persecution upon this ground because he is faithfull that hath promised and thereupon in this Verse of my Text hee shewes how they may be furthered therein viz. If they would consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Wherein we have 1. The duty pointed out Let us consider one another 2. The end of the duty To provoke unto love and to good works Let us consider one another the words in the Originall are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Observemus Let us observe one another It doth not barely signifie to look into or consider Sed magno studio mentem in rem intendere But to bend the mind with the greatest study and diligence that can be to find out a matter To provoke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which word is taken two waies in Scripture 1. In a bad sence for a sharp contention as Act. 15. 39. where speaking of the difference which arose between Paul and Barnabas about taking John Mark along with them the Text saith The contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other Or such a provoking as makes al the body to tremble or that sets the teeth on edge of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Acetum vineger but here secondly It 's used in a good sence for stirring up or quickning one another to a necessary duty From the context as this Verse looks back to the two and twentieth we may gather this proposition That there is no true Faith which is not accompanied with love and good works The Apostle James Chap. 2. Tells us of a twofold Faith A dead Faith and a living Faith A dead Faith is that which consists in words and profession onely without good works ver. 14. What saith he doth it profit my brethren though a man saith he hath Faith and hath not workes Can Faith save him Hee meanes such a livelesse saplesse Faith For saith he ver. 17. Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone For according to the usuall Maxim as Faith justifies our persons so works justifie our Faith And Paul writing to Titus chargeth him to teach this Doctrine to his hearers This is a faithfull saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly That they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works This therefore cashieres from the number of true believers all those rough and rugged Esau's who Salamander-like love to live in the fire of contention and are never well but when they are embroiled in quarrells Or that instead of provoking to love do all that they can to make Nationall and Church divisions by distinctive names and titles seeking to divide and subdivide us till they have crumbled us all to pieces A most Diabolicall sin who is the Author of Division and among the vulgar is known by his cloven foot whereas God is the God of Peace Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace the Gospell the Gospell of Peace Christs Ministers the Ambassadors of peace and therefore all his people should cry with David I am for peace Psal. 120. 7. Secondly all such Solifidians as boast much of their Faith but are not carefull to maintain good works These are barren Figtrees that bear fair leaves of profession without any fruit at all but when Christ shall come with his basket and turn up their fair leaves and find no fruit he will set down his basket and take up his Axe as Mat. 3. 10. Now also is the axe laid unto the root of the Trees therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Or else he will curse them for their barrennesse as he did that tree Mar. 11. 14. No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever Let us consider one another Hence observe That Christians should with much seriousnesse and diligence consider and acquaint themselves each with other Quest But what is it that they are to observe each in other Answ. 1. Their gifts graces experiences and virtues to draw them forth for their mutuall benefit 2. Their wants and weaknesse to pitty cover and heal them 3. Their dispositions and temper that we may know the better how to deal with them According to that of Jud. verse 22. 23. Of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Therefore when we meet together we should not squander away our pretious time in frothy and idle discourses or in vain and fruitless impertinences but according to the Apostles counsell here we should consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works And this brings me to the principall point for which I made choise of this Text viz. That it 's the duty of all Christians to provoke one another to love and to good works which Point you see consists of two branches First that we should provoke one another to love So did Abraham speaking to Lot Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my Herdsmen and thy Herdsmen for we be bretheren And Joseph speaking to his brethren Gen. 45. 24. See that yee fall not out by the way And Peter speaking to all Christians saith Love the brotherhood 1 Pet. 2. 17. Quest What is this love that we must provoke one another to Answ. It 's a Christian virtue or Grace infused into us by the Holy Ghost whereby we sincerely love God for himself and our brethren for Gods sake I call it a Christian virtue or Grace to distinguish it from the naturall affection of love which we bring into the World with us And from that morall virtue which may be acquired by our own diligence and industry whereas this is the work of Gods spirit in us and an evidence of our future salvation 1 Ioh. 3. 14. For we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren he that loveth not his brother with this holy love abideth in death This love you see hath a two fold Objection God and man The latter I conceive is principally meant in this Text therfore I shal speak to that it is an uniting and cementing Grace that soders mens hearts one to another as Jonathans to David 1 Sam. 18. 1. The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and he loved him as his own soul And this is that which the Apostle exhorts us to Eph. 4. 2. 4. Forbearing one another in love endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace And Col. 2. 2. That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love And this is that for which the Primitive Christians were so famous Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul c. Quest What arguments may we
