CHAP. I. The division of Love into its kinds.

THat which is most pleasing and delightfull to the Soule and Nature of man, next unto God, is Love. Of which I intending to speak, (by way of Preface) I must tell you that there are two kinds of Love; the one metaphorically so termed, which is that naturall inclination in things insen­sate, and irrationall, whereby they are moved according to that, which may most work to their rest, or better being. By the power and strength of this Love, the fire ascends, the earth de­scends, the aire and water ever strive to attaine and reach their own Region, or place; wherein, and where, (never till then) they are at rest.

And I may not altogether improperly call that quality, strength, or vertue, Love; which doth so unite, and knit all the parts of this great world (the Ʋniverse) together, that without it, both it, and all the parts thereof, would soon be dissolved and come to nothing, of what they are. [Page 2]An ancient Philosopher called this kinde of love, unity; and to this loving unity, other Philoso­phers attributed so much, that they conceived the whole world, and all in it, to be nothing else but that, or but one entire thing; which, though consisting of many various and different na­tures, are yet by Love collected, drawn toge­ther, and knit into one; which so long as it holds to be one, becomes incorruptible.

What is Musick, but an harmony or consonancy of various discordant sounds? What's health, but a temper or accord of the elements and parts of the body? Some write that the stone Tuces, if broken, though then lesse weighty, sinketh; but, so long as it is one, whole and intire, then, and so long it swimmeth, and keeps from sinking under water: and the like power hath love and unity in all other bodies.

Consider and know, that if the Almighty Ar­chitect of the world had not breathed or infused a spirit of unity into the upper and celestiall parts with the inferiour elementary, that these had soon been scorched, and indeed consumed by those. Again, the inferiour parts ever stand in need, and crave the help, benefit, or influence of those above them, as the earth of the water, the wa­ter of the aire, the aire of the fire, and the fiery element of the Heavens; in which if one Sphere should thwart, and not gently yeeld to the others influence or motion, they, as the inferiour world, would suddenly perish and be consumed.

The great Creator of these, and all things in, and under them,Genesis 1.31. gave not the high praise and title of very good unto them, untill himself, by his most admirable power and goodnesse,Gen. 1.31. had united them by love, and so made them all one. I cannot but acknowledge, the saying of that [Page 3]Philosopher to be good and wise, who called this kinde of love, the Soul of the world. For, as the soule gives life and motion unto the body: so doth love unto all other things; and as the soule cherisheth and enlightens the bodie: so doth love beautifie and inrich the world.

In a word, there is no creature, nor part of the world, either great or small, but hath, if not all, yet the greatest part of its perfection, sub­sistence, or continuance from this love.

But besides this kinde of love hitherto spoken of, which in unreasonable creatures may more strictly be called inclination; there is a love pro­perly so termed, which hath its working in the will, both of God, Angels, and men. Parmeni­des (though an Heathen) could say, That love in God preceded the Chaos, or the creation of the world, as causing and making both. Take this love as in man, and then hear another Philo­sopher call it, the Pilot; a second, the Sun; a third, the guide and director of the will of man, and of all his choice actions.

CHAP. II. What love is, and how it is the cause of all passions.

THings high and immense, having some re­semblance to infinity, hardly come under the limits of a strict definition: which hath cau­sed the ancients to set forth love by Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks. Yet so, that some have in gene­rall described it by negatives: as that, it is a thing which is I know not what, affecteth and worketh I know not in what manner, and which [Page 4]hurteth I know not how. S. Gregorie calls it, the fire in mans heart, which, according to the work­ing thereof, either cherisheth, or destroyeth the Tabernacle of its residence: and it may well be conceived, that when the holy Ghost descended in the figure or shew of fire, Act. 2.3. that that fire signi­fied the love and accord to be amongst the holy Apostles, being assembled together in one place; which is, the complement and blessing of all good Assemblies, when they are all of one minde and one heart, in a godly innocent love. The fire which came from Heaven to consume the Sacri­fice, God commanded ever to be continued,Levit. [...].13. that so it might never be extinguished, or put out. Isaiah saith,Isa. 31.9. That God hath his fire in Sion, and his furnace in Jerusalem: each, Symbols of Gods love, burning in the temple of our souls. Now Philosophy teacheth, that love is a passion both of complacency, and such as fasteneth the thing or person beloved, in the heart of the lover; and it addeth, That this love is the originall cause of all other passions in man, according as they please or displease, suit with, or are contrary to our love and desire.

For the soule of man hath two great powerfull faculties, called by Philosophers, the concupiscible and the irascible. In that are love, hate, desire, fear, joy, and sorrow, arising from the presence or absence of something or other, which is ei­ther truly or apparently good. And according as the concupiscible part is affected with grief, want, or losse of that which is desired: so, more or lesse, the irascible part is inflamed or incensed to the prosecution or revenge of the affronts or be­reavings of the souls desire. S. Basil compared this passion unto the Shepherds dog, more valued by him, then many of his sheep; not for that [Page 5]the dog hath any wooll, or gives any milk, but because by his watchfulnesse and barking, he defendeth the flock from the wolf; and so the concupiscible faculty, or part of the soule, propo­seth to it self matter of delight and content, and the irascible removeth or converteth the incon­veniences and difficulties which crosse or op­pugne this desire. And these are the two wings wherewith mans soule flyeth in the pursuit of great Acts, and without which, she appears as a Galley unoared, and a bird unwinged, each un­able to move or help it self.

A certain Philosopher hath compared the bo­dy of a man, to a Coach drawn with two hor­ses. Conceive them to be love of good, and ha­tred of evill. But considering that they are dis­orderly, and oft-times unruly, God hath assigned them a discreet guide, that is, reason, to rule and govern them. Seneca the Philosopher, calleth this the Guardian: and S. Augustine termeth it, the Author and Mover of all our actions, be they good or evill, as having tied at its girdle the keyes of all our wills and affections.

Betwixt love and concupiscence some put this difference: 1. That concupiscense aimeth at a supposed good that is absent: but love, both at the absent and present. 2. Concupiscence, after the having and enjoying the thing desired, (as being satisfied) groweth cold, or ceaseth for the present to desire: whereas love, by possessing and injoying, increaseth, and is more ardent to­wards the thing beloved. For the possession or enjoyment of the thing beloved, serveth as fuell to continue and increase the flame or fire: whereas things desired by a concupiscence, being injoyed, die, and are often resolved into the smoak of disgrace, or the ashes of hate.

CHAP. III. The power and force of Love.

SOlomon saith, Love is strong as death. But if we examine the strength of each, we shall finde love to be the stronger. [...]antic. [...].6. Tis true, that all earthly things submit to the power of death; the young as the old, the King as the Peasant, the rich as the poor, the wise as the fool. Scep­ters and spades are both alike to death. All know this truth; would we did but half so well consider and prepare for it.

And as the jurisdiction of death, so is that of love, universall. None ever escaped the flames of this fire; not the Supremacy of the King, not the holinesse of the Prophet, both proved in David: not the gravity of the high Priest, verified in Eli to his sons; not the wisdom of Solomon, nor the strength of Samson; all owe homage, and pay their tribute to Love, as un­to Death.

When Solomon compared Loves force, to the power of death, he so compared it, because he could finde no one thing so strong, to which he might have likened it. And if with the He­brews there had been in their expressions any comparative degrees, I conceive Solomon would, as well he might, have said, That Love is stron­ger then Death; which will easily appear, if we compare the powerfull acts of Love, with those of Death.

For the power of Death is seen in that (as is before said) Kings, wise, rich, strong, young, [Page 7]all stoop and submit to the stroak of Death Nay, it you say further, That Death adventu­red upon, yea, and prevailed over the Son of God, the Saviour and life of the world: yet know, that all this was done, neither could it have been done, but onely by the Love of Him, who submitted himself to this Death. For love it was, and onely love, that wrestled with God, and overcame him in this, that he should leave the Heavens, and lay down his life, submitting himself to that death, which had no power over him, but through his own unspeakable love. So that I may truly say, That all Deaths atchieve­ments are but weakeness, in comparison of this Love.

Might I not adde to this, that it was love, and love alone, that brought down God himself from Heaven, to be incarnate in the wombe of a wo­man, to suffer all the miseries and hardnesse to which humane nature (not sinfull) is subject? to endure weather, travail, hunger, thirst, fear, yea, the sadnesse of soule, even unto death, and to a kinde of expostulation with his Father, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? and, in conclusion of all, to suffer his glorious body to be nailed to the Crosse, and there, by direfull long tormentings, to linger out his life? and what were all these sufferings, but so many tri­umphs of his love? and may I not cry out, O the power of Love! triumphing (with reve­rence and in a right sense be it spoken) over God himself?

You have in a glaunce or shadow, as it were, seen some glimpse of Loves power in God; will you now see, how it hath wrought on men? where to rehearse the many great affronts disgra­ces, persections, suffered by S. Peter, S. Paul, [Page 8]and by other the glorious company of the Apo­stles, and the noble Army of Martyrs: were to write Volumes greater then have been seen yet. In close of all, we must conclude, that all those glorious Martyrdoms were performed by the po­wer of Faith, through Love.

It were easie to inlarge the history of Loves power, should I tell you, that Love oft-times re­jecteth the greatest Commands, wisest Edicts, and best Laws, despiseth honour, neglects fame, wealth, health, life, soul, and all: yea, and perverteth the very course of nature; such is the unruly and untamed disposition and po­wer of Love. It makes the weak dare and to encounter the strong, and the coward, the most valiant. In a word, it turns the hen, having chickens, to become an Eaglet, and a timerous Doe, as a couragious Lion.

Love by many is rightly compared to fire, the most active, and strongest worker of all the Elements, which destroyeth houses, Castles, Towns, Cities, which melteth and consumeth the hardest Metals; and such is, and so oft-times works, Love. Which as it most takes and works by idlenesse, and converse: so is it best resisted by the contraries, good imployment, and the shunning wanton company.

We reade that one of Darius his servants held,1 Esd [...]a [...] 3. that the King, a second, that Wine, and a third, that a Woman, is of the greatest power to perswade, or overcome man. But neither wine nor woman, hath, or can have, this power over man, unlesse it first prevaile, and get the love of man. So that it is not the beauty, or in­ticements of woman, but mans love, that over­comes, inthralls, and destroyes man.

CHAP. IV. Love is silent, yet active.

SCripture, and experience teach us, that they who love most, make the least shew of their love; and in this they resemble, the most righ­teous, the wisest, the noblest, and most valiant: who rather let others see, and judge of their goodnesse and vertue, then themselves to become their own trumpets.

True love hath hands, and no mouth: whereas the false hath only a tongue to prate, but no hands to act. Some Ancients therefore portrayed Love, with the finger on the mouth, as sparing of words: but naked, as having distributed, and given all away unto his very skin. And, our most blessed Saviour after his resurrection, shewed unto his Disciples his side and his hands pierced, that, by that fountain, and these chanels, his love might appear to them, and to all the world. S. John therefore, his beloved Disciple, 1 Joh. 3.18. and true follower, admonisheth his scholars not to love, by tongue, and in words; but in truth, and works: S. Peter having made large promises, though all forsake thee, yet I will not: and again, I will lay down my life for thee: Christ upon this puts Peter to it, three times questioning him, Lovest thou me? and as often bidding him, to make proof of his love, by feeding his sheep, Joh. 21.17.the elder, and his lambs, the younger sort. Acti­on and performance is the touchstone, and surest triall of true love; for which, and the cause thereof, shewed in anointing Christs head, wash­ing his feet, and wiping them with her hair, one M. Magdalene hath no lesse reward, then the for­givenesse [Page 10]of all her sins; and all this saith Christ, because she loved much.

Moses the Angel and servant of the Lord, had prodigious or wonder-working hands, and such, as with his rod could draw fountains of water, out of the hard and drie rock: such as could bring flies, frogs, and destroying armies of small beasts upon Pharaoh, and all the land of Aegypt: yet he was a man, as it were, without a tongue, tongue-tied, or no man of fluent speech: and therefore his brother Aaron, Exod. 4.10. was in his stead, the mouth, Exod. 4.30. and Oratour, to deliver the Almighties message unto King Pharaoh. Ez [...]kiels living creatures,Ez [...]k. 1. the representations of Gods Embassa­dors, had wings to flie, and soare aloft by con­templation, and spreading glad tydings to the world, but under these wings they had hands, herein expressing the nature and work of true love.

Love, wee see, is best seen by works, not words: and the work of love is such, that oft-times it disroabs, or takes away that stupidity, or incivility, which naturally is inbred, and by a gentle influence and cultivation, infuseth, or begets fantasie, and manly deportments. Plato a great Philosopher, was of opinion, that, the strength of fantafie, which was shewed in many high straines of Poësie, was kindled, and in­flamed by the heat of love.

And this love, though it oft-times want a tongue for outward expression, yet this defect, it makes good by the eye; for as loves palace is the heart: so this palace is full of lights, through which love makes it self visible, and known.

And as a Chamaeleon, or an Actor on the stage, is now fearfull, then confident; sorrowfull, and anon joyfull; jealous, yet secure; weak, but [Page 11]made strong: so love makes one man twenty severall men, it makes him all, and again a no­thing, but all working love.

CHAP. V. Love lesseneth, or facilitateth things most difficult.

LOve hath a participation of the Almighties power, able to make the bitter, sweet; hea­vy, light; and the almost impossible things, fea­sible. A tast of the Colloquintida in Elisha's pot of portage,2 King. 4.41. causeth his guests the Prophets, to cry out, Death is in the pot: to remedy the which Elisha casts meal, and then saith the text, there was no harm, or evil thing in the pot: what that meal did, Love can doe, and more. Our most blessed Saviour saith, My yoke is easie, Mat. 11 [...].30. and my burden light: now his yoke, and burden are, the renouncing all that a man hath, wealth, li­berty, and life; and are these so easie, and light? yes, Truth it self hath spoken it, and most true it is, that Love makes these, both light, and easie.

The traditionall Jewes had branched, and summed up the precepts of the Mosaicall law into 793, whereof they made 428 affirmatives, & 365 negatives; but all these, and if there were a thousand times more,Joh. 15 [...].12. Christ hath reduced them all, into this one, Love; and according to this truth, S. Paul averreth, that the fulfilling of that law, which to flesh and blood was impos­sible, is now done, and performed by love; Love, saith he, is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13.10.

As love fulfills all, and makes all things easie and light: so where love is wanting, nothing [Page 12]is light, easie, well done, or indeed is done at all, or not as it ought to be done; for where love is wanting, all is too much, that is done: and where love is, all that is done is too little; love maketh a beam, a straw; and contrariwise it can change a straw, into a beam. He, saith Christ, that loveth me, keepeth my law: for where love is, the least word is a law, and that law is fulfil­led by this word, Love. Some spectacles there are, that represent things greater, and others lesser then indeed they are, and both these spe­ctacles are made of love; which makes the vir­tues of the beloved greater, but his vices lesse.

Jacob loves Rachel, and that he may injoy this beloved piece, he serves twice seven yeares, bea­ring the heat of the day, and cold by night; and yet all this seemed to him, but as a pleasant act of a few daies,Gen. 29.20. for the love (saith the text) he had to her.

The truth of this Axiome, is made manifest by the mirrour of love, Love it self, Christ, our Saviour, who being very God, and so, impas­sible, yet assumes our nature, and then suffers himself to be reviled, scornfully used, scourged, and put to a shamefull and most ignominious death; and all for us, his open, deadly enemies.

Look upon me O Lord, saith David, and be mer­cifull unto me, [...]s. 119.132. as thou usest to doe unto those, that love thy name: that is, as to thy friends, and ser­vants whom thou lovest; for as Love, by the Heathens, and Poets is feigned, and portrayed blind: so indeed, where love is, it doth not, or will not see, or censure the infirmities, and ble­mishes of its beloved, but takes them to be as Love-spots, rather then deformities.

When Adam laid the blame of his transgres­sion on his Wife, S. Bernard seems to blame [Page 13] Adam, that, he had not taken it upon himself, which, saith he, he would have done, had he loved her.

CHAP. VI. Love extracteth delight, and glory, out of torments, and sufferings.

I Speak not this of carnall, or politick love, which is usually changeable, and inconstant, and accompanied with falsity, tending to self-ends; but of Divine love, and of this I may truly say, the greater or lesser the affection is, such, more, or lesse is the perfection acquired.

The blessed Apostles, and holy Martyrs in the primitive times, give us ample testimony, and proof to this assertion, whose revilings, and most exquisite tortures, begot in them not pa­tience only, but delight, and pleasure; the stones thrown at the Proto-martyr Stephens head, he esteemed, as so many jewels. The fire under Laurence, was to him, as some pretious balme, or soveraigne confection. Ignatius, who so much longed, to be torn in pieces by wild beasts, said, If they be tame, I will provoke them; for I am as wheat to be bruised, broken, and to be served up to my Lords table. And S. Paul said, that his af­flictions, 2 Cor. 11.30. temptations, and tribulations were his joy, and glory: so that, though pain, oft-times, might have drawn teares from their eyes, or blood from their veines, yet, the love they bore to their Lord Christ, raised content in their hearts, and such smiles in their faces, as if they had been already with him, in heavenly joy.

And, in all this, they did but as scholars imi­tate [Page 14]their Master; who, as he often delighted to treat of his passion: so he profest to his disciples, that,Luk. 22.15. with desire he desired, that is, he greatly, and earnestly desired to eat the Passover, not as de­lighted to feast with them, but to suffer for them: and when S. Peter would have disswaded his Lord from his last great sufferings, his Lord reproved him more for this, then for his deniall of him in the high Priests hall; for on this de­niall Christ did but cast his eye toward Peter, minding him thereby of his high promise made never to deny him; but for that, he not only bids him avaunt, Mat. 16.23. which we only say to Dogs, but he calls him Satan, as being an adversary or hinde­rer of his much desired and longed-for Death.

We read in the New Testament of two Moun­tains whereon Christ more eminently appeared, the one was Tabor, where the shine of his glory seemed greater then that of the sun: the other was Calvarie, where he was beheld as a man de­spised more then the worst of men, Barabbas the thief & murderer prefer'd before him; and when the sun hid his face, ashamed of the horrid fact, of putting the God of Heaven to death; yet this exaltation on the Crosse in Mount Calvarie, took more with Christ, then that other, of his trans­figuration on Mount Tabor, insomuch as here he finished the great work of his love, for which he came into the world, for the redemption of mankind, and that all might be saved: a pledge of which the thief dying besides him, found; who, upon the word of Christ spoken unto him, presently entred Paradise: and this suffering on the Crosse in Calvarie, substantially proved, what the other appearing on Tabor, did but typically prefigure, the glory of his passion; so that, here, not there, the standers by, and since that, the [Page 15]Christian world proclaimed him,Mat. 27.54. what before was believed but by few, that he was truly the Son of God.

Men on earth study to blazon their coats with Dogs, Hogs, Cats, and the like; and by these means think to traduce their names, as famous to posterity, though themselves never in their lives, did an act worthy of a Dogs-taile; where­as our most blessed Lord Christ, who acted all things worthy the Son of the most high God, and all for the good of mankind, had no other coat-armour, but the Crosse, which his love pro­cured and wrought; and hath thereby made him justly to be adored, and worshipped, as the God of the whole world.

CHAP. VII. Love transformeth the Lover into the thing beloved.

NOT onely some choice Philosophers, but learned Fathers of our Church have dee­med, and called a friend, a second self; the half of the soule: or the same. And, among them, one saith, he that loveth intirely, is dead as to his own body, and liveth in that body which he loveth: for that, love carrieth with it, if not the whole substance, yet the principall vigorous acting fa­culties of the soule. This position, (in some sense) is made good in the divine Lover, by that of S. Paul, when he saith, Your life is hid, Col. 3.3 [...]. with Christ, in God: where love to God hath morti­fied the Lover, as to the body, and to the world; and, makes him live by, and in Christ: for truly the soule cannot be thought, or said to live, but [Page 16]where it appears to move, or work. Hereupon, some wittily have pronounced, that the beloved is become an homicide, and guilty of murder, if he return not love, for love; but robs the Lover of his soul, not returning his again to the Lover.

And some Philosophers have conceived, that, the soul of a dead friend by a strange transmi­gration, hath been secretly conveighed into the body of a friend living, and there kept alive, and operating: and all this to be effected, and brought to passe by the spirituall power of love. S. Augustine comes somewhat neer to these con­ceits, when he saith, My love is as the weight in a clock, or the magnetick virtue in the load-stone; for whithersoever I am moved, or caried, that it is which carieth, or moveth me, and my soule.

Every one therefore it strongly behoveth se­riously to consider, before he setleth, upon what he intends to set his love: for if on earth, he becomes earthly; if flesh, fleshly; if heaven, heavenly; which agreeth well with those terms given in holy Scriptures, to severall kinds of af­fectionate lovers. Our most blessed Saviour prayeth for us, that, we may be in him, and be one with him: Joh. 17.21. as Christ is in, and with his Father: w^ch holy residence, and blessed union, must be next to Gods goodnesse, the work of love.

S. Paul saith of himself, that he is crucified with Christ, Gal. 2.20. neverthelesse (saith he) I live, and yet (he adds) it is not I that live, but Christ liveth in me; if you ask him, how this can be? he tells you in the words following, the life which I now live, I live by faith, this is the instrumentall mean: & if you enquire into the cause of this life, it is there mentioned, when he saith, by the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself, and all his merits, and benefits to work for, and in me.

Our carnall and prophane loose lovers, usu­ally court their mistresses with these, and the like unhallowed speeches; You are my life, my heart, my soul; which oft-times is more true, then godly. Divinely spoke King David, (O that we would imitate him!) God is my light, and salvation.

Plato said, that a friend is like a good looking-glasse, in, and by which, the other friend may see himself; and be seen by others: for so it was in Jonathan and David, that who saw the one, discerned the other.

Or, you shall find two friends united by true love, to be like the mother and the child; where if the child smile, or weep, the mother doeth the like: and as the Chamelcon appeareth to be of that colour with the thing to which it is joy­ned; so is it with good, and true lovers; who like Hippocrates twins looked, laughed, cried, each as the other, and were of like colour, con­dition, and passion each as other; so that the union of friends made by sincere love, is well compared and presented by inoculating a bud into another stock, whereby it is made one with it.

Now in man there be three unions, and each of them caused or bottomed on love: the first is that of the soule and body matched together by a naturall love. The second is the union of soules, whether as among ordinary friends, or as among Christs disciples,Act. 2.1. who were of one heart and mind, endevouring to keep the unity of the spirit (as S. Paul speaks) in the bond of peace: Eph. 4.3. the former of these is wrought by a naturall, the other by a spirituall love. The third union is that which is betwixt God, and mans soule, when, as S. John saith, God is in the righteous, 1 Joh. 4.16. [Page 18] and they in him: and the efficient cause of this union is, Divine love.

Which union as of all other, and above all things in this world, it is to be most desired, este­med, and preserved; so is the separation or di­vorce the most to be feared, grieved for, and most carefully to be prevented; for, as by that blessed union we are made partakers of all the best things that earth or heaven can afford; so by that separation, we not only lose all the bles­sings by that union acquired, but we purchase to our selves all the miscries, vexations, and torments, that hell, the Devils, and our owne conscience can afflict us with: the cutting off a finger from the hand is painfull; of the hand from the arm painfull, and damagefull; and of the head from the body, painfull, grievous, and deadly: but the dividing or divorcing the soule of man from God, the life of the soule, is a pain, grief, and losse not to be expressed, no nor to be imagined fully, no not by them that suffer and feel it. Of all separations and divorces, O my soule be fearfull and carefull to avoid this: and, O thou the God of my soule, be gracious, and mercifull unto me, that through blindnesse of understanding, or hardnesse of heart, I never incurre the dreadfull sentence of such a divorce or separation.

CHAP. VIII. Vehement love causeth extasies, ma­king the Lover besides, or to rob himself, of, himself.

LOve (saith the Wise man) is strong as death; and, in this comes neer to death,Cant. 5.6. in that it makes the Lover oft-times not to see what he fixeth his eye on, not to answer what he hears, or what he is demanded: and indeed, oft-times to put him into such trances, as that he seems rather a moving trunk of flesh, then a living soule: and, this in part excuseth the words and acts of Lovers, as proceeding from men di­stracted, rather then from men in their wits; and hereupon the Romans had a law, exempting such Lovers from the penalty of death, holding them to be no better then mad men.

This holy phrensie of love, hath not escaped the Saints of God on earth. S. Paul was neer this, when in his extreme love to his Country­men, as Moses, Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3. that wished himself blotted out of the Booke of God: so he wished himself ac­cursed from Christ, unlesse the Jews his bre­thren might be pardoned, and saved with him: so that which is said of Peter, ravisht with the glorious apparition on Mount Tabor; the like might be spoken of S. Paul, in his excessive love to the Jews, he knew not what he said; or, as Felix said unto him, Paul, thou art surely be­sides thy self; love, in stead of learning, hath made thee mad.

And if ever any exceeded in love,Joh. 10.20. above all the love that ever was in the world, it was Christ; who so exceeded herein, that the Jews once [Page 20]thought him mad. And might not others, as well as they, have imagined the like of him, when in the excesse of his love to his very ene­mies, he would suffer himself to be taken, deli­vered up, and shamefully put to death for them? Thus far did the love in Christ work him to go, or seem to be besides himself: and all, that he might work us to return to, and to look into our selves, and up to heaven; that, as ravisht with the love hereof, we might live here in the world, as though we were out of the world; and that we might so look on these delights below, as men blinde; and hear of them, as deaf; and discourse of them, as not concerned; but as men in part translated to heaven, and here become earthly Angels.

S. Paul made his daily prayers unto the Fa­ther of our Lord Christ, That he would grant unto the Ephesians the riches of his holy Spirit, to be rooted and grounded in love: Ephes. 3.17. and that they might know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge; where he prayeth for the mutuall love between the head and the members: their love to him, but his love to them first. For with­out this love of Christ to them, they cannot love him. He loved his first, saith S. John: and then without their love to him,1 John 4.1 [...]. they cannot under­stand the power that love hath, ere it is rooted in them.

For it is able to make things in themselves base and contemptible, to be of great price and esteem. Might it not seem in our blessed Savi­our a blemish and dishonour to his person, to be reviled, scorned, whipt, and crucified: yet the love of Christ took and accounted all as acts of glory; and all, that he might prove himself thereby, the Saviour of the world. It is registred [Page 21]of the wife to the Emperour Theodosius, That she, as a Nurse-keeper, rather than an Empresse, attended the sick and weak, and made playsters, and drest the sores of the poor Hospitallers: who when she was by some nice Courtiers gent­ly reproved, her answer was, That although those offices were below the person of an Em­presse, yet were they not able to reach and ex­presse the love which she bore to the poorest members of her Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus: who in his unspeakable love did more, saith she, for me, then ever I can in the least de­serve, or in any measure requite.

CHAP. IX. Love exchangeth and counterchan­geth all with its beloved.

FOr proof of this, I could instance in many Lovers Registred in profane Authors, as in Pylades and Orestes, each of them, though but one was guilty, took the fact upon himself, that he might thereby redeem the life of the other. King David, when the plague seized on, and destroyed the people, cries out to the Lord,2 Kings 24.17. It is I, Lord, that have sinned, let me suffer, but spare these innocent sheep, for what have they done? And when the Souldiers came to ap­prehend Jesus, whom they yet knew not, and some of his Disciples being present with him, he asks, Whom seek ye? they answered, We seek Jesus; he roundly and readily answereth, I am he. And this he did,Joh. 18. to the end that he might [Page 22]save his disciples from their arrest; and therefore he addeth, Ye have me whom you seek, therefore let these go their way.

Reade and consider that of S. Paul, Who is weake, 1 Cor. 21.29. and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burn not? the troubles, infirmities, and sufferings of the Corinthians, through the Apo­stles love to them, are all become and made his. Yea, but see a greater power of love manifested in the same Apostle toward the Philippians, whom he tells, that his death will be gain to him, v. 21.Phil. 1. for thereby he shall injoy Christ; whereas life to him, will prove but labour and pain, v. 22. and yet, saith he, though the difference be so great, as is betwixt everlasting joy and glory, be­ing with Christ, and pain and labour, living with you; yet my love is such to you, more then to my self, that I am in a strait, not knowing which to choose; but concludes, Though it be far better for me to die, and to be with Christ, v. 23. neverthelesse saith he, v. 24. to abide in the flesh is more profitable for you; and therefore he con­cludes, v. 25. Having this confidence, I shall abide and continue with you, for your furtherance and joy of faith.

But, S. Paul writing to the Romans, seems to go beyond all the bounds of love, I, and of com­mon reason,Rom. 9.8. when he saith, I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen, (the Jews.) Expositors, antient and mo­dern, generally conclude that this wish or desire of S. Paul, was an expression of the most tran­scendent power of love, which might possesse any mortall man; but what the full extent and force of the words may be, is not so clearly agreed on; for some expound the words [accur­sed from Christ] (wherein all the difficulty lies) [Page 23]to intend a temporall affliction, or corporall pu­nishment: 2. others, a spirituall separation, or ex­commumcation from the Church of Christ: 3. a third sort, will have an eternall separation, re­jection, or casting away from the joyes of hea­ven, to be here understood.

1 They, who imbrace the first exposition, con­ceive this desire of the Apostle, to be like that of Moses, saying, Lord, Exod. 32.32. if thou wilt not forgive the sins of the Israelites, in making the golden calf, then blot me out of thy book; and this blotting out of the book, they expound, of deposing, or ca­sting Moses from his government of that people; which was, as they would have this in S. Paul to be, but a temporall punishment; and this they would deduce and inferre, from the word [ac­cursed;] which in the Greek, they say, may here, as elswhere among sacred and profane Wri­ters, signifie a separation, or setting apart the person of man, and beast, to suffer death or the like, as a sacrifice, thereby to expiate the offence of others; and if this sense may be admitted, then much more cannot be inferred, then that S. Paul preferred his Countrey-mens spirituall, and eternall estates, before his own temporall, or before his life; which shewes (that which we allege for to prove) the transcendency of his love.

2 Others conceive the words [anathema, or ac­cursed from Christ,] to mean Excommunication; and this to be like that casting out of Cain, Gen. 4.14. where it is said, and from thy face shall I be hid; Gods face noting typically, the Church, or visible con­gregation of Gods servants: and this wish, or desire in the Apostle, though it goe farre, yet because it includes not an everlasting separati­on, but such as by Gods mercy, and the Apostles [Page 24]repentance may be relaxed, it is not so scrupu­lous, and dangerous as

3 The third sense of the words, viz: that S. Paul hereby should wish, his eternall disherisance, from heaven, for his brethren and Countrey-men; which curse, separation, or disherisance, if it be the sense of the words, then some answer, that the word is, I could have wished it. So that S. Paul doth not expresly and plainly say, I do wish this, but, I could; or, my love is such, that rather then my Countreymen, to whom the Promise and the Covenant is made, should perish, and they lose the benefit thereof, I could finde in my heart to wish, that I might be sepa­rated. But, say they, he doth not explicitely, and in the indicative mood, say, I do wish.

But if this answer be not admitted as satis­factory, but that S. Paul seems to wish, as a dear friend and tender father, to be kept from eternall joyes, rather then want the company of his chil­dren and Countrymen, (whom he calls by a neer relation brethren) the question then will be, (as it is generally made) how far forth this desire may be held justifiable, or be accounted sinfull, as to himself, to wish the privation of his own eternall blisse. Which question or difficul­ty, some thus assoile.

1 1. That for the greater promotion and exal­tation of Gods glory, this may be desired: being that this is the first main principall end of mans being made or redeemed, to advance the glory of God: and that Gods glory should the more ap­peare, by the restoring and saving of the Jews, cannot be denied, or doubted by any.

2 2. Or, as before, the Text speaks not, that I do wish, but that I could so wish; and that, I could wish, may imply, that this wish in the [Page 25]Apostle, is not so absolute, as simply to desire his own damnation, for his Countrymens salva­tion: but that it may well comprehend under it, at least a tacite condition, as, Lord I wish it, if so it agree with thy will, decree, and good plea­sure; for whatever is agreeable to this, must be, and is justifiable, and no waies sinfull.

3 3. S. Paul may be construed thus to meane, if for any cause under Gods glory, I may desire mine own exclusion from Heaven, then I could wish it for my Countrymens benefit and salvati­on; such was the heighth and depth of the love of this blessed Apostle, which desires at least to translate all its own good to his beloved.

CHAP. X. The Causes and Motives of Love.

I Shall not yet here touch upon the prime and principall cause of Love, which is God: but of that which is neerest unto God, goodnesse; which is the true proportionate object of the will, and so of our love. Insomuch, that if the will at any time makes choice of the contrary, which is evill, this comes to passe by the wills being deceived by a false object, and counterfeit colour, in appearance of some seeming good. For the will, in its pure constitution, doth not, can­not affect or desire that which in it self simply is, and so appears to be evill.

A man blinded in his reason, and deceived by the pleasancy of wine, or the beauty of wo­men, may will the unlawfull company of the one, and the inordinate use of the other: yet [Page 26]in neither doth he will or desire fornication, or drunkennesse, as they are evils; but, as he is a­shamed to be termed a fornicator, or a drun­kard: so though he become, or be both, yet he desires not drunkennesse or fornication, but onely the base delight and pleasure in them; which hath deceived and cousened his desire; under a shew of that which seemed then unto him good.

For God, which made all by weight and measure, hath given to our understanding and will, certain naturall inclinations, which as laws, cause them to affect their proper objects, which are truth to the understanding, and good­nesse to the will. So that who is perverted, or willingly perverteth the truth, this is done by the false colour and shadow of truth: and so it comes to passe in the matter of our will, which ever desires that which is good, and if decei­ved, it is by that which appears at that time so to be.

Aristotle hath ranged Love into three kinds, according to the three severall objects alluring the will and desire. The one is, love of pleasure and delight, which too commonly follows, and is entertained by youth. Another is, the love of wealth, and is the servant mostly of old age. A third, is the love of that which is comely and honest, which, I fear, hath the least part or pre­dominancy in mans will, where private interest bears the sway. We have read, that in ages be­fore us, vertue, honour, and beauty, had the mastery in the will; but those objects are laid aside, and are past away with those times.

Some ancient Fathers give a reason why our Saviour openly proclaimed his gift of paradise to the Thiefe on the Crosse, rather than to [Page 27]the Patriarchs and Prophets; and it was, say they, because he, at that time when Christ was publickly disesteemed, and contemptuously used by all, that he then proclaimed him to be the Messias and the Saviour of the world. This sin­gular bounty therefore of our Saviour, accom­panied that rare piece of faith and love in the Thief, to whom (at that time when the Thief profest him) Christ had shewed no miracle, nor done him savour. Whereas now adaies few serve or worship Christ, unless he honour or serve their turns: so that were it not for the be­nefits he daily bestows on us, he might for us, live as retired in the contemplation of his own infinite goodnesse, with little or no love of the world.

Next to goodnesse, not onely Philosophers, but the holy Scriptures, have assigned knowledge to be an especiall worker of love. Our Saviour saith, This is life eternall, Joh. 17. [...]. to know the Father and the Son; for from this knowledge ariseth our love, and by them both, we attain to life ever­lasting. Unbelief, ignorance, or the forgetful­nesse of this principle, as to say with the foole, there is no God, or with the Epicure, he regar­deth not our works below, but that we may, for all him, eat and drink, and die. These, and such like, are the great causes of all our sinnes. S. Paul professedly hath exprest so much, when he saith, The Gentiles have given themselves over unto all lasciviousnesse, Ephes. 4.19. to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse. Whereof the cause is exprest in the verse before; when he saith, this they did, having their understandings darkened, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blind­nesse of their hearts. And the Prophet Hosea saith, there is no knowledge of God in the land: Hos. 4. [...]. [Page 28]and what then follows? but ver 2. swearing, ly­ing, killing, stealing, adultery, so that blood tou­cheth blood.

I may adde another cause, or the ingenderer of love, which is likeness. Like will to like, is seen among the beasts, among whom sheep flock not with woolves, nor will Harts heard with Lions.

And the like to this in man, some Philoso­phers have attributed it to the complexion in men; among whom we finde the company, ge­sture, voice, and looks of some, to be displea­sing and distastfull to others; for which the per­son disaffecting, at first happily, can give no sufficient reason.

Others, and more neerly to reason and truth, have given the cause of this love betwixt men, to be the likenesse of their qualities and dispositi­ons: as the sinner hateth the righteous, whatever the alliance is, as it was seen in Cain to Abel, Ismael to Isaac, Esau to Jacob: so on the other side, the good, just, and wise, love each other. S. Paul hath determined this piece, when he saith, Be ye not unequally yoaked; for what fel­lowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse? 2 Cor. 6.14. and what communion hath light with darknesse? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?

The Pythagorean and Platonique Philosophers were of opinion, that the soules of men had a kinde of harmonious concent each to other; so that, as in musick, one string being struck, ano­ther will quaver, and offer to give the like sound, though not touched: so say they, and not improbably, fareth it with the souls of ma­ny men.

S. Ambrose giveth another cause or parent of love, which is conversation; when as he tells us, [Page 29]that to this end God walked with man in Para­dise, and that it is said of Enoch, that he walked with God; and though God had given Adam all the goods of the aire, earth, and water, yet with none of these, or any, or all of the Beasts took he any delight, but onely in that consort which God gave him, as a companion to his body, and solace to his soule, and to her he cleaves, and so of two, they are made but one, by a loving converse and agreement.

If any aske, how this comes to passe, that likenesse and conversation should thus beget, con­tinue, and increase love: the reason is easie and plain: for seeing every man naturally loves himself, and the rather because he is ever con­versant with himself; therefore it must needs follow, that whatever is neerest to, or most like him, that he most neerly loveth, and most desi­reth. Can any give any other reason, why man or woman delights to see their face in a glasse, but because it represents them, and makes them, as it were, to see and know themselves by this representative, whereby the imagination appre­hends it self?

CHAP. XI. Love is onely conquered and repayed with Love.

LOve (that is the inward affection of the heart) is the soul, as it were, of the soul of man, yea, of the whole world; for by it the world continueth, and without it, it could not stand, as was shewed before.

We thank not the water, nor the aire, nor any inanimate or animate thing for doing us good, it this good proceed from a naturall disposition in themselves, without an affection of doing good to us. For this latter is it, which truly is called love: and he that thinks ro requite this with gold, or other gifts of price, returns scarce drosse for gold. Our Saviour and his Apostles, have summed up all the Law in this kinde of Love: and after all their precepts and counsels, call for this love, as the fulfilling of all. For he that hath this, cannot but believe, and endea­vour to work according to what is required or desired by Christ and his Apostles.

Our blessed Saviour promiseth heaven to him that gives but a cup of cold water in his Name,Mat. 10.4 [...]. and for his sake: and can any imagine, that heaven is of so mean a value, or water so much worth, as that heaven should be given for a cup of water? no, not the cup of water, nor all the waters under heaven, can be valued with hea­ven, but the cordiall love and affection of the heart; this is that God esteems; and therefore calls to every one for it, when he saith, My Son, take all earth, heaven, and all, as my gift; and for all, onely give me but thy heart. Prov. 23. [...].

It was not Abels sacrifice, nor the widows mite cast into the Treasury, that God so highly prized and commended, but the love of the sa­crificer and giver, which he esteemed more than all the worlds good. For all these are his, The earth is the Lords, Ps. [...]4.1. and the fulnesse thereof. And when we have these, or any part thereof, we re­ceive and hold them as his gift; and for all, he onely requires our love; which onely is ours to give.

If you tell me,Prov. 21. [...]. the heart of Kings, and so [Page 31]of all men, is in the hand of the Lord, he turneth it whither soever he will. And that without God,2 Cor. 3.5. we cannot so much as think a good thought, and therefore not love. I answer, that though all things in man, are of him, through him, Rom. 11.36. and to him, as the Apostle speaks: yet of all things in man, mans will is most his own; and this so lest by God to man, that for it, when it freely loves God, it may return him in recompence (as it were) his love again. The free present of a paire of pigeons, with man is more esteemed than the return of 100 l. which was lent, and the borrower bound to repay. God often ex­presseth his regard to the love of his servants, when he asks them, Am I delighted with the sa­crifices of goats and bullocks, Ps. 50.9. and who requires these things at your hands? Isa. 1.12. and by his Prophet Jeremiah, I spake not to your fathers, Jer. 7.22. nor com­manded them, when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning sacrifices, to be satis­fied or served therewith. Save onely by these, as outward testimonies of your inward affections, which indeed, as to me, are the onely sacrifice and service.

And from hence iris, that. God and man re­pay love with love. For love hath an Adaman­tine power, that is able to draw the hardest heart of iron unto it self, by a mutuall love. For the very apprehension of being beloved, directs the soul without any force, to a return of a love re­ciprocall.

And as love mollifies the heart of the belo­ved, drawing from it a return of love: so this return of love gives ample satisfaction and re­ward, as it were, for that love that was bestowed. And so the Spouse in the Canticles, Can. 1.2. for her love to her beloved, desires some kisses (as testimo­nies) [Page 32]for the assurance of his love to her again.

And neither the first, nor the second, neither an inviting nor the return'd love, are purchased, wonne, or procured by gifts, greatnesse, or po­wer. These have no force on a generous heart, to cause love; which is onely begotten by it self, through love; and this may be well called the mysterie of love, that the same thing, and nothing else, should beget it self.

And this love being of so rare an extraction, so amiable, and so much to be desired; we shall finde God, of all things desiring it, and in comparison of it, nothing else but our love; and therefore useth it, as a conjuration to the effecting his will and commands; as when he saith,John 21.16. If ye love me, keep my commandments; to Peter thee times, as it were, in a breath, lovest thou, lovest thou, lovest thou me, Peter? and then follows three times, Peter, feed, feed, feed. For this thou canst not chuse but do, and keep my [...]. Love, as we say, breaks through stone walls; in­timating, that nothing is hard to a loving heart, but that this tender love, as is said of the milke of the Goat, is able to mollifie, and soften the hardest Adamant.

God, willing to draw man to himself, first used his power, shewed in the great deluge of the world: after that he used his goodnesse, bring­ing his people out of Egypt into a goodly and plentifull Land; but when neither power nor goodnesse prevailed, he takes the ready course, if any could prevail, to shew his love unto them, in sending his onely Son into the world, there to suffer so ignominious a death for them. And if this did not, he never meant to use other [Page 33]means to draw them to him. For if love, such love could not, then nothing in heaven, earth, or hell, can work or move their conversion.

Charit as Christi urget nos, saith S. Paul, 2 Cor. 3, 14. the love of Christ, this, this, or nothing, doth, or can, with a sweet, delightfull force, as it were, con­strain us. Christ sheweth this in the parable of the Creditor and Debtor, concluding, that to whom most was forgiven, that he should and must love most. For love freely shewed to the well be­loved, may be resembled to the depositing or trusting a great Treasure in a friends chest or Cabinet; which friend, if he return it not when desired, deserves the note and estimation, not of ungratefull alone, but of a false and most wicked man, and no friend.

CHAP. XII. The Love of God is not to be pa­rallel'd.

THe essence or being of God is pure and simple, and the infinity of his attributes and perfections are single: so that his omnipo­tency is his mercy, his mercy is his justice, his justice his goodnesse, his goodnesse his love, neither is there in these any distinction reall or formall, onely mans apprehension conceiteth a variety in this simple unity.

Now the love of God differeth from the love of man, as in many other things, so in this, that mans love oft times wants power to effect what it loves and desires: whereas Gods love is both operative and effective, it both works and accom­plisheth [Page 34]whatever it will; so that to love with God, is the same thing as to do us good.

And this is so large, as to do that, beyond which nothing more can be done. Isaiah ex­presseth this in Gods person, saying,Isa. [...].4. What could have been done more, that I have not done? so that if we would enter into, and consider all the works of Gods love, in creating, redeeming, san­ctifying, and glorifying man, how can they be fa­thomed? mans soule cannot apprehend it in the least degree.

To help mans weakensse in this, and by sha­dows, as it were, to make some appearance of this love;Isa. 49.15. the Prophet Isaiah tells us of the love of a mother to her childe, when he asks the que­stion, Can a mother forget her sucking childe, that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe? Which, can she? is as much as, she cannot: but saith God, If she could, yet such is my love to man, that I will not, I cannot, my love is my self: and therefore I may be said as well, to forget my self, as to forget or deny my love to mine own Image, man.

The Prophet Isaiah seems to go a little far­ther, by a similitude to set forth Gods love, when he compares it to the love of a Bridegroome, [...]. 62.5. mar­ried to a Virgin, in whom he is delighted and rejoyceth, saith the text, where it addeth, and so shall thy God rejoyce over thee.

