speaketh: Prou. 4. Omni custodiâ custodi cor tuum, Looke to thine heart, and the affections thereof, with all diligence; be­ing about to say Custodi, keepe, he first saith, Omni custodiâ, with all diligence keepe thine heart; least thou shut the doores on this side of the heart against thine enemies, and open the gates vn­to them on the other. This kind of wis­dome they haue not, who do so shun pouertie or other present euill, that they fall into eternall euill; not vnlike vnto starting horses, which starting and shunning shadowes, plunge them selues into true danger, from whence they cannot get out. And this kind or degree of wisedome, is commended vnto vs in the first of Ezechiel, in the si­militude of a wheele that did runne round about, and in the similitude of the rings in the wheele, which were round in a round; but especially in the eyes in the rings: and their rings were full of eyes: the minde of a circumspect man is like eyes in a ring, and rings in a [Page 14] wheele, which be round, see round, and runne round.

The third kind of this heauenly wis­dome, is discretion: and the worke hereof is not only as the first kind pro­spicere, to looke before vs; nor as the second, circumspicere, to looke round about vs: but it is introspicere, to looke into matters. And this worke of discre­tion introspicere, to looke into things, is of two sorts: the one is generall, to looke into all things, & discernere, and to discerne betweene vertue and vice, betweene bad and good: & the other is more particular; to looke into the good, & pretium rerum aestimare, to e­steeme of euerie thing as it is woorth. The first worke of discretion is to dis­cerne betweene good and bad: for there be certaine vices, that beare the face of vertues. Crueltic is couered with the name of iustice, remisnes cal­led lenitie, couetousnesse is cloathed like thrift, pride like liberalitie; so that a man may be deceiued in them: but [Page 15] he that is so discreet as to discerne be­tweene good and euill, shall neuer in­curre the danger of the curse, Isa, 5. Wo be vnto you that call euill good, and good euill; darknesse light, and light darknesse. And he that is thus wise shall see and acknowledge, in the abundance of tē ­porall commodities great want, in the ioy of earthly pleasures much sorrow, in the inioying of worldly glory much ignominie, in the glorie of fleshly beautie great deformitie. And this is the first worke of discretion. The se­cond is the good being separated from the bad, pretium rerum aestimare, to iudge of the good as euerie parcell is worth; and this also is an high point of wisdome, to know the price of things, and requireth the whole knowledge of all diuinitie, for there is none can prize anie thing without the know­ledge of the thing; and there is no true knowledge but in diuinitie. And ther­fore that we may know truly how to prize all things, wee must haue the [Page 16] knowledge of all Diuinitie; and that is set down by S. Augustine in two words or syllables: Nouerim te, nouerim me: Giue me grace, ô Lord, saith he, that I may know thee, that I may know me. Nouerim te, that I may know thee to be the creator of heauen and earth: No­uerim me, that I may know my selfe the worke of thy hands, and may in discre­tion demeane my selfe towards thee as one of thy creatures: Nouerim te, that I may know thee to be the redcemer of mankinde: Nouerim me, that I may know my selfe to be a grieuous sinner, & therupon in discretiō make meanes to be redeemed by faith and repen­tance. Nouerim te, nouerim me, that is, nouerim te in me: that is, Giue me thy grace ô God, that I may know thee & me, that I may know thee in me, that is, that we may know the gifts of God that be in vs; that wee prize not our selues at a lower rate then God hath set of vs. God hath giuen vs immortall soules, which be more worth then all [Page 17] this transitorie world besides, he hath promised vs eternal life which is better thē many worlds; nay he hath bought vs, and putchased all this for vs with his most precious bloud, euerie drop wherof is worth ten thousand worlds. And therefore seeing hee hath paid so deare a price for vs, let vs in discre­tion learne to know our owne worthi­nesse, and neith [...]r sell our selues for no­thing as did Ahah, who sold himselfe to worke wickednes in the sight of God: nei­ther let vs sell our heritage, to wit, euer­lasting life, for a thing of nothing, a temporarie commoditie, a momenta­rie pleasure, a mease of pottage, as did Esau. But let vs with S. Paul, account all things as losse and doung in comparison of the crosse of Christ and the benefits therof. And so we shall rightly looke into and iudge of the price of things, if we thus discreetly looke into matters. For the mind of a discreot mā, is like the beasts that were about the throne, that had eyes ante and retro, before and behind, [Page 18] Reu. 4. 6. nay like the bodies of those beastes, that were full of eyes within, Reuel. 4. 8.

The fourth and last degree or kinde 4 of this wisedome is, [...] as Plato speaketh, that that directeth all the rest, which determineth, what, whē, where and how any matter is to be brought to passe: and it shall be called by me Direction, because it directeth all the rest. And this kinde beareth the name of the Genus, & is deuided by Tully in the second of his Rhetorickes as the whole, into these parts: Prudentiae tres sunt partes, there be three parts of wise­dome: memoria, intelligentia, prouiden­tia. Memoria est, per quam animus repe­tit illa quae fuerunt. Memorie is that by which the mind recalleth those things that are past: Intelligentia, per quam ea prospicit quae sunt, Vnderstanding or in­sight is that whereby the minde spieth those things that now are. Prouidentia, per quam futuri aliquid videtur antequā factum est, Prouidence is that whereby [Page 19] the minde descrieth a thing to come long before it be done; and all these saith Seneca, when they be in course and order, be the worke of direction. Praesentia, ordina, order (saith he) things present; futura prouide, prouide for things to come: Praeterita recordare, re­member things past. And what is this but the work of direction in euery one of these? Order, remember, prouide, things present, past, to come: me thin­keth that I heare the voice of a maister of a familie, giuing direction to his fa­milie. S. Bernard setteth out this mat­ter most elegantly by three particles: vnde, vbi, and quo: whence, where, and whither: and all this is brought in with a Considera, consider, which implieth discretion. Considera vnde venis, consi­der whence thou comest, & erubesce, and blush for shame: vbies, where thou art; & ingemisce, and sigh for sorrow: quo tendis, whither thou goest, & con­tremisce, and quake for feare. Quake for feare, when thou considerest of the de­solation [Page 20] of the graue, whither thou goest; sigh for sorow whē thou hearest the wickednesse of the world where in thou art: blush for shame when thou seest the basenesse of the earth from whence thou art taken: the earth that bare thee, breedeth wormes to deuour thee; the world that keepeth thee, kee­peth wolues to destroy thee: the graue that expecteth thee, hath darknesse to couer thee: of our selues we can sing no other song then that that hath bene sung alreadie, though toanother tune & in another case, [...], Miser, per miserū, à misero, ad miserum: Miserable man, goeth frō the miserable earth, by the miserable world, to the miserable graue: neither is there anie remedie to be found for all this, but in the house of wisedome, neither haue we any wisedome but by direction; neither is there anie better direction in the whole Scripture then in this place.

Be ye therefore wise as serpents. For here you haue heard the commandement of wisedome, Estote, Be ye; and the ver­tue it self, prudentes, wise, and now you shal heate the example and see the pat­terne. Sicut serpentes, As serpents.

Not Estote serpentes, Be ye serpents, nor estote sicut serpentes, be ye as serpēts in all things, nor, estote malitiosi, or ve­nenosi sicut serpentes, be ye malicious or venemous as serpents: no nor estote a­stuti, be ye subtle to deceiue as serpēts: but, estate prudentes sicut serpentes, be ye wise as serpents: where in there be three circumstances, quid, à quo, quomodo. Quid, what we must learne, and that is, bonum serpentis, that which is good in the serpent, to wit, his wisdome, chose the good, and leaue the euill. A quo, of whom we must learne, à serpente, of the serpent the betrayer of man; we must not be ashamed to learne good of our enemies, nay learne good of the euill if they haue anie, nay of the diuel him selfe if it were possible. Thirdly, [Page 22] quomode, how we must learne this wis­dome of the serpent: sicut, as: sicut, euē as, this is the meanes how to do it, if we conforme our selues to the wisedome of the serpent; and that is to be done in three points. This sicut is of three sorts. The first (according to S. Hierom) is, that the serpent, for the sauegard of his head, doth expose his whole bodie to danger, winding in & couering his head with his whole bodie beside, [...]. So we likewise for our head Christ Iesus ought to neglect our owne liues, and all that is ours, to vndergo any calami­tie either in bodie or goods, so that we may, as the Apostle speaketh, [...], holde fast the head vnto the end by a liuely faith in Christ Iesus, who is our head, which we must striue to hold fast by the hand of faith, what danger soeuer befal vs. If we be Christs sheepe, let the worlds wolues, in Gods name, take our fleece, & teare our car­kas, so we haue this wit with the serpēt [Page 23] to keepe our head, we shall not lose by the bargaine.