overspread with Popery and profanesse where the people perish for lack of Knowledge and that for want of a godly able and faithfull Ministry And that for want of meanes to maintain such amongst them And may we not some way or other be instrumentall this day to help them to the bread of life where we first drew in our breath of life 2. Is there not a great want of Schools in some parts of the County whereby the poorer sort of Inhabitants who cannot maintain their children abroad at publick schools are disabled to breed them up in Knowledge and learning as otherwise they might and would do 3. Are there not many Widdowes and Orphans of godly Ministers and Christians whose husbands and Parents have been ruined and undone in the late plundering times Warwickshire having born as great a share therein as most Counties in England and whose present and pressing necessities cry aloud unto us for reliefe and pitty 4. Are there not many hopefull youths whose Parents are unable to send and place them in this City who might be far more serviceable to God and their Country as your own experience manifesteth And may there not be some stock of monies raised for the taking of and placing forth such and when they come out of their time to lend unto them gratis upon good security for a certain time which might enable them to live comfortably all their life after Christian friends I take not upon me to prescribe which or how many of these shall be taken into your consideration but surely to further such good works will be very acceptable to God and worthy our present meeting Let us therefore according to the words of my Text Provoke one another to love and to good works Quest But who are they that must do such good works Answ. 1. It 's a duty that most especially is incumbent upon rich men the Scripture every where calling upon them to be rich in good works as 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate For God gives them not riches to hoard up and to lie by them but to do good with them and for this cause there are poor alwaies with us that rich men might never want objects of their charity and liberality whereas the earth being the Lords and the fulnesse thereof he could make all rich but he will not do it as Mar. 14. 7. Our Saviour Christ tells us The poor ye have alwaies with you and whensoever you will you may do them good Yea we must do good unto them and if we have any love to God wee cannot but expresse it by shewing our love this way to his poor members For 1 Iohn 3. 17. Who so hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shuteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him By which interrogation is implyed a more vehement negation viz. that certainly the love of God dwelleth not in such a man Yea the Apostle James thundereth against such mercilesse and hardhearted rich men as are nothing affected with the miseries and wants of their poor brethren Jam. 2. 13. He shall have judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy As we see in the example of the rich man in Hell that was denyed a drop of water because he had denied to relieve poor Lazarus Non habuit guttam quia non dedit micam saith Saint Augustine He had not a drop of water because he had denyed a crumb of bread What good then will all your riches do you whilst gaining the world you lose your own soules Yea I desire covetous rich men often to read that flaming Text Iam. 5. 1 2 3. Go to now yee rich men weep and howl for the miseries which shall come upon you Your riches are corrupted and your garments motheaten Your gold and silver is cankred and the rust of them will be a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped up treasure together for the last daies 2. Yet the poorer sort also must give something out of their poverty For there are none of us here present that are so poor but there are others poorer and in such a case we must remember the widdow Mar. 12. 42. Who cast in two mites which make a farthing and see how gratefull this was unto Christ who did not onely take notice of it and commend it to his Disciples but hath left it upon record to her everlasting credit that she of her want did cast in all she had even {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} All her life or livelyhood How also doth the holy Apostle Paul commend the poor Macedonians for their Bounty to their poor brethren in Judeah 2 Cor 7. 2 3. That in a great triall of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberallity For to their power I bear record and beyond their power they were willing of themselves where we see their poverty was no hindrance to their liberallity towards those that were poorer then themselves And though such persons have little to give yet let them give a little of that little and they shall not lose their reward Mat. 10. 42. Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you saith Christ he shall in no wise lose his reward Ye know how the Lord blessed the poor widdow of Sarepta for relieving the Prophet Elijah in his wants 1 King 17. 16. 3. But suppose thou hast nothing to give though it can hardly be supposed yet look upon the wants of thy native Country and contribute prayers for those that are in misery there This will cost thee nothing out of thy purse Yea bleed over their necessities and let the bowels of thy compassion erne over them Et si nihil alâ—ud habes da Lachrymulam magnum enlm solatium afflicto est in sericordia saith Gregory Nazianzen If thou hast nothing else give a tribute of tears For it 's a great comfort for those that are in misery to be commiserated and pittied Look upon the blind places of the Country which are overgrown with Popery and profanesse and doe as thy Master Christ commands Mat. 9. 37. 38. The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he will send forth labourers into his Harvest Look also upon their bodily wants and if thou hast not wherewithall to supply them be active in perswading others to liberality It was the great commendations of Ephrem Syrus that when he had nothing himselfe to give to the
