darkness without the Sun so the life of man is not vital or a living life without love And. 15. It is the best of Vertues Irenaeus calleth love l. 4. c. 63. Eminentissimum charismatum the most eminent of all the gifts of God Geminianus saith As gold excelleth all other mettals so love excelleth all other virtues whether theological or moral God is love what is then more precious He who dwelleth in love dwelleth in God what is more secure and God in him what is more delectable As the whole life of the body proceedeth from the soul so the whole dignity and worth of all external vertues proceed from the internal but especially from Love 16. Love is constant and perpetual Prov. 17.17 17. The nature of Love is to communicate and impart the secrets of our hearts to those whom we love Judg. 16.15 To conclude this question concerning the Nature and Excellency of Love and Charity Love in adversity is patient in prosperity temperate in passions strong in good works quick in temptations secure in hospitality bountiful amongst her true children joyful amongst her false friends forbearing Love in the midst of injuries is secure in heart bountiful in displeasures meek in concealing evils innocent in truth quiet at others misfortunes sad in vertues joyful Love in adversity fainteth not because it is patient and revengeth not injuries because it is bountiful Qu. 22. Whether is desire or love stronger Answ Love is stronger then desire because quiet and rest in the end or in the enjoyment of the good willed or wished is more and greater then the motion to the end for the motion to the end is not but for the quiet in the end and Propter quod unumquodque est tale id ipsum est magis tale he who loves the master for his childs sake doth love the child more then the master Because this Maxime or Axiom is often made use of I will therefore shew how it is to be understood viz. that four conditions be kept carefully in memory for the truth thereof I. That the praedicate or attribute be common both to the cause and to the effect and therefore it follows not Men are drunk for wine therefore wine is more drunk II. That the praedicate or attribute be capable of Magis and Minus more and less therefore it follows not The son is a man for the father therefore the father is the more man III. That the attribute be divers in number both in cause and effect wherefore it follows not Man sees for the eye therefore the eye sees more then man or Man is learned for man therefore the mind of man is more learned then man IV. That the attribute do agree with the effect by a dependance from the cause insomuch as if it be not in the cause it will not be in the effect wherefore it follâ—ws not The schollar is learned for his master therefore the master is more learned and the greater schollar Qu â—3 Whether is Love or Hatred stronger Answ Love because love is of that which is good hatred of that which is evil and good is stronger then evil because evil acts not but under the notion or in the power of good or something which seems to be such yea hatred comes from some kind of love Qu. 24. Whether is Dilectio or Amor stronger Answ Because we want words in our English Tongue to express these two I must be forced to answer the question thus Amor dilectione fortior ista enim in judicio solo ille in appetitu Qu. 25. Whether is Love or Knowledge better Answ Love is more excellent then Knowledge I. Because knowledge cannot effect that good and evil which love doth effect II. Because to love is of more worth then to know III. Because we enjoy God more by love then by knowledge And IV. Because we depend more upon God by love then by knowledge Qu. 26. What things do men love sometimes which they should not love at all Answ 1. Some love preheminence over their brethren 3 John 9. and highest places Mat. 23.6 Mark 12.38 And 2. Some negligence in those places wherein God hath set them Isa 56.10 3. Some idolatry and idols Isa 57.8 Jer. 3.1.8.2 Ezek. 16.37 4. Some love cursing Psalm 109.12 And 5. Some adultery and whoredom Prov. 7.18 And 6. Some transgression and strife Prov. 17.19 7. Some evil more then good Psalm 52. 