Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

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, ¹for that they were under the Law and promise, for that they had knowledge of Gods will by Oracles, for that God had oftentimes both sent his Angels unto them, and spoken by his own mouth unto them; and the Gentiles had none of all these: they were not of the seed of Abraham: they were not under the promise: they never had knowledge of Gods will, neither by Oracle, nor vision: God never spake unto them, nor never sent his Angels unto them. The Gentiles on the other sides, were as proud as the Jews: they said that they had wise men amongst them, men of great learning and knowledge: they had Philosophers, they had Astronomers, they had Geometricians, and great Orators; and so ⟨image 103⟩had not the Jews amongst them: They had no men of great wisdom, they had no men of any high learning, they had no Philosophers, no Astronomers, no Geometricians, nor Orators; they were men ignorant, and without any great knowledge at all.