by feeding his Flocke Peter saith he louest thou mee Feed my Lambs feed my Sheepe Feed my Sheepe Pasce mente pasce ore pasce opere pasce animi oratione verbi abhortatione exempli exhibitione Feede them saith Bernard with thy minde Feed them with thy mouth feed them with thy worke feed them with the prayer of thy heart with the exhortation of the word with setting them a good ensample What other thing saith Saint August is this If thou loue mee Feed my sheepe then if it had bene saidâ— If thou loue mee do not thinke to feede thy selfe but my Sheepe Feâ—d them as mine not as thine seeke my glory in them not thine my Lordship not thine my gaines not thine Which speech when Saint Paul as Chrysostome speaketh had heard was vttered to Saint Peter hee studied to declare this loue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen in the superlatiue degree And vndoubtedly doubtedly there is no Minister which doth truely loue GOD but hee will bee carefull to feed the people of GOD which are the Sheepe of His Pasture committed to him and Depending on him And hee that onely looketh after the Fleece but leaueth his Flocke at sixe and seuens doth bewray his loue of the world but declares no loue to GOD. Finally GOD will bee loued in his Sonne IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of the Virgine Mary For he that hateth me saith CHRIST hateth my FATHER also Except yee beleeue that I am HEE yee shall die in your sinnes Which shewes the fearefull estate of vnbeleeuing Turkes Iewes and Pagans And most worthy is hee of our loue For hee is White and Ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand and wholly delectable Being GOD hee hath married our flesh Hee came downe from heauen that wee might go vp to heauen Hee serued to make vs free Hee became poore to make vs rich Hee was made a curse that wee might bee blest Hee died that wee might liue Hee was Crucified that wee might bee Crowned And that our loue vnto him might appeare true let vs try it by these two notes First by our care to know and keepe his Lawes euen to the death For saith CHRIST If yee loue me keepe my Commandements Hee that keepes them loues mee Hee that loues mee not keepeth not my words If wee breake them at our pleasure and preferre our gaine or gaming or any thing else to them truely wee loue him not For did wee indeed loue him wee would bee loath to offend him and would make more estimation of Him and his Word then of any earthly thing Secondly try thy loue to CHRIST by thine endeuour to bee Like him For true loue causeth imitation CHRIST was the mirrour of Mercy very Meeke Humble Patient and Zealous of GODS Glory Hee went vp and downe doing good Hee prayed for his persecutors FATHER fogiue them Canst thou for CHRIST pray for thine enemies CHRIST forgaue thee wilt thou for CHRIST forgiue him that wrongs thee that reuiles thee to thy face that bites thee behind thy backe that scornes thee hates thee troubles thee If thou dost thou louest him but if thy heart bee so great thou wilt not where is thy loue For vnderstand thus much where CHRIST is loued there CHRIST loues where CHRIST loues there he liues and where hee liues there the flesh with the lusts thereof dies so then hee that liues out of Charity in the spirit of rancour hatred and reuenge and will not controule his corruptions hee is not CHRISTS CHRIST liues not in him he liues not in CHRIST he loues not CHRIST hee loues not God but is in the state of death how well soeuer hee conceiueth of himselfe For tell me dost thou thinke that CHRIST liues in an heart of Oake of Adamant No no but in an heart that is humble meeke and louing And what thankfulnesse what loue is shewed vnto CHRIST when thou wilt not pardon him whom CHRIST doth pardon when thou wilt not forgiue him whom CHRIST hath died for when thou wilt not vouchsafe him thy pardon to whom CHRIST hath giueÌ„ himselfe when thou I say thou wilt not forgiue CHRIST hauing forgiuen thee and hauing giuen Himselfe vnto thee yea and thy selfe vnto thy selfe for by thy sinnes thou hadst lost thy selfe Certainely therefore thou must forgiue for CHRIST or else beleeue it thou dost not loue CHRIST Let vâ— therefore deale truely with our selues examining our hearts and practises by the fore-named notes and wee shall easily see whether the loue of GOD and of his Sonne CHRIST IESVS bee in vs or whether the loue of the world and of our selues beare sway with in vs. And so much concerning the Loue of GOD to which we are exhorted The reasons which the Psalmist vseth to perswade vs to this duety follow One is drawne from the Louing and courteous dealing of GOD with them that are faithfull in their loue and seruice to him the other is taken from the seuerity of his Iustice against those that out of pride and obstinacy cast of his yoke and care not for to loue and serue him The former is set forth in these words The LORD preserueth the faithfull A man may bee said to bee faithfull in a double sense First he that beleeueth in GOD and giues credite to his Word is a faithfull man and to this Faith diffidence and incredulity is opposed and by this kind of faith a man laies hold vpon the mercy of GOD in CHRIST for his