8. Some lying more then truth Psal 52 5. Apoc. 22.15 9. Some love bribery Isa 1.23 Hosea 4.18 9.1 10. Some cruel and crafty words Psalm 52.4 11. Some pleasure more then God 2. Tim. 3.4 12. Some oppression Hosea 12.7 13. Some to have the Prophets prophesie falsely Jer. 5.31 14. Some love vanity Psalm 4.2 and 15. Some simplicity and folly Prov. 1.22 16. Some sleepiness and idleness Prov. 20.13 17. Some pleasure and wine Prov. 21.17 18. Some to wander Jer. 14.10 19. Some darkness more then light John 3.19 And 20. Some hypocrisie Mat. 6.5 21. Some perjury Zach. 8.17 and 22. Some love the world and the things therein Mat. 6.24 Eccles 5.10 1 John 2.15 Now the reasons why we should not love the world are I. Because the love thereof cannot satisfie our souls or the desires of our hearts Eccles 5.10 II. Because it hinders us from loving of God 1 John 2.15 16. III. Because it makes us the enemies of God Mat. 6.24 James 4.4 IV. Because it makes men apostatize from Christ 2 Tim. 4.10 V. Because it is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Qu. 27. What do men love which they may as a natural or moral duty Answ 1. Some love some sort of meat Genes 27.4 And 2. Some long life Psalm 34.12 1 Pet. 3.10 And 3. Some hospitality Tit. 1.8 Qu. 28. What is required of us in regard of those things which naturally we do and may love Answ Not to love them inordinately that is I. Not to love fathers mothers husbands wives or children more then Christ Matth. 10.37 II. Not to love our lives more then Christ John 12.25 Apoc. 12.11 Qu. 29. What things do men love which they ought to love as a Theological duty Answ 1. Heavenly things that is both spiritual graces which come down from heaven and heavenly glory which abides in heaven Colos 3.1 2. 2. The statutes commandments and word of God Psalm 119.119 127 140 167. 3. The appearing of the Lord in his second coming 2 Tim. 4.8 4. The house of God 1 Chron. 29.3 5. Every thing which is good Amos 5.15 Galat. 4.18 6. Instruction and knowledge Prov. 12.1 7. Their own souls Prov. 19.8 8. Purity of heart Prov. 22.11 9. Truth and peace Zach. 8.19 10. Wisdom Prov. 4.6.8.17.29.3 Now we must love wisdom for these reasons I. Because then Wisdom will love us Prov. 8.17 II. Because then we shall be blessed in outward things Prov. 8.21 III. Because otherwise we love death Prov. 8.36 Qu. 30. Whom do not wicked men love Answ 1. Not the Lord Iob
them he will reject upon the authority of the Scripture whereto he will lean Turrecremata saith In. c. Sanct. Rom. d. 15. n. 12. The writings of the Fathers bind us not to believe them in all their opinions but we may lawfully contradict them where they speak against the Scripture or the truth And Possevine saith Bibl. select lib. 12. cap. 23. Some things in the Fathers wherein they dissented from the Church are judged and rejected II. They reject the Fathers one by one ordinarily when they cross Romes Doctrine many examples the Reader may see hereof in our forenamed White pag. 330. sect 13. III. The Papists basely slight the Fathers although many of them agree in one and the same thing e. g. In the question touching the cause of Predestination one saith That Chrysostom Origen Ambrose Hierom Augustine Theodoret Gedulius Theophilact Oecumenius and Theodulus held that the prescience of Merits was not the cause of Predestination as Pelagius maintained and yet he prefers the opinion of him before them Sixt. Seâ—ens bibl lib. 6. annot 241. thus bravely rejecting ten Worthies at once Another saith Mich. Medin orig sacr hom li. 1. cap. 5. that Hierom Augustine Ambrose Sedulius Primasius Chrysostom Theodoret Oecumenius and Theophilact which are the chiefest of the Fathers in the question concerning the difference between a Priest and a Bishop held the same opinion which Aerius the Waldenses and Wickliffe did whom he counteth for Hereticks and chargeth the Fathers with the same heresie In the matter touching the Baptism of Constantine the great they Baron an 324. n. 43. 50 â—nde reject Eusebius Ambrose Hierom Theodoret Socrates Sozomen and the whole Council of Ariminum saying They deserve no credit because not they that is the Fathers have written the truth but themselves that is the Papists have truly related that he was baptized by Eusebius the Bishop of Nicomedia Thus we see how the Papists esteem of the Fathers and their Writings when they sute not with their own Tenents Fourthly The Works and Writings of the Fathers are purged I should rather say polluted by the Papists and adulterated corrupted gelded and changed by them and therefore we are not now by any means to build our Faith upon them I desire my studious Reader to peruse Perkinsi Problema pag. 2. c. ad 44. And Censura quorundam Scriptorum Auctore Roberto Coco where he shall find this answer abundantly confirmed Fifthly The Fathers in many things dissented among themselves and therefore we cannot build our Faith upon them because the foundation of Faith ought to be firm and infallible truth being but one Theophilus calleth Epiphanius