both of the Understanding and Will that is of the Understanding as it is an Assent of the Will as it is voluntary for Faith is a willing assent of the soul Qu. 13. How manifold is the Act of Faith Answ Threefold for I. There is the Faith of reliance whereby a soul doth rely upon God in Christ II. There is the Faith of assurance whereby a man is perswaded of Gods love towards him and his love to God and that he is the child of God III. There is the Faith of acknowledgement whereby a man doth own and acknowledge the cause and truth of Christ but of this more by and by Qu. 18. Qu. 14. Who or what are the Causes of true Faith Answ 1. The principal efficient cause is God the Father who in the Son by the holy Ghost begets and nourishes Faith in our hearts John 6.29 Rom. 12.3 Gal. 5.22 Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 Hebr. 12.2 As the river cometh from the fountain so Faith cometh from the Lord. Fides appellata est ab eo quod sit duae syllabae sonant quum dicitur fides prima syllaba est à facto secunda à Deo August Serm. 22. Note here How God doth work Faith in us or What the work of God is concerning our Faith viz. First God in massa corrupta praevisa seeing man subject to a total and final curse and destruction out of his Love to mankind desired to save some and to that end decreed Christ for them this is called The purpose of God Rom 8.28 Secondly God did of his free mercy in Christ ordain some to salvation in this order I. He did take notice of so many as he would save in his particular wisdom Rom. 8.29 II. He did predestinate them so known unto salvation by Christ freely having no respect to any thing in us or to be done by us III. These in time he doth call by the Gospel without and by his Spirit within begetting Faith in them IV. After they believe he doth seal them unto salvation Ephes 1 1â— that is doth justfie them Rom. 8.30 Answ 2. The meritorious cause of Faith is Christ for as we are elected unto salvation in Christ so we are saved by Faith in Christ which is wrought in us by the Spirit for Christs sake Answ 3. The ministerial cause is the holy Spirit of God Rom. 8.15 Gal. 5.22 for he enlightneth the mind and makes it to understand the word and moveth the will making it to assent unto the word once understood Answ 4. The moving cause is Gods Decree Act. 13.48 5 The instrumental cause is either I. The preaching of the word Zach. 8.23 Joh. 1â— 8.20 Rom. 10.14.17 1 Cor. 3.6 Eph. 2.20 Col. 1.6 7. 1 Tim. 3.15 or II. Miracles wrougâ—â— John 2.3 6. The material caâ—â—e or subject wherein it remaineth is the Vnderstanding and Will of man Luk 24.45 Eph. 4.23 Acts 16.14 Rom. 10.10 The material cause whereof it is made is none for Faith is wrought by the sole and alone motion and efficacy of the holy Spirit working by the word whereby the mind is enlightned for the understanding and the Will is moved for the assenting unto and acquiescing in the word of God 7. The formal cause is not Love though Faith works by Love Galat. 5.6 no more then the body is the form of the soul because the soul works by the body but the formal cause is trust and confidence whereby Christ being acknowledged with his benefits is apprehended and applyed 1 Cor 2.2 2 Cor. 4.14 8. The final cause is I. The glory of God or the celebration of his truth justice bounty and mercy which he hath shewed in the sending of his Son and in the giving of Faith in him II. Our Justification and salvation or that we may receive the blessings which are promised in the word Qu. 15. How many things are there in Faith Answ Three I. An aptness or readiness to believe II. An ability of adhering and laying hold upon God III. An actual fastning upon him by a lively Faith The first of these is like unto earth The second is plain earth wherein the Tree is planted The third is the fruit which springs upon this Tree The first of these is taken away by infidelity The second by the sin against the holy Ghost The third by every sin they being no fruits of Faith Qu. 16. How many things are observable in true Faith Answ Two the Object and the Act. Qu. 17. What or how manifold is the Object of true Faith Answ Threefold for I. Faith looks upon temporal and corporal blessings especially those which belong to the exornation conservation and consolation of this life as outward peace health food and prosperity in what we take in hand II. Faith looks unto and upon spiritual things as remission reconciliation righteousness peace joy the gifts of the holy Ghost life eternal and the like III. The adequate object of true Faith is Christ or the Gospel or the promises or Christ revealed in the promises of the Gospel Qu. 