use to provoke one another to love Answ. 1. Propter praeceptum Because of the command of God and were there no other reason for it this should be instar omnium instead of all Because God will have it so Indeed I may say of this as David doth of Goliaths sword There is none to that We see how peremptorily our Apostle requires it here Provoke unto love and our Saviour Christ is not lesse urgent Joh. 13. 34. A new commandement I give unto you that yee love one another and this precept he backs with the best president As I have loved you that ye also love one another And that beloved Disciple that seems to be wholly composed of love doth often inculcate it 1 Ioh. 3. 16. He would have our love so ardent as to lay down our lives for the brethren and ver. 18. Let us not love in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth and ver 23. This is his commandement that we love one another and Chap. 4. 7. Let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loves is born of God and knows God and verse 11. If God so loved us we ought also to love one another and ver. 12. If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us and in diverse other places of his Epistles But to this diverse other arguments may be added As 2. Propter unitatem Because of that unity and Onenesse that is amongst us we are all men therefore of the same kind and the Apostle tells us Act. 17. 26. that God hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth Yea more We are all Christians and therefore should love one another Yet more We are all English men and therefore should love one another Once again We are all the same County Warwickshire men and therefore should love one another To all which unities may be added one more if we are the same in truth as we are in profession we are all members of the same mysticall body whereof Christ is the head Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another 3. Propter bonitatem pulchritudinem Because of the goodness and comlinesse of it Love is an amiable Grace as afterwards I shall shew It 's lovely in the eyes both of God man Yea they which want it themselves yet admire and love it in others Psa. 133. 1. David set's an Ecce before it Ecce quam bonum c. Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity 4. Propter firmitatem Because it strengthens us against adversaries the old Maxim is Divide impera They are easie to be ridden by every Usurper who are first divided amongst themselves Hence it was that Micypsa lying on his death-bead called all his sons together and caused them to write this sentence in Golden letters Concordiâ parvae res crescunt Discordiâ magnae dilabuntur By concord small things are encreased and strengthned But by discord the greatest are overthrown And you know the story of Scillurus who likewise calling for his eighty sons upon his death-bed told them that whilst they continued knit together in brotherly love like a bundle of darts or sheaf of Arrows they would be altogether invincible but if once disjoyned or severed by hatred they would quickly become a prey to their adversaries 5. Propter similitudinem Because of that likenesse that is amongst us And similitudo gignit amorem Likenes breeds love We see it in all tame and profitable creatures who loving each other in regard of likenesse feed and flock together similis gaudet simili Like loves his like And truly we are more brutish then they if this moves us not to love one another Indeed it 's the property of wild beasts as of Lions Bears Tygres c. to love solitude in howling Wildernesses and to walk abroad alone and if they meet to intertear one another But though the great Tyrants of the world joyne house to house and field to field that they may dwell alone Yet seeing God hath made us sociable creatures and Religion hath made us Christians Let us provoke one another to love 6. Propter propinquitatem Because of that near alliance and kindred that is amongst us If we be reall as well as Nominall Christians we have all one Father God One Mother the Church One Redeemer Jesus Christ One Sanctifier The Holy Ghost Are nourished at the same breasts The sincere milk of Gods word Are heirs to the same Kingdom The Kingdome of Heaven and are often told by Gods word that we are all brethren Hence the Apostle Peter inferrs that we should love as brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. 7. Because it is the best Ornament that we can put upon us Better then a chain to the neck or a Ring to the finger Yea we should cloath our selves with love as with a Garment Col. 3. 14. Above all put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse But alas It 's now almost out of fashion Many talke indeed of love but shew no fruits of it as some boast of costly Garments in their Wardrobes or Chests but wear them not whereas God hath given us this Garment of love to wear neither need we fear wearing of it out as we may other Garments For it 's the better for using as Gold is for rubbing that shines the brighter yet as we are not born with cloths on our back nor with chaines about our neck So neither are wee borne with this Grace of love in our hearts but are by nature hateful and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. 8. The sacred Scriptures heap up many motives to stir us up to love as 1. It will prove us to be true Disciples of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ not spurious nor bastards Ioh. 13. 35. By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if ye have love one to another 2. It will be a great ornament to our profession and will beautifie the Gospell of Jesus Christ Tertullian tells us that in his time the mutuall love amongst Christians was so eminent and remarkable that the Heathens taking notice of it could say Ecce quam invicem se diligunt Christiani Behold how loving the Christians are one to another 3. It will declare and demonstrate the truth of our Faith Gal. 5. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by love 4. It shewes that we are translated from death to life 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and hereby we may know that we are so Yea fifthly Love is the life of God Angells and Heaven Of God for God is love 1 John 4. 8. Of the blessed Angels for there is nothing but love and concord amongst them Of Heaven for that wil perfect our love put an end to all the
