ib. sci 19. called before Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel v. 12. z Estius in loc Galat. 6.10 Praecipitur ordo charitatis secundùm quem caeteris paribus fideles infidelibus sunt praeferendi Additantem c. a Otherwise an Infidell or wicked man in extreame necessity as to be relieved by our Charity before one of the houshould of faith in ordinary want This is S. Pauls order in Charity in cases alike to preferre the faithfull especially the Ministers which are the Instruments to beget faith by the word towards whom hee excites the Galatians Charity v. 6. before those that are not of Christian faith or life To all S. Peter also allowes some degrees of charity which he cals love to the faithfull a great measure of affectioÌ„ 2 Pat. 1.7 which he calls brotherly kindnesse and our Saviour so far prefers this spirituall brotherhood or kindnes before the naturall that he seemes not to acknowledge this with the other b Matth. 12.49 least it should but seeme to stand in competition with it No parity of love in imparity of objects but even in this houshold of faith also Christs own example confutes a parity in Love of which I may say as I think of the Presbyterian parity what c Epist 5. lib 9. Discrimina ordinum dignitatumque custodias quae si permista sint nihil est c. Pliny in a case not unlik once wrot Nihil est hâc aequalitate in aequalius Nothing is more unequall than such equality Affection may put difference for ought I know to the contrary without any injustice diversity of merit doth give just cause of diversity of degrees in Charity Christ himselfe had one Disciple beloved d Ioh. 13.23 c. 18.15 c. 20.22 c. 21.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that was S. Iohn who names not himselfe e Nomen suum celavit Iohannes ne inanis gloriae causâ diligi se a Christo dicere videretur Cyril Alex. in Ioh. l. 9. cap. 15. S. Chrys also observes upon Ioh. 18.15 20.3 that the Evangelist not onely conceales his name in both places but also puts Peters name before the periphrasis of himselfe because he relates in each place the matter of his owne praise in following of our Saviour with Peter to the judgement Hell when all others had forsaken him and in seeking his Master in the grave and not finding him there the Text saith he beleeved v. 8. Hee first had faith in the resurrection of Christ even before Peter himselfe Now Salomon would not have a man commend himselfe Prov. 27.2 And Pliny saies excellently Lib. 8. Epist 8. Quod magnifiâ—um referente alio fuisset ipso qui gesserat recensente vanescit This serves well for our instruction against vaine glory yet sometimes for the illustration of Gods glory the â—en men of the Holy Ghost as Moses Paul c. have commended themselves without arrogancy least he shâ—uld seeme out of vaine glory to boast of his Masters affection to him or of his affection to his Master Much lesse can there bee any equality in our Love to all men distributively taken Wee Love our selves and every part of our selves but wee Love not every part superiour and inferiour noble and servile alike but f 1 Cor 12.25 our more abundant honour shewes our more abundant love to one before the other And wee must love our neighbours onely as our selves not otherwise not more yea as much as our selves This sicut as is a note of similitude not of equality T is like as as truly as sincerely not altogether as i. e. in the same ardency of affection Similitude arises from quality not from quantity the same disposition of minde is required not the same measure of love our love to our neighbour must bee copied out of our Love to our selves as its originall but it must bee written in a smaller print though it containe the same matter which consists in these following rules Our love to our selves is true and unfaigned for t is naturall and all hypocrisie is artificiall let love to our neighbour also be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 Goe not in with dissemblers g Psal 26.4 as it were to visit thy neighbour in Love saying with Ioab to Amasa art thou in health my brother h Ita qua tegitur nocet Professa perdunt odia vindictae locum Sen. in Traged Medeae Hence was learned that hellish policy of the Italian in Guiccardine who devised how to kill his enemies body and soule with one stabbe to betray him with thy malitious heart according to that of Salomon Prov. 26.24 Imitate not the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceive Ephe. 4.14 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking or following the truth Ioh. 3.18 or being sincere in Love let us grow up in all things which follow true Charity into him which is the head even Christ 2. Wee love our selves with inflamed and vehement affections Let us also above all things have fervent Charity amongst our selves 1 Pet. 4.8 Cold Charity is as great a solaecisme in morality as cold fire in nature 3. Our Love to our selves is a diligent and carefull Love which causes every man to nourish and cherish his owne flesh Ephe. 5.29 thinking it not enough to abstaine from doing any injury or violence unto it And when any inevitable mischiefe falls out he labours for remedy with teares of sorrow and if hee obteyne it hee rejoyceth Goe then and doe likewise to thy neighbour even as thou desirest thy neighbour should doe unto thee Matth. 