COncerning which words, I shall de­ceive your expe­ctation, if you looke for any artificiall connexion, or division, or deduction to be proposed unto you. For the first, know, that love it selfe is [Page 2] Copulative, and unites all good duties. In this Chap­ter it is well conjoyned to obedience unto Magi­strates, whether Ecclesia­sticall or civill: For they may well give feare to whom feare is necessary, but they will never give true honour to whom ho­nour is due, who give not love to whom love belon­gethHierom. Epist. ad Dominio. Horum enim potentiae non parcunt sed cedunt, For they doe not spare, Iude 8. to speake evill of dignities, at least in the dialect of their thoughts, in the con­venticle of their hearts, where their rebellious imaginations assemble to­gether against the Lord and his annointed, say­ing, [Page 3] Let us (Psal. 2.3.) breake their bands, &c. of feare, as wee have broken those of love: it is onely the consciousnesse of their owne weakenesse to resist authority,They spare not so much others as themselves. As Apollinaris replied to his Emperor desiring to be spared in a Satyre which hee wa [...] composing. Quod ab illici tis tēpero mihi parco: but Sa­lomon inhibits even disloyall thoughts Eccle. 10. ver. 20. which makes them not for conscience, but necessities sake to yeeld subjection.Metus & terror infirma vincula chari­tatis sunt quae ubi removeris quitimere desie­rent odisse inci­pient. Tacit. in vita Iulij A­gricolae. Hence as their feare ebbs, their malice flowes, as the one is abated the other is increased; even as when one bucket comes up another goes downe. A­gaine, love admits of no di­vision from the Law, nor the Law of any separation from Love. Amor est af­fectus umonis Scal. Exc. 301. Love hates partition, it is the grace which makes brethren live together,Psal. 133.1. in uno, in one, or in unitate, in unity it selfe [Page 4] in the abstract, and if it se­parate their habitation, (as in the case of Abraham and Lot) yet it unites their hearts more and more, so that when they are farthest asunder, then they are nea­rest together;So the Epi­grammatist saith of his ill neighbour, l. 1. Epig. 87. Nemo tam prope tam proculve nobis. where­as malicious cohabitants, though inclosed within the same walls are most distant the one from the other. Lastly, the text it selfe is a Doctrinall conclusion, and implies no other propositi­ons but its owne premises, in which are vertually con­tained all the doctrines of practicall piety. This is the abrogation of the Ce­remoniall, and the abridge­ment of the Morall Law. For Love is that Verbum [Page 5] abbreviatum quod faciet Do­minus super terram, in Saint Hieromes In Isa. c 10. Exposition sc. the tedious ceremonies of the Law, being gathered into the precept of love, as into a short summe with righte­ousnesse. And theRom. 9.28. whole Morall Law too, as the Apostle phraseth it in the verse before my text, [...], is recapitulated or briefely comprehended in love, and fulfilled by love in the text: so that if you be of the same minde concer­ning this precept of whichSocrat. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 18. Pambo was in respect of Davids resolve, Psal. 39. sc. not to take any new les­son of instruction out of Gods Word, untill you have learned this perfectly, [Page 6] not onely at your tongues ends to talke of it, but at your fingers ends to pra­ctise it,Quid enim [...]erba audio fa­ [...]a cum uideam [...]ug. sc. con­ [...]aria verbis? [...]oo many are [...]ke the soul­ [...]iers, in Ta­ [...]t. l. [...]. hist. pa. 19. Lingua [...]roris ignavi, [...]heir charity [...]ke a limon, is [...]ot in the rine, [...]n the outside, [...]ut cold with­ [...]n or at the [...]eart. you shall not onely with him spend nine­teene yeares, but your whole lives to the longest day in the study of this one word Love. There is a use­full story, and not impro­bable in theIn Galat. c. 6. Coment as­cribed unto Saint Hierome; in which it is related, that when Saint Iohn by reason of old age, was not able to make any long discourse unto his disciples, he would oft repeate that precept of love, which is in effect the summe of his three Epi­stles, My little children love one another: and when some of his Schollers desi­rous [Page 7] of new matter, de­manded a reason why hee so oft inculcated the same thing into their mindes, he answered, Quia preceptum Domini est, & si solum fiat sufficit: because it is Christs Commandement, and if it alone be performed, it is enough. So Saint Paul also witnesseth, saying, [...]. Love is the fulfil­ling of the Law.

In the prosecution of which words I shall bee conducted by this method, 1. You shall heare the expli­cation of the termes seve­rally, that you may learne what is understood, by Love, or Law, or the fulfilling of the Law. 2. I shall confirme or illustrate [Page 8] the conclusion, with a few testimonies out of the Scriptures and Fathers. 3. I shall distinctly declare unto you the severall wayes, and respects, according to which love, fulfils the Law. 4. And lastly, I shall apply to practise what I have considered in speculation. 1. What love is, learne from Saint Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 3. c. 10. Charitatem voco motum animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipsum, & se at­que proximo, propter deum. I call charity a motion or moving of the minde,What love is. to enjoy God for his owne sake, a mans selfe, and his neighbour for Gods sake; and so consequently to pro­cure all good to God and [Page 9] man; as to God, the mani­festation of his glory, to man, the participation of divine goodnesse. And thus [...] here comprehends both the love of God and of man. And semblably this terme [...], compriseth both the tables of the mo­rall law,D. Pareus An. Willet. Guil­l [...]stius. although in the 8. verse, and else where it implies onely the second Table. So that by the judgement of learned Ex­positors; Saint Pauls logicke runs thus. If the love of our neighbour (as I have pro­ved, verse the 8. and 9.) fulfill the Law in respect of those duties which con­cerne our neighbour, then love in its full extension as it tends to its universall ob­ject [Page 10] i. e. both God and all good men, doth fulfil the whole Law. Charitas nunquam otiosa est semper in alterum se por­rigit, vel in proximum vel in Deum. Na­tura enim chae­ritatis est & amare velle, & velle amari. Cassiodo. tract. de ami. Well then doth S. Aug. call cha­rity a motion, because it ne­ver is at a stand: Shee stretcheth forth her armes continually to embrace God, or her neighbour, and puts forth her hands to doe what good she can to both. Her restlesse desires are, to love and to be loved. For love is a like disposed to fulfill the precepts of both Tables, as of either.Fides non eligit objectum, secundùm Theologos sed omnibus revelatis sine exceptione crediti [...]ta charitas non eligit praeceptii quodexequatur, ad omnia & singula parata est▪ Cum la lio apud Lucan. l, clamat (se Domino & imperatori suo alacriler devovens.) Iussa se­qui tam vella mihi quam posse necesse est. Yea Saint Iohn shewes that wee cannot keepe the one Table, and breake the other, we can­not love our God, and hate our brethren, which are made after the Image of God. Hee who loves the father loves the children (though full of imperfecti­ons) for the fathers sake, as David shewed favour to [Page 11] lame Mephibosheth for the memory of his Ionathan; muchlesse can wee truely love our brethren, and hate our God. Doth any man delight to behold the pi­cture of his mortall enemy. If any man, (then) saith he, love God, and hate his bro­ther, he is a lyer, 1 Ioh. 4.20. Loe what a lyer is hee that protests hee loves his bro­ther, and yet hates God. For the love of man is in­cluded in the love of God, as the effect in the cause;Luke 10.27. Toto corde i. e. vere, tota anime i. e. affect. bu [...] cunctis, totis viribus i. e ef­fective, tota mente i. e. inte­ligenter. so that love is the fulfilling of the first Table directly and immediatly, of the se­cond mediatly, and conse­quently as shall in its place be evidenced unto you.

In the meane time if any [Page 12] one having some compe­tent knowledge of God de­sires more fully to under­stand how hee is to be lo­ved, let him meditate up­on Deutero. 6.5. Then if hee aske who is his neighbour,Who is our neighbour. and how hee is to be loved, hee nee­deth not goe farre for instruction. Him whom our Apostle calls [...], proximum, one that is neere unto thee, thy neighbour in my Text, and in the precedent verse: hee calls [...], verse 8. another, any o­ther besides thy selfe, whether neere to thee, or a farre off, whether friend or adversary, whe­ther familiar or stranger, [Page 13] whether of thy kindred, or alliance, or neither, whether beleever or un­beleever: In a word, any one whosoever, that in any respect whatsoever, stands in neede of thy cha­ritable deedes or prayers, or that shewes any kinde of charity unto thee, God onely excepted asIs est proxi­mus cui vel ex­hibendum est officium mise­ricordiae si in­digit, vel exhi­bendum soret si indigeret: ex quo iam conse­quens, ut etiam ille aquo nobis hoc vissim ex­hibendum est (quod ad An­gelos etiam per­tinet) proximus sit noster. Proximus enim est nomen ad [...], aliquid nec quisquam esse proximus, nisi proximo potest Aug. de doct. Christ. l 1. c. 30 & ex eo Lomb. l. 3. sent. dist. 28. Saint August. and Lombard ob­serve.

So our Saviour plainely informes us by the Para­ble of the wounded travel­ler, Luke 10.August, de doct. Christ. l. 1. [...]a [...] 20. which may also be gathered by an evi­dent argumentation from the precepts which apper­taine to the love of our neighbour, some of which our Apostle reckons up, [Page 14] verse 9.Manifestum est omnem ho­minem esse prox­imum deputan­dum quia erga neminem ope­randum est ma­lum. Dilectio. enim proximi malum non o­peratur. If there were a­ny man that were not our neighbour in the sence of the Law, hee should not offend against the law of charity, comprehended in the second Table, who should robbe such a man of his goods or good name, yea, or spoile him of his very life,Rom. 13.10. and so there might be done, as much and more by Law, as Israel did to the Egyptians by di­vine dispensation.Charity to­wards sinners. A point which some mens unchari­tablenesse may perhaps admit; accounting any gaine of wealth or esteeme from all those whom they judge as Heathens and Pub­licans, to be no lesse godli­nesse to them, than usury [Page 15] was to the Iew from a Ca­nanite. But the conscience of charity is not so large, her extention is in good af­fection towards all. A man of right charity will draw neere in love and affection to those who are a farre off from him in kindred or ha­bitation; although those who are neere to him by consanguinity or place are a farre off from him in their hearts. Yea, he is neere un­to them in his private de­votions, and in his good wishes, who are a farre off from him in Religion, or goodnesse, which is the ve­ry object of love: But cha­rity can suppose an object when she wants one, and supply that by desires [Page 16] which is not in reality, and affect that in possibility which is not in act existent. 1. Shee can hide the lesser errors or sinnes of our bre­thren. 2. She can excuse them with Peter, Act. 3.17.3. When they are so grosse that no excuse can extenuate themYea supposing we may know that one hath committed the sin against the holy Ghost. Charitie can be sorry for such a man. Si non propter hominem ta­men propter hu­manitatem; al­though she be not permitted to pray for him, 1. Ioh. 5.16. She is sor­ry he commit­ted such an of­fence which may not be prayed for. E­ven as wee cut not of rotten members whilst there is any h [...] of re­covery, and when they must be cut off, we part from them with griefe of heart, and wish wee might have kept them. So Samuel also mourned for Saul forsaken of God, 1 Sam 15 ult. shee will not cease to pray or hope for amendment, say­ing with Samuel, 1 Sam. 12.23. As for mee, God for­bid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. And chari­tie as shee desireth, so shee hopeth all things, 1. Cor. 13.7. So farre is she from [Page 17] wishing or cursing any into the bottomlesse pit, that shee can say with S. Paul, 1 Cor. 7.7. in the case of any good she enjoyeth, I would that all men were even as I my self. Shee laments or pitties the furious malice of the Papists, damning all Protestants with one mouth, and the parallell rashnesse of some sort of Protestants damning all Papists, and speaking evill of those of their owne Re­ligion also, which will not runne with them into the same excesse of zeale, but preferre even the errour of charity before the pe­remptory censure of those that erre. Away with these damning (I had almost [Page 18] thence learned the phrase of damned, but I say) and justly condemned censu­rers: For if these stand [...], Who then shall be saved, as the Apostles aske Christ, Mat. 19.25. Let it be the glory of our Church to follow, Zach. 8.19. truth and peace in her opinions, discretion and charity in her cen­sures. In her controversies (which must needs be that truth may be made mani­fest, as by the collision of flints sparkes of fire are for­ced out) let her imitate Mi­chael the Archangel dispu­ting even with the devill, about the body of Moses, not daring to bring any rayling accusation against [Page 19] him, but saying, onely, the Lord rebuke thee, Iude 9. Or with David: Smite the faces of thine adversaries (the enemies of thy truth) with shame, that they may seeke thy Name, O God. Whilst some of her chil­dren with Martha are trou­bled with many things, with vaine suspitions and feares, with uncertaine and doubtfull disputations, and oppositions of science falsely so called, with sup­posed scandals and errors, with envy, hatred, and all uncharitablenesse: shee with Mary hath chosen the better part, the part of cha­rity tempering knowledge, that it puffe not up nature into any proud opinion of [Page 20] her owne selfe or censure of others. In the one shee followes Saint Augustines advice, which he calls the safestTutiores vivi­mus si totum Deo demus citig. Totum (sc. quod bo­num est) deo dando, attribu­ting all that is good to God, without whom man hathIn nullo glori­andum quando nihil est nostrū Cypr. in Oratio. [...]omin. no ability to thinke, much lesse to doe good. And in the other, to wit, judgeing what is unpardonably evill in o­thers, totum deo relinquen­do, leaving it wholy to God, and hoping the best that may be: For though the conclusion of Logicke and malice follow deteri­orem partem; Divinity and charity embrace that part which is apparantly best, and leave uncertainties to [Page 21] Gods supreme determina­tion.Exod. 12.8, 9.10. The Iewes were commanded to eate the flesh of the Paschall Lambe, and to burne the bones with fire. By faith, we eate the flesh of Christ, the antitype of that Sacra­ment, and digest him into action by love, through which faith worketh, but hard and unprofitable que­stions are to be commit­ted to the fire, that is, (saithCitatus ab Eccles. Lugd. in lib. Resp. ad 3. Epist. Saint Gregory) are to be left to the judge­ment of the Spirit of God, which like fire manifests all things. In the interim charity goes a sure and a lawfull way, teaching us to love, not onely our friends, but even our adversaries, [Page 22] either in Religion or affe­ction, or both: yea, this is a way not onely of safety but ofVerum sit majoris perfectio­nis amicos an inimicos dilige­re? comparative per­fection also, according to the opinion of diversChrysost. Ambros. Aug. Bern. Alensis, Durand. Bona. Argentin. & Lomb. in 3. dist. 30. huc trahi­tur a quibus­dam. Fa­thers and Schoolemen ci­ted by Fr. de Mendoca, lib. 4. virid. Probl. 4. who sup­pose the love of our ene­mies to be a more perfect act than the love of our friends: Which opinion they confirme by proba­ble reasons:Ʋt in natu­ralibus ea pro­pria passio est nobilior, quae est nobilioris speci­ei: sic in mo­ralibus, actus perfectionis le­gis est perfectior: I am lex nova, quae vivisicat, & le­vat, est nobilior quam vetus quae mortificat, & gravat: Ergo. Mendoca loc. cit. sic argumentatur. as because it is an act correspondent to a more perfect law, sc. of the new Testament: (For say they) the old Law gave way to outward ma­lice [Page 23] toCivilis inē ­micus eiusdem Reipub. alum­nus, & ejus­dem Religionis cultor, quem ex animo odisse non licebat, Levit. 19 v. 17 externa tamen odii signa per­mittebantur, ut lege talionis agere, Levit. 2. v. 19. con­sa [...]guinei mor­te [...] ulci sci &c. ut Id. ib. urget. civill enemies, and to both outward and in­ward hatred towards theLegalis ini­mi [...]us erat a Repub. Iudaica alienus, & di­vinaelegis xors, one that was a stranger from the common wealth of Israel (as Saint Paul stiles him) and an alien from Gods Covenant of grace, with that people, as all other nations in the world were before Christs comming, towards whom not onely externall, but also (say some) internall hatred was permitted to be exercised, by usu­ry, oppression, utter extirpation, Deut. 7, 23, 24. and ch. 25.17, 18.19, Psalm. 139, 21, 22. legall enemies of the Iewes, such as the Cana­nites were, whom they might persecute and de­stroy.

