BROTHERLY RECONCILEMENT : Preached in Oxford for the vnion of some , and now published with larger meditations for the vnitie of all in this Church and Common-wealth :

With An Apologie of the vse of Fathers , and Secular learning in Sermons .

By EGEON ASKEW of Queenes Colledge .

LONDON , Printed for GEORGE BISHOP . 1605.

MOst religious & renowned Prince , when I duly consider what a sonne of peace your Maiestie hath bene , * * His Maiesties speech to the Parliament . Keeping peace and amitie with all , yea an heire of reconciliation , in whose royall person , those two princely houses are vnited : as also what a Father of peace and peace-making reconciler , outwardly of our enemies , inwardly of our selues , your Maiestie continueth ; I cannot but iudge your Maiestie is the Salomon , in whose peaceable dayes Gods house shall be finished , when thus peace is tied to your person . In regard of our ciuill vnion , seeing your sacred person hath ioyned the wood of Israel and Iudah in one tree , that they shall be no more two peoples , neither be diuided henceforth any more into two kingdomes , as the * * Ez●k. 37. Prophet speaketh , I thought it seasonable to write of Reconciling of Brethren . And in respect of our Ecclesiasticall vnion , sith your sacred selfe hath bene our peace , in breaking downe this partition wall of ceremonies and rites in this Church ; so making of two one , and reconciling both to one God , slaying hatred thereby : I thought it bounden dutie , and presumed to dedicate to the Reconciler of Christendome a worke of Brotherly Reconcilement . An argument ( gracious Soueraigne ) if euer and for any , now and for vs , most needful and necessary , when not onely the bands of brotherhood are dissolued among brethren , but sonnes also ( as prophesied our Sauiour ) rise against their reuerend fathers . How much the rather may I hope your royall clemencie will put forth a gracious hand , and receiue this Doue into the arke , that comes ( shal I say from the waters of affliction ? ) with an Oliue branch of peace and reconcilement in her mouth , sith she findes no rest for the sole of her foote , but on the arke of your testimonie ! wherein I rest , beseeching God still to blesse you , with the head of Salomon , the heart of Dauid , and hand of Gedeon ; and fructifie may he your work of vnion and Brotherly Reconcilement , that in this bodie humorisme purged out , in the feamelesse coate scisme sewed vp , and men in orders ( indeed out of all order ) brought into order , God may be serued in verity by this Church , and preserued in vnitie till the coming of his sonne Christ Iesus vnto iudgement . Amen .

For my part , when I saw many rich men , cast of their superfluity so much into the Lords treasurie , I thought the widowes farthing would be needlesse , and once resolued with m m Lib. 3. adu . Pelag. Ierome in like case , to surcease from this worke , lest I should poure water into the sea , or carie wood into the forrest , as he speaketh , aut enim eadem dicerem ex superfluo : for that that is , hath bene , and there is now no new thing vnder the Sunne , aut si noua voluerim dicere , à clarissimo ingenio occupata sunt meliora . And indeed , to speake truth , this diseased Sermon , like the poore creeple at Bethesda , had kept its couch to the death , had not an Angell at a certaine season , that trobled the water , put it downe into the poole , and made it walke abroad . Whose first conception as it was sudden and too present : so , like the vntimely fruite of a woman that perisheth before it seeth the Sunne , might the wombe haue bene its tombe , or at most like the Ephemeron Seg niùs irritant animos demissa per aures : Quàm quae sunr oculis subiecta sidelibus . Horat. haue liued but one day , but that thinking it would profite more by the eye , then it did by the eare , many reasons forced me to publish it to the eye of the world , that was priuatly spoken in the eare of a Colledge . Some it may be will aske me , — Amphora cepit Institui , currente rota cur vrceus exit ? Horat. Why I extend it to a booke that was intended but a Sermon , and propose a pitcher what I purposed but a kanne . Indeed , like the woman of Samaria , I brought a pitcher at first to the well of liuing water , but because of short meditation I had nothing to draw with , I haue now drawne deeper of Iaakobs well , filled my water pot to the brim , and this abortiue issue hath reentred ( as it were ) into the wombe , and bene borne againe . In whose second birth , I haue , as Galen speakes of nurces , or mid-wiues framed the vnfashioned feature and lims of this infant , before I durst presume to bring it to the church , and christen it in the Presse with the name of a booke . An argument ( deare Christian ) most needfull for these iarring and vncharitable times : wherein I beseech my ecclesiasticall brethren , in the bowels of Motiues to Ministers , that they preach faith that worketh through loue , and ioyne necessity of works with their doctrine of faith . Christ Iesus , that they would preach faith that worketh through loue , and adioyne to their doctrine of faith the necessitie of good workes : more then some do , who by beating solely on sole faith , haue made her solitarie . O ye Priests and Ministers of my God , remember , the high Priest caried pomegranates as well as bels , and a pomegranate for euery bell , when he went into the sanctuary of the Lord , Exod. 28. And so the high priest of our profession , his doctrine still was , Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite , shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire , Mat. 7. Those beasts in Ezekiels vision , whereby the foure Euangelists are prefigured , as not onely auncient 1. The practise of Christ and his Apostlas . Fathers , but modernes obserue , had hands as well as wings , and an hand for euery wing , Ezek. 1. It was the Apostles , and euen S. Pauls practise , who , and where , and to whom he stood most on iustification by faith onely , as in his Epistles to the Romanes and the people of Galatia , when in the former part he had layed that good foundation of faith , omitted not in the latter end to build thereon gold , siluer , and precious stones of good workes .