Iustification Secondly hee that may bee beleeued for his truth hee that is iust and true in his words and dealings is a faithfull man For faith Fides is of fio to be done Fac quod dicis fides est do what thou saist and it is Faith saith Saint Austen Then saith Gregory are wee truely faithfull if what wee promise in word wee performe in deed To this kind of faith treachery falshood and hypocrisie is opposed So that he that doth truely loue GOD and is a faithfull keeper of his Doctrine and forgets not his promise to him in his Baptismâ— but is carefull and studious to performe it hee may bee said to bee a faithfull man Such a faithfull man was Caleb Who followed GOD still and had another Spirit then those tempting and disobedient Israelites had which were not suffred to enter into Canaan Such a faithfull man was Moses who was faithfull in GODS House Such a one was Dauid of whom GOD spake saying I haue found Dauid the son of Iesse a man after mine owne heart which will do all things that I will Such were Zacharias and Elizabeth that walked in all the Commandements and Oâ—dinances of GOD without reproofe Finally such were all the Martyrs of CHRIST who rather then they would betray his truth and make shipwracke of their faith and conscience indured all manner of torments and refused no kinde of death which was deuised for them
Now those that are thus faithfull GOD doth preserue them saith Dauid Sometimes hee preserues them by vouchsafing them deliuerance from dangers as in his Wisdome he sees conuenient whiles they liue heere as hee preserued Noah in the Floud Let out of Sodome Dauid in many dangers Daniel among the Lyons the three Confessours in the fire our Religious King with many others from that infernall Powder-plot of the Papists and infinite are his sauours of this kind But further hee preâ—â—rueth the saithfull as concerning their soules and the spirituall and eternall happinesse of both body and soule For hee hath engrauen them vpon the palmes of his hands Hee will Neuer turne away from them to doe them good but gards them by his power through faith as Saint Peter teacheth vnto saluation that in the end they shall attaine to the end of their faith the felicity of their soules without end This should stir vs vp to loue this good GOD and to shew our selues faithfull to him in our seruice the Crowne of life is promist to the faithfull wee desire faith of GOD and exact it of others let vs then bee faithfull our selues This faithfulnesse may bee demonstrated fiue waies First by being carefull to know the will of our Maister and diligent to keepe all his Precepts For if wee will not endeuour to please him in all things but will bee Licentious Libertines in some things wee are very Herods hypocrites and disloyall our hearts are not vpright with Him but do go an whoring after our owne desires Hee is no faithfull seruant which will do but what hee list himselfe Secondly faithfulnesse is seene in trouble If thou bee faint in the day of aduersity thy strength is small A friend that forsakes in affliction was no friend but of himselfe So hee that shall forsake GOD deny his Truth embrace errours by reason of persecution doth betray GOD to his power and shewes a false and vnfaithfull spirit hath possest him Fidem nemo vnquam perdit nisi qui non habet No man euer looseth faith but hee that hath it not For Faith if it be not feyned is very valorous and trusty Nulla necessitate ad fallendum cogitur nullo corrumpitur pramio It is compelled to falshood by no necessity it is corrupted by no reward Vre coede occide Burne beate kill do what you will it will not perish It is like Camomill which being troden vpon smels the better or like the Chrysoprasus which as Zanchy writeth shines more cleerely in the darke then in the light Thirdly a faithfull seruant will delight to saue his Maisters gaine and is glad to see his Maisters customers increase euen so hee that is faithful-hearted towards GOD will reioyce to see his Kingdome flourish his Word receiued his Lawes obserued his graces esteemed and his Customers or Chapmen that come to buy them of him multiplied Fourthly if a Maister shall allow his seruant time to dispatch all his owne businesses but withal appoint him a certaine time to doe him seruice in if this seruant shall not onely spend his owne time alotted him by his Maister as hee list himselfe but will also mis-â—pend that time which his Maister commands him to spend for him mis-spend it I say in idlenes leudnes gaming wickednes or otherwise vpon himselfe and not vpon his maister this seruant is vnfaithfull to his maister and as I thiâ—kâ— if hee will not breake this câ—stome his maister will not keepe him but turne him packing So are tâ—ose vâ—faithful vnto God that prophane his holy Sabboth which hee hath saâ—ctâ—fied for himselfe by their merchanâ—ising gadding gaming rioting and such prophâ—ne behauiour And I feare thaâ— if thâ—y will not mend these manners Sâ—d vox faucib â—â— hâ—râ—t On the contrary they that are carefull to spend their maisters time in their maisters worship as in prayer reading hearing mâ—ditation singing of Psalmes doing the workes of mercy and the like these shew