Againe, that love is more perfect which makes us more like unto God, and such is the act of love to­wards our enemies. In the love of our friends, and such as are neere unto us,^a [...], what excellent [Page 24] thing is there, whereby we surpasse the heathen, the wicked worldling, yea, the very beasts which na­turally love those of the same kinde? But saith our Saviour,Matth. 5.44, 45. Luke 6.35. Whence note that Gods chil­dren must im­mitate Gods perfection; pro suo modulo, Matth. 5.48. And so conse­quently they must excell o­thers, Pro. 12.26. Matth. 5.20. Lastly this their excellen­cy consists in Charity, 1 Cor. 12.31. and 14.12. Love your ene­mies, that you may bee like your Father which is in hea­ven. Who is like unto thee O Lord, saith the Prophet. S. Augustine answeres, Qui benè vult inimico suo, He who beares good will to his enemie, may confi­dently and yet not proudly say that he is like unto thee O Lord. And there­fore David 2 Sam. [...].1.3. Enquires whether there be any of the house of Saul left, not that he may exe­cute upon the posterity of [Page 25] his enemie any remnant of hostile revenge, but (saith he) that I may shew unto him the kindnesse of God. i.e. that I may bee kind, to him as God is mer­cifull to his foes, causing the Sunne of his favour to shine, and the rayne of his beneficence to descend not onely upon the just, but upon the unjust also. And therefore theExod. 7.2. Lord saies that hee hath made Moses a God to Pha­raoh, because hee ren­dred good for evill, pray­ers for threates and op­pression: whereasGen. 45. [...]. Ioseph is called onely a Father to the other Pharaoh who was a friend unto him, and a Benefactour. But for the [Page 26] maine point, all this not­withstanding the Iesuiticall Doctor following the cur­rent of moderne Schoole­men,Aquin. 2. a. q. 27. art. 7. Greg. valent d. 3. q 5. p. 3. Caiet in loc. Aq. Lom. in 3. sent. dist. 30. huc potius incli­nat. A [...]t enim quod amor a­mici est fer­ventior et ideo non incongrùe putatur melior 1. Cum enim Deus sit men­sura totius per­fectionis, ille actus qui nos deo similiores red lit, reddit etiam perfe­ctiores, ac proinde ipse est perfectior; cum nobilior actus formalis, non nisi a forma nobiliori oriatur doct. citat. ib. Ad hūc modum disputant. 2. Tis the naturall kindnesse of man, to love his friend: but tis the heavenly kindnesse of God to love our ene­mies. At the most virtus coram hominibus est, adver­sarios tolerare, sed virtus coram deo est diligere. Ideo Paulus cum dixisset Charitas patiens est (1 Cor. 13.4.) continue adiunxit, benigna est. Ne fi patientiam di­lectio non sequatur, in deteriorem culpam odij virtus ostensa vertatur. Greg. M. Cur. past. part. 3. cap. 1. admonit. 10. is of a contrary opi­nion, &c. That the love of our friends, that is, such as have a naturall or morall relation unto us, is the more perfect Act. 1. Be­cause such are the more perfect object, as being nearer united unto God by [Page 27] goodnesse (amongst the wicked there is no amity butPsal. 83.3.4.5. conspiracy) and to us by good turnes, namely by actuall conjunction; whereas our enemiesPsal. 139.21. (which must be none but Gods foes) are onely in possibility to be conjoyned unto either,Inimicos dei perfecto odio o­disse (ut odit eos David. Ps. 139.22.) est quod facti sunt diligere, & quod faciune increpare Gre. Cur. pasto. part. 3. cap. 1. ad­monitione 23. & vid. Aqui. 2.2. quest. 25. art. 6. & q. 76. art. 1 who teaches that no personall hatred is lawfull, unlesse of those who by revelation are known to be the incor­rigible enemies of God, and his Church, and so as well S. Paul in the New Testament, 2 Tim. 4 14. as David in the Old Testament, Psal. 139.22. hates and curses such. and so to bee loved of either. Againe the hatred of those, whom nature, or vertue hath con­joyned to us, is a greater fault, than the hatred of our enemies; therefore the love of them, is the grea­ter vertue. 2. Lastly, if [Page 28] the love of our enemies surpasse the love of our friends, why doth it not al­so exceede the love of our selves, which is the foun­taine of that other love? And for the reasons of the first opinion, they are more specious than solid, and therefore perhaps the Doctor balkes them with­out any decision. For first, by our Saviours Doctrine, the morall law forbids all private externall revenge, against civill enemies, or legall, and all inward hatred, even of those whom they were permit­ted to kill, only what was abstruse in the Law, or obscured by the Doctor of the Law, was in this [Page 29] case cleared, and expoun­ded by our Saviour in the Gospel. Secondly, the love of our enemies is the imitation of the divine goodnesse; and tis in a mat­ter most difficult, but yet sinceDifficultas non efficat a­ctum in entita­ [...]e prastanti­orem cum ip­so non sit bo­num sed potius malum morale impedicas, sc. actiones virtu­tis, licet ex ac­cidente prome­veat adjuvet­que. difficulty infuseth no moral goodnes into an act, tis not in a matter most worthy to be imitated. For doubtlesse in God according to our understanding (although in God as hee is in himselfe all things bee the chiefest) his love of himselfe and his love of his children, is to be pre­ferred before his love of his enemies, in our choise and method of imitation, instructing us, first here be­low to love our selves, then [Page 30] ourQuo prae­stantius obie­ctum de caeteris paribus per­fectior actio; sed praestantius est obiectum amicus quam inimicus, ergo. Mend 2. Odi­um enim amici ideò est pecca­tum in suo gene­re gravius quia privat subie­ctum meliori virtute sen actu. id. ib. 3. E. g. luc. 9.54, 55. For this cause our Saviour seriously re­buked the Disciples (so the word [...] signi­fies) for calling for fire from heaven upon the Sa­maritans, saying, yee know not of what spirit yeare, intimating that such furious malice becomes not the Ministers of the Gospel, but rather the spirit of meekenesse and gentlenesse, which he taught by his owne example, Luk. 19.42. and cap. 22.51. and cap. 23.24. the which [...]. Paul commends, 2 Cor. 13.10 2 Tim. 2.25 what Elias did (whose example 2 Kings 1.9. they pretended) was by extraordinary instinct and not of private revenge, but in zeale to Gods glory. In the New Testiment we reade onely of two so destroyed, Act. 5. friends, then our e­nemies. Divine love be­gins at home, and then it walkes neare home, but it stayes not there. Her line like the Sunnes, Psal. 19.3. goes out through all the earth, and her words (and workes also) unto the end of the world. And as the Sunne shee shines on [Page 31] bad and good. The good, whether neare or a farre of, in blood or Religion, shee loves in a subordinate respect unto the supreme good, for that either spirituall or morall goodnesse sake which is in them, for so our SaviourMark 10.21, 22. loved the young man, which yet departed from him. The wicked and morally evill men, shee can love for the reliques of that naturall or created good which are in them, to witGen. 1.26, 27. the Image of God which is not quite obliterated in the bodies, or in the soules even of wicked men, which are still the same creatures they were, for essence, & natural [Page 32] properties and characters: yea charity could it finde no good in men, can make some, whilst shee supposes and desires God to effect it; she loves them, as those that may be good by Gods grace, as they be possible members of Iesus Christ, though now appearing members of Sathan.The breadth of Charity. See then I beseech you par la­titudo Charitatis & mun­di, charitas omnia comple­ctitur, amicum colligit in deum, & inimicum propter deum, unam Reimpublicam terram facit. Charity is of equall extent with the whole world, she embra­ces the universe in the armes of her affection, (imitating our Saviours [Page 33] stretching out his armes upon the crosse to em­brace both Iew and Gen­tile) shee gathers together her friends unto God, and her enemies for Gods sake. Shee makes S. Augustine Aug in 1. E­pist. Ioh tract. 10. Beatus es [...] domine, qui te amat, & ami­cum in te, &c. i [...]imicū prop­ter te. August. his blessed man, who loves God, and his friend in God, and his foe for Gods sake. Shee (accor­ding to that Fathers judge­ment) makes that excee­ding broad commande­ment, of whose perfection there is no such end, as of other precepts. I have seene an end of all per­fection: Psalm. 119.96. But thy commande­ment is exceeding broad, quia ubi est charitas, ibi non est Angustia, for where [Page 34] for where there is Charity there is no straitnesse. S. Paul a man of transcendent Charity tells his Corinthi­ans, that his2 Cor. 6.11, 12. mouth was open towards them, & his heart enlarged. Yee are not (sayes he) straightned in us (whose love is abun­dant to doe you good) but yee are straitned in your owne bowells: you want affection to receive, or ac­knowledge such goodAugust. ibid. vis non Angustari? In lato habita, i. e. in Charitate. Wilt not thou then bee straitned on what side soe­ver, either in communica­ting good where it is due, or suffering evill which thou hast not deserved,Dilatamini & vos, sc. haritate ib. [...]13. dwell at large, that is, in [Page 35] Charity.Psal. 101.2 In the midst of this house thou shalt bee sure to walke with David with a perfect heart, with­out Charity no perfection, for it fulfills the law.August. in Psal. 100. Lat. Translat. Arcta omnis malitia est, sola inno­centia lata est. Malice and all wickednesse straitens and shackells the soule, onely innocence, which is the immediate fruit of cha­rity is of a diffusiveOut of the abundance of the Charity of the heart, the mouth spea­keth the words of Charity that tend to edification. And alwaies the heart is larger than the mouth, that affects more than this can utter. Sincere Charity speakes more than shee talkes, yea shee cryes to God for others, with Moses, Exod. 14.15. when her tongue is silent. But on the other side, the tongue may speake many things for necessity, for vain glory, for advantag sake, and yet all that is said, may be nothing without charity 1 Cor. 13 1. Goe first get a charitable heart, then loquere ut te videam, speake that I may see thy charity. and enlarging nature. It wi­dens the narrow heart of [Page 36] man, into a receptacle for him who is incomprehen­sible, into a pleasant walke, or holy Temple, for him whom the heaven of hea­vens cannot containe. For God hath promised to those that keepe his sta­tutes (which love fulfills) to walke amongst them, Levit. 26.3.12. i. e. to dwell in them, & to walk in them as in a Temple, 2 Cor. 6.16. But froward thoughts separate from God: and into a malicious soule wis­dome wilt not enter, sayes the Author of the booke of Wisedome, Chap. 1.3.4. But to conclude this point, note, that though Charity reach unto all in the latitude of her exten­sion, [Page 37] yet shee affects not all men in the same degree of intension. But as heat diffused through a large roome from the same fire, is more intense to those that stand neare unto that fire, more remisse to those that are farther of, but yet it warmes all more or lesse: so Charity is extended to every one in the whole circuit of the world, but not equaliter equally: the heate of her affection is greatest to the nearest; shee teaches us as well to love one as another. For our neighbour is [...], a­ny other besides our selves: but shee bindes us not, to love one as well as another, ordinavit in [Page 38] me Charitatem, saith the Spouse,Vul. Trans. Canticles 1.4.10. Hee hath ordered my charity.Casian col. 6. cap. 14. The degrees of Charity. Haec est charitas ordinata, odio habens nemi­nem, quosdam meritorū jure plus diligens. This is or­dered charity, which hates none, but loves some more than others, for their de­serts sake. Love must bee without dissimulation to all, not without severall degrees to divers objects.Incompara­biliter plus cha­ritatis deo de­bemus quam nobis. Nam Deum propter sc, nos vero, & proximos, propter deum diligere debemus. August. Lib. 8. de trim, cap. 8. The extremity or utmost of our love, is due to God: nothing is to bee loved a­bove him, nothing in com­petition with him, all things in subordination to [Page 39] him.Ille iustè & sanctè vivit, qui rerum in­teger aestimator est. Ipse est au­tem qui ordina­tam dilectio­nem habet, ne aut diligat quod non est di­ligendum, aut non diligat quod est dili­gendum, aut amplius dili­gat quod mi­nus est dili­gendum, aut aequè diligat, quod vel minus vel amplius est diligendum, aut minus vel amplius diligat, quod aeque est di [...]igindum Aug Lib 1. de doct. Christ. cap. 27. Id. Aug ib. cap. 23. in enumeratione obiectorum quae sunt diligenda ordinem dilectionis insinuat. 1. quod supra nos 2. quod nos 3. quod iuxta nos 4. quod infra nos ut not ex eo Lomb. 3. sent. dist. 29. Lit. A. Next to him and under him, the Church challenges the height of love: First, as shee is Ca­tholicke, then as shee is Nationall, lastly as shee is^a locall. This love men owe as Christians. Now as the lives, of men are subject to the government of one kind or other, in respect not onely of religion but externall policy and order, they owe (as I suppose) love,^b first to mankind, to [Page 40] the good of the universe, then to thatEt Clcero ait, non nobis solum nasci mur, &c. ne (que) sane nobis pri­mo nascimur, sed patriae. state and commonwealth under w^ch they live. Lastly, to that incorporation or place wherein they dwell. For still (caeteris paribus, all things being alike) bonum, quò communius eo melius. Good is so much the more amiable, by how much it is the more generall. This love moves inani­mate creatures, to leave their particular nature, to serve the universall, as the ayre to descend to avoyd vacuity, which nature ab­horres. This love mooved Codrus, & the Decij, to de­vote themselves to death for their countries sake. Is this a small matter, to [Page 41] save a body politick by the temporall destruction, or abscision of one of the members? See the [...] of humane Charity,Exod. 32.31. in Moses andRom. 9 1. Paul, offe­ring up their soules (inHom. 16. upon the Ro­mans. Saint Chrysostomes judge­ment) and bodies to eter­nall death, to procure mer­cy and salvation unto Israel, and so more am­ple glory to God:Coment in Lo. Calvin supposes those wishes to have proceeded out of rashnesse and confusion of mind, as if (saith he) they had bin in a ecstacy, & besides themselves, de­siring that which was impossible, who may both returne that answer for themselves, which [Page 42] S. Paul himselfe gives con­cerning his boasting ad­versaries, to the Corinthi­ans in the second Epistle, 5. Chap. 13, 14. If wee bee besides our selves, it is to God (to his glory,) or if we be sober, it is for your cause (who are the Church of God) for the love of Christ constraineth us: The love of Christ, who so loved the Church that he laid downe his life for her, compells us, to desire (if it may stand with Gods good will) to promote Gods honour, which is to shew plenteous redempti­on, by his rejecting of us and receiving of an whole nation into our place of favour. Though I may say [Page 43] of the matter and effect of this wish, asVincentias Fill. Mor. [...] To. 2. Tract. 27. 2 Qu. 2. Fillincius speakes of the alteration of the Lords day to some other. Hoc practice est im­possibile, absolute verò possi­bile. This is a thing in its owne nature possible, abstracted from all cir­cumstances, and reasons in the particular instance, w^ch hinder the event, that one man should perish in the roome of many.Melius est ut pereat unus quam unitas Bernard. Epi. 102. Vnum pro multis dabitur caput. But because we suppose in this case, God to have de­creed the contrary to their separation from him, & we know them, being meere men, to have bin no sitting mediatours for the eter­nall ransome of others, we [Page 44] determine the case it selfe to be practically impossi­ble. But did not Christ himselfe, conditionally de­sire of God,Matth. 26.39. a thing which was made by his Fathers determinate coun­sell impossible? So might Moses and Paul conuin [...] ­ally desire, what could not be granted.Opertet pri­vatis utilitali­bus publicas, mortalibus ae­ternas antefer­ [...]e Caius Plin Lib. 7. Epist 18. Vnde Claudianus de suo Imperatore ait Nunquam publica privatis cesserunt commoda causis, And Lucan. loc. cit. saies that Cato's Heroicall disposition, was Naturamque sequi, patriaque impendere vitam. But as Pla [...]ius sayes of one, Hic homo versus facit, & tota sibi fami [...]a est. So some men studying onely their owne ends, are as it were, a whole common wealth unto themselves; contrary unto Cato, of whom the Poet addes further, Nullosque Catonis inactus sub [...]e sit, partemque tulit sibi nata voluptas. But to follow the steps of Charity, by which shee descends, as it were by Iacobs Ladder, from heaven unto the [Page 45] earth,The degrees of private charity and from God to man. You have seene her affection to community: Amongst private objects, shee makes every man to himselfe the first, the next is the wife, then the pa­rents, which are to be pre­ferred in honour before the other, not in love, in this respect they are left behind, that shee may be cherished,Ephe. 5.25. which is flesh of our flesh & bone of our bone: now we must love all others as our selves, none before our selves. Then followes in the order of nature, our Children & Fa­mily, w^ch are our selves di­vided and multiplied, our very domestique state, and petty Common wealth: [...] [Page 46] not to governe, and nourish, argues more notorious de­fect of Charity, then is usually found amongst1 Tim. 5.8. In­fidells: Next to our dome­stique family,De modo be­no vivendi ser­mon. 5. cit. A Lombard. 3. sc [...] t [...]d. 29. l [...]s. apud quem [...]i­de plura de or­dine diligendi. S. Ber­nard puts the houshold of faith, quia sanctior est cor­dium copula, quàm corpo­rum. Because spirituall kindred is nearer than na­turall. But immediatly af­ter succeede those, whom cansanguinity, or neare al­liance adde unto us: Then come those whom morali­ty unites to our affections; our loving friends, those that dwell neare unto us, our ordinary acquain­tance, our country men, strangers, whom common humanity respects. In the [Page 47] last ranke, to our Christi­an charity are commen­ded, even our enemies;Matth. 5.44. whom not onely morall Philosophers, but the ve­ry Scribes and Pharises permitted men to hate,Ib. 43. & 47. and prosecute with re­venge. This is the order (in my opinion submitted to better judgements) which we must follow in the distribution of our charity, with the premi­sed caution caeteris paribus, and in single relations. Else plurality or increase of the fore mentioned re­spects alters this rule. e.g. wee must preferre one of our kindred naturall and spirituall both before one of the houshold of faith, [Page 48] which is not of our Tribe: againe we may prefer god­ly strangers, before wicked kinsmen, or a loving kins­man before a rebellious in­corrigible sonne. So S. Bernard, Loc. cit. plus debemus di­ligere extraneos, qui nobis conjuncti sunt vinculo cha­ritatis Christi, quam propin­quos qui deum non diligunt. Hinc. Lomb. 3. s. d. 29. lit. F. observat. quod jubemur diligere deum ex totâ virtu­te. i. e. maxime: proximum so­lum sicut nos ipsos, non sicut deum: Inimicos simpliciter, sine addito. Quia si eos diligamus, et si minus quam alios proximos, sufficit, & S. Ambros. (cit. a Lomb 3. s. d. 29. Lit. c.) super illud Cant ordinavit in me charitatem ait. 1. deus di­ligendus 2. parentes, inde filij, post domestici: qui si boni fuerint malis filijs praeponendi sunt. But all other things being alike, this is, [...], the naturalnesse and sincerity of love, as the Apostle phraseth it, 2 Cor. 8.8. For so S. Pauls do­ctrine [Page 49] runnes, Let them learne, first to shew kind­nesse or pitty, at home1 Tim. 5.4. sc. to themselves, and their fa­milies. Then, as wee have opportunity let us doe good unto all men, espe­cially to them of the houshold of faith, Galath. 6.10. doe good to all, note here, that all mankind is the ad­aequate object of Charity to our neighbours. For with S. Paul all men are our neighbours. But the especiall object of this Charity, is the houshold of faith, that is, not any par­ticular sect, which chal­lenge the monopoly of the profession of faith, butDomesticos sidei, i. e. Chri­stianos Aug. comment. in Loc. all Christians in generall, which are indeede, as well [Page 50] as title: For otherwise,Salvian de Gub. dei l. 2. Reatus impij, pium nomen, this name is their guilt, not their priviledge. And so consequently, the more faithfull and holy Christi­ans men are, the more de­grees of Love are due un­to them. For we love our neighbour because hee beares the Image and su­perscription of the King of heaven. Therefore wee must chiefly love those, who chiefly participate of that Image, such are those which endeavourLevit. 11.44, 45. 1 Pet. 1.15.16. to be holy as God is holy. These are of the houshold of faith, heere of God, Ephes. 2.19. that is, by faith gathered into the uni­ty of the Church which is [Page 51] the house of God. Now tis but equity that wee should preferre Gods do­mestiques before Forray­ners and strangers, as they areEphes. 2. ib. sci. 19. called before Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel, v. 12.Estius in loc. Galat. 6.10. Praecipi­tur ordo charitatis, secun­dùm quem (caeteris paribus) fideles infidelibus sunt prae­ferendi, Additantem, &c. Otherwise an Infidell, or wicked man, in extreame necessity as to be relieved by our Charity, before one of the houshould of faith, in or­dinary want. This is S. Pauls order in Charity (in cases alike) to preferre the faithfull, e­specially the Ministers, which are the Instruments to beget faith, by the word (towards whom hee ex­cites the Galatians Cha­rity, v. 6.) before those that are not of Christian faith or life. To all S. Pe­ter [Page 52] also allowes some de­grees of charity, w^ch he cals love to the faithfull; a great measure of affectiō,2 Pat. 1.7. w^ch he calls brotherly kindnesse: and our Saviour so far pre­fers this spirituall brother­hood or kindnes before the naturall, that he seemes not to acknowledge this with the other,Matth. 12.49. least it should but seeme to stand in com­petition with it:No parity of love in impa­rity of ob­jects. but even in this houshold of faith, also Christs own example con­futes a parity in Love; of w^ch I may say (as I think of the Presbyterian parity whatEpist. 5. lib 9. Discrimina ordinum, dig­nitatum (que) cu­stodias, quae si permista sint, nihil est, &c. Pliny in a case not un­lik, once wrot. Nihil est hâc aequalitate in aequalius. No­thing is more unequall than such equality: Affection [Page 53] may put difference, for ought I know to the con­trary, without any inju­stice: & diversity of merit, doth give just cause of di­versity of degrees in Cha­rity. Christ himselfe had one Disciple belovedIoh. 13.23. c. 18.15. c. 20.22. c. 21.20. [...], and that was S. Iohn who names not himselfe,Nomen su­um celavit Io­hannes, ne in­anis gloriae cau­sâ diligi se a Christo dicere videretur. Cy­ril. Alex. in Ioh. l. 9. cap. 15. S. Chrys. also observes upon Ioh. 18.15. & 20.3. that the Evangelist, not onely conceales his name in both places, but also puts Peters name before the periphrasis of himselfe, because he relates in each place the matter of his owne praise, in following of our Saviour with Peter to the judgement Hell, when all others had forsaken him, and in seeking his Master in the grave, and not finding him, there the Text saith, he beleeved, v. 8. Hee first had faith in the resurrection of Christ, even before Peter him­selfe. Now Salomon would not have a man com­mend himselfe, Prov. 27.2. And Pliny saies excel­lently Lib. 8. Epist. 8. Quod magnifi [...]um referente alio fuisset, ipso qui gesserat recensente vanescit. This serves well for our instruction against vaine glory, yet sometimes for the illustration of Gods glory, the [...]en men of the Holy Ghost (as Moses, Paul, &c.) have commended themselves without arrogancy. least he sh [...]uld seeme out [Page 54] of vaine glory to boast of his Masters affe­ction to him, or of his affection to his Master. Much lesse can there bee any equality in our Love to all men di­stributively taken. Wee Love our selves, and e­very part of our selves; but wee Love not every part, superiour and in­feriour, noble and ser­vile alike, but1 Cor, 12.25. our more abundant honour, shewes our more abundant love to one before the o­ther. And wee must love our neighbours onely as our selves, not other­wise, not more: yea as much as our selves. This sicut as, is a note of simi­litude, [Page 55] not of equality. Tis like as, as truly, as sincerely; not altoge­ther as, i. e. in the same ardency of affection. Si­militude arises from qua­lity, not from quantity; the same disposition of minde is required, not the same measure of love: our love to our neighbour, must bee co­pied out of our Love to our selves, as its ori­ginall; but it must bee written in a smaller print, though it con­taine the same matter, which consists in these following rules! Our love to our selves, is true and unfaigned, for tis naturall, and [Page 56] all hypocrisie is artificiall; let love to our neighbour also be without dissimula­tion, Rom. 12.9. Goe not in with dissemblers,Psal. 26.4. as it were to visit thy neighbour in Love, saying with Ioab to Amasa, art thou in health my brother,Ita qua tegi­tur nocet. Pro­fessa perdunt odia vindictae locum Sen. in Traged. Me­deae. Hence was learned that hellish policy of the I­talian in Guic­cardine, who devised how to kill his ene­mies body and soule with one stabbe. to betray him with thy mali­tious heart, according to that of Salomon, Prov. 26.24. Imitate not the sleight of men, and cunning craf­tinesse, whereby they lye in waite to deceive, Ephe. 4.14. But [...] speaking, or following the truth,Ioh. 3.18. or being sincere in Love; let us grow up in all things (which follow true Charity) into him, which is the head even [Page 57] Christ. 2. Wee love our selves with inflamed and vehement affections. Let us also above all things, have fervent Charity a­mongst our selves, 1 Pet. 4.8. Cold Charity is as great a solaecisme in mora­lity, as cold fire in nature. 3. Our Love to our selves is a diligent and carefull Love, which causes every man to nourish and cherish his owne flesh, Ephe. 5.29. thinking it not enough to abstaine from doing any injury or violence unto it. And when any inevitable mischiefe falls out, he la­bours for remedy with teares of sorrow, and if hee obteyne it hee rejoy­ceth. Goe then and doe [Page 58] likewise to thy neighbour, even as thou desirest thy neighbour should doe un­to thee, Matth. 7.12. Bee yee all of one minde, having compassion one of another, Love as brethren, bee pitti­full, be courteous, 1 Pet. 3.8. Consider one another to provok unto Heb. 10.24. love (mutuall) and to good workes, (the effect of true Charity) and her strongest testimony.Greg. M. in Ezech. lib. 2 Hom. 17. Amorem nostrum erga proximum, plus bona ope­ratio loquitur quam lingua, our Charity is better un­derstood by the language of our hands than tongues. If shee be speechlesse in deeds, wee may toll the bell for her; shee is dying, and faith is departing with [Page 59] her; for faith without works is dead, Iam. 2.26. And faith workes by love, Gal. 5.6. such workes you may finde in the next Chapter, vers. 2. they are of mutu­all compassion and assi­stance, so love fulfills the royall Law, the Law of Christ. See a Catalogue of Charities good workes, 1 Cor. 13. Tis the least ver­tue shee hath to thinke no hurt, 1 Cor. 13.5. and to worke no ill, Rom. 13.10. or tis a figurative com­mendation, intimating that shee endeavours in all things to procure her neighbours welfare, and if any unexcepted ill bee happened unto him, her heart wishes, her tongue [Page 60] prayes, her hand labours for helpe; for the want whereof shee can mourne in secret, for the good suc­ces, with her in theLuk. 15.9. Gos­pel, shee calls her neigh­bours together, and rejoy­ceth without the bounds of a private breast. 4. Our Love to our selves is free, not mercenary, tis onely for our owne sakes, not for any collaterall respect whatsoever. So love thy neighbour for his owne sake, for his benefit, not thine: Such sordid affecti­on is but like bird-lime, cleaving to thy neighbour, to insnare him to thy owne will, or like Ivy which by twyning about the Tree drawes out the vitall moy­sture. [Page 61] This is to love thy selfe in thy neighbour, not to love thy neighbour as thy selfe. This is the usu­all Charity of the world, but tis enmity to God. 5. Our Love to our selves, which is the patterne of our love to our neighbour, is a pure, naturall, lawfull love, not thatTalis sui di­lectio melius o­dium vocatur August. de doct. Christ. l. 1. cap. 22.23. v. Lomb. 3. [...]. d. 28 lit. A. selfe-love issuing from originall cor­ruption, which is a viti­ous affection, whereby a man loveth in himselfe, ei­ther that which is evill, or that which is good in an arrogant manner, which is indeede selfe-hatred.Vulg [...]tans. For hee that sinneth ha­teth his owne soule, Psal. 10.5. So we must love our neighbours, not with a cor­rupt [Page 62] inclination, because he is to thee as Levi was to Simeon, a brother in ini­quity, with whom thou hast enjoyed, and dost still follow pleasures, or pro­fits of sinne. How can this be good will, which worketh evill to our neigh­bour? but love him recta me [...]e, with a right affecti­on, for some goodnesse that is already in him, or which thou mayst bee a meanes, by Gods helpe to work in him. 6. Selfe-love is very tender of our credits, a very favourable judge of our owne errours or faults.Solet facun­da esse laetitia, & Angustias clausi pectoris aspernata gestire Aur. Symmach lib. 1. Epist. 13. Cedant gaudia divisa con­iunctis. Latius gaudet, qui & alterius bonis pascitur Id. lib. 3. Epist. 24. Gaudia quibus pauci fruuntur augusta sunt Id lib. 9. Spist. 85. If we truely [Page 63] love our neighbour as our selves, wee will not bee prodigall of his goodProv. 22.1. name, which is pretious to him, norThe courte­sies that pro­ceede from this love are viscata et ha­mata benefi­cia, not fa­vours but snares, not gifts, but baites, where­by a little is laid out, to make a gaine of it, as men powre downe some water to pumpe up more. De his vide Martialem lib. 4. Ep 56. lib 5. Ep 18. lib. 6. Ep. 63. lib 7. Ep. 85. Plin. lib 9. Ep. 30. rig [...]decensu­rers of his actions, norImprobum est in alieno libro ingeniosum esse. Mart. in praefat lib. 1. Engram. Nemo (ait [...]lid:) Epigrammata mea scribat. Et nemo dicta mea loquatur, ne malè loquendo sua facias. Non malè quod recitas incipit esse tuum. ut Id. Hiden­tiao ait. perverse interpreters of his words.^q Facilius de odio creditur. Hatred doth willingly not know the best, and easily beleeves the worst, quia irati ita vo­lunt. ^r The wisedome that is from above (to re­gulate our Charity) is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easie to be intrea­ted, [Page 64] full of mercy and good fruits [...], that is, without partiallity, sc. to our selves, or without wrangling, sc. about others errours, or whatsoever affaires: or lastly without judging, as tis in the Geneva Bible:And in the margent of our owne Bi­ble. And so consequently without hypocrisy. So runnes the note there (which they I am affraid, have slipt over, who ob­serve others too much) without examining of things with extreame ri­gour, as hypocrites, who onely justifie themselves, and condemne all others, when in censuring & con­demning others, they are li [...]e the ancient Moralists, [Page 65] eloquent against their own vices, andPompeius oc­cultior non me­lior. sc. Mario Syl. &c. Tacit. Hist. lib. 1 pag. 473. punish those faults more severely, w^ch themselves follow some­what more closely, no­thing lesse eagerly, as if their anger were rather out of envie then zeale,C Plin. lib. 8. Epist. 20. Vir bonus verò ita alijs ignoscit, tanquam ipse quo­tidiè peccet, ita ipse a peccatis abstinet, tanquam nemini ignoscat, A good man is so ready to pardon others faults, as if he were an ha­bituall sinner: Hee so ab­staines from sinne, as if he would spare no offender whatsoever, but would be likeLib. Ancab. pag. 14. Rufus in Tacitus, cò immitior, quia toleraverat, sci. disciplinam virtutis. i. e. as strict to others as to [Page 66] himselfe. 7. Lastly our love to our selves is con­stant and perpetuall, as being naturall. For Natu­ra non dilassatur opere. Na­ture herselfe is not weary with action, onely the in­struments shee uses faile at length. But Love it selfe is an inward affection, to shew the externall effects whereof onely the body is required. No marvaile then, that Love never failes,1 Cor. 13. ult. even then when it cannot appeare without, sed Greg. in Ezech. lib. 2. Hom. 17. deo occulta amoris no­stri suff [...]ciunt Greg. But our hidden Love is ma­nifest to the searcher of the hearts, cum tan­tum non possumus, quan­tum volumus operari Ib. [Page 67] Augustus cum esset lux­uriae serviens, erat tamen e­iusdem vitij se­verissimus ul­tor Aurelius vict. in vita Augusti. A­cerrimus fidei exactor est per­fidus, mendaci­a persequitur periurus, alie­na vitia in o­culis habemus, nostra in ter­go. Senec. de ira lib. 2. cap. 28. Faciet nos moderatiores respectus nostri si consulueri­mus & nos, nanquid sic peccavimus. Id. ibid Aut ann [...]n postea sortè peccaturi simus humana fragilitate? sic Apostolus moret Galat. 6, 7 & vide Tit 3.2, 3. Let our love to our neighbour also bee con­stant and never degenerate into hatred. No man ever yet hated his owne flesh, Eph. 5.29.^a Sicut ignis, non po­test non ardere, sic Charitas non potest non amarc. As fire never ceases to burne, so Charity never ceases to Love:^b Charitas quae dese­ri potest nunquam vera fuit. sc. sed ficta, seu fictilis. Charity which can cease, was never true,^c but coun­terfeit, or brittle.^d Abide in my Love sayes Christ, [Page 68] Ioh. 15.9. And as it is there in the vulgar Latine, Ma­nete in Charitate, Abide in Charity, let brotherly love continue:Gal. 6.9. And let us not be weary in well doing (which is the fruit of Charity) for in due sea­son wee shall reape if wee faint not. What it is to fulfill the Law and how Love fulfills the Law. You see what it is to love our neighbours as our selves. Now to ful­fill the Law, that is, to per­forme all the precepts of the Law, in that manner which, the Law requires. As hee is said to fulfill a mans will, who executes all the contents thereof. But [...]her's the difference, mans will may be perfor­med to the utmost by man, but Gods Law is fulfilled [Page 69] onely quoad [...] i. e. ac­cording to his gracious ac­ceptance of imperfect obe­dience, if sincere: not quoad [...] in the rigour of ju­stice, so that men may live without all sinne (as thePelagianor [...] dogma suit [...] ut docet Hier. in dial cont. Pel. Script. Pelagians conceited) and come to the height, or [...]on ultra of Charity, as afterwardsHaeresis fuit Begardorum et Beguinarum, in concilio Vi­ennensi Anno Dom. 1311. (cum novem a­lijs corum ne­farijs dogmati­bus) damnata, posse homines in hac vita, ad tantum per­fectionem Charitatis pervenire, ut reddantur penitus inpeccabiles, & amplius ( [...] Anto. hist. part. 2. Tit. 2. cap. 3. § 2) In gratia Charitatis prosicere non valeant. others imagi­ned. There is a double perfection; one of parts, which wee call integrity, another of degrees, which we call absolute perfecti­on. The Law of the Lord is perfect, Psal. 19.17. sc. not onely essentially, but in all respects. And so is love absolutely perfect in it [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 70] selfe, and relatively to us, as it points out to us the way of perfection, the Law of God. But wee in this life are not perfect in love, but onely in perfecti­on of parts: in degrees, our love must still increase and abound, Phil 1.9. Eph. 4.15. till wee all come into a perfect man, ib. v. 13. which is, when this mortallity hath put on im­mortality, then we shall fulfill the Law of Love (as the Saints now doe) with­out any defect at all, when wee shall know as wee are knowne.Ex parte di­ligimus quia ex parte cogno­scimus Lomb. 3. sent. d. 27. l. F. Here we know but in part, and therefore can love but in part. With David Psal. 119.6. we may & must have respect to all Gods [Page 71] Commandements but with him, in the last verse of that Psalme, wee have our faylings: ForPsal. 19.12. Iam. 3.11. who can un­derstand his errours! Non dicimus hominem posse omnis peccati expertem esse: non timemus tamen asserere, posse hominem per gratiam le­gem implere, e [...] eâ impletione vitam aeternam promereri Bel­larm. Bel­larmine himselfe dares not averre, that any man can live without all manner of sinne, but onely without mortall sinne; yet he feares not to maintaine, (out of this Text and the like) that a man assisted by the grace of God (Non­dum enim in­ter doctos con­stat (iudice Vossio lib. 6. hist. Pelag.) an Pelagius ag­noverit aliquā gratiam inter­nam, quâ exci­temur & ad­iuvemur ad opera pietatis, utcunque, in hoc differunt quod generalem gratiam agnoscant Papistae, quam nec docuit, nec novit unquam Pelagius. wherein they seeme to differ from the Pelagians) may fullfill the Law of God: So that by such fulfilling of the Law, they may merit eternall life. But since that sinne indefinitely taken, is the [Page 72] transgression of the Law,1 Ioh. 3.4. and they that transgresse the Law, cannot fulfill it exactly, secundum totum perfectionale, but integrale, according to intensive, or graduall, but onely exten­sive, and integrall perfecti­on; Since, if love fulfill the Law by grace,Rom. 11.6. there can be no reward of me­rit: yea, since we can per­forme no love, but onely what we owe (as our Apo­stle speakes)Rom. 13.8. we cannot hire it out for the in­terest of salvation. Alas wee have not where­withall to pay our debts, wee shall still owe love when wee have payed abundance of love, and doe wee thinke with the [Page 73] Instar viduae 2. King [...] 4. erat Synagoga (Iudaica) sine sponso Christo, cui libellum re­pudij dederat prior maritus Isa. 50.1. pau­pererat, quia lex gratiam con­ferre non vale­bat (ideò eius rudimenta in­firma vocat Paulus & ege­na Galat. 4.9.) nec poterat Adami debi­tum persolve­re, Nec sibi suaque animae providere. Habebat autem vasa com­modata, quia legem usque ad Christum commo latam habebat, venit autem Christus, & ex lechytho cor­poris sui oleum sanguinis effudit, & adimple vit vasa vacua sc. legem Matth 5.17. Ex eo o [...]eo & satisfacere pro originali & actuali peccato possumus, & vivere de reliquo deo grati & accepti. Sebast. Gomesius in Psal. 50.16. We may indeede live acceptable un­to God, and pray with David in faith Psalme 19. verse the last. But wee cannot live a meritorious life to our God. Widdow, 2 Kings 4. by a miracle of grace, to obtaine such a plenty, that wee shall have enough to pay, what dues wee owe to God and man, and then to live upon the rest and purchase also with it? Let us rather take our Saviours advice, Luk. 17.10. when yee shall have done all those things that are com­manded you, say wee are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was [Page 74] our duty to doe; wee are but servants, therefore our obedience is our duty. We are unprofitable servants: our obedience is but of small value in it selfe, and to our master no way be­neficiall, Psal. 16.2. There­fore our obedience is nei­therQuare ergo datur praecep­tum si impleri nequit? Resp. Quia non re­cte curritur, si quò currendum est, nesciatur, Lomb. 3. s. d. 27. lit. G. perfect nor merito­rious, ourOmnis nostra perfectio est imperfecta Bernard. Cha­ritas in quibus­dam est per­fecta, in qui­busdam imperfecta, perfectissima verò in hâc vita habe­ri non potest ut Aug. ad Hieron. loquitur. perfection is actually imperfect, com­pleate onely in desire and preparation of minde, and in sincere endeavour, by which wee labour to beeMatth. 5.48. perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. The best are but like the Image of Daniel, Dan. 2.32, 33. their feete are of [Page 75] clay, made of fraile earth, which causes them often to walke on weakely, sometimes to fall dange­rously, although their heads bee of gold, i. e. though their first inten­tions and resolutions, bee pure and sincere, towards all the wayes of God; which yet God calls and in favour accounts theEzek. 36.27. fulfilling of the Law. But to conclude this point, our Apostle meanes that love fulfills the Law, one­ly thus, according to the sincere desirs of the heart; aut quoad praeparationem a­nimi; or else according to perfection of parts, and uprightnesse of minde; and that in sensu diviso, not [Page 76] conjuncto as we have seve­rall occasions of doing good, not all at once, as if every act of Love were the summe of the Law. As tis evident by his enu­meration of parts, name­ly of some of the parti­cular Commandements:Rom. 13.9. yet out of the order af­ter which Moses set them downeSaint Paul there quite o­mits the first Commande­ment, & puts the seaventh before the sixt, which per­haps may af­ford matter for some idle Criticke to worke upon, but for us tis enough to know that our Apostles scope was not to rep [...]are the Commande­ments, but onely to give the abridgement of them. (perhaps to inti­mate that they are all a­like to love, which knowes no first nor last, amongst them) with a forme con­cerning the parts not na­med, not dubitative, but inclusive, and if there bee any other Commande­ment; signifying that love [Page 77] is asMilitum non est interpretari iussa sed exe­qui Tac. N [...]is obsequij gloria sufficit. Id. ready to obey, as God to command, leaving all authority to God, sibi obsequij gloriam relinquens, leaving onely to it selfe the prayse of obedience. Last­ly, this conclusive sentence is also exclusive (love so fulfills the Law,Without love no fulfilling of the Law. that with­out love the Law cannot be fulfilled) for he that of­fends in one, that is, in this one precept of Charity, offends in all, Iam. 2.10. quia violat vinculū Chari­tatis, as breaking the band of the whole Law, saies S. Aug. lib. de verâ & falsâ penitentia cap. 14. (si fortê is liber sit Augustini.) For the conclusion it selfe, though the rigour of Lo­gicke suffer mee not to [Page 78] prove it, yet I shall pro­duce one or two parallell places of Scripture for the illustration thereof, and a sentence or two of the Fa­thers agreeable thereunto. The first and chiefest,Matth. 22.40. te­stimony is frō the best ex­pounder and fulfiller of the Law that ever was, Christ Iesus, who informes us that on these two Com­mandemēts (sc. of the love of God, & our neighbour) hangs all the Law and the Prophets.Galat. 3.14. Then let S. Paul here witnes to himselfe (& no doubt but his witnes shal be true. All the Law (saith he) is fulfilled in one word that verbum abbreviatum in S. Hieroms opinion) thou shalt love thy neighbour [Page 79] as thy selfe, which precept Moses gives, Levit. 19.18. This love explicitely ful­fills the second Table, im­plicitely also the first. For thou canst not love thy neighbour as thy selfe, unlesse thou love thy selfe first. Thou canst not love thy selfe unlesse thou love him that is thy summum bonum thy chiefest good, and intimius tibi quam tu tibi ipsi (as Plato sayes of him) more intimate with thee than thou art with thine owne soule, in whom thou livest, and moovest, and hast thy being. The love of God then abso­lutely fulfills the whole Law,Ioh. 14.15.21.23. 1 Epi. Ioh. 3.17. and is oft put for the whole service of God: [Page 80] and the love of our neigh­bour fulfills halfe the Law, with reference to the love of God, owe nothing to any man but love, sc. which payes all duties: but Saint Paul here, as also Gal. 5. (with our Saviour Mat. 7.12.) names onely the du­ties of the second Table,Cum duo praecepta sint amor Dei, & proximi pro u­troque saepe u­ [...]m ponitur, Lom. 3. s d. 27. lit. h. because these are the most palpable & manifest fruits of love, appearing to the example of men and glory of God; where­as in the seeming zealous observation of the first Table, in hearing and preaching of the Word and the like duties, men sometimes deceive not onely others Charity, but their owne soules also, by [Page 81] the art of seeming. Againe for that in case of urgent necessity, when the actu­all performance of both kinds of duties to God and man (which are alwayes best united) cannot bee done together, the first table yeelds to the second. God will then have mercy and not sacrifice,And Chap. 12.7. and out of Hos. 6.6. Matth. 9.13. And hence wee may collect also, why love is magnified, 1 Cor. 13. verse the last, even above faith thatMat. 13.46. precious Iewell of the Gospel, for the pur­chase whereof a man ought to sell all that hee hath, as of himselfe. So that even in the Gospell, the love of God is called the greatest Commande­ment [Page 82] and the first, and thē love of our neighbour is accounted, the second like unto it Matth. 22.38, 39. 1 Because faith in its owne nature abstracted from the fruits and effects thereof, hath reference onely to God, and so pertaines to the first Table, but love hath relation both to God and man. 2 Because faith in that abstractive conside­rat [...]on lyes hidden in the heart, and so is knowne onely to God: but love is like fire in the bosome, which will breake out, and cannot be concealed from man. 3 Lastly, for that love in its owne nature is a more noble and heroicall vertue than faith, and of [Page 83] infinitely longer duration, fulfilling the Law of God unto the end, and1 Cor. 13.12. being without all end, shiningCharitas in patriâ serven­tior est quam in via. Aeter­num enim ar­dentius diligi­tur, adeptum, quam deside­ratum, u [...] do­cet Sanctus Aug. lib. 1. doct. Christ. cap. 38. vid. &c. 39. Est Ciui [...]tas in hac vita, in [...]i­piens, profi [...]i­ens, perfecta (sc. suo modo) perfectissma vero est in coe­lo Vt asserit. Lomb l. 3. sent. in s [...]e dist. 29. most bright in heaven as the Sun without a Cloud: and whilst that faith con­tinues with it tis as it wereIam 2.26. [...] i. e. if not the life, yet the breath of it. For faith without workes is dead, and faith workes by love. Onely in a rela­tive consideration, as faith is the instrument of our justification, and so the chiefe meanes of our sal­vation, faith is of more ex­cellency than love, which is onely an evidence and testimony of faith.

