1 Peter 3.8. Love as Brethren.

WHatsoever things are written are written for our learn­ing saith the Apostle, Rom. 15.4.Our Apostle in his second Epistle ur­geth this tex [...] four several times. 1 Pet 1.7. cap. 1.22. 2 Pet. 2.17: & cap. 3.8. S. Paul, in his writngs thrice Rom. 12.10. 1 Thes. 4.9. Heb. 13.1. And if with stu­dious and attentive minds we read over the Sa­cred and holy Scriptures, we shall easily perceive that [Page 2] amongst all the vertues and fruits of the Spirit, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ exhorteth us to none so much, as Love and Charity: by this (saith Christ) shall all men know that you are my Si pro Christianis discipulis Christi habe­re volumus oportet, ut nos mutuò quod ardenti­ssime diligamus, viz. non verbo solum neque lingua sed opere & veritate 1 Joh. 3.18. Piscat in loc. Disciples if ye love one another, Jo. 13.35. As if he had said, other mens servants are known by their Masters badges and cognisances, I will also that you which are my Disciples be known by my badge and cognisance; that is, that ye love one another.

Rom. 12.10. 1 Cor. 14.1. 2 Cor. 2, 8. Gal. 5.13. Eph. 4.2. Phil. 2.2. Colos. 2.2. 1 Tnes. 3.12. 2 Thes. 1.3. 1 Tim. 6.11. 2 Tim. 2.22. Philom. 9. Heb. 13.1. 1 Pet. 4.8. 2 Pet. 1.7. 1 Jo. 4.16. 2 Jo. 1.3.And as our Saviour did harp much upon this string, so did the Apostles in all their writings, insomuch that almost there is never an Epistle, but it hath some mention of Love and Charity one towards another. Wherefore our Apo­stle in this Chapter where my text is, after he had exhorted the Husband and the Wife to their particular duties, one towards another, he proceeds to exhort all men to gene­al duties in the eight verse, Finally be yee all of one mind, one suffer with another, Love as Brethren.

In which three words consider two things, the matter, and the manner, the matter Love, the manner as Brethren.

In the matter observe to whom Love doth belong, or who ought to be the object of our Love.

In regard of the object of our Love, it must be to God, and to man: to God principally, to man for Gods sake, to God, as the Law hath taught us, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Soul, and with all thy might, and with all thy heart Deut. 6.5 To man, as the Lord hath taught us, thou shalt not avenge nor be mindful of wrong against the Children of thy people, but shalt love thy Neighbor at thy self. Levit. 19.18.

In My Text (beloved) Love is not taken for that Love which is due unto God, but for that Love which every Christian should have one towards another, and therefore saith St. Bernard, Bernard in Epist. Charitas est non quod sibi u [...]ile quaerit. sed quod multis, Love seeeketh not that which is profitable to it self but to many; it respects more the publick good then the private: more the good of others, then the good to it self.

And by thisFructus ing [...]i [...] & virtuti [...] om­nisque, pra­stantia, [...] maxi [...] ca­pitur, cum in proximum quemque confertur. Cic. lib. [...] Ameriti [...]. Love is not understood, only a bare and naked affection without any effects annext unto it, for o­therwise it were not worthy the name of Love, as St. John saith, Whosoever hath this worlds good, and seeth his Brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwel­eth the Love of God in him? My little children let us not Love in word, nor in the tongue only, but in deed and in truth, 1 Jo. 3.17.18.

Wherefore to know what this Love is, let us know that it is a vertue whereby we love others dearly: and what o­thers our blessed Saviour (in the tenth of the Gospel by St. Luke, Charitas est mutuus amor hominis ad Deum cujus objicitum ē Deus propter se dilectus, & prox mu [...] propter Deum d [...] 2 [...] Deum quast. 23. art. 1.) answered the expounder (that tempted him) at large, by the example of a certain man, that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, that was robbed and wounded, and left half dead: and a Priest and a Levite passed both by him, and gave him no comfort: then a Samaritane came and had compassion on him, and bound up his wounds, and poured in Wine and Oyle, and set him on his beast, and had [...]i [...] to an Inne, and took care on him: which now of these three (saith our Saviour) was neighbor unto him that fell amongst the Thieves? and he said, he that showed mercy on him. From whence we may learn by the words of our [Page 4] Saviour himself, thatQutcun­que quavis ratione tibi adjunctus fuerit eum scriptura vo­cat REACH proximum; I [...]q [...] [...]um praecipit Do­minus dilige­re pro [...]emum intelligen­dum ipsum p [...]ll [...] quem vis quac [...]n­que ratione natu [...] adjunctum diligamus Jansen comment in Luc. 6. Rec. Haebraeis [...] Graecis & Latin [...] proximus est proprius qui tibi qualibet ratione conjunctim fuerit ibid, David did so Psal. 35.12. every one that is joyn'd unto us by any occasion, should be our Neighbour, and theeefore to be loved, his necessity being objected to our eyes, and thereby made capable of our benefits: so that those whom we must love, are all those that stand in need of love, Strangers, Friends, Acquaintance, yea our very Enemies as well as these, according to to that of our Saviour Mat. 5.44. I say unto you It is not in our power not to have Enemies, but it is our power not to hate Enemies, Chrysost. Luke [...].27. Disce diligere [...]nim [...]c [...]m sivis cavere iuimicum Aug. in Psal. 100. Q [...]i [...] professo hostes nostris [...], scoundum scripturam proximi sunt nob [...] [...] sunt proxi [...] q [...]in inimici. Jaosen comment in Mat. 5. Prox­imi sumus condit [...] ferr [...]nae naivil [...], & f [...]aire spe [...]oe [...] [...]stis haridit [...]is Gerad. medi­tat, Love your Enemies, bless them that Curse you, do good to them that Hate you, pray for them that Hurt you: and he gives a reason of it in the 46th. verse. For if you love them that love you what reward have you? even the Publicans and Sinners do the same things, as if you should have said, if you love but only those who are your lovers and friends, you are no better then Publicans and Sinners, for so do they Love one another.