Nay, the Prophet Jeremiah goes farther yet, saying, If a man put away his wife, for her lewd­nesse and adultery, shall he return unto her again? [...]e [...]. 3.1. But thou Judah lift up thine eyes unto the high pla­ces, and see where thou hast not been lien with: in the waies thou hast sate for them; and thou hast polluted the Land with thy whoredoms, and with thy wickednesse; and yet heare the husband of [Page 35]this wife, which is God, notwithstanding all this crying out, and proclaiming, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers: yet returne againe to me, saith the Lord. Tell me now, whether a greater love can be exprest, than this in God.

As the love of God is infinite, so might I be in the prosecution of this argument; but I con­tract my self, and wish you to remember, that as God in holy Writ is parabolically called King, Father, Husband, Physician, Shepherd, Head of his Church: so under all these, and many other names and notions, his love is manifest unto us; for as the head, he governs: as the Shepherd, he leads us to good pastures, and defends us from de­stroying beasts: as the Physician, he cures and heals our infirmities and soares: as an husband, he imbraceth and delighteth in, and rejoyceth over us: as a Father, he nourisheth, and provi­deth for us: and as a King, he not onely pro­tects us from oppression and danger, but gives us honours, yea, makes us heires with his onely begotten Son Christ Jesus, to reigne with him in his heavenly Kingdom for ever. And is there any love that can be compared to this?

All that I will adde for close, is this: love re­quires love. And, O my soule, though thou wilt not love this thy Father, this thy King first: yet when he hath so super abounded in his love to thee, too flinty hearted, I must needs say, thou art, if thou shalt refuse to return all the love thy heart can affoord or conceive to him again, for that infinite and endlesse love which he hath be­stowed on thee.

Chap. XIII. By the same causes and meanes that mans love decreaseth, the love of God increaseth.

SOme Divines have propounded the questi­on, why Christ, the second Person in the ho­ly Trinity, rather than either of the other per­sons, was made man; and among other reasons, this they give in answer: That our first parents sin,1 Cor. 1.24. in desiring to be as God, knowing good and evill, directly opposeth the wisdome of God, which is Christ. And to shew the infinite love of God to man? that Person who most directly was offended, came down from Heaven, tooke mans nature, and suffered more than man could do; and all to redeem man. So that he alone, (God, that can draw good out of evill, and light out of darknesse) used mans sin as an occasion, through his love, to save mankinde.

The Prophet Zacbary describes the state of the world,Zach. 6. and in especially of the Israelites, by foure Chariots; the first whereof had red horses, which typified the bloody Babylonians: the se­cond had black horses, which noted the Persians; under whom the Jews were neer their utter ex­tirpation: the third had white horses, by which may be meant the Macedonians, who, as Alexan­der and others, were gracious and favourable to the Jews: the fourth had grizled, or horses of divers colours, which figured the changeable, various, and mixed government of the Romans, which first or last is destructive to a State. And [Page 37]now under this power and rule, which contained all the misrule and barbarous usage of the three other Governments, came the Messias into the world, and this by the Apostle is called the ful­nesse of time: Gal. 4.4. because when the sin of the world was at the full, now was .the time of our blessed Saviour to come into the world, and by his un­speakable love to redeem it.

The Prophet Isaiah sets forth Jerusalem thus: Their hands are defiled with blood, and their fin­gers with iniquity, Isa. 59.3. their lips have spoken lies, and their tongues perversenesse; none calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: the act of violence is in their hands, their feet run to evill, and they make baste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; yea, judgement is turned backward, and justice stand­eth afar off: for truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter: and he that departeth from evill, maketh himself a prey. And the Lord saw, and wondered that there was no Intercessor; there­fore his arm brought salvation. For he put on righteousnesse as a breast-plate, and vengeance for a clothing; and according to their deeds, he will repay fury to his adversaries: but to Zion shall the Redeemer come. And is there any thing in all this, that savours, but of the love of God (to truth and justice) to his people, though laden with their sins; and for this punished and op­pressed by their enemies?

The love of Christ in this kinde, is not to be uttered, or any way expressed. I will summe it up therefore in that one passage of S. Paul; the same night that our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he instituted the Sacrament of his body broken, 1 Cor. 11.23. and of his bloud shed: as a sacrifice fully and solely [Page 38]expiatory for the sin of the whole world. And, while the Jews cried to the Romans, Crucifie, crucifie him: he for them more incessantly praies to his Father, Father, forgive them; and though they said. Let his blood be upon us, and our chil­dren; yet he tells them, My blood is shed for you, and for all that will take and apply it to the for­givenesse of their sins.

The Psalmist, in a wonder and amazement of this excessive love,Psal. [...].4. exclaims, Lord! what is man, that thou art so mindfull of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? for what is there in himself, as man, but that is to be abhorred? his body being at the best, but a bag of bones, a sinke of foule water, and stinking dirt, and his soule like a cage of uncleane birds, or a forge of wicked imaginations, and a storehouse of sinne. To the Psalmists question, Why, Lord, hast thou so visited man? no other an­swer or reason can be given, then this of the Apostle,Job. 3.16. So God loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, to be made, saith the Prophet Isay, Isa. 9.6. as a childe; as the Apostle Saint Paul, saith, as a Servant, who emptied himself, as it were,Phil. 2.7. to a nothing; and all this, as the effect onely of his infinite, incomprehensible Love.

CHAP. XIV. Gods jealousie.

JEalousie in man is an excesse of love, and for the most part, is the attendant of some ill condition in him: whereas in God, it is the quintessence (as it were) of his love. And this riseth in God, and moves him to anger and pu­nishment, when he finds himself dishonoured or neglected by those he loves.

Moses not onely tells us,Exo. 20.5. that he is a jealous God, but adds, Exod. 34.14. that his Name is jealous. And such is his jealousie, that although he suffered the rebellious murmurings of his Is­rael, Exo. 34.14. yet when they committed spirituall whore­dome, in making and worshipping the golden calf, he destroyed 33000. of them: and had not his deare servant Moses interceded, he had in his jealousie utterly destroyed them all.

Covetousnesse, by S. Paul is called Idolatry; Col. 3.5. and when God finds his people worshipping or setting their hearts on these, it moves him to jea­lousie.

Yea, God is jealous of the inordinate or over­much love of the husband to the wife, or of the wife to the husband. For these may love each other so much, that some part of the love and worship due to God, is bestowed on the Creature. And for this God oft times turns jealous, and in his anger takes the one from the other; or bereaves them of their delight, which is chil­dren.

And it being so, that God hath commanded us to love him with all our heart, and with all [Page 40]the strength and powers of the soule, the least alienation of our love from God, and bestowed on vain delights, moves God to jealousie, and provokes his anger.

And as the least withdrawing of our love from God, works jealousie in him: so when he finds us persist in a daily revolt from him, he ceaseth any longer to be jealous. See this pro­ved in Israels case; where God, for Israels mul­tiplied departings from him, threatens, My jealousie shall depart from them, Ezek. 16.42. and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. And this is the saddest condition that a soule can fall into; for then it is apparent, that God hath sent a bill of divorce to that soul: and hath removed his love utterly from it; for where God loves, he can­not but be jealous.

Chap. XV. Gods revealing his secrets, is a great demonstration of his love to man.

DElilab useth this as an argument,Judg. 16.15. that Samson loved her not, because he did not open the secrets of his heart unto her: for so she said, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? and when thou tellest me not where thy great strength lieth?

When God purposed the destruction of So­dome, Gen. 18.17. he saith, I know Abraham, that he will command his children, and his houshold after him, to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judge­ment. Here God rests assured in Abraham's [Page 41]love and service to him; and what followeth? why this, that though God intended a secret and sudden burning of Sodome: yet he will not do it, before he acquaints Abraham therewith: and therefore saith, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?

We reade the like of God to Moses; Exo. 33.9.13. that when God spake face to face with Moses in the Tabernacle, that there was a, cloudy pillar at the Tabernacle doore, so that the people might not see them. And at this interview and conference betwixt God and Moses, Moses saith unto God, If I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way. The Prophet saith,Psa. 147.19, 20. the Lord shewed his word unto Jacob. And then addeth, He hath not dealt so with any Nation, but this his beloved. And S. Paul saith,Col. 1.2 [...] The mysterie (of salvation by Christ Jesus) hath been hid from ages, and from generations; but now is made manifest to his Saints. In a word, he that loveth me, saith Christ,John 14▪ 21. shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and [...] my [...] unto him. And accordingly he saith unto his Disciples, To you (as my friends) it given to know the mysterie (or se­crets) of the Kingdome of God: but unto those that are without, all these things are done in parables. And why in parables to these? that seeing, Mark 4 [...] 11. saith Christ, they may see, and not perceive; and hea­ring they may heare, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Whence we may gather and learn, that whom God loves, to those he re­veals his word and will: so that they may see, and heare, and understand it to their conversion and salvation of their souls; which none can deny to be an especiall argument of Gods love; the fruition whereof, the Lord grant unto us in Jesus Christ.

CHAP. XVI. God seemeth to be solitary without man, which is an especiall argu­ment of his love to man.

THe Scriptures tell us of thousands of An­gels that attend Christ; and in the Go­spels we finde them upon all occasions, at his birth, in his life, and at his passion with him: how then, having such a company of holy Spi­rits ever with him, and at his command, can he be said to be alone (if without man?) It is true, in respect of the sweet society of Saints and An­gels, he cannot be truly said to be alone; yet in regard that he made man to his own Image, and every one loves that which is most like unto himself: and that God hath said, My delight is to be with the Sons of men; in this respect, with­out this his like, with whom he is delighted, he may well be said to be alone.

In the parable of the lost sheep, Matth. 18.12. it is seen, that the shepherd had 99. besides that which was strayed, yet he left them all. Suppose these to be the Saints and Angels in heaven, and all to seek the one that was lost, which is man. The Prophet saith, Psal. 33.10. The Lord looked down from Hea­ven, to behold the Sons of men; and seeing them captiv'd by the Devill, weltring in their filth of sin, and therefore lamentably afflicted; for them he came down, and never rested, but un­derwent all travell, hardnesse, and death; that he might exalt them, and bring them where him­self was to have his everlasting residence, in Heaven.

God under the Law, when he saw his Israel scattered in Egypt, he rested not, till he brought them together; and though in the wildernesse, yet there he commanded them to make a Ta­bernacle, and after that, a large and glorious Temple; that he might be with them, and in­joy, as it were, their company there together.

And Christ, God in heaven, that he might have the company of man, he descended from heaven; and as though this were too little, to have the more full society of man, he took his nature, and was made man; yea so, that as it was spoken of Adam to Eve, he was so married to mans nature, that he might truly say, He is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.

More yet; see Christ in his agony and tor­ture on the Crosse, and wanting the company of his Disciples, and men believing in him, he cries out, My God! my God! Mat. 27.46. why hast thou for­saken me? and as soon as the the Thief on the one hand was converted, and prayed unto him, Lord, Luk. 23.43. remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome; he was so pleased with this, that he readily granted his petition, and told him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: and so gently departed, and took his new convert with him to Heaven.

And it is the opinion of many ancient and learned Fathers, that the Saints and holy men which rose out of their graves, at the time of our Saviours resurrection; that they likewise, as pleasing company, ascended with Christ into Heaven, there to be with him; and as of the Chore, to sing continuall Allelujahs of glory, Glory to the Lamb, that was, and is, and ever shall be.

S. Hierome cries out, O ungrateful man to [Page 44]thy God, who ever thou art! considerest thou not the wonderful and unspeakable love of him, the Lord of heaven, to be thus delighted, and to do, and to suffer so much for thee? and thin­kest thou thy self best, when thou art in the com­pany of the wicked, blasphemers, murderers, adulterers, drunkards, and profane persons? re­turn rather, Shunamite, return, and run to him who is delighted with thee, and is thy Saviour.

CHAP. XVII. Charity is most eminent among all the vertues.

EVery vertue hath its proper opposites; as li­berality hath covetousnesse and prodigality to encounter: whereas Charity is enemy to, and opposeth not two, or more, but all vices. And if any particular sin be more opposite to Charity then other, it is the enmity to God. And it be­ing so, that there is no sin that man committeth, but, more or lesse, is tainted with this enmity; hereby Charity is become a generall enemy and opposer of all sin.

When David had wickedly deflowred the wife of his faithfull Souldier Vriah, and basely slaughtered the husband; here were sins of mur­der, adultery, scandall, and all these sins, and enmities against his neighbour: but as though these were nothing in comparison of that one sin and enmity to God; Psa [...]. 51.4. he saith, Against thee alone, O Lord, have I sinned.

But although against this sin principally, Cha­rity opposeth her forces; yet no lesse doth she [Page 45]abhor and resist all other sins of the lower rank. S. Paul, when he saith, Charity suffereth long; 1 Cor. 13.4. what saith he lesse than that, as the impatient man acts against the long suffering Charity: so Charity works against all impatience: and as Charity, that envieth not, is assaulted by the en­vious: so Charity fighteth against envy: and as Charity, that vaunteth not, nor is puffed up, is opposed by pride: so Charity labours to beat down pride. And what from S. Paul I have said of those sins mentioned, is alike true of those other sins instanced by S. Paul; and of all other sins committed in the world. And therefore not onely the Apostles, but their and our Lord and Master, Christ, hath taught us this lesson, that Charity is the fulfilling of the Law. Insomuch as, Rom. 13.10. so far as Charity can prevail to the killing of sin, Mat. 22.40. which is the transgression of the Law, she may well be called the fulfilling of the Law.

And so high an esteem had our Lord Christ, of the great virtue and power which Charity hath in the work of our salvation. that when he had largely preached of the whole duty of man, and given him many precepts, and expositions of the Decalogue, necessary to be understood and followed by old and young, learned and illite­rate: for the relief of mans memory, and the greater incouragement to his proceeding, he summes up all, and tells us all the Law, and all that God requires of man, is nothing else but Charity; (that is) love to God, and for his sake, love to thy neighbour.

S. Augustine addeth, that as God calls himself Love, who is all in all: 1 John 4.8. for all things are from him, by him, and for him: so the like▪ in a quail­fied and reverend sense, we may speak of Love or Charity; we say, he that hath not houses, [Page 46]nor Vineyards, nor Lands, yet if he hath Money, he hath potentially all: so may we say of Cha­rity, in respect of other graces and endowments of the soul.

In the place before cited, S. Paul speaks that of himself, 1 Cor. 13.1. which the best of men may say of themselves with the like truth; that could I preach as though I spoke with the tongue of An­gels: yet this without Charity, will make me but like an empty sound of brasse, or like the bell in the sleeple, that calls others to the Church, and so to Heaven, while it self hangs without doors. Nay, do I give all my goods to the poore, and my body to martyrdome for the truth, and have no charity, these will profit me nothing. Yea, if I understand all the mysteries of God, and have all faith, saith he, and have not Charity; observe this, he saith not of this last, as of the former gifts of preaching, martyrdome, or goods, that these without Charity profit nothing; but he saith, that although he hath all understanding, all knowledge, and all saith, yet these without Charity, make him not onely as a sound, or which profiteth nothing; but he saith, that having these, and not having Charity, he is plainly nothing; nothing as in Gods acceptance, and nothing as appertaining to the Kingdome of Heaven.

The Prophet Isaiah tells the people, that God regards not, Isa. 1. but abhors the sacrifices which he requires of them; and that when they lift up their hands to Heaven, he will hide his eyes, and not see them: and when they make many long and loud prayers unto him, yet he will not hear them. And how? or why is God become so averse to his own commands and ordinances? the Prophet tells us, the cause is want of Cha­rity, when he saith, Your hands are full of blood, [Page 47]your works are full of evill, injustice, and oppres­sion. In a word, I see not, I hear not, saith God, but I abhor you, and your works, because both want Charity.

Much like this hath the same Prophet, Isa. 58. taxing the falshood of the Israelites, who hypocritically cried out, saying, Have we not held our Fasts? and have we not afflicted our souls? yet thou, O Lord, seest not, neither takest thou knowledge of our holy acts. To whom the Lord in truth makes answer, Tis true, I neither see, nor take knowledge, nor pleasure in your sounds and shews of holinesse. For in, or by these, saith God, ye exact your labours, or things where­with ye grieve others. And ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickednesse, and call ye this your fasting, saith God? no, saith he, the fast that I have chosen, is to loose the bands of wickednesse, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoak (of Taxes, Excize, and the like) these, these, and not praying, preaching, fasting, with murder, robbery, and oppression, are the works of Charity, well pleasing to, and required of God. Without which, no man by his crying, Lord, Lord, Mat. 7.23 shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.

CHAP. XVIII. Our love to God, is to precede all other loves.

SUch was the exceeding goodnesse of God to his people, that he knowing the many delights and enticements of the world, the flesh, [Page 48]and the Devill, to withdraw mans love from his God, that he not onely wrote in the heart of man, that he was to love his Creator: but that he might never forget it, he gives him this as a spirituall Law, written in the Tables of stone, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, Deut. 6. with all thy soul, and with all thy might. In which words, not onely the precept is exprest to love him: but the reason is annexed, because he is the Lord of all, and thy God in speciall. And that thou mayest keep this commandment, it shall be in thy heart. And because from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh; there­fore thou shalt talk of it sitting, walking, lying, rising, that thy children thereby may learne the same: and thou shalt binde it on thine hand, and between thine eyes; and shalt write it upon the posts of thine house, and on thy gates. I do not remember that any law or precept was so largely and strongly injoyned as this, binding heart, tongue, eyes, and all the faculties of the soul, to love God.

Probably some may demand, wherefore the Almighty should so earnestly and desirously re­quire our love before, or more then any, or all things else, that are in mans power? In answer whereunto, I may say, that man hath nothing else to present, that is so much his own, or that is so much worthy of Gods acceptance, nor so easie and beneficiall to himself (for man) to give, as his love. And therefore that which is least painfull, or chargeable, and most easie and beneficiall to the giver, man: and which, with­all, is most pleasing to the Receiver, God: God the Receiver, in his infinite goodnesse, hath re­quired of man, the giver, onely his love.

If a man were in danger to lose his life, or his [Page 49]understanding, or but an eye, or any other mem­ber of his body, how would he love that person, who could and would cure, free, or deliver him? and how much more then is he bound to love him, who both gave the eye, the other members, reason, and life; and not only made them won­derfully, but gave them freely, with all manner of gracious endowments; and not onely so made, and so gave them, but who hourly so preserveth them from all outward and inward dangers of corruption and destruction? can any price or estimate be set, sufficient for such a rare work­manship, so bounteous a gift, and so gracious a preservation? and then can we render any thing lesse for them all, than love to him, that so made, so gave, and so preserves them all?

And yet hitherto I have told you but the least of what God hath done for the meanest part of thy self. For when I shall adde, that when thou hadst destroyed thy soule by sin, and forfeited it with thy body, and all the faculties and members of both, to the Devill and everlasting hell fire; that then thy God should descend from Hea­ven, should be disgracefully used, shamefully tortured, and cruelly murdered; and all this only to ransome and free both thy body and soul: Can any price be set too high for this? or canst thou repay any thing lesse then thy love?

Should God, as he might justly, for the least of his mercies and benefits, have commanded thee to offer unto him all thy worldly wealth, or to sacrifice thy children to him, as some Hea­thens did, and as once he tempted Abraham to do: or with stripes or fasting to mortifie or kill thy body; had it been too much for a compensa­tion or requitall? but, in lieu of these, what a mercy, what a goodnesse, what a love is it in thy [Page 50]God, to require onely that which costs thee least, which is easiest performed, and is in the power of all sorts of people to give, love? which if thou keepest back, and cheerfully renderest not, how canst thou answer thine owne soule without blushing here, or without confusion and condemnation of thy self at the last day of judg­ment?

If God had required of man, almost any thing else but love, some or other might have fra­med, at least, some probable seeming excuse for not performance; as if God had commanded our bounty to Gods poor, the poor man might have answered, I have it not to give; if fasting, or labour, the sick and infirm; if knowledge or contemplation; the ignorant or simple might have pleaded, these are not in our power to do; and therefore, Lord, I am to be excused. But when God requires onely thy love; neither the illite­rate, nor ignorant, neither the poore, nor the weak, nor any other condition or sort of people, have any shew or colour of excuse for not per­formance; for it is in every mans power, if he will, to love.

I may adde, that this sweet return of our love, as it is generally easie for all men to give: so is it as generally alwaies to be performed, in all the actions, studies, or demeanours of our life. Art thou eating, drinking, recreating thy self, buy­ing, selling, meditating? loving of God hin­ders thee not, but furthers thee in all these, so in, and with all these, he hath but justly and gra­ciously commanded thy love.

God by his Prophet thus reasons with his Is­rael, Isa. 43. [...]3. as now with us; I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering, nor wearied thee with In­cense, but without these; Thou hast made me to [Page 51]serve with thy sins, and thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. And for all this, I ask but that, which without expence, pain, or labour, thou mayest easily afford me, thy love; and for it re­ceive heaven. So easie and plain a way, and so open a door to everlasting joy, hath God prepa­red for us, when he requires from us onely our love.

The Scripture is plentifull, not onely in tel­ling thee, O man, that God came downe from Heaven, and was incarnate for thee; but that he suffered, died, and rose again, and all this for thee: and it is as often repeated in holy Writ, that he is thy Lord, thy Father, thy King, thy God; and if God in all be thine,1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. the Apostle rightly infers, then all that is Gods, Angels, Spirits, and all that is in God, power, justice, mercy, all is thine. And canst thou possibly think, how to make a better purchase, then to make God, Heaven, Earth, and all thine wholly and onely by Love?

And when God is thus made thine, then in loving him, thou dost but love thine own; and this is so common, that it is naturall for a man to love what is his, rather then what is another mans. But further, indeed to love God, who by love is made thine, is but to love thy self; who by love art united to God; and no man, saith the Apostle, hates, Ephes. 5.29. but rather cherisheth and loveth himself.

S. Paul reckoning up the fruits of Gods bles­sed Spirit, in the first place sets love, as being the source and spring of the rest;Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit, saith he, is, love, peace, joy, long-suffer­ing, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meeknesse, tem­perance; where the first, as the parent of all, is love.

From the consideration of somewhat here, and elsewhere spoken of love, some holy Fathers have profest, that nothing can be accounted dif­ficult, hard, chargeable, or painfull to him that truly loves; such are the fruits of an hearty a­ctive love, and such are the sufferings of love from its beloved. For if it reprehends, it is gently; if it burthens, it is delightfully; if it detains, it is pleasantly; if it restrains, it is courteously; if it rewards, it is bountifully. And therefore well may we with them con­clude, that love is the pretious pearle mentioned in the Gospell,Matth. 13. [...]6. for which the wise Merchant sold all to buy it: as being of most value of all other pearls, or heavenly vertues.

CHAP. XIX. God must be loved with the whole heart.

GOd requires the heart, 2. the whole heart, 3. that none other may have part therein, 4. no, not man himself, to use his heart any way against, but altogether as tending to Gods ser­vice and glory.

All that God courts, and wooes man for, is for his heart;Prov. 23.26. My son give me thy heart, is the summe of his desire. Which in another word is explained, by that of the King of Sodome to A­braham, give me the souls (of the people,) the rest take to thy self.Gen. 14.21. And for this, as in war for the Citadell, or chief place of strength, is all the contention, that I may so say, betwixt the true husband and lover of the soule, God, and [Page 53]the adulterous and false lovers, the world, the flesh, and the Devill.

And God, to shew how ardently he affecteth this, and how jealous he is of it, he is not satis­fied with thy heart, unlesse, as he hath exprest himself under the Law and the Gospell,Deut. [...].5. Thou love him with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, with all the strength, and faculties thereof. For as a great Prince coming to an Inne, takes up all the rooms in the house; not holding it to stand with his state, to have any stranger a sha­rer with him: so is it, and much more, with God. And that again, because as S. John saith,1 John 3.20. God is greater then thy heart: so that all is too little for him, though he hath all. And if he will not en­dure, that one Temple shall receive both his Ark and the Idoll Dagon: will he be content,1 Sam. 5▪ in his bed-chamber, which is mans heart, to en­dure his enemies, the World, the flesh, and the Devill, to have their abode, or to lodge there? No, one saith Christ, cannot serve two Masters; I am sure not two such, that are so contrary and opposite, as God is to the Devill, the World, and the Flesh: neither, saith S. Paul, 1 Cor. 6.14. can light dwell with darknesse, nor Christ with Belial.

The Prophet Elijah saith unto the people,1 Kings 18.21. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, serve him; but if Baal, then follow him. God will not, cannot endure any corrivall, much lesse any bedfellow with him in the heart of man. Moses tells Pharaoh, Exod. [...] that God will not suffer him to leave so much as an hoof behinde in Egypt, when he goes to sacrifice to God: for the least possession is a kinde of engagement a­gainst God. The world or the Devill, like the counterfeit mother, cries divide it, let me have a part, tis no matter which, living or dead, [Page 54]so God hath not all to himselt alone: whereas the true mother of the living child, [...] Kin. 3. will admit of no division, but she will have all or none; and such is Gods desire, for if the heart be divided, as H [...] ­sea speaks of Israel, [...]os. 10. it is as the childe divided, which cannot live to the true Parent.

But O man, consider how reasonable and just God is, in requiring thy whole soule: and how unjust and unreasonable thou art in denying it him entire, or dividing it in parts, betwixt him and his enemies. Consider, I say, when he crea­ted the goodly universe of this world, and so glo­riously adorned and furnished it, not onely with the fruitfull plants, and fragrant flowers, but with those bright Lamps in Heaven; that he made all this, and gave it entire to thee alone, making thee the sole Lord thereof, in respect of any other creatures, over all which also he gave thee temporall power and dominion: and as though in this he had shewed but half, or in­deed but the least part of his love: consider, that God himself gave himself wholly to thee, was incarnate, suffered, died, rose, and all onely for thee, and not for any other. And is not this ar­gument sufficient, that the least thou canst re­turn in gratitude, should be thy heart, entire, not to be cut into parcels or shreds; some whereof to be given to the giver of all, and the rest to his and thine own enemies?

But some perchance may say, though this is just and reasonable, which is required, yet it is most difficult, for man clothed with flesh, to performe this duty so strictly commanded, to love God with all the affections and thoughts of the soul, and these ever to be fixed on him, and nothing else; neither on parents, friends, or things of this life.

In answer hereunto I must tell you, that God knoweth what we are, and whereof we are made; and therefore in this strict command, or abso­lute request of all our love, he prohibits us nei­ther to love parents, children, friends, no nor the things of this world: so we love them with these two rules or cautions.

1. That we love neither friends, nor things on earth, with such a degree of affection as may alienate or divide our fouls from God. And therefore God himself hath not onely comman­ded us to love our neighbours, all our neigh­bours, of what rank or distance soever, so they be men: and to seek in the second place, things necessary for the life and well being of our selves and those who depend on us, and for whom we are to provide: but hath figured the fame in pro­portioning our heart; which though it hath a large and broad superficies upward, to look and dilate it self to Heaven: yet it hath but a cone or small point downwards, to the things be­neath.

The second caution, in our love to any thing besides God, is, that whatever we thus love, it must virtually tend and move to the service and glory of God. And in this, our love resembles the point of the needle in the Sea-mans Card, or the Geometricians paire of compasses; the former of which, though it be ever moving, and as it were, casting about to severall parts, yet it still returns, and reteins its whole setled course to the true pole star: and the latter, though the one foot of the Compasse circuit and surround the circumference or globe of the earth, yet the other stands ever firm and constant to the point, which point here, as that star before, in this our application, is God.

So that God, who without any shew of cove­tousnesse in himself, or wrong to thee, might require all thy substance, all thy actions, and all thy time, wholly to be dedicated and spent on his immediate holy service: yet grants rhee the fruits of thy honest labour, thy wealth, and bids thee give his poore, onely th t which thou mayest well spare; and of the fruits of thy increase, he takes onely a tenth; and from thy worldly travails, onely a seventh part: and that Love which he wholly and entirely calls for, is the affection and love of thy heart.

Shall I summe up all? There is none so un­godly in this world, but assents to this generall doctrine, that God is to be so loved as he re­quires; but all the question and difference lies in the performance, and manner of loving; for the most wicked, in some sort, may be said to love God. But how? and why? for it is but with a carnall or worldly minde, and to their own end and behoof; as by him to enjoy life, health, wealth, pleasure, and delight; and so they love God for these things, that if he would confirm his letters patents unto them, that these they might perpetually enjoy, they would readily re­lease unto him all the grant and interest made to them in Heaven.

On the other side, the true lovers of God so love the world, as that thereby, and therewith, they may the better serve him, and promote his glory; without which, they desire neither the things of the world, nor long to continue in it. They love these things so, as a man doth his horse, his cloak, or garment; the one to carry him through his journey, to his Inne, and the other to keep him warm, and to defend him from the hurt or violence of the weather: so [Page 57]that the love of the first, is like that of the Strumpets, all for reward, or what will ye give me? and by these means, he makes the princi­pall of what he should love, God, but the ac­cessory to the thing he loves: and the accessory indeed, the things of the world, and flesh, he makes the principall part of his love. Whereas the true lover makes God the prime, originall, principall cause, and mover of all his love, and all things else, but subordinate and subservient to this love.

The regenerate and unregenerate children of God in this world, make use of Gods blessings; and so return their love to God, as Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau: where the father in blessing Jacob, ver. 28. begins with heaven;Gen. 27. God give thee of the dew of heaven, yet he after adds the fatnesse of the earth: but in blessing Esau, ver. 39. he begins with the earth, Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatnesse of the earth, and of the dew above. In like manner God gives his truly beloved Israel, the dew, the desire, and love of heaven in the first place: but to the Edomite, first the fatnesse of the earth; and according as their desires are set, so also are their loves; this mans to the world, and the others to God. And by these their loves, as by certain and infallible rules, ye may know and discerne what they are.

CHAP. XX. The love of the heavenly Angels unto man.

IN this Chapter of Angels, my Authour is very large, and attributes mare unto Angels, then I can finde sufficient ground for; therefore I shall abbreviate▪ and deliver no more from him, then I conceive is warrantable. Which is,

In Scripture we have no mention of an An­gel, untill the world was above nineteen hun­dred years old;Gen. 16.7. and who that Angell was, that appeared and talked with Hagar, is questioned By the learned; among which, many are of opi­nion, that it was God himself, for that he said, ver. 10. I will multiply thy seed; and that she an­swered, v. 13. and called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me.

But if this were not God, but a created An­gell, the question may be, wherefore Moses so faithfully and fully speaking of Gods works in that great Creation, neither then, nor in all the time since, till this of Genesis, hath any word of an Angell. Some are of opinion, that Moses writing more especially to his Countrymen the Jews, omitted the history of the Angels creati­on, lest the Jews, over apt (as the most simple people are) to Idolatry, might by it have fallen into such an esteem of them, as to have adored them. Or, Moses writing his history of the Creation in brief, exprest onely what more di­rectly concerned man to know concerning his duty and service to God; yet when he finds a [Page 59]just and necessary cause, he then omits not to speak of them, as in this story of Hagar.

Now what they are, though we have not in Scripture any exact discourse or definition of their natures, yet the Psalmist hath exprest the end and office why they are created, when he saith, God shall give his Angels charge over thee, Psame 91.11. to keep thee in all thy waies; and this that they may the better do, he adds in another Psalme, He maketh his Angels Spirits, Psalme 114.4. his Ministers a fla­ming fire, or a flame of fire, as the Apostle ren­ders it. Which summed up, the result will be,Heb. 1.7. that Gods good Angels are created for the good and benefit of Gods good servants on earth; to whom, under, and from God, they are in a kinde of ministery or service, as is expresly spoken by the Apostle, Are they not all ministring Spirits, Hebr. 1.14. sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation? And Psa. 34.8. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him, and delivereth them And that they may do God ser­vice for mans good, God hath made them for their activenesse, agile and swift, as Spirits, and for their fervency and zeale in discharge of their office, as a flame of fire.

The Scripture is plentifull in the confirma­tion thereof; therefore when Hagar is blessed in the promise of a great issue,Gen. 16. it is done by an Angell; and when she and her son were in a fa­mi [...]hing distresse, they receive their comfort by an Angel; Gen. 21.17. and they were Angels that brought and delivered Lot out of the fire in Sodome. Gen. 19. [...]15.

When King Hezekiah and the people of Ju­dah were in eminent danger to be swallowed up and destroyed by the vast and potent army of the Assyrians, 2 Kings 19. then the Angel of the Lord smote of the Assyrians in one night 185000. And we [Page 60]finde the three servants of God cast into the fiery Furnace, when God sends his An­gell, and delivered them that trusted in him; then Daniel cast into the Lions Den; Dan. 3.28. we see in the same place the Angel of God shutting the Lions mouths, Dan. 6.22. that they cannot hurt him. And the blessed Babe Christ, his Mother, and supposed Father, being in jeopardy of their lives, by that blood-sucker Herod; Matth. 2.13. behold the Angell of the Lord counsels and guides them forth from the malice and rage of that tyrant. And an Angel of the Lord did as much for Peter, Act. 12.8 when he was cast into prison, and ready the same night to have been destroyed by another Herod.

Many rare examples have we of the delive­rances of Gods servants out of great and immi­nent dangers, and of other their helps and com­forts, in time of need and distresse, by the hand and help of Gods ministring Spirits, the good Angels. To shut up all, they were Angels who pronounced John the Baptist to be the light and forerunner of the Messias. [...]. 1.13. Mat. 1.10. They were Angels who proclaimed the birth of the Son of God,Mat. 4.11. our for ever most blessed Saviour. Angels they were, that ministred unto him after his long fast­ing,Luk. 22.43. and that comforted him in his sad passion;Matth. 28.5. and Angels that preached the joy of his resur­rection. Joh. 20.12.

Thus farre we may safely go and with the warranty of Sacred writ pronounce to Gods glory and his mercy, the loving offices perfor­med by Angels to Gods dear servants; but to say as my Authour and diverse otherwise learned Divines do, that every particular▪ man hath his Tutelar guardian Angel to attend, guide, and protect him, I cannot say; for the two places by them cited, to prove this, where it is said of the [Page 61] little Ones, Mat. 18.1 [...]. Their Angels in heaven do behold the face of God which is in heaven, and that where it is said of Peter, It is his Angel, Act. 12.15. confirme not their Tenet; For by their Angels, and his An­gel, in those two Texts, may be understood these or such Angels as God had especially appointed as helps for them, and yet not that thence it should necessarily and generally follow, that every man hath, and is to have his particular Angel; But in this I will not be peremptory, but submit my opinion to the judgment of the better learned, and so from the love of God and Angels I will follow mine Author to speak of the love of man to man.

CHAP. XXI. Of the love which man oweth to his neighbour.

WHen the Pharisee demanded of our Saviour Christ which was the great commandement in the law, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, Mat. 22.36. &c. This is the first and great comman­dement: and the second is like unto it, Thou s;halt love thy neighbour as thy self: on these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets: whence it appeareth that the love of our Neighbour is next unto and a declaration of that former of our love to God.

And that it is so farre necessary, that when the Pharisee only asked which was the great commandement, Christ not only answered him directly to that, but thought it requisite to adde [Page 62]what the hypocriticall Pharisee least cared for to know, or practise, namely what God had commanded touching his neighbour: yea and S. Chrysostome addes, that in some respects prea­chers have more cause to inforce this doctrine of love to our neighbour, then that of our love to God, for that all things which we see, feel, have and enjoy, prompt and move us to this, whereas there are many and severall occasions daily offered through our words, bargains, transactions, and private interest, to divert or lessen our love to our neighbour, and therefore I shall set you down some reasons moving to, and confirming the necessity of this duty.

And the first shall be, that our Saviour Christ gave us this commandement, which indeed is in the nature of an inestimable legacy, even then when he was to depart this life, and to leave the world; and we usually say, and hold it true, that the charge or gift of a dying friend sticks and works most in the heart of the friend living, and therefore Christ at the last point as it were before his passion speaks unto his disciples, and in them unto us, saying, My time is short, and I finde death approaching,Joh. 13.34▪ before which, I have one especiall remembrance to give you, that you love one another, and that in no ordi­nary way, or according to the course of this world, but so to love one another even as I have loved you, who conversed with you kind­ly, communicated all to you friendly, and have truly laid down my life for you; There­fore my last Will and Legacy to you is, that as I have loved you that even so yee love one another.

And to strengthen, yea to sweeten this gift of command, Christ in the words following gives a good reason; for, saith he, by this kind [Page 63]of love among you, as by a cognizance or badge all men shall know that yee are my disciples: and I this will prove if not in the eyes and estimati­on of the world, yet I am sure in the hearts of all good men, in the esteem of Saints and An­gels, and in the eyes of my heavenly Father, a peece of great honour unto you to be know through your mutuall love to be my disciples.

The brethren of Joseph fearing that he might call to minde and revenge the injuries done un­to him by his brethren,Gen. 50.16. they sent a messen­ger unto Joseph, who said unto him, Thy Father did command before he dyed; forgive I pray thee now the trespasse of thy brethren and their sinne: which words of his dying Fa­ther when Joseph heard, he wept faith the text, and spake kindly unto them, and not only ex­prest his love by words and tears, but he comfort­ted and nourished them and their little ones: and the like love with Joseph, if we have any bowels toward so dear a friend, our Lord and Master, as Christ was, we will shew for his sake, who dying commanded us so to love one another, as he loved us who gave his life for us.

And yet lest as Christ foresaw and foretold that in the last days, as iniquity should increase, so charity would wax cold, and thereby both our love to such a dead friend, and for his sake to our neighbour would grow faint and dye, he therefore gives us a second reason to love our neighbours, which with man may happily work more then the former, because it contains in it the unspeakable benefit and reward acquired by this love to our neighbour, and this benefit is no lesse then the kingdome of heaven, with the full fruition of all the unutterable and uncon­ceivable joyes with Christ for ever. All which [Page 64]are evidently and expresly promised and annex­ed to this love; for when God in the Law and our Saviour in the Gospel have pronounced life and the kingdome of heaven to those that keep and fulfill the law, and their commands, the Apostle as the Embassadour of God hath plainly pronounced and proclaimed that love is the ful­filling of all this law; Rom. 13.10. & indeed our Saviour him­self spake no lesse (and from it this our Apostle might take his Commission) when he said,Mat. 22.40. on love depends all the Law and the Prophets.

Neither doeth the reward of our love to our neighbour terminate and end in this great bles­sing declared, but it works before it comes to that, and produceth singular and infinite bles­sings, therefore our Saviour before he com­mends the keeping of this commandement of love to his disciples,Joh. 14.14. he prefaceth, what ever yee shall aske of God in my name that will I doe: then in the next words he subjoyneth, as the means to obtain this wonderfull grant and blessing, say­ing,v. 15. this is to be performed if yee love me and keep my commandements, that is, to love one another. And yet as though this were not the halfe of that blessed reward which Christ an­nexeth to this love, he goes on saying, it you love,v. 16. I will give you the Comforter who may a­bide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, intimating hereby, and that plainly, that as by love we receive the comfort of the holy Spirit and truth, so without it, neither truth nor comfort will or can dwell or abide with us.

And which is a third reason to incite and stirre us to this love, nature it selfe infuseth this love into the heart of man, which in this sympa­thiseth with the sensitive creatures, that all so love and agree together according to their seve­rall [Page 65]kindes, that they not only fall not out among themselves to hurt each other, but feed, nourish, flock and herd together, helping and defen­ding each other against the assaults and hurts of other enemies to their kind.

And this reason of love drawn from com­mon reason is and ought much to be strengthned by that bond of naturall propagation, for that what God vouchsafed not to other creatures, no nor to his good Angels, he granted unto man as an espe­ciall bounty and sign of his love, that all mankind should proceed from one generall Father, Adam, that so all his posterity as descending from one and the same root, might all love, as being in or indeed as all but one.

I read that when Trajan the Emperor had sent to Pliny Praetor in Sicily to destroy all the Christians there, the Praetor forbore the execu­tion and counselled the Emperor rather to che­rish then extirpate them, for saith he they are a people, which live in obedience to law, they neither rob, nor kill, nor injure any, but live as hating none, but loving all.

And when I read that of S. Paul, love is the fulfilling of the law, I finde that the Apostle in the same text by way of command bids to owe no man any thing, but mutuall love;Rom. 13.18. whence I conclude that love as it is a command from God, so from and by God it is held as a debt, and so injoyned, as that though we daily pay it, yet we should never be discharged from it, but that we should with our days and years grow yearly and daily more in this debt of mutuall love.

But there is a fourth reason perswading and urging this love, which is stronger then that of nature, and this is our spirituall brotherhood, as [Page 66]being not so much one from our naturall pa­rents, as one by our spirituall birth and regene­ration in our baptisme, whereby being united to our head Christ, we are all become members of Christs mysticall body, and this, if any thing, will inforce our love; It was the argument which good Abraham used to Lot, Let us have no breach nor difference betwixt us, but let us love and live in accord; For, saith he, (and he thought he could bring no stronger argument for it then this) me are brethren. Gen. 13.8.

And we Christians may say we are all bre­thren, not by one Father in the flesh, but by one Father which is in heaven, and by one Mother the chast undefiled spouse of Christ, and by these we become heires, not of an estate got by force or fraud and which may be taken away by fire, theeves, injustice or an usurping power, but of an inheritance in the heavens, where nei­ther theef nor usurper shall ever come, to help himself or hurt us.

When S. Paul had shewed how in Christ we are all become one body, 1 Cor. 1 [...] 1 [...]. he then inferres that no one part can pride it selfe over an other, saying, I have no need of thee, but that as members in the naturall body, so much more being members in this mysticall body of Christ, we should be ten­derly compassionate, and not only not to have Schismes and breaches, but much more not to hurt or offend, but rather to help and defend each other from wrong and oppression, and so farre as the law will permit, to act as Moses did when he saw his contreymen to be oppressed or wronged.Exod. 2.13.

S. Chrysostome useth an other metaphor to per­swade this love, when he tells us that this spiri­tuall brotherhood is as the cementing stones to­gether [Page 67]in an arch, or other building, where as the one supports the other, so all united bind and keep all fast and safe together: To which well may that of S. Paul be applyed, that love or peace is the bond of perfection, and therefore,Col. 2.14 Eph. 4.3. keeps the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; In which texts as love is the bond, ligament, or hold-fast of the Christians mysticall body: so it is the bond, uniter, and knitter together of all the perfection that man in this world can at­tain unto.

You see the great, sweet and powerfull effects of this spirituall love, begotten by our baptisme into Christ; which is much cherished, and increased by the Sacrament of his body and bloud. It was not only acted by Caliline, but long before him, and since, (I would I could not say the like of Christians) that they strengthned their leagues, and covenants of holding together, as it were in one, binding each other to defend, and keep them, though they were covenants with hell and death: yet these I say, they entred into, and strengthned by drinking the bloud either of themselves, or others; a covenant we have taken, and received, the Sacrament of the bloud not of beasts, or man, but of God himself; that as we are all members of one body, which is Christ, so we will love one another. In the reall and true performance whereof if we fail, S. Paul tells us that we have not only taken that Sacrament un­worthily, 1 Cor. 11 27. but therein we have taken our own damnation, because, saith he, we did not discern the body and bloud of Christ, but did eate and drink these, as of course and in ordinary, and not con­sidering that if we kept and performed the com­mandement and covenant of love, the seal [Page 68]whereof was the body, and the red inke the bloud of Christ, that then we should have life everlasting in him: but otherwise nothing but infirmities, sicknesse and death. And whether we finde not these sad and deadly effects to have fallen upon us for the want or breach of Gods commandements and our covenant signed and sealed in the Sacrament of Christs body and bloud, judge and seriously think of it while I proceed to

The fifth reason why man should love his neighbour, which is grounded upon the nature of the Law-giver, God; for generally such as the legislator is, such are his laws. So that be the law-maker a bloudy man, his laws savour of cruelty and bloud: whereas be he of a sweet meek disposition, his laws are full of mercy and love. Now God being love it self, his law or command to man that he love his neighbour re­lisheth of Gods own nature, as flowing from it. So that the nearer we come to the fulfilling this law of love, the nearer we approach to the nature of God which is love.

Christ therefore though at first he took not away all legall sacrifices, yet he profest that he would have mercy and not sacrifice, Mat. 9.13. or mercy rather then sacrifice: but so as in the sacrifice of Cain, if it were mingled with the hatred of his brother Abel, he rejected it: and in this or such a sacrifice he saith, I will have mercy and not sa­crifice: and accordingly when the Scribe an­swering Christ according to his own doctrine, that to love our neighbour as our self, Mar. 12.13. is more then all sacrifices, Christ hereupon finding that the Scribe answered discreetly, and to the truth, he said unto him, Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God: which is as much as if Christ [Page 69]had said, thus to teach and so to doe is the straight way to the kingdome of God, and without it there is no other way.