Haeresiarcham the grand Captain and Father of Hereticks Gennadius saith that Augustine was not far off from being an Heretick Hierom writing to Augustine saith In Epistola tua quaedam haeretica esse judicavi I conceive there are some heretical opinions in your Epistle And Augustine wisheth Hierom to acknowledge his errour and recant Jewel def of the Apol. f. 378. Sixthly The Fathers have erred in many things and therefore are neither firm nor fitting pillars to build our faith upon This a learned Papist Canus loc theol l. 7. c. 3. concl 2. doth acknowledge in these words The Canonical Authors as being directed from above do alwayes hold a perpetual and stable constancy in their Writings but the Fathers being inferiour unto them fail sometimes now and then contrary to the course of nature bringing forth a monster And another of them Anselm comment in 2 Cor. saith that in the r Books which the Church readeth many times are found things corrupt and heretical Thus Hillary denyed that Christ in his sufferings had any sorrow Refert Bellarm. de charit l. 4. c. 8. Clemens Alexandrinus saith that Christ did not eat and drink out of any necessity but only to shew that he had a true body and that both he and his Apostles after their death preached to the damned in hell and converted many Strom. l. 6. l. 3. Cyprian held rebaptization and Athenagoras condemned marriage Seventhly We Protestants do not deny the Fathers but receive them with all reverence studying their writings and accounting their Books as most excellent monuments of Antiquity but we dare not make them rules of Faith in themselves by which Doctrines of truth are established but we allow and affirm the Scriptures only to be judge whereby we trie both the Fathers and our selves Faith comes from the word of God not from the writings of men Rom. 10.14 and therefore the VVord not the Fathers must be the rule of our Faith and by the proportion and analogy of Faith and truth therein contained all opinions are to be proved I conclude this Quaere VVhether or no we may build our faith upon the antient Fathers thus I. That the Fathers may err II. That many of them may err together III. That the learned of this present age in many things have more understanding then the Fathers had we being as Dominicus Bannes a Doctor of the Church of Rome said pag. 58 59. like children standing on the shoulders of Gyants who being lift up by the taleness of the Gyants see further then they themselves IV. Lastly That therefore with reverence they may in some things be refused Thus we see that neither our works nor the Fathers writings are the Foundation of our Faith Answ 3. The VVord of God is said to be the foundation of our Faith Oportet discentem credere Aristot The Schollar must believe and be directed by his Teacher especially in Divinity Credendum ut intelligas non intelligendum ut credas August We must believe the word that we may understand it not understand the word that we may believe it we must receive the word with meekness Jam. 1.21 not presuming to understand above that which is meet Rom. 12.3 we must not turn from the word either to the right hand or to the left because if there be any truth it is there Deut. 5.32 Rabby Joseph Albu saith That the Jewish faith is founded upon three foundations viz. Upon the Unity of the Divine Essence upon the Law of Moses and upon the eternal reward of good works and punishment of evil Now all these are learnt from and laid down in the word of God Answ 4. Christ only is that foundation upon which the spiritual building of the Church is raised and upon which our faith is founded Matth. 7.24 But of this amply and fully God willing when in the Large work promised I come to speak of the Son of God what he is in Himself and what he is unto or in regard of us Qu. 27. VVhat necessity is there of Faith Answ 1. As nothing is delectable unto men without light so nothing is acceptable unto God without faith Heb. 11.6 VVithout faith it is impossible to please God 2. An historical knowledge of Christ without Faith profits us nothing Mark 1.24 Mat. 7.22 For I. Only Faith truly