As rhat is the hottest fire which warmeth them that are furthest of, so that is the most fervent and perfect Love which forsaketh not, though they be never so far of, neither friend not so, that may be beloved, but imbraceth all in him who never forsaketh unless he be forsaken, even Jesus Christ.

But this doctrine may seem strange unto flesh and blood, that we should love all men, even our enemies; yet I be­seech you let us rather obey the commandements of ChristVirtu [...] est coram ho­minibus inimi­cos sed virtus coram Deo di­legere, quia hoc solum De­nosacrificium accipit quod ante occulos ejus in altari charitatis flamma incendit, Greg. in past. Exod. 23.4. to love all men, even our enemies, then to yeild unto [Page 5] the inticements of the fr [...]il and unstable flesh, which by its own Nature is alwaies proue unto evil, for he that i [...] in the flesh cannot please God. Rom. 8.8.

Dulce est pacis nomen, & res ipsa salutaris (saith the OratorTul. 2 Phil. the very name of Peace it sweet, and the thing it self wholesome, but especially in the Church Love and concord is to be desired.

First of all, among the Teachers of the Word, forQuasi tu [...]a exalit [...]r [...] vo­cem tuam in­quit, Isa. 8.1. & si [...] certum sonum taba dederit, quis apparabitur ad bellum, 1 Cor. 14.8. di­sention amongst Teachers produceth divers doubts in the hearts of many, hinders the service of God, and the course of the Gospel to have free passage amongst us.

Secondly, [...] Hom. [...]ind. how much available Love and concord is in Common-wealth, the agreement of Citizens and Coun­trymen and how unprofitable is discord, (which Livie in the Common-wealth of Rome callsDiscordia [...] urbit, patrum ac plebis c [...]rtaminia, an [...] [...] nobis imperis, nec [...] libertatis testimo [...]r, Liv. 1 [...]ist. R [...] [...]o 41 Dei. a povison) late experi­ence (in these our days) hath plainly manifested, the good­ness of the one, and the badness of the other.

Thirdly, how profitable it is in private families, in which ( [...]s in the Church or Common-wealth) that saying of Austin. is verified,Sicut cor­poris, membra per spiritum id [...]s [...] [...] con [...]gunium ita vera cor­poris mystici membra per spiritum sanctum charitatis v [...]ncula [...], Gerard. Med. Tale bonum & bonum pacis ut in rebus creatis nihil gratios [...] fola [...]t ami [...], dip [...] di­lectatibus concupisci, nihil utilius possideri Spiritus enim huminus &c. August. de Civitat. Dei. Spiritus humanus nunquam vivi­ficat membra nisi fuerint unit [...]e sie Spiritus suncta [...]unquam vivificat membra Ecclesiae, nisi fuerint concordia [...] The Spirit of a man doth not qui [...]ken the members of the Church, that are not Cemented with Love and Concord.

Lastly, how ought it to flourish among all men? since Christ doth r [...]peat that precept, as the onely and chief pre­cept before his passion, calling it his Commandement aFacilé declaratur quomodo no­vum sit di­lectionis prae­ceptum à Christo da­ [...]um [...] enim Cyrillus fra­trem diligendum esse ait, ficut se ipsum Christus, autem magis nos quam scipsum a­mov [...]t, novas atque auditus dilectionis modus, nihil omnino dilectioni fratrum an­teponentas, non gloriam, non divitias, non corporis hujus mortem, si opus fuerit pro sa­luto fratris mori quod a beatis Salvatoris discipulis factitatum esse videmus. Iansen in loc. new Commandement, and a mark whereby his Disci­ples might be discerned from the ungodly, John 13.24. Therefore those that desire to be accounted Christs disci­ples, let them carry this mark in their fore-headsNon enim e discentionis Deus sed pacis 1 Cor. 14. [...]3. let them Love one anothe [...] and not carry the mark of the Beast, which is Hellish and Divelish dissention. And thus much of those we must Love. I come now to the second circum­stance, in what it consists.

Nec habet a­liquid viri­di [...]atis boni operis si non manet in ra­dice charita­tis in homine multis modis intelligitur charitas, cler­mentia, sua­vi [...]ate, pati­entia, invidentiae & aemuiationis vacuitate, & in juriarum oblivione, Clemens Alex­and. Sicut in regali pretexiâ, illi flores & colores praeciosi sunt qui hanc conficiunt, chlamyd [...]n; Itidem & hic, illa sunt prafiosa virtut [...]s, qua charitatem contintant Chrysost. Hom. 51. de diversis.St. Gregory saith, Ut multi arboris rami ex una radice prodeunt: sic multae vertutes ex una charitate generantur? as many bows spring from the same root: so many vertues proceed from this one vertue Charity, Therefore under the name of Charity amongst many others six things are com­prehended.

First to Love, Secondly to council, Thirdly to releive, Fourthly to bear, Fifthly to pardon, Sixtly to teach by good example of life: and whosoever wants any of these, wants some part of Love.