themselues faithfull to him and as they are carefull to keepe his Sâ—bboth on earth before him so shal they certainly celebrate an euerlasting Sabboth in heauen with him Finally a seruant is not therefore to be counted faithfull because hee is entertained in his Maisters house and weares his cloth and eates his meate and heares him speake For say he be not afraid to displease him suppose he shall corrupt anâ— peruert the mindes of any of his fellowes and bring them to be stout and saucie or lazie and vntrue and imagine he doth secretly coÌ„spire with his Maisters foes and do seruice vnderhand or openly for them will yee say that this is a faithfull seruant or rather a Fals-hearted and wicked Knaue So euen so a man is not presently to bee counted faithfull and true to God because he is admitted into his Hoâ—se which is the Church because he is baptized which is his liuery because hee is called or reputed his seruant because hee receiues the Sacrament which is as it were his bread because he heares his maister speake vnto him in his Ministers For we may say of a Christian as Saint Paul saith of a Iew and of Baptisme as he speakes of Circumcision All they are not Israel which are of Israel neither are they all Children because they are the seede of Abraham He is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is â—lew that is one within and the circumcision is of the Heart in the Spirit not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God So we may say euery man is not faithfull vnto God that is counted or called Godly but he that proues his heart and practises vnto God He is not faithfull that is come of faithfull parents vnlesse he partake with them in their faith as well as in their flesh A man is not indeed a Christian because hee is so named or reputed except he be flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone except he bee annointed with the Oyle of gladnesse and haue the Spirit of Christ to rule him Neither is that Baptisme which stands in water onely Flumine non Flamine For true Baptisme is to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and Water with the bloud of Christ as well as with water Neither hath he any benefite by the Sacrament that doth not receiue Panem Dominum the Lord who is the bread and staffe of our soules as well as Panem Domini the bread of the Lord which the Lords Steward doth dispense vnto vs. Those therefore that feare not Gods displeasure that would seduce his seruants from their allegeance to him that are at a league as it were with sinne and conspire with Sathan and doe him seruice all these whatsoeuer notwithstanding their place in the Church their hearing of Sermons their comming to Church and receiuing of Sacraments and al-be-it
nothing in the world which doth deserue our loue so as GOD doth or which should stand cheeke by ioule with him in our affections For first a man may loue men and yet not bee loued of them For as it sometimes falleth out the more that some are loued the lesse they loue affecting them least that loue them most But the more any man loues GOD the more hee may bee sure that GOD loues him Not that GOD is drawne to loue for the merite of our loue But because our loue to him is a fruit of his loue to vs and increaseth as his Euen as the more heate is which commeth from a wall or from the ground the more it argues that the Sunne beats vpon it Secondly earthly things as riches honour credite preferments and the like cannot giue a man such contentment as may bee found in GOD. For they are momentany and vncertaine but GOD is cerraine constant and eternall They are mingled with some-thing which may displease vs But GOD is altogether profitable and full of pleasure A man may bee glutted with them hee may loue them too well hee may surfeit on them hee may ioy so long in them as at last hee may bee punisht with his owne perdition but no can bee too full of GOD Hee will cloy no mans stomacke no man can loue him too much too long for the measure of louing him is to loue him without measure the end is endlesse it is a debt which is alwaies due vnto him and for euer which a man must bee euer a paying and neuer haue done paying And further although a man had all pleasures all wealth and honour that the whole world could affoord him yet if hee gaue way vnto his minde hee would still wish for more and delight in change For the Round world and all that 's in it is not able to fill mans heart that is Triangular and vnsatiable as fire that neuer â—aith it is enough For if any man bee content and thinke he hath enough it is out of discretion because hee sees no true contentment can come from earthly things But GOD because hee is the fulnesse of good a pure and a perfect Truth Beauty and Perfection is able to giue true and full contentment to the soule to all the soules of men yea though there were 2 thousand thousand worlds of men Thirdly wee loue men whose fury reacheth not vnto the soule and whose loue sometimes can doe but little good But the wrath of GOD is the woe of man his anger reacheth vnto the soule his indignation is more terrible then the roaring of ten thousand Lyons But in the light of his countenance is