For the Fathers, if you please to recollect in your [Page 84] mindes what I have alrea­dy noted out of S. Hie­rome, and S. Augustine, I shall have no neede to bee tedious in heaping up new testimonies, onely heare S. Hierome againe describing the vertue of divine love, putting forth the utmost of its ability in the service of God, not onely doing eve­ry thing that hee com­mands, but not daring to doe any thing which hee doth not require.Hier. Epist. ad Caelant. Gran­dem vim obtinet vera di­lectio, & totam sibi amantis vendicat voluntatem. Ni­hil est imperiosius charitate. Si vere Christum diligimus, nihil magis velle, nihil om­nino debemus agere, quam quod illum velle cognosci­mus. [Page 85] And Saint Gregory Hom. 27. su­per Evang. sayes, omne mandatum de sola dilectione est & omnia vnum praecep­tum sunt, quia quic­quid praecipitur, in solâ Charitate solidatur, All the precepts are contai­ned in one: for Cha­rity is the foundation of them all. Charitas est multiplex lex. dei, Vulgar. Iob. 11.6.Id. Greg. Mor [...] 10 cap. 4. vid & ib. c 6 7.8. Et si placet. vid Aug. l. 1. de doct. Chris. c. 35. vbi docet quod Amor dei est summa Scripturae. quae a duobus praeceptis incipit, & mentem ad innu­mera pietatis opera (de queis Apostolus, 1 Cor. 13.) mul­tiformiter accendit; Cha­rity is the manifold Law of God, which begins from two precepts, to wit, the Love of God, and the Love of man) and diversly excites the minde to im­mumerable [Page 86] workes of god­linesse, which the Apo­stle summes up (1 Cor. 13.) in sundry particulars. The generall wayes according to which love fulfills the Law, are three, of which in the next place.

