SSZ t. 1I2ac.x.g.9. In Comecafes it is fortitude to flye. x.Rtg.4. Eccá¡.xá. Why Chrift defiring todye, wouldflye to auoyde death. Vpon the Tuefday after fraidofamoufe. Thegreat Machabeanwhowithhisvaliant Acts did innoble fame ; and who, for notto fpot his lionour, did at laft molt glorioufly lode his life, did fometimes giue ground and make a retreat fromhis enemies. Saint Paul efcaped being let downe in a basket by thewals of Damafcus : AndSaint Auguflinefaith, That ithad beene a tempting of God, andfo a finne inhim, if he had not doneit. Yet afterwards,being prifonerin Macedonia,and thatall the reft of theprifoners faced themfelues by flight, he would not thenAye, though lice were thereuntointreatedby the Gaoler. Dauidwas of that true mettall and cou- rage, that hefought with Lyons and Beates, makingno more reckoningofthem thanoffo many lambes ; and without once breaking of his Speare, he flew Soo Philiffims,befdesthat flout Gyant which outbraued Mad , and ftrooke a terrour into them.And yet didit not feeme cowardize in himto flye from Saul, nor from hisfonne Abfalan. Vpon this occafion he made that his i8 Pfalme, whereinhe glues thankes vnto God , not onely for gluing him armes ofbraffe for ro fight and euen to breake a boweo fSteele afunder, but that he had giuen him likewife the feet of aHart to flye. Whereinhee alluded (according to Thomas) to that Hiftoriewhich herecounteth in the fecondof the Kings, when he fled from saulthroughbriars and bullies, rocks and mountaines. Ina word, theworld (files rafhneffe, daringneffe; and feare, cowardlineffe: but God bewai- leth this withaWoe be vntoye that callgoodeuill,andeuillgood. The third reafonis, That Chrift withdrew hinifelfeout ofIudea toglue way tohis enemies rageandanger. For acholericke man is fo furious , that if hee haue aprefent occafion offeredhim,that there is notany poulderwillfoonertake fire than he ; and therfore it is Chriftian wifcdome to(lye from him.The Scrip- turecompares him to a beare,LikeaBeare robbedofher Whelps: ofwhom yourNa- turalifts report That for very rage Thee will Bate and deuoure her owne pawes. And io6, Tygrisperijt, eoquodnonhabuitprodam. And another letter hath it, Yrftesperijt,eoquadnoneflconfquutue!radam. Saul being inraged that hee had not óuercome his enemies, flewhimfelfe. Such a one is like a fwelling riuer that ouerflowesit'sbankes.Itisa hot fierie furnace , whence iffueth our a thicke fmoake, and after the fmoake a flame. Ecclefiaflicus faith, As the vapour and fmoake ofthechimney goethbefore the fire, fo mill words, rebukes and threatnings, goe beforeblood-fhedding. The fmoake isnot that which burnes, though it blinds and caufeth the eyes towater; but who will abide the flame thereof r Whowill tarry the comming of a Beare that hunteth after her prey e Whothe falling of a fwift Torrent e The foundefi counfellis,to flye.And in the dangers ofthe foule,this doEtrine importeth vs much more. As the Hart that is woundedwithanarrow that is poyfoned, Oyes to the riuersofwater, fo the heart thatis touched with the venomeofthe Diuell, oftheworld , or the flefh, mull Ayevntothat fountaine,which is God,My foule thirfleth afterGod, who is the fountain oflift. The fourth,That though he wereable to haue trod downeall his enemies un- der his feet,yet he flyerh from them. Foramanwill not alwayes fhew all that he knowes; nor doe all that he can. Your foolifh Princes makeoftentation of their power ; but wife Princcs,oftheir Iuftice. Theone make their power, their rea- fon ; the other make their reafon, their power, Sit prorationvoluntaa.Pilat pref- fed our Sauiour Chrift withhis power, Knowefi thou not that 1 hauepower tofit theefree? but becaufehewasa Tyrant, he forgot his iuftice. But our Sauiour Chrift heforgot his power,and reader vntovs aLe&ureof Prudence;Teaching vs, that wemull referueourpower,andourwifedome,for fome goodoccafion. The Why Chrift defiringto die would flye to auoiddeath. Power fhonld neuer bee fhownc burin extremity.
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