It was his straite charge to Titus , and in him to al Preachers : this 2. Pauls precept . is a true saying , and these things I would thou shouldst affirme , That they which haue beleeued in God , might be carefull to shew forth good workes ; these are good and profitable vnto men . I may adioyne what he addeth , And let ours also learne to shew forth good workes for necessary vses , that they be not vnfruitfull . Tit. 3. 8. 14.

A doctrine , as necessary in all ages , so most needfull in our times , 3. These loose and vncharitable t●●es . wherein workes are changed of many into words , walking in goodnes into talking of God , hands into tongues , and hearts into eares ; that to cure the superstition , we neglect true deu●tion ; and to auoid the opinion of meant , we cast off the care of well doing ; that the faith which was wont to be in words of any , is now scarce found in the othe● of many . Wherein the disease of our forefathers heads is so dangerously fallen vpon our hearts , that whereas they hauing good hearts and b●d heads , being but children in vnderstanding , might truly crie with the Shunamites boy , Mine head , mine head , and their mother could not helpe them . We hauing good heads and bad hearts , may cry out with Ieremy in another meaning , My belly , my belly , I am pained at the heart : and euery where barren faith like Rachel crying , Giue me children , or else I die , giue me workes , or I am but a dead faith ; yea she weepeth for her children , and will not be comforted because they are not .

How much the rather should spiritual fathers open by these meanes 4 ▪ The sland●r of our Church . the wombe of barren faith again , with whom as it did with old Sarai , it ceaseth to be after the maner of women , that God may take away her slander of barrennesse and her rebuke among women : and hauing her quiuer full of these arrowes , she may be blessed before God , and not be ashamed when she speaketh with her enemies in the gate .

A precept Apostolicall , not duly enough practised of some , who A reproofe of solifidian Preachers that teach faith alone to be sufficient to saluation thinke to make faith fruitfull , as Gardeners do their Walnut tree , by still beating on the bole ▪ Whose tantum crede , only beleeue and thou shalt be saued , hath taught many to turne the grace of God into wantonnes , & resolue with Eunomius , that faith without works wil serue the turne . Of whose blind zeale and indiscreet speaking , good works like those workers may complaine , Exod. 5. The Lord looke vpon you and iudge , for ye haue made our sauour to stinke among the inhabitants of the land , in that ye haue put a sword in their hand for to slay vs . O then Moses and Aaron , why cause ye the people to cease from their workes ? Get ye to your burdens . Lay vpon the people the number of works which they did in time past , diminish nothing therof , for they be idle , therfore they cry , saying , Only beleeue and we shall be saued , for all things are possible to him that beleeueth . Which 4. motiues , as still they forced me in my speech to bid our Rebecca meet her spouse with bracelets as wel as with eare-rings , seeing not the hearers of the law , but the doers thereof are iustified before him , Rom. 2. 13. so ▪ moued they me now to pen a tract ( most needfull for our times ) of Brotherly Reconcilement , whereof none auncient or recent hath particularly ( that I know ) written or diuulged , that Iames workes might be ioyned with Pauls faith , and faith worke through loue in all Christian professors .