Love fulfills the Law three wayes, as Vossius Ger. Voss. hist. Pelag. l. 3. pa [...]. 3. c. 3. thes. 3 pag. 360. ex­cellently distinguishes, and out of him, word for word almost our Weemse? Weemse of the 3 Lawes 1. tom pag. 45. and I shall informe you out of both, adding di­vers illustrations & proofes for your farther instructi­on. The tearmes of the distinctions are 1. Effecti­vè, i. e. effectively. 2. Re­ductivê, i. e. reductively. 3. Formaliter, i. e. formal­ly, that is, briefly as the [Page 87] principall, as the end, as the forme of every law­full operation.

First, Love fulfills the 1 Law effectively as the in­ward principle, or impul­sive cause of every legiti­mate action. Love is the onely incitation, and invi­tation to true and cheere­full obedience. First (saith Moses) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God: Then it fol­lowes, and keepe his charge and his statutes, &c. Deut. 11.1. And yee that love the Lord (sayes David) hate evill, Psal. 97.10. For himselfe he resolves thus, I will delight my selfe in thy Commandements which I have loved, Psal. 119.47. In the next verse he addes,Vid. ib. v. 167 [Page 88] my hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandements which I have loved: See loves vertue, issuing from the heart to the hand, from affection to operation. And therefore perhaps the Law is sayd to have gone forth out of Gods hands, Deut. 33.2.Coment. in loc. that it might come into our hands. Oleaster supposes the precepts of God to bee called the workes of God,Esa. 5.12. quia ideo praecipiun­tur, ut eaòperemur: Because they are therefore com­manded, that we may not onely intentionally and verbally but actually ful­fill them, which is done by love. Quodlibet agens propter amorem agit, quod­cunque [Page 89] agit Aquin. Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 28. art. 6. Every agent workes for some good, and so consequent­ly the love of that good causeth it [...]m to worke. The worldlings cast-away carnall love upon seeming good. Godly men place spirituall love, upon spiri­tuall good: The love of Christ constraineth us saith S. Paul, 2 Cor. 5.14. Amor meus, pondus meum, illo feror quocunque feror, saith S. Augustine, Aug. Confes. lib. 3. my love is the weight which poyses mee in the wayes of God, so that I bee not carryed away as it were with the winde of every Novell doctrine, or with every worldly vanity. Common reason informes [Page 90] us in this, that men doe not obey, or serve those whom they hate, I meane, that their mindes are not wil­ling servants to such though their bodies per­haps may bee their enfor­ced slaves. Serve yee one another by love sayes our Apostle, Galat. 5.13. But Non exterquebis amari, Love is not extorted by violence, but invited first by love it selfe. Love is the Whetstone of love: So God himselfe invites our love to him, by commen­ding his love first to us, by his1 Ioh. 4.9, 10. Sonne, Rom. 5.8. that our faith in the SonneGalat. 5.6. may worke by love, towards God againe.Charitas ra­dix est, ex qua omnes pullu­lant virtutes August. lib de gratia Christi cap. 18. vid. & cap. 20. ib. Hence the whole office [Page 91] of Christianity also is comprised in this one word, Love, Ephes. 6. v. ult. So love fulfills not onely the morall Law, but with all the Law of faith, as the Apostle phraseth it, Rom. 3.27. So that sine Amore, fides esse potest, pro­desse non potest saith S. Au­gustine, Aug de Trin. lib. 25. cap. 18. Similiter lo­quitur lib. 5. de Bapt. cap. 8. & ib. lib. 15. cap. 29. without love faith may be, but it cannot profit. But by love faith workes,Charitas, Ma­ter est omnium custosque vir­tutum Greg. Curio past. part 3. cap. 10. admonit. 10. and keepes all manner of Christian ver­tues, which follow Love, as the lesser wheeles are moved by the greater. Hence it is that S. Paul calls the piety of the Thes­salonians, the worke of Faith, and the labour of love, 1 Thes. 1.3. And our [Page 92] Saviour, Matth. 22.40. sayes, that the whole Law, hangs upon the two Com­mandements of Love, in­timating perhaps, that love is as it were the hinges of the Law, upon which it is turned too and fro, to em­brace good, and avoid evill. Christ teacheth us also, that there is no true Love without keeping Gods Commandements, Ioh. 14.15.21.23. and no true keeping of the Com­mandements without love, verse the 24. ib. The be­loved Disciple repeates the same doctrine, 1 Ioh. 5.3. and Ch. 3.17. 2 Ioh. 3.6. verses.

2 Secondly, Love fulfills the Law reductively, be­cause [Page 93] every lawfull opera­tion is reduced to Love, as to its end, for which it was performed; and in this sence it is an externall cause, and moves morally, as comprehended sub noti­one boni, as good: where­as, as an efficient cause, it moves phisically, as it is a naturall quality and ver­tue. That love is the end of the Law,1 Tim. 1.5. S. Paul tea­ches us, The end of the Commandement is Charity, &c. i. e. the end why God gave his Law to us, is, that we should love him, & our neighbour. So love unites all the precepts into one Commandement, in S. Pauls Doctrine. Finis prae­cepti, dilectio gemina, Dei [Page 94] & proximi, praecurrat di­lectio dei, caetera in illum confluant, ut dilectio tui, & proximi Aug. Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 1. cap. 26. The end of the precept is a dou­ble love, of God, and of our neighbour: Let the love of God have the prae­cedency, and all other love followe after, as of ourQui se prop­ter se diligit, non se vesert ad deum, sed ad seipsum con­versus, non ad incommuta­bile aliquid (cui toto af­fectu inharen­dum) conver­titur Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 1. cap. 22. selves and others: wee ought to love God for his owne sake, our neighbour, and all Gods creatures, for Gods sake;^ſ and to performe our se­verall duties to God and [Page 95] man, not of constraint, or for filthy lucre, but onely for loves sake. Love is like the Indian Figge-tree, of which Scaliger writesExerci. 166. that shee having shoote up her branches a con­venient height, reflects them downe againe, to take new rooting in the earth, and so makes a kinde of naturall arbour. Gods love is the first seede which causes our love to take roote, and to fructifie: (For Charity growes not like the fruit of the earth in the golden age, without any seede sowne, I meane without the seede of Gods grace sowne in the heart, as the Pelagians [Page 96] Conterraneus noster, [...]en: Beda in libro quem scripsit contra Iulia­num Episco­pum Eclane [...] ­sem (qui hodi­eque praefatio­nis loco, com­mentarijs eius super Cantica praefigitur) te­statur Pelagi­anos existi­masse charita­tem esse pri­mogenitum bo­num, & pror­sus nativam qualitatem, quamque gra­tia nunquam gignit, sed quandoque nu­trit, & auget. Charitas (se­cundum eos) velut flax est, quae suâ sponte ardet, sed spiritu, quasi vento agitata, vehementius inflammatur. Sed absolutè secundum Apostolum. Fructus spiritus Charitas Gal. 5.22. imagined. Then Chari­ty by the assistance of Gods grace, shootes up her branches a good height, even to God him­selfe in the highest hea­vens, and from him shee reflects them downe a­gaine unto the ground, (to wit) to the men of the earth, and takes new roo­ting there. So Greg. Mag. lib. 7. Mora. cap. 10. Per a­morem Dei amor proximi gignitur: Per amorē proxi­mi, amor Dei g [...]g [...]itur. Nam qui amare Deum neg­ligit, profecto diligere prox­imum nescit. Tis the Apo­stles phrase, to shew Loves [Page 97] firmenesse, & fruitfulnesse, Ephes. 3.17. [...], yee being rooted and grounded in Charity. This fruitfull roote strengthens the whole body of Religion, and sends forth the mani­fold branches of piety, bearing constantly the fruits of good workes, and not onely the faire leaves of good words. Our Sa­viour you know cursed the Fig-tree, w^ch made a faire shew at a distance, & yeel­ded no fruit, when he came neere unto it, although the time of fruite were not come. To teach us to bee alwayes fruitfull in the good deeds of Charity, because God allowes no [Page 98] season of spirituall barren­nesse, no not in the win­ter of old age, Psal. 92.14.