7.12 Bee yee all of one minde having compassion one of another Love as brethren bee pittifull be courteous 1 Pet. 3.8 Consider one another to provok unto k Heb. 10.24 love mutuall and to good workes the effect of true Charity and her strongest testimony l Greg. M. in Ezech. lib. 2 Hom. 17. Amorem nostrum erga proximum plus bona operatio loquitur quam lingua our Charity is better understood by the language of our hands than tongues If shee be speechlesse in deeds wee may toll the bell for her shee is dying and faith is departing with her for faith without works is dead Iam. 2.26 And faith workes by love Gal. 5.6 such workes you may finde in the next Chapter vers 2. they are of mutuall compassion and assistance so love fulfills the royall Law the Law of Christ See a Catalogue of Charities good workes 1 Cor. 13. T is the least vertue shee hath to thinke no hurt 1 Cor. 13.5 and to worke no ill Rom. 13.10 or t is a figurative commendation intimating that shee endeavours in all things to procure her neighbours welfare and if any unexcepted ill bee happened unto him her heart wishes her tongue prayes her hand labours for helpe for the want whereof shee can mourne in secret for the good succes with her in the m Luk. 15.9
of Love were the summe of the Law As t is evident by his enumeration of parts namely of some of the particular Commandements w Rom. 13.9 yet out of the order after which Moses set them downe x Saint Paul there quite omits the first Commandement puts the seaventh before the sixt which perhaps may afford matter for some idle Criticke to worke upon but for us tis enough to know that our Apostles scope was not to repâ—are the Commandements but onely to give the abridgement of them perhaps to intimate that they are all alike to love which knowes no first nor last amongst them with a forme concerning the parts not named not dubitative but inclusive and if there bee any other Commandement signifying that love is as y Militum non est interpretari iussa sed exequi Tac. Nâ—is obsequij gloria sufficit Id. ready to obey as God to command leaving all authority to God sibi obsequij gloriam relinquens leaving onely to it selfe the prayse of obedience Lastly this conclusive sentence is also exclusive love so fulfills the Law Without love no fulfilling of the Law that without love the Law cannot be fulfilled for he that offends in one that is in this one precept of Charity offends in all Iam. 2.10 quia violat vinculuÌ„ Charitatis as breaking the band of the whole Law saies S. Aug. lib. de verâ falsâ penitentia cap. 14. si fortê is liber sit Augustini For the conclusion it selfe though the rigour of Logicke suffer mee not to prove it yet I shall produce one or two parallell places of Scripture for the illustration thereof and a sentence or two of the Fathers agreeable thereunto The first and chiefest Matth. 22.40 testimony is froÌ„ the best expounder and fulfiller of the Law that ever was Christ Iesus who informes us that on these two CommandemeÌ„ts sc of the love of God our neighbour hangs all the Law and the Prophets Galat. 3.14 Then let S. Paul here witnes to himselfe no doubt but his witnes shal be true All the Law saith he is fulfilled in one word that verbum abbreviatum in S. Hieroms opinion thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe which precept Moses gives Levit. 19.18 This love explicitely fulfills the second Table implicitely also the first For thou canst not love thy neighbour as thy selfe unlesse thou love thy selfe first Thou canst not love thy selfe unlesse thou love him that is thy summum bonum thy chiefest good and intimius tibi quam tu tibi ipsi as Plato sayes of him more intimate with thee than thou art with thine owne soule in whom thou livest and moovest and hast thy being The love of God then absolutely fulfills the whole Law Ioh. 14.15.21.23 1 Epi. Ioh. 3.17 and is oft put for the whole service of God and the love of our neighbour fulfills halfe the Law with reference to the love of God owe nothing to any man but love sc which payes all duties but Saint Paul here as also Gal. 5. with our Saviour Mat. 7.12 names onely the duties of the second Table i Cum duo praecepta sint amor Dei proximi pro utroque saepe uâ—â—m ponitur Lom 3. s d. 27. lit h. because these are the most palpable manifest fruits of love appearing to the example of men and glory of God whereas in the seeming zealous observation of the first Table in hearing and preaching of the Word and the like duties men sometimes deceive not onely others Charity but their owne soules also by the art of seeming Againe for that in case of urgent necessity when the actuall performance of both kinds of duties to God and man which are alwayes best united cannot bee done together the first table yeelds to the second God will then have mercy and not sacrifice a And Chap. 12.7 and out of Hos 6.6 Matth. 