In the Leviticall Law we read that God fin­ding the Jews to be hard hearted and merciless, to incline them to better and more loving dispo­sitions he gave them severall Laws wherein he forbids them to eate bloud, and to boyle the kid in the milke of the damme, and injoyns them to leave the gleanings after harvest for the poor, and some grapes for the passenger, and that eve­ry seventh year the land should have rest, and the benefit thereof to accrew unto the poor. And although Christ was a zealous and strict obser­ver of the Sabbath as consecrated to Gods ser­vice,Mat. 12.27. yet for the necessary reliefe of man he is content to dispense with some part of that days service, and therefore concludes that the Sab­bath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

And according to this law of God and Christ, Moses under the law, and S. Paul un­der the Gospel were so zealous in their loves to their brethren, that the former desires to be blotted out of Gods book rather then his coun­treymen should be destroyed,Exod. 32 and the latter rather then his brethren in the flesh should not be saved, he could wish himself to be separated from Christ, Rom. 9. or excommunicated from the Church.

Some ancient Fathers are of opinion that when Elijah laboured to draw the Israelites from their Idolatry to God,1 King. 17.6. and that himselfe was there involved and driven near to famme, that God sent Ravens a kind of bird which leaves her young, featherlesse and meatlesse to feed him, that thereby he might mollifie the heart of the [Page 70]Prophet to be more tender to his countrey-men, and by his prayer to obtain rain, and the fruits of the earth for them.

And without conjectures the text is plain, that the widow of Zarephah her compassionate love in feeding the Prophet out of her small re­mainder of her little meal and oyle, is recompen­sed with such an increase,1 King. 17.16. that neither her oyle, nor her meal failed so long as the famine con­tinued. So true is that of our Saviour, Be merci­full as your heavenly Father is mercifull; and, Give, Luke 6.37, 38. and it shall be given unto you, good measure (as to the widow last mentioned) pressed down, shaken together and running over: for with the same measure that you mete with all, it shall be measured to you again.

A sixt reason for this law of love is drawn from the end of all good laws, which are made that we may live in security, & enjoy our peace, which is accomplished principally by this love to our neighbour. The old law given to the Jews by which they conceived that they might hate and kill their enemies,Gal. 5.1 S. Paul calls servitude or bondage, but the law of grace which commands love to all, he terms liberty: because as by that law slavery, so by this, liberty is acquired to every state. Again S. Paul building upon the same foundation raiseth his work by bowels of mercies, Gol. 3.12 kindnesse, humblenesse of mind, forbear­ing one another, if any man have a quarrell against any even as Christ also forgave you, even so doe ye; and above all these things put on Charity which (as it is the foundation of all, so it) is the bond of all perfection.

S. Jerome writes of S. John that being through age grown so weak that he was carried by his disciples to the Church, he ever and anon [Page 71]repeated this saying of our Saviour, Love one ano­ther; and being asked by them why so often he commemorated this text rather then any other, he answered, that in this they should fulfill the whole law, insomuch as none could love God unlesse he loved his neighbour. In which others agree saying, that the love of God is the center of all our true love, on which the heart as on a point of the Compasse being set, the other point moves about the whole circumference of the world: and indeed he that carefully observeth the tenor of the Epistles of that beloved and lo­ving disciple S. John, he shall finde this often in­sisted upon, that the love of God and of our neighbour are so inseparable, that he that doth the one cannot but doe the other: for that the love of God necessarily produceth the love of our neighbour.

And therefore when our Saviour before his departure out of the world would set a mark of distinction whereby his disciples should be known from all others, the note or mark was not preaching or prophecying: for happily Judas, Hymeneus, Philetus, Diotrephes or others might say as those of whom Christ speaks, Lord, Lord, have not we prophecied in thy name? Mat. 7.21, 22, 23 nor was the note of distinction the working miracles or casting out devills: for Simon Magus and others in Christs name did the like, and of those and such like Christ saith, I take you not for my di­sciples, Depart hence, I know you not; Joh. 13.35. for my mark is love, and by this men shall know that ye are my disciples, and such as for whom I have prepared a place in my kingdome.

CHAP. XXII. The manner how we are to love our neighbour.

THe Scripture hath given us three rules by which we are taught how to love our neighbour. The first is that of our Saviour, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self; Mat. 22.33. the se­cond is that which Christ likewise prescribes, as I have loved you, Joh. 13.34.1 Cor. 12 12. so shall ye love one the other; the third is that of S. Paul comparing the mem­bers of Christs mysticall body to the parts of mans body naturall.

The loving our neighbour as our selfe is to be understood first as desiring the same graces spirituall and eternall to thy brother as to thy selfe; secondly, wishing in all things else the like to be done to thy neighbour as thou wishest to be done to thy self.

And against this first rule of love we find in the world two offenders, the one in the excesse, the other in the defect, and among the former besides some others whom I might touch, I may not amisse place some preachers in our times, who, as some Physitians, through co­vet of gain or other respects so much intend the cure of others, that they neglect the health of their own bodies: so these by their preaching raise others and lye still themselves in their own sins; of whom and such like I may use S. Pauls words, Thou art inexcusable O man: Rom. 2.1.21. for thou that teach­est another, teachest thou not thy self'? and like­wise [Page 73]wise that of our Saviour, Physitian, thou that professest to cure others, heal thy self.

The Defective Lover hath one scale wherein to weigh himself, and another for his Neigh­bour, which Moses tells us is an abomination before God; yet too many such there are,Deut. 25. who looking into their neighbors vertues or miseries, they see them with diminishing-glasses, whereby they seem little or not considerable, the first as not to be commended, and the latter as not to be pitied: but upon their own sufferings or actions, they look with eyes like multiplying-glasses, whereby their own actions seem un­valuable, and their sufferings intolerable. So that what in himself he fees as a beam, in his brother it is looked upon as a gnat or a straw: whereas did they state their Neighbours case and act to be as their own, then they might judge the better and more uprightly; and this were to love our Neighbour as our self.

But before I pass from the first to the second Rule in loving our Neighbour, I must observe, that there be some who are not capable of this rule to love their Neighbour as themselves, be­cause themselves are such who love not them­selves. And if you wonder who these should be, being that S. Paul tells us, that no man ever hated himself, I must answer you, that the sinners are the men that do not love themselves:Eph. 5.29. for he who loves and follows that which is his ruine and destruction, cannot rightly be said to love himself; and therefore if he love his Neighbour as himself, that is to make his Neighbour a sin­ner as himself: he may be rather said to hate his Neighbour as himself, and not to love him, for that by his wicked love he de­stroys [Page 74]himself and his Neighbour.

The second Rule in loving our Neighbour, Christ gives us,Joh. 15.12. saying, Love ye one the other as I have loved you: and this is that new Command­ment which Christ speaks of, when he saith, A new Commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you: and this is that makes the Commandment new, not the loving of our neighbour, for this, as before is shewed, is as old as the Law of Nature; but to love our neighbour as Christ loved us. Joh. 13.34. This is new, and therefore by Christ called A new Commandment, because given in this new manner of loving, as Christ loved us.

Now that we may love according to this rule, we must learn how Christ loved us, and that is exprest in these words of our Saviour, As my Father loved me, Jo. 15.9. so do I love you: So that now we are to know how God the Father loved Christ his Son: and here we shall finde the Father in his love to his Son (as Man) confer­ring all blessings, graces, and endowments upon him, and so we shall finde him loving Christ his Son. 2. Not for his wealth person, or any such like thing, but freely. 3. That he loved him not in a fit, or for a time, but as Christ is said where he loves,Jo. 13. [...]. to love unto the end. Lastly, though God thus loved his Son, and more then we can express, yet he is content that this Son of his love should dye for the good and salvation of his brethren. And thus as the Father loved his Son Christ; so Christ hath loved us: and as Christ hath loved us, so he commands us to love our neighbour: and this is the second Rule.

The third Rule is taken from the comparison made betwixt the members of mans body,1 Cor. 12. and those of the mystical body of Christ: And here [Page 75]first we shall consider that as in the former the members of mans body, so in the latter the mem­bers of Christ, there should not be any envy or grudging in any one member, be it never so loyw or mean, at the good or prosperity of the other: For as every member hath its particu­lar office; so no one member can say to the other: I have no need of thee: but God having given them distinct offices, whereby the one serveth and helpeth the other, there can be no envious or malignant humor among them; nei­ther if the members of Christ love as those of the body (as they ought) can there be any grudging or repining betwixt Christians which are the members of Christ; for the honorable & rich cannot say to the low and poor, We have no need of you: for they have need of their prayers, their corporal service, and other helps, and therefore are not to be proud over them: nor can the low and poor say they have no need of the rich and honorable, for they have need of their defence from wrongs, and relief in time of ne­cessity, and therefore small cause have they to envy that which affords them defence and re­lief. The eye set on high, despiseth not the foot that goes on the ground: nor doth the foot that treads on the earth, envy the high place of the eye; and so ought it to be with the rich and honorable, and with the low and needy.

Secondly, in our natural bodies the members each are subservient and mutually assisting each to others; the eye by his light guideth the foot from falling, and the hand in working: and the foot and hand return a reciprocal office to the eye, the one in carrying, the other in help­ing and defending the eye. The like may be said of the head to the ear, and of the ear to [Page 76]the head, of the stomach to the rest of the parts, and of the rest of the parts to the sto­mach; and so should it be in the body mystical, that the members thereof may relieve and help each other in all cases and kindes wherein the members are made or become able to help each other.

Thirdly, in the body natural of man, where one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; 1 Cor. 11.29. and when one member is honored, all the members rejoyce with it: and so should it be among the members of Christ, that each may say as S. Paul, Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? Naturalists observe, That Harts and Hinds swimming over a river or stream, the head of the follower is laid on the hanches of the former, and this for­mer being weary, turns about and is supported by the latter. Nay, we daily see, that the Swine, yea and the fearful Deer, if hunted or worried by a Dog, will shelter or strive to help and de­fend each other: and shall these beasts, by the instinct of Nature, excel Christians in the mutual help of each other?

CHAP. XXIII. That we ought to love our Enemies.

TO prove this, we need adde no more to the former Chapter, then to shew, that under our Neighbour, Christ understandeth, and comprehendeth our enemy. And that it is so, we need no further proof, then that which our Saviour manifested in the parable, where when the Lawyer asked Christ, Who is my neigh­bour? Luk. 10.29. Christ told him, that a poor Jew was robbed and wounded, who being neglected by the Priest and Levite, yet was comforted and relieved by a Samaritan: now the Samaritans and Jews being divided in their Religions, as another Gospel hath it, have no dealings toge­ther, witness the same Text, where the woman said to Christ, How is it that thou being a Jew, Joh. 4.9. shouldest so much as ask a cup of water of me that am a Samaritan? upon this Christ, by way of satisfaction to the Lawyers question, demands of the Lawyer, whom he took to be neighbour to the wounded Jew? whether the Jew who passed by not helping him, or the Sa­maritan who hated the Jew? and the Lawyer, as convinced in judgement and conscience, rea­dily and roundly answered, The Samaritan, who helped the Jew whom otherwise he hated, was neighbour to the Jew; and upon that verdict thus given by the Jewish Lawyer, Christ in­ferreth this doctrine by way of exhortation, Go and do likewise; that is, have mercy, and love ' thine enemy.

And what Christ preached here, he practised to the full; for had Christ any so great ene­mies unto him as the Jews, who notwithstand­ing all the good works that he did among and for them, yet hated and persecuted him to his death: and when they cryed loudly to the Judge Crucifie him, he more fervently prayes to his Father to forgive them, and when they madly wished, that his blood might be upon them and their children, he mildly pronounced, that his blood should be shed for them and their poste­rity. Could there be any greater signs of the Jews enmity to Christ? and could there be any greater evidence of Christs love to the Jews? and according to his practice, he gives his law, As I have loved you, even so love ye your neighbour, though he be your enemy.

Notwithstanding this so plain and evident truth, there have not wanted who have urged reasons against this position, as the Rabbies masters or expounders of the Mosaical Law, who feign, that though the Commandment of loving our neighbour, was written by God in the Tables of Stone delivered unto Moses, yet it was written in the heart of man to hate his ene­my. 2. They urge that of our Lord God to Solomon, 1 Kings 3.11. saying, Because thou hast not asked long life, nor riches, nor the life of thine enemies, I have given thee a wife heart: whence they would infer, that revenge on our enemies is as justifiably de­sired as long life. 3. They adde, that David, of whom not onely himself, but God pronounced, that he had walked according to his Command­ments; yet David used many and bitter curses and imprecations against his enemies. 4. To perswade us that this is natural to man, they will tell us, that a childe being offended with [Page 79]any, will soon be pleased, if another will but strike and revenge him upon the person that gave him the offence. 5. They urge some pas­sages of ancient Fathers, who deem this hate of enemies to have been permitted to the Jews, as that of Divorce, for the hardness of their hearts.

To the first argument I may say, That such a Tradition as is alleaged by the Rabbies, is not to be regarded, but to be rejected as frivolous and falfe.

But if any adde, that it should seem by the words of Christ himself, that in Moses's time, or at least before Christ, there was such a Tradition among the the Jews, as that it was permitted to them to hate their enemies, for Christ saith, Ye have heard that it hath been said of old, Mat. 5.43. Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine ene­mie.

To this I may answer, That the words of Christ, It hath been said of old, might relate to the perverse interpretation of the Scribes, who argued, That seeing we are to love our neighbors, that is, say they, our friends, therefore we may hate our enemies: or because God commanded to make no peace with nor to spare the Cana­anites, but destroy them, therefore we might do the like to all our enemies. But to this, or that old saying, we need say no more then what Christ hath said, Ye have heard it said of old, V. 44. Thou shalt hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.

But notwithstanding this, they urge, That by the Law of Moses as much is implyed as the hate of our enemies: for it is said, Thou shalt [Page 80]not hate thy brother: Lev. 19.17. Deut. 15.7. and ver. 18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people: from which Texts and the like they would infer, That they may hate and avenge themselves on all but their brethren, and the children of their own people, which were the Jews onely, and therefore all the rest they might hate as their accounted enemies.

But to this we answer, That it is an impli­cation of their own making without ground from the Text, which may be proved from other Texts, which command the love of our enemy, and the Spirit of God doth not, can­not command contradictions: Now God com­mands, If thou meet thine enemies beast straying, Exod. 23.4. Prov. 25.21. thou shalt bring it back to him, that is, to thine enemy: and Solomon, (which words S. Paul, Rom. 12.20 urgerh to our Saviours sense) If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him to drink, and the Lord will reward thee. Here is no sign nor tittle of hate or revenge to our enemy, but quite contrary, to shew him the fruits of our love in doing him good.

And if to any the hate of our enemies seem natural, I must say, It must be to such as are of a perverse corrupted Jewish disposition, and not to the nature of a true Christian: for can any man conceive that God who is love, and is most delighted with mercy and love, should in­fuse into the heart of man, created after his own image, hatred and revenge, and that against his neighbour, his brother, who likewise bears the image of his Maker, who is Love?

That David used imprecations against many, is not to be denyed, but denyed it must be, that it was against them because simply his enemies, [Page 81]but rather against them as Gods enemies, not his. 2. The imprecations were not against their per­sons directly, as to the destruction of their soul or body, but against them as they were sinners. 3. It was for the conversion of sinners, and that Gods glory might appear either by their con­version or destruction, and not to the satisfying his own revenge.

Observe I pray with me, That David in his Psalms is often said to hate, but what? sin, not the man; for so Psal. 101. v. 3. I hate the work of them that turn aside. Psal. 119. v. 104. I hate every false way. Ver. 113. I hate vain thoughts. Ver. 163. I hate lying; and if once, as Psal. 139. v. 21. he be found to hate them, the per­sons, yet observe, v. 22. he is said to hate them with a perfect hatred, which hate can onely be such, when it is against that which God hates, the sin, but not the person of the man, which is an imperfect hatred, and against charity, and such an hatred God abhorreth: Hear David speak as to his rebellious Son Absolom, his trea­cherous Cousin Joab, and foul-mouth'd Shimei, Psal. 7.4, 5. If I have rewarded evil to mine ene­my, let him persecute my soul, tread down my life, and lay mine honour in the dust.

And to that of Solomon, because God com­mended and blessed him for not desiring the blood of his enemies, from hence to conclude, that he might have hated or revenged himself upon his enemies, is all one as to say, God loves and blesseth the humble, the chaste, and the sober: therefore a man may be proud, la­scivious, a glutton, or a drunkard.

But passing by what is, or may be ar­gued in desence of hate, or revenge to our enemies; it is easie to shew, and prove [Page 82]that it is unnatural, and against the law of God so to do: and that the contrary, to love them, is not onely commanded, and praised as natu­ral, but easie to be performed even by the Heathen.

The royal Prophet David saith, Thy law is sweeter and more pleasant to me then honey,Psa. 19.10.or the honey-comb: and our Saviour Christ speaking of his Law, which is this, to love and not hate our enemies,Matth. 11.30. he calls it, though a yoke and a burthen, yet such as he professeth to be easie and light. But we must consider to whom it is such, not to the carnal worldling and meer natural man, but to his disciple, whom he understands to be a new creature, born and begotten▪ by the Spirit of grace, and then to such a nature it is as natural to love his enemy, as it is natural to the other to hate him.

The reason is, for that as the Elements of Earth and Water, though of themselves ponde­rous and heavy, yet while they are in their own place they press not, nor are burthensom: So is the love of an enemy in an heart spiritual: And as the armour of Saul before David was exercised in bearing arms, was cumbersom unto him, but after much use and practise in the war, he could wield the great Sword of the Giant Goliah, and say as he did to Abimelech, There is none like unto that; 1 Sam. 21.9. even so fareth it with him who hath practised and exercised him­self in this holy duty of loving an enemy, which an humble spiritual use and exercise will make not onely tolerable, but joyous and delight-full.

May not this and much more be confirmed by the examples of Joseph, who being sold trea­cherously by his brethren,Gen. 45. wept over them, feasted [Page 83]them, and plentifully provided for them? of Moses, who being murmured against by his Subjects, and grosly slandered by Corah, Numb. 16. Da­than and Abiram, who endevoured to disgrace and dethrone him; yet then, even then he cea­sed not to labour with God to preserve them, whom otherwise the Lord in his just anger would have consumed? of David, who not onely would not suffer his Soldiers to knock down that railing Shimei, but forgave him; and when his unnatural rebellious Son Absolom con­spired not only the deposing, but the killing him, yet he then cryes, Spare the life of the yong-man: who being slain against his will, he with floods of tears bewails his death, and as desirous to have saved his life by the loss of his own, cryes out, Absolom my son, my son Absolom, 2 Sam. 18. would God I had dyed for thee, O Absolom my son, my son. Now can we conceive that more love then this in Joseph, Moses and David to their greatest enemies, could have been shewed by any other to their dearest friends? So true is this, that love of an enemy in a soul purified and exer­cised with patience, proves not onely conna­tural to it, but most easie and delightful.

Nay further, if any shall say, these indeed were rare examples of men extraordinarily en­dowed with heavenly gifts of faith, love and pa­tience, and to these, and such as these, it was no hard matter thus to love their enemies: To this let me reply and tell you, that Heathens who, as S. Paul speaks of them, know not God, yet by the light of reason, and by the help of humane patience alone, have come near to these most illightned and sanctified men, and there­fore the art of loving your enemies, is not so hard a thing to the naturall man, if he would give his minde to it.

Augustus Caesar, that great Conqueror and Commander of the World, being in the open streets called Tyrant by an unworthy fellow, re­turned no more then this, If I were as thou cal­lest me, thon couldst not live to call me so a second time. Zino, a Conspirator against Julius Cae­sar, was pardoned by him, and his estate resto­red, and when he had fallen into the like again, yet Caesar again pardoned him, saying, I will see which of us two shall be soonest weary, thou in procuring thy own death, or I in pardoning thy life.

I confess there are ingraffed by God in mans sensitive Soul, the concupiscible and irascible faculties, the one whereof is soon provoked, and the other as soon desires and delights in re­venge: but on the other side you must know, That God hath placed in the reasonable Soul the Understanding and Will; so that be thy Pas­sions as wilde horses, or curst and cruel as ma­stiff Dogs, yet these two (the reasonable Spiri­tual Soul) like the skilful Rider, or the Master of the dogs, can with the whistle or bridle re­train and keep them in, if they will use their own power and authority over them.

If any ask me, May I not sue my neighbour or mine enemy, who hath taken or kept away my goods? or may I not implead him who hath robbed me of my good name? I briefly an­swer, Yes, so it be for restitution of the one, or reparation of the other, and without hate or re­venge to his person. Nay, this thou art bound to do in a triple obligation; the one to God for the honour of his Power and Justice in punish­ing violence and iniquity: the second to thy self, who art bound to love thy self before thy neighbour: the third to thy neighbour, be he in this case as in place of an enemy, yet thou are [Page 85]bound to sue and implead him, that by a moderate and lawful chastisement, he may see his faults, repent, and do no more so, and hereby thou shalt in part, and as much as in thee is, save his soul, which is no piece of hate, but a great part of love, that thou shouldest bear to thy neighbour.

If it be yet urged, that the voyce of the blood of Abel cryeth to God for vengeance;Gen. 4.10. and that the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, cry with a loud voyce, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, Rev. 6.9, 10. dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

The general answer to the cryes of Gods Saints or holy ones (living or dead) to God for vengeance, is, That these as holy ones and Saints, desire nothing against, but according to his will. 2. Not so much, or not directly to the torture of their persons, as to the destruction of their violence, rapine and murther, under which the Saints and holy ones suffer.

And to that place more especially of the souls crying, How long, O Lord, dost thou not judge and avenge? know, that these souls in the 6^th chap. v. 9. are the same with them who ch. 7.9. clothed with white robes, and palm sin their hands, cryed with a loud voyce, Salvation; and herein is no destruction. 2. These souls being the same with them, cannot be deemed to pray, for ought more then what is suitable to Christian do­ctrine, and the kingdom attained by it, which cannot be revenge, or that such holy ones should desire it, but that which they desire, is, 1. That Gods justice may be seen in his vengeance on those persecutors of his holy Martyrs. 2. That God would shorten the time of those ten Roman [Page 86]Persecutions, and of the suffering of those Mar­tyrs, and hasten his judgement. 3. That the kingdom of Sin may be the speedier destroyed, and the bodies of the persecuted Martyrs be the sooner glorified, and in all this there is nothing that savours of an uncharitable hate, or desire of revenge to their enemies.

CHAP. XXIV. Motives and Reasons inducing love to our Enemies.

AND the first main reason may be drawn from the Author and Maker of this Law, which is Christ, God blessed for ever. Who tells us,Matth. 5.14. Ye have heard of old that ye may hate your enemies: but I say, Follow not all that you have heard, but that which I tell and instruct you, who am the Way, the Truth and Life it self, and I say, Love your enemies.

Now concerning mans carriage or demea­nour to his neighbour, we have three several Laws and Law-makers: the one Law is that of a friend to love his friend, which though it may and should be from God, yet very often it is from the world and worldly respects; Christ himself intimateth little less, when he saith, When thou makest a dinner, Luk. 14.12. call not thy friends, nor thy rich neighbours, as though this were the use or law of the world, to love and make much of their friends. The second, is of an enemy to an enemy, each of which hunt and take all occasions to prosecute one another with vexa­tious law-suits and quarrels; and the maker of this law is the Devil, who, as Christ witnesseth, [Page 86]is a murtherer from the beginning. The third and last law is this, not only of love to a friend, John. 8.44. but to an enemy, and this is Gods, when he saith, But I say, love your enemies.

It hath ever held as just and reasonable, to give reverence and obedience to good Laws; partly for the respect we shew to the Justice, Wisedome and Integrity of the Law-giver. With the disciples of Pythagoras the Philoso­pher, it was enough to say, he our master spoke it; and this with them was confirmation suffi­cient of the saying. We reade of the Rechabites, that because they had obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab their father, Jer. 35.18. therefore there should not want a man to stand before God for ever. And of Laban it is recorded, that when he purposed mischief against Jacob, he desisted, and chan­ged his enmity into good: why? for saith he, The God of your father spake unto me, Gen. 31.29. saying, Take heed, that thou speak not unto Jacob either good or bad, or from good to bad; and this authority Laban the Syrian, though an Heathen and an Idolater, obeyed.

Now the Author of this precept is no less, but the same who spoke unto Laban, who now saith, I who am the King of kings, and Lord of lords, I who from the beginning have created and made all, I who from the beginning to the end make Laws, and punish the breakers of them; and none can deliver; I, even I give you this law to be observed for ever, Love your enemies.

And this being the law of God, then whe­ther the law of Duels, so understood, and pra­ctised in these latter and worser times, be the law of God or of Devils, judge ye: and be­think your selves in time, whether he the same [Page 88]God that gives this law of Love to out enemies, will not judge and severely punish the despisers of his authority, and the breakers of this his just and sweet Law with everlasting hell-fire.

A second reason may be drawn from the love of this Law-giver God unto his enemies, and he saith,Matth. 5.45. I that give my light to shine upon the good and on the bad, and send my rain on the just and on the unjust, and so impartially, that if my rain of afflictions fall first on the just, yet my Suns prosperity doth first shine on the bad. And again, I who not onely pardoned my persecu­tors and murtherers, but dyed for all my great­est enemies; I who have done this and more, give you this law, wherein if you have any thing of children, disciples, or Christians in you, ye will imitate and obey me, for it is I who say and command, Love your enemies.

And see further, that when this Law-giver Christ had given this command of love to our enemies but in general in the fifth Chapter of S. Matthew, in the next Chapter he teacheth the manner how we should love them, when in his most divine Prayer he bade them to forgive them, Mat. [...]. as they wished and prayed that God would forgive themselves: and to give them an exam­ple not onely in the general, which was not yet so sensible to all, he shews and gives us a patern of this his love, when a night or two before his passion, he not onely washeth the feet of Ju­das, but he feasts him with the rest of his A­postles; and though he knew him to be a Thief, an Apostate, and a Traytor, yet as though he had forgiven him, he calls him friend. And it is the. reasonable conjecture of an ancient Father, That to the Thief who dyed with Christ, and heard him pray for, and to [Page 89]forgive his enemies, it became an especial mo­tive to his belief, and thereby to his Salva­tion.

A third reason for this love to our enemies, is the benefits redounding thence to our selves: For my Names sake (that is,Isa. 48.9 for mine honor's) and for my praise, saith God, I will refrain (and not revenge or punish) and man loving and pardoning his enemies, is made partaker of this honour and praise with God. How often, Mat. 18.21. saith S. Peter to Christ, shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? where the remitter of his enemies injuries is called by the Apostle a forgiver: and is not this a great honour, and highly to be esteemed, to participate in the like title with God, to be a forgiver? But (hear on) he that is out of charity, and fostereth en­mity in his heart, is like a man wounded or sick of an hectick Feaver; now the first means to cure and recover this infirm person, is to wash away the corrupted blood, and to purge out the putrefied humor, which is the rancor and hatred burning in the soul, and this is effected by love, for love casts out hate and revenge; and here­in thou dost thy self, and not thy enemy the good.

But again consider, if thou wert to appear before a Judge whose Son thou hast killed, wouldst thou shew thy hands to that Judge all reaking in his Sons blood? The case is much alike in him who prays for mercy and forgive­ness from Christ the great Judge, while his heart and hands are full of malice and revenge to his brother, who is the image and Son of the Father which is in heaven. I shall not need to adde what Christ the Judge hath determined in this case,Mat. 18.33.in that Parable of the merciless fellow-servant, [Page 90]to whom when his Lord, which is God, had forgiven him his debt of ten thousand ta­lents, yet he would not forgive his fellow an hundred pence. Now the sentence of this mer­ciless wretch, is pronounced by the just Judge of all the world in these words; O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all, not a part, but all thy debt, and shouldest not thou have had compas­sion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? but sithence thou art so uncharitable, hear thy unreversible doom, Thou shalt be de­livered to the Tormentors the Devils, till thou hast paid all thy debt, which thou canst ne­ver do.

But notwithstanding all this, how many finde we profest Christians,Rom. [...].4, 5. who despising the riches of Gods goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffer­ing, after the hardness of their impenitent hearts, treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and all through their hatred, en­vy, and revenge toward their brethren? For have we not many, too too many, who not onely practise, but profess their rancor to those that have offended them, or to those whom without any just cause they love not, and not onely pro­fess this, but have left it as apart of their last Will, as David did to his Son Solomon, to pu­nish such as Joab and Shimei, who had offended him? We have read of Esaus malicious re­vengeful heart toward his brother Jacob, when he said,Gen. 27.41. The dayes of mourning will come, and then will I slay my brother; and of Saul, who so long nourished a malicious thought to destroy David, and that of Absolom, who for two years space made fair professions, eating and drinking with his brother Ammon, 2 Sam. 13. whose direful soul never ceased boiling in revenge, until he had killed [Page 91]him at a feast, perhaps when he was full of wine, and thereby as much as in him lay, with his bo­dy, destroyed his soul also.

S. Paul gives better counsel, saying, Be ye kinde one to another, forgiving one another, Eph. 4.32. as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. And not onely this, but as a mean hereunto, he premi­seth, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away, with all malice: where you may by the way observe, the generation, production and growth of this ha­tred to our neighbour; where the last in the text, malice, is the feed and matter of clamour and evil speaking; as evil speaking and clamour, arise from anger and wrath, and these from a bitter sowre ill-leavened soul. And why we should not be angry or malicious, the Apostle gives us the reason, when he saith, Grieve not the holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of love, meekness, long-suffering, and hater of all those that hate their brethren.

A fourth reason to quench this hatred and revenge against our brethren, may hence arise, because God hath openly declared and given sentence against the same. Observe S. Paul, how large he is in one Chapter upon this Theme, who bids us to Bless them that persecute us. Rom. 12. Bless, saith he, and curse not; V. 14.and not onely this, not to curse, but to bless, which though they reach but to heart and tongue, yet he goes fur­ther, and extends his Counsel of Charity to the hand; first negatively, V. 17. Recompense to no man, (not therefore to thine enemy, if he be a man, recompense not to him) evil for evil; then affirmatively, and positively, In stead of evil, do him good: and which comes full home to our purpose, If thine enemy hunger: what?V. 20. cut his [Page 92]throat? no, in no wise, but feed him: and why not rather cut his throat, which is the roarers language? To this the Apostle gives answer, say­ing, v. 19. Avenge not your selves, but give place unto wrath, Deut. 32.35. for it is written, Vengeance is mine, therefore not to be usurped by any, nor to be practised, but where I have given Authority, And as it is my proper prerogative, so I, and I alone will repay, saith the Lord, for besides me none have that Power, that Justice, that Pati­ence, that Wisdome as I have, except those whom I have constituted in my stead, and given them part of my Spirit for the discharge of that office.

And this the Lord hath not onely spoken or threatned, but practised and performed. Cain we know was an hater and murtherer of his bro­ther Abel, and was the blood of Abel unrevenged for this, because his father Adam would not or could not punish and execute Justice upon him? no,Gen. 9.6. but the same God that said, Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed, will by the hand of man revenge the cause of the murthered upon the murtherer. This Cain found, and said, It shall come to pass for this my murthering my brother,Gen. 4.14. that every one that findeth me shall slay me; and so it came to pass that Lamech killed Cain: for so that Text is interpreted,Gen. 4.23. when Lamech saith, I have slain a man; and though Gods vengeance did seem in this act to sleep long, (for by computation Cain was the third great Grandfather to Lamech) yet at last it did awake, to prove that vengeance is the Lords, who in his time will repay: And I could be large in the proof of this assertion, but I shall pass all by, with that one piece of Gods just vengeance upon Amalek, concerning whom [Page 93]God saith, I remember what Amalek did to Is­rael, 1 Sam. 15.2. how he laid wait against him, (which was above 300 years before this was spoken) now therefore go and smite Amalek, and utterly de­stroy all that they have, and spare none of them.

CHAP. XXV. To pardon is a sign of honour, and of pusillanimity to revenge.

THis is seen not onely in men and wo­men, but amongst the beasts also: a Cur­dog is sooner provoked, and follows the offen­der with barking and biting, then a Mastiff, whereas the Lyon, unless very hungry or pro­voked, seldome pursues a man to destroy him.

Julius Caesar, that great Roman Emperor, excelled more in pardoning, then in conquering his enemies, of whom Tully gave this high E­logy, That he forgot nothing but injuries: and it is written of the Lacedemonians, That they desired of their gods not to be cruel to their enemies, for that they conceived a vindicative and revengeful soul, never acted that which was truly glorious.

The Almighty God by his Prophets and A­postles is said to be rich in mercy, Joel 2. Heb. 2. Neh. 9.16, 17. but never in punishing; and richer in this then in any thing else, that when the Levites had acknowledged what wonderful things God had done for the Israelites, and that notwithstanding all his bles­sings [Page 94]to them, they dealt proudly, and hardned their necks, and obeyed not his Commandments; yet for all this they confess of God to his glo­ry, That he is a God ready to pardon, or a God of pardons, and not onely not a punishing God: but (as it follows there) God is gracious, merci­ful, slow to anger, and of great goodness; And indeed go through the whole Book of God, and ye shall not finde God so much extolled for any attribute of his Power, Wisdome, or Justice, as for his Mercy, in pardoning injuries done unto him.Numb. 14.17. Accordingly when God was minded to have destroyed the rebellious Isra­elites, Moses findeth no stronger argument to incline him to mercy, then by praying, Let the power of my Lord be made great, according as thou hast spoken; Exod. 36.6. saying, The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and trans­gressions: Psal. 10.3, 8. Pardon (therefore) I beseech hee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy: So that by the greatness and riches of his mercy, his Omnipotency is made most glorious.

And as God is most pleased with this attri­bute of Merciful, as conducing most to his glory: so in imitating God herein, man most proves himself to be his Fathers own childe: for as our Saviour spake of the hard-hearted re­vengeful Jews,Joh. 8.44. Ye are of your father the devil, who was a murtherer from the beginning: so saith he, Love your enemies, Mat. 5.45. and do good to them that hate you, that you may be the children of your Fa­ther which is in heaven; intimating, that by this act and disposition of the heart, ye may prove your selves the true born Sons of God your Father.

And such as cross and oppose this doctrine [Page 95]of our Lord Christ, saying in heart or tongue, it is baseness and cowardize to put up an affront without taking revenge; I must pronounce that man not onely a bastard, as S. Paul calls such, & no son of God, but an heretick to Christs do­ctrine, whose precept is, Love your enemies. We reade, that our Saviour told his disciples, that for his sake they should suffer, and forsake estates, wife, children and life, but never that they should suffer for his name or doctrine, any loss of reputation or honour: whence it will easily follow, that to obey Christs command in pardoning the offences of our neighbour, and in loving our enemy, we lose not, but gain that which indeed with God and good men is truly called and known to be honour.

To incline mans heart to this duty, is the consideration of that trouble and torture which hate and revenge brings into the soul of man. This appears by many instances in holy Writ: Cain, after the murther of his brother, became a fugitive in the land of Nod, Gen. 4.14. which signifieth dis­quiet; and he is a vagabond not onely to o­thers, but to himself, wandring with fear and torture of minde, as a man distracted and ter­ [...]ified, fearing himself, or, as we say, his own shadow: and Lamech having, as the general opinion is, slain his thrice great Grandfather Cain, he saith, I have slain a man to my wound­ing; Gen. 4.23. though it were done ignorantly, and by a misadventure, yet that manslaughter was a wound to his own heart. Good God, what wound must that be then to the heart of him who meditates and useth all the means he can to destroy that image of God which Christ the Son of God so loved, that he vouchsafed to dye for it! When Abigail laboured to pacifie [Page 96] David, 1 Sam. 25.31. incensed and purposed to kill the Churl Nabal, though a man of no worth or esteem, she useth this argument, This shall be no grief nor offence of heart unto my Lord, that thou hast not shed blood, or that thou hast not avenged thy self; and David considering what a cor­rosive the act if committed would have been to his conscience,V. 32, 33. saith, Blessed be the Lord which sent thee with this counsel, and blessed be thy ad­vice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me from shedding blood.

It is observed, that the Bee having shot her sting, and wounded what offended her, she ei­ther soon after dyes her self, or continues but as an half liv'd drone, and as despised of others, so disconsolate and careless of it self: and it can be little other, if not worse, with that man who seeks revenge on his neighbour: for the edge or point of that sword which killed his brother, pierceth and woundeth the soul of the slayer; and as the wise-man speaks of sorrow and wrath,Ecclus. 30.23. so may I of this, It shortneth the life, and hath killed many.

Another reason to pardon the injuries done us by our enemy or neighbour, is, that the stroke comes not so much from our enemy, as from God, and thereby that we may reap bene­fit and no hurt, if we will our selves. Although Joseph had said, Ye my brethren sold me to the Egyptians, yet in the same verse he addeth, God sent me into Egypt. Gen. 45.5. His brethren sold him, but God sent him. And when Shimei cursed Da­vid,2 Sam. 16.10.David would not revenge himself on Shi­mei (this had been to have imitated the dog who bites the stone thrown at him) but he pas­seth by the reviler or railer, not saying, Where­fore hast thou done this? and he gives the [Page 97]reason for it, for the Lord, saith he, bade him curse David. The King of Assyria is called the rod and the staff of Gods indignation; Isa. 10 [...]. Psa. 37.14. and the Prophet saith, The wicked have bent their bow, and drawn out their sword to slay the godly: what then are the godly to do? to draw their swords and kill the wicked? (which in case of defence, and backed by lawful authority, is justifiable:) no, but they are to consider what follows in the next verse,Psa. 17. Their bow shall be broken, and their sword shall enter into their own, hearts: and when or how shall this be? see that where it is said [...]he wicked, and so the sword of the wicked is Gods sword, who can­not rise or strike, unless God speaks as be doth,V. 13. Awake O sword and smite. Zech. 13.7. Now thine ene­mies being Gods rod, his staff, his sword, what man is so mad as to resist this sword, or to break this staff, and not rather to kiss the rod, because it is Gods, and that it is not laid on for thy de­struction, but correction, and not to hurt and wound, but to chastise thee, and make thee better?

Job, the upright and just man, when he was robb'd of his goods and cattel, had his houses burnt, his children slain, and his body filled with botches and sores, neither chargeth these on the Chaldeans, Sabeans or Egyptians, nor on the fire, no nor on the Devil himself, but acknow­ledging the hand of God in all, gives God thanks for all, saying, It is thou Lord who ga­vest all, that hast taken away all, and blessed be thy name; that is, the power and mercy of the Lord: and in all this Job sinned not, Job 1.21. nor char­ged God foolishly; but wisely and thankfully entertained these sufferings, as great benefits and blessings from the Lord.

We finde S. Paul vehemently afflicted, com­plaining of the thorn in his flesh, 2 Cor. 12.7. and the messen­ger of Satan buffetting him; suppose these to be like unto the wrongs and injuries done thee by thine enemies, and then learn by S. Pauls exam­ple how to behave thy self in this case where we hear the Apostle praying thrice, that is, earnest­ly and often, that it might depart from him: and though his Saviour had promised, that what­ever he asked in his name, it should be granted; yet in this case S. Paul is not heard, but his suf­fering is continued, but know why; for though the thorn and the devil b [...] not removed, yet they are continued for his greater good; for by them he hath the presence and assistance of Gods grace, for so the Spirit of God answered, My grace is sufficient for thee: V. 9. and hereupon the Apostle in stead of grieving, or complaining, most gladly rejoyceth, that the power of Christ may rest upon him; and for this cause he not onely rejoyceth, but, as there he professeth, he takes pleasure in his reproaches, necessities, perse­cutions and distresses, and he gives his reason for all, When I am weak, saith he, to the world and the flesh, then am I strong, and comforted in the Lord; Can there be any greater benefit then this, redounding to the heart of man, while he suffers and revengeth not the hate and wrongs of his enemies? whereby, saith our Saviour, ye are not onely made like to your Father,Mat [...]. 5. [...]8. but are made perfect like your Fa­ther.

And this may satisfie the question, Whether it be of more merit to love a friend or an ene­my? which is answered first by that of our Savior, to love your friends, and those that love you, is to do no more then the publicans and sinners do: [Page 99]and he that doth but this, saith our Saviour, hath his reward in returning love for love: but to love our enemies, saith Christ, is to attain the height and perfection of love, and so be like, and perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect: The old Proverb with the Heathen, was, I am a friend, till I come to be sacrificed for my friend, but then no longer a friend: but God, saith S. Paul, commendeth his love to­wards us, that he would dye for us, Rom. 5.8. while we were yet sinners; that is, as in another place they are called, enemies: so that the height, perfection and merit of Christian love, is seen in the love of our enemies, more then of our friends.

We may urge this duty further, from the great and eternal reward held forth and promised to the lovers of their enemies: in a tempest on the sea; when the ship is tossed, the best way to keep thy brains steady, is to look up to hea­ven, the application is ready at hand: and this course took that holy Martyr S. Stephen, Acts 7.34. who when his enemies gnashed upon him with their teeth as enraged against him, be then, saith the Text, looked stedfastly into heaven, where he [...]w the glory of God, and Jesus on his right hand; and this caused him not onely to pray for himself, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, but to pray for his persecuting enemies, saying, Lord, lay not their sins to their charge.

It is storied of Abraham, that his seed should be strangers in Egypt, where they should serve,Gen. 1 [...].13. and be afflicted 400 years, but that nation God, saith be, will judge; and not onely so, but that his Israel shall go forth out of Egypt with great substance, and after that shall go to their fa­thers in peace, and shall be buried in a good old [Page 100]age: so that the patient suffering of the worlds injuries, is rewarded with freedom, plenty of goods, long life, honorable burial, and peace, that peace of God which S. Paul saith passeth all understanding. Christ, when he gave this law of love to our enemies, hath explained and made it Gospel-proof, when he saith, Hereby ye shall make God your Father: and if he be our Father, then we are his Sons; and if Sons, saith S. Paul, then also we are heirs with Christ in the heavenly kingdom.

The last reason to, provoke us to this duty, may be the example of Christ, and the holy ones, praying for their enemies, and the inevitable necessity, that we cannot in this world live with­out enemies, and therefore are to make, as we say, a vertue of necessity, and therein imitate God, who draweth sweet out of sowre, and good out of evil, and by a godly alchymie, draw patience from their persecution, and praise to God for granting us patience, and a greater reward after all our sufferings.

If some Country, as Crete, Ireland or the like, want poysonous beasts, yet no land or countrey is without contentious rancorous men, yea no village is without some such: for, a [...] David said, so may we, They have compassed me round about, and are as bulls and lyons, roaring and seeking where and whom to devour. I have read of one who foolishly bragg'd, that be had never an enemy in the world: to whom another more wisely replied, saying, Then I conceive you have never a friend: for sure there is not a man living, that hath any thing in him worthy a man, but for his wisdome, his justice, his valour, his honour, or wealth, he shall be en­vied, quarrelled with, pursued or persecuted: [Page 101]so that he that will think to live free from these, must, as S. Paul, go out of this world. In this world, saith our Saviour, unavoidably ye must and shall suffer tribulation; onely be of good comfort, saith the same Saviour, for I have over­come this world, and that by my suffering, and leaving this act and suffering of mine, as an example to you, that as I, so ye likewise should suffer.

For so not onely Moses, S. Stephen and S. Paul did suffer, and yet pray for their enemies and persecutors; but above all let our Lord and Master Christ be as our Law-giver, so in this our pattern and example for imitation, who de­scending from heaven and humbling himself to the ignominious death of the Cross for his desperate enemies, yet then on the Cross, suf­fering under them, prayed for them in these words, Father, forgive them, Luk. 23.34. for they know not what they do; their malice, hatred and revenge is such, that they know not what they do a­gainst themselves, nor what they do against me: yet Father, for this and for this cause, that their malice hath so blinded them, O Father, forgive them. And if this cannot work and perswade you to love, and not to hate and re­venge your selves upon your enemies, I know not what to say, but to leave you to Gods judge­ment, or which I rather desire upon your repen­tance, to his mercy.

CHAP. XXVI. Of Friendship.

OUR Saviour Christ commands us to love our neighbours;Ioh. 15. and Matth. 5. to love our enemies; but I read not that he ever counselled us to love our friends, not that he thought them unworthy to be loved, as more especially comprised under the title of neigh­bour, but he omitted this precept or counsel, for that every one would, as most bound, love them of their own accord; and indeed, Christ himself expresseth so much, when be saith, the Heathen Publicans who are ranged with sin­ners,Mat. 5. [...]6. these love their friends.

But because friendship hath been used and worn as a Cloak, to do and cover much deceit and iniquity, I will therefore follow the method of the Psalmist,Psal. 1. where from describing the wicked, he makes his way to the godly: so here I shall first note the disguises and falsities of counterfeit friends, that avoiding these, we may the better choose and love the true and good ones.