The second wisedome of the ser­pent 2 to be imitated of vs, is, that the serpent stoppeth her eare at the voice of the charmer, charme he neuer so wisely, as it is in the Psalme; the charmer seeketh for a certaine poyson in the serpents head which is medicinable: & the ser­pent to preuent him, and not be begui­led by his inchantments, stoppeth one of his eares with the earth, and the o­ther with his taile: so wise & holy men do stop one eare with the remēbrance of death, and the other with the consi­deration of their owne frailtie, weigh­ing diligently by what and how many waies they may perish, lest they should giue eare vnto the suggestions of the diuell. For this is both a spurre and a bridle, a spurre to goodnesse, and a bridle from wickednesse: Whatsoeuer thou tekest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt neuer do amisse: Eccles. 7. the last verse.

The third wis [...]dome of the serpent 3 is, that he strippeth off his old skin: for when he is waxen old, and beginneth to feele his bodie to be a burden vnto him, by reason of the corruption that is in him; he glideth himselfe through some straight hole, in some rocke, and so leauing his skin behind him, is made whole, and becometh young againe. And so we, saith S. Augustine, Sicut serpens exuuias deponit, it a nos veterem hominem exuamus: As the serpent strip­peth off his old skin▪ so let vs put off the old man, if we will be wise as the serpent. Deponite vos, put off saith S. Paul, con­cerning the conuersation in times past, the old man: Ephes. 4. 22. Wherein there be two speciall points to be paralleled in a Christian life. The one is, Foranimis angustia, the straightnesse of the hole: for if the hole be wide, the serpēt cree­peth in without any great adoe, and passeth through also to no purpose, for he carieth his skin with him, although heleaue the place or hole behind him: [Page 25] & therfore he choseth a straight or nar­row hole. The second is, Loci stabilitas, for though the hole be narrow, yet if the place be not firme it is to lesse pur­pose. For as if the hole be too wide, he carieth his skin with him: so if the place be not firme, he carieth the hole with him; both the place and his skin goeth with him, and so his burden is increa­sed: and therefore he chooseth a nar­row hole, there is angustia, and a nar­row hole in a rocke, there is stabilitas, firmenesse or stabilitie: and these two are to be imitated of vs. First for angu­stia viae, the straitnesse of the way: Luk. 13. 24. Striue to enter in at the strait gate; striue to enter, there is difficultie in the action; at the straite gate, there is viae angustia, the hard passage, and the rea­son why we should striue is set downe Matth. 7. 14. Because the gate is strait, the may narrow that leadeth to life, & pauci inueniunt, and few there be that finde it. The gate is strait, no passage for 2. men at once, the old mā & the new man can not enter in together; but the old man [Page 26] must be cast off, and then the newe man may get in at this straite gate. The gate is strait, yea and the way is narrow too, it is hard for a man that is heauie loaden, to get ouer a narrow bridge, but if he wil go ouer, he must lay down his burden, and so passe ouer himselfe. And so we, must cast off vs the burden of sinne by repentance, if we meane to walke in this narrowe way: the gate straite, the way narrow, & pauci inue­niunt, and few there be that find it: it is no common roade high-way, wherein the blind and the lame do walke, but pauci inueniunt, few there be that find it. He must haue his eyes in his head, that is the eyes of his vnderstāding, enligh­tened with true wisdome; and his feet sound, that is, a good conuersatiō, that entreth in with few into this gate, and walke in this way: for this is porta salu­tis, and via vitae, the gate of saluation, and the way of life.

Secondly, besides the straitnesse of the way, there is required in the life of [Page 27] a Christian, stabilit as petrae, the firme­nesse of a rocke, that his ground may be good: for many of the heathen wal­ked in a straite way, and kept a strict course of liuing: Crysippus verie conti­nent, Fabritius very abstinent, Aristides verie iust, Socrates verie patient, but be­cause their ground was not good, though their way was straite, all their good actions were nothing else, but splendida peccata, sinne in silken appa­rell. And therefore the true Christian, that meaneth to leade a new life, must manere in stabili proposito, hauing his whole soule by faith setled and groun­ded vpon Christ, who is the true spiri­tuall rocke, 1. Cor. 10. 4.

And this is, sicut serpentes, as serpēts: as serpents couer your head in the day of battel, that the serpent slay you not: as serpents, stop your eares in the time of danger, that the serpent intrap you not: as serpents, strip off your old man, that the old serpent out-strip you not. Be ye therfore wise as serpents, because [Page 28] the serpent is your enemie. And this shall suffice, of the first precept, the first vertue, and first example.

The second precept, because it is not explicitè, expresly set downe with an Estote, Beye, as the former: but im­plicitè, infolded in this coniunction [...], and, therefore you must conceiue, that it was likewise implicitè, infolded in in­folding the former, and so leauing this, as painters do their pictures to be con­sidered on the other side of the table, I come to the vertue & example, which be specified in my text.

But first a word or two of the cohe­rence of both these precepts implied in the first particle [...], and. There is great affinitie betweene doing good & eschuing euill, and therefore both our Sauiour Christ here, and S. Paule else­where, ioyneth them together as vnse­parable companions. S. Paule in the 16 to the Romaines, verse 19. both ex­poundeth this place, and maketh the [Page 29] selfe same connexion that is here. Volo vos sapientes esse in bono: I will that ye be wise in that which is good, that is, be ye wise as serpents. Simplices verò in malo: But simple in that which is euill, that is, and innocent as doues. Paules volo, and Christs estote is the same, but that the one is set downe in the obiect, and the other in the subiect. S. Gregorie in his pastor: cap. 25. alledging this verie place saith, Valdè in electorum cordibus debet astutiae, serpentis, columbae simplicitatem astruere, & serpentis astutiam columbae simplicitas temperare; In the harts of the elect the subtiltie of the serpent ought to vphold the simplicitie of the doue; and the simplicitie of the doue to tem­per the subtiltie of the serpent.

Estote prudentes sicut serpentes, ad in­telligendas fraudes: Be ye wise as serpēts (saith Chrysostome) to vnderstand their deceit: simplices sicut columbae, ad ignos­cendas iniurias, and simple or innocent as doues to pardon their iniuries. Na­zi [...]nzen, he will haue the medley of [Page 30] these vertues to make a mixture: and this AND to be the physitions Ana. Be ye wise as serpents, AND innocent, this And is Ana: that is, take as much inno­cencie as wisedome: ana, of both alike; and then the whole dosis, the whole receipt he maketh in this sort [...], Goodnesse mingled with knowledge. Now it is plaine, that [...], that is, knowledge or vnderstā ­ding, is in the former vertue in wise­dome, and is contained in this: Be ye wise. And therefore it is certaine, that [...] goodnesse is in this later, in in­nocencie; contained in this, Be ye inno­cent. And I will shew and proue vnto you, that this is a principal vertue, more principall then iustice it selfe: And first to begin with the furthest degree of simplicitie.

Some there be, that because they see 1 the words vis and ius to haue neither more nor lesse, but the selfe same let­ters: therefore they thinke the things also to be neither more nor lesse, but [Page 31] iust the selfe same: if they might, they thinke they haue right to doe as they list, and to haue what they like. These haue neither part nor portion in this vertue: but yet this I will say for them, they come nearer to it then the hypo­crites: for the sinnes of violence be simple, that is, single: but the sinnes of deceipt be double, both the sinne and the deceipt. This is the one kinde of naughtie goodnesse, that are good to none but themselues. This is the first and worst kind of simplicitie, the sim­plicitie of sinne, which is, simpliciter malum, simply euill.

The second kinde of simplicitie is, 2 whē men be by nature simple without vnderstanding, such as we call inno­cents: and these, though they haue no share in this commandement, yet are they better then the former. A foole is better then a violent or vniust man; for this, though it be simplex malum, a sim­ple euill, yet is it not malum simpliciter, an euill simply, because I take it to be [Page 32] malum poenae, not culpae; a punishment that is laid vpon them, rather then any fault of their owne.

The third degree of simplicitie and 3 innocencie is in them that carrie this minde, Neminem laedere, as Tullie saith, to hurt no bodie. And here simplicitie or innocencie entreth into the degrees of goodnesse; it is a step to goodnesse to haue this conseience, and to beare this mind, that thou wilt hurt no body neither by thought, word nor deed.

The fourth degree is propulsare iniu­riam, 4 as the Orator speaketh, not onely not to do iniurie thy selfe, but to hin­der others also from doing iniurie as much as in thee lieth; to be so far from hurting thy brother, that thou hast a care of him that he be not hurt by o­thers. And this is a further degree of goodnesse then the former.