Wherein , si fortè mihi vitio detur ( as m m Epist. in lib. d● Instit. reip. Patricius apologized his citing of many authors ) if perchance I be blamed , especially of these idle make-bates , and gaping or idle cauillers , that I haue taken most things out of Greeke and Latine writers , and apply them to mine owne vse , I must answer them as he did such men , Me parum admodum fidei rebus meis facturum fui●se , si solùm authoritate mea niterer . And beside , it is the custome of all writers to mingle other mens things with their owne , Tum vt certiora scribant , tum vt gratius iucundiusque legantur : or as n n Idem ibid. Aphranius being accused that he had taken much out of Menander ; I confesse ( saith he ) I haue taken , not onely out of him , but out of euery one that agreed to my matter , Quodcunque me non posse facere meliùs credidi . If next the Scriptures I haue preferred the auncient Fathers to their children , Genus hoc sermonum positum in hominum veterum authoritate & eorum illustrium plus ( nescio quo pacto ) videtur habere grauitatis , as o o De Amicit. Tully in like case spake of his citing the auncient , Neque omnem sermonem tribuimus Tithono , ne parum esset authoritatis , sed M. Catoni seni , quo maiorem authoritatem haberet ▪ oratio , as p p De Senect. elsewhere he speaketh . Neither haue I relied on men of yesterday , least my word might want warrant , but on the auncient especially , that the multitude of yeares might teach wisedome in this tract : whereof , as I may truly like q q Prefat ad lect. in lib. ciuil . doct. Lipsius of his sententious centons , confesse omnia nostra esse & nihil , that all and nothing is mine : so iustly do I feare the authors whom I cite , may returne Martials apostrophe vpon me , Sed malè dum recitas , incipit esse tuum , and their licour running through so meane a chanell , hath lost much of his sweetnesse . But of the manner enough or too Hunc ser●are modum nost●i nouere libelli , Mart. much : for the matter it selfe , howsoeuer this meane booke hath learned this meane , parcere personis , dicere de vitijs , yet some ( as he r r Lips . ibid. speaketh of that his booke ) homines malè acuti & callidi sensisse aut scripsisse me volent , quae per somnum non sensi non scripsi , wil thinke I meant that which neuer came in my mind , referuntque pleraque omnia ad hoc vnum aeuum , & quae nos communiter diximus , sic volunt accip● quasi in Titium aut Scium dicta . Imo vates etiam agunt , non lectores : nec sumunt à nobis sensum , sed adferunt , & mentem aliquam adfingunt ex sua mente : ô angues , ô viperae , fugio vos , fugio , & tamen vix effugio . Howbeit I may safely auouch with Saint s s Ad Nepot . de vita Cleric . Ierome , Nullum laesi , nullius nomen mea scripturâ designatum est . Neminem specialiter meus sermo pulsauit . Generalis de vitijs disputatio est : qui mihi irasci voluerit , ipse de se quòd talis sit confite bitur . I haue striuen against no man , but onely his strife ; maligned no man , but his malice ; nor enuied any , but his enuie . Scio me offensurum esse quamplurimos , as t t Ier●m . epist. ad rustic . Mo●ach. he said in like case , qui generalem de vitijs disputationem in suam referunt contumeliam , and they shall gaine but what he addeth , Et dum mihi irascuntur , suam indicant conscientiam , multoque peius de se quàm de me iudicant . Ego enim neminem nominabo : nec veteris comoediae licentia certas personas eligam atque perstringam . He subnecteth a good medicine for such sore backes , Prudentis viri est dissimulare , imo emendare quod in se intelligat , & indignari sibi magis quàm mihi , nec in monitorem maledicta regerere , saith Ierom. Touching them that are louing & friendly to their brethren , as Plutarch when he offered his booke of Brotherly loue vnto Nigrinus and Quintus agreeing brethren , sayd , Ad quae libellus cohortatur , ea vos iam agentes testimonio potiùs ornari quam officij admoneri videbimini : so this little book of Brotherly Reconcilement shal rather beare witnes of their vnitie , then intreate them to that which willingly they do . For them that are factious folk and contentious , I easily vnderstand I shall not please them , as u u Ci● . ad A●tic 8. 15. Facilè intelligo p●gnandi cupudis hominibus me non satisface●e . he speaketh : howsoeuer , I passe little to be iudged of such , or of mans iudgement when I iudge not my selfe . Onely thee ( gentle Reader ) I would intreate , that what Socrates thought of Heraclitus his obscure booke , thou wouldst charitably thinke and say of mine , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , what I vnderstood is good , and I hope that which I haue not vnderstood . * * Quin & ampliùs fitis tog●ti pro indulgend● venia , si ●licubi repe●etis nos aliquos imperere , aut cauillis incessere , quum alias hunc morem non habeamus . Etsi alicubi propter zelum aduersus haereses , & ad auertendos lectores , exacerbati dixerimu● aliquos deceptores , aut circulatores aut miseros homine● ▪ ignoscite : Epiphan. pra fat . in lib. haeres . If thou shalt find I touch some kind of men , and deride their ridiculous customes , which is not my wont , let me craue pardon for my want . If in hate and heate against the spirit of singularitie and scisme , and to auert the readers therefro , being prouoked , I haue called some deceiuers of minds , Puritans or Pruritans , beare with this zeale also : Ipsa enim necessitas aduersus huius certaminis doctrinas instans , talem nobis sudorem efficit , & vt lectores auertantur , as saith Epiphanius in not vnlike case , I did it because sinful scisme is impudent ; and hauing a whores ▪ forehead , will not be ashamed till we spit in her face .