For some will say they love their Neighbour, but that [Page 7] hath but only the name, it wants much of the Nature of Love: others Love and give good counsel, and releive not their needy Brethren: others Love, give good counsel, and releive: yet they bear not their infirmities: they fol­low not the counsel of the Apostle,Nibi [...] sic probat a­micum que [...] admodum o­neris amic supportatis nemo nisi pe [...] amicitiam cognoscitur, & ideo amicorum mala fermiter sustinemus, quia bona eorum nos delectand, & tanent August. 12. quastion. bear ye one a­nothers burthen, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6.2. Others do Love, counsel, releive, and bear: but they do not mercifully pardon those that have injur'd them: and lastly, there be some that have all the aforesaid effects and vertues of Love, but they edify not their Neighbour, either by words orNullum ego consilium milius arbitror, quam si exam­plo suo fratrem docere studeas, qua oportit fieri, provocans cum ad meliora, & cons [...] ­lens [...]i, ne{que} verba, ne{que} lingua, sed opere & veritate Greg. lib. 10. moral. Sic luce­at lux vestra corum h [...]minibus & h [...]c autem fir cum apparet miserecordea in affectu beniguitas in vultis, humilitas in habitu, modestia in habitatione, patientia in tribulatione. Hugo de claust. enim. lib. 3. good example of life, which is the best and noblest of all the duties of Love.

According to this order, let every man examine him­self, that he may understand what he hath, and what is wanting to him in this vertue: For we may say, he that loveth, is in the first degree of Love, he that loveth and gi­veth counsel, is in the second: he that loveth, giveth coun­sel, and releiveth, in the third, he that loveth, giveth coun­sel, releiveth, and suffere h, in the fourth, he that loveth, counselleth, releiveth, suffereth, and pardoneth, in the fifth, but yet there wants another step of this Ladder unto Hea­ven, else he will scarce come there, and that is good exam­ple of life: for every man should Love, give good counsel, re­leive, suffer, pardon, and teach as they are able by Godly Quan­tis exemplum vera humanitatis & perfecta charitatis ostenderis cum tantis pro tantis atorna pramia possidebis, Leo in Serm. [Page 8] examples, and then he hath ascended the last step, and standeth upon the uppermost stair, that reacheth unto heaven: yea what shall I say more? why should I recount all the blessed and remarkable fruits of this Love? Haec in adversitate tolerat, in prosperitate temperat in daris passio­nibus fortie est: in bonis operi [...], [...]ilaris est, in tem­pora lib. di [...] tissima in hospiralitate latissima in­fer bonos fra­tres latissima inter falsos sa­pientissima In abel per sacri­ficim laeta in No [...] per dilu­vium secura Abrahae, pe­rigrenatione fidelissima in Davidis tri­kulatione mitissima, &c. Aug de laude Charitatis In Chari­tate pauper est dives, fine Charitate omnis dives est pauper, saith St. Austine, In Love or Charity, every poor men is rich, without Charity every rich man is poor, and again saith the same Father,August. tract. 9 Joan. si desit charitas frustra habentu [...] caetera, si adsit recte habentur omnia. If Charity be wanting; nothing is present, if Charity be present, nothing is wanting; It suffers in adversity, it is mild in prosperity, it is strong in works, large in hospitality: it rejoyceth amongst good Brethren, and is most patient amongst false: It was glad in Abel through his Sacrifice, in Noah by the flood: faith­ful in the perigrination of Abraham, most comfortable in the wrongs against Moses, most gentle in the trouble of Da­vid: free in Paul to reproove, humble in Peter to obey: humane in Christians to confess, divine in Christ to pardon:Nescio quid majas in laude tua dicere pollum quam ut Deum de caelo traheres, & ho­minem ad caelum elevares magna virtus tua, & parte us{que} ad hoc humiliaretur Deus, & us{que} ad hoc exalteretur homo Hugo de [...]aude Charitatis. what shal I say more of the fruits and effects thereof? Si mihi centum linguae [...]ra{que} centum, if I had a hundred tongues to speak, and as many mouths to utter, as the Poet saith, or as the Apostle faith, 1 Cor. 13.1. If I had the tongues of Men and Angels, and had not Love, I were as sounding Brass, or as a tinckling cymbal. And so I come to the Second ge­neral part of my text, that is the manner as we ought to Love as Brethren. Ipsa enim est anima literarum prophetiae virtus, sacramenoorum salus, sapientiae stabilimentum, fidei fructas d [...]tie pauperum, vita morientium August. [...]n loc. ibid.

Love as Brethren. The Second general Part.

THe word (Brethren) hath divers acceptations in holy Scripture, modern writers reduce them to three heads, there are (say they) Brethren by Race, by Grace, and by Place.

By Race, and that, first by birth asGen. 29.26 Jacob and Esau, se­condly by blood, asGen. 12.7. Abraham and Lot, so our blessed Saviour is said to have Brethren and Sisters, Mark. 6.3. Mat. 12.47. And Jacob called Labans Sons his Brethren, Gen. 29.4.

By Grace, and that is either common or special naturall or spiritual, by generation or regeneration; In the former respect all men are Brethren, God hath made of one blood all Nations of Men, Acts 1.7.26. by the latter respective are all Brethren by Christ, Heb. 2.11. Coloss. 4.9. Mat. 12.50. Rom. 8.29.

By Place, thou shalt chuse a King, from among thy Brethren, of thine own Nation, not a Stranger Deut. 17.15. Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon Usury, but not unto thy Brethren, Deut. 23.20. Rom. 9.4.

But to make it more plain unto you (though briefly) there are five sorts of Brethren in the Scrip­ture in all which we are joyn'd together in Love, The 1 sort [Page 10] areConser­vanda est hu­manitas, si homines recté dici velimus Id autem ip­sum conser­vare huma­nitatem quid aliud est quam diligere hominem, quia h [...]mosit, & idem quod nos sumus. Lactan. firm. divin. institat. lib. 6. c. 10. Amico conterranti. contribulis, popula­res, sodales commilitones, convictores, familiares, proximi, sunt omnes fratres. sic dis­cipali 1 Chron. 25, 7.9.10. & similes vel, aequales Job. 30.29. Pro. 18.9. humanitate, brethren, in common humanity, as in Gen. 9.5. There the Lord saith, at the hand of a man, e­ven at the hand of a mans brother, will I require the life of man: after which acceptation, the Hebrews in the old Law, and the Christians in the Gospel are called brethren: so are all those that are born of Adam, Num quid non Pater nun [...] omnium nostrum Namquid non Deus unus creavit no [...] Ma­lac. 2.10. of whom is of one stock and blood all mankind was made, 1 Chro. 5.11.