18. How manifold is the Act of Faith Answ Fourfold viz. Knowledge Judgement Discerning Apprehension or Application First the initial Act of Faith is the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel and the heads thereof viz. of Christ and of his natures offices and benefits If it be here objected I. That knowledge is the subsequent reward of Faith as Psal 119.66 And II. That this is the difference between Faith and knowledge viz that knowledge is founded and built upon some reason but Faith upon some authority And III. That the Love of Christ which is apprehended by Faith passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 Then I thus distinguish of knowledge 1. There is a weak knowledge whereby we understand such things as are revealed unto us in the Word 2. There is a perspicuous and clear knowledge whereby we understand the things themselves and apprehend them as they are Now the former precedes Faith and the latter follows in the life to come for before we believe the Doctrine of the Trinity the hypostatical union c. we ought to know that such things are revealed in the word although the things themselves exceed and pass our understanding Secondly The next Act of Faith is Judgement and that both of the truth and goodness of the Gospel for as S. Paul saith Rom. 7. I assent unto the Law that it is good so much more doth Faith assent unto the Gospel that it is true and good Thirdly Another Act of Faith is Adjudication when our understandings do conceive and imagine that the promises of the Gospel belong particularly unto us Fourthly The last Act of Faith is Apprehension and Application when apprehending and laying hold upon the promises we apply them unto our selves or when the understanding doth adjudge or conceive that the promises belong unto us then the Will doth apprehend the Promises and that with joy John 1.12 1 Tim. 1.15 Hebr. 11.13 Qu. 19. How many things are observable in
men and that either with an evil or a good love First sometimes men love men with an evil love this love is fourfold I. Inconstant when for the smallest offence committed or but supposed to be done extream love is changed into extream hate Eusenides talking privately with the Philosopher Cuspides asked him If he were not so happy as that nothing could be added to his felicity seeing he was above all others most favoured and honoured by Ptolomy the King To whom Cuspides answered How soon can Fortune tumble thee down and then how miserable a thing will it be to have been happy Shortly after this discourse Ptolomy found Eusenides his great Favorite and one of his Concubines whom most dearly he loved talking privately together whereat he was so incensed that he made her straâ—ght drink a cup of poyson and caused him to be hanged before his own gates And II. This evil love is immoderate inordinate and most lewd Adrian the Emperor so doted on the love of Antinous a beautiful young man that he dedicated a Temple to him at Mantinea and a City at Nilus Pausanius Too too many with a Sodomitical affection have loved and lusted after some Gen. 19. and III. This evil love of men to men is Sensual called Amor concupiscentiae which is this when we love our neighbour for our own profit and commodity onely as Laban loved Jacob onely for his own ends and as subjects sometimes love their Princes for their own advantage and advancement And IV. This evil love is most wicked and diabolical when men love such as themselves because they are wicked Psal 50 18. Suetonius tells us that Caligula the Emperour did deeply love Marcus Lepidus and Marcus Nestor the Buffoon onely for the commerce of mutual alternate brothelry or because they would accompany him to the stews Secondly sometimes men love men with a good lawful and laudable love this love is sixfold viz. I. Natural that is of Parents to children of children to Parents and of kinsmen to kinsmen Gen. 22. â— 25.28.37.3 And II. Oeconomical viz. of husbands to wives of wives to husbands of masters to servants and of servants to masters Genes 29.18.20.30 2 Chon 11.21 Prov. 5.19 Eccles 9 9. and III. Political when a man lives peaceably and quietly in a Commonwealth not having suits contentions or jars with any And IV. Reciprocal when one neighbour or friend loves another because he is beloved of him Exod. 21.6 1 Kings 5 1. It was said of Socrates that all who knew him loved him and the reason why any loved him not was onely because they did not know him he was so loving to all he knew And V. Moral which is an intimate entire and cordial love and is for the most part between two as Jonathan and David 1 Sam. 18.1 2 Sam. 1.26 Pyladeâ— and Orestes