9.13 And hence wee may collect also why love is magnified 1 Cor. 13. verse the last even above faith that b Mat. 13.46 precious Iewell of the Gospel for the purchase whereof a man ought to sell all that hee hath as of himselfe So that even in the Gospell the love of God is called the greatest Commandement and the first and theÌ„ love of our neighbour is accounted the second like unto it Matth. 22.38 39. 1 Because faith in its owne nature abstracted from the fruits and effects thereof hath reference onely to God and so pertaines to the first Table but love hath relation both to God and man 2 Because faith in that abstractive consideratâ—on lyes hidden in the heart and so is knowne onely to God but love is like fire in the bosome which will breake out and cannot be concealed from man 3 Lastly for that love in its owne nature is a more noble and heroicall vertue than faith and of infinitely longer duration fulfilling the Law of God unto the end and c 1 Cor. 13.12 being without all end shining 1 Charitas in patriâ serventior est quam in via Aeternum enim ardentius diligitur adeptum quam desideratum uâ— docet Sanctus Aug. lib. 1. doct Christ cap. 38. vid. c. 39. Est Ciuiâ—tas in hac vita inâ—ipiens profiâ—iens perfecta sc suo modo perfectissma vero est in coelo Vt asserit Lomb l. 3. sent in sâ—â—e dist 29. most bright in heaven as the Sun without a Cloud and whilst that faith continues with it t is as it were d Iam 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. if not the life yet the breath of it For faith without workes is dead and faith workes by love Onely in a relative consideration as faith is the instrument of our justification and so the chiefe meanes of our salvation faith is of more excellency than love which is onely an evidence and testimony of faith For the Fathers if you please to recollect in your mindes what I have already noted out of S. Hierome and S. Augustine I shall have no neede to bee tedious in heaping up new testimonies onely heare S. Hierome againe describing the vertue of divine love putting forth the utmost of its ability in the service of God not onely doing every thing that hee commands but not daring to doe any thing which hee doth not require z Hier. Epist ad Caelant Grandem vim obtinet vera dilectio totam sibi amantis vendicat voluntatem Nihil est imperiosius charitate Si vere Christum diligimus nihil magis velle nihil omnino debemus agere quam quod illum velle cognoscimus And Saint Gregory a Hom. 27. super Evang. sayes omne mandatum de sola dilectione est omnia vnum praeceptum sunt quia quicquid praecipitur in solâ Charitate solidatur All the precepts are contained in one for Charity is the foundation of them all Charitas est multiplex lex dei b Vulgar Iob.
11.6 c Id. Greg. Morâ— 10 cap. 4. vid ib. c 6 7.8 Et si placet vid Aug. l. 1. de doct Chris c. 35. vbi docet quod Amor dei est summa Scripturae quae a duobus praeceptis incipit mentem ad innumera pietatis opera de queis Apostolus 1 Cor. 13. multiformiter accendit Charity is the manifold Law of God which begins from two precepts to wit the Love of God and the Love of man and diversly excites the minde to immumerable workes of godlinesse which the Apostle summes up 1 Cor. 13. in sundry particulars The generall wayes according to which love fulfills the Law are three of which in the next place Love fulfills the Law three wayes as Vossius d Ger. Voss hist Pelag. l. 3. paâ— 3. c. 3. thes 3 pag. 360. excellently distinguishes and out of him word for word almost our Weemse e Weemse of the 3 Lawes 1. tom pag. 45. and I shall informe you out of both adding divers illustrations proofes for your farther instruction The tearmes of the distinctions are 1. Effectivè i. e. effectively 2. Reductivê i. e. reductively 3. Formaliter i. e. formally that is briefly as the principall as the end as the forme of every lawfull operation First Love fulfills the Law effectively as the inward principle or impulsive cause of every legitimate action Love is the onely incitation and invitation to true and cheerefull obedience First saith Moses Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Then it followes and keepe his charge and his statutes c. Deut. 11.1 And yee that love the Lord sayes David hate evill Psal 97.10 For himselfe he resolves thus I will delight my selfe in thy Commandements which I have loved Psal 119.47 In the next verse he addes Vid. ib. v. 167 my hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandements which I have loved See loves vertue issuing from the heart to the hand from affection to operation And therefore perhaps the Law is sayd to have gone forth out of Gods hands Deut. 33.2 f Coment in loc that it might come into our hands Oleaster supposes the precepts of God to bee called the workes