or else out of the store thereof the lipps will vtter it and from the abundance of the heart speake abundantly To be short the spirituall good of those with whom the righteous man liueth and whom he loueth taketh vp a chiefe room in his affections hee seeketh their conversion and saluation this is an imployment worthy his loue his labour his prayers his paines Herein hee sheweth himselfe the childe of God and his wishes accord with Gods Oh saith the Lord Deut 5. that there were in Deut 5. 25. my people an heart to feare me Oh saith the righteous christian that there were in my frends kinsfolke neighbors and acquaintance an heart to feare the Lord and keepe his commandments that it might goe well with them Would to God saith Moses Numb 11 all Gods people were Prophets and Numb 11. 29. Paul Act 26. wisheth that not onely Acts 26. 29. Festus the President and Agrippa the King but all that heard him were as he was not in bands and captiuitie but in grace and christianitie Seldome shall you heare these or the like voyces amongst worldlings I wish others were as rich as I as learned as I and in as good credit as I am for these things make men earthly-minded base selfe-louers and priuately affected but grace and holinesse is of an excellent royall nature and enlargeth the heart wherein it is with such loue to other men that nothing more contents the righteous man then to make others as good as himselfe and to see them goe in his Masters heauenly liuery Hee taketh heede to himselfe hee taketh care of others tanquam sidus clarum beneficum as the Sunne in the firmament is beneficiall to all Vse 1 Wherefore to make some vse of this point Rouze vp your selues ô yee Christians which heare me this day vp and be doing and the Lord will be with you suffer not this doctrine to passe vnregarded vnpractised but as you would be accounted the holy and righteous seruants of the Lord quickned and enlived with the spirit of grace and power of godlinesse so shew your selues to bee such by communicating the good graces you haue receiued to the benefit of others lay aside all hypocrisie in seeming to be what you are not remoue all slothfulnes in not appearing to be what you are and as the elect of God put on the bowells of mercy and with cheerefulnes and alacritie spend those talents wherewith God hath enriched you and adventure them for your Masters best advantage and vse your gifts as Dauid Psalm fitted for the good of all which may be or desire to be benefited by them Bee not spare in spending what God hath been bountifull in bestowing make knowne your selues to be not onely like the good tree which bringeth forth its owne good fruit in due season but like the fire and Psal 1. 3. the fire non in silice sed in sinu not in the flint which will hardly bee beaten out but in the bosome which cannot be concealed but will soone shew it selfe and hauing matter to worke vpon will send out a flaming light to direct and comfort others O consider from what misery by nature you your selues are freed and to what an excellent estate by grace yee are translated and be not so thanklesse to the authour of your happinesse or hard hearted to the good of your brethren as to neglect to pay to either what you doe owe them You owe glory to God for his manifold mercies vouchsafed vnto you and the greatest thing wherein you can glorifie him is to be the meanes of drawing others to his kingdome you owe loue vnto your brethren and the greatest thing wherein you can shew this loue is to seeke their freedom out of the bands of sinne and Sathan and to bee instruments of sauing their soules O set then close to this worke vse all the good means of prayer counsell conference comfort and admonition and commit the successe vnto God Petitur avobis cura non curatio as Bernard speaketh God requireth Bern lib. 4. consider not at your hands that you should cure your brethren for that is his immediate worke Hebr 13. but that you should care for them and doe what in you lyeth to procure not only their temporall but especially their spirituall and eternall good Blessed and beloued Christians wee are all and ought to bee one anothers keepers and it was but Cain a murtherer which made question to the contrary Gen. 4. Gen 4. 9. Wherefore as brethren sonnes of the same Father seruant◠to the same Master heires of the same promise fellow-trauellers bound for the same countrey let vs make on an other partakers both of our temporall goods according to the rule of Salomon Prov 5. Let thy Prov 5. 