Thirdly, Charity ful­fills the Law formally, quia finis in moralibus, ha­bet rationem formae, i. e. be­cause in morallity, the end hath the Nature of a forme also. Charity is as it were the stampe, in the which every lawfull action is to be coyned, and with­out which how resplen­dent soever, tis but coun­terfeit. [...], sayes the Apostle, 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all your things be done, in, or with Charity. All things done without Charity are as it were nothing, 1 Cor. 13.2. [Page 99] Hence Charity is called, [...], i. e. the band of perfection, Coloss. 3.14. because it u­nites and couples all good duties together, which faith workes by love, and so may be called in this re­spect sides formata: A faith that hath her right forme; but faith not working by love is a dead faith, and so sides informis, a formeles faith, as some of our Di­vines doe justly acknow­ledge. See Bishop Down­ham in his booke of the Covenant of Grace, page 229, 230. who will not yeeld to Bellarmine that love is the inward consti­tutive forme, and soule as it were of faith, yet denies [Page 100] not that it is the morall or consequtive forme there­of. Then know that al­though you performe the Commandements of God materially, or according to the substance, as Iehu fulfilled the will of God, in destroying the house of Ahab: yet if you doe them not formally in Charity: i. e. principally in love to God, secondari­ly to your neighbour, e­specially to the Church of God, you may pull on your heads vengeance, as Iehu did (Hos. 1.4.) in stead of a blessing. God preferres adverbs before substantives, hee doth not so much regard what is done, as in what manner: [Page 101] the manner specificates the action, and makes it good, or bad morally. Lastly, note (to conclude this point and therewith the whole explication of the Text) our actions may bee formed by Charity, ey­ther directly and explicite­ly, which is, when in the act it selfe wee thinke of the love of God, and of our neighbour, to forme the act thereby, as wee goe to Church, out of our present love to the house and ordinances of God; we goe to visit our neighbour in any distresse, because wee suppose it a duty of love so to doe: or second­ly implicitely and virtual­ly, when the love of God [Page 102] and man is habitually set­led in our hearts, but yet we doe not thinke thereof, in such or such an action. I conceive, that for the maine duties of godlinesse, actuall love is necessary, but habituall love sufficeth for those which are of lesse moment, and more ordinary. Whatsoever we doe S. Paul will have us doe it to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. and so consequently out of our love to God. But in some things, as the habituall in­tention of his glory, so the habituall love of him, as it is a sufficient motive, so a sufficient forme of our actions. The love which I have proposed unto you, [Page 103] is not a meere notion, but a reall vertue, and so con­sists not in speculation but action, not in knowledge but application. The ob­jects unto which love is to bee applyed are foure in generall, although in par­ticulars infinite Ang. de doct. Christ l. 1. cap. 23. unū quod supranos, the first and chie­fest is above us, to be lo­ved before our selves, or anySi deus om­ni homine am­plius diligen­dus est ampli­us quisque de­bet eum dilige­re, quam seip­sum Aug. de doct. Christ. l. 1. cap. 27. man whatsoever. Alterum quod nos sumus. As the love of wife, pa­rents, children kindred, be­nefactors, friends, &c. Hence Lomb. observes 3 sent. d. 29. lit. C. that the Commandement concerning our parents is honora, honour, not dilige, love, be­cause we doe that naturally. In the next place our selves: Tertium quod juxta nos est. Thirdly, he that is next our selves, our neigh­bour. Quartum quod infra nos est. Fourthly, that [Page 104] which is below us, our bo­dies. There are no pre­cepts (saith S. Augustine)Ib. cap. eod. & cap. 26. In­concussa natu­ra lege quod sumus, & quod infra nos est, diligimus, quae lex etiam in bestias promul­gata est. concerning the second and fourth object of Cha­rity: For wee naturally affect them, and they who love not God, or their neighbour, love yet them­selves, and their owne flesh even as bruit beasts also doe by nature. Fugax enim animus ab incommuta­b [...]li lumine omnium [...]agna­tore, id agit ut ipse sibi reg­net, & corpori suo: Et ideo non potest nisi & se & cor­pus suum diligere: For the minde that flyes from God the unchangeable light, and ruler of all men, la­bours it selfe to domineere with the lusts of the flesh. [Page 105] Therefore it can love one­ly it selfe, and the flesh. Selfe-love then and so all second love which flowes from that foun­taine, hath no neede of anyThat is, any especiall pre­cept, for doubt­lesse it is in­cluded in the generall com­mandement of love, as Lomb. againe notes Ib. dist. 28. lit. A. p. 144. precept, and so conse­quently requires no ex­hortation, being like theAugusti d [...] ­ctum fuit apud Senec. in pre­fat. Epitom. controvers. l. 4. page 286. Ha­terius noster sufflaminan dua [...] est a Deo non currere, sed de­currere vide­batur. sc. in o­ratione su [...]. Declamator in Seneca, qui sufflamine potius indigeat, quam irritamento, rather to be restrained and held in, than to bee incited and thrust forward. The pre­cepts of love then, and so the necessary motives thereunto, are onely con­cerning God above us, and our neighbour next unto us. But because our love to God, and to our neighbour, is but [Page 106] Eadem est Charitas, Dei & proximi, sed quia aliud est deus, & aliud proximus, ge­mina dicitur, vel propter duos motus, qui in mente ge­runtur. Ideòque & duo prae­cepta dicuntur, ut alterum ma­jus, alterum minus, quia mens magis er­ga deum, quam proximum, mo­vetur Id. ibid. dist. 27. lit. C. one love, according to the Schooles, and God him­selfe tryes our love to him, by the love of our neigh­bour, 1 Ioh. 2.9, 10. cap. 3.14.17. cap. 4.8.12.20, 21. &c. Nec deus, sine proximo, nec proximus sine deo, diligi potest: Lomb. 3. sent. dist. 27. lit. H. Neither can God bee loved without our neighbour, nor our neigh­bour without God. For how can he that loves God contemne him that is Gods Image, and whom God commands to be lo­ved? And whosoever loves his neighbour as he ought. Quid in eo diligit nisi deum? what doth hee love in him, but God? Hence the love of our neighbourMatth. [...]. [...]2. Gal. 5 24 is put for the [Page 107] whole Law. Quò magis enim, a dei dilectione rece­dimus, eò & a proximi a­more distamus, quanto pro­piùs, dei amori adhaeremus, tanto & proximi: quantò & proximi, tantò & dei. Dorotheus doct. 6. Even as in a genealogie the nearer men are in the collaterall lines, to the first roote, or common head of the fa­mily, the nearer they are of kinne, the one to the other: and e converso the nearer they are of kinne the one to the other, the nearer they are set to the Father of their Tribe [...]. The words were written by A­ratus, but are authorised by S. Paul, Act. 17.28. [Page 108] we are all Gods off-spring, God is the Father of man­kind, the nearer we draw unto God in goodnesse, the nearer we must needes ap­proach to one another in good will; and the nearer we draw to one another in love, the nearer wee ap­proach even to God him­selfe:Velut lineae quo magis a se invicem di­stant, eo magis a centro remo [...]e sunt, & e converso, qu [...] magis a centro eò magis a se invicem di­stant. Deus vero (secun­dùm Empedo­ [...]lis doctrinam) sphaer [...] est cu­ius contrum est ubique, cir­cumferentia vero nusquam. Et Iumblichus testatur deum circuli symbolo hiero­glyphicè pingi ab Egiptiis. In circulo hoc infinito nos lineae sumus, Deus ipse centrum est nostrum. Caetera Dorotheus loco citato [...] pro nobis applicet sc. Deo per charitatem proximi accedimus, per odium ab eo quan­dum a proximo recedimus. And the farther we are from our neighbour in affection, the farther wee are from God in godli­nesse; and the more wee depart from God by an evill heart, the more wee separate our selves from [Page 109] our neighbour by a maliti­ous heart.Heb. 3.12. The whole current therefore of my remaining discourse and time, shall run to drive men to that love of one ano­ther, which corrupt na­ture most strives against, turning all Charity aside as it were into a private channell of selfe-love, which (like the sea) should disperse her selfe through­out the whole world; ac­cording to that of Solomon, Prov. 5.16. Let thy foun­taines be dispersed abroad and rivers of waters in the streetes. This is a note of Davids good man, that he hath dispersed abroad, &c. Psal. 112.9. and is ci­ted by2 Cor. 9.9. S. Paul: Now [Page 110] because Charity delights in order, give me leave to begin at home, to com­mend her to my selfe and my brethren of the Cler­gy,Ad Clerum to the Clergy. that hence, as from the head, it may flow downe like Aarons ointment, Psal. 133. round about us, that others may run after the smel of it. My brethren suffer the word of exhor­tation, to a double kind of love, mutuall and pasto­rall. 1. To provoke you to mutuall love consider I pray; first, that un­der the Law God led his people by the hand of Moses and Aaron, Psal. 77.20. by brethren, which had but one heart, and so but one hand as it were to [Page 111] conduct,Of mutuall love amongst the Ministers of the Gospel. and feede Gods flocke. For these two are reckoned amongst Gods Priests by David, Psal. [...]9.6. Howsoever tis evident that they were both Gods instruments to promulgate the Law. Secondly note, that under the Gospel Christ calling his Disci­ples, chuses first one paire of brethren, sc. Peter and Andrew, then another, sc. Iames and Iohn, Matth. 4. Againe, when Christ sent his Disciples forth to preach, hee sent them out by paires; the reason of which Commission made thus to two and two is gi­ven by the author of the imperfect worke upon S, Matthew, Homil. 7. Be­cause [Page 112] the unity and con­cord of the Ministers of the Gospel was requisite for the laying of the foun­dation of the Christian Churches; which must be layd in love, both in re­spect of the building, and the builders: For the peo­ple, they must not be com­pelled to the faith by ho­stile violence, but rather are to be perswaded unto it by love. They who car­ried a trowell in one hand, and a sword in the other, Nehem. 4.17. used not that weapon to build the Tem­ple, but to offend their e­nemies. And as by love they are drawne to the faith; so by mutuall love they are fastned and setled [Page 113] in it.Knit or com­pacted toge­ther in love. In the origi­nall tis [...], &c. In the Epist. to the [...] Coloss. 2.2. Love is the very caement of the Temples walls, uniting them in the band of peace, Ephesians 4.3. Love is the very strength of the spirituall building. Support you one another by love, Ephes. 4.2. on the contrary side: Non aedificatur altare ex sectis lapidibus: the Altar must not be built of hewen stones, Exod. 20.25. Hew­en stones (saith Isidore out of Origen the master of Allegories) are those that cut unity asunder, and di­vide themselves from Christian society, by ma­lice, or schisme: Christ will (saith he) have none such in his mysticall body, of which the Altar was a [Page 114] figure: but those onely that are consolidated in the u­nity of faith, and good life, are of his Church. But mutuall love is most espe­cially required in respect of the builders of Gods house, or Altar. For theIam. 3.16. 1 Cor. 14.40. and v. 33. discord of the worke­men, causes a Babell, i. e. confusion of all things, in­stead of decency and or­der, that is, a curse for a blessing. Let mee adde, that as God chose more brethren to preach the Gospel, than to publish the law, so hee now re­quires more abundant love from us towards one ano­ther. In this respect also it may bee, that the com­mandement of love is cal­led [Page 115] Ioh. 13.34. new, which is not absolutely new, 2 Epist. Ioh. ver. 5. Because Christs doctrine doth not onely commend Charity, but al­so inlargeth it, if not above the widest sence of the Law, yet certainely farre beyond the practise of the Iewes, and the glosse of their doctours, as wee are taught, Matth. 5.43. &c. This is indeede to love one another, as Christ hath lo­ved us, with entire and ar­dent affection. Above all things then let us have fer­vent charity amongst our selves: Let us who are the Priests of God,Levit. 6.12, 13. conti­nually nourish this fire of Charity, in the Temple of the Lord: Let it be infla­med [Page 116] by the antiperistasis of worldly hatred, that ge­licidium charitatis (asThomas a no­va villa in con­cione quadam. one phraseth it) that frost of Charity in these latter dayes foretold by Christ, Matth. 24.12. The love of many (even of the [...]) shall wax cold; see the reason there also, because iniquity abounds, the which whilst we reprove, wee become the1 Kings 22.8. and Gal. 4.16. enemies of the whole world: yet I cannot conceale what is said in the verse before. Many false prophets shall arise & shall deceive many: And therefore the love of many may well be abated towards such, which com­monly seeke every one their gaine out of their [Page 117] quarter, but not of soules; these are worldly wise, in­deede foolish prophets. But let us have salt in our selves, and peace with one another, Mark. 9.50.In quae verba, sic ait Greg. M. Cur. Past. part. 3. cap. 1. admonitione 23. sal (i. e. sapientia) sine pace (sc. cha­ritatis) non vittutis est do­num, sed dam­nationis argu­mentum. Sapi­entia enim ista est anima is, terrena, diabo­lica: sed sapi­entia quae de­sursum descen­dit, primò est pudica (i. e. quae caste intelligit) deindo pacifica, quia per elationem se minimè a proximo­rum societate disjungit. Quo plus sapiunt homines (sa­pientiâ sc. terrena quae inflat) eò a concordiae virtute desipiscunt: Haec Greg. i. e. the salt of spirituall wise­dome, & that peace which Christian Charity brings; which are two vertues happily conjoyned, but un­luckily severed: For the wisedome that descends from above is first pure, (not earthly sensuall and corrupt) then peaceable (not proud and factious, i. e. devilish) Iam. 3.15.17. And the love that descends [Page 118] from above is wise and dis­creete, not inordinate, and inconsiderate: It abounds in judgement, Phil. 1.9. Let both the gaine which wisedome teacheth us, and the fellowship which cha­rity invites us unto, be, if not onely, yet especially spirituall, let us not by the one be given toTit. 1.7. and 1 Pet. 1.8. filthy lu­cre, nor by the other to in­temperancy, know you not what one hath not onely spoken in the hea­ring, but published to the view of those that2 King. 18.26. stand upon the wall? I am loath to repeate, what hee was bold to write, perhaps we may translate it thus. Ministri omnium hora­rum incundissima socij, [Page 119] Phrasis ipsa est Tiberij Ne­ronis, alias Bi­berij Neronis, qui cum noctē, continuumque biduum, cum Pomponio Flac­eo & L. Pi­sone, epulando potando (que) con­sumosisset, al­teri Syriam Provinciam, alteri praefec­turam urbis confestim de­tulit, codicillis quoque Iucun­dissimos & om­nium horarum amicos, pro­fessus Suet. l. 3. cap. 42. quorum textus, est fictile peto plenum, & quorum psal­terium, est cantharus. The best way of confutation, is rot by retorting contume­lies, which Charity for­bids, but (as the Phylosopher did refute him that disputed against naturall motion, onely by walking) by speaking the wordsAct. 26.25. and performing the acti­ons of truth and sobriety. Else woe be unto those by whom such scandalls come against all the rest. In the meane while, untill Cha­rity teach men better lan­guage, let us possesse our solves in patience, and comfort one another with these words, The Disciple is not above his Master. Our [Page 120] Master was accounted a glutton and a wine bibber, because hee came eating and drinking, Matth. 11.19. And the Baptist came neither eating nor drink­ing, and they sayd, he hath a Devill v. 18. So the ma­licious censurer, with1 Kings 22.13. Ze­dekiah, makes himselfe hornes of iron to push on both sides, and with him there, verse 24. hee will be sure to smite the Prophet, if not with the right hand of justice, yet with the left hand of calumny. As the Satyrist sayes, O Laer­tiade, quicquid dicam aut erit, aut non. So in this case (it seemes) tis to no pur­pose, for the Prophet to take care what to say o [...] [Page 121] doe: For O man of God, whatsoever thou speakest or doest to the uncharita­ble men, either must be evil or not, if not, malice will make it so, if so already, censure shall augment it: malice sees things as it were through the water, so that what is straight seemes crooked, and what is small seemes great, if it be bad enough to be seene at all. And censure (as I have instanced) like the winde, blowes with e­quall violence, upon ob­jects that are opposite the one to the other: And so it is to bee regarded as a winde that passeth away (in rash breath) & returnes not againe, as it were in [Page 122] judgment to consult upon what is past, to apply Da­vids wordsPsal. 78.39. to another sense then he intended with good leave: S. Paul tells the judging men of Corinth plainely, I1 Cor. 4.3, 4, 5. passe not to be judged of you, &c. where he furnishes us with divers reasons (which your medi­tations may make use of) to defend our selves with, against humane judge­ment, or if you please re­member how our Saviour hath forwarned & forear­med us, in his Apostles, Ioh. 15.v. 17, 18, 19, 20. See what he com­mands you to doe, to love one another, see how hee encourages you to suffer by his example. If the world hate you, you know [Page 123] that it hated me before that it hated you, &c. againe re­collect what he saith,Ioh. 13.35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another: Charity is as it were the livery of Christianity, but the espe­ciall cognizance of the ministery of the Gospel, even an indelible character thereof. Had we now (as the Apostles once had) power to worke miracles, yet without this gift, that, and more than that, were totum nihil [...] all nothing, (1 Cor. 13.1.2.) I meane, no sure signe of our pro­fession. If a Lords servant or any officer goeth forth without the necessary badge of his service, or [Page 124] office; few or none per­haps will or can take no­tice of him, but if he have that with him, every where he is knowne by it. So Brethren, if we walke without Charity, who can tell whose ministers wee are by other common signes? But Charity isSic ea verba Critici distin­gunt ex Arist. 1. Rhet. 2. Of pastorall love ¶ 2. [...], no common signe, but a pro­per note, by which wee may manifest our selves to be Christs Ministers. In the next place I shall pre­sent unto your Charity the Church of God, first in generall,2 Cor. 11.28. then in that particular respect where­in your duty is espe­cially engaged universall care authoritative is [Page 125] Apostoli enim habebant pote­statem uni loco, aut certae ec­clesiae, sed pl [...] ­nariam, & vniversalem: Docete (ait Christus) om­nes gentes: Et pradicate [...] ­ni Creature Marc. 16 Sic Paulus missus est ad omnes gentes Act. 9.15. Rom. 1 5. ut not Reve­rend. Episc. Sarisburiensis Comment. in Coloss. 1. v. 1. At verò Epis­copi cuiusque authoritas, re­stricta est uni diocaesi, aut uni saltem pro­vinciae, vel denique, uni Patriarchatui, nec ipso Romano Epis­copo excepto. Apostolicall, generall is Episcopall: and no man takes this honour upon him but he that is called there­unto. As was Aaron to the High-priest-hood as S. Paul instructs us, Heb. 5.4. But charitable care or carefull charity to desire, and to our utmost power, to uphold the peace and prosperity of Hierusalem, is the duty of each inferi­our pastor. To intimate what cordiall love, they that minister at the Altar, especially those that weare the Ephod, ought to shew to the Church of God:^c the legall High-priest, when he went to minister [Page 126] before the Lord, was com­manded to weare a Breast­plate of judgement upon his heart, upon which were engraven the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel, which may teach us to beare within our hearts, in a Brestplate of righteousnesse the names (as it were) of all those Tribes, and families which professe the sure and sin­cere foundation of the Christian faith, by unfai­ned prayer and endeavour for the common salvation of them all; why should it not be in the mysticall bo­dy, as it is in the naturall, where the heart wishes, the tongue prayes, the hand labours, for the good, not [Page 127] onely of some parts, but of the whole compound? But let the name of our Israel amongst other nati­ons, and of our peculiar people, amongst the flocks of our companions, bee stamped in Capitall Let­ters, even as a seale upon our hearts, as the chiefe object of our Charity, af­ter the which we ought to longe, as S. Paul longed after all his, Philip. cap. 1.8. in the bowells of Christ Iesus, as having them in his heart, v. 7. Let us fol­low S. Pauls example, by practising S. Pauls Do­ctrine, Act. 20.28. Take heede unto your selves, and unto all the flocke, &c. This is to love the flocke of [Page 128] Christ by Christs owne inference, Ioh. 21.15, 16, 17. But let your love to the flocke of Christ bee [...], Charity, which is an orderly and descreete af­fection, notVsurpatur ta­men haec vox aliquando a patribus (fate­or) sensu opti­mo ut ab Igna­tio Epist. ad Rom. [...], criticita men pro vicioso amore accipi­unt. [...], a love not once named by Christ, or his Apostles, a blinde, inordinate indulgence, or carnall love, such as was in old Eli towards his sonnes, or in Amnon to­wards his sister. A corrupt and corrupting love, which either gives, or suffers e­vill example, which the Scripture accounts the ha­tred of our selves, or o­thers. If wee shall love the flocke of Christ, one­ly asAct. 29.25 Demetrius magnifi­ed Diana's Image, because [Page 129] by that meanes wee have our wealth: we make Di­vinity a sordid trade, and defile our selves with fil­thy lucre, and so in effect hate our selves, Psal. 10.5.Vulg. Tran. being enemies to the good of our owne soules. On the other side, if indul­gent love provoke us to flatter men, and forbid us to reproove them, we in Gods phrase and account, hate them in our hearts, Levit. 19.17. Wee are Gods Priests, wee must not mix with our sa­crifices, either the hony of sweete tongued flatte­ry, for advantage sake, nor the gall of bitter malice, for revenge sake; but eve­ry sacrifice must be seaso­ned [Page 130] with salt,Levit. 2.13. our sacri­fice must alwayes beMark. 9.49. Ib. vers. 50. sal­ted with the fire of chari­table zeale to sanctifie them, and with the saltColoss. 4.6. of discretion, to give both our words and actions a good savour, sometimes with the salt of severity also, which though it cause corrupt mindes to smart for the present, yet it cleanseth their corrupti­ons in the end: This is to make our love to abound in judgement.Phil. 1.9. S. Paul seemes to separate severi­ty and love: Shall I come unto you with the rod, or in love1 Cor. 4.21.? But S. Augu­stine Aug. cont. Epist Parmen. lib. 3. cap. 1. conjoynes them together in the hand as of a naturall, so of a spirituall [Page 131] Father. Habet & virga charitatem, Sed aliud est charitas severitatis, aliud est charitas mansuetudinis. Aut una quidem charitas est sed diversa, in diversis o­peratur. The rod hath love with it: David Psal. 23.4. Ib. vers. 1. found comfort not onely in the staffe of Divine supporta­tion, but a [...]so in the rod of Gods correction, who was his Father & his She­pheard, and therefore hee presumed that whatsoe­ver he did was for his good. And S. Paul tells his Corinthians, that when he comes he will not spare; yea, God himselfe bids Isaiah Isaiah 58.1. to lift up his voyce and spare not. Lastly, ex­perience teaches us, that [Page 132] August. plures corrigit timor, li­cet amor meliores, the feare of the rod amends the most, though love a­mends the best: yet that servile feare which ad­mitts of no filiall love, and that rigid severity, which shewes no fatherly love, seldome produce any a­mendment. The bowells of a Father must be seene (though obscurely as the Sunne through a thinne Cloud) through the an­gry countenance of a Fa­ther. Although offences have withheld & covered the love of mildenesse, and let the offenders discerne the love of severity, which is indeede the same love, but workes diversly to­wards [Page 133] divers objects. But some may reply to all this, that the forwardnesse of our affection to our peo­ple had prevented this ex­hortation, were they com­petent objects of our pa­storall love, but too ma­ny of them are more like unto those1 Cor. 15.32. beasts, with whom S. Paul fought at Ephesus than unto the flocke of Christ, whose properties are innocency, gentlenesse, concord. But we with the DisciplesMatt 10 16. are sent amongst devouring Woolves. Our heritage is not fallen in a goodly place, Sed ubi licet culti sint agri, inculti prorsus animi & mores, Men with us manure their lands, [Page 134] theyIer. 4.3. breake not up the fallow ground of their heavy and stony hearts; so that wee are enforced to sow the seede of the word amongst thornes: with us, as withEzek. 2.6. Ezechiel, are briers & thorns, which vex and fleece us, yea with him, wee dwell a­mongst Scorpions, which carry stings in their tailes, like those, Revel. 9. [...]0. sc. to wound us with virulent detraction, and killing cen­sures, although like those Scorpions v. 7. they beare the faces of men, (id est) saith the Geneva glosse, they pretend great gentle­nesse and love, but they are wise, politique, subtile. The truth is, wee pastours [Page 135] are to wicked worldlings, as shepheards to theGen. 46.34. E­gyptians, even an abomina­tion. Now wee have lear­ned from Saint Hierome Hieronymus in Epist. qua­dam hanc sen­tentiam ex in­nominato au­thore citat. that Frustra laborare, nec aliud fatigando se, nisi odi­um quaerere, extremae est dementiae.