And the first rank of these are like Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.5. Brethren or friends so made and joyned together by the cords, as the Prophet calls them, of iniquity: such are they of whom Solomon speaks, who cry, Come let us lye in wait for blood, come let us fill our selves with strong drink, and come let us take our fill of lust: the world hath, and ever will be too full of such conspirators, not friends. Such were Josephs [Page 103]brethren, when they sold him; such were the Scribes and Pharisees, Herod and Pilate, Jews and Romans, made friends in a most wicked con­spiracy to murther the annointed of the Lord: of these I may say as Jacob, O my soul, Gen. 49.6. come not thou into their secret; cursed be their wrath, for it was cruel: divide them therefore, O Lord, in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

Another rank of false friends are such, who under the cover of sheepskins, get in and play the Wolves to the spoil and destruction of the simple and innocent-minded man; and of this sort was Cain, who as some Rabbies spake,Gen. 4. [...]. kindely entreated his brother to walk into the fields, and when he had him there alone, he flew him; and such was Absalom to his brother Ammon, Joab to Abner, the Pharisees and Ju­das to our Lord Christ: all which, under the pretext and colour of love, betrayed and mur­thered the innocent. With this rank of men, as King David was too well acquainted, so he often complains of, and prayes against them, as being of his counsell, and eating of his bread;Psa. 94. yet while they had butter and oyle in their lips, their hearts and tongues were spears, swords, and very poyson. These to David were more dange­rous then his publick enemies: for, of those, saith he, I could have taken heed, but the others I mistrusted not. The Thief, that robbed in the day, if he were killed,Exod. 22.3, 4. the blood of the killer was to be shed for him; but if he robbed in the dark, and was slain, the killer was not to dye for it: so much are the disguises and works of darkness abominable in the sight of God, more then apert and open villany.

Of these I might counsel, as the Philosophers and wise-men have done, Try before you trust, [Page 104]and l [...]rn to distrust; and seeing all is not gold that glisters, eat a bushell of salt with that man whom you purpose to make your friend: S [...] ­chem paid dear for trusting Simeon and Levi's friendship; so did Sampson in relying on the love of Delilah, and Abner on the fidelity of Joab. The counsel given by the Prophet is seasonable and proper,Jer. 5.4. Take heed every, one of his neighbour, and trust not any brother: for they will deceive, V. 7. they will tell lies, and commit ini­quity, therefore I will melt and try them, saith the Lord.

There is a third sort of false friends, who make shew of love when all tends to their own benefit or advantage. Such are they spoken of by the Prophet,Isa. 1.23. Every one loveth gifts, and fol­loweth after rewards. Such were Jobs friends; such the Prodigals lovers in the Gospel, who like Mice, Whores and Swallows, make love, and frequent your house in the summer of pro­sperity, but in the end prove like Acteons hounds to be your destroyers. The wise-man distin­guisheth and rangeth this kinde of friendship, into a friend for his occasion,Ecclus. [...]. v. 7. v. 10, 11. and to a friend at thy table, and to a friend in prosperity; these are to be tryed as metals, not by colour nor weight, these are deceitful, but by fire, and the hammer: by the fire of danger and adversity, and by the hammer of trouble and persecution: If they will endure and burnish, and look bright under these, take and hold them for good, if not, reject them as counterfeit.

The fourth kinde of false friends, is that who loves for his own delight, be it of thy beauty, feature, or other outward parts or gifts: and these are not unlike to Lice, which so long as the body hath sweat and foul matter, they conti­nue, [Page 105]but no longer: and their love is like the Apple of Sodom, or the beast called Acucena, which in twice handling yields an ill savour. We have Gardens, Parks and Chambers full of these, I would I could not truly say Churches full of such, whose love is most seen in being seen, touched and tasted. But as the flowers of the Garden hold not long their colour or sent, so nor this love. They cry, Let its crown our selves with roses, let us eat, drink, take our fill of love; and suddenly they, as their love is, va­nished, and their place no where to be found. Psa. 37.

Betwixt these false vitious loves, and the true moral friendship, there is a natural love, en­gendered, fostered and encreased by a similitude in the outward shape or inward qualities; and such is that whereof we say, Like loves its Like, and Birds of a feather will fly together: But this being in it self simply neither good nor ill, but may prove either as it is applied and used, I will pass it by.

And tell you what the true moral love or friendship is, and what is required to the birth and growth thereof. Some Philosophers have called a friend another self, understanding thereby, that although friendship be betwixt two, yet that these two had but one soul, that is, but one will and affection in two bodies: so that Tully hath more largely described friendship to be a mutual and reciprocal will and desire be­twixt two, in all good things divine and hu­mane, by which will and desire each studieth the others good, as earnestly and affectionately as his own; yea and so far oft-times, than he preferreth the outward good of his friend, be­fore his own: And that such friendship hath been found, they tell us of Pylades and Orestes, [Page 106]Damon and Pythias, Theseus and Pirithous, who took upon them to be the persons of their friends imprisoned and in danger of life, thereby to hazard their own liberties and lives, for the free­dome and preservation of their friends.

To the setling and confirming of this friend­ship, I shall lay down some conditions, as neces­sarily requisite: First, that there be a kinde of equality betwixt friends, which though the lear­ned Roman Tully allows not, yet with some Grecians it passed as a Proverb, that Amity is Equality, which is to be understood not so much in the outward estate and place of wealth, ho­nour and office, as in the condescension and submission of the reason and will of the one to the other, with a due observation to the place and dignity of the other. And so Jonathan, though the eldest Son of King Saul, became a friend to David a shepherd: for, saith, the Text, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, 1. Sam. 1 [...]. and Jonathan loved him as his own soul; and in this respect may a King be a friend to his Sub­ject: for Christ himself thus calleth his disci­ples and true followers friends, Joh. 15. [...]4, 15. who although he never did nor could devest himself of the glorious Deity, yet to the making good his friendship, he became in all things as man, sin onely excepted; yea, as he called these his friends Servants in the Text before, so that he might prove himself the more their friend, he not onely was found in fashion as a man, and as they, to be a man of no reputation, but more, he took upon him the form of a servant, [...]hil. 2. and accord­ingly shewed it before his passion, when he humbled himself, to the washing his Apostles feet.

A second condition requisite to this confir­mation [Page 107]of friendship, is a community of all com­municable goods. Plato, the great Philosopher, held this so necessary not only for friendship be­twixt private men, but for the general peace in a State, that he banished from his Common-wealth this thing called Mine and Thine, as the onely bane both of friendship and publick peace; which opinion some wise men have approved, with this small distinction of possession and use: So that though the one friend, according to the Law, be the Lord and Proprietary of his Lands and Moneys, yet the use and benefit thereof in case of necessity or conveniency, shall be en­larged to his friend. And surely, as the Apostle speaks, if we have Christ, with him we have all things, for all things are his: so he that hath the soul and the heart of a friend, with and by these he cannot but command for his necessary use his temporal goods; which, as before, he that shall deny in so doing, he denies himself to be a friend.

And this condition hath a great part of its ground from this, That betwixt friends there must be, as before I spake of Jonathan to Da­vid, but one soul or the soul of the one so knit to tho other, that each loveth the other as it were with the same soul. This love is exprest to be betwixt the bridegroom and the bride, Christ and his Church, where she saith, My beloved is mine, Cant. 2.16. and I am his: where first he is made hers by the love of his soul, and then, I am my well-beloved, c. 6.3. and my beloved is mine; she first returns her soul and love to him, and confirms his to her self: and when love hath thus united their souls, all the affections and actions of the soul to say, will, and do the same thing, will follow.

It is storied of two twins, That when the one laughed or cried, or the like, the other did the same: and so it should be betwixt friends, and such friendship or love is commended unto us in holy Writ, not onely by the example of Christs disciples, who were said to be of the same minde, Acts 2. & 4. Rom. 12.15. but by their precept to us, as when it is said, Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, and weep with them that weep: and then in the next words, which causeth this mutual compassion, Be of the same minde one towards another.

And not onely have we this precept, but Christ hath prayed, that we be enabled to the performance hereof, when he speaks to his Fa­ther, Holy Father, Joh. 17.11. keep those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are one: and thus the heart of friends being made one in an honest holy love, the one shall not will, nor ever bear the sway, but they will in some things so submit to the judgement and will of the other, that neither shall seem to over-rule the other, but at the most they shall seem to rule by turns.

And love being thus preserved by the unity of an holy soul, the fourth condition must take its place, That friends must will and desire no­thing but that which is just and honest: Just be­twixt man and man, and from man to God, and honest, that is, of good report. I have read of one Pericles, who being desired by his friend to speak in his cause more then was truth, he answered, True, I am your friend, but no further then to the .Altar; which afterwards become a Proverb a­mong the Grecians, and had this sense, that when they spake as Witnesses, they laid their hands on the Altar, which no friend should dare do, no not for his friend, in a matter of untruth.

'Tis true, that many held this too strict in friendship, when they say, So much you will do for every man, and will you do no more, or have you not a case for a friend? To which I must briefly say, He deserves not to be account­ed a friend, who of a friend requires, more then what is honest and just.

And from hence ariseth another condition in friendship, That the acts and desires of a friend must not solely tend to his own interest and behoof, for this is not just; but equally or by turns mutually to the good and benefit of each other. A picture well drawn, looks from its self casting his eyes and countenance, and as it were with them following the beholder which way foever he turns: and a friend being the image or picture of his friend, should in all good desires, wishes and actions, shew himself like this picture; for otherwise, he that loves another for himself, loves himself and not the other: for the end of his love looks inward to himself, and not outward to him whom he pro­fesseth to love.

To the better cherishing friendship, this sixth condition is somewhat requisite, That there should be as much and as often, as well may be, a mutual interview and conference be­tween friends. The Spouse (such is true love) was at little rest while absent from her beloved: the whole book of Canticles proves this, Where, Ch. 1.7. O where art thou whom my soul loveth? and,Ch. 3.1, 2. by night I sought thee whom my soul loveth; and, I will rise, and go about the city, in the streets, and in the broad wayes, I will seek him whom my soul loveth: and seeking, but not finding, how she bemoans her self to the watch-men; and having found him, she holds him fast,V. 4. and will [Page 110]not let him go, until she had brought him where she might enjoy him whom she so much loved and desired. Absence and silence in friendship, are like frost to the waters, which deprives them of their flowing and yielding their comfort to those that need them; whereas the presence and speech of a friend, is to a friend like the light and heat of the Sun.

I end the conditions requisite to friendship, with this, That friendship should be without end. Enmities among all, but especially among friends and Christian friends, ought to be mortal, every day dying; but their loves must be, if true and from God, immortal: Such was Christs love to us,Joh 15. as himself professeth, saying, Whom I love, I love unto the end; and then as it were by way of Application, he saith, This Command­ment give I unto you, That as I have loved you, so ye love one another: and where he findes not love thus long-lived, but temporising, he blames it, as in the Church of Ephesus, with which Church as he begins, so in it the onely thing he findes fault with,Rev. 2.4. is, That she had left her first love: for this is the love that he shews to man, as by his Prophet he speaks,Jer. 31.3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love. In conclusion, True love most not be like those Creatures spoken of by Naturalists, that live and dye in a day; or like your Pinks or Tulips, flowers of sight and smell, delightful but for a few hours, but like the Oak, the Hart, the Elephant, which are long lived. In a word, it should be as our wives, till death us depart.

CHAP. XXVII. The comfort and benefit of Friendship.

TO set forth the good redounding from friendship, Tully and others, as it were in the manner of proverbiall speeches, used these, That we had not greater need or use of fire and water, then of friendship; and to take this a­way, were all one as to take the Sun out of the firmament: intimating thereby, That man can­not live without friendship. Insomuch as what is generally spoken of health, may as truly be spoken of friendship, That it is such a good, as without which nothing can seem good.

And this good, among many others, alleviates and lessens our griefs, and enlargeth and ex­tends our joyes, by the participation and commu­nication of each of them with a friend. The wise-man therefore saith,Pro. 18. that a friend is better then a brother: and according hereunto, Christ calls not his disciples brethren, but friends. And God himself, to express the great love he bore unto Moses, though his servant, saith, that he talked with him as a friend. To sum up all,Exod. 33. Ecclus. 6.14. the wise-man saith, A faithful friend is a strong defence; and, he that hath found such a one, hath found a great treasure: and in the next verse, A faithful friend is the medicine of life, V. 15. and his excellency is so unvaluable, that nothing doth countervail it. But the same wise-man in the same Chapter, having pointed out many kinds of counterfeit friends, at the 7^th verse coun­sels, [Page 112] If thou wouldst get a friend, prove him first; that is, saith another Translation, Try and prove him in the time of trouble, and be not hasty to credit him, that is, untill thou hast tryed him.

And one thing wherein thou art to try thy friend, is his goodness and vertue: For as the Prophet saith, There is no peace to the wicked; so may I say,Ifa. 57.2 [...]. There is no good lasting peace nor agreement with the wicked, no more then with a tempestuous Sea, to which the wicked is there compared, which is never at rest within it self, nor suffers others to rest that sail in it. There were Nations with whom God forbade his Israel to have any peace or league of friend­ship: And some sins there are, which more e­specially and neerly strike at, and destroy the root of true godly love, so that we cannot covenant or unite with them. In the first Ta­ble the breach of the first and third Precept, and in the second Table the violation of the sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth: But in brief, beware of the man decyphered by the Prophet, who walketh in the counsell of the ungodly, and standeth in the way of sinners, Psa. 1.1. and sitteth in the seat of the scornfull; that man, I say, whose study and counsel is sin, and maketh it a piece of his trade, so that he scorns all just reproof, that man avoid, as in no condition fit to be a friend.

Now as Wisdom, Humility and Meekness are the vertues, in which, as in good soils, we may sow the seed of love and friendship; so Folly, Pride and Anger, are grounds that will never receive the seed of love to any good encrease: not Folly, for as a fool cannot judge, or rightly value the hidden parts of a wise man, thereby to make him his friend; so neither can the wise [Page 113]man see any thing in the fool wherefore he should choose to love him. A fool may, & so may a wise man play and make sport with a fool, but a fool cannot love a fool, much less can a wise man: for the Moon changeth not so often as the fool doth; for his thoughts are as the spokes in the wheel of a Cart, ever moving up and down; and the secrets which thou shalt commit unto him, are, as the wise-man speaks,Ecclus. 19.12. as an arrow that sticketh in a mans thigh, with which he travels to be delivered of, as a woman in labor of a childe.

Nor Pride, for this is apt to beget hate, envy and malice; whereas Humility, as the low and fertile valley, is the best ground for friendship. Again, Pride rejoyceth in it self, and as the Pha­risee, despiseth others; & if he see a mountain or beam of vertue & good in another, he would make it appear but as a mote, or as a mole-hill: where­as on the contrary, the humble soul either seeth no faults in his friend, or he lessens it all he can to the world, and thereby would make his friends errors to be but motes, and his vertues, beams. And when the proud man speaks of his friends good qualities or endowments, he doth it with [...]n if or a but, then the humble doth it catego­ [...]cally and affirmatively, but never forgetting how our Saviour commended John the Baptist, which was not to his face: for this is the mark of a Sycophant or Flatterer: but in his absence, when he shall hear least of it.

A third enemy to friendship is Anger; you may observe, that when God spake unto Elijah, 1 Kin. 19.11, 12. there first came a renting wind, then a shaking earthquake, and after both a burning fire: but the Text tells, that God, the Spirit of meekness and love, was in neither of these, but in a small still or gentle voyce. This, this, and not [Page 114]rage or fury, is the parent of love, and there­fore Moses, who was a meek man, is the onely man to be called Gods friend.

And yet S. Paul teacheth us, that there is an anger that may not be sinful, for so saith he, Be angry and sin not; Eph. 4.26. and anger sins not then, when it makes sin the object or butt of his dis­pleasure; and this anger Moses wanted not, when he brake the two Tables wherein God himself wrote his Law; but if ye observe, this anger was not set against the persons of the peo­ple sinning; for these be bewailed, these he prayed for, and with a wonderful measure of love, when he wished rather that himself should be blotted out of Gods book, then that they should be destroyed: but all his anger was bent against sin, and that not against a petite; out a­gainst a most hainous and abominable sin, gross Idolatry. So that there is an anger in a friend which is not onely tolerable, but commendable, and it is like that of the Prophet, when he saith,Psa. 141.5. Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a great kindeness, and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oyle, which will not break my head.

The Greeks, as the Latines, have distin­guished anger by two words, the one is called [...] and iracundia, by which is understood an ebullition or boiling of the blood, which as it comes from a natural cause, so it oft-times, and in many, is almost as soon gone as it suddenly came: and this usually is found to be a conse­quent of the best dispositions: the other an­ger is termed [...], which is a setled lasting wrath, arising from a malicious heart and a re­vengeful stomach. S. Paul himself seems to allow or favor this distinction, when he saith, [Page 115] Be angry and sin not, Eph. 4.26. let not the Sun go down up­on your wrath, neither give place to the devil; and this latter properly, and not that former an­ger, is it which we here speak against, as being the deadly enemy to true friendship.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Self-love.

WE read not that man is expresly com­manded to love himself, because eve­ry one is so inclinable to it, that the danger lies in our over-love to our selves: yet it is implyed when we are taught to love our neighbour as our self: and under this command is likewise im­plyed what we should not do to our neigh­bour, as not to rob, not to kill him. We should not defraud our selves of what is justly and ne­cessarily requisite for us, much less should we destroy or kill our selves.

And this tacit precept of loving our selves, is so much the stronger, because it is natural, [...]nd ariseth from the first principles infused into man, and never becomes vitious or sinful, until it transgress, or goes beyond the limits prescri­bed unto it: which limits being to love God first above above all things, (and for himself) for that he is the Alpha, the first of all, the first by whom all things were made, and were all made for the exaltation of his glory. And the second limit or bounding of our love, being to our neighbour, who is Gods image, and our second self, and therefore to love him as our self: now when man shall so love himself, as that he loves [Page 116]no other but himself, then this love is corrupted and forbidden as sinful.

And into this sin, as the first and root of all other sins, did our first parents Adam and Eve fall, when the devil tempting Eve, he told her, that by eating the forbidden fruit she should be like God; the inordinate love to her own so great a seeming good, moved her to desire what was forbidden, and thereby to forsake God in disobeying his commands. Pride properly was not the first sin in that Adam or Eve would be like God, but the love of themselves was the cause of that pride.

And as Eve was the first that fell into the transgression of not loving God through her self-love: so very soon after Adam dropt into the same transgression of not loving his neigh­bour; for he, when God called him to an ac­count, took nothing upon himself, nor any way excused Eve, but laid all the blame and sin upon her, which was not to love her as his friend or neighbour: and all this came from self-love.

The devil accusing Job, asks God whether Job served or loved him for nought? wherein his meaning was, That neither Job the upright, nor any other, loved God as they ought wholly for God, but for themselves: Jacob vows unto God,Gen. 28. [...]0. but hear his conditions, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me food and raiment, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God. Might not the devil interpose and ask, Doth Jacob serve God for nought? the like may be said of the mother and the sons of Zebedee, whose thoughts (when Christ drew near his passion) were for honour and precedency [Page 117]above their fellow-Apostles; so that self-love seeketh primarily its own good, though at the cost and charges of another.

And so tender-hearted and loving we are to our selves, that when God hath poured out all the vessels of wine and oyle of his graces, mer­cies and benefits, yet if he require but some small return of a thankful love, expressed by some holy exercises in the Church or at home, how apt are we to say as the Spouse, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? Cant. 5.3. I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? small things about our garments, or our very feet, shall keep us from God: or else we will say as in the Proverbs, There is a Lyon in the way. In our way to God we feign and suppose Lyons, dan­gers of losing liberty or estates, and rather then we will lose or hazard any thing for God, we will swear backward and forward, and serve the devil rather then God, and we think we have excused all sufficiently, by saying we were forced thereunto, for we saw a Lyon in the way; when oft-times this Lyon is of our own ma­king, or fear rather, then that there were any such indeed: and all this is the bastard-brat of [...]lf-love.

And if you ask me what hath been the Mo­ther and Nurse of all Heresies, as that first of Si­mon Magus, of the Gnosticks, and Nicolaitans, who to be great, and to enjoy filthy pleasure, were sometimes Jews, sometimes Christians, at other times Gentiles in their Professions, but sure they would never willingly be Martyrs, or suffer for any. May I not say, and say truly, self-love was the mother of all? If you ask me how it came to pass that Diotrephes so loved to have the preeminence among the Christians, that [Page 118]he received not the Apostles, that he esteemed or reverenced them not, as they were indeed Bishops set over and above him? Can I or you give any better reason for it then his self-love? And if I yet be demanded, What stirred up Absalom, Jeroboam and Jehu to rebel against their lawful Kings, and by treachery or force to usurp the royal power? Can I give any o­ther answer, then that it was their self-love?

Now if you ask me how it should come to pass that self-love should so far blinde and besot men, that by it they should fall into such horrid enormous sins, the reason is at hand and plain: we say oft-times, that a man stands in his own light, which makes him that he cannot see, no not the Sun, and if a man puts his hand upon his eyes, no marvel if he cannot see either the object or his hand: All this and more doth self-love to the eye of the souls reason; for it pre­sents nothing to reason, but what it self desires, and reason seeing nothing else, it offers no­thing else to be desired and sought by the will, but that which self-love affecteth.

Self-conceit, or an opinion of self-wit, knowledge or excellency, works in man many and several errors, follies and enormities: so that the wise-man truly said, There is more hope of a fool then of such a man, who is wise in his own conceit; for, he thinking himself wise enough of him­self, never desires or studies to know more: but much more may be said of self-love, then of self-conceit, insomuch as the Will, which is the Captain-General and Commander under Love, is stronger then Opinion, which is but a lackey to the Soul.

And from this poysoned spring of self-love, we have our eyes so blinded, vitiated, or be­witched, [Page 119]that what we should see as to judge our selves we cānnot, will not or do not; and what we should not see, that is to judge and condemn others, that we do. So that, love spred abroad, which by the Apostles rule should cover a multi­tude of sins in our neighbour, this love being locked up in our own breasts, covers onely that which is within our selves. The righteous man, saith the wise-man, is the accuser of himself; but the man that loves himself, is never so just and upright to himself, as to accuse or condemn himself: This judgement he keeps and exe­cutes wholly upon others; Judah, David, and the Pharisees, while the case was put in the third person of their neighbour, they are for the law, that woman, that man, that adulterer, must suffer without mercy: Such was Judah his judgement, Gen. 38.24. such was Davids, 2 Sam. 12. such the Pharisees, who brought the woman taken in adultery, in the act to Christ. But when David was found to be the person, and that the Prophet told him Thou art the man; and when Judah by his ring and staff was dis­covered to be the sinner, as was David, I war­rant you have not the like sentence given as [...] fore, but the case must be said to be altered [...] the person, and it cannot be deemed other­wise, when the same person who commits the fact shall be Judge.

And as self-love is no upright Judge, so it is ever querulous, and complaining of other mens justice and good dealing to him: The Judge never does him right enough, but either he takes that from him which was his, or gives him not so much as was due unto him. True love and charity, saith the Apostle, envieth not, 1 Cor. 13.4, 5. seeketh not her own, thinketh no evil, but self-love [Page 120]clean contrary, thinks no good of others, en­vieth other mens good, and seeketh not onely her own, but all that is anothers, thinking all too little for her self.

To sum up all: I will conclude with that of the Apostle, and judge ye how it concerns us in these our Times;2 Tim. 3.2. Know, saith he, in the last dayes perillous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their oven selves; where before I pro­ceed, I pray mark, that the Apostle in those pe­rillous times wherein charity is grown cold, as our Saviour speaks, and sin aboundeth, hath reckon­ed up twenty sins, some against God, such are blasphemers, unholy, lovers of pleasures more then of God, hypocrites, having a form of godliness, yet denyers of the power thereof. 2. Other sins against themselves, such are proud, without na­tural affection, boasters, incontinent, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures. 3. Sins against their neighbour, disobedient, unthankful, truce-breakers, false accusers, fierce, despisers of others, traytors. Of these nineteen sins my question is, Whether there be any one root or cause? and what that cause or root should be? and I cannot upright­ly say, that there is any other sin so properly and naturally the cause of all the ninetine sins me [...] ­tioned, as that Self-love, which is set as it w [...] on purpose in the first place, which justly she may challenge, as being the mother or originall of all the nineteen in this Chapter to Timothy, and of all the seventeen fruits of the flesh, Gal. 5.19. rec­koned up by S. Paul to the Galatians, or of all the sins that have been, or ever shall be commit­ted, from the beginning to the end of the world.

CHAP. XXIX. Temporall goods cannot content and therefore deserve not mans love.

THe temporall things wherewith man is delighted as being good, are many, almost infinite: out as all sublunary compounded bo­dies are made of the four elements, so all the goods we speak of may be reduced to these four heads, 1 life, under which we understand health, strength, and beauty of body &c. 2 honour, un­der which may be comprised titles, offices, priviledges, pompe and retinue. 3 Wealth, where lands, monies, revenues, have place. 4 Pleasure, which is as various as there be objects of our senses pleasing to our eye, tast, touch, hearing and smell.

Now, though all these in their kinds ordi­nately desired and moderately used may be both usefull and lawfull, yet in that they are not able [...] content and satisfie the soul longer then a [...]nd or lightning which vanisheth with the ap­pearance, man should not, indeed truly he can­not set his love upon them.

What wanted Salomon of all the desirable things under heaven? He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, he built himself stately palaces, orchards, gardens, he had attendants answer­able to his wealth and glory, which exceeded any King in those parts: yet when he weighed all, instead of proclaiming himself happy in these, he concludes, which are the words of the [Page 122]Preacher and the wisest man on the earth, that all is but vanitie of vanities, Eccl. 1.2. vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.

Will you examine King David the man af­ter Gods heart, and ask him, now thou hast strength to kill the Beare, the Lion, and the Giant, art thou satisfied? he tells you no, un­less he be King over all Israel: and when he is so, is he yet satisfied? He tells you no, untill he hath subdued the Rebells and all his enemies: and will he be then satisfied? He tells you no; and in a word he tells you no earthly thing can satisfie, nor will his heart ever be content, or at rest untill he leave all these; and enjoy hea­ven: Heare him speak his own words,Ps. 16. I have a goodly herilage, but the Lord is the portion of my inheritance in whose presince is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for ever­more: and therefore,73.24. There is none ô Lord upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee.

And that man may find the right way to this everlasting joy, he hath left him no de­lights here, but such as are mingled with vineger and gall, and all his pathes, his labour and tra­vaile are full of stones and briers.

CHAP. XXX. Temporall and worldly goods de­serve not mans love.

THe ancient Heathen called these tempo­rall goods, the goods of fortune, and this fortune they portrayed upon a wheele which is [Page 123]made to be in a continuall motion and change; others have compared them as mans life, so the things of this life to a shadow, and this in three respects. 1 For the uncertain or small continu­ance. 2 For that these when they are at their full growth or height, they vanish and are gone. 3 And when all is past, if we consider them aright, the content or delight in them was really nothing.

Some upon the words of the Psalmist, By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept, have compared these temporall goods and delights to those waters, not only for their swift passing away and never returning, but for the trouble in procuring, and sorrow in losing what we delight in, and therefore we may well be said when all is well weighed to hang up our harpes, as all the joy we took in them, and for all to sit down and weepe while we live in this Babylon of a golden captivity.

It may be observed that in the genealogie of our Saviour, as it is exprest by S. Matthew, the first of his progenitors were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, &c. shepheards, the second race were Kings, David, Salomon, &c. the third were less, [...]ill it came to Joseph his supposed Father and [...], both poor.Jud. 1.7. And if I should tell you of Adonibez [...]k, who had 70. Kings gathering their meate under his Table, who saith, As I have done, so God hath requited me: of Dionysius the great King of Syracuse, who was driven to get his bread by teaching Schoole at Corinth: of Bajazet the great Turk, who was drawn up and down in an iron cage, and served as a block by whose shoulders Tamberlan was to mount his horse: or of Bellisarius, who after so many great victories and conquests was constrained [Page 124]to beg in the open streets, Give an half-penny for Gods sake to poor Bellisarius: will not these and ten thousand more the like examples, make proof of this, that our temporall goods are but of uncertain continuance?

But say that some be so happy as to enjoy them to their lives end, yet longer they cannot, but as they came into the world without them, so without them they shall go naked and stript of them. The Psalmist speaks that which we all know to be most true, Though man be made rich, and the glory of his house be increased; Ps. 49.16, 17. yet when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away, and his glory shall not descend after him; what is his conclu­sion upon all this? why sayth he, by this we perceive that man that is in honour and under­standeth (and considereth it) not, Ps. 49.20 is like the Beast that perisheth.

And what then have we to do but to imitate the woman in the Revelations,Re. 12.1. who having a Crown on her head, and being clothed with the Sun; say these are as honour and wealth; yet she hath the Moon the embleme of mutability and change, under her feet, neglecting tempo­rary things in respect of the Stars and Sun, the significators of eternall joy; for therewith Go [...] is content and delighteth, without any chan [...] or shadow of change, his word and motto being, I am the Lord, Mal. 3.6. I change not.

Our Saviour Christ speaking of temporall goods called them not helpes,Mat. 13.22. joyes, or contents, but the care, indeed the distracting care, of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches; so that if to the uncertainty of our keeping them we add the carefulness in getting, the little good they do us, with many evils that also necessarily follow them, we shall soon conclude that they deserve not our love.

We read in the Gospel that Christ preaching to the people,Luk. 12.15. thought the most proper subject to forewarn them of, was the desire of wealth and worldly goods, and therefore begins his Sermon in these words: Beware of covetousness. And to give strength and reason to this admonition, he tells them of a rich man who having gained and purchased so plentifully, that he wanted room wherein to lay his wealth, he resolves to pull down the lesser, and to build greater barnes, and storehouses, and this done he sets up his rest, saying, Soul thou hast much goods layed up for many years; well, and what means he to do with all? Intends he them to pious and chari­table uses, whereby God may be glorified, and the poor relieved? no such maatter: these never came into his thoughts, but in stead there­of, he sayth he will take his ease, he will eate, drink and be merry. This is his saying, but what sayth God to this? Thou fool, this night thy Soul shall be required of thee, and then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? And here appeares that deceitfulness of riches, which Christ spoke of. 1 That man thinks himself [...] in carefully gathering, whereas in this he [...] deceived: for, for this Christ called him [...] 2 He intended these goods to have been his solace and comfort for many years: but in this he is deceived too, for Christ tells him he shall not injoy them one night. 3 After his death perhaps he had bequeathed them as rich men do to their children, allies, or friends; but in this also he may be deceived; for not only Da­vid said,Ps. 39.6. He heapeth up riches but knows not who shall injoy them: but Christ sayth, he knew not to whom they should come, or, not whose they should be, to continue with him; David [Page 126]and Christ have confirmed this truth, and the best Lawyer cannot contradict it.

To this deceitfulness of riches touched by our Saviour,1 Tim. 6.9. S. Paul adds that they not only deceive us in our thoughts and intentions, but that they pierce our Souls through with many sor­rowes. There is a comet called the foolish fire, which appearing in the night like a burning taper leads men out of their right way: the like saith our Apostle do riches.

And yet, as if this were not all, they do pierce, the word imports that they pierce through and all round about, leaving the Soul but as one wound: and that with sorrowes not ordinary, light ones, but with such sorrowes as overtake women in the bringing forth children, or such as Christ himself suffered in that extreme agonie of his last passion which were paines more then sorrowes, Act. 2.24. and yet both unexpressible.

Will you heare a word more from Job, who telling that the covetous man swallowes down riches,Job 20. [...]5. not that he takes them peece-meal to shew them by little and little leisurely, and to digest them, but by gobbets he swallows gree­dily: And what is the consequence or fruit [...] of? that follows there in the next words, th [...] soon as be hath swallowed them he should [...] them up again, so that they should never nourish or do him reall good. But how comes this to passe? why, that Job omits not to tell us, when he saith, This meat of riches which he thus gor­mandiseth, and greedily swallows, turns to the gall of Aspes within him: and no marvail then that they doe him not good, for they must needs turn to his poyson.Prov. 11.4. Ezek. 7.19. Zeph. 1.18.

Riches shall not profit nor deliver in the day of the Lords wrath, is expresly set down and confir­med [Page 127]for an undeniable truth by three authen­tique witnesses, Salomon the King, and the two Prophets, Ezekiel and Zephaniah: so that in this they are like the Martyns, Swallowes, and other such birds, which in the summer, the time of our jollity, build with us, and seem to chirp in their tunes, but when the winter of adversity and judgement appeareth, they leave us with a foul house, but to shift for our selves.

And it were well did they only resemble those summer birds in leaving us helpless, and that they were not more like the Screech-owle which at the time of death makes a fearefull hideous noise in our ears to the disquiet of our souls; and if this were not so, what means the Pro­phet to denounce a woe to the man that co­vets to set his nest on high, and adds the reason,Haba. [...].9.11. for the stone out of the wall shall cry, and the beame shall answer against him? and what means S. James to bid rich men weep and howle, but that as follows there,James. 5.3. their miseries shall come upon them? and if you ask what miseries, he tells you that the rust of your wealth, which should [...] been imployed and used for God and his [...] [...]all witness against you, and the cryes [...] [...]e whom you have defrauded, are entered [...]o the eares of the Lord.

And if you ask what these will cry or witness? why, that the Prophets in part have spoken, for your injustice, your oppression, your fraud in getting, and your as base, and wretched hoarding up and not well imploying the same: and as though this were not all, our Apostle adds what few think on; These riches saith he, shall cry against you, because you have lived in pleasure on the earth, and have for wealth condemned and killed the just, and him who doth not resist: So that [Page 128]here not only the golden vessells taken out of Gods temple, shall witness and cry against Bel­shazzer, (though he were but the receiver, and detainer, and not the immediate sacrilegious theef) nor Naboths vineyard against Ahab and Jezebel, nor the blood of Ahab and Jezebel, though bad Princes, against Jehu the trayterous rebell, but your fatted fowle, your gilded coaches, your pampered horses, your feastings, balls and revellings, your vain, ridiculous fashi­ons; yea, your very doggs fed fat, while Laza­rus wants, shall bark and cry aloud against you, for living in pleasure on the earth, and being wanton.

Covetousness S. Paul calls idolatry: Col. 3.5. 1 Tim. [...].10. now these gross idolatrous Israelites having made a calfe of gold, they said, These [...]re thy Gods ô Israel which brought thee out of Aegypt: Gold is the rich mans God, and this he holds to be his deliverer, though indeed it prove as that golden calf did, the hazard of their utter de­struction; and for this many, too many have cryed out with the foolish perverse Jews, Not Christ but Barabbas: Jesus we desire not, but Mammon to be delivered to us, and so thi [...] [...] have, crucifie him.

And yet all riches at their best are but as [...] reed of Aegypt, Jonah his gourd, Absalons haire, or Sampsons lock; Is. 36.6. [...]zek. 29.6 [...]. and that reed, saith the Pro­phet, shalll go into the hand and pierce it: the Apostle (as before is touched) calls riches piercers with a witness. And for their short de­light they are but as gourds or mushrums which rise and fall, live and dye in a day: and besides this great pain and little content they bring us, they often prove as Absaloms and Sampsons haire: that wherein we most presumed, and what we [Page 129]esteemed our best support, shall become the oc­casion of our ruine, and utter destruction: Remember the first words of Christs Sermon to the people,Luk. 12. 15 [...] Beware of covetousness.

And this Christ did upon especial reason seeing mans heart above all other things set up­on his wealth; for ask the husbandman, the tradesman, the Merchant, the Lawyer, the Physitian, why he laboureth and toyleth in the world? and ask the Seaman, the Souldier, the Digger in the mines, why he hazardeth his life? yea ask King Salomon why he layes hea­vy taxes on the people, and why Rehoboam doubles them? All they must tell you, if they will speak truth, it is for their wealth. This, this is the Tradesmans Diana, Acts 19.24. the Physitians Galen, the Lawyers Littleton, and would it were not too true in many, that it is the Ministers Bible; and therefore S. Paul reckoning up twenty sins, to which man is most subject, as he makes the first or leading sin self-love: 2 Tim. 3.2. so the second to it as on which his love is most set [...] placeth covetousness, and accordingly in [...] place he calls it the root of all evill. Col. 3.5.

[...] [...]mong the evils I Shall reckon you but [...] or four, for they all are too many for one book, the grave or hell, which the more it hath, the more it craves, ever crying Give, give, and is never satisfied though it be full to the brim and running over: yea though beasts are then only greedy and ravenous when empty and hungry, yet the covetous man desires most when he is full gorged, and when both men and beasts have less appetite to what they delight in, when they grow old: yet this desire of wealth, by age waxeth stronger, and when man is drawing neer to the earth, the grave, as though like were [Page 130]delighted with its like, it then most desires the goods of the earth, and this desire is so rampant in many, that I beleeve some there are, that so they might have all the world to themselves: they would be content to be alone in the world, without any society or solace but their wealth. For when all other creatures, Angels, beasts, plants live and move as ministring Spirits, helps, and nourishments for man: yet man as if he were made only for himself desires all to termi­nate and end in himself, as though he desired to be the sepulchre or grave wherein all the world should be buried.

I observe the subtile Serpent the Devil,Matt. 4. [...].9. when he tempted Christ, he began his temptation on him, as on the Son of God, and used two subtile arguments to worke upon him thereby to show his power: but when these weapons in the De­vils hands were soon repelled by our Saviour, the Devil then sets upon him as a man, and though he knew well his severall batteries, yet at first that he might not be long about his work and be foiled a third time, he used that which he knew seldome failed, and this was to shew him [...] kingdoms and glory of the world, and to [...] him all these: which when the Devil [...] that Christ refused, he then perceived that Christ was more then man; and then and not till then, the text faith, the Devil left him; for he saw it was time to leave tempting him any further, knowing that if the proffer of the worlds wealth would not perswade, that nothing could be able to move him.

And being upon this temptation, I cannot but observe another thing in it, that the Devil in his two former temptations layed the baites so, that they might seem to be for Christs good, as [Page 131]in the first to turn stones into bread, to relieve his hunger, and in the second to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple, to manifest his power: whereas in this last temptation, when he offers Christ the worlds wealth, he plainly professeth it, that the end thereof was and is only this, that he might be brought to worship him.

And when S. Paul saith that Covetousness is idolatry; herein the covetous man proves it,Col. 3.5. that he doth worship and adore as his God Mammon, which in the Syriack tongue signifies riches: and see how in this worship the cove­tous man imitates, or apes the right worshippers of the true God. For doth the true worshipper of God often fast and pray to God? Doth he disobey the commands of Parents and Superi­ors to gain God? doth he suffer shame, labour, pain, losse of health and life for God? Why all this doth the covetous man for his God Mam­mon; and herein hath proved the Apostles words fully, in evidencing himself to be an [...] or a worshipper of the heathens God [...] who having his name from riches, was [...] [...]m feigned to be the God of hell, and the [...]ch mans God.

Judas we know was Christs purse-bearer, and is called in the Gospel the theef, and the tray­tor; now when the Devil had an especiall piece of service to be performed, as the betray­ing the Lord of life to death, he surely be­thought himself, where to find out a proper and fit instrument for this damnable design: and having thought probably on the other eleven Apostles, the seventy Disciples and other fol­lowers of Christ; yet he pitched on none of these as fit for his purpose but Judas, knowing [Page 132]him to wait on Christ only for profit, was con­fident that this was the man for his turn, and therefore as S. John speaks, [...]. 13.2. the Devil put it into the heart of Judas, to betray his Master, which he did for thirty peeces of silver, as an other text hath it, for so vile and base a price, the cove­tous wretch would betray his Soveraign Lord.

And from this part of the story observe again, that as Judas carried his Master Christs purse: so he was purse-bearer to the Devil, and this purse of the Devils was Judas his heart, and into this the Devil put the thought of betraying Christ for money; so that this double purse, that I may so call it, of Judas his heart, though it were carried by Judas, yet the Devil had both power and a share in it; so that for the present the Devil and Judas might be said to go halfes, though at the last and casting up the reckoning, the Devil will have all; for in this point (the purse of the heart) the Devil is as covetous as his servant the Idolater: for as the Covetous person desires all the whole purse of gold, so the Devil not caring for the gold, [...] this to the Covetous as his reward, but [...] that which pleaseth him, the whole purse, [...] is the covetous mans heart.

Now to turn back, Can we say that the co­vetous man having forfeited and given up his heart for the worlds goods, that he hath, and in­joyes the goods of the world? we cannot deny but that he possesseth much, but can we say pro­perly that he hath them, but rather that he is had by them? for he is rather their slave, then they his servants: but if he may in some sort be said to be master of them in that he commands them to build him stately houses, and purchase ample revenues, and they obey; yet I cannot [Page 133]say that he hath them, as Lords of lands are said to have them for ever; for the Psalmist tells us (that which we dayly see) I have seen these men in great power, Psal. 37.35. and spreading themselves like a green-bay tree. But how long sees he this? truly no longer as we say then you may tell ten: for in the next verse,v. 36. I sought him but he could not be found, for be was passed away, and loe he was not; So that the man hath resigned up his interest by death, and being gone from his wealth, hee hath them not for himself for ever.

No nor for his heires or assignes, hath he them for ever: for that verse before cited in the Psalme, which our translation renders, he could not be found, speaking of the person: the other vulgar edition reades, his place could no where be found, as though soon after his depar­ture, his Mansion house and land were sold or alienated to some other, and not to his heires or assignes. Christ when he askes the rich man, when thy soul is gone,Luk. 12.22. whose shall these things be which thou hast provided? intimates that [...] [...]ich man could not tell. Tell he might to [...] he intended them, but who should have [...] hold them, neither the rich man, nor the best Lawyer can with good assurance tell us.

And yet could we say that the man, the owner of his wealth may prove so happy, as to have it for himself and his after him, yet the question may be whether either of them may be strictly said to enjoy them; for the care in get­ting, the fear in keeping, the sorrow in parting; but above all, the trouble of conference for these cares, feares, and griefes are such, as well may be thought to qualifie or allay that which may be called the enjoyment of wealth.

Yea many have been known so overcome with the desire of having, that they did not themselves desire to enjoy their wealth, but have lived as Tantalus, feigned by the Poets to stand in a goodly stream of water, with a tree full of pleasant fruit over his head, yet was ready to starve for hunger, and choke for thirst: and such is that wretched mans estate who in his abundance can hardly find in his heart to afford himself necessaries, but in stead there­of, he is well pleased to live in the middest of all his wealth, as a rat imprisoned in a trap standing in a roome full of grain, or as a ferrit with his lips sewed up. So that to such men their wealth is of no more use, then a sha­dow, whereof they can make no more advan­tage then for sight to look upon.

And this is so far from giving joy to the possessors of wealth, that when Christ pro­nounceth his first blessing saying,Lu. 6.20. Blessed be the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God: then as answerable hereunto, he denounceth his first woe to the rich, [...]. [...]4. saying. Woe unto you that are rich, for you have received your cons [...]l [...]t [...] [...] which last words may be understood Iro [...] [...] by the way of a scornfull jeere unto them [...] call it a consolation to have riches, or at the most they can intend no more then woe be to you hereafter, for here and only here you have that you call consolation in your wealth.

And this is evident from that parable uttered by Christ,Luk. 16.25. where he saith, (under the person of Abraham) to the rich man, Son remember that thou in thy life time received thy good things: this was thy consolation, the good things of this world in this life, and therefore now in hell thou art tormented; where we see that as the poor [Page 135]Lazar that suffers here on earth, shall be com­forted in heaven, so the rich miser that com­forts himself here in his wealth, shall be tor­mented in hell: so that with these it fares, as with the Hen that scratcheth hard to get her living, yet dead is served to the best mans table, when the hawke a bird of prey well fed and attended on, once dead is cast to the dung­hill.

And this is the evil of all evils, or that may comprise all evils in it self, that by the covetous desire of riches, the soul is too often in jeopardy of being cast into utter darkness.

In the Gospels our Saviour speaking of riches and cares of the world, Mat. 13. Mark. 4. Luk. 8. which chook and hinder the growth of Gods seed sowed in mans heart. he calls them thornes, and besides the reason here assigned by our Saviour, riches and world­ly cares may be rightly likened to thorns. 1 They grow for the most part in the worst grounds, so the love of riches comes up in the most sor­did and basest souls. 2 They draw and suck the juice and fat of the earth, from other good seeds and plants, whereby they oft times (to the [...] of the world) seem neer sterved; and so [...] it with the rich man and his poor neigh­bour. 3 If the poor harmless sheepe shall chance to fall among these thorns (the rich men) he is sure to be fleeced. 4 Thorns hinder and often wound the poor travailer in his journey: many a man to his sad experience hath found the like in his way to heaven. 5 Thorns are smooth and not discerned to prick or hurt save only by the point and end: and so it fareth with riches, which few men seem to be troubled with till they grow to their end of death, or come to the end of judgement, and then they [Page 136]prick and wound, or as S. Paul phraseth it, they pierce the soul through, and round with tortu­ring paines.