The fifth and last is, vince malum bo­no, Ouercome euill with goodnesse, Rom. 12. 21. 5 Not onely not to doe iniurie, which is good; but defend from iniu­rie, [Page 33] which is better: nay, not only not to do iniurie, and to defend against in­iurie; but to do good, that is, to be be­neficiall, and that to thine enemie, to do good against euill. To do euill for good, is merè diabolicum, meere diuel­lish; for so did he, in slandering, and transgressing against God who created him good: to do euill for euill is merè belluinum, meere brutishnesse, for so do they which hurt and goare one an­other: to do good for good is merè hu­manum, meere humane; for so do we, for this is common courtesie amongst men: to do good for euill, is merè diui­num, meere diuine; for so did Christ when he prayed for his enemies. And this is the true patterne of perfect in­nocencie: which maketh Dauid to ap­peale vnto the Lord for iudgement: The Lord be iudge betweene thee and me, when he had done good for euil. 1. Sa. 24. This was Dauids innocencie, and this was Christs innocencie, and this innocencie is goodnesse, & this good­nesse [Page 34] is better then righteousnesse, for it goeth a degree beyond it: Rom. 5. 7. Doubtlesse a man would scarce die for a righteous man, but for a good man it may be one durst die: where [...], a righte­ous man, is he that doth no iniurie, but dealeth vprightly with all. But this [...] is [...], which is the nearest to [...], a good man is he that doth good to all, to his power. And this [...], this good man is Christs [...], as Nazi­anzen implieth, and as the word it selfe may seem to implie: for [...], whose simple is to compound, is a compoūd word, & yet it signifieth a simple man; which implieth thus much, that this simplex, is not a simple simple man, but a simple man, and a good man, that li­ueth in all singlenesse, integritie, and sinceritie of life: and this is the weight of our Sauiour his words in this place, [...], and innocent. Now follow­eth the last point, the patterne or ex­ample of the later vertue.

The holy Scripture attributeth vnto Doues, both argumēts of praise, which the godly lay hold on, and matter of dispraise, which the vngodly follow. The arguments of praise be, that they flie most swifily, lacke gall and bitter­nesse, feed not on dead ca [...]kasses, loue cleare waters; all which be proportio­nably answered in the quality of Gods children. But one thing is worthie the reprehension in them, that they are ea­sily deceiued: and in this one thing the vngodly be like vnto thē: Ose 7. 11. Factus est Ephraim sicut columba sedu­cta: Ephraim is like a done deceiued. But all is nothing to this place, but the in­nocencie of the done. Be ye innocent as doues. And that cōsisteth in two points, [...], and [...], the doue is with­out anie violent passions, and without anie great hurt. For the first, S. Hierome writing vpon the seuenth of Osee, saith, that other birds when their yong ones be taken from them, do fight before, & mourne after they be gone; but the [Page 36] doue when her yong ones be taken, non dolet, nō requirit: and so must thou, if thou beest the child of God: though thy children, that is, whatsoeuer is deare vnto thee, be taken from thee, non dolere, not to be sorie, for the saurum habebis in caelo, Thou shalt haue treasure in heauen: non requirere, neither must ye make anie great adoe to get them a­gaine, for dabitur vobis, it shall be giuen vnto you, ful measure, pressed downe, sha­ken together, and running ouer.

For the second, [...], they are without hurt. Theophilact vpō this my text writeth, that Doues, though they leese their yong ones, yet they returne ad cosdem dominos, to the same maisters that robbed them: ad easdem aedes, to the same houses that betraied thē: nay, ad eosdem nidos, nay they hatch againe in the same nests that their other yong ones were killed in, stil enriching those that still spoile them. And so ought we by our Lord and maisters commande­ment: to him that smiteth vs on the one [Page 37] Cheeke, turne the other: and he that would take away thy cloake, giue him thy coate also. And this is the sence of this place, Be ye innocent as doues.

The summe of all that hath bene de­liuered, is expressed by the Orator in two words vnawares: Ars viuendi: it is the art of liuing well, which exceedeth all other arts in the better part. The principles of all other arts be true only, but the leuell of life, or the art of liuing is both true & good. This is ars archi­tectonica, the mistresse art of all others: all other arts be but instruments of this art of liuing. The grounds of Gram­mer, the arguments of Logicke, the perswasions of Rhetorike, the delights of Musicke, the numbers of Arithme­ticke, the measures of Geometrie, the motions of Astronomie, be but instru­ments and inuentions of men, to per­fect the vnderstanding. All manuarie arts serue especially for the bodie, as the art of plowing & tilling the groūd, for the vse of the bellie: the art of spin­ning [Page 38] and weauing, for the cloathing of the backe: but this art of liuing maketh vse of all other arts as instruments, and it furnisheth both the bodie and the soule with good and profitable things. It gouerneth the mind with wisdome, knowledge and discretion; and this is the first Estote, Be ye wise. It ruleth the bodie by temperance, abstinencie, so­brietic & chastity; and this is the secōd Estote, Be ye innocent. It persecteth thē both, by the feare of God, and loue of our neighbours; and this is both the first and second, both wisedome and innoconcie. This is Christian ethicks, the verie art of liuing: so that whosoe­uer hath not takē out this lesson, liueth by chaunce and not by art, because he hath not the art of liuing. For he that is not wise, is caried away with euerie companie, vpon euery occasion, vnto all naughtinesse. And he that careth not to be innocent, with the drunkards plaieth the good felow, with the swea­rers is a forward gentleman, with adul­terers [Page 39] is a companion, with theeues he is a sharer. And that you may see eui­dently that he liueth by chaunce, the Scripture saith plainely of such a one, that a wauering minded man is vnstable Iam. 1. 8. in all his wayes.

But he that is sapiens and innocens, wise and innocent, is quadratus, fower squared. Take a fower square stone, & tosse it, tumble it, and cast it which way you will, and it falleth alwayes a­like▪ there is no alteration, but stil there will be fower corners aboue, fower beneath, and fower on each side: so take a godly man, that is wise and in­nocent, and turne him from aduersitie to prosperitie, and from prosperitie to aduersitie againe, and he will be still the same, still quadratus, fower square. Aboue, that is in prosperitie, he hath fower corners; thankfulnesse to God, friendlinesse to his neighbours, pitiful­nesse to the poore, gentlenesse to all men. Beneath, that is in aduersitie, he hath fower likewise; patience without [Page 40] grudging, meekenesse without repi­ning, hope without enuying, faith without wauering; and these be they that make a man innocent. On both sides, that is, in both estates, he hath foure: prouidence, circumspection, discretion and direction; and these be they that make a man wise: and these be they that neuer can be moued, what storme of triall soeuer shall arise.

First for remouing of all doubt, and clearing of my text in all points from all ambiguitie, this question commeth euen now into my minde: how this may be, that all things should be law­full, seeing that manie and almost in­numerable things be altogether vn­lawfull and vtterly forbidden. If this were the rule, and thus roughly to be vnderstood, then were it lawfull to sweare with the swearer, to drink with the drunkard, to steale with the theefe, and to be a partaker with the adulterer, and such like. To this I answer, first that we must learne of this our author, to make account of vnlawfull things as of sinne, priuatiuè, priuatiuely, and not positiuè, positiuely, calling sinne [...], a transgression of the law, or as Ansel­mus [Page 47] defineth originall sinne, to be no­thing else but carentia originalis iustitia, a want of originall iustice: so is all sinne nothing else, nor all vnlawfull things anie thing else, but a want of iustice, a meere want, and therefore a meere no­thing: and so Iustine Martyr telleth vs, [...] for euil and vnlawful things, saith he, by an euill, & vnreasonable vse, and not by nature, are made euill: and if they be nothing in nature, then are they worse then nothing in grace. All vnlawfull things therefore, and all sins, quatenus & quamdiu, so far forth, and so long as they are such, both in nature, law, and grace, they are nothing.

Secondly I answer, that it is a com­mon rule, well knowne in schooles, v­niuersales voces non esse vltra terminos causae de qua agitur extendendas, that is, no vniuersall voices or words are to be stretched beyond the confines of their causes of which they are spoken: and so in this place, in that he saith, that all [Page 48] things are lawfull vnto me, the mea­ning is thus to be vnderstood and not otherwise, all dayes, diets and meates, all indifferent things are lawfull to me. This is the state of the things: now fol­loweth the case of law.