is weak Or II. In application when a man cannot certainly lay hold upon Christ but is like him in the Gospel who said I believe Lord help my unbelief Mark 9.24 Qu. 48. Can weak faith be true Answ It may as appears thus I. There is a smoaking flax and a bruised reed Isa 42.3 Mat. 12.20 Psal 103.2 II. Sometimes the Sun is obscured by the interposition of a cloud and sometimes the Lord hideth his face that we cannot see him Psal 22.1 2. III. Faith is not created Simul Semel Perfect at first as Adam was but is like a man in the ordinary course of nature who is first an imperfect birth then an infant then a child then a youth then a man or like a grain of Mustard-seed Matth. 13.31 33. 1 Pet. 2.2 for faith groweth and encreaseth unto perfection Prov. 4.18 1 Cor. 1.7 and 2 Cor. 1.7.10.15 Eph. 4.13 2. Thes 1.3 2 Pet. 3.18 Qu. 49. Why is true faith sometimes weak and small Answ Because although faith be given from above Ephes 2.8 yet it is not given miraculously but by the means of the Word Rom. 10.15 c. Hence it is said The sower sowed seed Mat. 13.1.31 Mark 4.26 c. And hence it is sometimes greater and sometimes lesser For the better understanding of this observe three things First the School-men say that faith is less in a double regard viz. I. Quoad objectum in regard of the object because expresly some believe sewer things then others do Thom. 2.2.54 II. Quoad participationem in regard of the participation and that either 1. Ex parte intellectûs because some have lesser understanding then others or 2. Ex parte voluntatis because some have I. Lesser promptitude and readiness in believing then others some being more dull lasie and sluggish tâ—â— others are or II. Lesser devotion some being less zealous then others are or III. Lesser confidence and trust some being more fearful then others are Secondly our Divines affirm faith to be lesser in a double regard also viz. I. Fructibus in regard of the fruits thereof as holiness joy strength zeal constancy and the like II. Gradibus in regard of the Degrees or Nature of Faith as in apprehension and application Perkins And therefore Chemnitius observes three things viz. 1. That sometimes faith is great as Matth. 8.10.15.28 and 2. That sometimes faith is small as Mat. 14.31 and 3. That sometimes faith is weak and that either I. In acknowledging Rom. 14.1 or II. In trusting Mark 9.21 Thirdly observe that sometimes faith is lesser I. In regard of others i. e. one mans faith is greater then anothers as one star differs from another in glory 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 15.1.14.1 and II. In regard of a mans self that is sometimes faith in one and the same man is greater and sometimes lesser and that either 1. Ordâ—narily and thus a mans faiâ—â— is less when he is newly regenerated then afterwards Heb. 5.12 or 2. Extraordinarily in the hour of temptation which is occasioned either I By reason of some sin committed 2 Sam. 12. Psalâ— â—â— 32. or II. Because God withdraws his grace and spirituâ—l light for a time 2 Chron. 32.31 Psal 51.11 oâ— III. Because the good and holy Spirit of God is grieved Ephes 4 30 31. and that either 1. By our love of sin or 2. By our neglect of the exercises of Religion or 3. By our quenching of the good motions of the holy Spirit Qu. 50. How may a weak faith be known to be true Answ 1. The weak true faith is but of short time or is but newly and lately infused 1 Pet. 2.1 where there is life in an infant there is daily growth insomuch as from a childe it comes to be a man except it prove a Dwarf or monster in nature and therefore they may suspect the truth of their faith who are always children and both weak in knowledge and application 2. The weak true faith is humble sorrowing and blushing for sin and iniquity though past and mourning for her present weakness in application true faith greives because she is weak 3. True faith though weak yet brings forth some good fruits of obedience Gal. 5.6 James 2.14 Qu. 51. What are the Effects of weakness of Faith Answ As infidelity in toto so debility in tanto causeth much evil E.G. I. Sometimes weakness of faith drives unto the use of wicked means a fear to want things necessary often hurries men unto covetousness oppression usury covenant-breaking and the like II. Oftentimes it brings men to murmuring fears terrours sorrow unto death and the like 2 Cor. 7.10 III. It hinders in part from the hearing of the Word because they are not sure of the presence of God with the word nor of the ayd and assistance of the Spirit in the hearing thereof IV. It makes prayer tedious because we are not sure that thereby and therein we talk with God as a man with his friend V. Weakness of faith or a weak faith cannot bring a man to peace of conscience Phil. 4.7 And therefore we should not onely examine whether we have faith but also whether our saith encrease and be strong Qu 52 What may we learn here from the weak true faith Answ That God will not reject infants and those who are weak in faith Mat. 12.20.19.14 True indeed it is that we ought to