life his fauour is like the dew vpon the grasse or as a cloude of the latter raine his loue is euen our life the fountaine from whence our holines and happines our grace and glory our comfort contentment springs Fourthly our loue to the creature is ioyned with feare and care least the thing we loue should take some harme Res est solliciti plena timoris amor Our friends may bee kil'd or hurt goods may bee stollen houses may be burnt a mans stocke may be wasted his credite may be weakned his seruant seduced his children misvsed and his wife corrupted A thousand mischances mâ—y happen vnto these things which are subiect to fire and water winds and weather birds and beasts sinne and sickenes Men and deuils But GOD is liable to no such thing in himselfe Hee is ouer all vnder none altogether blessed Impassible immutable Inuincible Inuiolable Finally whereas some will bee loued of some but contemne the loue of others GOD with whom there is no respect of persons accepts of euery man that loues him yea though the loue of all men can adde nothing to him euen as also in louing other things men are often iealous enuious and malicious and will endure no riuals no competitors which is cleane otherwise in our loue of GOD for so powerfull is the grace of GOD in those that loue him as that it makes men desirous of companions A man that addicts himselfe to some man is afraid of another least that hee creeping into his loue should hinder his gaines But GOD hath enough for all that loues him hee is able to giue them all so much as that they theÌ„selues shal say They haue enough Hee is so well able to satisfie them all as that euery one of them might say The lines are fallen vnto mee in pleasant places yea I haue a faire heritage Thou dost annoint mine head with oyle and my cup runneth ouer And though it fall out sometimes among vs that wee will dislike him that doth increase our acquaintants followers or such as shall hang vpon vs to be relieued and maintained by vs yet it is not so with GOD For if any man shall conuert sinners vnto him and increase his friends if true tho not vncostly to him the same man doth a worke pleasing to him and doing it out of loue hee shall not loose his reward For GOD is not vniust to forget your worke and labour of your loue saith Saint Paul which yee haue shewed vnto his Name And they saith the LORD that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for euer and euer And indeed wherefore were the Apostles sent abroad into the world but to gather Disciples to him and to increase his followers Aâ—d that I may yet presse this poiâ—t a little more being of so great importance Tell mee how shall man shew himselfe thankefull vnto GOD. except hee loue him for creating him in his Image How shall hee excuse himselfe if hee loue him not seeing he hath not planted him in a world vnfurnished but hath prepared him all things needfull Light for seeing Aire for breathing Meates for feeding Cloâ—thes for couering and hath giuen him rule ouer the Fish of the Sea the Fowles of Heauen and ouer euery beast that moueth vpon the earth Wee are forbidden to haue any other GOD vnto our selues but the LORD which hath brought vs out of the land of darkenesse the region of death and deliuered vs from bondage vnder sinne and sathan which wee shall neuer bee able to obserue vnlesse by loue we deuote and wed our selues vnto him How shall wee sanctifie the Name of the LORD and not defile it except wee loue it How shall wee meerely vpon GODS naked Precept forget an iniury and â—ot auenge our selues if â—he loue of GOD do not perswade vs Will any man with Moses post-pose his owâ—e greatnesse to the glory of GOD except hee loue â—im and will hee bee carefull that those which are committed to his care should not behaue themselues aâ— rebels and start-awaies vnlesse tâ—e loue of GOD enforce him How can parents bring vp their children religiously instruct them in GODS Commandements carefully and bring them vp as they are required in the
information of the LORD piously except the loue of GOD doth moue them to it How shall wee bee able to meditate in the Law of GOD day and night as wee are exhorted our dulnesse and auersnesse is so great by nature except the loue of GOD do spurre vs vp and vanquish vs How shall wee with the children of Israel turne quickely out of the way wherein our fathers haue walked and go an whoring after the idoll idle and addle inuentions of men specially if we were but put to it a little except our loue to GOD restraine and bridle vs What soule will say to GOD but that which loues him deerely as Ruth said to Naomi Whether thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell It is lacke of loue which makes men forsake him deny him seruice and depart out of his house Will a mother with Hannah dedicate her sonne vnto the LORD but that shee loues him surely if her dedication be in deuotion it is the fruit of her loue Wouldest thou with Dauid set all the Lawes of GOD before thee and not depart there from Wouldst thou bee vpright towards him and keepe thee from thy wickednesse Then loue him For what was it that made Ionathan so sincere to Dauid what caused him to say vnto him