There is a licet necessitatis, a licet of necessitie, and a licet libertatis, a licet of libertie. For things may be said to be lawfull either absolutae nécessitatis, of absolute necessitie, and these include but one part of the contradiction, as to honor thy father is lawfull, but not to honor thy father is vnlawfull: to wor­ship God is lawfull, but not to worship him is altogether vnlawfull. On the o­ther side, not to steale lawfull, & there­fore to steale vnlawfull, &c. Or else things are called lawfull permissiuae li­bertatis, of libertie permitted, & these include vtramque contradictionis par­tem, both the parts of the cōtradiction, both the affirmatiue and negatiue part: as to obserue, and not obserue a day is [Page 49] both alike, to eate meate is lawful, and not to eate meate is not vnlawfull; to weare some kind of apparell is lawfull, and not to weare some kind of apparell is likewise lawfull, &c. And this is the licet, which our Apostle speaketh of here, the licet of libertie of permission, or permitted libertie in matters indif­ferent. This is the priuiledge of the new Testament aboue the old; libertie aboue law, and law aboue law; the law of libertie aboue the law of feare. The Law saith, to touch a dead carkas defi­leth a man, and maketh him vncleane, Deut. 14. But libertie saith, Omnia mun­da Nu, 19. 1 mundis: All things are cleane to the cleane: Tit. 1. 15. The law of feare saith, as the minister of grace telleth vs, touch not, tast not, handle not, Col. 2. 21. But the law of libertie saith, Arise Peter, kill and eate, Act. 10. 13. The things that God hath purified pollute thou not, Act. 10. 15. The old Testament saith, many things are vnlawfull, in so much as to weare a garment of wollen and linnen, [Page 50] and to plow with an oxe and an asse is vnlawful, Deu. 22. 10. 11. and that many beasts, manie foules, many fishes are [...]. 11. vnlawfull to be eaten. But the new Te­stamēt (as here you may see) telleth vs, that Omnia mihi licēt, all things are law­ful to me: I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus, that nothing is vncleane of it selfe: Rom. 14. 14. Non quaero quo vescaris, sed quo delecteris: I demand not what thou doest eate, but wherewith thou art delighted (saith S. Augustine.) And S. Paule reporteth vn­to vs, that the Iewish ceremonies be [...]. 4. 9. now impotent and beggerly rudiments: and that one word, which is, Domino, to the Lord, will serue for all; so all be done in the Lord, and to the Lord, all is well. Rom. 14. 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord: and he that obserueth not the day, obser­ueth it not to the Lord: He that eateth eateth to the Lord, for he giueth God thanks: and he that eateth not, eateth not to the Lord, & giueth God thanks.

And this In Domino, in the Lord, or to the Lord, as it requireth our obedi­ence with ioy, & our ioy with thanks­giuing, & all things in good order, and our order to be subalterne to the ordi­nance of God: so doth it ipso facto ex­clude all cōtrarietie, & subcontrarietie to God, that our law case may alwayes haue a reference to our law-giuer. Wherefore we must take heed that we be not contrarie to the Lord, in doing any thing opposit to the expresse word of God, neither be subcontrarie vnto him in resisting the substitute of God, who hath a commission from God, for the right ordering of these matters vnder God; for here goeth out the date of this licence.

This was a common saying among them, which they tooke vnto them­selues, as a special warrant of Christian libertie, frō the chiefe Iustice of peace Iesus Christ, who hath made peace be­tween [Page 52] heauen and earth, God & man. And indeed it seemeth to be [...] spokē of all externall indifferēt things, as to eate, to drinke, to weare this or that apparell is lawfull for me, yet is it not [...], vniuersally to be vnder­stood. True it is, Omnia licent, but yet not omnibus personis, omni tempore, & omni loco: all things are lawfull, but not to all men, at all times, and in all places; neither yet, which is a principal matter omni modo, in euerie forme or manner. As for example, to eate flesh is lawfull, but not in time forbidden by the law of our country: for si adres medias prae­ceptum Pet. 2. 13 accedat, fiunt necessariae: to buy & sell is lawful, but not in the Church: [...]t 21. 12 [...]ut 6. 13 [...]od 20. 7 to sweare is lawfull, but onely before a Iudge, to end some controuersie: to sleepe is lawfull and natural, but not in [...] 20. 9. the Sermon time: to weare apparel not forbidden; but for a Minister to go like a ruffian, or not to vse decent habi­liments in the Church, is a thing offen­siue and not so lawfull; neither is the [Page 53] manner alwayes allowable, as animo contradicendi, with a gainsaying minde and purpose, to feast on good Friday, and fast at Christmas, which thing is reproued by Caluin himselfe. Not that Instit. lib. c. 19. sect either he or we, put or place any reli­gion in the things themselues, either in obseruing of a day or not, in eating or abstaining from flesh, in wearing or not wearing of this or that kind of ap­parell, or such like: but because, as one saith: Sunt in homine veluti mundi duo, quibus & varij reges, & variae leges prae­esse possunt: Two worlds as it were, be in a man, one resembled in the soule, the other in the bodie, two kings ouer these two worlds, Christ, and Christ his deputie the lawfull magistrate; two kinds of lawes correspondent to all the rest, Ciuil or positiue law of the coun­trey from the king thereof; spirituall & eternall of the Church, from Christ her head. The spirituall kingdome of Christ yeelding vnto the politique or ciuill kingdome of the Lieutenant of [Page 54] Christ, some authoritie here on earth, for ordering & gouerning the Church in these indifferēt and external things, and omitting some matters, willingly as of purpose to be ordered by him; al­though in elementis, in the elements or simples of our profession, and in the infancie of the Church, being at that time a meere Church separated frō the bodie politique, Beda his rule is both true and certaine, licita tractanda erant non praescripto legis, sed consilio charita­tis, Lawful things were to be vrged not by the strictnesse of the law, but by the counsell of charitie, yet in mixtis & cō ­positis, in the mixt and compound, the states being incorporated, & the com­maundements compounded in the florishing and established state of the Church, the Kings commaundement being backed and seconded by God himselfe, and his Church being com­mitted vnto him, there is euen in these indifferent things some conscience to be made, and some religious order to [Page 55] be obserued. Neither thinke I that any man ought so stifly to stand or sticke v­pon Christian libertie herein, whereas there being but three parts of Christiā libertie, the last and least of all the rest consisteth and is in [...], in things indifferent: & a plain rule of the Apo­stle is broken, and a manifest comman­dement of God contemned, in resi­sting Rom. 1 Exod. 2 authoritie euen in these indifferēt matters. This therefore was the error of the Corinthians, which the Apostle propoundeth in his owne person, and taxeth them for by a concession, that they thought that this was Christian libertie, that they might at all times, in all places or occasions, vse or not vse these indifferent things. And this is a point of discretion in the Apostle, that he doth not by an inuectiue sharply reproue them, but speaking in his own person, he most wisely teacheth what they should do in these cases. But in that he doubleth it, Omnia mihi licent, All things are lawfull to me: and againe, [Page 56] Omnia mihi licent, All things are lawful; the reasons may be th [...]se, either be­cause they did oftentimes rehearse this saying, that all things were lawfull to them: or else because of the double dammage which happened vnto them hereby. First in that they prouoked the Lord Gods displeasure against them­selues, in that they were partakers of the table of diuels. Secondly, in that they hurt and destoryed the weake cō ­sciences of their brethren, and streng­thened the hand of the wicked in their idolatrie, by this their indiscreet action and fact, and so offended against our Apostles diuinity principle in another place, Let al things be done to edification: and this is our Apostles meaning and sence in this place.

In the fourteenth chapter to the Ro­maines the twentieth verse, this part of my text ioyned to the part following, hath a commentarie; All things indeed [Page 57] are pure saith he there: that expresseth what he meaneth by all lawfull things here. All things are lawfull, that is, there is not now vnder Christ as there were vnder Moses, many things impure; but all things are now indeed pure empha­tically: But, saith he here, but saith he there; but yet say we, therefore this do­ctrine i [...] not thus to be left thus vnlimi­ted; there is a further matter to be con­sidered. Wherefore it followeth here: But all things are not expedient. Which the commentarie in that place expres­seth in more plaine words: but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence: so that a man may vse things, or rather a­buse things lawfull in them selues to the hurt of himselfe, that is, whē things indifferent are done with offence: for this hath a vae, a wo denounced against it by Christ himselfe: vae homini per quē Math 18. [...] scandala: wo be to that man by whom of­fences come. Wherefore for a further commentary of this commentary, you shall take the old distinction as it is cō ­monly [Page 58] vsed: there is scandalum accep­tum, an offence taken: & there is scan­dalum datum, an offence giuen. But as for scandalum acceptum, an offence ta­ken where none is giuen, neither is there anie vae, anie wo denounced a­gainst it by Christ, neither is it the euill spoken of by S. Paule: for euen our Sa­uiour himselfe (who was without sin, and therefore without euill) had not­withstanding this scandal, this offence taken at his wordes, which were the words of truth, and at himselfe who is truth it selfe, Ioh. 6. It is therfore scan­dalum datum, a scandale or an offence giuen, which causeth the woe to him that bringeth it, and bringeth the euill to him that causeth it. To shew and il­lustrate this point in the matters that we haue in hand, as also to be a further commentary to both the former com­mentaries, take the sixth Chapter of this Epistle, verse 12. the tenure where­of be these: Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia conducunt, &c. All things are [Page 59] lawfull for me, but all things are not ex­pedient: all things are lawfull, but I am not brought into subiection of any thing: which place teacheth vs, first, that which this place also doth, that our li­cent must haue a conducunt, our law­ful must be profitable to our selues and others, or else our libertie without re­straint, will be nothing but the abstract of licet, licentia, a meere licentiousnes: secondly, that in this our libertie, we are put in mind of our seruice to God, in that he saith in that place, that he is brought into the subiectió of nothing. For this is the libertie of the seruants of God, that they must serue him onely, and not be subiect to anie other thing, neither to principalities nor powers, to Angels nor Archangels, much lesse to the elements, the baser things of this world. This disableth the authoritie of the things ouer man, & enfranchiseth or setteth man at liberty frō the things; but it doth not disable the authority of man ouer the things, or dischargeth [Page 60] man from the authoritie of man com­maunding a decent order to be kept in the right vse of the things.