To labour in vaine and to get onely hatred for our love, is a point of extreame folly: Et plura saepe pecca­mus, Objection dum demeremur, quam dum offendimus: there may bee more offence ta­ken of such unwelcome officious love, than at a just neglect or contempt.

Well all this, Anſwer with griefe supposed at least, to bee done and suffered, may not yet provoke us to cast [Page 136] away our Christian pati­ence and charity. First, for their hard-heartednesse & stupidity, let it not be the occasion of scorne, but pit­ty, which may the rather moove our Charity to shew2 Tim. 2.25. meekenes towards them, to prove if God will at any time give them repentāce for their words, feare them not as God en­courageth Ezechiel in the forecited place; For their malice, or power to doe us wrong, Christ hath told us how farre they can goe, and forbids us to feare them also, Matth. 10.28.Hicro. in Ep. Apud Christianos enim non qui patitur, sed qui facit contumeliam (vel injuriam) miser est. A­mongst [Page 137] Christians not hee that suffers, but hee that doth any wrong, is a wretched man.

From our Saviour wee learne not onely patience to overcome injuries, but Charity to forgive those that doe them: Ille enim, post alapas, crucem, flagel­la, blaspemias, novissime pro crucifigentibus oravit: Pater ignosce ijs nesciunt e­nim quid faciunt: Christ after hee had suffered buf­fets, stripes, repoaches, yea and part of the cruell paines of that woodden racke the Crosse, at last heLuk. 23.34. prayed for them that crucified him: Father for­give them, &c. Thus S. Peter 1 Pet. 2.21.23. c. 3.16, 17. 18, &c. For our imitation. proposeth Christ [Page 138] his master. It is also in Christs person, and for our instruction what E­saias speaketh, Chap. 49.4, 5. I have laboured in vaine, &c. and Chap. 65.2, 3. All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a rebellious & gainesaying people, Rom. 10.21. hee who was [...], the Prophet, yea the Lord of life, who came himselfe like2 King. 4. El sha to the dead child, to raise Israel from a spirituall death, when theGal. 3.21. Law (like the staffe of Gehazi) could not give life, hee (I say) came unto his owne to teach them; (and did that seeme a small matter?) Also to shed his blood for them, and his owne recei­ved [Page 139] him not, Ioh. 1.11. No marvaile then that he for­warnes his Disciples to looke for no better enter­tainement in their owne country, with men of this world, Matth. 13.57. Ioh. 4.44.

If you will cull out of the Apostles of Christ, a man edecumatae charitatis, of the choysest perfection of Charity. Behold S. Paul, prosecuting his Co­rinthians with unwearied affection, though he well perceived that the more he loved, the lesse he was beloved of them:2 Cor. 12.15. love be­ing like an inheritance in Law, which either solely, or most usually descends, not ascends; so love flowes [Page 140] more freely & plenteously frō God to mankind, than it can ascend from man to God againe: For the wa­ters of Divine bounty doe but in part and from few places, and that slowly too, returne to the foun­taine from whence they came. In like manner Love descends very easily from parents to children, with­out any legall constraint, but it comes up so hardly from children to parents, that there is neede both of a precept, and2 Cor. 12.24. promise to draw it forth. Now Pa­stors are spirituall Fathers, and Saint Paul professeth himselfe the onely1 Cor. 4.15. Fa­ther of the Corinthians, and therefore hee beares [Page 141] with them, as parents with their unruly children. And he puts all faults off with an elegant and pleasant Iro­nie:1 Cor. 4.10. Wee are fooles for Christ his sake, and you are wise in Christ: we are weak, and yee are strong, yee are honourable and wee are de­spised.

It seemes that some Schismatickes in the Church of Corinth had slighted S. Paul, as aSecundum pa­teum traditio­nem, ptulus e­rat tricubita­lis doctor, vir. sci. pusillus, & exig [...]e statu­re: Non mirum ideo est, si ma­ior ille fuit e [...]onginquo re­verentiae Mos enim esi vulgi, ut imperato­res (iudicio Taciti lib pri. histo.) Ita quoscun (que) prae­positos, decore Corporis aesti­mare: Sed quam parva ingentes arcu­la condit opes. man of despicable presence though of powerfull elo­quence in those letters that he wrote unto them, 2 Cor. 10.10. A tricke there is which Sectaries have lear­ned in these daies; every way to magnifie their owne factionists, and to [Page 142] vilifie their supposed An­tagonists, to cry up in the one, vocall impudence for zeale, and meere memory for learning, to cry downe in the other, holy feare and modesty for lukewarme­nesse and ignorance: in the one to extoll the art of see­ming, in the other to over­see reall worth; affection either deluding or over­swaying judgement.

But since yee2 Cor. 11.19. suffer fooles Animalia gloriae & aurae popularis mancipia, as S. Hierome stiles philoso­phers, i. e. vaineglorious Animals that enslave themselves to popular ap­plause, suffer me (also to speake) or receive me as a foole saith S. Paul, 2 Cor. 11. v. 16, 17, 18, 21. and [Page 143] would to God you would beare with mee a little in in my folly, v. 7. that is, I pray you suffer mee to commend my selfe as fooles use to doe, though not foolishly with them, to bespeake a good report from the people; but as2 Cor. 12.5.11. Ch. 12, 13. Ch. 10.8.17, 18. compelled by you to ju­stifie Gods gifts and gra­ces in me, and so to glori­fie the author of all good. Those men looke on things after the outward appea­rance, 2 Cor. 10.7. where­as Christ forbids all such kind of judgement,Ioh. 7.24. But the kings daughter is all glorious within, Psal. 45.13. Lastly, see how hee meetes with those that reviled him, practizing [Page 144] upon them that revenge which hee had learned of Christ, Matth. 5.44. and which hee taught his Ro­mans, Chap. 12.20. &c. sc. by rendring good for evill, by powring upon their heads, who were within full of heart burning to­wards him,Carbones con­gregabis, &c Rom. 12.20. Non in male­dictum et con­demnationē, sed in correctionē, & poenitenti­am, ut supera­tus beneficijs, ex [...]octus fer­vore Charita tis, inimi us sse desistat Hier. circa finem lib. 1. Advers. pe­lag. onely such coales as were kindled by the fire of Charity, 1 Cor. 4.11. hee saith [...] i. e. wee are buffeted, it followeth in the next verse [...] and wee labour. Againe there, be­ing reviled wee blesse, be­ing persecuted wee suffer it, yea more yet, vers. 13. [...], i. e. being defamed we intreat; sc. God to forgive our e­nemies, [Page 145] and 1 Tim. 4.10. we labour and suffer re­proach: saith he, Odimur & laboramus, maledicimur, & benedicimus, we labour and suffer reproach: wee blesse being reviled. Mee thinkes this is the most ex­cellent motto that can bee inscribed on Levi his stan­dard, like that divine im­presse on his forehead, Exod. 28.36. and on his horses bridles, Zach. 14.20. Holinesse to the Lord: It is like the inscription up­on Constantine his ensigne▪ of the Crosse of Christ: (A figure then terrible to the adversaries onely, not to the professours of Chri­stianity) [...], by this wee overcome, even the [Page 146] whole world: for faith is our victory, Ioh. 5.4. and that works by such love as I have described: with w^ch I conclude all that I have hitherto spoken, and this almost in S. Paul his owne words, 1 Cor. 4.14. I write not (I speake not) these things to shame you (ei­ther of the Clergy or Lai­ty) but to warne you, (on that side as beloved breth­ren, on this other) as be­loved sonnes.

2. Of the application ad populum: To the Laity.Then in the next place, Levi having first received his charge (as once his maintenance apart from his brethren) beGen. 49.2. ye ga­thered together all yee o­ther sonnes of Israel, in the unanimity of affection, in [Page 147] the unity of the spirit, and in the band of peace, and heare attentively what your spiritual Father saith, in his house & in his testa­ment, both old & new, con­cerning first generall love towards all men: Secondly speciall love towards all Christians: Thirdly, more particular love towards the Church, first Nationall, then Locall, wherein you live, and whereof you are members: Fourthly singu­lar love towards the Mi­nisters of God, but chiefly towards your owne seve­rall pastors: Fiftly and lastly, mutuall love to­wards one another.

In our Liturgie wee are truely taught to pray for1, Of gene­rall love to­wards al men [...] [Page 148] all men; which we cannot doe as wee ought, if wee be not in charity with all, therefore we must love all: all men are our brethren, e­ven the heathē jure naturae, (asTertul. in Apolo. cap. 39. Tertullian saith) i. e. by the right of nature, and na­ture teacheth brethren to love one another. Againe (saith S. Augustine Aug. de doct. Christi lib. 1. cap. 27. Omni­homo, in quan­ [...]um est homo diligendus est propter deum, &c.) Al­though a sinner, as a sinner ought not to be beloved, yetCharitas est dilectio qua d [...] ­ligitur Deus propter se & proximus (qui est omnis ho­mo) propter de­um, vel in Deo. Lomb. 3. sen. dist. 27. lit. B concords cum definitione Augustini lib. 3. de doct. Chris. Cap. 10 Sicut dilexi vos: id est, ad quod dilexi vos, sci. ut f [...] sitis, ut vitam habeatis. Lomb. loc. cita. lit. D. & ibid. lit. b, ait. sicut dilexi vos id est: propter deum. Q [...] enim nisi deum, dilexit in nobis Christus, non quem h [...] ­bebamus, sed ut haberemus? &c. ex Aug. in loc. Io [...] ▪ every man as a man is to bee loved for Gods sake, i. e. as bearing the same image of God with [Page 149] us, or as a convertible unto God by our meanes, or o­thers. This is to love one another, as Christ hath lo­ved us, Iohn 13. vers. 34. Namely to love for Gods sake, and that wee may bee made our selves, and make others the sonnes of God, that so they and wee may have e­ternall life together. Last­ly, this love following our Saviours precept, Matth. 5.45.48. is correspondent to God his [...],Tit. 3.4. i. e. his love to mankinde. Verily God is loving to every man, and his mercy is over all his workes, Psal. 145.3. The mercy of man (of fraile imperfect man surely) is toward his neigh­bour; [Page 150] Sci. His neighbour by reason of kin­dred or coha­bitation, or some benefi­ciall relation: whereas hee should love his neighbour in the large [...] extension. i. e. every man: est enim proxi­mus multiplex secundū Lomb. 3. sen dist. 28. 1. conditione primae nativi­tatis. 2. Spe conversionis; bis duo bus mo­dis, quisque ho­mo est proxi­mus. 3. Pro­pinquitate cog­nationis, sic est una tantum fa­milia proximorum. 4. Ratione beneficij exhibitionit. 5. Addendum ratione propinquae cohab [...]tationis quae est vulgaris potius quam theologica verbi acceptio. 2. Of spirituall love towards al those that hold the foun­ation of christianity. but the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh, saith the sonne of Sirach, Ecclus. 18.13. then since God his hand of bounty is stretched out, and ope­ned to all flesh, what con­vulsion of uncharitable­nesse is it, that so shrinkes up our armes, that we can­not hold them out to our owne flesh?