of God g Esa 5.12 quia ideo praecipiuntur ut eaòperemur Because they are therefore commanded that we may not onely intentionally and verbally but actually fulfill them which is done by love Quodlibet agens propter amorem agit quodcunque agit Aquin. h Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 28. art 6. Every agent workes for some good and so consequently the love of that good causeth it â—â—â—m to worke The worldlings cast-away carnall love upon seeming good Godly men place spirituall love upon spirituall good The love of Christ constraineth us saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 Amor meus pondus meum illo feror quocunque feror saith S. Augustine i Aug. Confes lib. 3. my love is the weight which poyses mee in the wayes of God so that I bee not carryed away as it were with the winde of every Novell doctrine or with every worldly vanity Common reason informes us in this that men doe not obey or serve those whom they hate I meane that their mindes are not willing servants to such though their bodies perhaps may bee their enforced slaves Serve yee one another by love sayes our Apostle Galat. 5.13 But Non exterquebis amari Love is not extorted by violence but invited first by love it selfe Love is the Whetstone of love So God himselfe invites our love to him by commending his love first to us by his k 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. Sonne Rom. 5.8 that our faith in the Sonne l Galat. 5.6 may worke by love towards God againe m Charitas radix est ex qua omnes pullulant virtutes August lib de gratia Christi cap. 18. vid. cap. 20. ib. Hence the whole office of Christianity also is comprised in this one word Love Ephes 6. v. ult So love fulfills not onely the morall Law but with all the Law of faith as the Apostle phraseth it Rom. 3.27 So that sine Amore fides esse potest prodesse non potest saith S. Augustine n Aug de Trin. lib. 25. cap. 18. Similiter loquitur lib. 5. de Bapt. cap. 8. ib. lib. 15. cap. 29. without love faith may be but it cannot profit But by love faith workes o Charitas Mater est omnium custosque virtutum Greg. Curio past part 3. cap. 10. admonit 10. and keepes all manner of Christian vertues which follow Love as the lesser wheeles are moved by the greater Hence it is that S. Paul calls the piety of the Thessalonians the worke of Faith and the labour of love 1 Thes 1.3 And our Saviour Matth. 22.40 sayes that the whole Law hangs upon the two Commandements of Love intimating perhaps that love is as it were the hinges of the Law upon which it is turned too and fro to embrace good and avoid evill Christ teacheth us also that there is no true Love without keeping Gods Commandements Ioh. 14.15.21.23 and no true keeping of the Commandements without love verse the 24. ib. The beloved Disciple repeates the same doctrine 1 Ioh. 5.3 and Ch. 3.17 2 Ioh. 3.6 verses Secondly Love fulfills the Law reductively because every lawfull operation is reduced to Love as to its end for which it was performed and in this sence it is an externall cause and moves morally as comprehended sub notione boni as good whereas as an efficient cause it moves phisically as it is a naturall quality and vertue That love is the end of the Law p 1 Tim. 1.5 S. Paul teaches us The end of the Commandement is Charity c. i. e. the end why God gave his Law to us is that we should love him our neighbour So love unites all the precepts into one Commandement in S. Pauls Doctrine Finis praecepti dilectio gemina Dei proximi praecurrat dilectio dei caetera in illum confluant ut dilectio tui proximi Aug. q Aug. de doct Christ l. 1. cap. 26. The end of the precept is a double love of God and of our neighbour Let the love of God have the praecedency and all other love followe after as of our r Qui se propter se diligit non se vesert ad deum sed ad seipsum conversus non ad incommutabile aliquid cui toto affectu inharendum convertitur Aug. de doct Christ. l. 1. cap. 22. selves and others wee ought to love God for his owne sake our neighbour and all Gods creatures for Gods sake Å¿ Amor fruendi quibuscunque creaturis sine amore creatoris non est a Dâ—o per amorem creatoris bene quisque utitur etiam creaturis Aug. lib. 4. cont Iulian. cap. 3. Si teipsum propter teipsum non debes diligere non succenseat alius homo si etiam ipsum propter deum diligis Aug.
