WHat S. Hierome saith of the whole Booke of Iob, may most truely be verified of this saying of our Sauiour: namely, Singula in eo verba plena sunt sensibus; Hiero. Paul. that is, Euery word is a full sentence, affording large scope, and ample matter for to entreate of: but that I [Page 2] may the better confine my selfe vnto the time allotted for this businesse, obserue three things: first, a commandement, Thou shalt loue: secondly, the obiect vvhom wee must loue, thy neighbour: thirdly, the meane how farre this loue must be extended, as thy selfe. Of the precept.

Thou shalt loue.] The Morall Law of God, contained in the ten Commandements, is diuided into two Tables: the first setteth forth our duty vnto God, wherein nothing else is required at our hands but Loue; so saith our Sauiour, Mat. 22.38. The first and greatest Com­mandement is this, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy minde: where we learne our loue to God must be like vnto death; for there is no earthly liuing creature, so strong, so weake, so rich, so poore, so olde, so young, so noble, so ignoble, of what condition so­euer, but Death doth ouer-come all: euen so, though wee may loue Wife, Children, Fa­ther, Mother, Brother, Sister, Kinsfolke, Friends, Honors, goods, and our owne liues, yet the loue of GOD must surpasse them all, or else wee are not worthy of God saith our Sauiour. The second Table containeth our dutie towards our Neighbour, and therein likewise is nothing else required at our hands but Loue; Mat. 10.37. so saith my Text, The second is like vnto this, thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy [Page 3] selfe. So that as Saint Augustine, Epist. 56. speaking of Humilitie, saith; the first vertue in a Christi­an, is Humilitie; the second, Humilitie; the third, Humilitie; and so often as you vvill aske mee, I will answere nothing but Humi­litie: not because there are no other pre­cepts in the Bible, but because vnlesse Humi­litie goe before all other vertues, accompa­ny all other vertues, and follow after euery vertue, Pride will deflowre our holiest acti­ons. In like manner S. Paul, 1 Cor. 13. see­meth to speake of Loue, saying, that the first vertue in a Christian, is Loue; the second, is Loue; the third, yea, all required in a Chri­stian is nothing else but Loue: therefore he saith, 1 Cor. 13.1. Though I speake with the tongue of men and Angels, and haue not Loue, I am as soun­ding brasse, and a tinckling Cymball. And a­gaine, Though I had the gift of Prophecie, Verse 2. and knew all secrets, and all knowledge; yea, if I had all Faith, so that I could remoue mountaines, and had not Loue, I were nothing. And againe, Though I feede the poore with all my goods, Verse 3. and though I giue my body to be burned, and haue not Loue, it profiteth mee nothing. Hence ari­seth so many commendations of Loue in the Scripture; as, Loue enuyeth not, Colos. 3.14. it suffereth all things, it beleeueth all things, it hopeth all things, it endureth all things. Iames 2.8. It is the bond of perfecti­on: the Royall Law: the great commandement: It is Christs owne precept: yea, Iohn 15.12. God himselfe [Page 4] is tearmed by the name of Loue, 1 Iohn 4.8. Hence the ancient Writers made so many exhortations to loue, and wrote so many commendations of Loue. Loue (saith Philo Iudaeus) is [...], that is, a short word, but yet it containeth much matter to be spo­ken of: Mat. 13.31. like the graine of Mustard-seede, the least of all other, yet groweth so bigge as the Fowles of the ayre build their nests in the bran­ches of it: Rom. 13.9. so is Loue the abridgement of the whole Law: 1 Tim. 1.4. the end of the Commandements: the fulfilling of the whole Law: Rom. 13.10. Insomuch as Clement Alexandrinus calleth a louing man, a God: Gregory Nazianzene being asked what was the best thing in the world, answe­red, Ʋnitie, Peace and Concord: and being as­ked the worst thing, answered, Hatred, Dis­cord and Contention: this is illustrated by a Similitude.

As maine Ocean Seas, and deepe Riuers in themselues are fit for ships to saile in, and to hinder the passage of enemies into the Country which they enuiron; but let them be cut into narrow channels and small gutters, then they are vnfit for eyther. Euen so where there is loue and amitie, there all things pros­per: by concord small things become great, but where is discord and strife, there nothing flourisheth, for by dissention great things become small; Luke 11.2. yea, nothing at all. For King­domes (saith our Sauiour) diuided among [Page 5] themselues cannot endure. Though God had often foretolde of the miserable destruction of Hierusalem, Iosephus de bell. Iudae. which was performed by the Romanes, yet nothing did worke their so speedy and lamentable ruine as their owne dissentions and ciuill warres within them­selues: see this likewise verified in the aeco­nomicall gouernment.

Therefore it is vvorthy noting that Silu­rus hauing fourescore sonnes, seeing them at discord among themselues, tyed vp a great Faggot of stickes together, and gaue to each sonne a piece of the cord which tyed them, and bad them all assaye to breake the Fag­got, vvhich vvhen they had long endeuou­red they could not effect; vvhereupon the old man loosed the Faggot and gaue to eue­ry sonne one single sticke, vvhich euery one could easily breake in sunder: euen so, while Christians and brethren vnite themselues in Loue and Charitie, so long it is hard for them to be ouerthrowne; but vvhen once they are at hatred within themselues, then the deuill easily ouercommeth them, for he goeth vp and downe like a roaring Lyon seeking vvhom he may deuoure: vvhere the Greeke is [...], quem, vvho in the singular number catching them one by one, not quos in the plurall number, vvhen they goe in couples. Obserue likewise how discord in the members ouerthrow the priuate body [Page 6] of euery particular man; therefore it is a pretty fable in Aesope that at a certaine time the members in the body fell at dissen­tion vvith the belly; the hand vvould reach it no meate, the foote vvould goe for no meat, in the end all the whole body vvaxed so feeble as it was ready to perish; then the hand would reach meat, the foot fetch meat, the mouth chawe meat; but alas, it was too late to shut the doore after the Steed vvas stolne, for the belly was so faint and weake as it was able to receiue no meate, and so the vvhole body was consumed, and as dissenti­on ouerthroweth kingdomes, priuate fami­lies, the soules and bodies of men; euen so it doth wholy consume the wealth and estates of men, as is seene in the lame man and the blinde man, of which, one for want of lims vvas not able to goe, the other for want of eyes could not see to goe, vntill at last they agreed together that the blinde man should carry the lame man, & the lame man should guide the blinde man: thus they went on well and quietly, vntill the lame man had espied an Oyster, then they fell at dissention to whom it did belong; the lame man chal­lenged it, because he espyed it out, the blinde man sayd it was his, because his legs did fetch it; to be short, in the end they determined to be iudged by the next man they met: this man being a Lawyer, made an equall distri­bution, [Page 7] hee gaue each of them a shell, and kept the meate to himselfe: and euen so goe on in suites and iarres at last ye vvill find the Lawyer to be like the Butlers boxe at Christ­mas, whosoeuer is a looser that is a gainer.