differences which are too rife even amongst Gods own people in this world when holy Grynaeus lay upon his death-bead he told a friend that came to visit him that he was going to that place ubi Luthero cum Zuinglio optime convenit where Luther and Zuinglius agreed well though they could never agree upon earth 5. In regard of the eternity of this grace it is that the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 8. tells us that charity never fails and in this regard prefers it before Faith and Hope verse 13. Now abides Faith Hope and Charity but the greatest of these is Charirity 6. It 's a signe we walke by the light of Gods Word and spirit 1 Ioh. 2. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him 7. This Grace is of God and sheweth that we are born of God 1 Ioh. 4. 7. Let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God 8. Without this Grace of love no duty is accepted though never so difficult or specious in the eyes of the World 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing 9. Love will draw love from others Cos Amoris amor Love is the whetstone or Load stone rather of Love ut ameris Ama If you would be beloved of others you must love others Love is a coin that must be returned in its own kind the excellent properties of it are further set forth by the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 13. 4. 5. c. Charity suffereth long and is kind c. But we must remember as was said before that love comes from God and therefore must be begged of God 1 Ioh. 4. 7. All these things considered will furnish you with arguments enough wherewith to provoke both your selves and one another to love Especially if on the contrary we do but remember what evills are attributed by the spirit of God to the contrary vice of hatred 1 Ioh. 2. 11. He that hates his brother is in darknesse and walks in darknesse 1. John 3. 15. Who soever hateth his brother is a murderer and we know that no murderer hath eternall life abiding in him 1 John 4. 4. 20. If any man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a liar For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen And thus I have opened and proved the first part of my Doctrine I am come now to the second That it 's the duty of all Christians to provoke one another to good works Now in the prosecution of this Thesis or Position we shall dispatch three things First to speak something by way of explication Secondly by way of confirmation Thirdly by way of Application First for Explication we shall answer severall Queries As Quest What work may be called good Answ. There are three ingredients required to make up good works 1. They must be good materialiter or in the matter of them They must be such things as are either commanded or at least approved of by God Else he will say unto us Who hath required these things at your hands There are indeed many actions which glister much in the eyes of the World and yet are an abomination in the eyes of God As the Popish Fastings Pilgrimages Bead-prayers giving their Prayers to God by number not by weight of which I may say as the Apostle Col. 2. 23. Which things indeed have a shew of wisdom in Will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body and yet the Lord abhors them 2. They must be good quoad fontem they must proceed from a right principle A good heart a pure conscience and faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandement saith the Apostle is Charity out of a pure heart c. Charity we know is a work commended by God and yet it 's not accepted except it come from a good Fountain a good heart and a pure conscience For the same Apostle tells us Tit. 1. 15. Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure because their mind and conscience is defiled He tells us also Heb. 11. 6. that without faith it is impossible to please God and therefore all works though materially good if done by unbelievers they are but splendida peccata as the Father said But specious and glittering sins 3. They must be good quoad finem They must tend to a right end viz. the glory of God in our own and the salvation of others Christus opera nostra non tam actibus quam finibus pensat saith Zanchy God doth not so much judhe of and weigh our works by the actions as by the ends The want of a right end made Cain's sacrifice and 〈◊〉 zeal and the Pharisees Fastings and Prayers and Almes abomination to the Lord who searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins and knows all our thoughts a far of Wee must therefore look well to our end in all our works and see that as the Sun puts out the light of the fire so the glory of God puts out all other selfish ends whatsoever Quest But what good works should we provoke one another to upon this occasion Answ. The most seasonable is at this our feast to remember the place of our Nativity the Country where we were born and to doe some good for that I shall humbly propose these good works to your Christian considerations First laying down this Position That the chiefest work of mercy is that which tends to the benefiting and enriching of other mens souls The Gospel indeed hath through Gods mercy been preached and professed in Warwickshire ever since the first reformation in King Edward the sixth his daies of glorious memory and many blessed Martyrs suffered there for the truth under that Marian Persecution which followed As sincere Sanders gracious Glover and many others I could also name unto you many famous lights set up in the Candlestick of Warwickshire in the reign of our three late Soveraignes besides such as are now there living So that that Country hath been a Goshen when many other parts of the Nation have been in a Cymerian and Egyptian darknesse Yea give me leave to tell you that which it may be you have not formerly taken notice of that in Warwickshire about the yeare of our Lord 1519. the little Park by Coventry was perfumed with the odours of six of the Saints bodies burned in it upon one day for their profession and perseverance in the truth Besides diverse others which suffered not long after So that it appears that before the name of Luther was heard of in the Christian world Religion was propagated in our Native Country Yet 1. Are there not some blind and barren places in the same