loc cit de doct Christ lib. 1. cap. 22. and to performe our severall duties to God and man not of constraint or for filthy lucre but onely for loves sake Love is like the Indian Figge-tree of which Scaliger writes t Exerci 166. that shee having shoote up her branches a convenient height reflects them downe againe to take new rooting in the earth and so makes a kinde of naturall arbour Gods love is the first seede which causes our love to take roote and to fructifie For Charity growes not like the fruit of the earth in the golden age without any seede sowne I meane without the seede of Gods grace sowne in the heart as the Pelagians u Conterraneus noster â—en Beda in libro quem scripsit contra Iulianum Episcopum Eclaneâ—sem qui hodieque praefationis loco commentarijs eius super Cantica praefigitur testatur Pelagianos existimasse charitatem esse primogenitum bonum prorsus nativam qualitatem quamque gratia nunquam gignit sed quandoque nutrit auget Charitas secundum eos velut flax est quae suâ sponte ardet sed spiritu quasi vento agitata vehementius inflammatur Sed absolutè secundum Apostolum Fructus spiritus Charitas Gal. 5.22 imagined Then Charity by the assistance of Gods grace shootes up her branches a good height even to God himselfe in the highest heavens and from him shee reflects them downe againe unto the ground to wit to the men of the earth and takes new rooting there So Greg. Mag. lib. 7. Mora. cap. 10. Per amorem Dei amor proximi gignitur Per amoreÌ„ proximi amor Dei gâ—gâ—itur Nam qui amare Deum negligit profecto diligere proximum nescit T is the Apostles phrase to shew Loves firmenesse fruitfulnesse Ephes 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee being rooted and grounded in Charity This fruitfull roote strengthens the whole body of Religion and sends forth the manifold branches of piety bearing constantly the fruits of good workes and not onely the faire leaves of good words Our Saviour you know cursed the Fig-tree which made a faire shew at a distance yeelded no fruit when he came neere unto it although the time of fruite were not come To teach us to bee alwayes fruitfull in the good deeds of Charity because God allowes no season of spirituall barrennesse no not in the winter of old age Psal 92.14 Thirdly Charity fulfills the Law formally quia finis in moralibus habet rationem formae i. e. because in morallity the end hath the Nature of a forme also Charity is as it were the stampe in the which every lawfull action is to be coyned and without which how resplendent soever t is but counterfeit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.14 Let all your things be done in or with Charity All things done without Charity are as it were nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 Hence Charity is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the band of perfection Coloss 3.14 because it unites and couples all good duties together which faith workes by love and so may be called in this respect sides formata A faith that hath her right forme but faith not working by love is a dead faith and so sides informis a formeles faith as some of our Divines doe justly acknowledge See Bishop Downham in his booke of the Covenant of Grace page 229 230. who will not yeeld to Bellarmine that love is the inward constitutive forme and soule as it were of faith yet denies not that it is the morall or consequtive forme thereof Then know that although you performe the Commandements of God materially or according to the substance as Iehu fulfilled the will of God in destroying the house of Ahab yet if you doe them not formally in Charity i. e. principally in love to God secondarily to your neighbour especially to the Church of God you may pull on your heads vengeance as Iehu did Hos 1.4 in stead of a blessing God preferres adverbs before substantives hee doth not so much regard what is done as in what manner the manner specificates the action and makes it good or bad morally Lastly note to conclude this point and therewith the whole explication of the Text our actions may bee formed by Charity eyther directly and explicitely which is when in the act it selfe wee thinke of the love of God and of our neighbour to forme the act thereby as wee goe to Church out of our present love to the house and ordinances of God we goe to visit our neighbour in any distresse because wee suppose it a duty of love so to doe or secondly implicitely and virtually when the love of God and man is habitually setled in our hearts but yet we doe not thinke thereof in such or such an action I conceive that for the maine duties of godlinesse actuall love is necessary but habituall love sufficeth for those which are of lesse moment and more ordinary Whatsoever we doe S. Paul will have us doe it to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 and so consequently out of our love to God But in some things as the habituall intention of his glory so the habituall love of him as it is a sufficient motive so a sufficient forme of our actions The love which I have proposed unto you is not a meere notion but a reall vertue and so consists not in speculation but action not in knowledge but application The objects unto which love is to bee applyed are foure in generall although in particulars infinite w Ang. de doct Christ l. 1. cap. 23. unuÌ„ quod supranos the first and chiefest is above us to be loved before our selves or any x Si deus omni homine amplius diligendus est amplius quisque debet eum diligere quam seipsum Aug. de doct Christ. l. 1. cap. 27. man whatsoever Alterum quod nos sumus y As the love of wife parents children kindred