Wee which liue in this latter age of the vvorld haue beene long time the schol­lers of Saint Paul and Saint Peter, but vvee could neuer yet take foorth our lesson so farre foorth as Saint Iames, or Saint Iohn, wee haue learned of Saint Paul to beleeue well, but not of Saint of Iames to bring forth good workes which are the fruits of faith: vvee haue learned of Saint Peter to feede Christs flocke, and the people to be fed of the shepheard, but neither shepheard nor sheepe, Minister nor people, haue learned of Saint Iohn to loue one another, who as him­selfe was the beloued of Christ, so are his Epistles filled with words of loue, and drops of fatherly affection, as Babes, little Babes, Children, little children, Beloued, deerely beloued. We reade of countries and Ilands which doe not nourish any vile or poyson some creatures, but neuer can we reade of a common-wealth wherein liued men whose hearts were voyde of enuy, hatred and ma­lice. Actes 2.3. In the Actes of the Apostles there is mention made of clouen tongues, but neuer can we finde any clouen hearts, hearts diui­ded in sunder; wherefore as euer, so especially [Page 8] now in these last dayes had we need to ex­hort to loue; for as the vvorld waxeth old, so men in the world waxe old; and as the bo­dies of old men goe stooping downeward, so the soules of men in this age goe groue­ling to earthly possessions, not minding heauenly inheritances, and as the bodies in olde age vvaxe cold and want the heate of nature, so the soules of men in this age waxe cold and want the heate of charitie: there­fore if euer then now had this lesson of Loue need to be enforced, not particularly to Mi­nisters onely, least then Lay-men say, quod supra nos nihil ad nos (that is) vvhat is aboue vs pertaineth not to vs: nor to the Lay-men onely, least the Clergy say, id populus curet, that is, let Lay-men Loue, let vs disagree: but it is generally to be enforced vnto all, of what sort or condition soeuer he be.

Read the Scripture, you shall find how of­ten loue is commanded; now no man wil of­ten demaund that thing which is not plea­sing vnto him, therefore we must loue one another because loue is so pleasing vnto GOD, as appeareth by Gods often requi­ring loue of vs: the Wife which loueth her husband will fit her selfe to his humour, she will do that which he delighteth in: We, the Church, are the spouse of Christ, hee is our husband, therefore if we truely loue him, we must entertaine hearty loue one with ano­ther [Page 9] which is most pleasing vnto God; Psal. 133. for loue is likened vnto precious oyntment, which powred foorth, maketh a svveet sauour ouer all the roome: so is loue a sweet smelling sacrifice in the nostrils of God; 1 Cor. 14.33. hee calling himselfe the God of Loue, saying al­so, that hee hateth him which rayseth vp contentions among brethren; but in Ecclesi­asticus Chap. 25. Three things reioyce mee, Prou. 6.19. and by them am I beautified before God and men, the vnitie of brethren, the loue of neigh­bours, a man and wife that agree together. This is seene in that Dauid, a man after Gods owne heart, must not builde an house to God: and why? because his hands had beene embrued with blood: 3 Reg. 5. but Salomon his sonne a king vvhich raigned in peace, was com­manded to builde a Temple to God. And IESVS CHRIST vvhich was borne in­to the world to make peace betweene God and man, was borne vnder Augustus Caesar, at that time, when the vvhole vvorld was at peace; therefore seeke peace and ensue it, follow after loue, pray with Saint Bernard on the Canticles, Domine pacem volo, pacem cu­pio & nihil amplius: O Lord I desire peace, I seeke peace and nothing else. Wherefore, doth thy brother offend thee put it vp? refer him to God, who will reuenge thee. Veterem iniu­riam ferendo vitabis nouam: By suffering an olde iniury, thou shalt eschew a new wrong, [Page 10] as wee see in a brawling Curre, if hee barke at thee, and thou ride on, and not regard it, the dogge will be quiet; but if thou offer to chide him, to strike at him, or to hurt him, then hee flyeth at thee more furiously then at the beginning.

A coale of fire let alone will out and dye of it selfe, but blow it, and it will burne afresh and as hot as before: so wrongs and iniuries let alone, will in time dye and be forgotten, but if they be repeated, and often rehearsed, they will increase.

I, but thou wilt say, for my owne part, I can be contented to liue in peace, but my neighbour is alwayes beginning with mee, and offering me wrong first; what should I doe in such a case? Tread on a worme, and it will trune againe. To this I answere: Know what the Heathen Orator saith; Nulla laus est ibi esse integrum vbi nemo est qui aut velit, aut conetur corrumpere: It is no commendations to be an honest man when thou canst not tell how to be dishonest: for example, What credit is it for a man to say he neuer did com­mit adultery, when as hee neuer came into company where Women were? What glory is it for a man to be neuer drunken, and ne­uer be in place where hee can drinke wine or strong Beere, but onely water? So what com­mendation is it to liue in loue & peace, when as no neighbour thou hast doth offer thee [Page 11] any wrong or iniury. Wherefore hee which offereth thee wrong, giueth thee occasion of patience, not of anger and reuenge; so that euery one should say of him which offereth wrong, as Dauid said of the cursing of Shi­mei; Suffer him to curse, 2 Sam. 16. for the Lord hath bidden him; it may be the Lord will looke on mine affliction, and doe me good for his cursing this day: so put vp wrong, referre all to God. Saint Cyprian saith well, Quid gloriae est illis facere quod fecit Iudas? quid ignominiae est no­bis pati quod passus est Christus? What glory is it for a man to offer wrong? Iudas did the like to Christ: and what shame is it for vs to suffer wrong for Christs sake, who before hath endured much more for our sakes?

Socrates the wise Philosopher walking in the streetes, pulled off his hat to one whom hee met, which man vnciuilely passed by, and left Socrates vnsaluted: whereupon one said vnto Socrates, Why are you not angry with that vnmannerly companion? To whom Socrates replyed, If I had met one with a crooked backe, and which had a body more deformed then my selfe, should I be angry with him? To whom the other answered, No truely: and then much lesse haue I cause to be displeased with one that hath a vvorse minde then I, said the the Philosopher. Euen so, to make some application to vs Christi­ans: Hath thy neighbour done thee iniurie? [Page 12] Surely this proceedeth out of his Soules in­firmitie, and therefore be not offended be­cause he hath a worse Soule then thy selfe: for indeede in stead of hurting him againe, thou hast more neede to pitty him, and to pray for him.