But truly God is (especi­ally) loving, or good to Israel, Psal. 73.1. so let our chiefe love be towards the whole Church of God, stirring up our prayers, and all our endeavours for the [Page 151] generall peace of Ierusa­lem. For they shall pro­sper that love her, Psal. 122.6.

Surely if every man bee to bee loved as a man (as S. Augustine hath taught us) though not as a sinner: much rather every Chri­stian is to bee loved as a Christian, though not as an erronious Christian: As erronious onely I say. For if hee destroy the foundation, by any [...] i. e. damnable here­sie as S. Peter calls it, Ep. 2. Ch. 2.1.Non enim quaelibet haere­sis destruit fun­damentum & mortifera est. Notissimum est quod tum apud patres, tum Scholasticos; quilibet error circa religio­nem ortus hae­resis d [...]citur, in­veteratus vero & pertinaci­ter defensus, schisma voca­tur. Immo Za­charias papa, asserentes An­tipodes aliquas esse, haereseos damnavit. or if he apo­statize from the faith, hee is then no Christian at all.

It was a famous proverbe in the primitive times [Page 152] which now reflects infamy upon our dayes:Tertull. in Apol. ca. 39. & vide Act. 4.32. Ecce ut se invicem diligunt Chri­stiani. See how the Chri­stians love one another. Then hatred of Christians declared men to bee no Christians at all, and can it now consist with any new stampe of Christiani­ty? I conclude this point with that of Saint Augu­stine, Aug. de Bap. Cont. donat. l. 3. cap. 16. Non habent dei Cha­ritatem, qui non diligunt ecclesiae unitatem, id est, they have not the love of God in them, who love not the unity of the Church of God, or the Church in uni­ty.

In the next place let us looke with a tender eye of [Page 153] affection upon our mother Church, our Ierusalem which is as a Citty that is compact together, whither the tribes goe up to the testi­mony of Israel, Psal. 122.3, 4. reade the glosse on the place, which runnes thus, By the artificiall joyning, and beauty of the houses, hee meaneth the concord and love that was between the Cittizens: In like man­ner, let us who are the uni­ted members of the same Church in joynt affection, though in severall assem­blies, endeavour all as one man to be of one heart and of one minde, as those converts were, Act. 4.32. Away, farre away with that factious love, which [Page 154] is as it were impropriated from the unity of the Church, and appropriated to I know not what select­ed brotherhood [...] distin­guished by new-fangled liveries of religion.This is to make Gods heritage a bird of divers (and therefore superstitious) colours, of which God complaines, Ierem. 12.9. whereas the Church should be as an army with banners Cantic. 6.10 namely in which all hold together, and follow the same colours: so let all Chri­stians▪ follow the unva­ried ensigne of Christs Crosse. Why, I beseech you (good peo­ple) have not wee all one father;Quanto dignino fratres dìcuntur, qui unum patrem deum agnoscant, qui unum spiritum biberunt sanctita­ris, qui de uno utero ignorantiae ejusdem, ad unam lu­cem expiraverunt veritatis? Tertull. Apo cap 39. Did not one God make us, Mal. 2.10. yea have wee not all one fa­ther, as well by redempti­on as by creation? Thou Lord art our Father, our Re­deemer, Esa. 63.16. Or be some bastards and not sonnes; Are we not fratres uterini, borne all of the [Page 155] same mother, the same Church, by the same Spi­rit, and by the same laver of regeneration, brought out of the common wombe of naturall ignorance, and ori­ginall sinne, into the mar­vailous light of the same divine truth and grace.

Are wee not all with­out question in Charities judgement, nourished with the same spirituall and sa­cramentall foode? Did not our Saviour pay a suffici­ent price to redeeme us all? or lastly, cannot oneSumus corpus de conscientia religionis, & disciplina ve­ritate, & spei foedere Coi­m [...]s in caetum & quasi manu­facta deum pre­cationibus am­bimus. Tertull in Apolog. cap. 39. Church hold us all in the same faith and hope, un­der the same order of di­scipline? or may not one heaven hold us all hereaf­ter: sure I am, it cannot hold [Page 156] us, and our uncharitable opinions, or schismaticall practises: the severall roomes there are for seve­rall degrees of glory, cer­tainly not for severall facti­ons; For if Ierusalem that is below, much more shee that is above is a Citty that is compact together, or, (as another translation goeth) at unity in it selfe. The beauty of a body po­liticke, or naturall, consists not so much in the excel­lency of severall parts; as in the Symmetry and pro­portion of all parts toge­ther: So that hee that de­faces any part, deformes and marres all: even so the beauty and grace of Christs body, the Church [Page 157] consists not in the absolute perfection of some few parts, but in the relation which all the parts have the one to the other, in the communion of Saints.

This makes Christs spouse thoughCant. 1.5. blacke (by the reliques of sinne) yet comely by concord: and causeth all her actions to shine forth, though not without spot, yea in1 Cor. 14.40. de­cency and order, as the Moone shines in her sea­son, for the Church is faire as theCant. 6.10. ibid. Moone, even in this life: but she is cleare as the Sunne, onely in the life to come.

Now they which break this order of the Church by schisme, not onely im­paire [Page 158] the comelinesse, but alter the very constitution of Christs body, and so dispose it to finall corrup­tion. Divines prove God to be immortall, because he is indivisible: and Phi­losophers prove both the greater world the uni­verse, and the lesser world man to be mortall; be­cause both consists of con­trary elements; which by little aad little prepare un­to the dissolution of the whole, which is then neare at hand when there is ex­cesse of any of them in a notable measure, as the2 Pet. 3.6. overflowing of water de­stroyed the old world, and a2 Pet. 3.10. [...], i. e. Procellae in morem, inter­prete Erasmo. Sic mentio fit pluviae ignis. Gen. 19.24. storme or flood of fire shall overwhelme this: [Page 159] or in the lesser world, as redundancie of watry flegme, or fiery choler, soone brings us to our end of consumption.

But wee are united to Christ our head by faith, and to one another by love, neither doe petty er­rours dissolve the one band, nor petty quarrells breake the other. For then Christ should bee as oft re-united to his members, and they to one another asMaecenas, to­ties litem age­bat cum uxore, & toties amo­rem cum câ re­dinte grabat, ut dictum sit. Hunc esse, qui uxorem millies duxit cum u­nam habuerit: Sen Epi. 114. Idem lib. de providen. c. 3. de scribit eun­dem Maecena­teum, amoribus anxium & mo­rosae uxoris quo­ridiana repudi [...] deflentem. Maecenas was married to the same wife, as it were a new. But capitall here­sies, which cut Christ the head of the Church quite off, or notorious schismes, which divide the princi­pall parts of the spirituall [Page 160] body, cause the speedy ruine of a Church; For as the parts of a naturall so of the spirituall body, have no life in them, being severed from the head. Ierusalem may well stand, though a few stones drop out of her walls, and draw some that lye nearest unto them out with them: but when the intire walls be­gin to be battered downe at once, then her curse is neare, viz. that a stone shall not be left upon a stone. A Church may still flou­rish, though some busie factionists separate them­selves from her, and draw a few sectaries after them, whom shee may well misse and not want. But if he­resie [Page 161] should be suffered to beate downe the founda­tion of faith, or schisme, be able to destroy the wall of discipline, then beware of Ierusalem her curse: Quod dij prius omen in ipsos Avertant hostes— Yet despise not petty contenti­ons, or disturbances; for oft a sparke causes a flame. King Asa died of a di­sease onely in his feete, Pope Adrian was choaked with a fly; and that migh­ty soule of Iulius Caesar was let out at a bodkin hole. The least discord that is, argues the want of some necessary degree of Charity,Charitas e­nim semper in unitate affecti­onis: sed non semper in iu­diciorum con­cordia consistit; iuxta Aquin. Hinc Aposto­lus, Rom. 14.1. &c. infir­mum in fide, vult recipi (sc. charitate fra­terna) sed non ad dubias dis­putationes: sci. circa diversas opiniones, de rebus non fun­damentalibus. which can cause unity of affection, amongst them who differ in opini­on. [Page 162] And so much as there wants of Charity, so much there wants of holinesse in the Church. For love, and onely love, fulfills the Law. But marke the Pro­phet Habacucke his infe­rence, Chap. 1.3, 4. There are that raise up strife and contention: Therefore the Law is slacked. The Meta­phor of slacking is taken in the originall (as one well notes) from the pulse of a man, which discovers the state of his body to bee healthy, if it beate with an equall stroke, to be distem­pered, if it beate violently; to grow weake, if it beate slowly and faintly; to be utterly gone, if it beate not all. So we may note, that [Page 163] where the Law of God is observed with equall re­spects of impartiall love, (as in David, Psal. 119.5, 6.) there is spirituall found­nesse of minde. Where the Law is prosecuted in some relations onely, & in some parts thereof, and not in other: as in the first Ta­ble rather than in the se­cond, wherein consisteth the triall and exercise of love, there is a grosse spi­rituall distemper.

Where the whole Law is slightly regarded, there Charity waxeth cold, or at least, there is a spiritu­all luke-warmenes. Where the Law is utterly rejected and prophaned, there is an evident spirituall death in [Page 164] sinnes and trespasses. By this rule, let every one ex­amine the state of his soule, and bee a faithfull phisitian to himselfe, and so take care to bee a sound member to the Church; which would o­therwise bee infected by him, and so by contagion brought to finall corrupti­on. For the children that are corrupt (Esaias 1.4.) are also corrupters, (as one translation goeth) and so a seede of evill doers: even a viperous seede renting the womb that bare them, living by their mothers death, & withAct. 9.1. [...] quasi non aura aethercá, sed sanguine christiano ve­scer [...]. Saul brea­thing out slaughter against the Church Vae praegnanti­bus his diebus, Matth. 24. [Page 165] 19. woe unto the Churches that teeme in these latter dayes, and worst with the monsters of faction and schisme, with false pro­phets, of whom one saith, loe here is Christ, another loe there, v. 23. Againe v. 26. Behold he is in the de­sart (one saies) i. e. in a new unpeopled world, for this old world lyeth in wicked­nesse, 1 Ioh. 5.19. Another saith, Behold hee is in the secret chambers, perhaps, that is, in the conventicles of sectaries at home. Now ought we not rather to wish unto a Church dry Paps, and a miscarrying wombe; for which Hosea praies, Chap. 9.14. then such unhappy fruitful­nesse [Page 166] by which foecundius nequiora proveniunt (as Mi­nutius Felix hath it in the dialogue) by which shee is fertile onely to bring forth evill to herselfe.

Of the love of Christs Mini­sters.In the fourth place my method ingages mee to commend unto you bre­thren the love of the Mi­nisters of the Gospel, especially of those that are set over your soules in the Lord; For if the houshold of faith bee especially to be beloved, than of this houshold, more especially those who are the Mini­sters, by whom yee be­leeve, 1 Cor. 3.5. Love the Ministers as the onely or­dinary instruments of the faith of Christ:1 Thess. 5.12. Wee be­seech [Page 167] you brethren that yee acknowledge (as worthy of esteeme, and not bare­ly knowne)Ibid. v. 13. them which labour amongst you; and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: That you have them in singular love for their workes sake: sc. for the work of the Ministery. They which are set over you in the Lord, are your spirituall Fathers (as you heard) other Ministers are but your fathers brethren. Very nature it selfe teach­eth you this morality to love your owne fathers before the nearest of their kindred, and your fathers house before the house of any other. I have told you that Charity must be [Page 168] regular, and orderly, not preposterous. To speake plainely, since there is a woe to the shepheard that leaveth his flocke, Zach. 11.17. although (wee sup­pose) it be to feede others whom hee affecteth better than his owne; what shall wee thinke of the flocke that leave their shepheard, to run after someSic dictus a populo [...]olen­do, ut notat, [...]a­dius in lib. pr. Flori, Cap. 9. poplico­la, some Chaplaine of the multitude, someLevita ille Iu­dicum cap. 17. v. 7, 8. &c. Qui nullo re­gente Israelem (ver. 6. erra­bundus victum & vestitum, vill suo mini­sterio, (quod talipretio aesti­mabatur) quae­ritabat. Aut qualis erat, cirumforane­us ille mona­chus, rumige­rulus rabula, quiper imperi­torum circulos, muliercularum que symposia, contra Hiero­nymum decla­mabat, ut test [...]tur ipse Hierony Episto. ad Domini [...] Ideò Concilium Tridentinum vagos huiusmodi praedi­cantes consulto prohibuit. wan­dring Levite, some Sheba, like him, 2 Sam. 20.1. that blowes the trumpet to faction in Israel, and with the noise thereof, (as Or­pheus with the sound of [Page 169] his Harpe, invited wildē beasts and stones to come unto him) drawes the whole country after him by the eares.Tacit. lib. 4. hist. pa. 605. Apud ple­bem enim verba plurimum valent, bonaque ac mala, non suâ naturâ, sed vocibus se­ditio sorum aestimantur. My Text mindes mee of Charity, and the mildest censure I can give is this: All these like sheepe are gone astray: For they erre (surely) who forsake their owne fold and shepheard, to follow rather the voyce of any other. Tell me all yee that so uncharitably inveigh against double be­neficed men, as against Polygamysts. Because an Elder must be the husband [Page 170] of one wife, Tit. 1.6. i. e. the pastor of one Church, inAmbr. Tom. 4. l. de digni. sa. serdota. cap. 4. (in Tit. 1.6. unius uxoris virum) Si ad superficiem tantum literae respiciamus, prohibet diga­mum episco­pum ordinari Si vero ad al­tiorem sensum conscendimus, inhibet Epis­copum duas usurpare ec­clesias. Et si adhuc intror­sus prosundio ra perscrute­ris, monet, ne post Catholicum dogma, sensum inveniatur E­piscopum habere hereticum, sed Christianem tantum Catholicam, & orthodoxam asso iet, fidem, ut unius tantummodo uxoris & Catholicae Ecclesiae vir, Epis­copus vocitetur. S. Ambrose his inter­pretation, which in their sense is the minister of one Parish: whereas with him the Catholicke Church is that one Church, and two Churches are two Faiths, Catholicke and Hereti­call. But the Apostle li­terally forbids (saith hee) digamum Episcopum ordi­nari, that is, that one that hath two wives should be ordained a Bishop. But I pray doe not these erro­nious courses maintaine, or erect a new kind of lay plu­ralities? [Page 171] Did not the same S. Paul prophesie against these pluralities, 2 Tim. 4.12? The time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine, but after their owne lusts they shall heape to themselves tea­chers, having itching eares: Againe, all yee who e­steeme the dispensable ab­sence of Pastors from their cares as the negli­gence of the Ostrich in Iob, Iob 39.14, 15, 16, 17. that leaves her egges in the earth, and forgetteth that the foote may crush them. That is hardned a­gainst her young ones, as though they were not hers; and all this is because (so farre perhaps they will follow the allegory) God [Page 172] hath deprived her of wise­dome. Or, you that judge of all such leaving the flocke, as Eliab judged of David his leaving of his few sheepe in the wilder­nesse.1 Sam. 17.28, 29. Namely that it is onely out of pride and haughtinesse of heart: Whereas one may reply with David there: v. 29. What have I done, is there not a cause? what, have I done, are not the sheepe left with a keeper, v. 20. And is there not a cause? have I not my leave and my message given mee with David, ver. 17. Tell me I pray you is not your straying from your owne Pastors a new kind of po­pular non-residence. You [Page 173] run too and fro the land, as if there wereAmos 8.11.12. a famine of the word; because it is not dressed according to your fastidious appetite.Schismati­call practises are to be avoi­ded as well as schismaticall opinions; for factious cour­ses and facti­ous conceipts doe recipro­cally beget one the other, so that shee which is the daughter of schisme, by prodigious in­cest; becomes againe the fruitfull mo­ther of divi­sion. Mater me ge­nuit, mater mox gignitur ex me. Correct then this ill hu­mour by charity and wis­dome. Waite upon those whom God hath set over you,Matth. 24.45. to give every one of you, your portion in due sea­son. As1 Pet. 2.2. new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, from those brests, which are made for your nourishment) that you may grow thereby. I am sure you would have mo­thers to nurce their owne children, supposing the milke of any other breasts, not so kindly. As for those that urge unto you; the [Page 174] example of the Iewish peo­ple, who left their blind guids the Scribs, & Phari­sees, &Matth. 4.25. came in great mul­tituds frō all parts, to heare Christ preach; I will onely tell you that they speake as wisely on the extreame, as he in Zanchy on the other, who said that if S. Paul and M^r. Calvin should both preach at the same time in Geneva, he would not leave M. Calvin to heare S. Paul. For this man (it seemes) equalled in his judgement an ordinary pastor with an Apostle, who had im­mediate vocation from heaven, and was inspired with the spirit of infalli­bilitie. Act. 9.15. Gal. 1.12. And the other debase [Page 175] in their opinion the ordi­nary ministers of the Church of England into meere Scribes and Pha­risees, that is in our Savi­ours exposition (Matth. 15.14.) blinde leaders of the blind, that must needs cause the people toPro. 29.18. perish for want of vision. And on the other side they receive their new fangled tea­chers onely as the Galathi­ans at the first entertained S. Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus, Gal. 4.14. Whereas indeede every Minister should bee received so: For wee are all Angels and Embassa­dors of God,2 Cor. 5.20. and stand in Christs stead, when we deliver Christs message. [Page 176] But as Absalon by com­plements insinuated him­selfe into the people, and stole away their hearts frō David, 2 Sam. 25.5, 6. Cui similis fere peromina Otho, de quota­cit. l. 1. hi Nec deerat: Otho protendens ma­num adorare vulgum iacere oscula, et om­nia serviliter pro dommatio­ne. Subdolum quoque hanc artem capian­di populum de­scribit psalmi­sta. Psal. 10.9, 10. Et Apo­stolus ipse, 2 Tim. 3. v. 5, 6, 7. Gal. 4 15. So there are (I feare) colloguing Syco­phants, that creep first into mens houses, and then into their bosomes, & so steale away their harts by a new kind of sacriledge, from their own Pastors, & chur­ches to leade them captive into errour: least my phrase transgresse the law of Cha­rity, heare our Apostle (a man pestered continually with such false brethren:) they zealously affect you but not well They would exclude us, that you might affect them, Tis true, I must say it, though S. Pauls lot [Page 177] there v. 16. fal upon me for speaking the truth: as Absa­lon wished that hee were judge in the Land, that he might do every man justice: so these men would raigne alone in the affection of the people, & then every man should surfet of Religion, untill perhaps they did complaine of Sermons, as Israel of Manna, Num. 11.6. Lastly suppose Absalon just, and innovators indeed zealous, yet away with rebellion, away with facti­on, which bring greater disturbance and confusion with them, then the ju­stice & zeale of such men, can possibly doe good un­to the Church or Com­mon wealth. Wherefore [Page 178] S. Paul is so earnest to cry downe all factious love to the Ministers of the Gos­pell, that he blames those that make Cephas or Apollo, yea or himselfe al­so, the head of faction, 1 Cor. 1.12. yea he is bold to reproove that zelot al­so, who in any schismati­call humour cries out there, I am Christ. And I beseech you what is the faction of Iesuites at this day, but the monopolizing of Iesus to themselves? Wherefore Pope Sixtus Quintus had a good inten­tion (how ever diverted) to change their title into Loyolites. For Christ Ie­sus is no monopoly, to bee engrossed into the hands [Page 179] of one society: He brings common salvation, Iud. 3. the which hee extends to the universall Church, causing her by his Divine Charity to dwell in unity: that is, in himselfe, for they dwell not in Christ, who dwell not in unity.