Now then seeing that these lawfull things whereof the Apostle maketh mention in this place, be partly the bounds of Christian libertie, and this libertie is but the libertie of seruants: therfore as we see here among vs, those seruants deserue especiall commenda­tion, that be first profitable themselues, and then stirre vp others to become good seruants: so they do especially vse their Christian libertie well, who first regard [...], whether the thing lawfull be profitable, and then [...], whether it edifieth or not. For he onely is the good and faithfull seruant of God, who in all things see­keth to aduance the kingdom of God: and therefore our Apostle Paule in an­other place saith of himself: Omnia om­nibus factus sum: I am made all things to [...] Cor. 9. 22 all men: there is the practise of this Om­nia licent, all things are lawfull. If you [Page 61] aske him to what end: he will answer, [...]: That I may winne, that I may saue, both in one verse; both words of profite, which is the first li­mitation: the first exercise of conducere to profite, is lucrefacere to gaine: the next is saluos facere, to saue or keepe safe. If further you demaund, what he would winne or saue, his answer is non­nullos; vt lucrefaciam infirmos, vt saluos faciam nonnullos, that I might win the weake, that I might by all meanes saue some: there is the second point of this place, to wit, edification.

What greater helpe vnder God to all this in these indifferent things then conformitie, where brethren go hand in hand, and all draw one way, and all follow one course? What greater hurt then confusion, where the minds be­ing distracted, the workmen are distur­bed, and the worke is dissolued? Let this therefore be the triall who giueth the scandale or offence, he that confor­meth himselfe, that iointly with his [Page 62] brethren and fellow labourers he may set forward the worke; or he that sepa­rateth and secludeth himselfe, for small matters, left at libertie to be done or not to be done (sauing only that herein we are tyed to the ordinance of man, as the authoritie appointed by God) thereby breeding confusion and disor­der in the Church, thereby making a breach amongst brethren, thereby lay­ing a stumbling blocke in the way of the weake, thereby laying open a gap to the enemie, and thereby bringing hinderance to the worke of the Lord.

Thus much of the maxima and the two limitations thereof iointly, now seuerally a word or two of either of these two limitations. The first limita­tion that restraineth libertie that it be­commeth not licentious, is conducunt, if they haue an eye that they vse not their libertie in anie thing that shal not be expedient or profitable.

Bonum autem expediens, is of diuers sorts; for either it is [...], which cau­seth [Page 63] profit, or [...], which is profi­table, in keeping that which is gotten, or [...], which signifieth & shew­eth vs that which is expedient: for as in the state of our bodie we say, that in one respect medicina is sana, physicke is healthfull, because it causeth & pro­cureth health; in another respect we say, that cibus is sanus, our diet is healthfull, and exercitation sana, our ex­ercise is healthfull in that it preserueth our health, in another vrina est sana, the water is a sound or healthful water, in that it sheweth the partie whose v­rine it is to be both healthful & sound: so likewise in our soules, the spirit and word of God is the health of our souls, in that by these blessings our soules health is procured and preserued to vs. But our words and works they be [...], they also may be said to be sound and healthfull, as far forth as they be signes of the soundnesse of the heart, and frutes of the spirit wor­king by loue. And in the whole church [Page 64] and gouernment thereof, as confusion and disorder be signes of distempered humours, so conformi [...]i [...] and good order be, in these indifferent externall things, manifest signes of the eucrasie and good heal [...]h of the Church. Nei­ther onely are these [...], signes in vs of the grace of God, but they may be [...] in others by the good spirit of God woorking together in their harts: Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works may glo­rifie your father which is in heauen. Thus is your licet to be limited with cōducit, your lawfull to be accompanied with profitable. I might set out this point by another similitude of the getting, kee­ping, and shewing foorth of riches: As first the [...], the efficient cause of riches is the gift of God: The blessing of God maketh rich; the [...], the keeping of them is in the wisedome of man by the blessing of God: but the signe of riches, be liberall actions and workes which shew and set foorth the [Page 65] riches of anie man, both inward­ly and outwardly, more then anie bragges or boastes of riches whatsoe­uer: and the holy Ghost seemeth in the Scripture to haue an ayme at this similitude, where he saith, Be rich in 1. Tim. 61 good works, that is, as S. Iames aduiseth vs to shew or set forth faith by works, that Iames 2. 1 they may be both expedient to your self in the growth and increase of faith, and profitable to others to stirre them vp to newnesse of life, and edification, which is the second point towardes which I haste; onely thus much by the way, Caiphas tooke a wrong course, that applied lic [...]t to expedit, it is lawfull because expedient, when rather he should haue limited licet by expedit, first haue considered whether it were lawful that one man should die for the sinnes of the people, and then haue brought in his plea of expedit, it is ex­pedient that one man should die that the whole nation perish not. The like impious sentence was that of the Pope [Page 66] of Rome, when he adiudged the Tem­plars to sodaine destruction: Etsi non licet per viam iustitiae, licet autē per viam expedientiae. Although (saith he) it be not lawfull by the way of iustice to de­stroy them, yet notwithstanding it is lawfull by the way of expediencie; a most senslesse sentence, and altogether not beseeming his holinesse, as though any thing could be expedient, that is not iust and lawfull: many things are iust and lawfull which are not expedi­ent, not any otherwise. But I come to the second limitation.

This is the second limitation, and it raiseth the state of Christianitie a step higher, for licet, without expedit, lawful and not profitable, is good law, but naughtie policie, expedit, without aedi­ficat, profitable & not edifying is good policie, but naughtie diuinitie: licet, ex­pedit, aedificat, lawfull, profitable, and edifying, is good law, policie and diui­nitie. [Page 67] So that the true Christian, must neither let his cause hang in licet, the common pleas, where is all law, and not so great respect of conscience, nor in expedit, the Kings bench, where is both law and profite, but small regard of religion; but he must bring it to aedi­ficat, the court of conscience or Chan­cerie, where both law and profite be tempered by charitie.

I might also compare these three words to the three parts of the Bible, the Law, the Prophets, & the Gospell, licet est legis vocabulum, lawfull, is a law terme, expedit est Prophetarum vox, pro­fitable, is the Prophets voice, but aedifi­cat, but edifying is the Gospels speech: but this may suffice of this point: only I wil adde this, that aedificat, edification is both finis legis veritatis, the ende of the law of truth, in this verse; and also principium regulae charitatis, the begin­ning of the rule of charitie, in the next: that as words of truth must tend to e­dification, so all workes of charitie be­gin [Page 68] from edification; and therfore vpō this principle of truth, is grounded and followeth this precept of charitie: Let no man seeke that which is his owne, but euery man anothers wealth.

This 24. verse I said was regula cha­ritatis, the rule of charitie, and that I will now proue by conferring the two parts of this verse with two other pla­ces of Scripture. The first is in the 13. Chapter of this first Epistle to the Co­rinthiās: Charitie seeketh not those things that be her owne: what else saith the A­postle here: Let no man seeke that which is his owne; but onely he applieth that here by particular exhortation, which before he deliuered in vniuersall do­ctrine. The second place is in the first to the Corinthians. 8. 1. Charitas aedifi­cat, Charitie edifieth. What else mea­neth he in this place by the affirmatiue p [...]t, when he willeth vs that euery man should seeke that which is anothers, but [Page 69] that we should endeuour to edifie one another?