I, but thou wilt peraduenture say, The of­fences are not small and ordinary, but great and haynous, such as flesh and bloud cannot endure. 1 Cor. 15.50. Alas beloued, Flesh and bloud shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauen, but he which is borne of water and the Spirit: and know thus much that the greatest iniuries offered vnto thee are not comparable to the least sinne thou committest against GOD: for the greater the obiect offended, the grea­ter is the sinne committed. Offer to kill an ordinary man, and not effect it, thou hast but a small punishment; but offer to kill the King, and thou art punished in the highest degree: thus you see how one and the selfe-same sinne is greater and lesser in regard of the obiect offended; now then almighty God being infinite and eternall, the least sinne a­gainst him, deserueth infinite and eternall punishment. How then canst thou hope for pardon from God for thy great sins against him, when thou wilt not forgiue thy neigh­bour his small sinnes against thee, in compa­rison? Mat. 18.25. as our Sauiour setteth forth at large in the Parable of the vnthankfull Seruant, who [Page 13] hauing to himselfe forgiuen tenne thousand Talents, would not forgiue his fellow-seruant one hundred pence: this Master is God, this Seruant to vvhom tenne thousand Talents are remitted, is euery Christian which hath his sins washed away in the bloud of Christ: these hundred pence of the fellow-seruant, are those small sinnes which one brother of­fereth to another. A Talent was then two hundred pounds, then what difference is be­twixt twenty hundred thousand pounds, and one hundred pence, so much difference and more is there betweene our sinnes to GOD, and our Brothers to vs.

O then for shame good Christian speake not of the greatnesse of thy wrongs, but ra­ther pray so much more earnestly to God, and say with our Sauiour, Luke 22.34. Father forgiue them, they know not what they doe: And with the blessed Martyr Saint Steuen, cry, Acts 7.60. O Lord lay not their sinnes vnto their charge. Imitate Almighty God, who is quicke to shew mercy, as wee see in the Prodigall Sonne, Luke 15.20. to vvhom hee ranne forth speedily, and with all haste embraced him: but God is slow to anger and reuenge; for when hee came to punish Adam in Paradise, hee came not running, Genes. 3.8. but walking; and that not in the heate of the day, but in the coole of the euening: euen so, be thou swift to forgiue thine enemie. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath, Ephes. 4.26. [Page 14] but be slow to anger and reuenge: for, hee which is angry with his Brother vnaduisedly, Mat. 5.22. shall be culpable of Iudgement.

I, but thou wilt yet say, I can be contented to liue in peace, to forgiue great wrongs, but I am often wronged, and still iniured, I can neuer liue in quiet. Know thus much my beloued, Iames 3.2. Psal. 19.12. that not in one or two things, but in many things wee all sinne against God: and who is hee which knoweth all his ini­quities? Ibid. Had not euery one neede to pray with Dauid, Lord clense me from my secret sinnes? Luke 11.4. Doth not our Sauiour teach vs daily to pray, Forgiue vs our trespasses? And also daily to practise forgiuenesse to our brother sinne he not seauen times, Mat. 18.22. but seauenty times seauen times in one day. Consult not therefore with flesh and bloud, but submit thy selfe to Gods Law, which telleth thee, that the greatest Commandement is to loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy minde, and that the se­cond is like vnto this, Thou shalt loue thy neigh­bour as thy selfe.

Wherefore be not a Christian in shew, but in deedes, imitate thy Sauiour Iesus, who doth not onely not hate his enemies, but bestoweth many benefits vpon them, as, his Sunne shineth vpon the iust and vniust, his raine falleth vpon the good and bad: so do not onely not reuenge thee on thy enemie, [Page 15] but loue him, doe him good, and pray for him: and reason good; for if GOD the Creator spareth his Creature, much more must thou spare thy Fellow-Creature: if GOD, the Lord of all, doe forgiue his Ser­uants, then must thou forgiue thy Fellow-seruants, Wherefore embrace loue with all men, If thine enemy be hungry, feede him; Rom. 12.22. if hee be thirsty, giue him drinke; if hee be naked, clothe him: for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head: that is, saith Saint Augustine, De doct. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 16. thou shalt stirre vp in thine ene­mie the burning zeale and sorrow of Re­pentance, causing him to grieue, that hee hath offended that man, vvho is so ready to succour and to relieue his vvants and mi­series.

To conclude this first point, Psal. 34.14. Rom. 12.18. Seeke peace and ensue it, if it be possible: as much as in you is, haue peace with all men: For (as Saint Iohn saith) hee which hateth his Brother is a murderer; 1 Epist. 3.15. and wee know no murderer hath eternall life abiding in him. But (as the same Apostle saith) let vs loue one another, 1 Epist. 4.7. for loue commeth of God, and euery one which loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. And so I passe vnto the obiect whom wee must loue, namely, our Neighbour.

Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour.] Difficile est humanam animam nihil amare: (saith Saint Hierome) It is hard that the Soule of man [Page 16] should loue nothing: for, Nihili est qui nihil amat: (saith Plautus) Hee is to be esteemed as nothing which loueth nothing, especially seeing there are so many obiects for to loue. In which respect it is obserued, that there is no one word in the Greeke tongue, which receiueth so many Compositions, as the word [...], Loue. There is,

• [...],
• [...],
• [...],
• [...],

that is,

• The drunkards loue.
• The Leachers loue.
• Ambitious loue.
• Pleasures loue, &c.

But of all other obiects of loue, Saint Augustine doth reckon vp foure, as most principall, De doct. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 23. saying; Quatuor sunt, &c. There are foure things especially to be beloued: one which is aboue vs, (that is, God:) ano­ther, what wee are, (that is, our selues:) the third, which is neere vnto vs, (that is, our neighbour:) the fourth, vvhich is beneath vs, (that is, our bodies.) This present occa­sion offereth to speake onely of the third: and here one may aske with the Expounder of the Law, Luke 18.29. Who is my neighbour? Indeede the Iewes in Christs time esteemed none their neighbours but their friends: the sim­ple sort thinke them onely their neighbours who dwell neere vnto them: In 22. Mat. Saint Chryso­stome hee saith, By neighbour is vnderstood [Page 17] Iesus Christ, because hee is the true Samari­tane, which poureth Oyle and Wine into our soares. But Saint Augustine most truely tel­leth vs, Proximus hoc loco, Epist. 52. non sanguinis pro­pinquitate, sed rationis societate pensandus est, in qua socij sunt omnes homines: Our Neigh­bour is not to be esteemed him which is neerest to vs in bloud, or in place, but hee which is our companion in reason: now eue­ry man being a reasonable Creature, euery man is therefore our neighbour.

Againe, Ser. 59. de temp. the same Father sheweth three things, in which we are all neighbours: first, in that wee are all borne alike: secondly, in that wee all dye alike: thirdly, in that vvee all hope alike for the heauenly inheritance: And Saint Hierome giueth a most vvitty and pithy reason why euery man is our neigh­bour, In 4. ad Ephes. be hee friend or foe, Christian or Infi­dell, and that because it is commaunded, Thou shalt not lye with thy neighbours Wife: now if Neighbour be onely Christians and friends, then it were lawfull to lye, and com­mit adulterie with Turkes, Iewes, Infidels, and with our enemies; but this is most wic­ked: and therefore by consequent, euery man is our neighbour. And thus hauing shewed you by Neighbour is vnderstood euery particular man of what Country or condition soeuer, let mee now vrge among many, three speciall arguments to moue [Page 18] vs, and to stirre vs vp to loue our Neigh­bour.