Damon and Pythias Scipio and Laelius and Severus and Pertinax for such was the love of Severus the Emperor to Pertinax whom Iulianus slew that he commanded that all should call him Pertinax Entropius And VI. Spiritual and Supernatural vvhich is called Amor amicitiae love of friendship and is this When vve love either our neighbour chiefly for his ovvn good or our neighbour or our enemy for Gods sake This love I call spiritual because although the object of this love be our neighbour yet the reason why we love him is God THIRDLY men love women and that either with an evil or a good love First sometimes men love women with an evil love This is twofold I. Inconstant thus Demaphon was false to Phillis Aeneas to Dido Jason to Medaea Paris to Oenone And II. Immoderate inordinate lascivious and lustful Gen. 34.12 Colos 3.5 Militat omnis amans habet sua castra Cupido This love is a wanton war under Cupids colours Turinge had so many lovers that she could not reckon them upon her fingers ends but called for a bushel of pease to tell them by Aurelius Alexander for the love he bare to that famous for beauty infamous for lewdness harlot Thais caused that most renowned and rich City Persepolis to be burned Cataline for the love of Orestista killed his own son because she would not joyn in marriage with him while his son lived Salust From this lascivious and inordinate love came that proverb Wisdom and love never go together Secondly sometimes men love women with a good love this is I. Moral when 1. He who marries is as though he married not in regard of the moderation of his affection 1 Cor. 7.30 31. and. 2. When the husband is constant in his love to his loyal wife And II. Natural or Conjugal when men love women in the way of marriage Two things are here observable the kinds and causes of this love First this love s threefold for 1. Some love for vertue 2. Some for beauty And 3. Some for both loving dainty meat in a neat dish Secondly the causes of this Natural or Conjugal love are Sight and Suitableness I. Sight for looking is the cause of loving and a curious observation the rice of affection Etrasco the Roman and Verona being both born dumb by beholding one another were so taken with one anothers love that it continued full thirty years before they were joyned in marriage and of them descended the noble linage of the Scipio's Aurelius II. Suitableness of disposition Likeness is the cause of liking For as between the similitude of manners there is a friendship in every respect absolute so in the composition of the body or likeness of disposition there is a certain love engen dred both the bodies resembling each other as woven both in one loom FOURTHLY women love women and that sometimes with an evil and inconstant love and sometimes with a good and constant affection FIFTHLY women love men and that either with an evil or good love First sometimes women love men with a good and constant love as Charites loved her husband Expolemus Cornelia Gracchus Julia Pompey Artimesia Mausolus Panthea Abradatus Portia Brutus Alceste Admetus Penelope Vlysses Sulpitia Lentulus Hipparchia Crates and Macrina Torquatus Secondly sometimes women love men with an evil love this love is either I. Inconstant when women like to the Polipe stone change colour every hour or like the Weather-cock waver with every wind or like the Marigold change with the Sun This inconstant love proceedeth often from sudden choice for we account those Damoselâ— too light of love who betroath themselves upon the first sight and motion because as the ratling thunderbolt hath but his clap the lightning but his flash the baven but his blaze so hot love begun in a moment endeth in a minute Scalding water if it stand a while turneth almost to ice and Pepper though it be hot in the mouth is cold in the maw so hot love is soon cold and that affection which frieth in words commonly freezeth in works And II. The evil love of women to men is sometimes meerly feigned and