Secondly affinitate, brethren, by affinity those that come of the same line, though it be of divers degrees to the He­brews called their cousins and kinsmen, brethren, asAresti­nus ad fra­trem dixit reconcilia­tum, memi­neris te dis­sentionis, me reconciliationis fuisse Autori. Stob. Serm. 82. A­braham to appease and stay the debate between his Heards­men and Lots (his Nephew) calleth Lot (his Brothers Son) brother. Let there be no strife between us, and our Heardmen, for we are brethren. Gen. 13.8.

Thirdly, Consanguinitate, Quis a­micur est quam frater fratri, aut quem alie­num fidum i [...]venias si tui [...] hostis fuerit? ut Mycipsa dixit filii suis. Salust de bello Ju­gurthino. Non ego te, vita frater amabilior, aspiciam post hac. Catul. ad Ortal. brethren in blood, and consanguinity, who came of the same Parents, and have the same Father and Mother, as Joseph and Ben­jamin, &c.

Fourthly, Christianitate Brethren in Christianity; and so are all Christians called brethren, therefore Moses see­ing [Page 11] two Hebrews contend and strive together to reconcile and stay the contention between them, asketh them, why they strove together seeing they were Brethren, Exod. 2.12. So in the Gospel by St. Matthew, our Saviour speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees unto the multitude, and his Di­sciples saith, but be not ye called Rabbies, for one is your Doctor (to wit Christ) and all ye are brethren, Mat. 23.8.

Fifthly, and Lastlyvel Pro­vincia ipsa ex qua orti sumus voca­tur Patria Unde salusti­as, his pantam sibi patriam antiquam dixit. Patria, those that are all of one Country are called brethren: so the Jews are called among themselves brethren: Deut. 15.12. If thy brother an Hebrew sell himself unto thee, and serve thee six years, even the se­venth year thou shalt let him go free from thee, he is thy bro­ther. So all we of one county, ofMa­rius or ra­ther (as some call him) Westmer overthrew the Picts with Roderid their leader, at Stainemore so called from a Stone, erected in that place, as a memorial of the Victory, and from this Westmer came the name of Westmerland. An. Christi. 13. Prideaux Introduction to reading Histories Pag. 279. and Isaac Sons Chrono. Westmerland Camden Brit. (Britanno-brigantes, as learned Camden calls us) are brethren. Nay all Englishmen are brethren, being all of one Nation though not of one affection, as woful experience hath lately taught us for in these late civil uncivil Wars, brother hath been against brother, as our Saviour foretold long ago: the brother shall betray the brother, and that unto Death, Math. 13.12.Ecce patrem nati perimunt natos{que} parentes. Mutua{que} armati conunt vulnera fratres. Manil. lib. 4. Acerba fata Romanos agunt, Scelus{que} fratornae nicis, Ut im­m [...]titis fluxit interram Remisacer nepotibus cruor. Hitat. 7. Ethod. Fraterno primi muduerunt sanguine muri, Lucan. lib. 1. de bell. civit.

This word Brother (take it in what sense you will) is a name of much Love, as both the Greek wordAdicti [...] ­ne [...], & a pro [...] quasi [...] Constant. ( [...]) and the LatineQuasi sare alter, Aut. G [...]ll. lib. 13. Nect. A [...]t. (frater) intimates unto us. If it be ta­ken [Page 12] in the first sense,Secundum Hie [...]onimum August­um & Theo­philactum, nomine fra­tris vel prox­ime significa­tur omnis ho­mo, eo quod ex eodem parente omnis sumus nati, at{que} ad eandem Dei similitudinem facti, & ad e­andem vocati, haereditatem caelestem. Janse [...]. Comment. in Mat. 5. & Luc. 6. for common humanity, homo homi­ni non est lupus, one man is not a wolf unto another, being made all of one substance, the body from the earth, and the soul from heaven: and have all one Creator, the true and ever living God, by whom one onely man was created, from whom all should proceed, that the strength of Bro­therhood might be amongst all, and if we should Love as Brothers in common humanity onely, it were a motive not to be despised.

Or if the Apostle had said Love as kindred, which is a further knot to tye men together, both by the Law of God and Man; the very name whereof possesseth many with such graceful delight, that they are ready to claim it of those, who are many degrees removed.

But natural Brotherhood is a more strict tye then that, in­somuch that nothing is deemed more odious, then those that are conjoyn'd in blood, should be disjoyn'd in affecti­on.

Now if these be of force to plead for Love and Cbarity, much more is Christians Brotherhood, which bindeth men together in the straitest conjunction:Joh. 1.12.13. Eph. 2.4. having one God for their Father,Is non potest ha­bere Deum patrem, qui ecclesiam matrem non habet. Ter­tul. lib. de a­nima. one Church for their Mother,Heb. 2.11. Mat. 12.5. one Christ for their elder Brother: 1 Pet. 1.23. and 25. being all begotten by the immortal seed,Tit. 3.5. washed by the laver of one new birth,John. 6.3.5. [...] Coll. 2.2. conjoyn'd by the Sinews of the same Faith,1 Cor. 3.2. Heb. 5.12. nourished by the milk of the same word,Rom. 5.2. 1 Pet. 1.3. having all the [Page 13] same hope of immortality to come: Wherefore the Pro­phet concludes this Brotherly Love unto us, in comparing it to the pretious Oyl, that ran down upon the board even upon Aarons beard, and went down to the Skirts of his cloath­ing, Psal. 133.2. For as an Oyntment well compounded and of sweet and odoriferous things cannot but be accept­able to the sent of all men: So the unity which beginneth at Religion, and stretcheth to the utmost borders of the Church, and Common-Wealth cannot but both please God and all good men, and therefore the Apostle saith, as ye are men, and as ye are Christians, Love as Bre­thren.