benefactors friends c. Hence Lomb. observes 3 sent d. 29. lit C. that the Commandement concerning our parents is honora honour not dilige love because we doe that naturally In the next place our selves Tertium quod juxta nos est Thirdly he that is next our selves our neighbour Quartum quod infra nos est Fourthly that which is below us our bodies There are no precepts saith S. Augustine z Ib. cap. eod cap. 26. Inconcussa natura lege quod sumus quod infra nos est diligimus quae lex etiam in bestias promulgata est concerning the second and fourth object of Charity For wee naturally affect them and they who love not God or their neighbour love yet themselves and their owne flesh even as bruit beasts also doe by nature Fugax enim animus ab incommutabâ—li lumine omnium â—agnatore id agit ut ipse sibi regnet corpori suo Et ideo non potest nisi se corpus suum
desire of good and knowledge directing love to the performance of the same fulfill the Law So I addresse my speech for a conclusion by way of briefe but earnest exhortation * 5. Of mutuall love of Christians in what particular societies soever they live together of you of the Laitie also to mutuall love in the Lord Iesus q Eccles. 12.11 at least to the increase and continuance thereof Supposing I may say with the Apostle 1 Thes 4.9 10. As touching brotherly love yee neede not that I write or speake unto you for yee your selves are taught of God to love one another And indeede yee doe it Yet must I goe on with S. Paul there But we beseech you brethren that yee increase more and more and that yee study to be quiet c. v. 11. Although then you be in charity already with one another yet let the q Eccl. 12.11 words of the wise even of the spirit of wisedome bee as goads to drive you forwards in this duty and as nailes fastned by the masters of the assemblies to fix this grace the surer in your mindes which are given from one shepheard sc Christ Iesus the chiefe shepheard and Byshop of our soules Bâ—â— I beseech you in the bowells of Christ Iesus Above all things farre above all by-respects of selfe love have fervent charity amongst your selves 1 Pet. 4.8 To this purpose Consider one another to provoke to love and to good workes the effects of love not forsaking the assemblings of your selves like brethren together in vnity as the manner of some is Heb. 10.24 25. And be at peace among your selves 1 Thes 5.13 Shewing your love to one another by your agreement together For hatred stirreth up strife Prov. 10.12 And it is onely pride that begetteth this hatred for onely by pride commeth contention Prov. 13.10 But with the well advised is wisedome saith Salomon there And love which covers all sinnes as Salomon hath it Ib. sc Prov. 10.12 is the fraight of heavenly wisedome For this wisedom is peaceable gentle easie to be intreated Iam. 3.17 yea she is ready not only to accept but to offer agreement For there v. 18. not onely the fruit of righteousnes is sowne in peace but it is also of them that make peace So then my brethren not onely have love and bee at peace when love and peace are presented unto you but also r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 14.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persequimur charitatem Follow after or pursue Charity 1 Cor. 14.1 And likewise as David exhorts you Psal 34.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaere pacem sequere eam i. e. seeke peace and follow it Å¿ Pagnin in Lex Qui tamen 〈…〉 Quaere non verbis solum interrogatione hoc enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed conatu studiâ— hoc enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat The word in the originall intimates that wee should seeke peace not onely in t Psal 55 21. words by inquiring after it with an is it peace O Iehu but in deedes also by serious study and endeavour to attaine it Although your soules with Davids have long dwelt with those that are enemies to peace and persecute it into strife and faction yet doe you still with David pursue peace to imbrace and possesse it Alas love and peace like riches Prov. 23.5 make themselves wings and flye away like an Eagle towards heaven And like a bird escaped they are hardly caught and brought backe againe O then you that enjoy them hold them fast as Iacob held the Angell that they may blesse you ere they goe away or rather that they may not depart at all So that either your prayers and endeavours may returne into your owne bosomes and make you happy in your owne consciences or else may all so take effect abroad and make you happy in the fruit thereof among your brethren For truth it selfe hath sayd that Blessed are the peace-makers Mat. 5.9 that is not onely they which effect but they also which heartily endeavour peace u Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowells of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenes long-sussering Forbearing one another V. 13. and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell against any Even as Christ forgave you so also doe yee And above all things put on Charity V. 14. which is the bond of perfection And let the peace of God and so consequently V. 15. the God of peace rule in your hearts Heare the conclusion of the whole matter which I have delivered unto you on my Text and that you shall have from S. Augustine Si non vacat c. If thou hast no leasure to turne over all the leaves of holy writ hold fast Charity And in her thou shalt finde all knowledg so thou shalt retaine in thy minde both what thou hast learned in Scripture and also what thou hast not learned Because upon Charity all the Law and the Prophets depend Matth. 