must take heed that we lose not the love of God as the birds Ibes lose their sweetness when they lose their sight so we lose all peace and happ ness when we lose the sense and apprehension of Gods love towards us in Christ The Lizard hath this peculiar property that he is never in love which all other beasts are subject unto whereupon S. Fedâ—rico Duke of Manto made him this Impress The Lizard figured with this Motto Quod huic deest me torquet thus it should be the anguish of our souls to lack the assurance of Gods love it being a misery herein to be like the Lizard without this love Qu. 65. How may we know whether the Lord love us or not Answ 1. We cannot know it by any outward thing Eccles 9.1 2. We may ghess at his love by his correcting of us Prov. 3.12 Heb 12.6 3. If we be righteous in our lives and conversations and obedient to his commandments we may then be assured that he loves us Deu. 7.12 13.11.1 13. Psalm 146.8 4. If we be the members of Christ by faith and regeneration then we may be assured that the Lord will love us Iohn 17. This question may be abundantly amplified from Qustion 56. and 64. Qu. 66. Wherein or how doth the love of Christ express and shew itself toward his Church or children Answ 1. By that impression which they make upon his heart they being there deeply engraven Cant. 8.16 2. By his desire unto or towards them Cant. 7.10 3. By his dying for them Gal. 2.20 Ephes 5.25 1 Iohn 3.16 4. By his washing of them clean by his blood Apoc. 1.5 Qu. 67. What is the Nature of Christs love towards hâ—s Answ 1. It is a perfect love John 15.9 2. It is a love which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 3. It it an unparallelled love Rom. 5.6 7 8. 4. It is an eternal love John 13.1 Qu. 68. What is here required of us in regard of Christ and 〈◊〉 love towards us An. 1. To continue in his love John 15.9 2. To remember his love Cantic 1.4 and 3. To be obedient unto him for it Iohn 15.10 4. Not to love our lives in regard of him Apâ—c 2.11 Qu. â—9 By what means may we be assured that we shall continue in Christs love Answ 1. If we keep his Commandments Iohn 15.10 If my diligent and observing Reader admire at my brevity concernâ—ng Christs love towards us or his let him know that the reason hereof is because I shall fully God willing handle it when I come to treat of God the Son which will be a little â—olio by it self Qu. 70. What is predicated in the Word of our love unto God Answ 1. That it is the sum of the law it being taken for our whole obedience as being the cause of our obedience Mat. 22.40 2. That it is the first Commandment it being the spring and fountain of the rest Matth. 22.38 3. That it is the greatest commandment Mat. 22.38 Qu. 71. VVhat is the love of God Answ It is a vertue whereby we love God as the chiefest good Psalm 106.1.118.2.136.1 or to love God is to acknowledge him to be the chiefest good in himself and so to us and so to love him that we will rather forgo all things then part with him or not be joyned unto him Qu. 72. VVho must love the Lord Answ 1. In general all are commanded to love him Exod. 20. 2. More particularly all the Saints ought to love him Psalm 31.23 Qu. 73. How many ways do the children of God love God Answ Three manner of ways I. Secundum actum actually and always and thus the glorified Saints in Heaven Love God II. Secundum studium in regard of their endeavours because their care desire and study is to love the Lord. And this is the greatest perfection of love the children of God can attain unto in this life III. Secundum habitum in regard of the habit of love and thus although many of the children of God fall into some great sins yet they lose not the habit of the love of God but may be said even then habitually to love him Qu. 74. VVhy must we love the Lord An. 1. In regard of himself viz. I. Because he requires this at our hands Deut. 10.12.11.1 13. II. Because he loved us first 1 Iohn 4.10 III. Because he sent his Son into the world to reconcile us unto himself 1 Iohn 4.10 IV. Because he is our rock and fortress Psal 18.1 Answ 2. In regard of our selves because a threefold benefit will redound unto us thereby whereof The first is Temporal for if we love him I. He will preserve us Psalm 31.23 and II. He will deliver us Psalm 91.14 and III. He will fight for us against our enemies Josh 23.10 11. The second is Spiritual for if we love him I. â—e will hear our prayers when we call upon or unto him Psalm 116.1 Iâ— He will know and take notice of us 1 Cor. 8.3 Iâ—I He will be merciful unto us and keep covenant with us Exod. 20.6 Deut. 5.10.7.9 Nehem. 1.5 Psalm 119.132 Dan. 9.4 IV. He will give us a place in his Church Psal 69 36. The Third is Eternal for if we love him I. He will cloth us with glory â—udges 5.31 II. He will give a crown of life unto us Cor. 2.9 〈◊〉 1.2.2.5 Qu. 75. How must we love God Answ 1. Above all friends Amandus est generator sed praeponendus Creator Aug. we must love all but God above all but God above all Ordo charitatis est ama post Deum patrom Hier. Loves method is first love God then our kindred and if the case happen that there be a difference between them and God then Odium in suos pietas in Deum est hatred to kindred is piety to God 2. We must love God above all things It was an ancient custom among the Romans that the things