\ferf.i8,i9. the piffle to the Romans. fore all men, provide for things honeft ; but peace cannot be had but with cer- t ain men,therefore he addeth conditions to limit and reftrain this exhortation. T t_ M. What be thofe canditions,andwhat b the meaning of them? S I L. Thefe conditions are not all one (as fome think) but divers: the for- mer [if it be pofble,] fheweth that in Come cafes, and with fome men peace cannot be had,namely,when queftion is of Religion, that God is to be offended by partaking with Idolaters or Here- ticks, or when by our filence the truth is to be betrayed, and our neighbours falvation hindred. In thefe cafes with good confcience peace cannot poffibly be retained; we cannot have fociety with men in evill things and wicked- neffe, for our duty is to refìft and op- pugn fuch things according to our vo- cation,gifts,and means, though peace be broken : a godly difl'enfiou is better then a wicked peace ; peace muff be fol- lowed with holinefli, Heb, 12. 14. We ought fo to have peace with men, as we do not make war with God. Hence A- poflles and Apoftolick men have chofen to contend by writing andpreaching againft errors and fuperftitions, (fee Paul to the Galatians, Augufiine againft the Manichees and Donatifls,) rather then by holding their peace, to for - fake Gods truth, and the edification of the Church. The other condition is [ fi much as lies in us,] which is put in,in re- fpe& of fuch contentious quarrelfome perlons, as do one what he can to ap- peafe and pleafe them,they will have no peace, being like thofe ofwhom David in the Pfalmes complaineth, that made them ready to battail when he fpake to them of peace, Pfal. 120. Towards thefe we (hall do our duty when we are in our felves peaceably difpofed,neither giving them, nor haffily taking from them occafion of diffenfion, but by all means provoking them to quietnefle, that there be no fault its us.F'inally,bea- ring good will to their perlons when we are driven to hate and rebuke their vices, praying earneffly for their con - verfion : this is all that lieth in us to do 533 T t M. Whereuntò tendeth the next precept ?. St L. To perfwade.Unto meeknelfe and moderation ofanger toward fuch as offer wrong unto us ; albeit the Apo - ftle had forbad us before, not to recoinn- penfeevillfor evill, yet knowing the pronenefle of our corrupt nature to take revenge for injuries done, under pretext that we may bee daftar'ds and cowards : and to (hew how liard and excellent a thing it is, meekly to fuffer: therefore in other words he repeateth again his exhortation, Paying [Avenge not your felves] which is let forth here by the contrary duty [give place unto wrath :] this is by fome, and May be, un- derftood of the wrath of our enemie, whereunto if men give way, they do oftentimes purchafe peace, their wrath 'being mollified by patience. For as thundering makes a great noyfe, and breaks down firong things when they hit upon things that refift them, as Oakes, &c. fo do guns alto overthrow wals and Towers; but meeting with things loft andyeelding, they do very eafily penetrate and pierce through; they lofe their ftrength and do no harm. Likewi(q the wrath of men is much affwaged, and fometimes quen. ched by yeelding, and filence, or loft anfwers,but it is made more hot by re- filling. This fentence alto may be un- derftood ofour own anger, which eve- ry one is to bridle and to moderate.liut Paul meaneth this efpecially of divine anger and revenge, which we muff fuffer to thew it fell forth againft our ad- verfaries, and not prevent i by our im- patience and fury. This tote the molt naturali fenfe appears by that which followes ; for it is written [Vengeance is mine,] a text fetched out of Deut. 32. 31. where God threatens that in hisdue time he will take vengeance on wicked livers. T IM..But how may we be af%ureel that Doubt. God will be avenged upon them which hurt tat? and upon what reafons are we to leave ven- geance to him alone ? S t L. Firft, becaufe it is his office Solution. [Mine is vengeance,] now he will neg- le& nothing that pertaineth to him. Se- Z z 2 condly,
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