In which respect , as I cannot hope for better acceptance of my widowes mite then did x x Prooem. in lib. 2. comment . in Oscam . Alij quasi parua contemnunt & quicquid dixerimus contrectare despici●it . Alij odio nominis nostri non res sed personas considerā● , magisque aliorum silentium quàm nostrum studium probant . Sunt quae audacter nos facere asserant &c. Quidam in eo se disertos arbitrantur & doctos , si alieno operi detrahant , &c. Ierome , of his much , cast into the treasurie . Some will despise it as a thing of no value , and whatsoeuer we write , disdaine to reade it : Others in hatred of our name consider the person not the thing , & more commend others silence then our indeuor : some count vs bold for handling a matter neuer written of before : some thinke themselues skilfull and learned , if they can detract from other mens labours , & non quid ipsi possint , sed quid nos non pos●umus dijudicent : so may I iustly wish with Lucilius , that neither the best nor worst learned might be my readers , because they vnderstand nothing at all , and these more then perchance I do meane . Cicer. y y lib. 2. de Orat. Perseum non curo legere , Laelium volo : Perseus is too learned , honest and not vnlearned Laelius I wish for my Reader . And now thee I intreate ( good Christian ) if thou hast not written , suspend thy censure , till thou know what it is to write and be buried in a dead letter of lesse delight and perswasion : if thou hast written , yet suspend thy iudgement , till thou meet with a matter wherein thou hast euery man , and yet none for thy helpe . It is an easie matter to chaunge an Author è Graeco in Latinum from his Athenian cloke into a Romaine gowne . A more easie matter , like Chrysippus , to take Euripides his Medea , and concealing his name , make it our owne Tragedie , as some do . I speake not this to taxe others , or commend my selfe : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , was the brag of a proud Painter : that thought be farre from my heart : onely I tell Momus , Carpere vel noli nostra vel ede tua . If I haue done well , Martial , Epigr. and as the storie required , it is the thing that I desired : let God haue the praise , thee the profite , and me the paines . But if I haue spoken slenderly and barely , ( as thou shalt perceiue ) it is that I could . The God of peace enlighten thine vnderstanding , and sanctifie thee throughout , that after thou hast enioyed the peace of conscience , thou mayst possesse that eternall peace of God in the heauens .