they most entirely loved they offered up to their gods nature teaching them that nothing should be too dear for God but that he should be preferred and loved more then and above all 3. We must love the Lord for himself The Ploughman loves his Ox for his profit and the enemy a traytor for commodity but God must be loved for himself Alexander would say That He hestion loved Alexander and Craterus loved the King Plutar. And some Christians love Jesus others love Christ there are many of the first rank who desire to rule and reign in heaven with Christ few of the second who desire that Christ may rule and bear sway in their hearts Vix dâ—ligitur Iesus propter Iesum August Jesus is scarce loved for his own sake There is a Spanish Pâ—overb Love without end hath no end meaning that if it were begun not upon particular ends it would last 4. We must love the Lord in sincerity Ephes 6.24 Religion is no vizard for impiety God must not be served in hypocrisie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato But
must beloved in truth and verity He must have the heart as well as the hands Deut 6 5. the soul as wel as the body Mat. 22.37 he searches the mind so â—oon as the man 1 Sam 16 7 and will be worshipped within as well as without 5. We must love the Lord constantly and perseverantly never falling from our first love Rom. 8.35 39. Apoc. 2.4 6. With all our heart and with all our soul Deut. 13.3 Ephes 3 17. To love with all the soul is to love wisely to love with all the strength is manfully to suffer for truth to love with all our heart is to prefer the love of God before all other things The measure to be observed in loving God is to love him without measure for our love to our God should be in the highest degree and that both I. In regard of the Object or as they say Objective that is wishing greater or more good unto him then unto any And II. In regard of estimation or as some speak Appretiativè that is by preferring him and his will before all other things yea before our own life Mâ—t. â—0 37. Luke 14.26 yea so that we had rather choose to dye and to submit our selves to death then transgress the least of his Commandments And III. Intensively i. e. in regard of our most vehement endeavour in applying all our faculties to the love of God Deut. 6. â— Thus the Prophet David saith That he will love the Lord with all that is in him which our Savior Luk. 10.27 28. expounds thus We must love the Lord with all the heart soul mind and might that is First in general that there must be no part of us void of the love fear and honour of God but that all our zeal thoughts will study of the mind and labour of the body should tend unto the love service and honour of God and there must be nothing in any part of us which is not dedicated unto God But Secondly more particularly Deut. 6.13 it is said Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart soul and strength S. Matthew 22.37 saith with all thy heart soul and mind and S. Luke hath all Heart Soul Might and Mind I. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart that is Thou shalt esteem and acknowledge him thy chiefest good V sin or With all thy heart that is with thy whole understanding without any errour August de doct Christ ca. 22. or with all thy heart that is wisely Bern. ser 20. sup Cantic II. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soul that is with thy whole will and purpose Vrsin or With all thy whole will without contradiction August de doct Chris ca. 22. or sweetly and with joy Bern. ser 20. s Cantic III. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy strength or might that is all thy actions both external and internal must be conâ—ormable and agreeable to the will and law of God Vrsin or With all thy strength i. e. so valiantly couragiously and constantly that we neither be subdued by deceit nor seduced by allurements nor dejected by injuries and afflictions Bern. ib. IV. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy mind and thought that is thou shalt always intend to think and meditate of God that thou mayest both know him and love him the better Vrsin or VVith all thy mind i. e. with thy whole mind without oblivion August Qu. 76. VVhether are we to love God more for the moe benefits he bestows upon us or not Answ God is to be loved though he should give us nothing but correction as a good child loveth his father although he correct him But when it is said VVe are to love God for his benefits this word FOR denotes not the final cause here but the moving and therefore Augustin in Johan ser 3. saith It is a good thing for a man to think upon Gods benefits that he may be stirred up by them to love â—od but to love him onely for himself and not for his benefits Qu 77. Can we by nature this love God Answ No for by nature we rather hate him That we cannot by nature love God appears thus I. Nature is so wholly corrupted and depraved that we are prone unto every evil thing but averse from every thing that is good Jer. 3.12.14 II. The love of God is a spiritual work and that a hard one and consists not in word or countenance but in internal and ineffable joy Psal 42.1 63.1 Cant. 5.8 III. The love of God requires self denial which is a duty not to be performed Viribus naturae by the power of nature Eph. 2.3.5.17 Heb. 10.36 1 Pet. 41. 