The first reason enforcing loue (besides the infinite places in Scripture commanding vs) is taken from necessitie: 1 Iohn 4.8. Hee that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is Loue: so then as the body seuered from the soule, is no­thing else but a dead carkasse and a senselesse truncke; so the soule vnited to the body, and yet voyde of loue, is dead, and senselesse in spirituall things: for, as the Apostle saith, Hee which hateth his brother is a man-slayer, 1 Iohn 3.15. and wee know no murderer hath eternall life abiding in him. And indeede how can we loue Christ which is our head, and hate our neigh­bours which are his members.

If a man should stroake one on the head vvith his hand, speake him faire vvith his tongue, and yet in the meane time, did beate and cut his body with a sword, no man would thinke he loued that man: Euen so, how can wee loue Christ, which is our Head, and yet hate one another which are his Members? Wherefore let this teach vs, 1 Iohn 4.11. that if GOD so loued vs, then ought wee to loue one ano­ther; now God so loued vs, as to dye for vs when wee were his enemies, then must wee loue one another, though vvee are enemies one to the other: for to requite good for good is the part of humanitie; to requite euill for euill, is the tricke of a beast; to repay euill [Page 19] for good, is the property of a Diuell; but to repay good for euill, to blesse him which curseth thee, is the dutie of euery true Chri­stian whatsoeuer he be: For, Iohn 13.35. by this shall all men know if yee be my Disciples, if yee loue one another.

The second reason mouing vs to loue, is taken from our Creation: Wee finde not in the Bible, that GOD made all the Angels of one Angell; or all the Fishes, of the great Whale; or all the Birds, of the surmounting Eagle; or all the Beasts, of the huge Elephant; or all the Plants, of the tall Cedar: but vvee reade in the Scripture, that GOD made all mankinde of one and the same Adam, which teacheth vs thus much, saith S. Augustine, De bono coniug. contra Ioum. that wee should all liue like brethren, and loue as one, because we proceede from one. And Lactantius saith very well, Lib. 6. cap. 10. if we all pro­ceede from one man, whom God did make, then are wee all of consanguinitie, and there­fore it is a great sinne to hate euen a wicked man. Looke also a little vnto our procreation and bringing forth into the world: the Trees haue height to resist the violence of Beasts, strong Armes to wrestle with the force of windes, Leaues to keepe from them the heate in Summer, and Barkes to defend the colde Frosts in Winter: among the Birds, the Ea­gle hath her claw, the Porcupine her quils, the Crane her bill, the Hawke his tallent: [Page 20] among the Beasts of the Forrest, the Lyon hath his tayle, the Beare his paw, the Bull his horne, the Boare his tuske: among the Fishes of the Sea, the Sepia hath a mist of Incke, the Crabbe his shell, the Polypus his change of colours: thus euery creature commeth forth with some defence for it selfe, with offence for it foe; onely man, poore miserable man, commeth naked into the vvorld: whereby Nature her selfe the common parent of all, doth teach vs, that man of al creatures, should be most louing and peaceable one to ano­ther, as hauing speech giuen vnto him, which is denied to other Creatures, to make him more sociable. Wherefore let there be that loue betweene man and man, as is betweene beast and beast. If one Sheepe be faint, the vvhole flocke will stand betweene it and the Sun vntill it be comforted. Among the Bees, aegrotante vna lamentantur omnes: If one Bee doe waxe faint, all the whole Hiue doth mourne. If a man will not be as kinde to man as Beasts are among themselues, yet let men be as kinde to men, as the beasts are to men. Wee reade of thankfull Lyons, kinde Eagles, louing Dogs, Wolues haue nourished some men, Beares haue suckled others: in the Scripture wee reade how Elias was fed by Ra­uens: 2 Kings 17.6. Dan. 6.22. Luke 16.21. Actes 28.5. Daniel was safe in the middest of Ly­ons: Dogs did licke the soares of poore Laza­rus: the Viper did not hurt S. Paul. O cum [Page 21] detestandam humanae malitiae crudelitatem! Aues pascunt, Ferae parcunt, homines saeuiunt, saith Saint Cyprian, O the most detestable cruelty of mans malice! the Birds feede vs, the Beasts doe spare vs, and yet one man is a Wolfe, yea, a Diuell to another: well yet let one man be as louing to another, as the Di­uels are among themselues, for they vvill ioyne together to the destruction of man, as vvee see by him vvho said his name vvas Legion, because vve are many; Marke 9. and so let vs loue together to destroy the Diuell.

All men of one trade will alwayes ioyne together for the maintenance of their trade, The Kings A­pologie for the oath. so wee being all Christians, hauing one Fa­ther, one Redeemer, one Sanctifier, one Mother the Church, partakers of one Bap­tisme, one Faith, and hoping for one king­dome in Heauen, must needes vnite our selues in hearty Loue and Christian charitie thereby the better to ouercome the World, the Flesh, and the Diuell.

The third reason to stirre vs vp to loue our neighbour, is taken from nature; which teacheth the perfection of all things to con­sist in vnitie. Looke vpon the heauens, there is one motion of the Sunne, another of the Moone, another of the Starres, yet they are all carryed about motu primi mobi­lis, by the motion of the first moueable: descend lower to the foure Elements, Fire, [Page 22] Water, Ayre, Earth, vvhat more differing then their qualities hot and cold, moyst and drye? yet all these agree together to the ma­king of one mixed body and solled sub­stance: come to those creatures which haue life and motion, as Plants, Hearbs, Trees. In the Tree there is the body, the Barke, the Bowes, the Leaues; all those parts differ one from another, yet all haue their perfection from one and the selfe-same roote which is grounded in the earth.

Looke vpon the Beastes and Fowles, no one Beast or Bird of the same kinde will hurt another: as the Hawke flyeth after the Partrich, not another Hawke; the bloud-Hound pulleth downe the Deere, not ano­ther Hound, and so man should not haue vvarre with man, but with the Deuill. Come vnto man the most excellent crea­ture in nature, and see how euery thing in him tendeth vnto vnitie: for his outward parts; the eye cannot say to the foote, I haue no neede of thee, but the eye guideth the foote, the foote beareth the eye, one mem­ber receiueth into the body what is neces­sary, another euacuateth and casteth out of the body vvhat is superfluous, yet all ser­uing for the good of the vvhole body. View the inward parts of man, how many seuerall Nerues and sinewes are there in the body? yet all from one head the braine: how [Page 23] much blood dispersed thorow seuerall veines, yet all from one fountaine the liuer; how many spirits and motions, yet all from the heart: from these three principall parts the Head, the Liuer, the Heart, are diffused into the vvhole man, Life, Sence, and Mo­tion; yet these three haue but one head, vvhich is the soule of man: and as Philo­sophy telleth vs, Anima est tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte: The soule is alike whole in the vvhole body as in the little finger, and alike whole in the little finger as in the whole body: wherefore embrace loue, seeke peace, Heb. 12.14. vvithout vvhich no man shall see GOD.