This lesson is too much and yet not enough learned of worldly men; too much in one sence, in that there be some kind of men, that because the A­postle forbiddeth euerie man that he should seeke his owne; and no man can call any thing suum, properly his own, but sinne, transg ession, corruption, & shame; sua peccata, sua fraus, suum sce­lus, sua iniquitas: their sinnes be their owne, thei [...] deceipts, their wickednes, and their iniquities; therfore they will hudwinke them selues wilfully that they may not see and seeke to find out their owne sinne and wickednes, that they may heale them: these mistaking the marke do ouer-shoote it on the left hand. But if you do dextrè intelligere, rightly vnderstand it, the whole world cometh short of it. Let no man (to wit, [Page 70] in the vse of Christian liberty) seeke his owne, that is, quod ipsi licet libet: for as it was the speech of an incestuous mō ­ster, si libet, licet, to make lust a law: so quicqūid licet, libet, to do whatsoeuer we may do by law, is the part of a li­bertine Christian. We must somtimes decedere de iure nostro, depart from our owne right, euen as Christ Iesus being the sonne of God did humble himself, [...]il 2. 7. sub forma serui, vnto the state of a ser­uant, for our sakes.

This part also is too much followed of some in the wrong sence, and too li­tle of all in the true: for to seeke other mens commodities to drawe them to themselues, to seeke other mens goods for their own vse, is so common a pra­ctise, that it seemeth that men haue no need to be instructed in this point: but to seeke other mens wealth so that they will do nothing that may giue iust of­fence [Page 71] to the least, & will do any thing that may edifie the most men, herein they are such dunces & non proficiēts, that men will not learne, no though they be instructed by the spirite of God.

This word alterius, anothers, ma­keth the action of seeking to be a rela­tiue action, and this relation of all our actions and endeauors in things indif­ferent vnto the good of others, is to be considered either in common, or in se­uerall. In cōmon, euery man is bound to maintaine with all might & maine, nay to preferre, the common good of Church or commonwealth before his owne priuate gaine or commoditie. The heathen Oratouis instruction is worthie the attention of Christians in this point: As we are not borne of our selues, so we are not bo [...]ne to or for our selues alone: one part of our life our wiues and children will take vp, ano­ther [Page 72] part our friends and kinsfolke, and the greatest part of all our country and commonwealth doth challenge of du­tie to belong vnto it. And as this is the part of euerie man, so more chiefly of those whose persons are fitted to this purpose; publique persons must seeke the publique commoditie before o­thers, and the common good before their owne and proper welfare. The publike persons office and good is in some sort described by the heathē Phi­losopher: Omnium somnos illius vigi­lantia defendit, omnium otium illius la­bor, omnium delicias illius industria, om­nium vacationem illius occupatio: His of­fice and care preserueth the estate of al, and procureth the good of all; all mens sle [...]pe his watchfulnesse, all mens ease his labour, all mens delights his indu­strie, all mens vacation his occupation. These publike persons be of two sorts: the Magistrate, and the Minister. An example of a good magistrate we haue in Moses, whose zeale for the common [Page 73] good of Israell was so great, that for their sakes he desired to be razed out of Gods booke. Exod. 32. 33. An example of a good Minister we haue in Paule, who for the benefite of his brethren could wish to be separated frō Christ, Rom. 9. 3. Thus is this relation, or rela­tiue action of seeking anothers good to be considered in common: and a­gaine in seueral it hath three combina­tions, or relatiue coniugations. One an­other, may be either the superiour to his inferiour, the equall to his equall, or the inferior to his superior, and euerie one of these haue seuerall duties which be his owne, and pertaining vnto him, and ought of dutie to be performed vnto him of the other: the inferior to his superior must giue reuerentiam and obedientiam, the equall to his equall supplie, auxilium and consilium, the su­perior to his inferior must repay custo­diam and disciplinam. A word or two of either of these, and so an end. The duties that the inferiour oweth to his [Page 74] superiour, be reuerence & obedience; reuerence, as the homage of his bodie in all outward behauiour, as well in a­ction, as to rise vp to him, & vse some action of submission, as in word, not to speake without due regard to whom he speaketh, and that the countenance be voide of all proud and disdainfull lookes; & in a word, that all his iesture and outward behauiour be so ordered, that the superiour may haue no excep­tion against the cariage of his inferiour towards him. But yet this is not all, for obedience bindeth the inferiour more nearely to his superiour, for it tieth his soule in subiectiō vnto him: [...] Let euery soule (saith our Apostle) be subiect to the superiour power. If thy bet­ter, to wit, the Magistrate, thy maister, thy father, or anie that is in authoritie ouer thee, commaund thee any thing, so thou doest it, thou thinkest thou hast discharged thy dutie; but I tell thee whosoeuer thou art, if thou doest it mutteringly or vnwillingly, thou [Page 75] haddest as good not do it at all, for thou owest obedience, that is soule­seruice, vnto thy superiour, but thou canst not serue in soule but by the will, and therefore he that is vnwilling doth not obey.

What account thē thinke you make they of the Apostles rule, who are so indifferent in these indifferēt matters, that they wil not in anie case yeeld vn­to the authoritie of their superiours herein? Wherein (I pray you) consi­steth their obedience? wherein their charitie? wherein seeke they the edisy­ing of the Church, in procuring and seeking the good of others? Forsooth in this, in maintaining that doctrine which formerly they haue taught, in disobeying authoritie in these matters of indifferencie. Yea but what if they ought not to haue taught it, for who is he that ought to teach the doctrine of disobedience? And surely if the Prince directed & aduised by the learned and grauest men, and men in authoritie in [Page 76] his realme, hath not power in his hāds to commaund all the Ministers in his land to keepe a decent and comely or­der in their minist [...]rie, I knowe not wherein his supremacie doth consist: Let euery man, I meane euery Mini­ster, be Pope in his own Parish. But yet constantiâ causae, they most goe on where they haue begun. This were wel if there were causa constantiae, constan­cie of the cause where there is cause of constancie is good. But tell me, I pray you, what cause of constancie where the cause was neuer good, and the [...]fore neuer good for constancie, which as it is alwayes good, so must it alwayes haue a good cause: for error in principio an error in the beginning, groweth of­tentimes to be an heresie in the ende. My aduice herein I refer vnto the next point, which is the second combina­tion.

The duties of the equal to his equal be auxilium and consilium, counsell and helpe: if thy neighbor that is thy equall [Page 77] be distressed, and thy helpe may in any matter releeue him and stand him in stead, thou art bound by Christian du­tie to put too thy helping hand: if at a­nie time he erre and be deceiued, the same dutie bindeth thee to counsell him. The best counsell and helpe that I can giue vnto my brethren, as concer­ning the cases now in hand, which also I promised in the former point, is this, poenitentia nunquam sera, si seria.

The third and last relation is, of the superiour to the inferiour; and the du­ties thereof be custodia and disciplina, custodie and discipline, the inferiours are the charge of the superiours, & they ought both to keepe them from harme by custodie, and in order by discipline. The Magistrates dutie is, to preserue the innocent people from the iniurie of the oppressor, & to punish the guil­tie by the rod of discipline: and so the Minister is to keepe his flocke from ra­uening wolues, and separate the scab­bed sheepe from the sound by the rod [Page 78] of discipline, and so in all others. In re­gard of which two duties, of keeping and ordering of the people, the word of God resembleth a good king vnto a diligent pastor or shepheard, and a care­lesse Prince vnto a negligēt shepheard, 1. King. 22. 17. Then he said, I saw all Is­raell scattered vpon the mountaines, as sheepe that had no shepheard: & the Lord said, these haue no maister, let euery man returne to his house in peace. Where the people are kept, that is, duly fed and kept in order, that is, disciplined aright, there be both sheepe and shepheard: but where they be either not at all, or not in order kept, there be sheep with­out a shepheard. From hence blinde Homer borrowed some light, and see­meth to see somwhat, whose king and chiefe magistrate is entituled and cal­led [...], the shepheard of the people, whose fold is custody & whose dog is discipline.

Now if some man shall say, that he is so base that he hath no inferiour, to [Page 79] him I answer plainly, there is no man so base but he hath an inferiour, if not amongst others, yet in himselfe: first in the whole man, the bodie is infe­riour to the soule, and the godly haue performed in themselues these duties to their bodies: Set a watch, ô Lord, be­fore Psal. 141 my mouth, saith the Prophet Da­uid; there is custodie. And in another place [...]. I tame my body and bring it into subiection, saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 9. 27. there is discipline. Againe in the soule, the vnreasonable part is inferiour to the reasonable, the affe­ctions vnto reason: and therefore the Preacher speaking of the hart, the seate of affections, giueth vs this counsell, Omni custodia custodi cor tuum, Looke to thy heart, and the affections therof with all diligence, let reason rule them. And euen in reason, in the vnderstanding and will of man▪ nature, corrupt na­ture ought to be subiect to grace. For that we may instare in proposito, to seeke our owne, and to neglect anothers [Page 80] wealth, is the part of a carnall and na­turall man, although he be well instru­cted in the knowledge of truth. Con­trariwise to seeke anothers good more then our owne pleasure or profite, is the property of a man indued with the spirit of Christ, and true charitie. God for his infinite mercie graunt that his grace may rectifie our reason, our rea­son may reforme our affections, and our reformed affections may so go­uerne our bodies, that we may grow vp into perfect men in Christ lesus: to whō with thee ô Father, and thy holy Ghost, be all honor, glory, thanks­giuing and praise, now and for euer.