The members of Christ lye not scattered like Ab­sertus his limmes rent in se­verall peeces, by unnatu­rall divisions. Christ praies that his Disciples may be one, as he and his Father are one, Ioh. 17.13. Now (then) I beseech you bre­thren by the name of our Lord Christ, that yee all speake the same things and that there be no divisions amongst you, &c. 1 Cor. 1. [Page 180] 10. marke them which cause divisions and offen­ces, and avoyd them, Rom. 16.17. For by faire spee­ches (Absalon-like) they deceive the hearts of the simple.

Once more. Must the Ministers of Christ be lo­ved as spirituall Fathers? Then let your filiall af­fection shew it selfe inHeb. 13.17. obeying their just in­junctions: In following their good1 Cor. 11.1. examples: In bearing patiently their corrections and reproofes: by interpreting all their actions and words to the best: lastly in being every way a comfort, and no way a vexation unto them. LetPro. 10.12. 1 Pet. 4.8. love cover their in­firmities, [Page 181] though there bee a multitude of them, sinceAct. 14.15. they be men of like passi­ons with you. I forget not what a blessing fell on Shem and Iaphet, for cove­ring theirGen. 9. father Noah his nakednesse, and what a curse was inflicted on Cam and his posterity, (Quid filij meruere Quod tui Senec. Canaan being cursed for his sake) for mocking at his fathers shame, though it were the effect of a no­torious sinne.

In the judgement of Vin­centius Lerinensis, Lib. conta. haeres. cap. 11. they are the sonnes of Sem, and Iaphet, Qui viri sancti erra­ta, nec adprobant, nec pro­dunt, who neither approve nor divulge the faults of one of Gods holy ones, [Page 182] especially of the Fathers of the Church. Such a sonne of theirs was royall Constantine, who professed that if he should take a Bi­shop in any notorious of­fence, that hee would ra­ther cover him with his owne imperiall robe, then suffer him to bee an object of popular derision. They on the other side, are the sonnes of Cham, (saith that excelleht Author) who do not onely neglect to co­ver the infirmities of their spirituall Fathers, but pub­lish them, especially after their death, to vulgar scorne. We neede not re­view antiquity to fetch ex­amples thence in this kind, which are frequently set [Page 183] before our eyes. Each vulgar laicke doth now usurpe the office of Cato the Censor, in Church and common wealth, but espe­cially in the Church. (For men feare her authority least) her censures are but bruta fulmina, vaine threats to them; and her Prophets are butIer. 5.13. winde; The Fa­thers of the Church are the Noahs, who in these dayes are made a1 Cor. 4.9. specta­cle unto Angells and unto men, the bad I meane of both kindes. For the good of either kind, which love God, love Gods Ministers. And we are glad, that not a few such heare us this day, who know of these things, (I meane those [Page 184] rude indignities which the Clergy dayly suffers) and before whom wee speake boldly, as S. Paul Act. 26.26. before Agrippa, If there be any to whom wee are set forth as a spectacle even as A­pelles his picture to be cen­sured by all manner of loo­kers on, from the head to the foote, from the begin­ning to the ending; wee are ready with Apelles to correct the censorious Mo­mus, that presumes to judge beyond his owne Art. Thou man of censure whosoever thou art, dost thou thinke that the Am­bassadours of Christ stand in the Pulpit, as the priso­ners at the barre, to expect judgement, yea variety or [Page 185] rather contrarietie of judg­ments to passe upon them? And dost thou with the rest of thy brethren and sisters, even Demetrius, and all the Craftsmen, with every silly woman,2 Tim. 3.6.7. laden with sinne, captiva­ted unto errours, wedded so surely to her owne fan­cie, and faction, that wise­dome it selfe cannot con­trive her divorce from them. Must these I say Et id genus omne, and all of the like kinde sit upon their severall seates of ju­stice as it were, and passe sentence upon us whether right or wrong?

One saith, perhaps with Festus, Act. 26.2 [...]. that much lear­ning hath made the prea­cher [Page 186] beside himselfe, whereas another (it may be) thinkes him but an ig­norant man, because hee can heare but few words of the Sermon, and scarce understand any, and so you must thinke that much ig­norance hath, made him a learned censurer. Againe, suppose one accuses the Preacher for lacke of the spirit of prophesie, which should teach him what he should preach in that houre, because he hath not the gift of memory and ut­terance. But if his memo­ry be ready, and his speech fluent, then another is likely to judge him more full of words than matter, as if it were a signe that [Page 187] one is not laden with any great burden of prophesie, when he runs nimbly away with his matter: so that we cannot tell, whether wee go too fast or too slow, for such censurers, whose judgements, like fire and water overthrow one ano­ther and who like Christs accusers, Matth. 14.56. seldome agree together. They will undertake to judge, who is a powerfull Preacher, and who is an edifying soule-saving Pa­stour: when as for the most part of them, they know not what these very words, to preach, and to edifie meane, in the Scrip­ture phrase: yea though perhaps, with him that [Page 188] had lived 50. yeares under a preaching Ministery, they know not theirSee an ex­ample of this prodigious ig­norance in M^r. Pembles Sermon of ig­norance. pag. 17.18. owne soule from their backe­bone, or their God from a man like to themselves. Most commonly they mi­stake appearance for truth, seeming for being, noyse for substance, earnest andQuis est qui in lintre loqui­t [...]r ut ait ille apud Quintilla­num de quodam [...]nimico decla­matore qui cor­pus suum ver­sabat in partes omnes. theatricall action on eve­ry side for zeale, bodily strength for power of the spirit, memory for know­ledge, and faction for Re­ligion. If any here have thus presumed not onely to be teachers of the Law, as it is 1 Tim. 1.7. but also judges of teachers, not knowing what the speake, or whereof they affirme: No more than Balaams [Page 189] beast understood what she said, when shee reprooved with humane voyce the madnesse of the Prophet; (Onely here is the diffe­rence betweene them) that God opened her mouth: but these in effect open their mouthes against God, with those Psal. 12.4. I would wish them to confesse their fault unto God ingeniously, for the time past, in Davids words: Wee have beene foolish and ignorant, even as a beast before thee: And for the time to come, I intreate them to take Sa­lomons, advice, Eccles. 5.1. viz. to be more ready to heare Gods word taught by those that have first [Page 190] learned it themselves, then to offer the sacrifice of fooles, i. e. (to accommo­date the words to my pur­pose) to give a rash censure of what is spoken. This is a strange fire of false zeale, which must not burne the sacrifice or incense that God will accept of: If thou wilt present an offe­ring that God shall not de­spise, take S. Augustine his direction: Zelum tuum inflammet charitas, infor­met scientia; Let it bee a burnt offering of zeale, made ready for the Lord by knowledge, and set on fire by love: For this love inflame [...] knowledge to the desire of good, and know­ledge directing love to the [Page 191] performance of the same, fulfill the Law.

So I addresse my speech for a conclusion by way of briefe but earnest exhorta­tion,5. Of mu­tuall love of Christians in what particu­lar societies soever they live together. of you of the Laitie also to mutuall love in the Lord Iesus,Eccles. 12.11. at least to the increase and continuance thereof. Supposing I may say with the Apostle, 1 Thes. 4.9. & 10. As touch­ing brotherly love, yee neede not that I write (or speake) unto you, for yee your selves are taught of God to love one another: And indeede yee doe it. Yet must I goe on with S. Paul there. But we beseech you brethren, that yee increase more and more, and that yee study to be quiet, &c. v. 11. Although then [Page 192] you be in charity already with one another, yet let theEccl. 12.11. words of the wise (even of the spirit of wise­dome) bee as goads (to drive you forwards in this duty) and as nailes fastned by the masters of the as­semblies (to fix this grace the surer in your mindes) which are given from one shepheard sc. Christ Iesus the chiefe shepheard and Byshop of our soules. B [...] I beseech you in the bowells of Christ Iesus: Above all things (farre a­bove all by-respects of selfe love) have fervent charity amongst your selves, 1 Pet. 4.8. To this purpose Consider one another to pro­voke to love, and to good [Page 193] workes (the effects of love) not forsaking the assemblings of your selves, (like bre­thren together in vnity) as the manner of some is, Heb. 10.24, 25. And be at peace among your selves, 1 Thes. 5.13. Shewing your love to one another, by your agree­ment together. For hatred stirreth up strife, Prov. 10.12. And it is onely pride that begetteth this hatred, for onely by pride commeth contention, Prov. 13.10. But with the well advised is wisedome, saith Salomon there: And love, which co­vers all sinnes (as Salomon hath it) Ib. sc. Prov. 10.12. is the fraight of heavenly wisedome. For this wise­dom is peaceable, gentle, easie [Page 194] to be intreated, Iam. 3.17. yea she is ready not only to accept, but to offer agree­ment. For there v. 18. not onely the fruit of righteous­nes is sowne in peace, but it is also of them that make peace. So then my brethren, not onely have love, and bee at peace, when love and peace are presented unto you, but also [...]. 1 Cor. 14.1. [...], persequimur charita­tem. Follow after or pur­sue Charity, 1 Cor. 14.1. And likewise as David ex­horts you, Psal. 34.14. [...] quaere pacem & sequere eam: i. e. seeke peace and follow itPagnin. in Lex. Qui tamen [...] Quaere, non verbis solum, & interrogatione, hoc enim est [...] sed conatu, & studi [...] [Page 195] hoc enim [...] significat; The word in the originall intimates, that wee should seeke peace; not onely inPsal. 55 21. words by inquiring after it, with an is it peace O Ie­hu, but in deedes also, by serious study and endea­vour to attaine it. Although your soules with Davids, have long dwelt with those that are enemies to peace, and persecute it in­to strife and faction, yet doe you still (with David) pursue peace, to imbrace and possesse it: Alas, love and peace like riches,Prov. 23.5. make themselves wings and flye away, like an Eagle to­wards heaven: And like a bird escaped, they are hardly caught and [Page 196] brought backe againe: O then you that enjoy them, hold them fast, as Iacob held the Angell that they may blesse you ere they goe away; or rather that they may not depart at all: So that either your prayers and endeavours may returne into your owne bosomes, and make you happy in your owne consciences: or else may all so take effect abroad, and make you happy in the fruit thereof among your brethren. For truth it selfe hath sayd, that Blessed are the peace-makers, Mat. 5.9. that is, not onely they which effect, but they also which heartily en­deavour peace.

Col. 3.12. Put on therefore (as the elect of God, holy and belo­ved) bowells of mercies, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenes, long-susse­ring.

Forbearing one another, V. 13. and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrell against any: Even as Christ forgave you, so also doe yee.

And above all things put on Charity, V. 14. which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God (and so consequently, V. 15. the God of peace) rule in your hearts.

Heare the conclusion of the whole matter w^ch I have delivered unto you on my Text, and that you shall have from S. Augustine, [Page 198] Si non vacat, &c. If thou hast no leasure to turne o­ver all the leaves of holy writ, hold fast Charity: And in her thou shalt finde all knowledg; so thou shalt retaine in thy minde, both what thou hast learned in Scripture, and also what thou hast not learned. Be­cause upon Charity all the Law and the Prophets de­pend, Matth. 22. In that which thou understandest Charity is evident; in that which thou understandest not, Charity lyeth hidden. He therefore holds fasts that which is manifest, and that which is abstruse in Gods word, who keepes Charity in his conversati­on. Charity is the bond [Page 199] of affections, without which the rich man is poore, and with which the poore man is rich. How great is she? The safeguard of the soule, the establish­ment of knowledge, the fruit of faith, the wealth of the needy, the life of dying men. Shee alone is not troubled with other mens felicitie, for shee en­vieth not. Shee alone is not lifted on high with her owne prosperity, for shee is not puffed up. Among reproaches shee is secure, in the midst of hatred shee is kind. Amongst quar­rells she is gentle, amongst treacheries shee is inno­cent. Therefore she beares all things in this present [Page 200] life, because shee belee­veth all things concerning the life to come. Whatso­ever more abundant good then my speech can utter, you shall finde out in the commendation of Chari­ty, let it appeare in your lives: ThusIpsissima August. verba sunt Tom. 10. pag. 232. serm. 39. de Temp Si non vacat omnes paginas Scripturarum evolvere, tene Charitatem, et in ea invenies omnem scien­tiam. Ita tene­bis, quod in Scriptura didicisti, tenebis etiam quod non didusti, Quia â Charitate tota lex et prophete pendent, In eo quod intelligis, charitas patet, in eo quod non intelligis, Charitas latet. Ille itaque tenet, & quod patet, & quod latet in divinis sermonibus, qui charitatem tenet in moribus. Vinculum est mentium, sine qua dives pau­per est, & cum qua pauper dives est. Quanta est ista? Animarum salus, scientiae solidamentum, fidei fructus, divitiae pauperum, vita moricatium. Sola est, quam fae­licitas aliena nompremit, qui a non aemulatur Sola est quam faelicitas sua non extollit, quia non inflatur. Inter opprobria secitra est. Inter odia benefica est. Inter iras placida est; Inter insidias innocens. Ideo to­lerat omnia, &c. ibid. S. Augustine teaches you how to de­monstrate by your pra­ctise, that Charity is the fulfilling of the Law. Now [Page 201] S. Augustine having exhor­ted you to Charity; Next let S. Gregory dehort you from strife and uncharita­blenesse, Cur. pastora. part. 3. cap. 1. admo. 24. Perpen­dant seminantes jurgia, quam multipliciter pecant, qui dum unam nequitiam perpetrant ab humanis cor­dibus canctas simul virtutes eradicant. In uno enim ma­lo innumera peragunt, quia seminando discordiam, cha­ritatem quae virtutum om­nium mater est, extingunt, i. e. Let those (on the other side) that sow contention (amongst Christian bre­thren) consider how mani­fold their offence is, who by committing one sinne roote out all vertues what­soever [Page 202] out of mens hearts: for in one evill they com­mit many, because they destroy Charity, which is the mother of all vertues. And thus men of contenti­on, demonstrate by their lives, that uncharitable­nesse is the violation of the whole Law of God.

I shut up all with one pa­theticall exhortation, and one fervent prayer; both learned of our Apostle S. Paul. The first is,Phil. 2. V. 1. Phil. 2.1, &c. If there bee there­fore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, V. 2. &c. Fulfill yee my joy, that ye may be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, V. 3. of one minde. Let nothing be done through [Page 203] strife or vaine glory, &c. Looke not every man to his owne things, &c. V. 4. And this I pray (with S. Paul, Phil. 1. V. 9. Phil. 1.9, &c. That your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judge­ment. V. 10. That yee may ap­prove things that are excel­lent (which are the things of Charity, 1 Cor. 12.31. and Chap. 13. ibid) that you may bee sincere and without of­fence, until the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse, V. 11. which are by Iesus Christ, unto the glo­ry and praise of God. Amen.

[...].