and perfect working and the issue will bee increase of beleevers let faith have her perfect working and the issue will bee increase of love and let love have her perfect working and the whole world will be so refined that God will be all in all for hee that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God in whom ever fare you well and bee cheerefull THE POVVER OF LOVE Tit. 2. 11 12. The grace or love of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously godly in this present world IT is evident though it be little regarded or considered the more is the pity that in naturall things all things whatsoever that are necessary for the use of mankinde the use of them is to be understood easily with out study or difficulty every Capacity is capable thereof and not only so but they are all likewise ready at hand or easily to be had a blessing that God hath afforded to every man insomuch that there is no part of the habitable world but yeeldes sufficient of usefull things for a comfortable and pleasant sustentation of the inhabitants as experience testifieth in all places and Saint Paul witnessed that God left himselfe not without witnesse in that he did good gave them raine from heaven and fruitfull seasons feeding their hearts with foode and gladnesse by all which it plainely appeares that God ever intendeth unto man a pleasant and comfortable life you know it is said that God made man righteous but he sought out many inventions that is he made him naturally a rationall creature judging rightly of all things and desiring only what was necessary and so being exempt from all labour and care of obtaining things superfluous he passed his dayes with aboundance of delight and contentment until he sought out unto himselfe many inventions inventions of superfiuous subtilities and artificiall things which have beene multiplied with the ages of the world every age still producing new so now in these latter times we see nothing but mens inventions in esteeme and the newer the more precious if I should instance in particulars I should or might be endlesse as in diet your selves know to your costs for it costs you not only your monyes but your healths and length of dayes that this fruitfull nation sufficeth not to furnish scarce the meanest meale you make but something must be had to please the luxurious palate from forraine and farre countryes and ever the farther the better and the dearer the more acceptable you know likewise the excessive provision that is made for entertainments and set meetings where all grosse meates you know my meaning must be banished and nothing admitted but what is rare and fine and full of invention in the dresses sauces and manner of service where all the senses must be pleased to the heighth of all possible conceipt If I should reckon up your new inventions for buildings and furniture for your houses and the common costlinesse of your apparell and should set before you the manifold vexations perplexities distractions cares and inconveniences that accrew unto you by these your vaine and ridiculous follies I might be endlesse therein also and lose my labour for there is no hope that I should prevaile for a reformation of these things when your daily experience scourges you continually therunto in one kind or other and all in vaine yet I shall take leave to tell you that in these things you walke not as becommeth the gospell of Christ but are carnall and walke as men as vaine fantasticall inconsiderate men such as very heathen and meere naturall men would be a shamed of their experience that a life according to nature to be content with little with what was ever ready and easy to be had was the most pleasant life and exempt from all vexations was instruction sufficient unto many of them to frame themselves thereunto and to abandon all kindes of superfluities without retaining the least thereby obtained a freedome to apply themselves to the consideration and practise of wisedome and vertue It is a wonderfull thing to my understanding that men should call themselves Christians and professe to be religious and to be diligent readers of Scripture and hearers of Sermons and yet content themselves to bee indeed in many things carnall and to walke as did the most indiscreete and inconsiderate Gentiles Doth the Scripture teach no more then nature teacheth though it doe infinitely yet your practise compared with wise considerate naturall men declares it doth not how extreamely then thinke you doe you cause the name of God to be blasphemed Doe you thinke it is sufficient that you are not drunkards nor adulterers nor usurers nor contentious persons nor covetous beloved if you will truely deserve the name of Christians it is not sufficient but you are to abandon all superfluities all poring after vaine superfluous things and thereby to exempt your selves from all unnecessary cares that choake the Word and bee at liberty to consider and to apply your selves freely to the continuall contemplation of the infinite love of God evidently and plainely set forth unto you in his blessed word as in the words that I have read un-you for as it is in naturall things so holds it in spirituall God hath dealt abundantly well with us there being nothing that is necessary either for the enlightning of our understandings or the peace of our mindes but what hee hath plainely declared and manifestly set forth in his Word so plainely that the meanest capacity is fully capable of a right understanding thereof and need not to doubt but that he is so I will not say that God is not more good unto us then we are hurtfull to our selves for his goodnesse is more availeable to our welfare then our evill can be to our misery but wee are as evill to our selves in all things as we can be possible and that not onely in naturall things but likewise in spirituall and divine things too for therein also we have our inventions the plaine and evident places of Scripture manifestly declaring our peace and reconciliation with God is become nauseous to us they make salvation too easie to be understood and tender it upon too easie tearmes and too generall this Manna that comes to us without our labour industry study and watching is two fulsome something that hath bones in it must bee found out and will become more acceptable every child or babe in Christs Schoole can understand these We are full growne men in Christ wee have spent our time in long and painefull studies and have full knowledge in all Arts and sciences there is no place of Scripture too hard for us shew us the mysteries we cannot reveale the Parables that wee cannot clearely open the Prophesies that wee cannot interpret a word or Syllable that wee cannot fitly apply or the most palpable seeming contradiction that we cannot reconcile nay it is to
