Should use Caution in judging of others.

547

CATION.

an error doth exclude a pope or a cardinal, in such a case, Discourse utterly from hope of life. Surely, I must confess unto you, if OF JUSTIFI it be an error, that God may be merciful to save men even when they err, my greatest comfort is my error; were it not for the love I bear unto this error, I would never wish to speak, nor to live.

XXXVI. Wherefore to resume that mother-sentence, whereof I little thought that so much trouble would have grown, "I doubt not but God was merciful to save thousands of our fathers, living in popish superstitions, inasmuch as they sinned ignorantly." Alas! what bloody matter is there contained in this sentence, that it should be an occasion of so many hard censures? Did I say, "That thousands of our fathers might be saved?" I have shewed which way it cannot be denied. Did I say, "I doubt not but that they were saved?" I see no impiety in this persuasion, though I had no reason for it. Did I say, “"Their ignorance did make me hope they did find mercy, and so were saved?" What hindereth salvation but sin? Sins are not equal; and ignorance, though it doth not make sin to be no sin, yet seeing it did make their sin the less, why should it not make our hope concerning their life the greater? We pity the most, and doubt not but God hath most compassion over them that sin for want of understanding. As much is confessed by sundry others, almost in the self-same words which I have used. It is but only my evil hap, that the same sentences which savour verity in other men's books, should seem to bolster heresy when they are once by me recited. If I be deceived in this point, not they, but the blessed Apostle hath deceived me. What I said of others, the same he said of himself, "I obtained mercy, for I did it ignorantly." Construe his words, and you cannot misconstrue mine. I spake no otherwise, I meant no otherwise, than he did.

XXXVII. Thus have I brought the question concerning our fathers at length unto an end. Of whose estate, upon so fit an occasion as was offered me, handling the weighty causes of separation between the church of Rome and us, and the weak motives which are commonly brought to retain men in that society; amongst which motives the examples of our fathers deceased is one; although I saw it convenient to

OF JUSTIFI

CATION.

548

Should use Caution in judging of others.

DISCOURSE utter the sentence which I did, to the end that all men might thereby understand, how untruly we are said to condemn as many as have been before us otherwise persuaded than we ourselves are; yet more than that one sentence, I did not think it expedient to utter, judging it a great deal meeter for us to have regard to our own estate, than to sift over-curiously what is become of other men; and fearing, lest that such questions as these, if voluntarily they should be too far waded in, might seem worthy of that rebuke which our Saviour thought needful in a case not unlike, "What is this unto thee?" When I was forced, much beside my expectation, to render a reason of my speech, I could not but yield at the call of others, and proceed so far as duty bound me, for the fuller satisfying of minds. Wherein I have walked, as with reverence, so with fear: with reverence, in regard of our fathers, which lived in former times; not without fear, considering them that are alive.

XXXVIII. I am not ignorant how ready men are to feed and sooth up themselves in evil. Shall I (will the man say, that loveth the present world more than he loveth Christ), shall I incur the highest displeasure of the mightiest upon earth? shall I hazard my goods, endanger my estate, put myself into jeopardy, rather than to yield to that which so many of my fathers embraced, and yet found favour in the sight of [Judges v. God? "Curse ye Meroz (saith the Lord,) curse her inha23.] bitants, because they helped not the Lord, they helped him not against the mighty." If I should not only not help the Lord against the mighty, but help to strengthen them that are mighty against the Lord; worthily might I fall under the burden of that curse, worthy I were to bear my own judgment: but, if the doctrine which I teach be a flower gathered in the garden of the Lord, a part of the saving truth of the gospel, from whence notwithstanding poisonous creatures do suck venom; I can but wish it were otherwise, and content myself with the lot that hath befallen me, the rather, because it hath not befallen me alone. St. Paul taught a truth, and a comfortable truth, when he taught, that the greater our misery is, in respect of our iniquities, the readier is the mercy of God for our release, if we seek unto him; the more we have sinned, the more praise, and glory, and honour unto him that par

CATION.

doneth our sin. But mark what lewd collections were made DISCOURSE OF JUSTIFIhereupon by some: "Why then am I condemned for a sinner?" And the Apostle (as we are blamed, and as some [Rom. iii. affirm that we say, "Why do we not evil that good may 7,8.] come of it?") he was accused to teach that which ill-disposed people did gather by his teaching, though it were clean not only besides, but against his meaning. The Apostle addeth, "Their condemnation (which thus do) is just." I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation: I wish from my heart their conversion, whosoever are thus perversely affected. For I must needs say, their case is fearful, their estate dangerous, which harden themselves, presuming on the mercy of God towards others. It is true, that God is merciful, but let us beware of presumptuous sins. God delivered Jonah from the bottom of the sea; will you therefore cast yourselves headlong from the tops of rocks, and say in your hearts, God shall deliver us? He pitieth the blind that would gladly see; but will he pity him that may see, and hardeneth himself in blindness? No; Christ hath spoken too much unto you, to claim the privilege of your fathers.