And let me add one thing more, (as concerning this pre­sent occasion) that not onely as ye are men, and as ye are Christians, but as ye arePatria est velut al­ter quidem Deus, & proximas maximus{que} Pareus quo qui nomen ei imposuit [...] reipsa, non temere patri­am nomina­rit, vocabu­lo quidem patre deducto, pronunciato tamen faemenina terminatione, ut ex utroque parente mixtum esset; At{que} haec ratio insinuat patriam unam ex aequo, ut utrum{que} parentem colendam Esse. Scob. Serm. 37. Chari sunt parentes, chari liberi, propinqui, familiares sed om­nes omnum charitates patria una complexa est, pro qua quis bonus dubitet mortem op­perere, si ei sit profuturus ic. off. lib. 1. Countrymen, Love as Brethren. This one motive, if there were no other (in my Judgment) might be enough to induce us to fraternal amity, for what more dear to a man then his Country, Lucian hath a whole Treatise de encomio patriae, of the praise of ones ownunicun{que} sua patri [...] charior est, dum supra omnia sulvam fore quaeritur. ubi ab ipsis cunabalis commeratur, feris datum est a­gros cilves quaerere, hominibus autem patrias super cuncta diligere. Aves ipsae per aero vagantes proprios nidos amant, erratiles ferae ad cubilia dumosa festinant. vo­luptuosi pisces cavernas per quirunt, cuncta{que} animalia ibi se norunt refugere, ibi lon­gissima cupiunt aetate constare Cass. 1. Epist. 20. Country, which (he saith) evermore ought to be esteemed and reverenced of all men: showing that whatsoever men do, they ought to do it for the good and honour of their Country, [...] (saith Homer nothing more sweet then ones own Country, Nemo patriam dili­git qua mag­na, sed quia sua, Vlisses ad sua saxa Ithacae prope­rat, ut Agamemnon ad Mycenerum nobiles miros, Sen de rem fort. insomuch [Page 14] that although men be born in a steril and barren soyl, notwithstanding they prefer it before all the splendid Cities or Kingdoms of the World, for as every bird think­eth her own brood the finest, and every Parent their own off-spring the Fairest: so every man conceiveth his own Country to be the pleasantest.Patria nihil dulcius, nullus locus est domestica side jucundior, charisunt parentes, liberi, proximi qui, familiares sed omnes omnium charitates patria una complexa est, pro qua quis bonus dubitet mortem oppetere si ei profuturus Cic. off. lib. 1.

Durus fuit Ser­mo (inquit Augustinus) cum Deus dixit Abrahamo, Exi est terra tua, ex patris do­mo, & ex cognatione tua &c. Sertorius dixit se malle Romae igno [...]isissimum civem, quam exulem, omnium aliarum civi atum imperatorem nominare. Plutarch. in Serto­rio. Et sola est patria poenacarere sua, Ovid de Trist. lib. 4. Eleg. 8. Nos patriae fines & dulcia linquimus arva, Nos Patriam fugimus tu Ti [...]yre lent us in umbra for­mosam resonare, docis Amaryllida silvas Virg. Et eum Patriam misi tunc est periisse putato (Ovid. de Trist. lib. 3. Eleg. 3.) & prior & gravior mors fuit illa mihi. Ovid. de Pont. lib. 1. Eleg. 4. The Jews in their Captivity sung the 137. Psalm By the rivers of Babilon we sat down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion, &c. If I forget thee O Jerusalem! Let my righ [...] hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, &c. Non dabia est Ithaci prudentia, sed tamen optat fumum de patriis posse videre focis. Ovid. de Pont. lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Amor Lacaenae erga suam Patriam est observatione digniss. quae cum filium in praelium misisset, & interfectum audivisset: Ideirt [...] (inquit) generam, ut esset, qui pro Patria morte non dubitar [...]t occumbere, Cic. lib. 1. Tusc. Quaest. Filiae Erichthaei Athenis Regis mortem pro Patria contemplisse dicantur. Cic. Orat. pro Pab. Sestio.And therefore when those that are in authority, pu­nish malefactors for grand offences, they use to deprive them of their native Country by banishment as a punishment of high Nature. Ovid had sad experience of this, which made him write his five whole books de Tristibus, as he was wherryed away from Rome to Pontus, the place whither he [Page 15] was banished in contemplation of his Country saying thus. [...] Hom. odyss. 1. [...], Id odyss. 13. [...]. Stob.

Nay saith Lucian [...] the very name of my Country is pleasant unto me, yea the smoak of my Country (saith he) is more delight­some to me then the fire of another, much like that of U­lysses, in Homer, who said he prefer'd the smoak of his own Country before all the Kingdoms of the World. And you may read in holy Scripture likewise much of this subject, I will instance onely in one particular,By faith Joseph when he died made mention of the departing of the Chil­dren of Israel & gave com­mandment concerning his bones He. 11. [...]2. namely Joseph who loved his Country so well while he was living, that when he was a dying, he took an oath of the Children of [...]srael saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry my [...]ones fro [...] hence, and bury me in the Sepulchres of my Fathers, [...]n my own Country. Quantum erat O magni) perituro parcere Divi ut saltem patriâ contumularer hu­ [...] Ovid de Tristib. l. 3. Eleg. 3. Gen. last 25. Whom when they had [...]mbalmed, they performed his Will, as you may read (at [...]our leasure) at large, in the 13th of Exod. 19. And Lu­ [...]un seems to give a reason of this same extraordinary Love [...]o ones own Country, for (saith he) Omnibus patria communis [...] water, our Country is the common Mother of us all, and she be our Mother then we are her Sons, and if her Sons [...]en Brethren, therefore Love as Brethren Libri quo{que} sunt fratres e [...]usdem Authori [...]. Aspicies [...]t [...]s illic ex ordine fratres, Quos studium cunctos evigi [...]avit idem Ovid. de Trist. [...]g. 1. lib. 1. Quarebam fratres, exceptis scilicet illis, Quos suos optaret non geu [...]isse [...]ens. Idem Eleg. 1 lib. 3..