whether the love of God doth more appeare unto you now then it hath done formerly surely it is impossible but you must be sensible of his love it is so full and absolute so free and unexpecting love How is it possible you should heare and not consider had it not beene for this unexpressible and unexampled love you had beene eternally wretched and miserable companions of Devils and damned spirits in Hell for ever where the Worme never dieth and the fire never goeth out me thinkes you should embrace this love with open armes and meditate thereupon day and night it deserveth to be entertained with the greatest respect and to be esteemed above ten thousand lives for beloved though it comes freely to you and costs you nothing no not so much as a sigh or teare yet if you read over the story of our Saviours passion and sufferings you will finde it was purchased at an excessive price excessive paines and excessive torments nay it is even past wonder that he that thought it no robbery to be equall to God should be in the forme of a servant and become obedient to death even the most bitter death of the Crosse for our sinnes that he should be made sinne for us that knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him me thinkes these and the like considerations should be powerfull in your minds that your spirits should even burne within you untill you found out some way to expresse your thankfulnesse for so great so infinite love I cannot suspect the most vitious man in the world but that hearing these things his heart will make strict enquiry what he shall render unto the Lord for all his benefits and his heart once moving in thoughts of thankfulnesse will instantly be inflamed with love which in an instant refines the whole man God is love and love makes man God-like and henceforth let me pray you to marke the workings of love in your owne soules and you shall finde that when your long accustomed corruptions by which you have wounded your owne consciences and brought dishonour to God and reproach to the holy name of Christians doe tempt to the like abominable actions your love to God that so freely hath loved you will be so prevalent with you that you will resolve rather to lose your lives then to show your selves so basely ungratefull the vanities you have delighted in will become odious unto you all your labour will be that your conversation be as becommeth the Gospel of Christ nay you will shunne the very appearance of evill and if your brother offend you in any kinde whatsoever you will finde no difficulty to forgive if you doe doe but thinke of the love wherewith Christ hath loved you and nothing can be imagined so abominably injurious but you will gladly forgive And if you have this worlds goods and that brother lacke you will rejoyce that you have an occasion and means to make known unto the world how powerfully the love of God dwelleth in you you will be able to doe all things through love that strengthens you Love will be as a new light in your understandings by which you will judge quite otherwise of all things then formerly you haved on the vanities and superfluities which in the beginning of my discourse I reckoned up unto you will seeme odious unto you and you will no longer fashion your selves like unto this world but will walk as becommeth the Gospel of Christ you will no longer minde high things but make your selves equall to men of low degree you will no longer value men and women according to their wealth or outward shewes but according to their vertue as the love of God appeareth in them nay if you be studious in this worke of love nothing will be more deare unto you then the glory of God who hath so infinitely loved you so as you will be most zealously opposite to whatsoever is opposite unto God you will sinde it nothing to hazzard your lives for God in defence of his truth from errour in defence of your brother or neighbour from oppression or tyranny love makes you no longer your owne but Gods servants and prompts you to doe his will in the punishment of all kinde of exorbitances whether it be breach of oathes breach of trust or any kinde of injustice in whomsoever and to be no respecter of persons nor will any ones greatnesse over-sway or daunt your resolutions but you will be bold as Lions not fearing the faces of men you will when neede requires that is when tyrants and oppressors endeavour by might and force to pervert all Lawes and compacts amongst men and to pervert the truth of God into a lie interpreting his sacred word as patron of their unjust power as if any unjust power were of God and were not to be resisted I say such insolencies as these will inflame your zeale and set you all on fire manfully to fight the Lords battell and to bring into subjection those abominable imaginations and ungodly courses of men your judgements will be so well informed as you will know these things are by God referred unto you and you will not resigne them up to him but willingly sacrifice your lives and fortunes and all that is neare and deare unto you rather then suffer his name to be so blasphemed or your innocent brethren or your wives and children to become a prey to wicked and bloud-thirsty men The politicians of this world would have religious men to be fooles not to resist no by no meanes lest you receive damnation urging Gods holy Word whilst they proceed in their damnable courses but beloved they will finde that true Christians are of all men the most valiant defenders of the just liberties of their Countrey and the most zealous preservers of true Religion vindicating the truths of God with their lives against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men making thereby the whole world to know that true Christianity hates and abhorres tyranny oppression perjury cruelty deceipt and all kinde of filthinesse and true Christians to be the most impartiall and most severe punishers thereof and of all kinde of wickednesse of any men whatsoever Great is the power of love for love makes men to bee of one mind and what can bee too strong for men united in love and therefore I shall warne you to marke and consider those that make divisions amongst you I pray mistake me not I doubt you are too apt in this case to make a wrong application I doe not meane that you should marke those that are different from you in judgement with any ridiculous or reproachfull names but my advice is that you marke those that make divisions amongst you and those are they that have invented a name of reproach for every particular difference in judgement and in their publike Sermons and private discourses endeavour might and maine to keep at the widest distance and by odious