1 John 2.16 17. Qu. 78. VVhether is the love of God or of our neighbour one sort of love or not Answ It is one sort of love for the formal object of our love in this life is God because all things are reduced to God by love and the material object of our love is our neighbour and these two make not two sorts of love but one for as there is but one Spirit though diversity of gifts so there are two precepts and but one love 1 Corinth 13. Qu. 79. VVhat things are contrary to the true love of God Answ 1. The casting away of Gods love or the contempt and hatred of God as the avenger and punisher of sin Inordinate love of our selves or of other creatures viz. when we prefer our own lusts pleasures wills and lives before God and his will and will rather offend him then part with them 3. A feigned love of God viz. when we seem through hypocrisie to love him but indeed do not Mark 7.6 Qu. 8â— VVhat are the Impediments of the love of God or VVhat things hinder us from loving him An. 1. The love of the world James 4.4 1 John 2.15.3.17 2 The want of love to our brethren 1 John 4.8 19 20. 3. The love of sin Psalm 52.3 4. The love of our selves 2 Tim. 3.2 5. Idolatry Hosea 3.1 6. Drunkenness Hosea 3.1 7. Pleasure Hosea 3.1 Qu. 81. By what means may we attain unto this love of God or How may we be enabled to love him An. 1. The Author hereof is the Author of all good viz. God who works this love of himself in our hearts by his holy spirit Deut. 30.6 Rom. 8.28 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 1.9 1 Tim. 1.14 2 Tim. 1.7 1 Pet. 1.22 An 2 The means which the Lord useth for the begetting of love in us towards his Majestie is the revelation of his love towards us 1 John 4.10 whence the Saints are called Beloved Rom. 1.7 Col. 3.12 and therefore we should meditate of this infinite love of his towards us John 3.16 Rom. 5.6 7 8. An. 3. The means which we must use if we desire that the love of God may be wrought in our hearts are these I. We must learn the sweetness of God and labour to taste how good and gracious the Lord is Psalm
Because they are Disciples and thus we must love them for their spiritual society and bond of charity as fellow-travellers in a long journey love one another or as Countrey-men love one another in a strange place or remote Countrey And therefore three sorts of men are here too blame First hypocrites and dissemblers who as Bernard saith have Mel in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis peace in their words but war in their hearts towards the Saints loving them with their lips but hating them in their hearts Pro. 23.7 James 2.13 Our love unto the faithful must be sincere and cordial not sinister and counterfeit Secondly those are too blame who love the Saints onely for some second causes either I. Because they are their neighbours and their good neighbours from whom they receive no evil but upon every occasion all neighbourly offices Or II. Because they are of their kindred and alliance Or III. Because they are of meek affable and gentle natures and loving dispositions or IV. Because they love them and theirs Or V. Through vain-glory that they may be praised for their loving of those who are good Thirdly those are faulty who love the faithful onely with a mercenary love or for reward Aliud est sperare aliud est hoc agere Hier. A man may hope that God will bless him if he love his children because this God hath promised but a man must not therefore love them that God may bless him this being but self-love Ans 2. In general besides the Lord we are commanded to love our neighbour and our enemies Luk. 10.27.28 Qu. 100. VVhat is the nature of the love of the faithful one to another Answ 1. It is a growing and encreasing love 2 Thess 1.3 2. It is a continuing and abiding love Hebr. 13.1 Qu. 101. VVhether are we to love all the Saints and faithful alike or not Answ I might for the resolution and satisfaction of this Quaere refer my Reader to Camara quaest concil exposit qu. 