Now the same Lord who hath compared the cares and riches of this world to thorns, com­mitted not the purse, the bag of these thorns to any of his beloved Apostles or Disciples, save only to Judas, that miscreant wretch, be­cause he considered what a vexation and torture they would prove unto them. 2 He knew that as the prodigall mentioned in the Gospel never returned unto his father, untill all his temporall goods were spent, so neither could he have had any good, or comfort in his disciples company, so long as they had been intangled therewith, as indeed he had not till they had left all and followed him.

And the leaving these Christ held so neces­sary towards the attainment of eternall bliss, that he pronounceth it as impossible for a rich man to enter heaven, Luk. 10.23. as it is for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle; But lest these words might have reflected upon holy men, then living and dead, yet rich, Christ expounds himself to speak no [...] simply of men that are rich, though at [...] seemed to speak so, but of men that trust in [...] riches, and for such to enter into heaven it is impossible: for God will admit none thither but such as trust in him: and they cannot trust in him who trust in their riches.

To conclude this point in a word: [...]ol. 3.5. S. Paul in one place of his Epistles tells us that covetous­ness is Idolatry and the root of all evill, and in a­nother place that no idolater, unclean person, or sinner, can enter where God is in heaven; now put these two texts together, and it must evi­dently and necessarily follow from them, that [Page 137]the covetous cannot possibly enter heaven, be­cause he is an Idolater trusting in his riches, and hath moreover with it the growth of all other sins springing from this one root.

But if I proceed any further in this Argument, I may fear to be taken for some Scholar, that is poor and given to his book or contemplation: and therefore for the prosecuting this theme so far I may expect the like entertainment as our Saviour Christ had, who twice, and but twice for ought I read, was derided and laughed at, once was when he said that the maid who was really dead, was but a sleep, and for this say the Gospels they laughed him to scorn: Mat. [...].24. and the o­ther occasion that moved the Pharisees with others to laugh at him, was when Christ had Preached against such as pretended to serve both God and Mammon, and hereupon the text saith, that the covetous hearing these things they derided him: Luk. 1 [...].14. so that although this sin of cove­tousness be the most large spreading, ingendring, and corrupting sin, and therefore such as hath been most severely spoken against by Christ and his Apostles, yet so common it is to the [...]st, and the most are so hardned in it, that [...] to speak against it, were but to be la [...]ghed at.

And the rather say these worldlings, for that riches are the promised and granted blessings of God, as in reward to the well doers, and there­fore for that most of the Patriarchs, good Kings, and holy men have been very rich, they held it a ridiculous thing to declaim against riches, or rich men.

And indeed simply to declaim against either riches or rich men were a thing ridiculous: but to say that it is hard for a rich man to enter hea­ven, [Page 138]is to say no more then Christ in express terms hath spoken, and hard it was that Christ who cured all other corporall and spirituall infirmities, yet this of covetousness, he cured not in the man who had great possessions, Luk. 10. who though Christ who spake as never man did, preached and earnestly perswaded this man to sell all, yet he was so far from obeying this command of Christ, who profest that he had kept all the rest of the Decalogue, that without any civility or good manners tendered unto Christ his Master, he rudely and unthankfully departs, and never that we heare of returns again to heare him: for which no other reason can be given, then that which is exprest in the text which saith, for he had great possessions. And indeed when Christ took Matthew the Publi­can from the profitable trade of gathering custome, or to cure recover the withered, that is the covetous hand, and these cannot be done but by the great power of God, to whom alone all things are possible.

And yet for all this, as you tell me many Godly men have been rich, so I tell you that so you may be rich and yet continue god [...] as you get and use your riches in God [...] and in Gods name you may use and get them, so you get, keep, and use them in a moderate and ordinate manner, by lawfull means and to the right end. Now the moderate and ordinate manner considers the action, and the time; whereas to the action we may seek, and seek with care, so that this seeking be not with a setling your hearts upon them, which the Pro­phet forbids, or with a trusting in them reproved by our Saviour, or with such a care as distracts or divides the thoughts and desires of the soul [Page 139]betwixt God and Mammon: For this is to serve two different discordant Masters saith Christ, which God never will like; And the time for this action, of your moderate seeking worldly things, must be as not before, so neither joy­ned with the seeking of God (but after.) so Christ hath taught,Mat. 6.33. Seek ye first the Kingdome of God.

Then for the manner, which must be mode­rate and ordinate and the means of prosecuting must be answerable, that is, the means must not be by injustice of fraud or force, not by vio­lence or oppression, nor by circumvention of wit, or tricks in law, but by just, lawfull, faire, and cleer dealing, and this will so cleer the means, as to make them lawfull and just.

And the end of all your seeking and getting and keeping together worldly things, must be not to grow proud, to be able to oppress and stifle justice, nor to spend them on your lusts of the flesh, or purchasing honour; but that God the Donor and giver of every good gift, may thereby be glorified, by raising and propagating the more immediate means of his service, and s [...]uants in the Church, and by relieving the [...] stressed and oppressed members of our head Christ. Thus by these means and to this end seek riches, and in Gods name be rich, whereas if you faile in these or any of these, you neither love God nor your neighbour, no nor your selves as you ought, but you love the world; which is enmilie with God; who with the world will first or last destroy all his enemies.

CHAP. XXXI. The brevity, frailty, mutability, un­certainty, and misery of mans life; Abate the love thereof.

THe Philosopher hath said it, and dayly ex­perience confirms it, that of all things dreadfull to nature, Death is the most feared, and on the other side we speak it as a proverb, life is sweet. And the Devil knowing this to be most desired by man, as most agreeing to his nature, when he would provoke God to put the utmost of all trialls upon Job, thereby to prove his sincerity,Job. 2.4, 5. he perswades God but to touch his bone and his flesh, for then, he will curse thee to thy face; and the Devil gives his reason for this saying,V. 6. skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life: yea God himself when he gave the Devil leave to touch [...], and his flesh, yet as though he were not wining to put Job to the utmost triall, he enjoyned the Devil to save his life.

And that you may not think, this speech of the Devil proceeded more out of malice to Job, then from the grounds of truth; heare the Prea­cher speaking by the Spirit of God, who saith, A living dog is better then a dead Lion, Eccle. 9.4. and he gives his reason for this assertion, for saith he, the Dead have no more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun: so that as this [Page 141]wise min prefers a merry life before a sad; for this (saith he) dryes the bones, and hastens death: so he prefers, as the wisest Philosophers have done, a sad, yea a tortured life before an easie death, in as much as while there is a being there is hope, but the not being at all, deprives us of all that can be wished, and this is the generall dictate or vote of nature in the best of men.

Now that some have, as the Apostle speaks, dared to dye for a friend, for God, or for honour or the like; this proceeded from a higher cause then bare nature: either it is from grace, as in the Christian, or their desire was urged and heightned by some sting of ambition propoun­ding to it self, an immortality of name and honour, whereby they thought to recompense the mortality of their body by a never dying glory in the world.

Yet notwithstanding this inbred desire of life, did man consider and rightly weigh the brevity and shortness of his life, take it at the longest; 2 The uncertainty thereof, caused through the frailty and brickleness of the ma­terials, and the many casualties, cutting off and shortning this appointed brevity; 3 And then lay [...] the ballance to these the infinite daily miseries with which this short, fraile, mutable, uncertain time of life is surcharged; he would find little or no cause to settle his love and de­light on this present life, but to fix it wholly on that better life, which may be full of joy for ever with God in heaven.

Now the term or bounds of mans life, we find in Scriptures to be divers; for before the flood we read that many lived above nine hun­dred years.Gen. 6.3. In the next generation after the flood the Patriarchs and others exceeded not [Page 142]much one hundred twenty years: for God saith his days shall be a hundred twenty years. And in the third generation we find this term shortned seventy,Ps. 90.70. for so speaks that Psalme penned by David; The days of our age are threescore years and ten (this in ordinary is the utmost) and if, saith he, by reason of strength they live eighty years, yet is their strength, labour and sor­row: and although King David a man of an excellent constitution lived to seventy years (as it is computed by the best) yet this saith he, is but an hand-breadth, or indeed as nothing before thee (ô Lord: Ps. 39.5.) for would the God think of the everlasting joyes in heaven, of the wick­ed of their never dying torments in hell, they both might say that this hand-breadth of time was as nothing.

We read of a beast called from the con­tinuance of its life the Ephemeris, which though it live according to his appellative name but one day, yet it falls presently to provide for sustenance as though it might live years. Mans life be it at the largest as in ordinary the term of seventy years, yet in respect of eter­nity, or indeed of the frailty and uncertainty of the continuance thereof, it is in [...] often called a day, and yet man much like that beast labours, builds, purchaseth as though he were to live for ever, and although he be here but a pilgrim, a stranger and travailer to another place, yet like an unwise factor, he stores up all his goods here whence he is as to morrow to depart, and never transports them whither he is to go, there to give an account of his employment, and to enjoy his well spent travailes for ever; and such is the folly and most deplorable vanity of man. Which error will appear the greater to him that [Page 143]considers the frailty of mans life, in respect of the materials whereof mans body consists. 2 Of the artifice and curious workmanship whereby it is wrought. 3 How it is subject to the power almost of every thing, to be broken and dis­solved.

Now the best and strongest materiall of mans body is earth, and as Adam was made out of it, so he and mankind is called from the earth Adam, and homo man; so that man much resembles a swallows nest made of straw and dirt: such mans bones and clay, such his flesh, and how frail and easily broken this or that is, may ap­pear when we see a little boy with a slick to pull that down in pieces, and less then that, every nothing of violence to do as much to the body of man; for what of earthly vessells ac­count we more britle then a Venice glass? yet this kept up and secured from violence or out­ward force, shall outlast two lives of any man: a China dish so preserved shall indure twenty mens lives. Whereas such is the materials of mans body that let him diet and behave himself ac­cording to Galens best rules, let him lye warm and enjoy himself a bed without spending his spirits, yet even in this diet, and enjoyment without any hurt or violence done unto him, he shall consume and molder away, unto that whence be was taken.

Now to the weak brittleness of mans mate­rials, if you add the curious nice composition and joyning of his parts, you may rather won­der how he should live a moneth, then to mer­vaile that he should die so young; the Psalmist to the honour of Gods great power and wisdome acknowledged that man is wonderfully made, Ps. 139.14. and that so much beyond the art and skill of any [Page 144]the best workman in the world, that when any piece, pin, or wheel in the most exquisite work of man may be renewed if broken, repaired if worne, and put again in its place if out of frame, yet to do the like in mans body exceeds the skill of all the best Physitians that ever were; for be the heart, be the liver, be the brain wounded, yea be they but pricked with a needle, be they putrefied or be they displaced, all the work is spoiled and comes to nothing, and mans life is lost.

But if you consider how the least and weakest externall things have power to destroy this body of man, can you say less then that he is a frail and brittle piece? I will not complain as some have done: yet I may tell you that God by his journyman Nature hath sent all other crea­tures some way or other armed, or strengthened into the world against outward force or hurt, and man only is put forth naked, weak unfenced, so that take him at his best growth & strength, there is no element, nor any little part of any element, fire, aire, water, or earth, though man be made of these, but is able to undo him and take a­way his life. Yea a flie, a kernell, a haire hath done as much to many, and not only the living in a corrupt aire may do the like, but the sent of a little subtile infection conveyed by a glove, a piece of linnen or the like, may do the same thing. But if to these we add that which both history and philosophy confirme, that a man may de dissolved by extreme joy, caused by that which is good and harmeless, how then may any man deny this certain and known truth, that mans life is a frail thing, or rather nothing but frailty?

And not only thus frail, but a thing unstable [Page 145]and mutable, daily and hourly, running on and making way to its corruption and dissolution. Therefore when you see and observe the moti­on and going down of a watch, the running of the water in a stream which returnes not the burning of a candle which wasts in giving light, of flowers, grasse, leaves, which in the morning are green and flourishing, and ere night are cut down and withered: or will you think on and consider what is a vapor, a shadow, a dream, or the dream of a shadow. Thus know, in seeing, thinking, and considering, these all or any of these, that you see, think and consider the conti­nuall mutability and change of mans life run­ning and flying to its last end. Neither may we wisely wonder, or justly complain, when we consider this, that Abel the youngest of all the world dies first, or that in the bils of mortality we finde more children die then old men: for God in his wonderfull wisdome and goodnesse hath thus provided and ordered it for man, that he may hence learn two lessons, that it is no ar­gument of Gods disfavour, but an evidence of his love to take us early from the worlds mise­ries, and betimes to estate us in eternall felici­ty: and secondly, that man considering what a chang [...]ble thing his life is, he may provide against it all he can or may, and the best that he may and can is to thinke on and labour for an exchange of this mutable life for an unchange­able to come.

And to this end God hath so fixed his greater and lesser lights in heaven, that looking on them we may daily and hourly consider, that al­though to us they seem not to move, yet they are in continuall motion and tending to their journies end, and that it is alike in man.

And further to these heavenly visible lessons he hath joyned his legible instructions in his holy word,Eccles. 9.9. there telling us that the days of the life of man are vanity, that is, subject to change; and as though this expression had not suffici­ently reached the vanity of this life, he inlar­geth himself, saying, vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, Eccles. 1.2. all is vanity: which least some might apply to other worldly things besides man, to clear this the Psalmist speaks plain, and saith, Verily every man at his best estate is altogether va­nity, Psa. 39.5. where verily, is set as an assurance to take away all cause of doubting from this assertion, and therefore he saith, verily man is, not a beast or any other insensate creature, but man is va­nity; and not only some or few or more men are such, but, verily all and every man (none ex­cepted) is vanity: and verily every man is such not in his weak, sick or afflicted estate only, but in his best estate, neither in his best estate is he such at some times or in some part, degree, or measure, but verily every man at his best estate, is altogether vanity subject as I said, to a change or dissolution of his earthly tabernacle, his body.

When the great and wise Preacher had in­larged himself on this Theme by way of doctrine in his eleven foregoing chapters, [...] at the end in his last chapter by way of application to awake, stir and rowse men out of their sleep and security, he calls upon them; and as though he thought that the old man needed not this row­sing, having incitements enough besides, he be­gins with the youth, and calls to him saying, Re­member, not hereafter but now,Eccles. 12.1. now remember in the days of thy youth, before the evill day come, that is faith he, before the keepers of the house (the head and hands, as though stroken with [Page 147]palsie) shall tremble: and before the strong men (the shoulders and thighes) shall bow them­selves: and before the grinders (that is, the teeth) fail, because they are few: and before those that look out at the windowes (that is, the eys) be darkned (or wax dimme) before all these shall happen unto thee, which will come to passe when old age approacheth, young man, saith the wiseman, remember. Remember, but what? and when? why, now in thy youth remember thy Creator to serve and fear him, and not to spend thy days in vanity; And why now, and not hereafter as well? no, not so well hereafter, saith he, as now, because man (hourly) goeth to his long home, which is the last house wherein he must sleep, and this last house and long home is the grave.

But notwithstanding this frailty, brevity, and instability of life, it were a great stay and com­fort to man if he might know the certain period of his life, and for this the holy Prophet earnestly prayed, dying, Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days what it is, that I may know how frail I am. But this for ought we read was never granted him to know, nor to any in mercy, save only to one good King Hezeki­ah, who [...]on his sincere repentance and earnest prayer obtained the enlargement of his days to fifteen years.

It is a rule observed by Physitians, that when the Patient is most frollick and thinkes himself best in health and strength, that then he is nea­rest unto sicknesse: and I am sure that this is a certain maxime in Divinity, that he drawes nearest unto God, who feares that he is farthest from him; and so it is in this case that the fur­ther off we take out selves from death, that often [Page 148]times the nearer our approach is to it.

For the key of the grave hangs, say the Jewish Rabbies, at Gods girdle, which he trusts none with but himself: and as the day of Judgement Christ professeth that as man he knowes not, so none but God knowes certainly the day of our death: and that which Christ answered his Apostles in another case, may rightly take place here,Act. 1.7. it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.

Therefore as the beast in the toile, and the bird and fish are taken in the net, whiles they were seeking or hunting for prey: so man while he is meditating or committing adultery, rebellion or murder, is himself made the slaugh­ter; the Assyrians, Belshazzar, Zimri, besides many millions more prove this position; for they the Assyrians intending the destruction of Judah, the next night are suddenly dead they wist not how:2 Kings 39.35. for by an Angel of the Lord, saith the text, were slain of them one hun­dred fourscore and five thousand: the like we read of Heraclius his army, whereof in one night were found dead fifty and two thousand: and of Belshazzar it is recorded that while he was carrowsing in the sacred ves [...] of the Temple,Dan. 5.30. the hand-writing went out against him, so that the same night he was slain: and we read that Zimri and Cosbi breathed their last being both taken away while they were reaking hot in the act of beastly uncleannesse:Num. 25.8. when the young men of the Prophets were feasted there was found,2. King. 4 saith the story, death in the pot, and the pot hath been the death of many young and old and midse-aged: we read in the Gospel that the rich man said, Take thine ease, [Page 149]eat, drink and be merry, Luk. 12.19. for thou hast much goods laid up for many years, and yet all these years are suddainly contracted into lesse then one day, and he called fool for his presumptuous calcu­lation of the time of his life, for the Lord saith, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; and what befell this rich man may become every, mans case, and that as well the young, as the old.

The Prophet Jeremiah hath this saying;Jer. 9.21. Death is come up in our windowes, (for though the windowes bee never so close shut, Death will come in) and is entred into our pa­laces to cut off the young men and the children, and least any might fool himself as the rich man did and shall say, My wisdome, my strength, health or wealth shall defend me and keep me from death, hear the Prophet. Thus saith the Lord, Ver. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome, neither let the mighty man glory in his strength, let not the rich man glory in his riches, intimating hereby that neither wisdome, strength, nor wealth, can save from death.

Our holy Leiturgy hath taught us confidering the uncertain surprisall of Death both in the time of health and wealth to pray, From sudden death, good Lord deliver us: and if any over holy pretender object against this prayer, be­cause every man ought ever to be prepared to encounter death, let him answer why God was pleased to give Hezekiah a forewarning of the time of his death, who though he were a man who by Gods own testimony and elogy did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet be­cause he might have been unprepared at that time, therefore God gave him time to think and prepare himself, and that all things were not so [Page 150]well in order for the soul of that good King, as they should have been for a dying man, it ap­pears by the message of the Lord sent unto him saying, set thy house in order, for thou shalt dye and not live.

They come short who say by house here is meant only houshold affaires: for can we think that God had more respect or care to these, then to the soul of Hezekiah, which is the Tem­ple and house of God, though trusted to Heze­kiahs keeping: and when Hez [...]kiah is com­manded to set his house in order before his death, 2 King. 18.3. it is apparent enough, that somewhat therein necessary to be put in better order, was out of good order; and therefore as apparent it is that the very best may pray if for no other reason, (though many more there are) yet for this, that he may set his house in order before he dye; for as the best swept house may gather some dust or uncleannesse in an hour, so the purest soule of man: and therefore as he is ever bound to pray, Lord forgive me, so he is ever bound to pray, From sudden death good Lord deliver me, that he may before his death say the same prayer which many suddenly surprised by death have not had time to say, neither at their death to pray, or say as S. Stephen, or our most blessed Sa­viour, who though they were before their deaths approach as well prepared for death as could be, yet even then and as blessing God for this benefit and mercy, they prayed not only for themselves but for others: whereas he who is suddenly stroke dead hath no time with that blessed Martyr, or the son of God to say, Father forgive them, or, Lord have mercy on me: The theef that dyed near Christ found this as an e­speciallmerc y from heaven, that before his [Page 151]death he had time and grace to say,Luk. 23.42. Lord remem­ber me when thou comest into thy kingdome, and this mercy was a thousand times greater to the theef on the Crosse, then if he had dyed on his bed without prayer.

I am not ignorant that such seeming Saints as mislike of this prayer against sudden death, reply that men are daily put in mind of their death by the frequent preaching of the Gospel and the hourly spectacles of mortality, and these are enough to prepare them against a sudden death; I know that the like frequent preaching might be means enough and sufficient to pre­vent and resist all sin, and is it therefore so effectual, but that notwithstanding al the preach­ing sin continues? I would I could say it abounds not, for all the preaching, and would I could not truly say that it more abounds by the latter kind of preaching. But tell me I pray, did not Noah preach unto the old world of the deluge which should destroy them, and there­fore that they should repent and be prepared for death? had not Sodome fair warnings in the like kind? and had not Jerusalem caveats and preparatives given it by Christ himself to prepare and prevent that which might sudden­ly fall on them? But did these warnings and preachings produce the effect? and to tell us we should be ever prepared for death, is no more then to tell us we should avoid all sinne: but this telling, this preaching works not ever the effect for which preaching was ordained, and therefore in Gods name pray against sud­den death.

In the Prophet Ezekiel and the Revelations of S: John, Ezek. 1 [...] Rev. 1. we find the Beasts said to be full of eyes, as though they had eyes not only in their [Page 152]heads, but in their hands, feet, tongues; that all should watch against the approach of death, and for a preparation to Judgement: and not only the Apostles, but Christ himself often preached this lesson to his disciples, and lest they might forget it, three times a little before his departure out of the world Christ bids his di­sciples watch, Mat. 26. and in the parable of the Virgins, he gives the reason of this advise, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, Mat. 25.13. wherein the son of man calleth either to death or judgement. For as it is in another parable, he shall come secretly and closely as a theef that he may not be disco­vered,Mar. 13.39. but take thee unawares, he shall come in the night; therefore saith he, that you be not surprised watch. He that hath any enterprise or great work to do, and hath but an hour, a day, or a week, or a short set time allotted for the same, how carefull he is to observe the time how it passeth that it slips not away before his work be ended? And can man be sayed to have any greater work to finish, then so to negotiate and do his business here, that he may be ready and prepared whensoever he shall be summoned by death, to give an account of his stewardship, and so not fear that doome, Go thou accursed in­to hell fire: but rather that other, Come ye blessed of my Father, enter into the kingdome prepared for you?

S. Peter for close of this point,2 Pet. 3. 16, 11, 12 is most wor­thy our reading and best consideration, Seeing, saith he, the Lord will come (suddenly, unex­pectedly, and to us uncertainly) as a theef in the night, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? looking for and hasting unto the comming of the day of God.

And as the frailty and uncertainty of mans life should instrnct us to this: so should the iniquity and misery thereof cure the itch of the de­sire of life, which is no less to the best then what Job speaks:Job. 14.1 Ge. 47.9. man is of few days and full of trou­ble, which is verified in Jacob who pronoun­ced his to be such when he sayed, Few and evill have the days of the years of my life been: the years few, but all the days full of evill: of evill either of sin to be lamented, or of affliction to be suffered; and for this cause as many Phi­losophers blamed nature as a stepmother to man, so many nations and people rejoyce at their friends going out, but weepe at their comming into the world. And Tertullian hath a conceit (call it a conceit because I cannot warrant it) that male children as soon as born express their lamentation by A A as sons of Adam, and the females by E E as comming from Eve, the parents of all their misery and sorrow.

Yet this is apparent that when God had fa­shioned the earth, and the two great lights, Gen. 1 [...] the Sun and the Moon, and after that he had made the waters and the beasts, that after every days work of each of these it is said, God saw them that they were good: which he forbeares to speak of man in speciall, foreseeing both the evill that he would fall into, and that evill which should fall upon him.

And to the first evill man from the first was so prone and subject, that before he was much more then a day old he fell into it, which like an ill weed grew so fast that before the flood in the first generation God saw that the wickedness of man (or mankind) was great, Gen. 6.5. and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evill continually: If we consult with King Da­vid [Page 154]and Solomon, they will speak as much for their times, and the like will S. Paul and the other Apostles for the times wherein they lived, and as the ends of the world are fallen upon us, so have we exceeded all that went before us in evi [...]l.

And for the evill or misery which man suffers in this life, I need say no more then what Job and S. Paul have said before, who besides di­vers others have compared mans life to a war­fare, or the life of a souldier, in which, if there be any misery or iniquity to be found in any profession or trade in a small quantity, then here it is bound up altogether in an huge vo­lume: for all sins in them are so rife and com­mon from the least to the greatest, that you may truly speak of it as is said in the Gospel of the unjust Judge,Luk. 18. he feared neither God nor man.

But that I may contract my self, and speak to the misery of mans life under the comparison of it to the life of a souldier, I must necessarily tell you what the enemies are, with which man in this life is to graple.

The first and chief of these is the Generall the Devil, who for his agility is called a spirit, for his subtility and stratagems a serpent, and an old Dragon, for his strength and power to de­vour a Lion, and in his band and under his com­mand are principalities and powers in high places, and legions of these without number,Mat. 4. and this enemy is of that undaunted spirit, that he durst encounter the Son of God, as we read in the Gospel: and although he were foiled by him, yet in revenge and with greater malice he never hath ceased to war against the upright Job, the cho­sen vessell S. Paul, Rev. 12.7. against Michael and his An­gels, yea we find him fighting with the Church and Saints of God:Lev. 13.7. and as he scratched, buffe­ted, [Page 155]and wounded Job and S. Paul, so the Church and the Saints, in his encounter he overcame them, and yet continually this enemy, as S. Peter witnesses,1 Pet. 5.8. walks up and down seeking whom he may devoure.

The second enemy of man in this life, is the Devils Major generall, or Marshall of the Field the World,1 Jo. 5.19. which as S. John speaks like the Generall himself, is wholly set on to do mischief, being the great Malignant, and in this company ye shall find Pharaoh who injoyns Israel to con­tinue their task in making brick, but takes a­way their straw: like the Roman Conquerors to cense and number the people, to fight under their banners; and to pay all taxes, and cu­stomes, though both against their wills: and such are the slights of these souldiers that as Cain, Joab, and Judas they will talke of peace, speak friendly and kiss whom, they mean to devour.

And in their company they have the whore in the Revelations arayed in purple, Rev. 17.4. and gilded with gold, having a cup of Gold in her hand full of all abomination and filthiness, and with that she allures and deceives her followers, although upon her forehead was a name written, Mysterie, Baby­lon the great, the mother of harlots and abomina­tions of the earth, V. 6. and this woman ye shall find drunk with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus Christ.

The third enemy of man in this life, though not so cruel and bloudy to man as the former, yet as dangerous to him as being of his own family, and lying in his own bosome, and this is his flesh; and this enemy is so dangerous to man that when he may flee from the world or resist the Devil, as the Apostles counsails against them, yet of this fleshly enemy we may speak [Page 156]as of the Sun none can shelter or defend himself from the heate thereof, nor fly from it, for it is mans self; Against this enemy called the thorn in the flesh, 2 Cor. 12.7. S. Paul though a chosen vessell strugled, fought, and prayed, yea he prayed thrice that it might depart from him, but as to this suit he was not heard, and therefore he crys out,Rom. 7.24. ô wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin! For though I find the spirit willing and resisting, yet this flesh I find weak and yeelding, in so much as we may here use the words of S. James, James. 1.14. every man is tempted by his own lust: and to his enemies as­saults every man, noble, ignoble, rich, poor, young, old, more or less is subject, according to the heate that is in him. For can a man car­ry fire, saith the wise man, in his bosome, and not burn? Amnon had often seen his sister Tha­mar, and was not inflamed, but at the last he was tempted and overcome.

Will you now take the sum of all? Then know that this life of man is a Sea of trouble, a school of vanity, an inticement to fraud, a labyrinth of errour, a dungeon of darkness, a den of theeves, a wood of thornes, a valley of teares, a troubled stream of care and sorrow, a tale of lyes, and a sweet poyson. And he that can delight himself in these may love this life, but not else: For though man be as a souldier, who may not move out of his station untill his Generall God Almighty, who placed him here, call him, and bid him go; yet his love and delight should not rest upon the place and imployment, but upon him who placed him here to fulfill his commands, and to fight for his glory.

CHAP. XXXII. The Honour of this world deserves not mans love.

VVHen I speak here of worldly honour, Prov. 22.1. Eccles. 7.1. I understand not a mans good name; or his godly, just, and honest life, which the wiseman calls a pretious oyntment to keep mans name sweet and delightfull in life and af­ter death: For this is to be desired and pre­served by every good and wise man.

Neither do I understand here such praise and glory which are the attendants and followers of our good and laudable actions; But I under­stand by honour, that exaltation or lifting up a man to some more eminent place, office, or title of dignity, above others of his rank, for some excellency seen in him above others; and this to be given him not as a summary re­ward of his virtuous actions (for the true reward hereof is his blessedness, and felicity, and is the gift of God) but as a testimony and sign of the favour of man: For this kind of honour makes not a man more excellent or truly glorious, but shewes him to be such if he be in himself truly vertuous and excellent.

In the Greeke, Latine and English [...] honestus and honest, some derive from honour, intimating that the honest and the honourable are or should be all one, and that he only should he honourable. That is as I before said honest and vertuous: and such an honour as this [Page 158]should by every man be desired, as being that which God himself hath promised to give to all such as honour or glorifie his holy name, for so God himself speaks;1. Sam. 2.30. Those who honour me I will honour: yea more in the same chapter, the Lord (oft-times) rayseth up the poor out of the dust, V. 8. to set them among Princes, and to make them inherite the throne of glory: and to this honour of Gods giving, every one ought to aspire, and not simply to the honour of the worlds giving: For the honour of the world, for the most part is such as the world it self is, and the world saith S. John, 1 Jo. 5.19. is set, and lyeth in wickedness.

And so, and by the same meanes, is the ho­nour of the world gained either by serving the wicked turns of men,Acts 5.9. or by mony. Simon Magus desirous to be accounted some great one, and to that end that he might as the Apostles did work miracles, he presently took the course of the world,V. 18. and offered the Apostles money: money thought he (and millions more think, and have practised the like) is the first step and readiest way to be great in honour; There­fore to get wealth first, and then by it a gilded coate, a Knighthood, a Baronie, an Earledome, to be a favorite as Haman, though after all, as he to the gallows, is the worlds simonie or sor­cery; What the chief Captain spake of his free­dome in Rome,Acts 22.38. may a Mercer, a Draper, an Usurer or Grasier say, with a great summe of mo­ny obteyned I this honour. And if a few can say as S. Paul, I was so born, yet not the tenth man, that his honour was the reward of his vertue.

And yet would this were the worst: for as we read, when the Heathen people saw Morde­cai and Esther who were Jews honoured by the King,Esther 8.17. then most of the Heathen became Jewes; [Page 159]for (saith the text) the fear of the Jewes came upon them: for favour and honour, these, as thousands and millions more, have changed their Religion.

And would it held so only with the Heathen who changed from the worse to the better, and that it were not too frequent with Christians, and those not only the Laytie, but such as would be ranked in the holy order: that these would not only preach for honour, but that they would not as the Gnostick hereticks side with Jews or any religion, rather then suffer for their first faith and profession, yea with Jews or any other, to prove seditious, rebellious, murderers, that they may live happily and sit in the chair of honour.

Sauls word is become most mens desire,1 Sam. 15 Honour me before the people, and to purchase this at what iniquity, villany or actions to be abomi­nated have they stuck?Jud. 9. for honour Abimelech the son of a whore will kill seventy of his bre­thren the legitimate sons of his father, and Absalom will rebell against the crown and life of his own father:2 Sam. 15 Athalia will destroy all the royall seed for honour: the Romans often did so,2 King. 17. and before them to get the highest throne of honour it became frequent and customary, as it were with the Kings of Israel to do the like: witness among the rest Jehu who slew not only seventy of the royall seed of Israel, but as many as he could lay hands on, of the other kingdome of Judah, to which he could pretend no title. So true and generall is that saying of the Poet; Honour and the crown cannot be bought at too deare a rate.

And the Devil was so well acquainted with mans disposition in this case, that being foiled [Page 160]in his former temptations of our Saviour, yet he kept this as his last card or engine to set him up aloft, and to shew and promise him all the glory of the world: For he was well assu­red that it this failed, nothing would make him to fall down and worship him: for the Devil had found it hold, as in those before mentioned, and that it did take and seldome faile.

In the Idoll set up by Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. find you of millions any more then three who refu­sed to fall down and worship the Devil in the idoll, and all for the favour alone of the King? from whom as generally all this honour flowes (and so in the book of Esther is five times related, whom the King shall please to honour) so for the most part, it is oftner given to an Aegyptian then to a Joseph, to an Haman an Agagite, then to Mordecai the Jew, to an Herod then to a John Baptist, and the commission shall be to Saul the bloody persecutor, and not to Paul the Apostle of Christ; So that of the worlds honour we may speak as S. Paul doth of members in mans body:1 Cor. 12 23. Those members which we think least worthy of honour, upon these we bestow more abundant honour. And as in Jothams parable among the trees, Jud. 9. so it mostly fares with the honour and dominion in this world, where the Vine and the Olive which ho­nour and benefit God and man, they refuse to be King over the trees; But what the Italian hath in his proverb, what Christ refused at the Devils hand, the glory of the world, this the Pope readily and thankfully accepted: so it falls out in the civil government, that what the mer­cifull, gracious, and good refuse, this the Bram­ble, the Exactor, the oppressor, the tyrant im­braces, whose language is as there, you that put [Page 161]not your trust under my shadow, let fire come out of me to devoure the very Cedars, the greatest on the mountaines.

And this honour and dominion hath been so much observed to be generally given to the worst of men, that it caused not only Philoso­phers and the Heathen to think that the Devil reigned and ruled in this world, but even men well read in Gods school, as Job, David, and other Prophets, it moved them to scruple and take offence at this course.

But he that looks upon God as unequall, or unjust in this, cannot see perfectly and aright into Gods ways: For though God advance these, men to high places, yet it is not truly so much to blazon their honour, as to publish their shame, both to the now living and to those that shall come after them. For to set an Ass or a Beare to rule over the rest of the Beasts, were to pro­claim the sottishness of the one, and the rave­nousness of the other: which two qualities when seen and felt, what can they produce but the hate and conspiring of all the beasts to tear and destroy them?

And so little is such advancement to the good of the wicked, that as the Psalmist saith,Ps. 35.6. Their way is dark and slippery; the originall saith darkness and slipperiness it self, and thereupon it follows that destruction shall come upon him at unawares; V. 8. nay to acquit God utterly that he advanceth not these for their good, the Prophet plainly and to Gods honour truly piofesseth, that these and such men as I here speak of, surely God doth set in slippery places, Psal. 73.18. and he sets them there as it were on purpose, that they may fall as in a moment, or if their place will not do it, then God himself will: for so it is in the same verse, [Page 162] surely thou ô God will cast them down into destructi­on: so that Gods raysing them higher, is but to give them the greater fall, & the same the Prophet Jeremiah hath in the person of God,Jet. 23.12: I will make their way slippery, I will bring evill upon them.

And hear what Job more largely and plainly speaks for God in this case when he saith,Job. 12.17. He leadeth counsellors away spoyled, and maketh the judges fooles, V. 19.21. yea he leadeth Princes away spoyled, and overthroweth the mighty, he poureth con­tempt upon Princes, and weakneth the strength of the mighty: and this surely cannot be con­strued co be done by God for the good of such wicked ones; and yet a man would rather pity the madness, then admire the wisdome of these men that greedily hunt for honour, when he doth consider what pains, expence, hazard of good name, goodness, life and soul, the ambitious man both gets and holds his honour with.

It is observable that when Samuel according to Gods appointment was to anoint Saul King, that he first invited him and set before him as a dish prepared and reserved for him the shoulder, intimating therebythat upon his shoulders the bur­den of the whole land was to be layed and born.

And we see that Christian Kings crownes, as Noblemens coronets, are set with crosses, though those of Kings have the greater, for that herein they imitate the King of Kings whose head was crowned with thorns; and not only crowns and coronets, but all their robes are weighty and cumbersome, and made only sup­portable by the honour they signify to the world; and so heavy are these honours that if rightly undertaken and administred, the bearer may truly say with S. Paul, 2 Cor. 11.29. Who of my flock (and charge) is weak, and I am not weak? who is [Page 163]offended, (or wronged) and I burn not? (to right or revenge him) so that as S. Paul spake of the Churches, so may the King speak of his do­minions, The care of them all comes upon me daily.

And not only care to act and doe for them, but patience to suffer from and by them. King David shall be crossed and wronged by Joab, and he must suffer it: nay he shall hear, whe­ther he will or no, the revilings and curses of a railing foul mouthed Shimei: so that as the Romans riding in triumph had some sate by [...] derogate from their great achievements, and to revile them; so fares it with the best Kings and rulers, do they what they can: when S. Paul was exalted he then likewise was buffeted. 2 Cor. 12.7.

Nay further, to get and keep honour many an ambitious worldling doeth that contrary to his disposition and desire which otherwise he would not do: for he will make bricke without straw, as the Israelites were constrained: that is, for a time he will wait, serve, and work in base employment, and upon his own pay and charge in hope of Pharaohs favour: nay rather then offend the superiour powers and so be cast out of the Councell or imployment, he will not dare to be seen with his Saviour Christ, nor will he come at him as Nicodemus did, not, but by night; and if they of the great Councell at Jerusalem shall say one by one that the King must dye, these will be as forward to vote it as the rest,Joh. 11.48. lest the conquering Romans come and take away the honour and benefit of our places.

And yet when places of honour are got by such means, they are as uncertainly held as they were hardly gotten, tall trees, houses and steeples, [Page 164]we know, stand most subject to the force and stroke of winds, thunder and other tempests: and the fictions of Phaeton burnt with the ill guidance of the chariot of the Sun, and of Icarus melting his waxen wings and breaking his neck by soaring too high, what are they but mythologies and morals of the fate due to high climbers in the world? So soon as Saul was anointed King he is sent forthwith to Rachels Sepulchre: 1 Sam. 10.2. sorrow, or death, or both, are pages to highest honour, and no sooner did our Savi­our hear the joyfull acclamations and triumphs of the people crying Hosanna, blessed be the King in the highest, but the next day after followes Hosanna, crucifie, crucife him, with the basest.

Or if he escape death himself with his crown,2 Sam. 1.19. yet as David, he lamenteh the coming to the crown by the death of King Saul, saying,v. 21. the beauty of Isr [...]el is fallen, v. 24. he is vilely cast away as though he had not been anointed with oyle. There­fore weep yee subjects over the King who clothed you with Scarlet and with other delights and or­naments.

Or grant that he comes not in by bloud, yet when he is possest of the Crown, his rest and content is little other then that of Damocles, who to try the happiness of a crown was set in a throne of State with a rich feast, goodly atten­dants and sweet musick, but had withall a sharp pointed sword hanging in a small weak threed, the fear of whose fall bereft him of all the pleasures and content that all the dainties might hare o­therwise afforded him: and such and little else rightly and truly is the reall content of a royall. throne.

Or yet suppose that he be of a spirit not easi­ly daunted, with fear or subject to discontent [Page 165]and passion, yet in so high a ladder as that which reacheth to the crown, be there but one rotten staffe, be it bloud, oppression, luxury, this may fail and deceive his footing, and lay his honour in the dust; Read and consider what is spoken of Antiochus; 1 Mac. 2. 62. To day he shall be listed up, but to morrow be shall not be found: He shall be turned into his dust and his thoughts shall come to nothing: for his glory shall be dung and wormes. Or will you rather take it in the words of the Psalmist?Ps. 49.12. Man being in honour abideth not, (for) his way it his folly, and like a sheep (not as an honorable person) he is laid in the grave, and his glory shall not descend after him; where he summes up all in the last verse saying, Man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. v. 20.

And now you have heard at what expence of travail, cost, trouble and danger, this honour is purchast: now see what the thing called ho­nour is, and whether it be worth mans love or the halfe of that which man daily proffers for it; The Psalmist saith,Ps. 39.7. He walketh in a vain shew, or as other translations have it, in a vain image or shadow: so that honour being properly and causally in the affection of him that gives the honour, and in the breath of the people, as in the trumpet that proclaims it, what can this ho­nour be in the person honoured more then a shadow of the Kings favour, or an echo of the peoples voice? and that this may appear so, when you see the picture of a King and a beg­ger, if this of the begger though in ragges be better drawn and shadowed then that of the King though with a Crown and Scepter, yet this picture we commend and preferre before that, and that only for the well laying on of the [Page 166] colour and shadow.

Or if you will, you may liken this worldly honour to a man in a gilded or laced coat, who to many may seem a noble man, yet indeed is but a lackey or a page to run on his Masters er­rands, or to doe base services for him, who thus arrayed him: or compare this honour to a co­loured butterfly, after which ignorant boyes and silly fooles hunt and tire themselves, taking many a fall (and repulse) in the pursuit, which if they misse they lye down, and as Ahab failing of Nabaoths vinyeard, they cry out and grieve, and if perchance they get it, yet what have they in very deed more then a coloured butterfly?

Or it is such a picture or shadow that the same hand that gave it the honour, can with the turne of the hand dash it out again, and the same breath of the people that proclaimed him honourable, can with another breach make him ugly and cry, hang him.

What then shall we conclude of this honour other ways then the wise man counsels us say­ing, [...]l. 7.4. Seek not preheminence nor the seat of ho­nour from the King?

And yet, as I spake in seeking riches, so I must say of honour. 1. So you seek not more then is justly due to you or your abilities; 2. So you seek it not inordinately by wicked and cor­rupt means; 3. So you seek it not thereby to grow proud over others and to oppresse them, or thereby to heap up unjust gotten goods, and to spend them on your lusts, seek honour in Gods name.

First, for this seeking that, and only that, and so much as is due to you; 2. that seeking it by just and lawfull means; 3. that it may serve for the advance of Gods glory and the relief of [Page 267]thee poor and oppressed, seek it in Gods name, and as from God.

Who as he is the first spring and clear foun­tain of true honour, and so proclaimed,1. Sam. 2.20. 1 Chr. 16.27. Those that honour me I will honour, and again, Honour and glory are from the Lord; So he can and will when he seeth time and cause, either immediate­ly and by his own hand, give thee honour as he did to Meses, the Judges, and the Kings of Ju­dah, or else mediately and by the hands of others, he will cause Kings whose hearts are in his hands, as Pharaoh to lay honour on Joseph, and Nebuchadnezar on Daniel; or rather then fail he will cause Ahasuerus to dishonour his favorite Haman, and to double that honour on faithfull Mordecai: and he that seeks honour by that rule and means which S. Paul hath prescri­bed, that is by well doing, Rom. 2.7. either he shall receive it here on earth, or a farre better in heaven,2 Cor. 4.17. which the same Apostle calls, a farre more ex­ceeding and eternall weight of glory.

And this many holy men not only in sacred order, but Nobles, Princes, and Kings earnest­ly longing after and labouring for, have vo­luntarily and freely either renounced the taking of honourable and royall places in Church or State, or have resigned them that they might intentively pursue that other honour in heaven above.

Yea not only these Godly and holy men pro­sessors of Christs lowliness have done this, but even many heathens, and among them as well Poets as Philosophers have neglected and aban­doned the golden fetters, and gilded rayes of worldly honour, and in stead thereof have be­taken themselves to contemplative lives, studi­ous of virtue and well doing, which under God [Page 168]in a morall sense is the right parent of all true honour.

CHAP. XXXIII. Pleasures and delights are not worthy of mans love.

NOt only the heathen generally were carri­ed away with the sin of pleasure and luxu­ry, as Sardanapalus the founder of Tarsus (where S. Paul was born) upon whose tombe it was written (that which S. Paul alludes unto) Let us eat and drink, 2 Cor. 15 22. for to morrow we shall dye, but some kinde of Philosophers, as the Epicures, placed mans chief good in the pleasures and de­lights of this life; Yea King Salomon seemeth to joyn and close with these when he saith, I com­mended mirth because a man hath no better thing under-the Sun, Eccles. 8.15. then to eat, drink and be merry s [...] that shall abide with him of his labour.

And to speak truth, though it redound to the shame of men, this sin hath had more followers then any other, exceeding covetousnesse or am­bition; the woman in the Revelation with a cup of fornication in her hand sits upon waters; by which waters are understood multitudes of people: and that which some have observed of the Diamond, that the hardest of them is mollified & broken by the milke of the Goat a luxurious or lacivious beast, holds true oft times w^th the stron­gest and otherwise the wisest men; for not only Samson in holy writ,Gen. 6.2. and Hercules in profane writers, but the Sons of God and King Salomon [Page 169]have been overtaken and carried captive here­with.

And no marvaile, for the Heathen and their Philosophers, as the Sadduces, held no resurre­ction, nor immortality of the soul, and therefore hoping for no joy after this life, they would be sure to have it here. Yet I will not think that Salomon, though his writings seem too much to savour of this leaven, was wholly infected with this beastly opinion: but that his speeches may be taken ironically by way of jeer and scorn, as that speech of God is, Behold man is become like one of us: and this may appear to be so when you compare other passages of Salomons, in the same book with this mentioned, as if he said, I will prove thee with mirth; Eccles. 2 1. therefore injoy plea­sure, but behold (saith he) this it vanity, and va­nity is sin.