16. fountaine flow forth and thy riuers in the streetes and especially of our spirituall graces instructing counselling comforting and aedifying one an other in an holy faith and godly life It is a true saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good man is a common good Oh then let vs shew our selues to be such good men and louing Christians indeed leauing behind vs in all plaees where wee liue and haue to doe some tokens of our goodnesse some monuments of our godlines some sweet sauour of our virtues especially as occasion is now giuen let vs expresse our bounty for a common good namely in furthering by our willing contribution therevnto the honorable plantation of Virginia for the reducing Virginia of pagans vnto Christianitie and the praise-worthy erection of the Colledge of Controuersies Chelsey for the speedier refuting of the errors and repressing of the insolencies of malignant popish aduersaries Those worthies which are imployed in these famous workes cry vnto vs as the Angell of Macedonia did vnto Paul Come and helpe vs. Let vs then be helpfull Act 16. 9. vnto them and as profitable members in the Bee-hiue of christs Church let vs bring by our loue our largesse by our prayers paines or practise wax or hony therevnto for the benefit of many and not be like those haughty vngentle spirits in whom the grosse humours of pride and couetousnes haue bred such an obstruction of liberalitie and kindnes that neither good workes nor gracious words at all proceed from them Solon in Plutarch in moral Plutarch made a law that if any one had digged 20 foote deepe in his owne ground and found no water his neighbour should permit him to draw water out of his Well Doe then such and such men labour to liue and endeuour to learne and yet want some maintenance and learning which God in some greater measure hath afforded vs why then we are bound to giue vnto them of that little which we haue and to teach them of that little which we know and to doe them what good wee can if we doe God will reward vs if we doe not the heathen man will rise vp in iudgement against
a man without loue is as a dead Carkasse without life or like to a swoln arme or legge that must be wrapped vp and couered and tenderly touched but when it commeth to the vse it will not it cannot sturre it doth vs no seruice Wherefore as any man desires to approoue himselfe a fruitfull branch of Christ the true Vine or would that his life should be officious or beneficiall for the vse commodity of Christians yea for the glory and seruice of God so let him striue to store vp in his soule this rich treasure of Christian loue which as an odoriferous perfume smelleth a far off and causeth a sweet sent where it is not seene or rather as the eye of the soule charitas enim oculus mentis Greg. in mor. is quickned in espying out all occasions and oportunities of doing good to others It is not like to fire in the flint which can hardly be stricken out but like fire in the Amor non est ignis in filice sed in sinu bosome which cannot be concealed This will make vs in all cases and in all places to open our selues to our friends and to deale friendly and faithfully in the affaires of them which we doe affect and to helpe them by counsell to comfort them in griefe to succor them what wee may in the sundry disasters of fortune which daily and casually occurre as Ionathan dealt 1 Sam. 19. and 20. chap. with Dauid And to shut vp this reason Loue it is alone which makes vs all one This makes vs vigilant to pry out euery occasion wise and prudent to see euery opportunity painefull and diligent to take any labour cheerefull to vndergoe any trauaile or trouble constant indefatigable in going through any businesse for the bettering and benefiting of each other If therefore we would not be which it is a shame any Christian should bee as stocks and Images which stand in a wall and do nothing let vs labour for loue which will both set vs a worke and get vs wages make vs seruiceable to each other on earth and aduance vs hereafter to be Saints in Heauen according to that Charit as est viaticum in mundo No Thesaurus in coelo and this is the third reason why Christians should be the more willingly obedient to Christ commandement of Louing one another Reason 4 The fourth and last reason is because Christian loue preuenteth many mischiefes and inconueniences and meeteth with many harmefull prankes to hinder them and cut them off whereunto wee would otherwise breake foorth to our after griefe and our brethrens hurt it whippeth anger malice enuie out of the heart as Christ did the prophane Marchandizers out of the Temple Iohn 2. It stoppeth â—oh 2. 14. v. the course of ill violent passions it maketh them to turne saile or come vnder the Lee It causeth the proudest man to stoupe the chollericke man to bee calme the niggerdest man to be liberall so far forth as it possesseth them or it is possessed by them in any degree This stinteth strifes and contentions musleth vp censurings and backbitings blotteth out murrings and repinings and keepeth the heart from thinking the mind from conceiuing the tongue from speaking the hand from acting any thing which is euill and therefore is rightly compared to the herbe panacaea or to the generall medicines of the Phisitians called panchresta which are good for all assaies accomodable to euery disease Pliny Saint Austin of purpose speaking August de laud char hereof saith thus Charitas est mors criminum vita virtutum gluten animarum quae diuisa vnit confusa ordinat inequalia sociat imperfecta consummat i. Charitie and loue is the very death and queller of vice the life and cherisher of vertue the glue and as it were the sodder of the soules and affections of Christians It vniteth things diuided putteth in order things confused matcheth and consorteth things vnequall and consummateth things vnperfected In a word loue is the fulfilling of the Law the complement of Christianitie Rom. 13. 