Amen.

We are his, and therfore he is ours: he our God, we his creatures; he our redeemer, we his redeemed; he our Lord, we his seruants; he our king, we his subiects. Quod sumus, that we are, we are of him: Quod sumus filij, in that we are sonnes, we are it in him. If thou hast anie grace it is his gift; if thou hast any goodnesse, it is his grace. Nam de [Page 100] plenitudine eius omnes bibimus, for of his fulnesse we all haue drunke. What then? is his fulnes euer a whit the emp­tier because all haue drunke thereof? not at all: for in him is plenitudo sontis, the fulnesse of the fountain, in vs there is plenitudo v [...]sis, the fulnesse of a ves­sell: and therefore according as in other, nay infinitely aboue the nature and ex­cellencie of all other fountains: though all the vessels be filled with grace from the fountaine, yet is the fountaine of grace neuer a whit the emptier. Thus hast thou possession in him, and yet he full of power in himselfe notwithstan­ding: thus hath he bestowed a bene­fite vpon thee in that he is thine, and thou doest owe a dutie vnto him, in that he is thy king, which requireth thy obedience, and that in such sort as he is thy king. To him that is the king of our countrey, we must do such seruice as our countrey lawes commaund vs: to him that is our spirituall king, we [Page 101] owe spirituall obedience: and to him that is our heauenly king, we must per­forme that d [...]tie that is required of all those that shall be made citizens of the kingdome of heauen: that is, inwardly to serue God in spirit and in truth. Yea but he speaketh but to Sion onely, Tell the daughter Sion, Behold, thy king; and therefore it seemeth that none but the Iewes had this interest in him. Yea but this title was written ouer his head at his death, Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes, in three languages. Hebrew, Greeke and Latine, to signifie, that as well Grecians, and Romaines, or anie nation else that trusteth in his name, haue this interest in him as well as the Iewes, that he will be th [...]ir king: For he is not a Iewe that is one outward, neither is that circumcision that is outwardly in the flesh, but he is a Iew that is one within, and Rom. 29. that is circumcision that is inwardly in the heart, as the Apostle Paule witnes­seth. Yea, but how could any haue this interest in him seeing he is God? To [Page 102] this a certaine auncient diuine answe­reth, that, fuit in eo sublimit as diuina, cum infirmitate humana, diuine excel­lencie, with humane infirmitie: he is Rex, the king, in that he is the great God: he is tuus, thine, in that he was made weake man.

Whereby we may see, that we may prepare the way to the next point, how farre Christ humbled himselfe, that he might be ours. Belowe the nature of God is the nature of Angels, belowe the nature of Angels is the nature of man, below the nature of man is the punishment due to mans nature per­uerted and depraued. First therefore Christ humbled himselfe below him­selfe, below his diuine nature, in that he was made lesse then himself: Phil. 2. againe he humbled himself below the Angels in that he could suffer, which the Angels can not: and therefore it is said in another place, Minuisti cum pau­so minus Angelis: Thou hast made him a litle lower then the Angels. Thirdly he [Page 103] descended lower then the nature of man, in that he was a reproach among men, vermis sum & non homo, I am a Psal. 22 worme and not a man: Esa. 53. 2. Non est ei species neque decor: He hath neither forme nor beauty. Fourthly he humbled him selfe euen vnto punishment. Now there be three degrees of punishmēts: there is poena valdè ignominiosa, a verie shamefull death, as that of hanging, which belongeth to malefactors, there is poena valdè laboriosa, a verie painfull death, as to be fleyed, as was S. Bartho­lomew, or to be broiled, as was S. Lau­rence: and there is poena, a punishment, that is both these, both verie shamefull and verie painfull, and this is the death of the crosse, both shamefull as being the death of theeues, painfull as tor­mented in the most neruous and sen­satiue partes. Wilt thou now trie thy state in him, and see his estate in him selfe: then must thou ascend vnto him by the same steppes or degrees by the which he hath descended vnto thee; [Page 104] he is thy punishmēt remoued because he bare the punishment due vnto thee; he is thy man, in that he was made man for thee; he is thy Angell, in that he is the messenger of God for thy sal­uation; he is thy God, in that he made thee; he is thy king, in that he is thy God: thy punishment, thy man, thy Angell, thy God, thy king. Thy pu­nishment, to free thee from paine, thy man to shield thee from shame, thy Angell to bring thee vnto God, thy God to guide thee with his grace, thy king to giue thee of his glorie. And thus much of the first point, which is the height of his estate; now followeth the second, which is the lowlinesse of his heart.

This is the verie receptacle and ves­sell whereinto God vseth to powre all his graces: Humilibus dat gratiam, God giueth grace to the humble: Iam. 4. Sicut enim aqua ad loca ima, ita gratia ad cor­da humilia currit, saith S. Augustine, as [Page 105] the water runneth to the lower places, so grace floweth to the lowly heart. And in his tenth booke De verbis Do­mini speaking of Marie Magdalene, he saith, Quanto humiliùs sedebat, tanto ampliùs capiebat, the lower that she sate, the more was her receipt of grace: at our Sauiours feete she receiued more grace then in the kings throne. Iacob, when hee was lowest, euen on the ground; and when he was weakest, e­uen disarmed of al his senses by sleepe: then was he greatest in Gods fauour, for then he saw a ladder reaching from heauen to earth, & the Angels descen­ding and ascending the [...]upon, Gen. 28. Confluit aqua ad humilitatis conuallem, the water floweth to the lowly vallies; and therefore high places are drie whē low are full of water: light things of no worth, as feathers, mount with the wind; but things that haue substance and be of value, as gold, lye still below on the ground. The best eares of corne bow downe their heads, but they that [Page 106] haue nothing in them stand starting and staring bolt vpright: and the Pha­risey amongst men, that braggeth of himselfe, is of lesser estimation with Christ, then the Publican that beateth his breast. S. Gregorie in his Pastorals, saith, that pupilla oculi nigra videt, albu­ginem tollerans non videt, the apple of the eye that seemeth blacke, doth see; but that which hath a white filme ouer it, that hath a pearle in it, seeth not: so is it with the eye of the soule, as it is with the eye of the bodie: that minde that seemeth blacke in it owne sight, that seemeth darke, vile and vglie of it selfe to it selfe, that mind seeth it selfe: if thy vnderstāding naturally seemeth darke vnto thee, thy wil deformed, thy affections vile and base, and thy whole naturall man vglie and corrupt in thy sight, then is the ball of thine eye black, then seest thou. But if all seeme plea­sant, faire and goodly, and nothing in thy sight is amisse, then hast thou a white filme drawne ouer thine eye, [Page 107] thē hast thou a pearle in thine eye, and this precious eye with a pearle in it seeth not at all, neither it selfe nor anie thing else, as it is in deed, & as it ought to see it. And therefore Ptolomie well saith, that inter sapientes, sapientior qui humilior, amongst wise men, he is the wiser that is the humbler: and the wise man saith: Pro. 11. Vbi humilitas ibi sa­pientia, Where there is humilitie there is wisedome. Scalpon the Philosopher wri­ting to Alexander hath these words, Praesto est Deus tibi dare sapientiam: God indeed (saith he) is readie to giue thee wisedome, sed non habes vbiteneas eam, cum superbia plenus sis: but thou hast not wherein to put it, seeing thou art full of pride. And therefore Isidore he saith, Descende vt ascendas, descend that thou mayest ascend; be humbled that thou mayest be exalted: for he that extolleth himselfe shall be abased, and he that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low. And here I pray you marke three degrees or steps of humi­litie: [Page 108] the first is subdere se maiori, nec praeferre se equali: to submit our selues vnto our betters, and not to preferre our selues before our equals, & isle, and this is necessarie to saluation. The second is subdere se aequali▪ nec se praeferre minori: a man to submit himselfe to his equall, and not to preferre himselfe be­fore his inferiou [...]s, & isle, and this is a­bundans, this aboundeth. The third is yet one d [...]gree further: subdere se mino­ri, in quo esi omnis iustitia; to submit himselfe to his inseriour, wherein con­sisteth ail iustice. But to come some­thing more neare to this point that we haue in hand: other do otherwise di­stinguish the works of humilitie, into these soure steps or degrees. The first is spernere mundum, to despise the world; this is the first step to humilitie: the se­cond is▪ spernere nullum, to despise no man: the third is, spernere seipsum, but to thinke basely of himselfe: the fourth is, non spernere seipsum sperni, not to scorne that he is scorned, not to des­pise [Page 109] that he himselfe is despised: and this indeede is the proper worke of meekenesse, which is defined by the auncient diuines: Tranquilitas animi nullis molestus irritati, Me [...]knesse is the quietnesse of a mind, that can be pro­uoked by no troubles to disquietnesse; and this is non spernere seipsum sperni: not to scorne that he himselfe is scor­ned: for many can beare other trou­bles, as pouertie, sicknesse, imprison­ment patiently, and some can beare re­proches and not reuile againe; but he that can be contented to be cōtemned and scorned in this world, he that scor­neth not this, he sure is built vpon a sure rocke, he hath that quietnesse of mind that can not be disquieted; he is meeke: and such was this king, that despised not when he was despised: nay he came into the world that he might be scorned: and yet being a king he did not destroy, but purchased a pardon with his owne heart bloud, euen for those that scorned him. And such shall we be, if we hūble our selues [Page 110] vnder his hand that humbled himselfe for vs, euen vnto the death, and that the death of the crosse for vs: Phil. 2. 8. Mansueti dicuntur quasi manu assueti: They are said to be meek saith the Phi­losopher, that are brought vp by the hand: and therefore repentant sinners are said to be meeke, who leauing their fiercenesse and naughtinesse, are con­uerted to come vnto the hands of the Lord of mercie.