Is then thy enemy greater then thou art? be quiet, & tibi parce, spare thy selfe, meddle not with one that is mightier then thy selfe. The Toade may swel till he burst, before he be so bigge as the Oxe. Is thy enemy lesse then thy selfe? (impar congressus Achilli) parce sibi, spare him, it is no glory for a man to beat a Boy; no credit for a great rich man to oppresse a poore meane man: the Lyon will seldome meddle with a vvoman, but ne­uer with a little childe. Is thy enemy thine equal? Salomon telleth thee, that the discre­tion of a man deferreth his anger, Prou. 19.11. and his glory is to passe by an offence. Thou wilt spend fiue pounds to make him spend ten, this is but to be the enuious man. It was [Page 24] once granted that the enuious man, and the couetous man should both haue their wi­shes, and hee which wished last should haue the first mans vvish doubled; so they did much striue vvho should vvish last, in the end it vvas graunted to the couetous man: heereupon the enuious man vvished one of his eyes to be put out; vvhich done, the couetous man hath both his put out, so then to spend twenty pounds to make thy neigh­bour spend fortie, is to be but enuious, make the best of it. It is but like too boyes at boxes, the one getteth a blew face, the other a bloody nose, but both of them are well bea­ten. Aesope telleth vs a fable how the Mouse and the Frog would needes fight together, and in the middest of the battell came the Kite and deuoured them both: euen so take heed, while neighbors are at variance among themselues, seeking to doe mischiefe one to other, suddenly commeth death and taketh them all away, and vvhen they are thus dead in their hatred and malice, let the diuell a­lone to torment them all.

Serm. cap. 168. de tempore.To shut vp this point with S. Augustine his counsell, saying, Seeing euery man as hee is a man, is thy neighbour, but as hee is an euill man and offereth vvrong, he is not one­ly thy enemy but his owne foe, therefore loue in him his soule and his body, that is, loue thy neighbour whom God hath made, [Page 25] but hate and detest his malice, and other sinnes vvhich the Diuell hath by temptati­ons worked into his soule, so shalt thou be like a wise Phisition who loueth his patient, and hateth his disease. Thus much for the obiect, vvhom we must loue, our neighbor: let mee now speake of the last thing con­sidered, namely, how farre our loue must be extended.

As thy selfe. Hom. 21. in Genesi.] As Saint Chrysostome saith very vvell, Neque vel sillaba vel apiculus est in sacris Scripturis in cuius profundo non sit grandis quispiam thesaurus. There is not one sillable or tittle in the holy Scripture, but searching thereof some great and hidden treasure may be found; for if it be a true axi­ome in Philosophie, Natura nihil facit fru­stra, that nature doth nothing in vaine, then it must be much more true of the God of nature, that he vvill speake nothing in vaine, and that in his holy vvrit.

This is partly seene in this vvord As, the vvhich hath foure seuerall significations in the Bible.

First, it signifieth the likenesse of a thing but not the truth of a thing, as in Saint Matthew. Matth. 26.55. Ye came out as against a thiefe with bils and with staues.

Secondly, this word As signifieth the truth of a thing, but not the likenesse of a thing, in Saint Iohn, Iohn 1.14. Wee saw the glory of him [Page 26] as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father.

Thirdly, it signifieth both the likenesse and the truth of a thing, as to the Hebrewes, God offereth himselfe vnto you, Heb. 12.7. as vnto chil­dren.

Lastly, it signifieth rei qualitatem sed non aequalitatem, the quality, but not the equali­tie of a thing, Luke 6.36. as in S. Luke, Be ye mercifull, as your Father is mercifull. Where the mea­ning is, wee should be as well mercifull as God, not as much, for that is impossible; and in this last signification is this word [As] taken in this place, Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, that is, pari affectu, sed non pari effectu, as the Schoole speaketh; 3. Sent. dist. 29. so the meaning is, that we must loue our neighbour as well as our selues, but not as much as our selues; for there are degrees in loue, the Apostle saith, Do good vnto all men, Gal. 6.10. but especially to the house­hold of faith: and among Christians, as Saint Hierom obserueth, In Ezech. 44. after God vve must loue our Father, and our Mother, our Children, our Brothers and Sisters, our Kinsefolkes, our owne household, for hee is worse then an infidell which will not prouide for his familie: 1 Tim. 5.8. and therefore S. Augustine saith very well, Omnes homines aeque diligendi sunt, Lib. 1. de doct. Christ. 28. All men are alike vvell to be beloued, but vvhen a man cannot doe good to all, then hee must especially helpe those, which are neerest vn­to [Page 27] him in place, in time, or by some other occasions, &c.

Hauing now set down the sence and mea­ning of the words, that wee must loue our neighbour as well as our selues; let vs now shew how vvell wee must loue all men; and this first in generall, then in particular. For the generall, vvhat the Law of nature spea­keth in the negatiue, Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris: What ye will not haue done to you, doe not vnto others, that same the Law of the Gospell speaketh affirmatiuely, as yee would others should doe vnto you, so doe yee vnto them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. Now then examine thy selfe by this rule: Suppose thou wert poore and needy, and driuen to begge thy bread from house to house, when thou diddest aske an almes, wouldest not thou be glad to receiue it? vvould it not grieue thee to be sent away empty without meat for thy belly, or cloaths for thy backe, or harbour for the vveather? surely thy conscience will tell thee yes, vvhy then, as you would another should doe to thee, so do thou vnto him; relieue the poore, visit the sicke, comfort the fatherlesse, &c. Againe, if thy enemie had thee at aduantage, vvouldest thou be contented that he should take away thy goods, thy good name, that he should beat thee, hurt thee, kil thee, or the like, examine thy conscience, it will tell thee [Page 28] no: why then, as thou wouldest another should doe vnto thee, so doe thou vnto him. Forgiue thine enemy, make him not con­sume his goods, robbe him not of his good name, do not strike him, hurt him, kil him, or the like. And as in these, so in all other things examine thy selfe, & when thou goest about any thing concerning any man, remember this short lesson, Doe as thou wouldest be done vnto, and it will keepe thee from many sins: for assure thy selfe, as Saint Augustine saith, thou dost not loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, De monit. Eccle. Catho. if thou dost not striue to bring him to that good, which thou desirest to enioy thy selfe. And this for the generall.