And that pleasure is such a vanity consider the little peace and content, but the great disquiet, trouble, and torture that followes it. That grief followes pleasure, as the shadow doth the body in a sunshine, was the saying of Poets as Philosophers. For as the itch in the flesh cau­seth us to scratch, and the scratching procureth rawness with pain, and after all comes a scab: so after fleshly lust succeeds both trouble and shame, and after this sin, more by many degrees then after any other, be it cover of riches, ho­nour, or the like, for after these sins few cry out as S. Paul did, Woe is me wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of sin, or sin of my fleshly body: whereas this sin of plea­sure resembles much the woman in the Prophet,Zach. 5: 7: which in a similitude is said to be in a great pot, be it of pleasure or the like, but there is a great weight of lead upon the mouth of the pot, not [Page 170]only to keep her down in shame and pain, but also that she cannot get forth when she is once in, and that must increase and double both her shame and pain; that which the Prophet speaks of all sin,I say: 57: 21. is most certainly of this, That there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; whereas the fruits of Gods Spirit abandoning and mortify­ing these lusts are peace and joy, Gal. 5.22. present and ae­ternall.

It is storied of Socrates, that when he was to declaim against the foulness of this sin of luxury, that he covered his face, as being asha­med to express that in words, which men openly shewed in their actions; and it is worthy our ob­servation, that the Spirit of God in the pen-men of holy writ taught them to speak of this sin in covert and modest termes, and sometimes by circumlocutions, that the eares of the godly might not otherwise be offended, or the hearts of the wicked be corrupted: for as our first pa­rents seeing their nakedness were ashamed: so if there be any shame left in man after this sin it will appear. S. Paul by way of question proves this when he saith, What fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Ro. 6.21 but more plainly saying,1 Cor. 5.1: There is fornication among you, and such as (for shame) is not so much as to be named: but most plainly to the Philippians, Their God is their belly, Phi. 3.19. and their glory is their shame.

But shame and pain are not the only or the least evill attendants of pleasure, but there are worse that follow, as the loss or darkning at least of mans best facul [...]ies, his understanding and reason: and not this to follow alone, but to be accompanied with the worm of conscience, and after all hell fire.

Other sins, as covetousness, ambition, lying, quicken, but this sin being gross and fleshly clouds and stupefieth the understanding; the Prophet speaks it plainly,Hosea. 4.11. whoredome and wine take away or robb man of his heart. The wanton Goddess Venus, bath her name given by the Greeks as being without an understanding soul, and the Philosopher gives the reason hereof, for that the immoderate use of Venery sucks and drawes away the purest blood and the clee­rest spirits from the brain, wherewith the under­standing is made lively and quick; if you would find an instance in holy writ, look upon Salomon, who being a man made by God of the greatest understanding and wisdome, through this sin became in plain English the greatest sool, which most of his actions after did plainly prove.

It is storied, or sabled if you will, but the morall will serve our turn, that Ʋlysses his com­panions were by Circe a witch turned into swine, in which condition of being they were so well pleased, that they refused to be changed into men again: so much were they delighted with the habit and custome of beastly delights; the thing applyes it self, and of this picture of these betwitched beasts let the Sodomites be the mot­to or word, who over swoln and ready to break with this sin of fleshly uncleanness, are by the Angel of God strucken blind, and so, as for ought we reade,Gen. 19.11: they never recovered their sight again; and what is spoken of their bodily sight, may be as true of the sight in the soul, mans reason, which by this sin more then any other, in all is darkned, in many for a time blinded, and in some irrecoverably lost.

And would this were the worst: for in the [...] [Page 174]admit of a beastly or swinish man into the place of purity? A cleanly man or woman will not suffer a durty nasty clown, much less a beast or a swine to enter, and much less to stye him­self in his adorned chamber; and then how can we think that God will suffer a man that walks after the flesh in the lust of uncleaness, 2 Pet. 2.10.to enter and set up his aboad and everlasting habitation in the throne of heaven? No no, saith S. Paul, let no man deceive you with vain words, Eph.5.6. of plea­ding nature, naturall infirmity, company, cu­stome, the opinion of Philosophers or practise of otherwise wise and great men: all these and the like the Apostle calls vain words, which may deceive us but be assured, saith he, Not­withstanding all these, no unclean person hath, or can have, any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God.

And yet after all this I shall not doubt to affirme, that as God hath graciously breathed into man a living soul, so he was and is as won­derfully pleased co afford him all good means for the preservation of his life: and I conceive no reasonable man will deny the use of honest delight, pleasure, and recreation both of soul and body to be numbred among these. Provided that these pleasures, delights, and recreations, be lawfull and of good report, and that they be used seasonably and with moderation, without which conditions syncerely observed, those plea­sures and delights which are otherwise lawfull, yea and necessary, will become sinfull, and with­out the merits of Christ our Redeemer and re­pentance by forsaking them, can be no less then damnable.

CHAP. XXXIV. The love of women and of their beauty hath caused many evills, and therefore for themselves alone they are not to be loved.

THe love of man to woman is naturally implanted, ever since God made her an help meet for man: Gen. 2.20. For man could not take any comfort and content in beasts, either by speech or for procreation of children: but being shee is bone of mans bone and flesh of his flesh, as Adam spake, Therefore, saith God, A man shall leave father and mother for her,Ephes. 5.31. and so saith S. Paul they shall be joyned or glewed together, and shall become one flesh: Hereupon for a man to become a woman-hater, was among the heathens as to be called a Monster nature, or an unnaturall peece of flesh.

And this love is inflamed and increased by the beauty, comely proportion of the body, and gracefull demeanor of the woman, which hath been and so proved as a letter of recoramendation, and superscription of favour to man, and not only Christians but heathens have called this a divine gift, as arising from the most excellent temper of the soul, created and infused by God: and thereupon they conjecture the inter­nall disposition of the soul from the outward beauty of the body, as judging Moses, David, [Page 176]Daniel, Rachel, Judith, Esther, all spoke in Scripture to be fair and godly, accordingly to be fitted for great atchievements, or severall excellent uses.

And this holds oft times so true, that not only Poets seigned Ganymede the beautifull to be the cup-bearer and favorite of their great God Jupiter, but the heathens, as the Lacedemoni­ans, held their great sights like those of the Greek Olympiads, in defence of their greater esteemed beauties; and both Greece and Troy can speak much to this, which lost so much blood about the beauty of one loose Helena.

The Civilians have gone so farre in the esteem of this beauty, that they say if a man promise marriage to a fair woman, and she prove deformed before the contract, that he may for­sake her as though she were not now the same wo­man, although only changed in countenance and complexion; and they add, that beauty with gracefull proportion and demeanor, in a poor man or woman, is portion and estate sufficient to couple them to the less handsome, though rich.

And this, with other private thoughts and con­siderations, hath taught women to amend that by filthy art which hath been denyed them by God or Nature, and accordingly to bestow much care and cost in waters, plasters, and paintings, to cure, colour and daube over scurvy faces.

If you ask me how this comes to pass, that beauty hath gained such a powerfull working upon men and women; I confess I cannot readily say, whether this ariseth from some se­cret disposition in the soul, some temper in the brain or eye, but certain it is that the man who [Page 177]hath the whole parts of a man, is delighted with the beauty and comely composure of any crea­ture, but especially of a woman, though but pictured in lively colours, but then much more if her beauty and motion be living; for her gracefull moving her warbling tongue, and her sparkling eye, oft times gives heare, fire, and life to this beauty, but above all the eye.

Philosophers searching how the sight is made, whether by the sending forth light and spirits from the eye, or by taking the species and re­presentations of the thing to be seen into the eye, they conclude that it is done both wayes: and so indeed in this case of beauty and love the eye is the witch and the thing bewitched: it is the inlet and outlet, the giver and taker of love upon beauties score. In one word, it is as dry wood to take fire, and in an other like fire to set the wood on burning.

Some have gone so far in the extolling of beauty as to call it the image of God, which is true of the souls beauty, but cannot be so of the beau­ty corporally save only in a double reflexed sense.

But many, and these not of inferiour rank in the Church of Christ, have been of opinion that the words in Genesis, The sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair, Gen. 6.2. and they took them wives of all that they chose, were spoken of the Angels who fell by the sight of womans beauty, and hence they conclude how hard the resistance of this temptation is, and teach us the more strongly to stand and labour against it.

Now although we cannot say that by the sons of God in this text are understood the created spi­rits in heaven, but the sons of Seth, who serving [Page 178]God are called his sons, and that these saw and married the Daughters of men, that is, of those who sprang from Cain and earthly ungod­ly men: yet this we may and do say, that if sight alone (for the text speaks no more) wrought so much and so strongly upon the sons of God, as to make such marriages, as soon after brought the deluge and drowning of the whole world: Then what may we conceive that tal­king, walking, conversing, dancing, touch­ing and other dalliances with faire women may work with the cumbustible matter or touch­wood of fleshly man? my counsell is, resist the beginning, shut the door or the windowes; for Death, Jer. 9.21. as the Prophet speaks, enters in at the windowes, the eyes; and it hath been the com­plaint of thousands, I had never sumed had I not seen. Thus fell our first parents, and their whole race have tript, stumbled, and fallen in the like manner.

And to strengthen thy self against this tem­ptation, consider that as under fair and sweet flowers you oft times have found a venemous creature, and under gilded pills a dram of poi­son, so under beauty there may be as much, which is more to be shunned and avoided, then to be desired and imbraced.

For first consider that though as Poets feig­ned, fair Narcissus, and so women have fallen in love with their own beauty, which hath cost them dear, loss of modesty, reputation, honesty, life and soul, so it is of no worth or use to the possessor or to the beautifull, but is as a picture or pageant made and set only for the Spectator: so that if there be any reall good in it, we may speak of it as of that good, for which all crea­tures sensate and insensate were made, which [Page 179]was for others and not for themselves.

But when both man and woman the possessor and beholder of this beauty, shall consider the frail­ty and sodain fading thereof, he may as well fall in love with a flower or shadow, as with it; for as it is like a tulip, which is of no use, but only for sight, so is it oft times of as small a continuance. So that we may speak of it, as the Psalmist doth of mans life,Ps. 90. in the morning (about the age of sixteen or eighteen yeares) it is green, about noon (thirty years of age) it begins to wither, but at night, at or before fifty, it is out down and cast into the black smoaky oven, that some in pity, more in scorn, may say as of Jezebel dead, Is this Jezebel, or is this that lately admired piece of beauty?2 King. 9.37. so frail, so vain a thing is beauty, or a beautifull wo­man.

And not only is the beautifull woman fraile herein, but as weak and frail to that which is good, though strong and too strong, to that which is evill; For the eldest child of this fair mother (beauty) commonly is pride, which is as a skin blowen up with self-delight, and scorn of others, the two naturall brats or at­tendants of pride, as pride is of beauty.

And yet besides these fruits of beauty, there are others not a sew like them; For beauty sel­dome begets the best housewives, but makes them gadders abroade; For of what other use is beau­ty but to shew it self, thereby either to inamour or insnare the beholders; or to gain some windy praise of their shadow of beauty? faire Dinah will be gadding, and though she say it is to visit the Daughters, it is to intangle and to be taken by the men of the land.

Again we say, as by way of proverb or com­mon [Page 180]speech, fair and foolish, (or ordinarily, not so wise at others) which proves natures equity, that if she denies beauty to the hard favoured, she makes her amends with wisdome, which she denyeth to the fair; But indeed the fair piece so much confides in her beauty, that she hath neither time, wit nor will, to study the beauty of the minde, which is judgement and discretion.

And for want of wit or judgement it often falls out with these fair snouts, that if they have not what they long for or desire, they grow above others impatient and impetuous; Rachel must have children, Gen. 31. else she will dye: Herodias will not be pleased, no not with half a kingdome, nor any thing can content her but the head of John Baptist: nor will our grandame Eve be quiet till she have the forbidden fruit, though it be purchast at no less rate then the death of mankind.

When S. Peter counsels men to honour women as the weaker vessels, some have thought that coun­sell fit in this case, to temper such proud lust full women with good words and gentle usage, as the best remedy: and I remember that when Christ was plain with S. Peter saying, Come be­hind me Satan, though Peter counselled his Master to be good to himself, yet when Zebedees wife indiscreetly would require the precedency for her children above all the other Apo­stles, yet Christ mildly answers her, You know not what you ask: and gives her a reason for his refusall, adding, it is not mine to give; Fooles and children we see must be pleased or fooled with fair words, or else their haughty beauty will make them above others mad.

That these kind of women are inconstant, [Page 181]fickle, and false, one day loving and another hating, like the Chamaeleon or the planet Mercury, which are of that colour or disposition as is the plant or planet with which they are in conjuncti­on, is so ordinary a theme with Poets as other wise men, that they have compared women to fortune which is said to be constant and certain in nothing but levity, and inconstancy.

And if they be constant in any thing else, it is in coveting and ill getting, that they may as vainly spend it, as. S. James saith, on their lusts: and they who would more exactly know in what kind these lusts are conversant, let them read the Prophet Isaiah, Ch. 3.16. who in seven verses to­gether tells us, and that in the first place of their neeks (bare and) stretched forth, with the brave­ry of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, their caules, their round tires like the Moon, their chains, bracelets and musters, the bonets, head-bands, rings, changeable suits of apparell, the mantles, wimpels, crisping pins, the glasses, fine linnen, hoods and vailes; and to these, as additionalls of our later pride S. Peter hath ad­ded the plaiting of the hair, 1 Pet. 3.3. wearing gold and rich apparell, and hence it comes that S. Peter speaks of their eyes full of adultery, 2 Pet. 2 as though all this cost and wast were to shew by their eyes what their hearts desires.

You may read that Asa destroyed the stately and rich temple of Belphegor, 1 King. [...].15. 2 Chro. 2. or Priapus, wherein were the most abominable uncleannesse used and not to be named by the most impudent and profligate men: yet this was built by women at their cost and charges, and so was that golden calse (which the Isaelites adored) made out of the car-rings and Jewels of the women, which though they loved above all outward things of [Page 182]fortune, yet these they would part withall to please themselves in Idolatry, lust and vain de­lightes; yea the Prophet tells us of women, who at their husbands costs give gifts to their lovers, and hire them that they may come in unto them. Ezek. 16.33.

I would I could truly say that oft-times in these womens hearts malice, envy, revenge, murder, were not lodged, though the face pre­tends and holds forth, as many an house, the sign of an Angel, or a fair maid: the wiseman said,Ecclus. 25.15. 1 King. 17.9. There is no wrath above that of a woman, if she be an enemy, the Prophet found it so, who fled from Jezebel haz-arding death by fa­mine, or wild beasts, rather then to fall under her implacable anger and mercilesse revenge; and no lesse did John Baptist see, when Herodias would rather refuse the half of Herods kingdome in Judea then not to be revenged on the head of John Baptist. So immortall is their enmities when they hate, as their affections are mortall and short lived where they love: King Salomon said that beauty in such a woman as this,Prov. 12 is like gold or pearl in a swines snout, which defiles the gold and that which is precious, her beauty by her routing and wallowing in the stinking dunghils of uncleannesse and filthy lusts.

A Legend tells us of a young child taken and kept by an Eremite in the wildernesse; at last when he grew to be a young man, he saw good­ly fair women, and asked the Eremite what they were; who told the youth as to disswade him from the love of them, that they were Devils: yet so it was that not long after the Eremite asked the young man what pleased him best of all that ever he had seen, who readily answered that those Devils which he lately saw, delighted [Page 183]him most. That women known to be little bet­ter then Devils, or their Imps, have thus over­taken men is not to be denyed or doubted, and can any man conceive that the man who hath brains in his head, or an heart in his bosome, can be so mad or destitute of all grace and un­derstanding as to set his love or affection on such a Saint-like Devill?

Which that they may not do, let me tell them, that as there hath been virtuous good women, such as Sarah, Rebecca, the widow of Sarepta and the old poor woman that cast in the mite to the treasury, Mary Magdalen, Dorcas, with many o­thers in the new Testament, so there have been and are with us, Daughters of Sarah, as S. Peter calls them, and such as are not taken with the outward adorning, in plaiting hair, naked breasts and necks, gold and silken clothes, but in the inward dresse of a quiet and meek spirit, and these, these love in Gods name, but of the other beware, and as we say (look before you leap) for a woman, if good, deserves the love of all: if ill, of all creatures she is most dangerous and oft-times worse then the Devill.

Gen. 6.2.The Devill did not, but the daughters of men did tempt the sons of God, so did Dinah the son of Sichem, Delilah Samson, Bathsheba David, and millions more have done the like; for the eyes of such women are like burning lamps or coales of fire to kindle,Prov. 6.24, 30. her breath as bellowes to blow, her lips like lime-twigs to insnare, her hands as manicles or bands to hold fast,Ecclus. 7.26.28. and her belly like hell.

What the world could not do to Salomon the wise, a woman did, and what the Devill could not by himself do to Adam, he did it by a wo­man. A Lady desiring a religious man to think [Page 184]on her in his prayers he flatly answered that he did not at all desire to think on her; for, saith he, if Christ would not that May Magdalen should touch him, because as himself speaks he was not yet ascended into heaven, then sure the thought of a woman co me frail man may prove a tempta­tion to sin.

Ecclus. 7 26.The wise Preacher saith, I find a wicked wo­man to be more bitter then death, and the wise man saith,Ecclus. 15.13. Ecclus. 42.14. Give me any wickednesse but that of a woman, and again, Better is the wickednesse of a man thon a courteous woman, for saith he, as from the cloth comes the moth, so from a wo­man ariseth wickednesse, and hereupon he counsels man in the same place, Sit not in the midst of women,Ch. 9.8. but rather turn away thine eye from a beautifull woman, for therewith love is kindled as by fire.

The first part of this counsell was practised by Joseph, who when his Mistres cast her eye upon him saying, Lie with me, he cast his eye off her, and left his garment with her, in stead of himself: and the later part was the act of holy Job, Job 31.1 who made a covenant with his eye that he would not look upon a maid: for the company and the sight of them are both dangerous, We read in the parable that the worldly men desired to be excused for not comming to Christs feast, but the man that was joyned to a woman makes no excuse but plainly and roundly saith,Iu. 14.20. I am wedded to a woman, therefore I cannot come.

I shall end all in a word, favour and beauty are deceitfull, deceitful in the highest degree,Prov. 31 1 [...]. and to the greatest losse both to the possessor and to the spectator, so that each may say of beauty as God doeth of Israel, Destruction is from thy self: [...]os. 13. first to thy self thy beauty being to thee as [Page 185] Samsons or Absaloms hair, halters to the owners: and no lesse to the beholders, then as Tamar to Amnon and Dinah to the Sichemites.

CHAP. XXXV. The immoderate love of eating or drinking.

THis Chapter leads us from the Chamber to the Close-stool, or from the beauty of women to the beastlinesse of men, who like beasts tied to the manger put their most delight in pampering the flesh, of which foul sin I shall need to speak no more then what S. Paul hath said, Their God is their belly, Phil. 3.18. their glory is their shame, they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ, and their end is destruction, in which words you may discover the nature,Rom. 6.21. the fruit (as S. Paul else­where calls it) and the reward or end of this sin, where the nature of it is exprest when the Apostle saith, their belly is their God, and to this as the Heathens did, so do they sacrifice as to their God, which they onely worship, with whom their temple is their parlour, their altar is their table, the Priests are the cooks and butlers, their sacrifice the daintiest of meats, and the richest wines, and all these are offered up with incense oft-times, musick, dancing and the like, as in the sacrifice to the Calfe God,Exod. 32.6. to their God their belly.

And such as the sacrifice and the God is, such we shall find the effect and end of all to be, and [Page 186]these are such as S. Paul speaks of, Rom. 6.11. shame and destruction; for these gluttons and riotous persons glory in their feeding and feasting, as the hea­thens did in their sacrificing, but saith the Apostle, their glory is, wholly is, or is built and setled alone in shame; and in this shamefull act they become the enemies of Christs-crosse, which crosse is an enemy to this excesse, and their justly deserved end is destruction, which S. Paul could not rehearse but with weeping: and I must desire you to remember that whereas S. Paul is never found weeping in the setting down the quality, effects or end of any other sin, yet this alone as the most deplorable and most to be lamented of all sins he tells it even weeping.

And how could the blessed Apostle do lesse, considering that it besots a man and deprives him of that which makes him a man, and is called the candle of God? Prov. 20.27. 1. It robs him of his spi­rituall reason; 2. It fills him full of diseases, and thereby deprives him of his health; 3. Of­ten of his life, taking it away untimely or before that time to which with sobriety he might have continued it; 4. It robs him of that precious balme which might keep him alive when he is dead, it takes away his good name, making him as he lived to dye like a beast; 5. and which is the greatest theft or robbery of all, this sin robs him of his soul, which as he enjoyed not while he lived, so less shall he enjoy it when he is dead, for the weight and pressure of his meats and drinks offered to his beastly God shall sinke it down to hell.

I need not to prove the first, that excess in eating and drinking clouds and besots the brain and understanding; for what the fume and [Page 187]stench of meats and wines doth to a parlour which stands with open chinks and crevises over a wine-cellar or kitchen, the like doth the vapours arising from the stomach to the head, and much more, seeing that the passages from the stomach to the brain are more open and neerer then those of the kitchen to any other place. But I shall not need to illustrate that by similes, which the holy writ doth most plainly prove, for so the Prophet speaks,Hosea. 4.11. wine robs the heart of man; and the Prophet Jeremiah having denoun­ced a woe to the drunkards, Jer. 51.13. or drinkers of more then is sufficient, which are indeed drunkards, he adds they have no knowledge, v. 17, 18. or they are bereft of that they had, and in the same chapter, the same Prophet calls this excessive drinking the cup of trembling, and such as makes the man lye at the head of the streets as a bull (intangled) in a net. The Apostle S. Paul saith he keept un­der his body by temperance and abstinence, 1 Cor. 9.27. from excess in meats and drinks, lest he became, our translation saith a reprobate, which word repro­bate hath the like sense here, which it hath in another of his Epistles where it is called a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28. and by the words preceding he means a mind void or bereft of knowledge. You shall heare the wise man saying, that he who eates and drinks moderately hath his wits with him, Ecclus. 31.30. from whence less cannot be conclu­ded then he that doth the contrary, eating and drinking immoderately, is out of or in time will lose his wits;Jer. 25.16. but the Prophet Jeremiah speaks it home and plain, they shall drink and be moved and be mad.

Wine in former times in this as other no­thern Countryes, was sold only in Apothecaries shops, and was drunk in small quantity to reco­ver [Page 188]health, but now being sold and drunk in large measures to the decay of our health and estate, I could wish that the Vintners tavern might stand next to the house of mad-men, that there­by the Drunkard might either reel or be carried to his cure; for not only Poets but Philoso­phers called Drunkenness no less then mad­ness.

And such a madness it is that makes a man forget him self, in his two most desirable things, in his health and life, which two while he is in his wits he most highly esteems. Physitians not only declaim against excess in eating, and drinking, as an enemy to health, but profess and maintain, that a simple uncompounded or a spare diet, most conduceth to the maintenance thereof. For that heat which will boyle or con­coct a rabbet or pullet, will not do the like to beef, mutton, capon, pye, custard, and other compounded meats made by the sawcy Cook: but much of these must lye raw on the stomach, and the crudities corrupted and putrefied must necessarily turn to humours destructive to health;Eccl. 31.20. The wise man tells us that sound sleep cometh of moderate eating, but watching, choler, paines in the belly are with an insatiate man, and the same writer saith expresly,C. 31.30. Excess dimini­sheth health and makes wounds, and if you will heare it rather in the Prophets words,Jet. 25.27. Drink and be drunk, and spue and rise no more.

S. Paul knowing the manifold mischieses arising from excess in meat and drink, useth a remedy which is worthily to be followed by all wise and good men,1 Cor. 9.27. I keep under, or more pro­perly as the word imports, I make my body as my slave, and I bringit into subjection; that is, as though by cudgelling, and beating my dog, [Page 189]I make him lye down when I bid him, and run and go and do as I command him; which o­therwise my body would not do, but as an over­fed colt or pampered jade, it would kick against the feeder, and cast down and trample upon the rider. The body we must remember is a good servant to the soul, thus kept under and brought into subjection, as S. Paul dealt with his body, but it is a most refractary and impetuous Master if by custome it get the dominion.

A wife, an host of an Inn or Tavern, and a Civet-cat have some resemblance in this, that the wife if over cockered and too full fed is like­ly to fool or cuckold her husband; the host if you ever give him his asking, and not sometime find fault and rebuke him, will grow careless and use you ill; and the Cat unless beaten will yeeld no musk: the application is easie and obvious to any understanding, that the body will do the like, if over fed and not kept under.

And as it doth in the point of health, so of life it self, for this life depends necessarily on that health, a ship over-laden with merchandise, or which hath taken in too much water, will soon sink, it fares alike with mans body; for as fea­vers and other diseases are generally cured by fasting, so they are increased and death fol­lowes upon fulness. It is storied of a kind of Viper that comes not forth of the womb but by eating out the damms belly: so that belly which seems to give the body life, often takes away life from the body. The wise man hath said it,Ecclus 21.25. Wine hath destroyed many, and the Pro­phet likewise, for thy drunkenness desolation and destruction are come upon thee: Isa. 51.1 [...]. and what they speak of drink is as true of meat excessively taken: So that as before I wished that the Vint­ners [Page 190]house should be placed next the house of mad men: so I hold it fit that the Cook should dwell betwixt the Apothecary and the Sexton, for he makes work for these, for as he kills and coffins the bodies of flesh and fish, so he en­deavours to do as much for the guests that feed thereon. The wise mans counsell is worthy our learning,Prov. 23 2, 3. and imitation. If thou be a man given to thy appetite, put a knife to thy throate, and be not desirous of dainties, for they are deceitfull; and so deceitfull they are, that unless thou put thy knife to thy throate, as affrighting thy throate from swallowing too much, they will prove as a knife to cut thy throat and destroy thy life.

And not it alone, but thy good name and ho­nour; S. Paul comparing mans life to a race or fighting saith,1 Cor. 9.25. every man that striveth for the mastery and the crown, is temperate in all things, where as temperance gains, so excess loseth this crown. S. Paul in the place before mentioned speaks it plainly,Phil. 3.18. their glory is in their shame. See Noah drunk and uncovered, Lot drunk and lying with his daughters, and in them see the shame of this sin.

And when you heare the rich Glutton in the Gospel say, Soul eate, drink, take thy rest and be merry, can you conceive it to be the speech of any but a beast like man? and accordingly the Prophet comparing the earth to a drunkard, calls it a field of beasts. Is. 24.20. The wise man bids eate as it becometh a man, Ecclus. 31.16. and leave off for manners sake, and devour not lest thou offend, and in the same chapter he addeth, Wine moderately drunk makes the heart glad; v. 28. but immoderately taken makes bitterness of the mind, with brawling, quarrelling and rage. S. Paul couples the drunkard and the rayler, and in another Epistle [Page 191]the murderer and the drunkard: and King Sa­lomon saith,1 Cor. 15 11. Gal. 5.21 Prov. 2 [...].21. The Glutton and the drunkard shall come to poverty; and after poverty, rayling, quarrelling, rage, and murder, what can follow less then shame and dishonour?

The old Testament mentions little more then bread in the feasts, so called, of the Pa­triarchs and Godly men: and as Christ never invited or entertained any with more then bread and fish, so he taught us to pray for all under bread: in all which feasts as we read nothing of costly and daynty sauces, so neither of pies, tarts, second courses; and in all the Gospel we read but of one that fared sumptuously every day; and if we remember his end, I think we should not desire to inherit his glory.

Excess in meats and drinks robbs us of our wits, health, life, good name, and would it could stay there and not deprive us of our joy in heaven, but we find that Eve lost paradise for an apple, that Esau sold his birth-right for pottage, and Rachel was content to part with her husband for mandrakes: the souls husband is Christ, his birth right and paradise of joyes is heaven, and what mandrakes, pottage, and an apple, did to Rachel, Esau, and Eve, gluttony and drunkenness must and will do the like and more to the soul of man.

It is storied by three penmen of God,Exo. 32. Ps. 106. 1 Cor. 10. that when the Israelites had sate down to eate, drink and rose up to play, that God was sore displea­sed and angry with them, and had not Moses earnestly interceded, the Lord in his wrath [...]ad utterly destroyed them. Holy Job therefore, when the days of his childrens feasting were over, rose early and speedily sacrificed un­to the Lord; for he said,Job 1.5. It may be my sons [Page 192]have sinned, (in this their jollity and feasting, which is seldome without sin:) the wise man counsells well,Ecclus. 23.6. Let not the greediness of the belly, nor lust of the flesh take hold of me: and give me not over to an impudent minde; an impudent minde follows lust of the flesh, as the lust of the flesh doth the greediness of the belly, but after these three follows the anger and wrath of the Lord, for so the Prophets have termed the cup of wine the cup of the Lords fury, Is. 51.17. Jer. 25.15. Let us therefore walk honestly or decently, not in rioting and drunkenness, saith S. Paul; nor be ye deceived, saith he,Rom. 13.13. Cor. 6.10 for drunkard (and riotous persons) shall not inherit the Kingdome of God.

What I have here spoken I desire may not be so taken, as that I speak against all great so­lemn meetings or feasts; for as fasts, so feasts have been for good ends and used under the Law. There were three great publick feasts yearly to be observed by all Gods people, the Passeover, the feast of Tabernacles, and of Harvest. And these were appointed and commanded by God himself; and besides these there were publick feasts ordained by man, as that instituted by Mordecai yearly to be kept,Est. 9.21 and that they should make them days of feasting and joy for the deliverancce of the Jews from their intended destruction, and such was that of the Encaenia, the renovation or dedication of the Temple, in­stituted by the Maccabees after the prophana­tion thereof by Antiochus Epiphanes, 1 Mach. 4 59. and was honoured by Christs presence as S. John wit­nesseth.John 1 [...].

And besides these yet we read in holy writ, of Private feasts allowed and no way to be re­proved,Gen. 19: as that which Lot made to entertain the Angels: that which Abraham made at the [Page 193]weaning his son Isaac, Gen. 21 & 43. which Joseph made for his brethren though in a time of scarcity and famine, which Samson made as for a wedding feast, [...].14 to which or the like Christ might allude in the parable of his wedding feast, and in the primitve Church we read of feasts at the tombes of martyrs which were yearly held to continue the memory of their persons, and for imitation of their vertues, and therefore neither these or any such like are simply to be reproved because feasts, without especiall precept in holy writ a­gainst them,Esthr. 1.4.8. yea we read that Abasuerus the King made a feast for his Princes thereby to shew the glory and honor of his Majesty for 180 days, but no ill is reproved in this because none were compelled to drink but every one might take or refuse at his pleasure.

But as fasts have been instituted on ill grounds, and have been kept to as ill or worse ends, so have feasts had the like fate; of such fasts the Prophet speaks to the Jews, Isa. 58.4 Ye fast (saith he) (and I would Christians had not imitated them herein) to strife and debate (and not for peace) to exact and oppresse (and not to relieve and do justice) to smite and to shed bloud (not to save and restore:) and such was that fast practised by Jezebel where a fast was proclaimed,2. Kin. 21 and solemnly though most hypocritically and abo­minably performed to colour false witnesse, rob­bery and murder, and such was that of the Pha­risees mentioned by the Evangelist who fasted twice in the week,Lu. 1 [...].12. but most probably for a shew of holinesse, or thereby to deceive and draw o­thers into the like ways of errour, hypocrisie and iniquity.

And as fasts, so feasts have been alike institu­ted and practised, the Calfe-feast to eat, drink [Page 194]and play,Exo. 32. Dan. 5. Belshazzars feast to carouse in the sa­cred bouls, Nabals feast to be drunk,2 Sam. 13 Absa­loms feast thereby to lye in wait to shed his bro­ther Amnons bloud,1 King. 12.32. and the feast of Jeroboam to continue and hold the people in their begun rebellion against their lawfull King, such feasts as these may well be compared to those wherein the Jews blindly and most wickedly offered their sons and daughters to Moloch the idoll,Psa. 10 [...]. in­deed as the Psalmist rightly termeth him, to the devill.

And yet in these feasts of thanksgiving they would entitle God to be the authour of their Regicide and bloudshed, but hear what the Pro­phet speaks of these feasts and such feasters and thanks-givers, where the prayers and sacrifices thus offered one Prophet calls the dung of their feasts, Ma [...]. 2.3 Amos 5.2. and for these dungy and stinking offer­ings, saith another Prophet in the person of God,Isa. 1.14 I hate and despise your feast-days, and therefore saith the Preacher,Ecclus. 7.2. It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of (such) feasting, Joel 1.5. and therefore saith the Prophet Joel, Weep ye drunkards and howle ye drinkers of wine, for the Lord hath spoken by the Prophet Amos, Amos 8.10. I will turn your feasts into mourning and your songs, (of triumph and victory) into lamentation, and I will make it as the mourning for an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

CHAP. XXXVI. The immoderate love of Apparell.

THe clothing or apparelling the body hath three lawfull and justifiable uses or ends, 1. to cover the shame of our nakednesse; 2. to defend us from the weather; 3. to distinguish persons in their severall rankes and qualities.

And of this last there can be no doubt, con­sidering that our Saviour tells us that they who are gorgeously apparelled are in Kings houses: Lu. [...].2 [...] and that S. James speaks that the man in authority is in goodly apparell, James 2. and the poor man in vile ray­ment: and that neither of these is spoken by way of reproof simply to either.

But what is said in an other case, is true here, what ever is more (then for these three uses) is of sin, 1. from the vanity of the mind, and such might that be in the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, Luk. 16.17. (who is not notified to be a per­son in place of authority:) 2. from pride, and such might that be in Herod, who makes an ora­tion to the people being arayed in royall apparell: Act. 12.21. 3. from lust, and such is the attire of the harlot so distinctly called by Salomon, Prov. 7.10. and accordingly Tamar intending to insnare and intice Judah to lust,Gen. 38.14. hath her dresse fitted for the purpose.

To these though men (as more effeminate then formerly) are become too subject, yet not so much as women, whose dispositions being more inconstant and mutable then mens, so [Page 196]they shew it in their apparell and dressings, who change oftner then the Moon, and are become like the spotted beast, the Panther, and as the Chameleon or Serpent which changeth according as her mode serves, of being pleased or displeased, or according to that colour or appearance which she last looked on: and this if it proceed not ever from lust and pride (which may be justly suspected in the most) yet undoubtedly it can­not proceed from lesse then a vain mind, that is, from a soul which is like a vessel empty of any good liquor, and therefore fills it self with windy matter, such as are fancy, humour, and delight in toyish garish, indeed in ridiculous habits and apparell.

And though the man in the Gospel be not in in this kind so much for the fashion (which is the folly of our times) as for the stuffe,Luk. 16.19. yet it sounds no lesse then as a reproof or charge a­gainst him, that he beyond or besides his calling (though probably not besides his ability) wore purple and fine linen: but how conceive we then that Christ would have taxed him, had he dawbed his clothes with laces, strewed them with buttons, and points, or had hanged his linen out to be seen about his loins, or dragling it about his feet almost in the dirt, and could Christ have pronounced lesse of him, then that he had been a vain prodigall man, and such an one who probably as he had gained his money by fraud or oppression, so he robbed the poor of what was due to them out of this wast: re­member what the Prophet speaks, in thy skirts (that is) in thy garments and rich apparell, Jer. 2.34 is found the bloud of the poor innocents.

I could wish that we (except the French) were not by all nations laughed at and scorned, [Page 197]as the apes of all other parts of the world, imi­tating what ever is most phantasticall, absurd and scornfull in them all. So that when the people of other countreys are for the most part por­trayed in their antient native habits, the English man is set forth naked with a peece of stufte in the one hand and a pair of sheers in the other as ever to be new shaping or fashioning his ap­parell.

I shall not need to speak more of womens va­nity herein, then to use the words of Salomon, saying, Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity; for who sees not women vailed like Tamar, when she purposed to intice Judah? or who sees them not wearing more spots on their faces then the Panther hath on his tail, wooing lustfull youth with their prostituted naked shoulders and out-thrust breasts? yea and as S. Paul saith, on their uncomely parts, 1 Cor. 1 [...] 23. more abun­dant comelines, of laces and the like, are be­stowed.

But if to these you shall adde what the Pro­phet speaks, of their stretched forth necks wanton eyes, Isa. 3.16. their mincing as they walk, discovering their naked parts, the bravery of their ornaments, their networks and tires like the Moon, their chaines, bracelets, spangled dresses, the ornaments of the legs, the rings, ear-rings, changeable suits of apparell, the wimples, and the crispin pins, the glasses, fine linen, the hoods and the vailes, can you then say lesse then with Salomon, vanity of vanities, all is vanity, or as S. Paul spake upon an other oc­casion, their glory is their shame, if such women were not already past all shame?Phil. 3.18.

But many say, our estates will bear the expence of our apparell, and in it we spend nothing but our own. And to this I may answer, that the [Page 198]sin lyes not so much in the expence of your money, (although part of this might and should rather have been given to the poor and needy) as in the excess of apparell. 2. But may you not as well say, I may play the Glutton and the Drunkard, for in them I spend but mine own, and my estate will bear it; yet gluttony and drunken­ness you know are forbidden as sins. 3 But might not those Jews whose excess in apparell the Pro­phet Isaiah taxed, and the Christians which S. Paul and S. Peter reprehend, might not they have given the like answer as you do, and can you think that this could have stood for good; as though you may sin, so it be not at an others charge but your own?

And yet I have heard others say, May we not use those creatures as gold, silk, and the like which God hath given us? True, use them you may, for necessity and honest ornament, but not abuse them to excess and superfluity. 2. God gives us fire and iron, but not to burn or kill our selves or our neighbours and he gives us tongues, but to praise him, and not to blaspheme. 3 That God who gave us those creatures of wool, gold, silk, gave them not made into colours, laces, and such or such fashions, this is the wit and often the wicked inventions of men. 4 David when King Saul was slain,2 Sam. 1.24. bids his subjects to weepe over Saul who covered them in scarlet, and put ornaments of gold on their apparell, but he bids them not cover and adorn themselves now their King was slain.

But you see that all or the most follow these, fashions, and why not I? all sin, saith the A­postle; and will you thence infer, and why not I? and the most go to hell, so saith our Saviour, and will you then say, and why not I? Gods [Page 199]Spirit hath told us that we must not follow the multitude to do evill, for the evill of punishment will follow the evill act, and I verily beleeve that Epidemicall or nationall sin in apparell, in part hath caused this nationall punishment of the sword, which as the sin growes while the sword devours; so the sword will devour till we destroy this sin.

2. For did we no [...] promise to God in our baptisme, to forsake not only the Devil but also the vain pompes and delights of the world? and is not the excess in apparell and dressing our bodies, to be reckoned among them?

3. But if you will be followers, why not to follow Sarah, and godly women whom S. Paul and S. Peter commend unto us, and to be imi­tated rather then to tread in the steps of Tamar the harlot, or the strumpet in the Proverbs?Prov: 7:

4. Read and consider what Esther speaks, and did when she resorted to the Lord God to put up her prayers to him; and to receive his gratious answer; where you shall find that she did not then as our women now do, deck or trim her self as though she were going to the King or to allure him, but the text saith when she resorted unto the Lord,Esther 14 2. she put away her glorious apparell, and put on the garments of anguish and mourning, and in stead of pretious ornaments, she covered her bead with ashes (a sign of humiliation with the Jews) and she humbled (not prided or trimmed) her self great­ly; and thus attired, the text saith she began to pray unto the Lord God, and toward he close of her prayer she saith. Thou knowest ô Lord that I abhor the sign of my high estate or pride as a menstruous ragg. And this was a woman whom God raised and used as an instrumentall means [Page 200]of the Jews deliverance, from their utter destru­ction intended them by that blood-sucking Haman the Agagite.

But may some say, If this be a sin, how comes it to pass that it is become so generall and common? this comes to pass, 1 because the sensitive part or soul in man hath got the maste­ry over his reasonable part. 2 Because we look not up, and set our affections on heaven as we ought, but we mind most the vanities below. 3. We living betwixt heaven and hell, draw most to that which is neerest us, which is not heaven but hell. 4 A strumpet told Socrates that she drew more after her, with her apparell and wantonness, then he did with his wise pre­cepts and eloquence: to which Socrates as gran­ting the thing and giving a reason for it, saith, Thou leadest them down the hill, and the descent is easie to sin and hell, but I draw them up, and this is hard and therefore few follow me.

And a 5^th reason is because we put the day of account and the evil day of death and judge­ment far from us: and this may be the cause why the younger sort are more addicted to this sinfull vanity then the Elder, (although many old ones offend herein,Ezek. 12: 27. as though they were younger) for when the Prophet threatens the Israelites with speedy destruction, uless they repent, then they answer, the days are prolonged, and the times are, far off: and such or worse (though Christians) S. Peter had to do with, who scoffingly said,2 Pet. 3: 4. Where is the promise of Christs comming to judgement? for all things con­tinue as they were from the beginning. v: 11: But these the Prophet answers. Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more: and so S. Peter doth answer these, Know [Page 201]that the day of the Lord will come as a theef in the night, V. 10. therefore what manner of persons, saith he, ought ye to be in all holy conversation looking for, and hasting unto the comming of the day of God?

And yet think not that all will be well with you till then, remember that when the Israelites had dedicated their jewels to the dressing up their calf god, Exod. 32 25. that Aaron made them and so shewed them naked to their shame, and this God ha [...] done to many in our days,, and to our knowledge; and why fear we not the like may befall us? remember what follows that apparell, decking and trimming of the Israelites, in stead of sweets there shall be a stink, in stead of well-set hair baldness, and burning in stead of beauty.

But if all this seems but spoken in a parable, then hear God by his Prophet speaking plain and home.zeph▪ 182 I will visit and punish all such (none excepted) as are clothed with strange apparell: and I think none can be so frontless, as to de­ny that our land yearly is full of new and strange apparell, and that worn mostly by such as the Prophet speaks of.Hab. [...].19. They are idols not men or women, which are covered with gold and silver, for there is no breath of life in them, or there is not that life in the soul which God breathed into them, for they are, as Christ compared the Pharisees,Mat. 83. like Sepulchres or coffins, which oft times have a rich herse-cloth or goodly orna­ments set upon them; whereas within them (so in the gloriously apparelled bodies of these living men) there is little more then rottenness, diseases and filthyness.

Not withstanding all this the Preacher now may say as the others did.Ecclus▪ 10.15. There is an evill and an error which I have seen, which proceedeth from [Page 202]the Rulers: folly is set in great height, and I have seen servants upon horses: Prov. 19. [...]0. that is, as Salomon ex­presseth it in his Proverbs, Servants, (in roy­all robes) ruling and reigning over Princes, Prov. 10. [...]2. while the Princes (meanly attired) walk as servants upon the earth. This the Preacher hath seen, and he calls it both an error and an evill; and is it not an error and an evill, to see trades-mens wives decked and mincing like the women in the Prophet Isaiah, Is. 3. and Ladies or gentle­women in their apparell, to exceed Queen Esther? Lay the words to heart which the Lord God hath spoken by his Prophet,Zep. 1.3. and in anger I will visit and punish all such as are clothed with strange apparell.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of Favourites to Princes and People, and of Generals and Conque­rors in war.

MAny towring and ambitious Spirits have made it the end of their study and en­deavour to become the favourites of Princes, or People in authority, or to be Generals and Conquerors in war, that thereby they might attain to power, honour, and wealth, though the success hath seldome answered their expecta­tions, but have been rewarded according to their just merit, with, dishonouoable and shamefull ends.

In holy writ we read but of two eminent fa­vourites, Joseph in AEgypt, and Haman in Persia; of whom we find that as the first came to that height by his piety to God, fidelity to the Prince, and an honest care for the publick, so he continued that place of trust, and honour to his dying day, which was for eighty years; and as his death was lamented generally by all, so he was as honorably interred: whereas Haman through his power and greatness of favour growing proud, bloody and destructive, climbs the gallows which he had prepared for innocent Mordecai.

In the first time of the Roman Emperors, few were there of them but had their favourites, who they for the most part gained their places by ill means, and held them by worse, as by injustice, rapine and blood, so few of them but came to ends well suiting with their rise and actions. Seiavus favourite to Tiberius, declared by that Emperor his collegue and companion of his labours; yet at length the day came, wherein the rising Sun saw him the second in the Empire, and before its setting dragd by a hook through the streets of Rome, and thrown from the Gemonies into Tibur, his only child ravisht by the hangman and killd, his adored statua made vessels for the basest use, his friendship esteemed an honour and a crime, and his fortune both a blessing and a curse. Nor­cissus the favourite of Claudius slain at the instance of Agrippina, Tigellius favourite to Nero, Asiaticus to Vitellius, and Cleander to Commodus: each had their shamefull and igno­minious ends.