And thus I have show'd you, that not only as we are Men, and as we are Christian-men, but as we are Country-men we ought to Love as Brethren, let us now see how we may Love as Brethren.

How to Love as Brethren.To Love as a Brother, is to Love. 1. [...] that is,1 Pet 1.22 Multis simulatio­num involu­eris tegitur, & quasi v [...] ­lis quibus­dam ob [...]endi­tur unus­quis{que} natu­ra, fro [...]s, oculi, vultus persaepe mentiuntur Cic. ad Q. fratrem. Demosthenès interroga­tuí, quid Deo simile haberent homines; Respondit, benigne facere & sinceritatem a­mare, Maxim. Serm. 8. sincerely without dissimulation, for it is not enough, to speak well of him, and to do good unto him, unless it be with a true and sincere heart, so that the outward habit, and the inward intent of the heart must concurre, otherwise they are like to those painted Sepulchres our Saviour speaks off, Mat. 23.27. The outside very glorious, but the in­side nothing but corrupted bones, and rottenness, having out­wardly a dissembling show of Love, but inwardly are meer hypocrites:

Secondly, to Love as a brother, is to Love Tunc plena cordis nostri com­passio est quam mala inopia pro proxima sus­cipere non meruimus, ut illum a passione liberemus. Plus est aliquando compati ea corde, qu [...] dare, quia quis{que} indigenti perfect [...] compatitur minus estimat omne quod dat; & re [...] quamlibet plarum{que} dat, qui non compatitur Greg. moral l. 20. [...] that is, to make our brothers calamities and miseries, as though they were our own a friend that loveth, &c. Prov. 17.17. for as a member in a mortal body, being wound­ed or diseased, all the rest of the body feels the smart there of, so in the spiritual body (the Church of God) whereo [...] Christ is the head, there ought to be aSi doles condol [...] non dol [...]o tantum, maxime sciens a salute longius absistere membrum quod obstupuit [...] aegrum sese non sentientem periculosius laborare. Bern. de consol. ad Eug. Cujus pect [...] tam ferreum, cujus cor tam lapideum, ut genitus non exprimat, lach [...]yma non eff [...] dat, cum proxime vel amici morbum vel interitum intuetur, ut patienti, non compa [...] tur, & dolenter non condoleat; Ipse Jésus cum videsset Mariam, & judaeos plera [...] infremuit spiritu turvavit se ipsum & lachrymatus est Inne de vilit. Condit. humi [...] Tanto quis{que} perfectior est quanto perfectius, sentit dolores alienos. Greg. Moral. li [...] 19. Christus ipse patiendo compassus est non solum erat patiens sed compabions. Ba [...] nard, in Canc. Fellow feelin [...] [Page 17] one of anothers miseries, and a condoling sorrow for them, as though they were proper unto themselves: hence is it that he that receiveth Christ, receiveth God, and he that contemneth a true Christian, contemneth Christ, who per­secuteth a true Christian persecuteth Christ, and therefore saith our Saviour, Acts 9.1. (When they persecuted his members the Church) Saul Saul why persecutest thou me? the head was sensible of the persecution of the body, there­fore saith he, why persecutest thou me.

Thirdly, Constan­tia est nutrix ad meritu [...] moderatrix ad praemium soror est pati­entia perse­verantiae fili­a, omnes pacis, amicitiarum nodus unanimitatis vinculum, sanctitatis propugnaculum Deni{que} non qui incaeperit, sed qui perseveravit us{que} ad finem, sa vus erit. Bern. in e­pist. 129. Constans & perfectus debet esse Amor noster si necesse fuerit, amore illius moriamur qui amare nostro placide ac benigne mori dignatus est. August. de Catal. rudib. Vide 1 John 4.17. Heb. 3.14. Qua potes excusa, nec amici desere causam Quo [...]ede caepisti, sic bene semper eas. Ovid. lib. 1. de Tristib. to Love as a Brother is to Love [...] to be constant therein, to continue to the end, not to be fleeting, or wavering in their Love, not to Love for a day, or a month, or a year, and then give over: not to be wea­ry of well doing, not to be weary of Loving; after the ex­ample of our blessed Saviour Christ, for those whom he Lo­veth, he Loveth unto the end.

Fourthly, to Love as a Brother is to Love [...] to be unwilling to have anyConcor­des unus ca­pit lectulus, sed d [...]scordes pe tota qui­dem Domus-Plaut. Her­balem & Hi­ [...]salem. discord or difference with any of the brethren, but to live in peace and unity, to keep the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace, Eph. 4.3.Salust. (de bello Jugurthing) sic ait Mycipsa Rex jamjam moriturus, & [...]onens filios suos paterno affectu, ut concordes sint, aureis sempte [...] literis scribendam sen­tentiam ut{que} adderent, Concordia parvae res crescunt discordia, &c. Concordia p [...]rvae res crescunt discordia magnae dilabuntur, is not so old as true (it is the Motto to Merchant-Taylors Arms, and it is a good one (by concord small things increase to great, by [Page 18] discord great things come to nothing, therefore saith the Psalmist behold (do not perfunctorily look over it but behold) how good, and joyful a thing it is for Brethren to live together in unity, Psal. 133.1.