Giue me now leaue more particularly to shew how we should loue our neighbour, by a few similitudes drawne from the naturall body of man, and the members therof. First, one member in the naturall body doth not enuy another: euen so, we must not enuy at our neighbours prosperitie. This sin of Enuy is of all other most foolish; for the couetous man hath a little wealth for his soule, the vo­luptuous man hath a little pleasure for his soule, the ambitious man hath a little honor for his soule, but the enuious man giueth away his soule to the Diuell for nothing, hauing onely hearts griefe and misery: yet many men in these dayes are like Caesar and Pom­pey, of which one could not abide his superi­our, [Page 29] the other could not endure his equall: but this should not be among Christians. For why should my eye be euill because Gods eye is good? Wherefore as in the bo­dy, if one member suffer, 1 Cor. 12.26. all the members will suffer with it; as if the foote be hurt, the eye will looke to it, the hand will reach for it, the tongue will speake for it, &c. Euen so must wee take compassion of one anothers miseries, like Scipio Africanus Minor, who (as Appian reporteth) did weepe when hee saw Carthage burne, saying that Rome, his mother Citie, might one day burne so: Euen so, wee eyther are in misery like our Bre­thren, or wee haue beene in such misery, or before wee dye, wee may be as wretched as our neighbour; therefore let vs haue a Sym­pathy and fellow-feeling of each others ca­lamity. Againe, if one member reioyce, all the other members reioyce with it: so must wee be glad at others good; for this is to be An­gelicall, Luke 15.10. the Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner vpon earth. What Se­neca saith to his friend, that euery Christian must from his heart speake vnto his Neigh­bour, Mihi id expedit quod tibi, aut non sum amicus, nisi quicquid agitur ad te pertinens me­um est: Looke what is good for thee, that I esteeme good for mee, and so on the con­trary, otherwise I am not thy true Christian neighbour and friend.

[Page 30]Secondly, one member in the body doth not appropriate its good vnto it selfe, but to the whole body: as the eye seeth not for it selfe, but for the whole body, and so of the rest: Euen so, wee being all members of one mysticall Body, whose Head is Christ, must communicate to the good and necessi­ties one of another. Wherefore Loue must be to our actions, as our hand is to our body; the hand it clotheth the backe, it feedeth the belly, and doth all other necessary offi­ces to the body: Euen so loue must practise all good actions to the members of Christs Mysticall Body, in feeding the hungry, in clothing the naked, and the like. And as the hand couereth the soares in the body by lay­ing on of plaisters, so Loue must couer the multitude of offences, which our fellow-members commit, by forgetting and forgi­uing them. For as the hand is not all one lumpe of flesh, but diuided into seuerall ioynts and fingers, whereby it is more fit to performe its dutie: euen so are we by Gods speciall prouidence, diuided into seuerall members, that wee may the better performe the workes of loue, not like a Boare in a stye, to liue vnto our selues: nor like a Dogge in a kennell to barke at all that goe by, but to let all our actions be done in loue, doing to all others, as we would all others should doe vnto vs.

[Page 31]Thirdly, one member in the body hurt by another, doth not reuenge it selfe, as if the hand let fall a stone or waight vpon the foot, the foote doth not kicke and spurne at the hand againe, but beareth it patiently: Euen so must wee beare and put vp wrongs one of another, referring all to GOD, who in his due time will reuenge; De vero cultu. cap. 18. Non minus mali est referre, quam inferre iniuriam: (saith Lactan­tius) It is no lesse euill to requite a wrong, then to offer a wrong: for hee which reuengeth wrong, doth imitate him of whom hee re­ceiued iniurie; now in that he imitateth ano­ther in that which is bad, hee can by no meanes himselfe proue good. Serm. de Ira. Saint Basil go­eth further, affirming that hee which reuen­geth wrong, is worse then hee which begin­neth wrong: for that which another man of­fereth vnto thee is good or bad; if good, why then art thou angry with him? I, but it vvas bad: is it so? why then dost thou seeke to of­fer and requite that to thy neighbour, which thine owne conscience telleth thee is bad, and vvhich thou thy selfe condemnest for sinne in thy brother? If a man see his enemy sicke of the Plague soares, will he to reuenge himselfe of his enemy, striue to haue the plague in his body also? euery one will e­steeme such a man a mad man, or a foole. Are we then wise for our bodies, and foolish for our soules? He beloued which offereth thee [Page 32] iniurie, hath filled his soule with sinne, inso­much as without Gods grace, and his repen­tance, hee cannot be saued: now then for thee to seeke to repay this wrong, is to fill thy soule likewise with sinne, and to make it abhominable in the sight of God.

This then condemneth most specially our priuate duels vpon euery small punctilio of Honour to challenge the field: consider with thy selfe in reason (setting Gods Word aside) are we not all, in the Kingdome, mem­bers of the body politicke, the King being the Head? now hee which dareth fight with the Kings friend, dareth fight with the Kings enemie: then what vvrong is here to the whole Kingdome, for a priuate wrong offe­red vnto me, I shall bereaue my country of him which in the front of an Army may kill a Generall, and so by that meanes may saue the life and liberty of the King and King­dome? Exod. 23.5. In Gods Law it is written, if thy enemies beast doe fall into a ditch, thou shalt helpe him out. Is so great loue to be shewed to my ene­mies Beast? O how much then ought I to loue the person of mine enemie, who is crea­ted after Gods owne Image, and for whom CHRIST IESVS dyed and shed his precious bloud?

Fourthly, the honourable members in the body doe not despise the meaner, nor can they; for the head cannot say to the foote, I [Page 33] haue no neede of thee: Euen so, great men must not despise meane men, neyther can we liue without one another. See how God doth not giue to euery nation euery commoditie, because men should traffique one to ano­ther, and distance of place and language should not separate our loue. See likewise in euery nation how euery man hath not euery Art, some are Taylors, some Masons, some Husbandmen, some Merchants, and this to teach vs loue, because wee all stand in need one of another. It is noted as a great plague in Israell, 1 Sam. 13.19. that there was not one Smith left among them; this seemeth but a base Trade, yet so necessary a member to the body po­liticke, as the Common-wealth cannot stand without it. The Lyon entangeld in nets had neede of the little Mouse to gnaw the threds in sunder before hee could get loose: there­fore let not the greatest and richest men de­spise the poore and meane men, for they stand in neede of the meanest, if for nothing else, yet to pray for them.

It is well noted by Primasius, that the rich man is like the Elme-tree, the poore man is like the Vine-tree: the Elme vnder-proppeth the Vine, and so causeth it to stand and beare fruit, which otherwise would fall and wither; the Vine againe ouer-shadoweth the Elme, and causeth it to be greene and flourishing, vvhich otherwise would perish and decay: [Page 34] Euen so, the rich men by their almes vp­hold the poore, who otherwise would starue, and the poore men againe ouer-shadow the rich men with their prayers to God, where­by they doe the better flourish in this world, and liue for euer in the world to come. See this to be verified in rich Onesephorus, 2 Tim. 1.16. who relieued poore Paul in prison; and Saint Paul againe desired God to be mercifull to Onese­phorus; there is a blessing in this life: and fur­ther he prayed, God grant hee may finde fa­uour in that day; there is a prayer for the life to come.