Now there be two wayes whereby sinners are made meeke. For Albertus saith, that there be some beasts & birds as Faulcons and such like, which are made tame, and returne to the hand of their maister, when they perceiue and feele some benefit, receiue some meate from the hand of him that called them: and so Christ, willing to conuert sin­ners vnto himselfe, leaueth not off to offer his benefites vnto them, and to feede them with his owne flesh and bloud; and thus he cometh meeke. But there be some that will not be made [Page 111] meeke or tame, but by blowes, by whips and punishments: For the Phi­losopher saith, lib. 8. de animalibus, that the Elephant being taken is beaten of his rider, that he may obey him, and thus they do tame him; his two former feete are tied hard together vntill such time as he becometh tame, and quiet; and then euer after he becometh as o­bedient and familiar as anie dog. Now then beloued, if we be of the nature of Elephants, stubburne and proud, and will not be tamed but by blowes, so that God to tame vs is euen driuen as it were, to send famine, the sword, and pestilence: the fault is not therefore in God, for he is meeke; but the fault is in our selues, for we would not regard him when he sent vs his benefiets, of peace, plentie, & health, neither would we be made tame or become meeke thereby. If therefore now in stead of peace he shall giue vs warre, in stead of plentie he shall send a famine, and in stead of health such sicknesses and dis­eases [Page 112] as haue not bene heard of in anie ages: yet is he no changeling, but we will not be chaunged: O that yet ye would repent and returne vnto him, and you shall trie him, euen yet also to be meeke and gentle, to forgiue you all your sinnes, and to receiue you into fauour: and thus much of the second part, the lowlinesse of his heart.

Now followeth the third part, which is the vse and application of both the other, and therefore is placed in the midst betweene them both.

If he be a king, and be not our king, what is that to vs? If he be our king, and be not meeke, what comfort is that to vs? If he be a king, our king, and meeke; and yet come not vnto vs, what bene­fite haue we by all this? And therefore this venit tibi, cometh vnto thee is the vse of all: for this causeth both our king and his meeknesse to be good vnto vs.

That is, ad vtilitatem tuam, for thy [Page 113] profite, he cometh to thee: for thy pro­fite, to suffer death for thee. See here the exceeding loue of our Sauior, ioy­ned with our infinite profite: Greater loue hath no man then this, that a man should lay downe his life for his friends: Iohn. 15. For whereas there be foure signes to manifest our loue by, the last and greatest of all is this, as you shall see by their seuerall examples. First loue is made manifest by words, as by signes; for when the heart is full of loue, then the mouth is ful of words of loue: Luk. 6. Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur, Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Secondly loue is made mani­fest by benefites bestowed, and this is greater then the first: for manie will speake good words and full of loue, which will not performe the like in a­ction. And therefore S. Gregori [...] saith: Probatio dilectionis exhibitio est operis, the proofe of a mans good will is the bestowing of a good turne. Thirdly loue is made manifest by personal obe­dience, [Page 114] if anie man for loue in person doth seruice; and this is greater then the former: for many would be con­tent to supply in loue the want of their friends, but not to serue in person: but Iacob serued Laban seauen yeares for Rahel, Gen. 19. because he loued her. Fourthly, loue is made manifest by suf­fering aduersitie for the thing loued: Multi enim darent personam suam ad seruiendum, qui non darent animā suam ad moriendum; saith one; Many would giue their bodies to serue, who neuer will giu [...] their liues to die for loue: and of this signe of this loue, the Apostle Paule, the true disciple of Christ spea­keth, 2. Cor. 12. 15. I will most gladly be­stow, and will be bestowed for you: but Christ the maister of Paule & all Chri­stians, he hath shewed all these signes of his loue vnto his spouse, which is his Church. For in the time of the Law and the Prophets, he shewed his loue by his words: Baruch. 4. Beati sumus Israel: We are blessed ô Israel, because those [Page 115] things that please God are manifest to vs. Secondly he shewed his loue by his benefites bestowed, both in the law, before the law, and after the law: he hath giuen vs both temporall, corpo­ral, and spirituall blessings, and he hath promised vs also celestial and heauenly benefites: Mat. 6. Thirdly he came in person and serued for vs, not seauen yeares, as Iacob did, but thirtie yeares; in forma serui, euen in the forme of a seruant: Phil. 2. 8. But principally in this place his loue is set downe, where he is said to come vnto vs, not to dine with vs, but to die for vs, not to suppe with vs, but to suffer for vs. And what did he come to suffer? Dura verba, du­riora verbera, durissima crucis tormenta: He came to suffer hard words, harder stripes, but the most hard and cruell torments of the crosse. Wherein as he taketh infinite paines, so he doth ex­ceeding good. For first in that he com­meth, he must of necessitie mouere, moue towards vs, and Christus est pri­mum [Page 116] mobile Die, the first moueable goods of God; and as Christ moueth, so moue all the spheres of the grace of God, whether spirituall or temporall, for our good, according to our Sauior Christ his owne speech in the Gospel: Primum quaerite regnum Dei, First seeke the kingdome of God, and the righteous­nesse thereof, and all other things shall be cast vnto you. Secondly, in that he com­meth vnto vs, he must needs remouere, remoue all those things that make a se­paration betweene him and vs; for eius­dem est remouere, cuius est mouere, it be­lōgeth vnto the same to remoue whose propertie it is to moue: as we see in the fire, it hath a propertie to moue vp­ward, and it hath an abilitie to remoue those things that hinder it from mo­uing vpward, as straw, wood, stone, or whatsoeuer cometh in the way whē it moueth, by burning it remoueth: and so Christ coming vnto vs, that he might moue the better vnto vs, he hath remoued and broken downe the par­tition [Page 117] wall of sinne, that made a separa­tion betweene him and vs, by dying he hath taken away the sting of death, and by descending into hell, he, the true spirituall Sampson, hath broken o­pen and borne away the gates of hell, that he might come vnto vs. Looke how farre the East is from the West, so far hath he remoued all euil from thee, by mouing, that is, by comming vnto thee, if thy heart be prepared by faith and repentance to receiue him. Third­ly by coming vnto vs, he doth not only mouere, moue ouer vs by his protectiō; nor yet remouere, remoue euill from vs by his power: but he doth also promo­uerè, promote, & set forward the grace of God in vs by his mercy; for there­fore is he called Rex tuus, thy king in his iourney towards thee: Behold thy king cometh vnto thee, that like as a king preferreth his seruants, so Christ preferreth all Christians that are truly so called; that is, all those that not only in name, but in nature also resemble [Page 118] Christ. It is accounted in the way to preferment, to be admitted to come to the king, and to haue accesse vnto him: but if the king vouchsafe to come vn­to thee, thou shalt haue worship in the sight of all the people: but if the king will vouchsafe to be thy king, and then come vnto thee, what canst thou want, that thou shalt not haue at his hands; when he himselfe is thy portion and thy possession, and cometh vnto thee as thy possession for euermore?

Euen so Lord Iesus come quickly. Amen.