97. p. 98. But I will to him adde two things First in respect of the different degrees of men there must be different degrees of love e.g. Magistrates and Ministers being publique Persons and religious are to be loved above other private persons they bearing in them a double image of God I. Inward in sanctification And II. Outward in authority and place Secondly in equal comparison when men are equal in degree then we must first and principally love parents children affinity and consanguinity we being bound to love them by a double bond I. Of nature And II. Of grace for grace doth not abolish natural affection but onely orders and disposeth it aright Qu. 102. How may we know whether we truly love the children of God or not Answ 1. He who loves the Father will love the children 1 John 5.2 2. He who obeys the Father loves the hildren 1 Iohn 5.2 3. He who loves those whom he hears to be religious and zealous though he knows them not is a lover of Gods children 4. He who delights in the company and society of godly men when he hath no other relation unto them then as they are good men is a true lover of the faithful Psalm 16.3.126.5 Rom. 1.12 5. He who hath a fel ow-feeling of the Saints miseries as if himself were in misery is a lover of them 6. He who is always willing to distribute to the necessities of the Saints according to his ability must needs be a lover of them 7. â—e who can bear with reproaches and reproachful words at the hands of truly righteous men â— a true lover of the Saints When Luther had wofully wronged and reviled Calvin the good man said Etiamsi Lutherus millies me Diabolum vocet ego tamen illum insignem Domini servum agnosco c. Let Luther hate me and in his wrath call me Devil a thousand times yet I will love him and acknowledge him a most precious servant of God To answer the wrath of the Saints with love is a good sign of a Saint-lover As the members of the same body albeit having divers duties and functions and differing also in form do tenderly and mutually love one another because they live by one and the self-same reasonable soul so faithful Christians love one another being made alive by the Divine Spirit of God who by how much he is more good or excellent by so much also he is more Powerful to knit and unite those together in whom he dwelleth Lodov. Granat As in a material building one stone is knit unto another by lime and morter so in the spiritual building one Christian is joyned to another by love and hence though one member be casually or causlessly injured by another it doth not seek revenge upon the other Qu. 103. Who must principally abound in Christian Love and Charity towards their neighbours Answ 1. Old men Tit. 2.2 2. Ministers 1 Tim. 4.12 2 Tim. 3.10 Qu. 104. Wherein or how ought Ministers to express and show their Love unto their People Answ 1. By speaking friendly unto them and beseeching them to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 2. By testifying their inward affection unto them by their outward works 3. By serving them in Christ not desiring so much to be ministred unto as to minister 4. By being ready to lay down their lives for them John 15.13 Qu. 105. From whence springs true Christian Love and Charity towards our brethren Answ 1. Originally from God true Love being his gift Eph. 1.15.16.6.23 Phil. 19. Col. 1.3.4 1 Thes 1.2 3.3.12 2. It proceeds out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 3. It issues out of a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 4. It flows from Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Qu. 106. Whether are wicked men to be Loved Answ As the Physitian hateth the disease yet loveth the person diseased so we must love that in our neighbour which is good and made of God and abhor that which the Devil and man hath made evil i. e. we must Love the wicked mans person though we hate his vice For 1. God hath commanded us to love our enemies and those are truly evil who are enemies to good men And 2. Those who are wicked for the present may belong unto God in regard of divine election and therefore such are to be loved And 3. We ought to pray for all wicked ones who have not sinned against the Holy-â—host and therefore we must love them 4 This is confirmed from Christ who for our example loved us when we were wicked Rom. 5 6 7 Qu. 107. What is the Love of our neighbour Answ To love our neighbour is for the love which we owe unto God to wish well and do good unto our neighbour and to do all things unto him which we would in equity and according to Law should be done unto us Or The love of our neighbour is a true and sincere good will both in will mind and