The corollary from this consideration of fa­vorites, shall be that of King David, Put not [Page 204]your trust in Princes, Ps. 146. 3 (no) nor in the son of man, for it is better, Ps. 118. 8 9. saith he, to trust in the Lord, then to put any confidence in man, or in Princes: and a reason of this again he gives when he saith,Ps 107.40. Ps. 76.12 Ps. 148.8. he powreth contempt upon Princes, yea more, He cutteth off the spirits of Princes: and will bind their Kings with chaines: and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them judge­ment.

And whether Generalls and Conquerours have proved more happy then favorites, see in Abner Generall to King Saul, Amasa to Absa­lom, and Joab to King David, of which three not one came to his end in peace, but had their bloud of war shed in the time of peace. Might I not adde to these in holy writ the ends of A­bimelech and Olophernes, the former of which was brained by a stone cast on him by a certain un­known woman, and the latter had his head cut off by a widow. So like is victory and conquest to a game at cards, where that which is now turned trumpe, is at the next dealing cast to the lowest of all, or is discarded as of no use. Ge­nerals and Conquerors remember this, when that aire which should be above is thrust into the earth, it casts the earth into a quaking and trembling ague, but when earthly vapours ascend into the place of the aire above it begets some fiery meteor or a combustion.

It is fabled that when Perseus went out to fight with Medusa, his cause being just, and hers wicked, each of the Gods assisted and furnisht him with armes and weapons, whereby he became the conqueror and cut off the witches head: the fable will moralise it self into that which the blessed virgin Mary said, he hath put down the mighty, the unjustly mighty, from their s [...]ats.

So that if we look for successe in war we must be sure not to enterprise it without these four requisits or conditions; 1. that the cause be sincerely just; 2. that the means be honest and lawsull; 3. that the end be purely good; 4. that the authority of the war be rightly vested in him to whom God either immediatly and ex­traordinarily hath given the sword; as he did to the Kings of the Jews, or ordinarily & mediately by the laws of man, in other states; and if either of these be wanting it is not victory though ye overcome, but treachery, nor conquest, but tyranny.

And therefore they who have used it, may deservedly expect the fate of those in Israel who by unjust conquest gained the crown, the stories at large exprest in the Book of Kings, I shall abbreviate.

Politique Jeroboam who by rebellion robbed Reboboam the King, of ten tribes, and made himself King of Israel, had his debaucht son Nadab rooted out with all his house by Baasha; this mans son Elah with all that family was made away by Zimri, this Zimri was burnt by Omri, Ahab Omries son hath his bloud suckt by dogs, Ahaziah son to Ahab dies by a fall, Jehe­ram his brother succeeds him, but was flain by Jehu, who makes an end of all Ahabs line; Jehu imitates Jeroboam, as his son Joash imitates his father, Shallum makes an end of Jehu's race. This Shallum is taken off by Menahem, Pekaiah the son of Menahem is outed by Pekah, and this Pekah is slain by Hoshea, who with the ten tribes is caried captive by Shalmaneser of Assyria, which ten tribes never recovered the dispersion but were thought to have peopled Tartary and the west▪ Indies.

Almost each of these usurpers, as he gained the Crown by the sword and slaughter, so had each of them the Crown snatcht from his head, and his life taken away by the sword; yea and Jehu though he were appointed to be King by God, yet because he ambitiously and bloudily invaded Ahahs Crown, shall find as the Prophet speaks the bloud of Jezreel to be avenged on the house of Jehu. Ros. 1.4.

Who sees not in these passages the justice and revengefull hand of God on such enterprises, though he suffered them, so long to continue, yet at last he recompenseth his long abused patience with the severity of his judgments pointing out by the stroak the concealed crime, so that we may truly say with the Prophet,Ps. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgment which be executeth, the wicked it snared in the work of his own hands, the prosperity of begun rebellion incouraging their trembling hearts to proceed, and the crowning success exciting others to imitate that treason to the teachers destruction, so that each may say, verely there is a God that judgeth.

The kingdome and people of Judah are like­wise captived and carried away to Habylon, and the temple of Jerusalem destroyed by Nebuchad­nezzar, but as God by his Prophets foretold, af­ter 70 years the people are brought back from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the temple is reedifi­ed, dedicated, and the Passover solemnized and in this who sees not Gods mercy to his people, who served and called upon him, although for their great sins they long suffered under their enemies? All which considered there remains little more for us then to beleive the Scriptures to trust in the living God, to possess our souls in patience, to acknowledge, that for our sins [Page 207]we have deserved much more, and to call upon him in prayer for a timely deliverance.

Remember but as yesterday Tomaso Anello, the fisherman of Naples, who for the ease and re­lief of the peoples heavy taxes, was able on a sudden to raise an Army great enough to sub­due all the power of the King, yet at last failing to perform what he engaged them for, he him­self is as suddenly slain by the people as he rose in their defence.

But to close all in one, remember that An­dronicus who had formerly taken an oath to be true and faithfull to his Liege Lord the Empe­ror of Constantinople, yet after under colour of religion and pretence of freeing the people from the male-administration of the Emperor, through his fair but false words and oaths, soon gains so many of the people unto him that he as sud­denly vanquished the forces of the Emperor, whom he caused by the help of a most ungodly Councell to be sentenced to a most unjust and ignominious death: which done he imprisons, drives away or breaks all that favoured the Em­peror or his cause, were they otherwise never so good or well deserving, but when the people saw themselves thus abused, and that their taxes and miseries were doubled upon them by their pre­tended redeemer and saviour, him they fall up­on and having overcome him both at sea and land, they make him fast in chains and fetters and first torturing him with their tongues, cal­ling him Dog of uncleannesse, Goat of lust, Tygre of cruelty, Religious Ape, and envious Ba­siliske, they first cut off his right hand and pull out one of his eyes, they set him on a lean poor Mule with his face turned to the tail thereof, and carying him through the streets and market [Page 208]places, men and women strove how to exceed each other in casting stones, dirt and dung of men and beasts in his face, who after all being hanged up in the theatre by the heels with his head down-ward, some cut off his privities, o­thers slashed off his buttocks, and other fleshy parts, and thus half tortured and half sterved to death he voided out his ambitious bloudy irreli­gious soul, after which the remaining parts of his carbonadoed and loathsome carcasse were thrown into a stinking vault there to lie and rot as the body of some wild and noysome beast, after he had tyrannously reigned two years. And such ends may all such Conquerors have, and let all those that think on him be wise in time, and neither to put their trust in Princes nor in the sons of men, Ps. 146.2. Ps. 145.20. but in the Lord, that preserveth all them that love him, but all the wicked he will utterly destroy.

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the mutuall love, duty, and hap­pinesse of the maried couple.

TO the discovery whereof I shall first tell you what mariage is; 1. According to the name; 2. To the nature of it; 3. The causes necessarily required to the making such a mariage; 4. The previous considerations, and the usuall consequents of mariage. 5. The du­ties necessarily and justly required of the wife; 6. Of the husband. 7. From all which fully [Page 209]performed and accomplisht, will arise such holy fruits and happy benefits, that may fully and rightly pronounce, that mariage, both before God and man, to be truly honourable. 8. And therefore capable of a benediction, corporall, and spirituall, temporall and eternall.

Some say, our English word Mariage comes from the Latine Maritus, which signifieth an husband, otherwise, most of our Latine words come from the womans side, as Matrimonium from matrona, a matron, or from mater a mo­ther, as Eve so called, because she was to be the mother of all; and Nuptiae from nubo, which is properly spoken of the female to be maried, as ducere is for the man to lead, and nubo is to be veiled, and so Rebecca when she first appeared to Isaac she put on her veile,Gen. 24.65. as a sign of her mo­desty, and as a note and testimony of sub­jection.

And, to passe from the name to the nature of mariage, I hold mariage to be a lawfull and free conjunction of a man and woman in the Lord: for the propagation of children, the a­voiding of fornication, the mutuall comfort of each other, and all to the glory of God: wherein the materiall cause is, man and woman, the for­mall, the lawfull conjunction of them, the effici­ent, the consent of the persons in the Lord, and the finall, as is before exprest.

Where note that as mariage must, be of man and woman; so it must not be of a man to wo­men, or, of a woman to men, but of one man to one woman, as at first it was betwixt Adam and Eve, so that if Polygamie were at any time per­mitted or indulged, yet never was it authorised by the institution, or word of God, as to be practised; for it is said, both in the old Testa­ment; [Page 210]that two, not more then two, shall be one flesh.

Anciently, and among the Jews, they gave money for their wives: and we did retain with us a small resemblance of the like at the time of mariage in laying on the book, or giving money to the wife, though this was not as to buy her at a price, which were beastly, and slavish; but to endow her (as in our Leiturgie is well ex­prest) with all our worldly goods: but the best mariage is, when God brings the woman and gives her:Gen. 2.22.24. and when Adam freely takes her, not as a thing obtruded or forced upon him, but free­ly: saying, this is now flesh of my flesh, then she is called a wife, and when God is not the Con­tractor to espouse, the Father to give, and the Priest to mary them, either immediately by himself, as in Paradise: or mediately by his lawfull Ministers, I cannot say, or promise that the mariage is rightly performed, or that it shall well prosper.

Mariage then being a holy conjunction of man and woman in the Lord, and this to hold for life; concerns it not each, as we say in our proverb, to look before we leap, whether the ground we are to light upon, be firm, and good, or a quackmire, and our ruine? Our most bles­sed Lord, by a parable, hath taught us, that no wise Commander will enter into a war, before be well hath weighed, and considered with whom he is to encounter, and what his strengths are; for as we say of war, that a Generall can of­fend but once, (if for want of providence and, foresight he lose the day,) so much more may it be said of mariage, then that of war, for if a Ge­nerall hath loft the day, and be imprisoned, yet there may be an exchange for his person, and [Page 211]some remedy for his losse: but in the miscar­riage of mariage, there is no relief but death. For it is a conjunction till death depart one party or the other, and this when the Apostles of Christ heard their Lord to preach and fore­warn, they concluded if the case be such, said they, Then it is not good to touch a woman, Mat 9.10. (that is) not to be married.

Some Philosophers treating of mariage, said that he that would have: a year of content and pleasant life, let him mary; but he that would wish to have two such years, let him not mary: intimating, as some other Greeks said, that the maried couple had but two merry days, the one in the bed-chamber, the other in the chamber of the grave, or the one, at the first of mariage which we call hony-moon, and the other at the buriall, so that with them married and marred should differ but in a letter, and that as the aspi­rate h, taken from Sarah, should be added to Abraham: and that she should be Sara, but he with the aspirate to be Abraham.

Now though in the great pile or masse of women, there be many Sarahs, Rebeccas, Abi­gails, widowes of Sarepta, and Maries; yet there being as many, or, I fear, many more Eves, Delilahs, Jezebels, and Jobs wives, is there not cause, that a great care, and consideration should be had, to make choice of that woman, with whom we would be yoked, or joyned in that estate of matrimony till death us depart?

Now the sour especiall, and usuall promoters, or workers of mariage are; 1. Beauty; 2. Wealth; 3. Honour; 4. Goodness or virtue: of which the first three moderately desired are good requi­sites, for the better keeping up the superstructure in this building: but the most necessary basis [Page 212]and foundation (without which mariage can neither please God, nor benefit man) is grace, and goodnesse.

And of these four promotors in mariage the 1. Beauty (for the most part) works upon the carnall man, the 2. wealth on the worldly, the 3. honour on the proud, the 4. grace and vir­tue moves the desire, and works the assent in the heavenly minded, and spirituall man; virtue I say and not beauty: for first consider what beauty is in its nature and being, 2. what it is in power; and then say, whether beauty rather then goodnesse, should make the match. Now beauty, as to its first being, whether in man or woman, is a delightfull object of the eye, ap­pearing from the colour and figure of the body; which colour is as a fair blush well mixed with white and red, clearly glimmering through a tender skin, and arising from an equall temper of the humours, but especially of the bloud well tempered; and the figure is, that comely propor­tion of all the limmes, and members in them­selves, and with the rest of the parts each to other; so that, neither are too long, nor too short, nor too big nor too little: but that all, and each holds an equall symmetrie, which makes the parts, and members seem goodly: and now though this beauty (in colour and figure) may be accounted among the common gifts of God, and therefore it may serve as often it doeth, for a letter of commendation, and a su­perscription of favour, as being the signe of a well tempered soul, and therefore it never satiates the eye of the beholder, yet oftentimes like a tyrant, it is not long-lived, but short of conti­nuance; for if it be blasted with sicknesse, or buf­feted by Satan, it is soon withered like your [Page 321]fairest flowers. And yet oft-times beauty is not only deceitfull like a painted Sepulcher, or the apples of Sodome, which have only a fair super­ficies (yet dust or rottenness within) but it is often dangerous, both to the Spectator, (becomming an infectious Basilisk) and to the owner, as a gilded poyson. For in many, it is little more then a skin puffed up, with a proud love of it selfe, and a base envy or contempt of others.

And yet these beauties, as coloured flies, or well skinned beasts, are most run and hunted after, though it prove to the ruin of the hunts­man, as in Samson, and the Son of Shechem: and to the hunted as Dinah, Lucrece, and others. For as boyes love to be running after coloured flyes, to play with them to their destruction: so such coloured flyes delight to be flying abroad to play in the Sun, or with a burning light. Dinah may serve for a motto of this embleme, and David for the word of that. Beauty is, and hath been both a straggler, and a tempter to the destruction of others; and a restless peece de­sirous to be tempted, though it prove to its own ruin. And besides all this, you shall find fair Rachell to sell her husband for mandrakes: which such women, oft-imes love as well as their husbands. Be therefore if you please a well wisher to beauty; but the lover, and wooer only of grace and virtue, without which beauty in an ill woman is like a ring of gold in a swines snout, and therefore of it self not to be de­sired.

Neither is honour, to be loved whither traduced by descent, or conferred by the favour of the Prince, for though these as branches of choice roots, are left to be graffed on, and likeliest to bring [Page 214]forth the finest fruit; yet even these by time, or taint are often so corrupted, that they become as blood in an ill dieted, or surfeited bodie, which is good for nothing but the sewer; yea, and take honour at the best, yet what is it more, then a splended phantasme? or airy opinion floating, or warbling in the brain of the standers by? who one day reverenceth the honourable person as thing sacred, while the next day perhaps he scorns it as prophane, yea and by a vote to be utterly cast away as a thing both useless and dangerous.

And though money and lands have a more elementary stuff, and substance, then either beauty, or honour; and are so far worthily called goods, as being instruments to work, and do good; yet neither are they in them­selves good, no nor so well able to make or de­nominate the possessor good, as either honour or beauty. I find not among all the marriages, whereof we reade in the book of God, that any of them were made for wealth, and for this and many other reasons, I cannot but condemn the too too common senseless guise of our times, which sends lands or moneys to be, or as it were, the chief Orators or contractors of marriage; or as though the ironicall words of the Poet were now verified (Quaerenda pecunia primùm, virtus post nummos) be he or she rich, it is that we most look after, and let grace, wisdome, and other beautles of the soul or body serve but as lackies, which we much regard not, whereas these are not to be used as contractors of mar­riage, they being at their best, but earthly, un­certain, deceitfull, or dangerous; and such, as of which one may say, when marriage is made for these winged creatures, that as these take [Page 215]wing and fly out of the door, so love that was endeared for them, will soon creep out at the window.

Mary not then for these, nor mary with one that is unequall to thy self. An oxe and a sheep, a lion and a calf will hardly yoke or draw together; choose a wise according to thy self said Plutarch, and Pittacus the like, marry one of thy own quality, for ( [...]) equality it is, that be­gets love▪ and love to continue and grow, is best planted with the like roots or branches. Where I would not be understood, that the man or woman exceeding the other in wealth, birth; or the like, is ever to be accounted above the o­ther, that hath not the same in the like measure. But as the soul is to be preferred before wealth, &c. so the extraordinary endowments there­of, make the persons so qualified, superior to those that exceed in wealth, honour, or power.

For close, wouldst thou man have a good wife? or thou wise have a good husband? know that as at the first marriage, neareness of flesh begat affection in the soul,Gen.2. Gen. 3. (for Adam seeing Eve to be flesh of his flesh called her wife) so since that, the affection in the soul hath begot the nearness in the flesh. For first they affected, and then they are made one flesh. So that all things considered as premised, I would not wish the man to marry that woman that is con­fident of her wit, beauty, or birth: nor the woman to match with him, that presumes on his wisdome, honour, or power: for where these are overvalued in either man or woman, each is apt to undervalue the other to contempt, or discontent.

In a word, the durable contractor in marri­age is, the harmonious consent of soul, man­ners, [Page 216]and love: and this will make and con­tinue the mariage happy, always provided that as in purchasing land, or lending your money, you look well to get good security, and the best, is the honesty of the person with whom we deal, and good sureties that will see all per­formed, as it is agreed.

Now the first part of this security in marri­age is, the grace and virtue of the espoused man, or woman, of which the wise Salomon speaks,Prov. 18.22. He that findeth a good wise findeth a good thing, which good thing is her inward goodness, and this, as in the words following, is the favour of the Lord. And of all the virtues in a woman most to be desired,Prov. 19.14. prudence and discretion are the chief: for this will keepe her chast and modest, this will teach her reverence to her husband, and to give every one their due, both within and without dores. And this prudence saith the wise man here, is the gift of the Lord. therefore let the wise sell all, as the Merchant in the Gospel to purchase this pearle. For, with­out this jewell, wealth, beauty, and such like are (as I before cited) but as a ring of gold in a Swines snout.

The other part of the security, for a good wife or husband, rests on the Surety, and this is he, that is the only best match-maker, God the Lord. Therefore be sure, before, and at the consummating the mariage, to invite and get Christ, as he was at Cana, to the wedding, and then be as sure, that if all the vessels be filled up to the brimme with water, which in Scripture signifies afflictiton and sorrow, yet this guest Christ will miraculously turn them all into wine, that makes the heart merry; which is consolation.

Which great change is instrumentally wrought by that great Mystery, Ephes. 5. v. 31. as S. Paul calls it, where the conjunction is such, that tis said the man shall be joyned, the Greek is (as much as) he shall be glewed to her, so that they two shall be, as it were made into, or be but one flesh and this is a great mystery or secret, that as Christ and his Church: so man and his wife shall of two be made one.

The Philosophers went further in their ex­pressions when they said, man and wife are not only one flesh,1 Cor. 7.4. so that each hath power over the others body: but that they are but as one soul, and but one fortune common to them both, one fortune in good and bad, insomuch that the Civill law holds that, if the husband prove bankrupt, and be cast into prison, the wife may be sold, if she be worth it, to pay and release her husband: and as it was in the primitive Chri­stian Church,Acts [...]. so here especially between hus­band and wife, all things are to be common; and this is partly signified on the mans part, who is the chief proprietor, when in our leiturgie, the husband tells her with all my worldly goods I thee endow; where we must note that, al­though the Apostle and our Church speake it only of the man, that he shall be so joyned to the woman, and he shall endow her with all, yet this is as truly, and more necessarily inten­ded to be true of the woman; who is, as it were, a subject to her Lord her husband. But expresly charged on the husband, to take away all scruple from Jew and Gentile, who gave them­selves a greater liberty, and indulgence herein then Christ doth.

But yet the greatest spirituall mystery in this mariage is, that between the man and his wife [Page 218]who shall be but one soul: (that is) though two in substance to animate two bodies, yet but one in affection and desire; or but one to desire and dislike, to will, and to nill the same things; so that, what the Holy Ghost spoke and made good of the Apostles,Acts. 2. R [...]m. 12. v. 10.15, 16. that they were of one minde: and what the Apostle commands Christians, to be kindly affectionate one to the other in love, and to rejoyce and weepe together, and to be of one minde each to other, this and more, if more can be, is here required in this conjunction, and mutuall love betwixt man and wife: and this completes the great mystery spoken of S. Paul in marriage, which mystery, though it held good, and true from the begin­ning of the creation in the law and gospel, and so is to continue, as long as there shall be man and wife on earth; yet, as at the beginning that Envious one (so he is called in the Gospel) the Devil seduced our firsts parents; so (soon after the Sun-shine of the Gospel, and to this day afresh) he works both on man and wife, infusing into them foul and dangerous doctrines, which S. Paul therefore called doctrines of De­vils.

For in the Apostles times be taught Simon Magus, Acts 10. and in and by him he taught all Simons scholars (therefore called Simoniani) that wo­men may be used promiscuously, and without difference, or respect had to Gods precept re­lating to man and wife: after which filthy sect succeeded the Saturninians (followers of Satur­ninus) who profest and practised the like: then followed the Nicolaitans, Rev. 2. who used each others wife in commune: then came the Gnosticks, living among, and glanced at by the Apostles: after these the Adamites, who both male and [Page 219]female read, prayed, and administred the Sa­craments all naked. Soon after the Apostolicks, called by themselves Eucratites, or Abstinents, who admitted none into their assemblies who had wives. After these, were the Manichees, called also Catharists, the Eunomians, Priscillia­nists, Jovinianists and the Paternians, who, hol­ding that the lower parts of man and woman were [...]de by the Devil, indulged to them­selves all licence of uncleanness in those parts. These and some more, though professors of Christ, grosly and filthily erred either in the prohibition of marriage, or in the allowance of a beastly usage or gross community of women, wives, or single persons; insomuch that I can­not say, that there have been so many severall sects or heresies since the Apostles times, erring so grosly about any one subject, as these na­med about marriage, and fleshliness, such and so great a power the Devil hath over man, tempting him in his weakest, and most sensuall part of the flesh: which in the most, is so pre­dominant that some Divines think, that this was that which S. Paul meant by the thorn in the flesh: and for that cause he bewayled his estate in those words, Wretched man that I am, 2 Cor. 12.7 who shall deliver me from this body of sin, or sin (say some) in the body.

About the year 1533 arose in Germany one John Becold, better known by the name of John of Leyden, a tayler, but a pestilent Ana­baptist; who bewitched the people by bis false visions, dreams, and prophesies to follow him. He taught, and caused the Ministers publikely and commonly to preach it, that a man is not bound to one wife, but that he may have as many as be desired; and he swore by the holy Bible, that this [Page 220]doctrin was revealed to him from heaven. He and his disciples being asked how they could defend so foul and gross a tenet? answered, 1 That Christians must give up what they loved best, which women held to be their bodies. 2 That for Christs sake they are to undergoe any infamy. 3 That Publicans and harlots shall enter into the kingdome of heaven. 4. Which was the opinion and argument of the C [...]poc [...]a­tian hereticks, that as all Christians should be as one spirit: so they ought to be as one body each to other. And this lying with others besides their wives, to colour the sin, they called spi­rituall mariages, as though there could be any thing spirituall, in this so foul corporall beast­liness.

The ground of these most wicked doctrines, in many of these recited hereticks was, and is, that most wicked tenet (now defended by the Antinomians, 1 Tim. 1.9. and Adamiticall Ranters, so called of our times, viz.) Be, or beleeve in Christ, and sin if you can: for being and beleeving in Christ justifieth and to, or against the Just there is no law. I might tell you, that such doctrines and such doings cannot be the fruits of faith, or justification, and therefore they nei­ther rightly beleeving, nor being truly justifi­ed are condemned by the sentence of Gods word,Exo. 20.14. which saith; thou shalt not commit adul­tery, and no unclean person shall inherite the King­dome of heaven. Eph. 5.5. But recitare (as S. Hierom: speaks) est consutare, to rehearse these damna­ble doctrines, is to condemn them, in the judge­ment of all good Christians.

I leave them therefore, and shall touch upon the duties of man and wife each to other, and in this, I shall follow the Apostles S. Paul [Page 221]and S. Peters method, who both begin with the duties of wives, as though these should provoke the husband to his, or as though the wife could not so justly expect the husbands duty (which is love) unless she first performe hers which is subjection. And I find the Apostles insisting, urging and inculcating this lesson, wives obey, 1 Cor. 14 34. Eph. 5: 24. Col. 3.18 1 Pet. 3.5 wives reverence, wives sear, wives submit, and wives be subject to your husbands. Yea, it was Gods sentence from the beginning, and given to all women even to the greatest and to the best, Thy desire shall be subject to thy husband, Gen. 3.16. and he shall rule over thee. And where God commands, there should be no dispute, but simple obedience. And yet God, considering womans backwardness to this duty, is content to subject his command to reason, and there­fore, by his Apostle S. Paul, he gives one reason for this subjection of the wife when he saith, Adam was not deceived but the woman, 1 Tim. 2.14. and therefore fit it is, she should be subject to the guidance of her head the wiser; a second rea­son may be collected from S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11.9. v. 10. that the man was not made for the woman, but the woman was made for the man, and for this cause the woman ought to be covered, which was a sign of sub­jection.

A third reason is given by the same Apostle Ephes. 5.Ephes. 5 21, 22. where having given the precept, Wives submit your selves to your own husbands as unto the Lord, for saith he the husband it the head of the wise, even as Christ is the head of the Church. S. Paul commands wives not only to submit, and be subject, but he saith the wise must re­verence; the word [...] there implyes a reverence proceeding from fear,v. 33 yet no servile base fear, but a loving, or a fear to give him [Page 222]offence, because she loves him, as she is com­manded.Tit. 2.4. And this kind of reverence, fear, or subjection arising from, and coupled with the mutuall love of the husband to the wife, and the wife to the husband, makes it such a sub­jection, as S. Paul speakes of though in another case,2 Cor. 3.17. saith, where that the Spirit of the Lord is, I say where love in the Lord is, there is Liberty. And such as Christ speaks when he saith,Mat. 11.30. my yoke, I may say the wives yoke thus fastned is easie, and the burden she beares, by such her subjection, is light: for love makes all easie and light.

And yet that wives may not grumble, or dis­pute against their subjection, as too unjust, servile, or hard, let them know that their subjecti­on to their husbands is but as to the Lord,Eph. 5.22. which [...], as to the Lord, means not that the wife must be a subject to her husband as to the Lord God, but it teacheth, that she is to be subject to her husband, according to the Lords com­mand,Gen. 3.16. or according to, and so far as the hus­band shall command agreeable to, and not re­pugnant to the word, and will of the Lord. For if the husband usurpe a power, or command contrary to the Lords word,Act. 5.29 the wives answer and obedience is that of S. Peter, We ought to obey God rather then men. And a sub­jection to the husband, if such as God com­mands, or such as is suitable to the will of the Lord, should be willingly entertained, and imbraced by every good woman, who desires to be a wife; and yet to make this subjection more readily to be imbraced, let the wives know, that the words which the Apostles use, when they call for this submission or subjection in wives, signifies to be under their husbands will [Page 223]and power, according to just and comely order; and not simply to the husbands unlawfull, or unlimited will; which orderly subjection of the wife, according to order, is that Politicall or Oeconomicall disposure, by which the wife, according to Gods ordinance and appointment is to be inferior, or under her husband, so that he, as the head, is to rule, and she as the body is to obey her husband.

And, that wives erre not, or come not short in the performance of this duty, the Apostle hath been very carefull to set down the qualifica­tions, and necessary concomitants of this sub­jection, when he bids the woman submit, Eph. 5.22. which teacheth her it should be spontaneous and vo­luntary: and not a forced subjection. 2. That it must not be a carnall worldly, but an holy submission, for, as to, or as in the Lord. 3. It must not be a partiall lame subjection in some things which the wife likes, and not in others which pleaseth her not; but it must be perfect and totall, in all the husbands just and lawfull requirings: therefore,v. 24. as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 4. It must not be a false eye-pleasing, or counterfeit subjection be­fore her husbands face only, or in his hearing; but as that of Sarah who called him her Lord,1 Pet. 3.6 and that as it is exprest to testifie her sincere and hearty subjection, it is said,Gen. 18.12. within her self, or to her self, in her heart, she calls him Lord.

And all this ought to be as fully performed by every wife; as it is clearly exprest by the Apostle: for it is not only the Apostle but the Lord that commands this subjection, and obe­dience, and therefore, not the husband only [Page 224]but the Lord God is disobeyed, when the wife submits not in all, as required and exprest, to her own husband. I may, I must adde that when S. Paul commands wives to submit to their husbands, Eph. 5.22. as to the Lord; it implies that, by this submission with love, fear, reverence, and obedience, she should confide in, depend and re­ly on him, and on no other earthly creature, be­fore, or comparatively to him, for he is her head.

And certainly, when all this is required by S. Paul, 1 Cor. 7. [...]3. [...] Pet. 3.1 and by S. Peter of evill and unbeleeving wives, much more ought the Christian good wives yeeld to this doctrine, and be subject to their husbands, and this as in Gods most holy word: so in our sacred Leiturgie is required of the wife, that as the husband must love, comfort, and give honour to his wife: so she must love, honour, I, and, which is no where required of the husband, she must serve, and obey him.

And yet, lest any husband should force the words too far, he must remember that, though the wife must be, as the vine on the side, and not on the top of the house: so she must not be set in the Cellar or Cole-hole, this is not her seat, but on the side of the house; And, as she was not taken out of the head of man to rule, or to be a ruler: so she was not made out of the foot to be scorned, abased, or to be trod upon: but out of the side, as to be cherished, and made much of, as being in domesticall affairs, in the Kitchen, Parlor, and bed-chamber, co­equall, as taken out of the side of her husband, and set with him on the side of the house.

S. Paul gives some additionall qualities re­quisite in a wife;Tit. 2. as that she must be chast, [Page 225]purely chast, the word implies so much, and that she must be devout, holy, and not phan­tastick or humorous in her habite or dress of attire. Beauty in wives, oft-times, is a great ene­my to those two: and therefore though beauty be not to be despised or neglected, being it is the gift of God; so great care is to be had, that this beauty prevail not over, or against their pure chastity, and decently holy attire: for beauty oft-times, and in too many, begetteth pride, pride costly dresses, costly dresses gadding to be seen, not at home to please the husband, so much as to be seen abroad: and this gadding is oft-times the mother of temptation, temptati­on of being seduced to evill and lust: for as many beasts are hunted, taken, and destroyed for their fair skins: so it fareth with women. Bathsheba's words to her Salomon, are worth the fair womans remembrance and consideration:Prov. 31 30. Favour is deceitfull, and beauty is vain, but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised: let the fear of the Lord be in her esteem her chief beauty, and then the beauty of her body shall not suffer prejudice, but be as a gracefull outward ornament, according to our proverbi­all word, (gratior est virtus veniens è corpore pulchro) more amiable is virtue which proceeds from a fair body; and this may serve as a watch, and guard over the wives beauty.

And for her habit and attire,1 Pet. 3.3. S. Peter gives good instructions, and saving caveats, when he saith, Let not her adorning be that outward plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, and pul­ting on costly apparell, in which precept, the Apostle simply condemnes, not the wearing of costly rich apparell, or the most comely dres­sing, but the excesse herein; which discovers [Page 226]the vanity and disease of a soul distempered with pride, profusions, superfluity, inconstancy, the too too much redundant and luxuriant hu­mours (to call them no worse) which abound in women, and the old adage hath a good reason in it, ex veste hominem, by a mans, or womans attire or dressing, you may give a great guesse what their soul is. I would all great, as good women,Esther. 14.16. would remember the words of Esther, Lord, thou knowest my necessity, (that I am to goe so richly attired) for I abhor the sign of my high estate wherein I shew my self (before the King) and that I abhor it as a menstruous rag.

And if any tell me that such attire and dres­sings are not in themselves simply evill, but things indifferent, I must tell them that, though the dressing and attire be such, yet such attire and dressing mostly proceeds from a mind tain­ted with pride, excesse, affectation, or desire to satisfie lust: and these are not things indifferent but evill; and such as the root is, such will the fruit be, and if the root be only fit for hell fire, I know not how such fruit should reach, or car­ry the body up to heaven. S. Peter therefore having taxed the excesse in outward apparell, he proceeds to teach women, wherein their comely dressing should consist;1 Pet. 3. [...]. 3, 4. which saith he, should be inward, in the adorning the hidden man of the heart: for wise Cato hath told us, long since, that they who spend too much cost, or time in adorning the body; generally neglect the a­dorning of the soul, the ornaments whereof S. Peter in the same place tells women should be of a meek and quiet spirit, and this, saith the Apostle, is of great price in the sight of God, and closely he implies the reason hereof, when he addes, that this ornament of the soul is not [Page 227]not like the beauty of a flower, or a beasts skin, which soon fadeth or is destroyed; but it is saith he, incorruptible, it cannot be spoiled, or va­nish, but will remain in esteem, and honour with God and man for ever.

And S. Paul as he gives counsell to women from the same spirit, so tis very near unto S. Peter in the expression of it, when he saith,1 Ti [...]. 2.9. v. 10. women must adorn themselves in modest apparell, with shamefastnesse and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearles, or costly array; but that which becometh women professing godli­nesse, with good works. I must not say that here the Apostle forbids the wearing pearl, or costly array: unlesse it be an enemy unto mo­desty, shamefastnesse, sobriety, or an hinderer of good works: but, rather then any of these be hindered or diminished, away, in Gods name, with pearles, and costly array.

The great Philosopher Aristotle, setting down the qualities and duties of a good and fit wife saith, she must be apt to rule within doores, according to the will of her husband; 2. That she neither carry our, nor take in ought, against her husbands mind; 3. That she be cleanly and handsome to please her husband, and not fine and trim to please other men; 4. That she be no busie-body in others houses, or affaires; 5. That she should observe her husbands quali­ties and conditions, that so, if they be good, she may follow and teach them: if ill, to avoid them her self, and, as much as she can, to weed them out of her husband, or by little and little to wean him from them; 6. That with a godly and loving fear she be carefull, not to give her husband cause of offence; and, if he be offen­ded or troubled, with discretion and meeknesse [Page 228]to pacifie, and mitigate his passions; 7. To be a compatient or fellow-sufferer, as a true yoke­fellow, in all estates: as well in adversity, as in prosperity. We read that Admetus being sick, and the Augures inquired of how he might re­cover, they answered, it could not be but by the death of his best friend, which his wife hearing, answered, he cannot have a better friend then me his wife, and thereupon to recover him, she killed her self. I propound not this, as a thing to be imitated, but to shew of what power the compassionate love of a wife is, to which I might adde that of Phinehas his wife, who, upon the re­port of her husbands death,1 Sam. 4.19. fell in travail and died; and from these, and many the like in­stances, we may conclude that the compassionate love of women to their husbands is, as Salo­mon said,Gent. 8.6 as strong as death.

And now having touched some duties, and qualities of good wives, I shall add a few obser­vations, or exhortations if you please to call them so, whereby wives may the better be in­abled to performe those duties, and to make those qualities be more gracious, and seem more glorious.

1 And the first shall be, that the wife learn to be obedient to her husband, with a loving fear, as well in his absence, as in his presence. For, though the husband, happily, in some respects may be inferior to her: yet she having yeelded to be his wife, she hath withall made him her head, and it is an honour to the wife to re­verence her husband, that he may appear to o­thers worthy of honour.

2 The second is, that she be modest and bash­full, even in her greatest desires, and best de­lights; fire being blown may seem to resist the [Page 229]breath, although, by it, it is kindled. Nolo ni­mis facilem, saith one Poet, I refuse the too easie yeelder, and fugit ad salices, & se cupit ante videri, saith another, she fled to the covert and seemed desirous to be first seen, both intimating, that a gentle and modest refusall provokes, and in­flames desires. I observe that Rebecca, when she had travailed many miles uncovered, now approaching near the place where Isaac her husband was to meet her, that she then put on her vaile, that love, or desire in women is most to be esteemed, when she seems to refuse with one hand, yet ready to entertain and imbrace her husband with the other.

3 A third may be, that she be not garish in her dressings, or to disguise her self with spots, patches, or paintings. I have read that a Judge, who perswaded the husband, who had put away his wife, to take her again being so fair and comely; the husband answered, that it was not his wife, for she that accompanied with him at home, was none such: and indeed, though wives generally say, all their dressings and sl [...]bberings is to please their husbands, yet I may answer with that of S. Augustine to covetous fathers, (who pretend all their care is for their children, saith the father) vox pietatis, it is the voice of piety: but indeed, excusatio iniquitatis, it is but an excuse or cover of their iniquity. For ob­serve when Jezebel paints, and when Esther puts on her bravery, the first doth it to appear, not to her husband but to Jehu, whom she would inflame; and the other to Ahashuerus, whom she would inamour. I pray observe that, when you would make the child leave the dug, you smear it with mustard, or the like: such are Mer­cury waters, or such sl [...]bbers to a good and wise [Page 230]husband; neither can this counterfeit beauty, or artificiall dressing so much allure, or please the husband for the time, as the wives ordinary fa­miliar homelinesse will distast, or take off at all times else.

The fourth observation is, that wives, as they are called, 4 so they should be, house-wives. For, so saith the Psalmist, Thy wise sall be as the vine about thy house, Ps. 128. not in the streets, or fields, but on the sides of the house. The males only were commanded thrice a year to go to Jerusa­lem to serve the Lord,Exod. 24 but not the wives, but the husbands were to go so far from their own homes. And the spouse called his beloved a Dove, Cant. 2. which delights her selfe only in her mate at home, and he courtech her to solace her self in the clifts of the rocks, not in the markets, exchanges, or play-houses, yea when the Spouse invites her to recreate her self with the flowers, figs, and pleasant fruits, her answer is, (Dilecius meus mibi,) all my delight is in thee my Spouse. Armenia being asked by her husband Tygranes, how she liked the King? answered, that she looked not wishly on him, for her eyes were all the while on her husband.

A fifth, may be that the wife, though she be fair, 5 rich, or honourable, yet ought she to be frugall, and carefull for the estate at home. The Germans used antiently to present a yoke of Oxen to the new maried couple, intimating thereby that they as yoked, should draw together, and S. Paul calling mariage ( [...]) a yoaking together,2 Cor. 6.14. charges the man and wo­man not to be unequally yoaked. The Greeks, when they would express a careless prodigall wife, called het Ocnus his Asse: for this Ocnus being a rope-maker, that laboured and wrought [Page 231]all day, yet, before night, his Asse eat more then he got by his work: you may adde that, if an Oxe and Asse be yoaked, if the Oxe draw never so much, and the Asse hang back, so little good will come of their yoaking, that, as a father said in another case (non solum non trahunt, sed rum­punt quod junctū est) they not only draw not, but break what was joyned. I can conclude this obser­vation with no better counsell then that in the Proverbs Chap 31. from the 11. verse to the 25. which I leave and commend to your reading, and meditation.

6 A sixth is, that the wife be nor apt to resist, or crosly to reply against her husband.Prov. 15.1. The wise man in generall tells us that a soft answer (fran­git, reads the vulgar) breaks anger, wherein is a mystery that, that which is soft can break; and it can be no less then a secret in nature infused by God into the soul of man: and note that wo­man though at first she were made out of a rib, yet that is not so hard as some bones, and it was out of the husbands rib too, that it should not resist him, who was the matter of her being. Fire we all know will soon break out by the collision, or clashing of two hard matters, as iron beating on flint: but rub a thousand weight of oyle, or feathers against twenty flints. no fire will issue: and lightning and thunder breaks the sword in the scabbard. A woman, complain­ing, that her husband was so waspish and crosse that she could not contain, but reply; her neighbour taught her this remedy, that, while her husband was chiding, she should hold water in her mouth, till his fit was over, which with thanks the woman found to be an especiall re­medy. I have red that anciently among some Gre [...]ks, the Bride on the day of m [...]riage, was pre­sented [Page 232]with a horse bridled and sadled; not to teach that she should be ready to ride and gallop abroad, but that she should be, as that horse, with her tongue bridled; and silent at her hus­bands command. In a word that I talk not too much in an argument of silence,Prov. 31.26. Bathsheba tells the wife that she must open her mouth in wis­dome, and that in her tongue must be the law of kindness, not sharpness, or replies, but what ever the husband be, kindness must be observed by her as a law, and by this law she shall find great ease and no small benefit to her self.

7 For the wives gentle meekness, which is a seventh necessary requisite, is like goats milke to an adamantine husband: which as is storied, will of it self dissolve the hardest diamond, which no iron, steel, or the like can do. For the soul of man, as the P [...]ilosopher observes, is a generous and noble piece, which though it cannot be drawn or forced, yet it may be led and won. Or like a strong well fenced Castle, it may be mined, but not battered. S. Paul to win the Thessalonians made himself like a Nurse,1 Th. 2.7 which stills and gaines the love of the Child by lullabies, a merry note, and the dug; and not by curstness,2 Tim. 2.24, 25. Gal. 5.22. or blowes. And the servant of the Lord who desires to win soules, and bring them to Christ, must be gentle, patient, meek, for this is the fruit of the holy Spirit, which descended on Christ in the figure of a Dove; a Dove, which as they say, hath no gall, neither can she chatter though offended, but only mourns. In a word, the Psalmist saith, the wife must be as a vine, not as a scratching bramble: no nor, though sweet as a rose, yet she must not be pric­king as a rose: but as the vine, which brings not forth sowre but pleasant grapes, to make her hus­bands [Page 233]heart not sad, but merry. For close of this, if the husband be a Naball a churle, a fool, a distempered person, let the wife learn to be an Abigail, who would not move or stir him to cho­ler or griefe when he was in heate of wine,1 Sam. 25 36. but after his rest, when she found him well tempe­red then she speaks unto him, and gently too.

I will summe up the duties of a wife with that precept of S. Paul which I will read as the He­brews,Tit. 2.5 backward, or beginning with the last first, and the last duty here exprest is, that she be obedient to her husband: and that is to be wrought, or caused by the next before it, when he commands her to be good, that is, benign, gentle, courteous. The third duty ascending is that she be ( [...]) like the tortoise (except on sufficient cause) ever in her shell, (that is) an house-keeper, or housewife. The duty preceding this, is that she be chast; for this chastity is a great preserver of retiredness, when on the contrary gadding abroad is no great friend to chastity. The duty first here placed, and which is first in repute and esteem is, that she be discreet and prudent. Which vertue is not only a great help to pre­serve chastity, and to keep the wife at home; but an especiall cause or worker of the wives cour­teous carriage, and due obedience to her husband: according to that of Salomon, Prov. 19.14. Ecclus: 26.14. A prudent woman is the gift of the Lord, and a silent and prudent woman is the gift of God. So S. Paul in setting down the commendable virtues and duties of wives, begins with this, let them be discreet, or wise: for without this, they will hardly be ch [...]st. Seldome housewives, and never good, and obedient to their husbands.

To this observation I may add one more, as the last to this point; that neither the Apostle, [Page 234]nor any other pen-man of God ever commended beauty, wealth, honour, as to be sought after in the choice of a wife. But house-wifery, cha­stity, gentleness, obedience, and the crown of all prudence, and therefore I should never counsel any to make choice of a woman in mariage, who is confident of her wit, wealth, beauty or birth: nor the woman to be maried to that man that presumes on his wisdome, wealth, power, or honour; for when these are over valued in either, each will undervalue the other to contempt, or at least to some discontent.

I have been long (I hope women will not be­shrew me for it) in setting down the duties of wives to their husbands. I shall be shorter, (and I wish that they would not blame me for it) in the duty of the husband; because as Christ and the Apostles spake of the law, so the whole duty of the husband is comprised in this one word love. So that though under love, both in the law and the husbands duty, many things are required which are not simply and properly called love; yet all these flow and stream from this one spring of love, and this is the cause that S. Paul only saith,Eph. 5. Col. 3. husbands love your wives.

Now love being. 1. naturall: 2. carnall: 3. politicall: 4. divine: I may say, in a qua­lified sense, that all these loves are commanded the husband, under this one word love. a na­turall love, because the woman was of, and from man, being flesh of his flesh. 2. the car­nall love, because thee shall be ( [...]) into or one flesh. 3. politicall, for a sweet socie­ty, and peopling the world. 4. a divine love, [...] be in holi [...] such as C [...] [...]hawed [...] [Page 235]compriseth all, that possibly any woman can require, or desire from her husband. For if he love her, he wisnes her well, he doth well for her, he gives her what in justice and reason she [...]n desire, he suffers for her more then she would, he is carefull not to displease, and most willing to give her honour, and all good con­tent. God when he gives lawes and precepts to man, he concludes them all in this, Love the Lord thy God; and S. Paul, Rom. 13 10. love is the fulfilling of the law.

And to this love, as portrayed, the husband is bound: so saith S. Paul, men ought so to love their wives, Eph. 5.28. and this expresly proves it to be the husbands duty to love his wife. Which S. Paul barely saith not, it is his duty (though his word as from God were a law, and there nee­ded no other confirmation for it) but he proves it. For the man to his wife is, as Christ to his Church, and Christ loved his Church, and there­fore ( [...]) so ye husbands ought to love your wives. Secondly, the wife is not flesh of thy flesh, but is made one flesh, and one body, and as it were one person with thee:Eph. 5.28. so Ephes. 5.28. and therefore man ought to love his wife.