Fiftly, one member in the body doth en­danger it selfe for another; as let one strike at the head with a naked sword, and the hand will aduenture cutting off to defend the head: Euen so must wee runne into danger for the good one of another, and most especially we must die for our head, if occasion serue, because before our head hath dyed for vs. To giue of our abundance to the poore is pleasing vnto Almightie God, but to spare out of our owne necessities is farre more ac­ceptable vnto God, as wee see the poore Wi­dowes mite was of greater value in the sight of GOD, Luke 11.3.4. then the greater gifts of richer per­sons: so at all times to helpe one another is charitable, but to helpe others vvith ha­zard of our selues, and vvith preiudice of our owne estates, is farre more accep­table [Page 35] to GOD, and pleasing vnto man.

Sixtly, one member in the body recei­ueth not anothers foode, but sendeth it to the other parts of the body: so the rich man must not eate vp the poore man, but rather he must communicate to his necessities, ney­ther must the poore man steale from the rich, but follow rather his labour, and de­pend vpon Gods prouidence: for necessary it is for a good stomacke to haue hunger and appetite vnto meate, which ariseth of watery humours which doe gnaw vpon the splene: secondly, the stomacke must haue iudgement and discretion to chuse such meate, which doth best agree with the sto­macke, and refuse the contrary, which iudge­ment ariseth of foure muscles comming from the Head: thirdly, there must be strength and vigor to be able to digest the meate which it receiueth, least otherwise it turne into raw crudities, and so breede disea­ses in the body; which heate and vigour ari­seth of motions and spirits which are sent from the heart: all these are necessary, yet none sufficient, vnlesse there be communi­on and dispersion of the foode, to send the nourishment to the other parts of the body, which is done by the bloud thorow the veines. In like manner necessary it is, for a Christian man to haue faith, Heb. 11.6. for without faith it is impossible to please God. In like manner ne­cessary [Page 36] it is for a christian man to giue almes, and to pray to God, to be patient in aduersity, &c. but our faith profiteth nothing vnlesse it worketh by Loue; neyther is any other ver­tue acceptable in the sight of GOD vnlesse it be begunne, continued, and ended in Loue, therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 13. If I haue all things and yet want loue, it profiteth mee nothing: the hand can reach and receiue a gift of it selfe, but the hand cannot cut any thing of it selfe without a knife, or some such like instru­ment; euen so, Faith, as the hand of the soule, is able to ascend vp to Christs crosse, and to apply his merits vnto the soule, but faith can­not of it selfe bring forth the workes of the first and second Table, yet, as if you put a knife into the hand, the hand vvill cut, so ioyne Loue to Faith, and then faith working by Loue, doth performe all those Christian duties which GOD requireth of vs in his Law.

Hence a Christian man is not vnfitly compared to a Conduit: to vvhich there is a Spring, vvhence the Water floweth: a Leaden Pipe, through vvhich the Wa­ter is conueyed: a Cysterne, to receiue the Water: and a Cocke, to open and let forth Water to all which stand in neede. So eue­ry Christian is as a Conduit; the Spring­head from whence the Waters of Life doe flow, is IESVS CHRIST; the Leaden [Page 37] Pipe whereby these liuing Waters are con­uayed, is a true and a liuely Faith: the Cy­sterne vvhich doth receiue these Waters, is the Soule of man: now Loue must be as the Cocke, to open, and bring forth all deedes of mercy to all those which stand in neede.

Lastly, one member in the body doth tremble to be cut and seuered from ano­ther, so should vvee feare and tremble to be separated one from another by hatred and dissention. The soule giueth life vnto the body, and to euery member of the body, yet not vnlesse they be vnited and ioyned to the body: for cut off the hand or the foote, and then the Soule ceaseth to giue life to them, but presently they dye. So Al­mighty GOD giueth life vnto the Soule of euery man, but not vnlesse vvee be vnited and ioyned one to another in loue and cha­ritie: For hee which loueth not, 1 Iohn 4.8. knoweth not God, for God is Loue; but if wee loue one an­other, God dwelleth in vs, Verse 12. and his loue is per­fect in vs: So that hee vvhich liueth in ha­tred and dissention, seeking reuenge, is a meere Atheist, no true Christian: for, as Saint Iohn saith, If any man say, Verse 20. I loue God, and hate his Brother, hee is a lyar. And S. Gregory, If they shall be the Children of God which are peace-makers, then surely they are the Children of the Diuell, which are [Page 38] peace-breakers. Therefore euery Christian man must be like vnto a Mason, vvhich hath two hands, vvith the one hee hol­deth fast on the Ladder, to keepe himselfe from falling, vvith the other hee reach­eth out Tyle and Morter to his fellow la­bourers: Euen so, in building Gods Church and house, euery one must haue two hands; the one the hand of Faith, vvhereby hee himselfe may climbe vp to the Crosse of CHRIST, and so be saued from falling into the pit of Hell; the other must be the hand of Loue, to reach forth deedes of mercy and of Christian affection to our Fellovv-labourers and Builders of Gods house.

To draw to a conclusion: the loue of men, in this age, is like vnto a Tree, but it is the Figge-tree CHRIST cursed in the Gospell, vvhich brought forth Leaues and no fruit: so vvee are louing in shew, not in deede, vvhereas our loue should be like vnto a Tree vvhich is rooted deepe in the earth, and beareth branches vpward, and fruit vvhich hangeth downeward, so our Loue must be rooted in Humilitie: he vvhich vvill runne vp a high steepy moun­taine, must goe stooping, not bolt vpright. Heauen is a high hill, he which vvill runne thither must haue no high aspiring thoughts but be humble.

[Page 39]Obserue among all the beatitudes which our Sauiour reckoneth vp, hee saith, Matth. 5. Bles­sed are the hungry, for they shall be satisfied: blessed are the meeke, for they shall inherit the earth: but blessed are the poore in spirit, that is, the humble minded man, [...], for theirs, already, is the kingdome of Heauen. Againe, our Loue must beare branches vpward, to loue God aboue all, that though the Sor­cerers of Aegypt made many Serpents be­fore Pharaoh, Exod. 7.12. yet the Serpent of Moses did deuoure them all: so though mans loue haue many obiects, yet the loue of GOD must ouer-come them all. Lastly, our Loue must bring forth fruit hanging downe­ward to our neighbour as our selues, Ʋt quem potuerit hominem (saith Saint Augu­stine) vel beneficentiae consolatione, Epist. 52. vel doctri­nae informatione, vel disciplinae coer [...]ione ad­ducat ad colendum Deum: That in as much as vvee can, wee should bring euery man to worship GOD, eyther by comforting him vvith deedes of mercy in his distresse, or by instructing him in knowledge if hee be ignorant, or by curbing him with the rod of correction when he is faulty.