any

XXXIX. As for us that have handled this cause concerning the condition of our fathers, whether it be this thing or other which we bring unto you, the counsel is good which the wise man giveth, "Stand thou fast in thy sure understanding, in the way and knowledge of the Lord, and have but one manner of word, and follow the word of peace and righteousness." As a loose tooth is a grief to him that eateth, so doth a wavering and unstable word in speech, that tendeth to instruction, offend. "Shall a wise man speak words of the [Job xv. 2.] wind," saith Eliphaz; light, inconstant, unstable words? Surely the wisest may speak words of the wind: such is the untoward constitution of our nature, that we do neither so perfectly understand the way and knowledge of the Lord, nor so stedfastly embrace it when it is understood; nor so graciously utter it, when it is embraced; nor so peaceably maintain it, when it is uttered; but that the best of us are overtaken sometimes through blindness, sometimes through hastiness, sometimes through impatience, sometimes through other passions of the mind, whereunto (God doth know) we are too subject. We must therefore be contented both to pardon

OF JUSTIFI

CATION.

[Gal. iv. 12.]

[Epist. ad Pam

DISCOURSE others, and to crave that others may pardon us for such things. Let no man, that speaketh as a man, think himself, while he liveth, always freed from scapes and oversights in his speech. The things themselves which I have spoken unto you are sound, howsoever they have seemed otherwise unto some: at whose hands I have, in that respect, received injury, I willingly forget it; although, indeed, considering the benefit which I have reaped by this necessary speech of truth, I rather incline to that of the Apostle, "They have not injured me at all.” I have cause to wish them as many blessings in the kingdom of heaven, as they have forced me to utter words and syllables in this cause; wherein I could not be more sparing of my speech than I have been. "It becometh no man (saith St. Jerome) to be patient in the crime of heresy." Patient, as I take it, we should be always, though the crime of heresy were intended; but silent in a thing of so great consequence I could not, beloved, I durst not be; especially the love, which I bear to the truth of Christ Jesus, being hereby somewhat called in question. Whereof I beseech them in the meekness of Christ, that have been the first original cause, to consider that a watchman may cry "An enemy!" when indeed a friend cometh. In which cause, as I deem such a watchman more worthy to be loved for his care, than misliked for his error; so I have judged it my own part in this, as much as in me lieth, to take away all suspicion of any unfriendly intent or meaning against the truth, from which, God doth know, my heart is free.

mach. 61.

al. 30. §. 2.]

XL. Now to you, beloved, which have heard these things, I will use no other words of admonition, than those that are [Jam. ii. offered me by St. James, "My brethren, have not the faith of 1.] our glorious Lord Jesus in respect of persons." Ye are not now to learn, that as of itself it is not hurtful, so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive, in doubtful cases, to hear the different judgments of men. Be it that Cephas hath one interpretation, and Apollos hath another; that Paul is of this mind, and Barnabas of that; if this offend you, the fault is yours. Carry peaceable minds, and you may have comfort by this variety.

Now the God of peace give you peaceable minds, and turn it to your everlasting comfort.

A

LEARNED SERMON

OF

THE NATURE OF PRIDE.

HABAKKUK ii. 4.

His mind swelleth, and is not right in him: but the just by faith shall live.

THE nature of man, being much more delighted to be led than drawn, doth many times stubbornly resist authority, when to persuasion it easily yieldeth. Whereupon the wisest lawmakers have endeavoured always, that those laws might seem most reasonable, which they would have most inviolably kept. A law simply commanding or forbidding, is but dead in comparison of that which expresseth the reason wherefore it doth the one or the other. And, surely, even in the laws of God, although that he hath given commandment be in itself a reason sufficient to exact all obedience at the hands of men, yet a forcible inducement it is to obey with greater alacrity and cheerfulness of mind, when we see plainly that nothing is imposed more than we must needs yield unto, except we will be unreasonable. In a word, whatsoever be taught, be it precept for direction of our manners, or article for instruction of our faith, or document any way for information of our minds, it then taketh root and abideth, when we conceive not only what God doth speak, but why. Neither is it a small thing which we derogate, as well from the honour of his truth, as from the comfort, joy, and delight which we ourselves should take by it, when we loosely slide over his speech as though it were as our own is, commonly vulgar and trivial. Whereas, he uttereth nothing but it hath, besides the substance of doctrine delivered, a depth of wisdom, in the very choice and frame of words to deliver it in. The reason whereof being not perceived, but by greater intention of brain than our nice minds for the most part can well away with, fain would we bring the world,