18. Coloss 3. 14. and the band of perfection the friend of a good conscience the companion of a liuely faith the prouoker of good words the promoter of good workes the throne of God in earth the delight of God in heauen Loue speaketh with the tongue of euery vertue 1. Ioh. 4. 16. Pitty biddeth thee to succour the penurious and indigent Iustice biddeth thee to giue euerie man his owne and not to wrong the impotent Patience biddeth thee to suffer Mercy biddeth thee to forgiue to helpe and relieue others But the voice of Christian loue commandeth all these A coward inflamed with this holy spark of heauenly fire banisheth feare becommeth valiant and manfull The couetous oppressour commanded by the imperious resolution of loue becommeth liberall and bountifull The ambitious Tyrant mollified hereby becommeth humble meeke and mercifull so true is that saying Amor Aug. de ciâ—â—â— Dei l. 〈…〉 meus pondus meum illo ferer quocunque feror My loue is my loadstone where it setteth mee there am I fixed whither it leadeth me thither am I carried so that to close vp this point Hee that hath much loue doth least harme and most good he that hath little loue doth more harme and lesse good and where no loue is this is nothing but harme and no good at all Whereof I may say as Abraham Gen. 20. 11. did of Abimelechs house Lo Iereah Eclohim baernacon the feare of God is not in this place But on the contrarie where loue dwelleth I may conclude thereof as Ezekiell doth Ezek. 47. 35. his prophesie Iehouah Shammah God is there Not to stand longer on the point you may see now by these proofes and reasons it is most plaine that spirituall Christian loue is a duty most requisite and necessarie to be exercised amongst Christians if euer wee will be like God our Father who is the God of loue or like vnto our profession which is the communion of Saints and the profession of loue or decline from euill and doe good 1. Cor. 13. which are the properties of loue Now very briefly before wee discend to the vse of this doctrine Definition of loue and come to the application let vs consider what this loue is which will worke such wonders bring men to such perfection Loue in briefe is an affection of the soule by which it doth settle it selfe in the liking of a good thing according to the kind and degree thereof or loue is that power of the heart whereby it doth rest it selfe in the approbation and liking of that which is good in its kind and according to the degree of goodnesse therein Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loue is by the Greekes deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from resting it selfe quieted and contented with the thing beloued So then spirituall loue is an holy affection of the Spirituall loue soule
soeuer thou bee bee prudent and prouident as it beseemeth thy yeeres thy place thy office thy state embrace Eliphaz his exhortation Iob 12. 21. Acquaint thy selfe with God make thy peace with him there by shalt thou haue prosperity Iob 22. Wisdome saith Salomon is the gray Sap. 4. haire and an vndefiled life is the old age Let these ô let these wisdome and an vndefiled life meete together in thee and kisse each other looke narrowly to thy waies least either in the greatnes of thy power thou forget God or in the abundance of thy pleasures remember not thy selfe Be not like Nabuchadnezar who in the ruffe of his pride remembred not who had made him till God had mard him neither acknowleged who set his ioints together till God had rent his Kingdome asunder But let my counsell be acceptable to thee ô man whether Knight Iustice Gentleman or all in one and let mee boldly say to thee as Daniel did to him Breake Dan. 4. 24. off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore Loe let there bee an healing of thine errors Loe thou hast erred and gone astray by thy pride and luxury returne returne by the holy way of temperance and humility Thou hast through couetousnes and malice sowen in hardnes of heart O returne by the way of mercifulnes and charity least thou reape in horror of cōscience Returne returne ô Shulamite as Cant. 6. 