tales and false imputations make you irreconciliable nay make you even ready to cut one anothers throates or by this division prepare you for your common adversaries to cut both yours and theirs too difference in judgement there will be untill love have a more powerfull working in our hearts wee should therefore like wise men at least beare with one anothers infirmities love will cover all that can bee called infirmity but resolved malice love it selfe will punish Such opinions as are not destructive to humane society nor blaspheme the worke of our Redemption may be peaceably endured and considered in love and in case of conspiracy against our common liberty what a madnesse is it for men to stand in strife about petty opinions for who are all those that are so much railed at by our common Preachers who are they say they why they are the most dangerous Anabaptists Brownists and Separatists that are enemies to all order and decency that cry down all learning and all government in the Church or Common-wealth Beloved to my knowledg these things are not true of any of them it is true they cannot do al things so orderly and decently as they would because they are hunted into corners and from one corner to another and are not free to exercise their consciences as had they liberty they might and would And as for learning as learning goes now adaies what can any judicious man make of it but as an Art to deceive and abuse the understandings of men and to mislead them to their ruine if it be not so whence comes it that the Universities and University men throughout the Kingdome in great numbers are opposers of the welfare of the Common-wealth and are pleaders for absurdities in government arguers for tyranny and corrupt the judgements of their neighbours no man can be so simple as to imagine that they conceive it not lawfull or not usefull for men to understand the Hebrew Greeke or Latine but withall if they conceive there is no more matter in one language then another nor no cause why men should be so proud for understanding of languages as therefore to challenge to themselves the sole dealing in all spirituall matters who I say can blame them for this judgement they desire that a mans ability of judgement should be proved by the cleare expression of necessary truths rather then by learning and since the Scriptures are now in English which at first were in Hebrew Greeke or Syriack or what other language why may not one that understands English onely both understand and dâ—clare the true meaning of them as well as an English Hebrician or Grecian or Roman whatsoever I but saies some politick learned man a man that doth not understand the Originall language cannot so perfectly give the sense of the Scripture as he that doth or as one that makes it his study for ten or twenty yeares together and hath no other employment every man being best skilled in his owne profession wherein he hath been bred and accustomed I did well to say some politicke learned man might thus object for indeed what is here but policie for if it be as such men would imply I pray what are you the better for having the Scripture in your owne language when it was lock'd up in the Latine tongue by the policie of Rome you might have had a learned Fryar for your money at any time to have interpreted the same and though now you have it in your owne language you are taught not to trust your owne understanding have a care of your purses you must have an University man to interpret the English or you are in as bad a case as before but not in worse for for your money you may have plenty at your service to interpret as best shall please your fancie Let me prevaile with you to free your selves from this bondage and to trust to your own considerations in any thing that is usefull for your understandings and consciences and judge more charitably of your brethren understand what learning is and to marke those that cause divisions among you and you shal finde that they are learned men not unlearned The learned man must live upon the unlearned and therfore when the unlearned shal presume to know as much as the learned hath not the learned man cause to bestir his wits and towrangle too when his Copy-hold is in such danger I pray what was the cause that Demetr and the Craftsmen cried out great is Diana of the Ephesians whom al Asia and the world worship was it the love to the goddesse or her worship no we find it was their covetousnesse and particular gaine What is it els to cry out great is learning great are the Universities who shall answer an adversary money answereth all things ambition covetousnesse disdaine pride and luxury are the things aimed at and if it be not so by the fruits you shall certainely know As for government those that are accused are not guilty for they are enemies onely to usurpations and innovations and exorbitances in government indeed they are haters of tyranny and all arbitrary power but no other and therefore those that falsely accuse them are they that cause and foment divisions amongst you therefore marke them and be not deceived by their dissembled insinuations to hold you in division whilst they have oportunity to make a prey of you You know there are Wolves in Sheepes cloathing be wise as Serpents able to discover them innocent as Doves gently bearing with the infirmities of the weake having nothing in more esteeme then love thus you will answer love with love that henceforwards your owne soulâ—s may constantly witnes to your selves what this Scripture expresseth That the love of God bringing salvation to all men hath appeared teaching you to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Now unto him that hath loved us and washed away ous sinnes in his owne bloud be praise and glory for ever Amen FINIS