Distanti­a loci non tol­lit amiciti­am. Aristot. Ethic. lib. 8. cap. 5. Fifthly and Lastly, to Love as a Brother, is to Love [...] ubique gentium, to make no difference of place, for Love must be extended to a Brother in London, as well as Westmerland, in England, all over as well as London, in France, Spain, or Italy, as well as [...]ngland, abroad as well as at home: So Pauls Love did reach from Corinth to Rome, [...] &c. 1. Pet. 1.1. from Philippi to Corinth, from Rome to Ephesus, and so our Apostle [g] St. Peter, in my text, exhorts the stran­gers, that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bythinia to love as brethren.

I. But how many fail in these duties, in these days? the number is innumerable, therfore I say unto every one of you in particular, dost thou Love thy Neighbour as thy self, dost thou Love him without fraud or dissimulation? or dost thou call himFacto pi­us & scelera­tus eodem. O­vid. Met. lib. 3. Brother in Christ, yet would cut his throatInnocens contra hypo­critam susci­tabirum in judicio Job. 17 8. Job. 8.13. Mat. 6.24. behind his back? if so thy portion shall be with hypocrites where shall be weeping wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

II. Dost thou make thy Brothers Calamities as though they were thine own? art thou partaker of his miseries or ra­ther dost thou flout and laugh at his miseries? surely then thou art no member of Christ,Mortu­um est corpo­ris mem­brum, quod alterius non sensit affectum nec se verum mystici corporis membrum estimet qui alteri patienti non condolet. Gerard. Meditat. Dolentem non potest, consolari, qui non concor­dat dolori Emolliri debet animus ut afflicto congruat, congruens inhaereat inhaerens trahat. nec ferrum ferro conjungitur, si non utrin{que} exustione ignis liquetur. Greg. Moral. Qui vere amans est omni tempore diligit, nam eum tormentum non seperat, labor non laxat, thesaurus non superat, alienas amor non occupat, Cass. in Epist. thou art but like a wood­en [Page 19] leg, crept in the Church, or hast no sence or feeling of any other members, therefore great is thy Judge­ment.

III. Dost thou Love thy brother constantly unto the end? dost thou never shrink from him in any distress, but stick as close to him as the bark unto the tree? or is thy Love as the dew, soon on, and soon off? or dost thou forsake him, as the Disciples did Christ? then thou breakest the Com­mandement of Christ, that we should love one another as he hath loved us, and those whom he Loveth he Loveth unto the end, John 13.1.

IV. Art thou a favourer of Unity and Peace among thy brethren? dost thou seek to stay their hatred and pacifie their Wrath?Quisquis corpus affli­git sed con­cordiam dese­rit; Deum quidem lau­dat in tympa­no sed non in choro Hier [...] super Epist ad Rom. or art thou a brother of discord and dissention, and means to set thy brethren together by the Ears? then observe what St. Austine saith, Non erit tibi concordia cum Christo, si sit discordia cum Christiano, thou shalt have no concord with Christ, if thou art at discord with a ChristianSicut nihil est pre­tiosius Deo virtute di­lectionis ete nihil est desi­derabilis Diabolo extinctione cha [...]itatis. Quisqu [...]s ergo seminando jung [...]a dilecti­onem prox morum perimit, hosti Dei familiarius servit, Greg. in past. or rather that, Si vocantur filii Dei qui pacem faciunt, procul dubio sunt filii Diaboli qui pacem con­fundunt. If they be called the Sons of God that make peace, then without doubt, they are the Sons of the Devil, that confound peace, and are the Authors of discord and division, and therefore are reckoned amongst those that God hates, for these six things doth the Lord hate, yea his soul abhorreth seaven, the haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and the hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that imagineth [Page 20] wicked enterprizes, feet that be swift in running to mischeif, a false witness that speaketh lyes, and him that raiseth up contention among Brethren, Prov. 6.16.17, 18, 19.

V. Or dost thou Love thy Brother wheresoever he be, at home or abroad; in the Countrey or in the City in thine own Parish or in another, in thine own house or without? Or dost thou hate a stranger, a Townsman, a Forraigner or a door Neighour? then know this, that as God is no Accepter of Persons, so he is no Accepter of Place, and for this will bring thee to Judgement.

Ob. 1 Some may object, and say, how can this Doctrine be true, that we must Love our Brethren always even unto the end? seeing it is said in the book of the Preacher, that there is a time to Love, and a time to hate, Ecclesi­astes 3.8.

Sol. I answer, that in this place is not meant, that a man may sometimes Love, and sometimes hate his [...]rother lawfully but these words, as also all those from the beginning of the Chapter are to show unto us, that all the actions and affections of men, whether rhey be good or evil, have been and are done in the appointed time of God: for Non de­notant quid agendum sit, sed quid agimus, the words demon­strate not what we ought or may lawfully do, but what we commonly do: So that they may seem to be understood thus,Tempus dilectionis quam diu ille qui diligitur est bonus, & tempus odiis, quando efficitur ma­lus: non tam òdiendo naturam quam culpam. Lyra in loc. There is a time to love, that is, there is a time [Page 21] wherein we love our brother, and there is a time to hate our Brother, not by any approbation on Gods part, but through our own corrupt and malignant affections.

Secondly, Some may say, that his neighbour is both an Ob. 2 enemy to God, he blasphemeth his Name, prophaneth his Sabbaths, and the like, and also he is an enemy to me, for he hath greatly indamaged me in my goods and good name therefore what have I to do with him, in what thing am I bound to him, that is both an enemy to God and me.