And if you ask me, how he ought to love her, this the Apostle expresseth too, and most plainly, saying, 1. as Christ loved his Church: [...], so ye husbands ought to love your wives. Where note, that the Apostle means not by this [...] so, to tell the husband that he ought to love his wife in that high measure, and de­gree as Christ did love his spouse, the Church, this is not possible for man to do; but as Christ did truly and heartily love the Church, so ought m [...]n to love their wives▪ And a second [...] should love his wife, the Apostle adde [Page 236]in the same place, when he saith, he ought to love her as hit own, and as himself; and be it that the man love his wife so, the woman covets too much, that would desire more, then that her husband love her, as he doth himself: for no man,v. 29. except a mad one saith S. Paul hateth, but rather cherisheth, and nourisheth his own flesh.

Now S. Basil, (taking it for granted that the man, according to this duty and rule loves the wife, more then the wife her husband) demands the reason for it, and answers it thus. That woman was made subject to the guidance of the man, and therefore to make a compensation, as it were, the man by his love is made in some sort subject to his wife: so that the husband, though he be in his naturall capacity a Lord to his wife (as Sarah called her husband) yet in a sweet manner he is, through his love, become her servant, so that though God gave the wo­man long haire which might be as reynes in the mans hand to guide her: yet God gave her an eye, that her husband may say, as Christ to his spouse,Cant. 4.9. thou hast ravished or taken away my heart with one of thine eyes. and be the man the head of the wife, yet the wife by her ra­vishm [...]nt of the man, is become (according to the place or part whence she was first taken) the heart of the man. and hereby it comes to pass that as Christ taught, the man is to leave fa­ther and mother, and cleave to his wife; and all this is wrought by mans love to his wife.

Well therefore did S. Paul, Ephes. 5. speaking of this loving subject, call it a mystery; a mystery in nature, and a mystery in grace, and each ap­plied by the Apostle to the husbands love. for, as Eve was taken out of Adam, so the Church from Christ: she from Adam cast into a sleep, [Page 237]the Church from Christ sleeping in Death: Eve was from the side opened, the Church from Christs side pierced. Adam therefore was to to love Eve as his flesh and bone: Christ his Church as his blood and life. and hereupon the Apostle concludes, Men therefore love your wives, as Adam did Eve, and as Christ did the Church. For man and his wife are coupled, as in the bond of nature, so in the covenant of grace, and this is the mystery which S. Paul calls the love of man to his wife.

And another mystery there is couched in the words of the Apostle when be saith, that the man and wife being two subjects or persons, are made and become one. for though two, yet but one body, and two, but one soul and affection to love each other, as himself: Eph. 5.28. v. 33. so that two should be one in, and by love; and yet by the power of the same love this one to become two to help each other against all enemies, adversaries, or opponents: and here is the mysterie, and such a mysterie as love onely under God can, and should make between man and wife.

Which love as it is strong as Death, Can. 8.6, so it feares not, nor stoopeth to death: but undauntedly encountered for the object, be it the wife or the spouse beloved, S. Paul tells us, it was so in that most divine love of Christ to his Church; who gave himself even to death for her; and so hath it been in many a man naturall love to do the like for his beloved. He touch but one ex­ample of Tiberius, who finding two snakes in his bed-chamber was told that, if he killed the female his wife must die, if the male, himself; whereupon to preserve his wife, he chose rather to kill the mal [...] [...]nd himself to die. and happy is that conjunction, which is so cemented by [Page 238]love, that each can say (as Castor and Pollux as brethren) vive tuo Coujux tempore, vive meo. live ô my spouse thy terme, and live thou mine.

The Greeks, though most abundant in ex­pressions by words, yet in this case of husband and wife seem defective and scanty. For as Ephes. 5. and Col. 3. [...],Eph. 5. Col. 1. which is in generall a man, stands for husband: so [...], which is in generall a woman signifies in the Apostle a wife: which defect, if it may be so called, is supplied by our English, when we translate that man and woman, by husband and wife: and not unfitly from the first creation of both; for as the woman was made for the man, to be a comfort unto him as a wife,Gen. 2.18. so the man being alone, and wanting any, under God, on whom to place his love and delight, is to settle these on the woman his wife, therefore saith the Apostle, husbands love your wives, Eph. 5.22. these being the ob­jects of your solace, and delight, and as they were made, helps to the husband. Which word husband as it notes the man to be the band of the house, and all therein: so primarily and principally of his wife, by which he is put in minde to keep her from shattering as the band in sheaves, or as the band of an house to keep it from shaking and falling: and this is required in the love, as in the name and title of husband.

And yet S. Paul inlargeth this love of the hus­band to his wife,Ephes. 5.29. when he tells the husband that he must ( [...]) he must nou­rish, and cherish her; not feed her only, for so he must do his servant, but the word minds somewhat more, to feed her with the best, and so to nourish her: and not only th [...] to nourish, but to cherish; which may be [...] [...]etaphoricall word taken from hens hovering over, and [Page 239]covering the young ones, defending them from the sharpnesse of the weather, and warming them by her feathers, and the heate of her body. The plain and full sense of the word you may finde in the 1 King. 1.2. where the Shunamitsh damsell is said to cherish old David lying in his bosome, and giving him heat:1 K. 1.2. and thus the husband, by the precept and rule of S. Paul, is to love his wife, when he saith he must nourish, and cherish her.

And to this end that the wife be not driven on all occasions to run to the husband for her nourishment, our holy and wife Leiturgie hath taught that, at the mariage, the man is to en­dow his wife with all his worldly goods, and as a token and earnest hereof, he usually gave her both silver and gold, which is near to the Jewish ceremony, though far enough from any super­stition or Judaisme, for the Romans used this ceremony in their mariages, that the Bride being brought home to her husbands house, she openly proclamed, ubi tu Caius, ego Caia: which Erasmus translates thus, Where thou art Lord, or Master, I am Lady or Mistresse; whereby she hath an estate for maintenance, so far as the husbands ability can extend both in his life and after his death.

The Apostle S. Peter hath added another duty of the husband, as a fruit or effect of his love to his wife; when he saith,1 Pet. 3.7. Give honour to your wives. Whereby it appears that although the woman be in her self, or otherwise honourable, yet by mariage the husband adds to her giving her the honour of a wife, according to that, mariage is honourable in all, even in the lowest,Heb. 13. because God hath sanctified and honoured it by his institution, and blessing, he being, as at first [Page 240]to Adam and Eve, the Contractor, the Priest, and the Father to give the woman to the man: for so it is said,Gen. 2.22. the Lord brought her to Adam.

Again, when the Apostle saith, the man must give her honour as to the weaker, may it not be fitly understood, that, if she hath any defect, weaknesse, or infirmity com [...]on to all, or some more then usuall, yet the husband [...]s to honour the wife by concealing and covering them from others; and to cure and to comfort her in and against these infirmities, as he would do his own body? Which agrees with that of S. Paul Ephes. 5. and with that other,Eph. 5.29. 1 Cor. 12 23. 1 Cor. 12. our more uncomely parts we adorne most. Another sense there may be of this, which agrees with the words and forme in mariage prescribed by our Leiturgie, where the man saith, with my body I thee worship: whereby he doeth as it were ap­propriate his body to his wife in respect of all other women, and this agrees with that of S. Paul, that men must so far as may stand with chastity, modesty, and his ability, give her due benevolence; for he is not sole Lord, or Master of his body, but his wife herein is copartner, or cape-master, and this S. Paul speaks fully,1 Cor. 7.4. and plainly.

Other appendant or subordinate duties are required from the husband, under or flowing from this great master duty love,1 Cor. 7 3. Col. 3.19 as that the hus­band must yeeld his wife due benevolence; 2. That he must not be bitter, or sharp, but gentle and apt to passe by infirmities and offences of his wife as of the weaker vessell; A 3. requisite duty of the husband is, that, the husband live with his wife according to knowledge: 1 Pet. 3.9. so that, as he is the head of his wife: so like an head he may be able to guide and to direct, according to [Page 241]knowledge in Gods and mans laws. And this may be one reason why S. Paul suff [...]rs not a woman to speak in the Church but to learn of her husband at home; 4. When the Apostle tells the husband that he must love his wife as Christ doeth his Church,Eph. 5.25. it is hereby implyed that as there can be no greater love then this, nor any greater spur to this love then what the Apostle gives, that the wife is the husbands flesh and body: that he is her head, and that God hath commanded this love: so that love to his wife being such as Christs was to his Church, therefore it must be a chast, not a wanton and carnall love: an holy, not a worldly or profane love: a sincere, hearty, not a faigned hypocriticall love: and lastly, not a temporary and fading, but a perpetuall love, to hold as the bands in wedlock, till death de­part the one from the other, or both toge­ther.

And be thy love such, it will so help, at least, to temper and qualifie all stragling wild passions towards thy wife, that seldome, if ever, thou shalt be angry with her; but sure never to be jealous of her fidelity to thee. Which jea­lousie, as it is like the Hemlock in the Prophets pottage, destructive to all matrimoniall peace and blisse: so is it often conceived without a father, brought forth without a midwife, and cherished without a nurse; or, at least, without any that thou canst prove to be such, for if the woman be so wicked as to play false, the Ser­pent is not more wily then she to conceal it. I observe that when Christ told the woman that she had submitted her self to six men,Joh. [...]. she conclu­ded that sure he was a Prophet, and so when Christs feet were washed and wiped by Mary Lu. 7.3. [Page 242] Magdalen: the Pharisees argued were he a Prophet he could have known that Mary Mag­dalen was a loose woman. So from both passages it may appear, that it was hard for any unlesse a Prophet, who had revelations supernaturall, to discover and find out, a false incontinent wife; and better I hold it, if the thing prove too ap­parent, to dissemble it, as Jacob did his daughter Dinahs wickednesse, then to blow his horn at the door, or to proclaim it in the Market place. I end all this in one word of exhortation, Pe not to thy wife as a Lion in the house,Ecclus. 4.30. but as a Lamb, or be, in this, as a Dog, that is curst to strangers or strange women, yet to be kind and affable at home, for this will beget, preserve, and increase the reciprocall love of thy wife to thee, which is the key to thy worldly blisse and happinesse: and the fruit of a well grounded and holy mariage.

Which happinesse appears and is evidenced, on the mans part; 1. When it is said, thy wife shall be as a vine; Ps. 128.3 which is both pleasant, and profitable; pleasant on the sides of thy house, for shade and refreshment; and profitable, be­cause fruitfull. Fruitfull two ways; 1. Bringing that forth which makes thy heart merry, being as she was made, a help and comfort unto thee; 2. Fruitfull in children. And, not onely brings she pleasure and profit to her husband, but ho­nour too, for so we read, a vertuous wife is a crown to her husband. Prov. 12 14. For, as the lewdnesse of the woman turns to the husbands shame; wit­nesse the word Cuckold: so her discreet and good life becomes his honour, and as the crown of gold is to the Kings head, such is a virtuous wife to her husband, for an ensign of his ho­nour, and not an externall temporary, windy [Page 243]honour, placed, begot, or setled in the opinion of men; but that intrinsick, during, reall ho­nour which is the fruit of Gods favour, for, so Who findeth a wife findeth a good thing, Prov. 18.22. where good the adjunct to the subject wife is necessa­rily to be understood, else the thing that he findeth would scarce be good. And would you know how this wife becomes such a good thing? then read Proverbs 19.14. where you shall find that a prudent or good wife is from the Lord, and,Prov. [...] 14. if a present from God the Lord, then sure she is a good thing, especially if yee adde what is be­fore to that of Proverbs 18.22. he that findeth this good thing the wife, obtaineth and recei­veth her, not only as a gift, but as a gift of ho­nour, and favour from the Lord.

I might surfeit an husband with a glut of happinesse, if I should here repeat and inlarge the manifold blessings redounding to him from a good wife, of whom I may speak as the Philo­sophers and Fathers did of health, saying, it is bonum such a good, as without which there is scarce any sublunary thing good unto him. God said, at the first, It is not good that man should be alone, without society and company (that is, to be without a woman his wife) therefore good it is to have her; 2. It was not good to be without an help meet for him, which is mans case without a wife, therefore it is good to have her.

Thirdly, it is not good for a man to be with­out arrowes, the weapons of defence against his foes, now these arrowes are his children, which honestly cannot be had without a wife; there­fore it is good to have her. I could adde to these 600 more goods attending an husband with a good wife. But that I may not clog you, Ire­ferre [Page 244]you to that which I might here repeat and inlarge, Prov. 31. from the 10. v. to the end of the Chapter, and to these places in Ecclesiasticus ch. 7.19. ch. 25.8. and ch. 26. v. 1, 2, 3.13, 14, 15, 16.22, 23, 24, 25, 26. and ch. 36. v. 14. and ch. 40.23. so that I may say merrily, yet truly, an egge is not so full of good meat, as a virtuous wife is of good things.

And, as to the husband such a wife is a bles­sing and a good thing: so no lesse good and blisse is acquired to the wife who hath found a good husband. I have heard women jestingly (I hope) say, that if the husband be the head, the wile shall be the Cap: and surely, the wife hath no readier means to attain this, then by her discreet subjection to her husband, accor­ding to that of our Saviour (in severall places repeated by the Evangelists) He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and this accords with that (before mentioned) a vertuous wife is a crown to her husband, Prov. 12.4. now the place for a crown to be set, is his head, and as the crown is to the bearer an ensign of honour: so ho­nour we know is in honorante formally, and ef­ficiently in the giver of honour, which in this case is the virtuous wife; and hereby she ac­quireth to her self the just title of honour, and this she hath gained by being a wise wife.

But, if this satisfie not all women, then let them hear and find other blessings, and good things arising from mariage, which single, she neither had, nor well could have, for hereby she hath not only the society, but the love, the union, the body, the soul, the all things of the man her husband, and what greater or more good can she wish, or desire under heaven? A­gain, when Adam had all the world given him, [Page 245]yet it was not said for these, or for all these thou shalt leave thy father and thy mother, but, when he had his wife, then and not till then, was it spoken; Thou shalt leave father and mo­ther, and all things, except God, and shalt cleave to thy wife: and is not this a blisse, or a good thing to a wife?

May I not without offence say, that a woman before mariage, was, as it were an headlesse thing? for, as the man was said without her to be with­out an help, or helplesse: so she, without him, to be without an head, headlesse; for so S. Paul speaks, The husband is the head of the wife. Eph. 5.28. 2. Whereas before mariage, she was but half an one, now by wedlock she is made a whole and perfect one, for her husband and she (as Christ and his Church, so S. Paul saith) are made one; 3. S. Paul goes further when he saith that he the husband, as Christ, is the head,Eph. 5.23 and he is [...] the Saviour of the body, which word Sa­viour, Zanchius the learned and judicious ex­positer doubts not to refer, as to Christ, so to the husband; and if so, then the wife by mari­age not only gets an head, but a Saviour, under which word, as in the Greek more is included, saith Cicero, then can well be exprest, yet so much at least is evident and easie, that the husband may well be called the wives Saviour, not only in that he labours and travailes for her mainte­nance of life, and security against all harm and danger; but because he it her guide and te [...]cher in the ways to her salvation, for so much S. Paul implies, when he saith, if the wife will learn any thing, for the benefit of her soul,1 Cor. 14 35, let her aske her husband: who, as be is her head to guide, so he is, in part, and in a saving sense, her instrumen­tall Saviour.

And not singly in this, but that by this hus­band she may receive another blessing, that is, children,Ps. 128.5, 6. for so it is proclaimed, The Lord shall blesse thee in seeing thy children: where they are a blessing from the Lord,Ps. 127.3 ver. 5. and children are an heri­tage and reward of the Lord; yea blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them, in which bles­sing the woman hath not the least share, for she is the quiver, which keeps, and yeelds the bles­sing of such arrowes, as are children. Yea S. Paul saith,1 Tim. 2.15. the woman shall be saved in child­bearing, if she continue in faith, charity, holinesse and sobriety.

Yet, because simply and absolutely all chil­dren are not blessings, therefore to make them such,Ps. 128. the Psalmist saith, they shall be as Olives, now the oyle of Olives is not only good to smooth the countenance, but to expell poison or poisonous cares from the heart, and such shall the children be of the virtuous wife and the good husband: and, though these Olives must not hold the like place with the wife, to be on the side of the house; yet they shall be round a­bout the table, there ready to wait, and serve both father, and mother at their call or need in all faithfulnesse and obedience, as they are taught by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul. 1 Pet. 1.14. Tit. 1.6.

And yet I cannot promise that this blessing of having children, shall overtake all good hus­bands and wives: no nor that all such as have children, shall be blessed in them. For the Psalmist restrains this blessing of good, obedi­ent, and faithfull children only to such Parents as fear the Lord, Loe thus saith the holy Ghost shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord: Ps. 128.4 and I cannot but observe, that King Davids were good, till he became bad: but when once he [Page 247]deflowred Bathsheba the wife, and murdered Ʋriah the husband; then his children commit­ted uncleanness, and rebelled against him. The fear of the Lord in the parents, begets, and preserves the fear of the Lord in the children. and this the parents ought to observe and do, not only for their childrens good, but that their children may be good, and a blessing to their parents.

CHAP. XXXIX. Of the mutuall love and duty between Parents and Children.

ONe especiall end of mariage is the pro­pagation of children, and therefore from mariage, and the duties thereof we shall proceed to that between parents and children: and here­in considering whence children come, to see the love and duty of parents to their children, and the return of honour, obedience and other duties of children to their parents.

The Hebrews say, that God keeps the keyes of the womb, and of the grave, which agrees with that, that he kills and he gives life, or more neerly as to our purpose, children are the gift and heritage of the Lord; but by the agency, and instrumency of the parents: so that they are as slips or ciences taken from them, and this makes the relation between them so neer, that some have observed that when God said, A man shall leave father and mother for his wife: yet he saith not he shall forsake children for his [Page 248]wife; for though the man and wife, are as the Apostle phraseth it, joyned or glewed together, as made into one flesh, yet except Eve no wife is out of, or a part of, the mans flesh. But I speak not this to lessen the relative love between hus­band and wife, so much as to heighten that which is between parents and children.

And this is so great, even in all sensitive Creatures, beasts and birds, that not only the Lion, Dog, and Bear, but the Doe, the Ewe, and Hen; will oppose the strongest creature, and interpose between them and their young, hazarding their own lives to preserve that of their young ones.

And it hath not been less seen among men, for so we read that Octavius Albanius, keeping a castle beseiged when one cryed out your son without is in danger to be slain, he suddenly sallied out for his rescue, though with the loss of his own life. an other hearing that his son was sentenced to death for a murder, he appea­red before Charles the great; swearing it was he that slew the man, and thereupon was put to death, thereby to save his sons life. and Agrip­pina mother of Nero, being told that it would cost her life to have her son Emperour; answered, So he may be Emperour let me die, and how much short is the affection of Jacob to his chil­dren Joseph and Benjamin; or that of David to Absalom; Gen. 42.38. when Jacob said, If mischief shall befall Benjamin, it will bring down my gray haires with sorrow to the grave, and he hearing that his son Joseph was dead, he rent his clothes, put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for him many days and would not be comforted, saying, I will go down into the grave unto my son; Gen. 37.35. and how much short of this was Davids expressions [Page 249]for the death of a rebellious son, who though he sought his fathers crown and life, yet the fa­ther thus passionately laments him,2 Sam. 1 33. O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would God I had dyed for thee, O Absalom my son, my son?

It hath been a question whether the love of the father or the mother, be the greater to the child, and if we answer by the consideration of examples, we shall leave the question unresolved. For as we found Jacob and David most tenderly loving, so the like we shall see in Rachel, Ge. 30.1. who sels her husband to Leah for mandrakes, whereby she hoped to get children, which she so much longed for that she cries out, give me children else I dye, and having lost them, she weeps for them,Jer. 31.15 Mat. 1.8. and would not be comforted because they were not.

But if we consider the mothers pain in bree­ding, danger in bringing forth, and her care and trouble in their first training up, we may conceive that her love exceeds, especially if we add hereunto that which the Prophet saith, if a mother, (he saith not if a father) but if a mo­ther can forget the child of her womb, which may seem to intimate, that a father may sooner for­get the son which he got, then the mother which bore him in her womb: which womb nature as the Anatomists observe hath filled with most tender affectionate baggs, membranes, veines, and sinewes; thereby to make her more loving to the child,Gen. 29.32. and if to this we add what Leah speaks, who having born a son unto Jacob her husband, she saith now my husband will love me; Then we may conclude that the mother for her own sake loves the child more tenderly or fondly, but the father for the childs sake loves him more wisely and strongly; or we may say, that [Page 250]the man and the woman, love their child, as Alexander was said to love his two intimate friends, Ephestion and Parmenio, who loved the former as a fine delicate man, and such women delight in, but Parmenio he loved as a brave man for action, and such a wise father is plea­sed with.

And from hence we may assoile an other question, why both father and mother oft-times loves one child better then an other, as Rebecca did Jacob the younger, more then Esau the elder; I and Jacob affected his two youngest, Joseph and Benjamin, more then his first born, Reuben and Simeon, and King David placed the crown on the head of Salomon contrary to the Jews law and custome, though he had six sons elder then Salomon; and a great part of this act in King David we may ascribe to the affection, policy and power of Batsheba the mother, as that other the like act of Isaac in preferring Jacob to Esau may be attributed to Rebec­ca.

Now from this root of love in the parents, shoot out the branches of their care in nursing, breeding, and providing for their children; all which are so naturall and necessary, that who neglects the performance of these duties deserves not the name of father and mother, nor yet so much as to be called Syre, or Damme, for beasts and birds generally performe these cares for their young, untill they are able to provide for themselves: for did we ever know or read that an Ewe, a Doe, or a Sow, put out her young to nurse, or would suffer any other to give their young suck, but themselves so long as themselves were able to do it? and must we conceive that nature hath less power, or works [Page 251]less in a woman which hath reason then in a beast? or will ye have me think that reason and grace which add unto, and strengthen the gifts of nature, do both weaken nature in the wo­man? and if not, which indeed cannot be thought by any indued with grace or reason, why then think we that nature hath given the mother breasts, and fountains of milk if not to suckle her young? or why think ye that a strange womans milk should be so naturally and pro­perly good for the child as the mothers which brought it into the world? and why rather con­sider you not that as children with the milk, draw that humour which makes for the good or ill of their bodies, so many by sucking cruell, drunken, unchast women, have become such in quality and condition as their nurses were? It may be instanced in Tiberius, Commodus, Emperors of Rome, and divers others: but not to be long on this subject, remember that Sarah is said to have given her son suck, from which act I shall draw no other inference but that of S. Peter, 1 Pet: 3.6 whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well (doing as she did who gave suck to her child.)

But the mothers duty ends not in this, but that she with the husband and each and both must labour with the soonest to administer the spirituall milk of the knowledge and fear of God, thereby to nourish the childs soul to everlasting life; and this duty lies more straightly, and strongly, upon the parent in as much as the soul the Temple of God is more excellent & of grea­ter esteem then the body, which is but an house of clay. The father and mother of Samson inquire of the Angell of the Lord saying,Judge. 13 12. How shall we order the child, and bow shall we do unto him? [Page 252]and that the child Samuel may be ordered aright, his mother brings him very young to the house of the Lord, and she lent, saith the text, or re­turned him to the Lord, [...] 1.2 [...].8. to be his as long as he lived, and what follows so good an entrance and beginning,I Sam. 2.11. as in the very next chapter, that the child according to his matriculation, did ever after minister unto the Lord.

And what the further duties of parents are in this kind S. Paul intim [...]es in one place when he saith,I Thes. 2.11. I exhort; and not only so, but I charge you as a father doth his children, that ye walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdome: and in another text he expresseth it more plainly, as a precept to parents, fathers bring up your children in the nu [...]ture and fear of the Lord. and if you will have a more especiall and particular account of the severall lessons to be taught this child, you may read them set down by the wise man in his Proverbs; [...]ov. 4. where that whole chapter contains the full instruction of a child in the ways of godliness, and the fruit thereof the parents shall find in the same book where it is said,Prov. 23. [...]4. The father of the righteous shall have great joy, and be shall rejoyce that hath a wise son.

And that Parents may receive this joy,Prov. 22. [...]. the wise man counsels them; Train up or catechise the child in his youth in the way he should go, Prov. 23.13, 14. and with hold not correction from the child, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die, but thou shalt deliver his soul from hell: Prov. 29. [...]5. Whereas a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

I have read of a son who on the Gallows cal­led to speak with his father, where he bit off his eare telling him that if he had done the part of a Father in training him up with due correction [Page 253]he had never come to that end. And was not Eli to blame suffering his sons to behave them­selves wickedly, when all the correction he gave them was Why do ye so my sons? And what was it leste if not more in Lot to drink immoderat [...]ly with his daughters, whereby he came to uncover both their nakednesse? and Jacob himself deser­ved to be reprehended for suffering his daughter Dinah to ramble among the strange young men whereby she caught that clap which caused so much bloud-shed; the Apostle therefore saith, what son is he whom the father chastneth not? Heb. 12.7, 8, 9. yea and if the son be without chastisement then is he a bastard and no son, but if chastned he gives his father reverence, and the mother, saith S. Paul, 1 Tim. 5.10. that hath brought up her children in the faith is well reported of, whereas the Prophet tells us that it became a proverb,Ezek. 16.44. as is the daughter so is the mother, which appeared true in David whose children after himself had committed folly and murder were found loose, rebellious and mur­derers.

And yet to this admonition lest Parents grow too severe and rigid I must give this caution, that Parents be not like Rehoboam to threaten or use scorpions, that is, whips having sharp thongs like points of thorns or stings of Serpents, but ever that they remember the counsell of the Apostle,Eph. 6.4. Fathers provoke not your children unto wrath lest that (as himself speaks) they may be discouraged, Col. 3.21 correction with discretion and mo­deration is the chastisement required in a father to his child, for that as S.Gal. 4: [...] Paul speaks, the heir as long as he is a childe differeth not from a ser­vant.

And yet the duty of the Parent ends not here but extends it self to a further point that he [Page 254]provide for his child, the Apostle is expresse herein when he saith,2 Cor. [...]2.14. The parents ought to lay up for their children, which thing if they doe not, then saith the same Apostle,1 Tim. 5.8. That man that pro­vides not for his own hath denyed the faith, and is worse then an infidell, (for the heathens and in­fidels do it) yea he is worse then the very beasts, all which provide for their young, except the Raven, which as some write forsake theirs fea­therlesse and meatlesse, leaving them to be nou­rished either by the dew from heaven, from flies in the aire, or from small wormes breeding in the nest: and this if the Naturalists observa­tion holds heightned the miracle that God wrought when he caused these Ravens such un­naturall birds to their own, to feed the Prophet Elijah.

But to this duty of Parents providing for children, I must give a memento or two which may concern the parent and some other, that may respect the child; to that which concerns the Pa­rent, we have a proverb or by-word, Happy is that child whose father goes to the Devill, and I remember when Rebecca intended in love to Jacob the younger to rob Esau the elder and and the heir of his birth-right, Jacob said to his mother, by this fraudulent and false way I shall bring a curse upon my self and not a blessing, but what is the mothers reply? upon me be the curse my son, so I make thee great and Lord of all; but worthily deserves that Parent the curse, and justly is he rewarded with hell, who fears neither the curse nor hell, so he can make his son rich and great.

A learned Father of the Church,August. having re­proved the immoderate raking together of riches in many men, was answered by these [Page 255]men, that all they did was for their children, and every man was bound by Gods law to provide for them: whereunto be replyed, this seems to be the voice of piety, but indeed it is the excuse of iniquity, and better it were your children should want wine, then you water to cool your tongue, or better they should want fire here, then you should burn in hell here­after.

But certainly if Parents were so besotted with their love to their children as to hazard their own everlasting damnation and torture for their children, yet did they consider how little benefit these ill gotten goods bring to their children and posterity in the end they would not be so hell-hardy as they are, for hear what the Prophet speaks,Psal. 37.35.36. I have seen (and so have we) the wicked in great power, and sprea­ding himself like a green Baytree, yet he passed and loe be was not, yea I sought him but he could not be sound; and the Aegyptians when they would expresse such a father and his son they portrayed one twisting a rope, and an other ravelling it ou [...], and indeed often it comes so to passe that the house reard by fraud and iniquity, becomes like an house that is built of a liquid substance that the sun will consume, or if not, yet God as the Lord of the earth may take his own if ill gotten, from him where he findes it, and this without all or any shew of injustice.

Therefore Fathers that your estates may prove durable to your children and comfortable to your selves, get them in the fear of God and by honest, and just means, and in the distri­bution of them be just and equall, not gi­ving all or the most of all to one for the raising or propagating a name, and little to the rest. I [Page 256]am not ignorant that diverse people doe it and herein they do right well, because herein they seem to imitate the Jews who indeed left those lands in Canaan which came unto them and were divided by lot, these for the most part as by prescription or law descended to the elder, and again because the elder among them both in sa­cred and civill affairs and titles had the prehemi­nence before and above the younger. But nei­ther before nor after the law given by Moses did this hold as a law, that the elder should enjoy all the lands, except as before, I say that which by Gods immediate prescript was so divided to them by lot.

For before the law observe the eldest of Ja­cobs children, Reuben, Simeon and Levi, and of the twelve Joseph and Benjamin the youngest, yet Judah the fourth son he hath the dominion, and Joseph and Benjamin, the greatest part in their fathers blessing, but yet so that although be gave them most whom he most aff [...]cted for the in­ward endowments and goodnesse of the soul, yet he gave them all of his blessing from God li­berally and proportionably to their several abili­ties; And did not Isaac the like? & what did King David a man after Gods own heart, who having had six sons elder then Salomon yet intended in their life time and afterward actually setled the crown upon Salomon, the younger it hath been so much practised by many that it bath almost become a proverb, Who best deserves best have.

Yet so, that all may be as heirs of their Fathers spirituall, so of his earthly and temporall bles­sing and that with some indifferent measure and proportion. For although a river cut and divi­ded into many streams runs not so strongly nor makes so great a shew or noise, yet thus divided [Page 257]it doeth lesse harm by breaches or overflowings, and more good by watering and refreshing the land. And I am sure, that an house, bridge, or castle, built or setled upon most arches but­tresses or piles of stone stands more firmely and for continuance then that which stands but upon one; for if this one failes as oft it is seen in the heirs of England, all the house falls to decay with him and is gone.

Now if two strings to the bow holds surest, then say I why not to have two, three or four, rather then to trust all to one? but if you shall adde hereunto, the heart-burnings, contentions, troubles and wars not only between Davids children, or Isaacs, or between the Edomites and Israelites, the issue and posterity of Esau and Jacob, but of thousands more upon unequall distributions, you will soon conclude that it is neither wise, good nor safe to give all or most of all to one because he is the elder, but either to give the most to the best or proportionally to di­vide it among all.

And because the children of great men and gentlemen as well as of others grow from good to bad , and from ill to worse, therefore it be­hoves parents as much as in them is, and in their life time not to bring up their children to be meer gentlemen, that is, to hawke, hunt, or to eate, drink and play, which was the sin and destruction of the old world, and is taxed by the Apostles, which is the same in our days, but as the Apostle wisely and holily hath given us in charge,1 Cor. 7 [...].20. Let every man abide in that calling wherein he was called, which words im­ply no lesse then that every man should have a calling which is agreeable to the first foundation and building up of the world.

Where at first no sooner was the stage of the world reared, but that our first father Adam was set to acting, that is to speak plainly, Adam was set to dress the garden, and not only the children of Adam, who were heires of the world, spent their time in tilling and sowing the earth; or in keeping and feeding sheep, but the Patri­archs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though Lords of great possessions, and masters of many ser­vants, and powerfull to fight with , and con­quer Kings, yet these (witness the holy writ) lived not as our Gentlemen do, but as the A­postle counsells and commands us, they lived and exercised themselves in honest callings; for they knew that as of idleness comes no goodness: so he that lives idly, to eate, drink and play, must be sure as the Apostle speaks, that the judgement of God is according to truth, Row. 2.2.5. against them which commit such things, and therefore that they do hereby treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the just judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds.

The Greeks as I am taught have a word which signifies to play the Stork, whereby they understand, that the love of parents to their children should beget in children a reddition and retribution of their duty to their Parents; for it is storied of the Stork that as the old one hath been loving and tender to feed, defend, and cherish their young; so the young will feed, defend, and carry the old when it is unable to help it self.

Now Christ himself,Mat. 6.26. though in another case, bids us behold the fowles of the aire, and accor­dingly the Spirit of God, by his pen-men grounds instructions to children, in their duty [Page 259]to parents, as S. Paul doth when he saith, Children obey your Parents in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1, 2. for this is right; and again, Honour thy father and mother (which is the first commandement with promise) and he adds a reason to his counsell on the childs behalf, That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long (and happy) on the earth. The Parents of Tobiah called their son (implying what children should be to their parents) the light of their eyes to guide and direct them,Tob. 5.17.10.5. and the staff of their hand in going in and out to defend them. and we have a story of a godly Christian Daughter to this purpose, who in part rob'd her child, that with the milk of her breasts she might nourish her father imprisoned and almost sterved by the merciless Tyrant.

Nor doth the Childs duty here end,Eph. 6.1. but goes on to what S. Paul taught, that children must obey their parents in the Lord: that is, in all just and lawfull things, what ever they com­mand, so it be not repugnant to the word, or law of the Lord, which the same Apostle in an other Epistle commands saying;Col. 3.20 Children obey your parents in all things (that is, as before, in the Lord) for this is well pleasing to the Lord: for obeying them in all things in the Lord, in so doing the children obey the Lord, which commands this obedience.

And what the sin or punishment of disobe­dience is,Prov. 30 17. the wise man in part hath told us when he saith, The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens, those birds which of all others are least regarded (as I told you) by the old ones, shall pick out, and the Eagles shall devour them: but the Apostle saying, Obey and honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long (and happy) on earth, [Page 260]implies no less then, that he who doth not obey and honour them, shall have but few or evill days while they live here, besides the evill which shall follow after, Our blessed Saviour hath pro­nounced the same plainly and fully, saying, God commanded, Mat. 15.4. Honour thy father and mother, and he that doth contrary let him die the death.

Prov: 30.11.And yet such ungodly children have been found of whom the wiseman speaks, there is a ge­neration that curseth their father: and such saith the Prophet are those who dishonour their pa­rents;Mie. 7.6. and such was the accursed Cham, Ge. 9.22 who pro­claimed the nakedness of his father, yea mon­sters of men have there been, whom I am ashamed to name; Nero, who in an inhuman manner ripped up that womb of his mother, where himself lay, but I will tell you of the sons of S [...]nacherth, 2 King. 15.37. who fearing that their father would kill them in hope to prosper thereby, as Abraham did in sa­crificing his son, slew their father.

Against which sin of paricide or killing pa­rents, the wise law-giver Solon, provided no law, because he thought no man could be so de­sperately wicked, as to kill and destroy him, that under God gave him life, yet the Romans in detestation of this so unnaturall a sin, decreed a death unheard of untill their times, which was that such a parent-slayer should be closed up in a leathern sachell, together with a viper, art ape, and a cock ; and so to be cast into the river to be gnawed upon, to be drowned, and to be sterved to death.

When God promised Abraham to be his excee­ding great reward, he replyed to Godand said, Lord God wherein wilt thou reward me, or what wilt thou give me, seeing I am childless? wherein he implyed all temporall goods and blessings were [Page 261]as nothing to him without an heire; and then the word of the Lord came unto him saying, thou shalt have an heire come forth of thine own bowells. Hezekiah likewise when the Prophet told him, he should dye, wept that he should dye childless. And barrenness or want of children is in holy writ often called a reproach, yea, and pronounced by God as a punishment, but on the contrary a great blessing to have chil­dren.

Insomuch that David repining as it were at the prosperity of the wicked, he reckons this as one of their greatest,Psal. 17: 24. That they are full of chil­dren, and that they leave their substance to their babes, and in another psalme,Ps. 115.14. God will bless them that fear him, and will increase them more and more them and their children; and again, Loe children are an heritage of the Lord, Ps. 127.3.5. and the fruit of the womb is his reward, for they are as ar­rowes in the band of a mighty man, and therefore happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, for they shall (be able to) speak with their enemies in the gate; that is, in the gate where the Judges sate, where their children shall stand up to plead for their father: and in the field they shall be as arrowes to defend him against his enemies.

It is storied that when Croesus was ready to be slain, that his son who till that time was dumbe and never could speak , yet now distracted with fear and grief, arising from the love to his father, he cryed out, O kill not my father Croesus. And it is fabled that Gerion had three faces, the morall whereof was, that he had three sons who lived so lovingly, and defended their fathers name, and possessions so unanimously as though they had had but one soul, animating and actu­ating in three bodies. Neither can I forget here [Page 262]that passage of Scylurus because it comes so neer to that quiver of arrowes, which I mentioned from King David, in his Psalmes, who calling his sons unto him, compared them to a bundle of arrows which saith he, if ye sever you may easily break them singly, but so long as they are thus bound and fastned together, they will hold and be a defence both to your selves and your father; and thus happy is that father which hath his quiver full of such arrows.

Chap. XL. The love of our Native country.

NExt to the love of our Parents our Coun­try challengeth an interest in our love, as being our common parent, and although one Philosopher would derive the word from the mothers side and call our country Matria yet generally it is called Patria, as from the father because though our country as the mother bears us, yet as the father it nourisheth, provides for, and defends us, which most properly are the acts of the father.

And hereupon, both with Greeks and Latines these speeches became as proverbs : The salt of our own country is more pleasant then all the dainties of strange places, and of all sweets our country is the sweetest.

And this holding true and working by a kind of naturall instinct, it comes to pass that what ever our country is, though barren or unhealthy, yet we love and prefer it before a richer and [Page 263]more healthy place; & were there not such a wor­king naturall instinct in man, inclining his love and desire to his own native soil, many a country would hardly be inhabited but be left desolate.

Ithaca the place of birth to Vlysses esteemed the wisest man then living among the Greeks, though it were a poor rocky land, and the mea­nest of Islands thereabout, yet it were worth your reading how that wise man bewailed his absence thence but ten years, though imployed abroad in his countries service, and with what joy he welcomed himself home at his return.

And from the fervent love and zeal that some men above others, have born to the honour and welfare of their country, they have deserved the highly priced, and honourable title to be called Patriots, which signifies lovers and de­fenders of their country.

And although all countries more or less, have abounded with such, yet Rome (which by this means became the Mistress of the world) hath exceeded all; with whom it was common, and ordinary to prefer the good and glory of their country, before parents, wife or children, or what ever was most dear unto them, even before their own lives: holding that true which the Roman Orator said, It is said a sweet thing, to dye for the good of our country. Histories that confirme this among the Romans are obvi­ous and innumerable: I mall therefore with­out troubling you give but one, of those Lacede­monians, who being sent to pacifie the enraged Persian, and finding that nothing but their lives could abate that fury against their country rea­dily yeelded themselves to death, which gallant resolution and zealous love, when the Persian considered, he gave them their lives, and spared their country.

And so much were the holy Patriarchs af­fected wich this love to their native soile that when they were either sent or constrained through want or otherwise to dye in other lands, yet as Jacob and Joseph they made it one of their last and greatest r [...]quests among earthly things to be brought back and to be buried in their own Countries.

I could adde hereunto that among all punish­ments inflicted upon capitall offenders, that next to death was generally accounted banishment, by which I mean not an amandation, sending a­way or sequestring a man from his own house within his own countrey, which was not much feared or declined, but an exile, casting out or driving away from his native soile.

Neither held this so among men alone, but it was denounced by God himself as a most severe punishment and sign of his heavy wrath against the King Jehoiakim, Jer. 22. that he should not return home from captivity to bis own countrey.

Nay I could instance in divers both wise and noble Spirits who have desired rather presently to dye and so to be buried in their own then to prolong their lives, and after it to be interred in a strange countrey, esteeming themselves better laid in a grave in their own countrey and re­turned to their own house.

Dan. 6.10.I cannot deny but when Daniel being in Ba­bylon usually prayed three times a day with his window open and looking to Jerusalem, that he much longed after the Temple which once stood there, but I think no man can deny that his love and desire was not the less to bis country, and the rather for that God himself commands Jacob to return to his own countrey though it were from a richer to the poorer place.Gen. 32.9.

A Philosopher being asked, what a man ought to doe to a wicked rebellious country an­swered you must deal with it as with your mo­ther, whom you must never despise but honour and make her better if you can, but never for­sake her: and accordingly we have read of di­vers who have rejected parents, wives, children, when grown to excess of impiety or iniquity, yet so it comes to pass that even for the most crying sinnes few or none cast off their country. Think on Lot, who rather then forsake his coun­trey he must be forced out of it by an Angel of heaven, as rather hazarding to burn in his own country then to live in a better.

I could adde to all this, that Christ himself so farre testified the love he bore to Bethlehem the village and Nazareth the region of his birth and education, that he resorted often to them la­bouring their conversion, and bewailed himself as it were for this, that through their unbeleef he did no miracles among them.

But briefly to close all, I shall desire you to read two Psalmes, in the one whereof you may plainly see how the people of Israel though they enjoyed Gods gracious presence and comfor­table assistance in Babylon, Ps. 137. yet how they mour­ned for the absence from their own country, and in the other you shall as apparently discover the wonderfull extreme joy they took in being resto­red home again.Ps. 126.

For being out of their country, saith the text, They sate down and wept when they remembred Zion, yea they hanged up their harpes the in­strumens of joy, and musick to the Lord, pro­fessing they could not sing the Lords song in a strange land; and yet though this they could not do for grief, yet for loves sake they wished to [Page 266]forget their cunning if ever they forgat Jerusa­lem, yea they wished that their tongue might cleave to the roof of their mouth, and that they might never speak if they did not remember, nay if they did not prefer Jerusalem above their Chief or choice joy.

And as their grief was such for the losse, now see if as great joy were not conceived by them for the regaining of their beloved country, for now they say being returned we rejoyce in­deed, and not only rejoyce, but our joy is such as if it were a dream which coming suddenly and unexpectedly makes men l [...]ughor sing or exult as not knowing for joy what they do; which we ex­press when we say mad for joy; and such was this joy of Gods Israel upon their return to their own country, as the Psalmist there expresseth.

If you beleeve not me, hear themselves speak their own joy when they say, Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing, insomuch that among the Heathen they said, The Lord hath done great things for us, that is, our return home to Judea, is such an act that none could have wrought for us but the Lord, and thereof we are glad.

The Grecians held that to be their country where they thrived best and got most, yea it was a Proverb among both Greeks and Romans, That is a mans country where it is well with him, or where he doeth well. Now if this ter­restriall country of smoaky unsavory earth be­low be so sweet and pleasing to the corporall, what then must that other heavenly glorious country above be unto the spirituall man? for man as he consists of two parts body and soul, and in that regard man may be termed a double, that is, an earthly and a spirituall man, which [Page 267]agrees with that of S. Paul, 1 Cor. 15 so he hath two coun­tries answerable and fitted to the double inha­bitant; therefore as for the earthly man God hath prepared this ea [...]thly hab [...]ation, so for the spirituall he hath p [...]vided that heavenly and glorious country; for to speak truth, and as the Scripture speakes, this below is not properly our country, but as we are here but travellers, strangers, and pilgrims, so we have here no abiding city nor place, and therefore this cannot be our country, but our Inne or guest-ch [...]mber, wherein to lodge in the time of our passe or travail from this place of traffique or trade to our own country whence we came.

All this and much more will be evident to any ordinary understanding that will read the Apostle where he thus speaks: Abraham when he was sent by God from his own to a strang coun­try,Heb. 11.9 obeyed; for he looked for a city, & confes­sing himself a stranger & pilgrim on the earth,ver. 10. ver. 13. he declareth plainly that he sought a country, and this country is called the better and the heavenly country: and in this country God hath prepa­red for Abraham, and all his faithfull seed,ver. 16. saith the text, a city, a City saith the Apostle which hath foundations (as though this of the earth were instable) and such foundations as whose builder and maker is God.

And if you will further know and see the glo­ry of this city in this heavenly country with the excellent company, and joy there to be found, then read forward where the Apostle faith, Yee are now in the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. 12.22. where you shall find an innumerable company of Angels, the Spirits of just men made perfect, yea God the Judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant or testament, whose [Page 268]bloud speaketh better things for us (to the Judge) then the bloud of Abel.

And this being our country indeed, and that we may expresse our love thereunto, Let us, saith the same Apostle, go forth (out of this vale of misery,Heb. 13.13. iniquity and country of Devils) unto him (Christ Jesus) For here we have no continu­ing City but seek one to come: And that this we may seek aright, and so find, God of his infinite mercy grant unto us for Jesus Christs sake, to whom be all glory and honour, Amen.