Whatsoeuer thy soule requireth that will I do vnto thee Euen this Because hee loued him as his owne soule What but loue forced the true mother of the child to say vnto Salomon Slay him not whereas the other for want of loue said Diuide it So nothing but the loue of GOD makes a man study the peace vnity of his House and causes his bowels to yearne at the diuiding of it What but the zeale of loue to GOD moued Hezekiah to break the images to cut downe the groues â—nd to demolish the brazen Serpent So certainely thou shalt neuer â—leaue fast to the LORD and throw downe those idols that are within thee and keep thy soule from inchastity except thy loue to GOD constraine thee Wouldst thou haue thy Religion costly and not count it a burthen to thee Wouldst thou bee cheerefull and Free-spirited in all thine oblations and gifts vnto GOD Then must thou needs addict thy soule to GOD by loue It was this which made Dauid say to Ornan I will not take thine for the LORD nor offer burnt offerings without cost It was deuotion which moued the Israelites to bestow their siluer and gold and precious stones vnto the building of the Temple Of whom it is written that They offered willinglâ— vnto the LORD with a Perfite â—eart It was without question true loue to GOD which made Sâ—lomon pray for wisedome and knowledge to gouerne the people of GOD and build an house for the Name of the LORD and which made Dauid say I will not enter into the Tabernacle of mine house nor come vpon my pallat or bed nor suffer mine eyes to sleepe nor mine eye-lids to slumber vntill I finde out a place for the LORD an habitation for the mighty GOD of Iacob Euen so doe thou whom CHRIST hath made a spirituall King deuote and bestow thy selfe on GOD by loue if euer thou desirest to gouerne thy selfe to mortifie thy lusts and to make thine heart an house for GOD to dwell in Wouldst thou not sleepe till thou hast found out an house for GOD to dwell in Then surely thy loue must keepe thee awake Loue vnto God and of his worship made the people sing for ioy and shoute with a great shoute when the foundation of the LORDS House was laid Euen so it behoues vs truely to loue GOD if wee would truely reioyce when wee see the Church which is the House of GOD newly founded or repaired in any Kingdome State Citty Towne Village Family or when wee see the truth of CHRIST planted and receiued in any man Wee are commanded to sanctifie the Sabboath day and Nehemiah was very zealous for the keeping of it and reproues the Rulers for the breach thereof What euill thing is this saith hee that yee doe and breake the Sabboath day Did not yours fathers thus and our GOD brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon this Citty yet yee increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabboath Now certainely vnlesse by loue we sanctifie GOD in our hearts we shall neuer sanctifie the Saboath for GOD. This is the cause that wee steale away the Saboath from GOD because our lucre and pleasures doe steale away our loue that is due to GOD from vs. It was loue that made Ester say to the King How can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vpon my people or how can I suffer and see the destruction of my kindred Doubtlesse he loueth Iacob that pitties the affliction of Ioseph Loue vnto GOD will make the heart bleed at the bloud-shed of the godly Thou canst not loue GOD if thou beest not moued at the plots and practises of godlesse men against the people of GOD I suppose him void of all loue to GOD that could haue seene suffered that execrable Powder-practise or which now doth grieue in secret to see it disapointed To conclude what moued Iob to patience Loue. What made him say Though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Loue. What made Dauid say Thou art my LORD thy Law is within mine heart Loue. What made him so sing of GOD and compose so many Psalmes vnto him Loue. What made Agur pray Feed mee with foode conuenient least I bee full and deny thee and say Who is the LORD and least I be poore and steale take the Name of my GOD in vaine Loue. What made Salomon rise at the last relinquish his lusts cry All is vanity call vs to the remembrance of GOD in our youth Loue. What moueth the Church to speak thus vnto her husband Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his Mouth Shew me where thou feedâ—st where thou liest at noone Stay me with flagons comfort me with Apples Nothing but Loue. Shee is sicke of loue What made Daniel venture vpon the Lyons the three children vpon the fire and the Christian Martyrs vpon all kinds of deaths Surely this They loued not their liues vnto the death but out of their loue vnto GOD made more account of his glory then of their owne liues liberties pleasures profits and preferments and held the truth at an higher rate then all earthly things whatsoeuer Loe then what reason wee haue to loue the LORD I all the wit and industry of flesh and bloud were spent and exercised in arguing for the loue of earthly things yet all were nothing of no validity nor efficacy to remoue our loue from GOD to them What shall detaine our loue the world Know yee not saith Saint Iames That the amity of the world is