Beloved thou that dost thus reason with thy self know this, that thou must not contemn any man, Sol. Perfecta charitas est rectissima a­nimi affectio qua diligitur Deus propter se, & proxi­mus propter seipsum Aug de Doctri. Christ. Odio habebis ini­micum tuum Mat. 5.43. non inimicos but in the singular number meaning the Devil our com­mon enemy, as Aug. Serm. 59. de Temp. non fratrem sed Diabolum. Idem ibidem. Love thy friends in the Lord, and thine enemies for the Lords sake, who when thou wast his enemy, he so loved thee, that to redeem thee, and deliver thee out of the hands of thine e­nemies, he gave his own life for thee. And although thine Neighbour be an enemy both against God and thee, yet for all this he must not be hated, and despised,Este similis medico medicus non amat aegrotantem si non odit agritudinem: ut libere [...] aegrotum febrim persequitur Nolite amare vitia amicorum vestrorum, si amatis ami­cos vestros. Aug. in quodam Serm. Non attinde, quid tibi faciat homo, sed attende, quid tu feceris Deo, non attende injurias quas infert inimicus, sed attende beneficia, quae confert tibi is, qui jubet a [...]e inimicum diligas. Gerard. Meditat. Ne fratri iras­cere quamvis peccato fratris irasceris, Aug. Retract. lib. 1. cap. 19. Non minima pars dilectionis est reprehendere delictum. Idem. Diligite homines interficite errores. A [...]g. con. lit. Petilian; lib. 1. cap. 29. Pacem cum hominibus bellum cum vitiis. Idem de cate­rudibus cap. 27. but in this thou must imitate the Physitian, who hateth the Disease, but not the Diseased, so do thou, Loving that which is made of God, and abhorring that which is of the Devil, considering him not as thine enemy, but as the Image of God, and the workmanship of his hands.

And thus (beloved) I have as plainly and breifly as I could, lay'd open these words unto you Love as Brethren. Wherein I show'd you the matter and the manner, the mat­ter Love, the manner as brethren, in the matter Love, I laid open unto you.

• 1. To whom Love doth belong.
• 2. In what it consists.

In the manner as brethren, I show'd you there were five sorts of Brethren, in all which we are joyn'd together in Love.

• 1. In Humanity.
• 2. In Affinity.
• 3. In Consanguinity.
• 4. In Christianity.
• 5thly and lastly. By Proximity.

Being all of one Country, much more of one County. And in this I show'd you that we ought to Love as brethren In the next place I manifested unto you, how we ought to Love as brethren. And that was.

• 1. Sincerely.
• 2. Compassionately.
• 3. Constantly.
• 4. Unanimously.
• 5thly and lastly.
  Omni tempore dili­git qui ami­ [...]us, est, & frater in an­gustiis com­probatur. Prov. 17.17
  Universally.

At all times, and in all places. And so much for the Text, and the time. Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things.

Appendix.

And now, methinks I hear you say, the Ser­mon is done, no (my Brethren and Compatriots) it is but said, it is not done, it is then done and onely then, when we put in practise what hath been saidBernard in Cant. Verba verte in opera [Page 23] (saith St: Bernard) turn the words into deeds, and then the Sermons done. We have all this while discoursed of Love and Brotherly kindness: Charitas est radix, fructus sunt opera, Aug. super Psal. 4.1. fructus spiritus est charitas Gal. 5 22. Love is the root, brotherly kindness is the tree, but Charity is the fruit, love and bro­therly kindness is the house, but Charity is the roof, which heals all, keeps all dry and warm; let us add the roof unto the house, add to brotherly kindness Charity, they are the words of our Apostle 1. Pet. 1.7. and that is done,Vide Jam. 2.15.16. Pascit e­surientes charitas, pascit & superbia: charitas ut Deus laude­tur, superbia ut ipsa landetur vestit & superbia. August. super Epistol. Jo. cap. 7. Si non pavisti occidisti Ambros. Qui succurrere perituro potest, & non succurit, occidit. Sen. by feeding the hungry or cloathing the naked, if there be any of our Brethren or Compatriots, which be in need or necessity, that we lend our helping hands, every man according to his power, for their releif.August de civit. Dei. lib. 10. cap. 1. Charitable works to our bre­thren, (saith the apostle are pro sacrificiis, instead of sacrifi­ces, Heb. 13.6. Nay prae sacrisiciis, before or better then sacrifices, Hos. 6.6.

A King of our Country (I mean of Northumberland) in a controversie about Easter,, some alledging for Peter, o­thers for John, bethought himself, that Peter was the Pot­ter of Heaven-gate, saying, he would make the Potter his friend, that he might be sure to get in. Whatsoever he did of Peter, let us do of Charity. Let us hereby make Christ our friend, he is sanua vitae, and thus the poor are made our friends, ready to receive us into everlasting habitations. Luke. 16.9. I will onely commend unto you one porti­on of Scripture, which I would have you seriously consider on, both novv and anon, and vvith that I vvill conclude all, and it is in Deut. 15.9.10, 11. Beware that there be not a thought in thy heart, saying the seventh year, the year of the re­lease is at hand, and thy eye be evil against thy poor brother, [Page 24] and thou givest him nothing, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, Judicium si­ne misericor­dia, erit iis, qui non faci­unt misere­cordiam, & gloriatur mi­sericordia adversus damnationem Jam. 2.13. and it be sin against thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved, when thou givest unto him because that for this thing, the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the Land, therefore I command thee saying, thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in the Land.

Thus if we shall do, of Westmerlandians we shall become Philadelphians, let us so love as brothers here upon earth, that we may for ever live together as brothers hereafter in the Kingdom of Heaven: Which the Lord grant unto us all, even for his Son Christ Jesus his sake, To whom, &c.