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 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 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 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 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. 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
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 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 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 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 Vnitie 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 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 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
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 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 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 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 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 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 Spring-head from whence the Waters of Life doe flow is IESVS CHRIST the Leaden 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 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 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 Vt quem potuerit hominem saith Saint Augustine vel beneficentiae consolatione Epist 52. vel doctrinae informatione vel disciplinae coerâ—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 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 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 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 deoâ—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 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 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 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 2 CORINTH 13.11 Finally brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you FINIS