Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

So the Patriarchs and the Prophets, though they were men of peace, yet could they have no peace in this world. And therefore Saint Paul here saith, If it be possible, as much as in you shall lye, have peace with all all men, be in unity and love with all manner of men. This thing, my brethren, I have put you in remembrance of by the way.

So the Patriarches and the Prophets, though they were men of peace, yet could they haue no peace in this world. And therefore Saint Paule here saith, If it bee possible, as much as in you shall lye, haue peace with all all men, bee in vnitie and loue with all manner of men. This thing, my brethren, I haue put you in remembrance of by the way.

But that S. Paul should thus do, that he should exhort the Romans, ⟨image 102⟩as he here doth, that they become not high minded, nor wise in their own opinions, nor recompense no man evil for evil, and that they should, if it were possible, have peace with all men, good cause there was, there was, I say, good cause, why he should thus do. For there were at the same time in Rome, a great number both of Jews and Gentiles, and amongst them there was great strife and division. The Jews on the one side esteemed not the Gentiles: the Gentiles on the other side despised the Jews. Thus between them the people were divided, and rent into dissension: thus between them the whole people oftentimes were ready to fall together by the ears: and thus thorough them, were they at such great contention and strife that they that were brethren would not vouchsafe to commune, & talk together: they that before were linked in such love and united together, that one would die for the other, could not then one abide another: and such as were friends, became open enemies. And this came to pass only through pride. Pride was ⟨image 102⟩the cause that such as were brethren fell out one with another: pride was the cause that such as should have died one for another, could not one abide another: pride was the cause that such as beforetime were friends, became then open enemies. The Jews on the one part were proud, for that they were the children of Abraham,