The loue of men in this age is like vnto fire, whose nature is to consume all that it layeth hold on: so wee striue to eate vp one another, by cosening, by Vsury, by Symony, [Page 40] and Briberie, vvhereas indeede our loue should be like vnto fire. First, the nature of fire is to ascend; so our loue must ascend vpward to loue GOD aboue all, our Loue must ( de Deo, Lib. de sub. stat. amoris. cum Deo, ad Deum currere, saith Saint Augustine) runne from God, as being grounded in him; vvith God, as being obedient vnto his Lawes; vnto God, as resting in him alone. Secondly, the na­ture of fire is to shine, and to giue light; so the light of our loue must so shine before others, Matth. 5.16. that they seeing our good vvorkes, may learne to glorifie our Father which is in Heauen. Wee must euery one be like Iohn Baptist, vvho was (Lucerna ardens & lucens) a burning and a shining Lampe in Gods Church. Thirdly, the nature of fire is not to giue heate to one or two, but to all that come neere vnto it: so our loue must not extend it selfe onely to our selues, and to our Children, but to all the members of Christ Iesus; yea, to all mankinde; be hee a good man, nay be hee a bad man he must be relieued. Charitas non iudicat de meritis, sed de miserijs: Charitie doth not iudge of our brothers merits, but of his miseries. And then remember when thou deniest loue to one which is wicked, that if God were extreame to marke what is done amisse O Lord who might abide it? Fourthly, the nature of fire is neuer to goe out, if there [Page 41] be Coale or Wood, or matter to burne: euen so, our Loue should neuer be wea­ry of vvell doing, neuer vveary of forgi­uing. Musculus saith very well, Vt nequit mi­serecordiae praescribi modus, ita nec operum certus numerus: As none can prescribe a meane how farre mercy should be exten­ded, so no man can set downe a finite num­ber how many vvorkes of mercy are to be performed: for, as the miseries of man are infinite, so the vvorkes of loue must be infinite. Now, a man is sicke, and so needeth reliefe: anone, hee breaketh his legge, then hee is in vvant againe: now, his House is burnt; and so in infinitum; our life being a Sea of Glasse, as tumultuous as the sea, as brittle as glasse.

The loue of men in these dayes is like to the Sunne, whose nature is to dispell dark­nesse, and lay all things open to euery mans view; so our loue is like the Sunne in dis­closing and talking of our neighbours faults and infirmities, like vnto Flyes in the Sum­mer time, which if there be but one galled piece on the horse backe, they will be lick­ing there, and let the sound flesh alone; so the conditions of vs in this age is to be tal­king and taxing our brothers faults, neuer commending his vertues: but hearken what our Sauiour saith; Hipocrite, Mat. 7.5. first plucke the beame out of thine owne eye, and then looke [Page 42] into the moate which is in thy brother eye: hee which is without sinne himselfe, let him be censuring his brothers sinne: hee is a foole which hath his owne house on fire, and let­teth it burne and so runne to looke vpon the fire on his neighbours house: euen so, hee is vnwise which doth not clense his owne soule from sinne, but is espying faults in his Brothers life. Others there are, which will not openly disclose their neighbours infir­mities, but as the Sunne shineth through a little creuisse and small grate, so they will se­cretly carry newes and tales of all they see and heare, and these are the fire-brands of much dissention: Prou. 26.20. for Salomon saith, Take a­way wood, the fire goeth out, so take away a tale-bearer, and contention ceaseth: and indeede it is as great a sinne to heare, as to tell tales: and there would neuer be one tongue in the head to tell tales, if there were not two eares on the out-side of the head to heare tales.

But indeede our loue should be like vnto the Sunne in his Circle, sursum, deo [...]sum, dex­trorsum, sinistrorsum: the Sunne in the mor­ning ariseth, so our loue must goe vpwards, we must loue our Superiours, and not enuy them: the Sunne at euening goeth downe­wards, so our loue must descend, wee must loue our inferiours, and not despise them: the Sunne shineth on the right hand, so vvee must loue our friends, and not offend them: [Page 43] the Sunne shineth on the left hand, so vvee must loue our enemies, and pray to God for them.

Briefely to shut vp all, seeing (my belo­ued) that the wayes of God are the wayes of peace: Prou. 3. seeing it is a good and pleasant thing for brethren to liue together in vnitie: Psal. 133.1. seeing Loue is the Christian mans bagde, whereby hee must be knowne; Iohn 13.35. By this shall all men know if yee be my Disciples, if yee loue one another: seeing Blessed are the peace-makers, Matth. 5.9. for they shall be called the Children of God: seeing the Apostles in their Epistles, wish to them to whom they write, Grace and Peace from God the Father, and our Lord Iesus Christ: seeing the Angels at the birth of Christ did sing this Song, Glory be to God on high, Luke 2.14. peace on earth, good will towards men: seeing our Sa­uiour willed his Disciples, into what house they entred, to say; Peace be vnto this house: Luke 10.5. seeing Christ Iesus dyed to make peace be­tweene God and man: seeing at his death the last Legacie he bequeathed vnto his Dis­ciples was Peace, My peace I giue vnto you, Iohn 14.27. my peace I leaue among you: the first blessing after his Resurrection, he desired God to be­stow vpon them, was Peace, Iohn 2.19. Peace be vnto you: seeing the God whom wee serue is the God of peace; 1 Cor. 14.33. let vs therefore labour and en­deuour to be in loue and charitie with all men, to seeke peace and follow after it, and [Page 44] as freely to forgiue others their trespasses a­gainst vs, as wee desire God to forgiue vs our trespasses against him. And as the Toade be­fore hee drinketh, doth cast vp all his poy­son, so let vs, before wee presume to taste of the heauenly foode of Gods Word, disgorge all rancour and malice, least otherwise God espying vs without our Wedding-Garment of Charitie, Mat. 22.11. bid that wee be taken and bound hand and foote, and cast into vtter darknesse, where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Philip. 2.1.Wherefore with S. Paul, I beseech you bre­thren, if there be any consolation in Christ; in you, any comfort of loue, any fellowship of the spirit, any compassion or mercy; be yee like min­ded, hauing the same loue, being of one accord, and of one iudgement, that nothing be done through contention and vaine glory: but as in the Trinitie three persons make but one God; as in Christ Iesus two natures, his God-head and his man-hood, make but one person; as in the Sunne are many beames, yet but one light; as many graines of corne make but one loafe of bread; as many grapes make but one cup of wine: so wee, though wee are many and diuers, yet being ioyned together in har­ty loue, wee may make but one Church, and one body, whose head is Christ Iesus in hea­uen, and thus being lincked together in Chri­stian Charitie, wee may all of vs, from the [Page 45] highest to the lowest, from the richest to the poorest, from the eldest to the youngest, with one voyce, with one heart, and with one consent, sing forth and set forth the prayses of God the Father, of our Lord Iesus Christ: To God the Father to God the Sonne, to God the holy Ghost, three Persons in Tri­nitie, but one true and euer-liuing God in essence and in vnitie, be ascribed and giuen, as is due, all honour, and glory, and power, from this time forth, for euermore. Amen.