22. In that which thou understandest Charity is evident in that which thou understandest not Charity lyeth hidden He therefore holds fasts that which is manifest and that which is abstruse in Gods word who keepes Charity in his conversation Charity is the bond of affections without which the rich man is poore and with which the poore man is rich How great is she The safeguard of the soule the establishment of knowledge the fruit of faith the wealth of the needy the life of dying men Shee alone is not troubled with other mens felicitie for shee envieth not Shee alone is not lifted on high with her owne prosperity for shee is not puffed up Among reproaches shee is secure in the midst of hatred shee is kind Amongst quarrells she is gentle amongst treacheries shee is innocent Therefore she beares all things in this present life because shee beleeveth all things concerning the life to come Whatsoever more abundant good then my speech can utter you shall finde out in the commendation of Charity let it appeare in your lives Thus w Ipsissima August verba sunt Tom. 10. pag. 232. serm 39. de Temp Si non vacat omnes paginas Scripturarum evolvere tene Charitatem et in ea invenies omnem scientiam Ita tenebis quod in Scriptura didicisti tenebis etiam quod non didusti Quia â Charitate tota lex et prophete pendent In eo quod intelligis charitas patet in eo quod non intelligis Charitas latet Ille itaque tenet quod patet quod latet in divinis sermonibus qui charitatem tenet in moribus Vinculum est mentium sine qua dives pauper est cum qua pauper dives est Quanta est ista Animarum salus scientiae solidamentum fidei fructus divitiae pauperum vita moricatium Sola est quam faelicitas aliena nompremit qui a non aemulatur Sola est quam faelicitas sua non extollit quia non inflatur Inter opprobria secitra est Inter odia benefica est Inter iras placida est Inter insidias innocens Ideo tolerat omnia c. ibid. S. Augustine teaches you how to demonstrate by your practise that Charity is the fulfilling of the Law Now S. Augustine having exhorted you to Charity Next let S. Gregory dehort you from strife and uncharitablenesse Cur. pastora part 3. cap. 1. admo 24. Perpendant seminantes jurgia quam multipliciter pecant qui dum unam nequitiam perpetrant ab humanis cordibus canctas simul virtutes eradicant In uno enim malo innumera peragunt quia seminando discordiam charitatem quae virtutum omnium mater est extingunt i. e. Let those on the other side that sow contention amongst Christian brethren consider how manifold their offence is who by committing one sinne roote out all vertues whatsoever out of mens hearts for in one evill they commit many because they destroy Charity which is the mother of all vertues And thus men of contention demonstrate by their lives that uncharitablenesse is the violation of the whole Law of God I shut up all with one patheticall exhortation and one fervent prayer both learned of our Apostle S. Paul The first is x Phil. 2. V. 1. Phil. 2.1 c. If there bee therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love V. 2. c. Fulfill yee my joy that ye may be like minded having the same love being of one accord V. 3. of one minde Let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory c. Looke not every man to his owne things c. V. 4. And this I pray with S. Paul Phil. 1. V. 9. Phil. 1.9 c. That your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement V. 10. That yee may approve things that are excellent which are the things of Charity 1 Cor. 12.31 and Chap. 13. ibid that you may bee sincere and without offence until the day of Christ Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse V. 11. which are by Iesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS ERRATA PAge 98. line 18. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 118. l. 23. for incundissima r. incundissimi p. 144 l. 21. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 145. l 22. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 152. l. 15. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Margent PAg. 69. l. 20. for tantum r. tantam p. 80. l. 5. for unam r. unum p. 96. l. 29. for flax r. fax p. 125. l. 2. r. potsstatem non astrictam uni c. p. r 41. l. 10. for ille fuit reverentiae r. illi fuit reverentia p. 154. l. 27. for unam r. unum p. 155. l. 4 for Deam r. Deum