12. Christ speaketh to his Spouse returne returne that we may behold thee that we may see aswell a sight of thy good workes as heare a sound of thy good words that we may behold the fruits of amendment in thee place not the anchor of thine eternall wealth and woe on so ticklesome a point as thy repentance at last cast Repent amend defer not from time to time least God in whose hands are the moments of time cut thee off from all time and send thee to paines eternall without time for abusing the singular benefit of time in this world make not thy death-bed to smart by thy wilfull adiournings of thy repentance In the midst of thy ruling remember thy reckoning suffer now whilst it is to day the seeds of godlines to be sowne more and more in the field of thy repentant heart that whensoeuer the night of death commeth thou maiest reape receiue the plentifull crop of a ioyfull haruest furnish thy soule with grace and inure it to a sweete conuersation with God in thy life so shall the offering of thy death-bed be acceptable and thou maiest boldly make God the guardian thereof in thy death And now at length to come to Tertia Part. Viaticum in via my last part and to shut it vp in a word beeing desirous to recompence the largenes of my former discourse with the briefe touch of that which followeth let mee Right Worshipfull and beloued in Iesus Christ intreat you all both old and young which haue heard and seene this day the blacke colours of death and the glorious ensignes of the resurrection displayed to make the due and daily meditation of both vsefull profitable vnto you that your practises in this life may hence forward be more commendable and your passage out of this life when God shall call you be blessed and comfortable Let me I say intreat you all in a serious consideration of the speedy approach of death sure in the end vnsure in the time and bitter when it commeth and of the certain appearance of vs al before the iudgement seat of Christ to render an account of our doings in that day of resurrection to watch all the daies of your life and with holy Iob in my text to waite till your changing shall come Your change may come at a suddaine therefore be alwaies prouided and prouide not so much by corporall phisicke as the maner of most is to put off death that it may not so soone happen vnto you as by soule sauing phisicke repentance faith obedience cleernes of conscience and comforts of Gods word and confidence in his sweete promises to cut off the sting and malignity of death that whensoeuer it comes it may not hurt you This this is viaticū in via prouision in the way to bring vs in safety to the iourneies end of euerlasting felicity O runne with alacrity this race of piety set before you Gratia praeparandus animus mens D. Ambros li. 1. off c. 38. stabilienda ad constantiam saith St. Ambrose for expedition in this iourney pray for grace practise constancie Seeke earnestly for the things that are aboue liue after the lawes of the new Ierusalem which is aboue your Burgeship is in heauen bee not then earthly minded but heauenly affected labour to get more more assurance of the forgiuenesse of your sinnes and to feele in your soules the power of Christs death in dying vnto sinne and the vertue of his resurrection in rising to newnes of life And that you may out of the court of Requests the more easily obtaine for all your transgressions an assured pardon indulgence put somewhat euery day into the court of Gods Exchequer in hope of recompence or remembrance that with good Nehemiah you may Neh. 13. 22. say Lord remember me according to this and pardon me after thy great mercies Let the counsell of our Sauiour be precious Lay vp treasure Matt. 6. 14. for your selues in heauen send your vertuous actions the best monuments of a Christian thither before you Bee zealous of good workes studious of piety abundant in the deeds of charity for the witnes and inward testimony of a well-deeded life when all other comforts leaue you will relieue and comfort you in death accompany you to heauen and present it selfe with you before God By these fruites of a liuely faith Ezek. 9. as his own marks God will know and acknowledge vs to be his and for these his owne gifts which are our best merits he will reward vs and this reward is a life and such a life as is eternall is a crowne and Rom. 6. 23. 1. Pet. 5. 4. Heb. 12. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 4. 2. Pet. 3. such a crowne as is the crowne of glory is a kingdome and such a kingdome as cannot be shaken is an inheritance and such an inheritance as is immortall vndefiled For the obtaining of which life crowne kingdome inheritance what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines how ought wee in respect of these great and gracious promises to giue all diligence to ioine to 2. Pet. 1. 5. our faith vertue to our vertue patience temperāce brotherly kindnes and all other ornaments of a sanctified life These these are Viaticum in Bern. mundo the saurus in coelo Prouision for spirituall comfort in this world for a celestiall crown in that to come O let vs in this behalfe be prouident and thriuing Christians and whilst we are in