be I Hot in true zeal as Elias Christ and Paul were And II. Pure and immaculate in our lives and conversâ—tions Mat. â— 16 Phil. 2.15 yea III. Strong resolu e and perseverant in the â—râ—ct se of Religion Colos 1.25 1 Pet. 5. â— yet Châ—â—â— pâ—sseth hâ—â— and pardoneth many sins in us and beareth with many infirmities not rejecting us because we are weak in faith and therefore tender consciences may here find comfort in a threefold distress viz. 1. Art thou dejected and in heaviness because thou hast been a great sinner then remember that such were Zacheus Mary Magdalene the thief and many Publicans unto whom Christ shewed mercy and therefore he will be gracious also unto thee if with them thou do repent and believe 2. Art thou dejected and drowned in tears because thou art weak in faith then remember Mat. 12.20 3. Art thou cast down because thou art weak in Sanctity and obedience then call to mind Psal 103.3 John 15.2 Ephes 5.14 Qu 53. VVhat doth God require of us unto this comfort Answ 1. That we have a good foundation a sincere heart within 2. That we strive unto perfection not acquiescing or resting in any degree of grace received but labouring that we may grow from a weak faith to a strong from a small faith to a great Qu. 54. VVhen how or how many ways is faith in any one said to be great Answ 1. To this Dormisecurus serm 18. answers Tunc autem est fides magna quando est operibus conjuncta charitati admixta perseverans firma faith is then great when it is conjoyned
1. Righteousness Gal. 5.5 2. Christian courage and magnanimity Psalm 31.24 3. Prayer Psalm 119.147 4. Patience Lament 3.26 Rom. 12.12 1 Thess 1.3 5. Spiritual experience Rom. 5.4 6. Faith 1 Pet. 1.21 7. Rejoycing Prov. 10.28 Heb. 3.6 8. Confidence Psalm 119.116 Qu. 28. What are the notes marks and signs of spiritual hope Answ 1. It adheres and trusts soly to the grace of God and his free promises Heb. 11.1 1 Pet. 1.13 2. It begets in us a care and desire in all things to please God 1 John 3.3 3. It diligently uses those means which God hath appointed tor the obtaining the thing hoped for and abstains from the use of all unlawful and unwarrantable means Heb. 10.23 24 25. 4. It depends not upon any means but only upon God who can work by or without those Hest 4.14 Qu 2â— What things are contrary unto true hope Answ 1. Despair of mercy 2. Doubtings of the blessings to come which are expressed in the word 3. Carnal security and a neglect of the use of the means appointed for the obtaining of the thing hoped for 4. Shame of face or confusion in regard of the event is opposed to hope Psalm 25 2 3. Note here the certainty of faith is opposed to errour but the certainty of hope is opposed to distrust and as in this they differ so in this they are alike That either of them is firm and certain for faith establisheth the understand ng lest it should not believe and hope establisheth the affection lest it should distrust Qu 30. Who are too blame in regard of Hope Answ 1. Those who prefer worldly enjoyments before spiritual hope Bias said He who will lose a favour for a hope hath small â—tore of wisdom the proverb saith A bird in hand is worth two in the bush Bion saith He who supposeth to thrive by hope may happen to beg in misery and most men choose present enjoyments before future hopes the pleasures of sin and profits of the world before the hope of the pleasures at Gods right hand for ever and ever 2. Those are too blame who hope in the creatures for to put our confidence in the creature is to despair of the Creator De Creatore desperare est spem in creatura ponere Gregor in Mor. lib. 3. And 3. Those who hope in God while they are wicked for vain is that hope which doth not fear God they onely hoping well who are good De spe incassum praesumit qui timere Deum in suis operibus temnit Greg. in mor. as Socrates was wont to say Spem malam nihil aliud esse quam pessimum viae ducem ad gravissima quaeque peccata Stob. serm 109. So indeed for a man to hope well in evil-doing makes him neglect to do good and encourageth him in evil Qu. 31. VVhat may we learn from or concerning Hope An. 1. That Hope is a thing which is appropriate unto man alone for beasts have no hope at all looking onely at things present And 2. That hope grounded on God never faileth but built on the world never thriveth And 3. That hope of life is vanity hope of death is life and the life of hope is true piety and vertue And 4. That sweet words and fair promises beget hope large protestations nourish it and contempt kills it And 5. We may learn that true spiritual hope cannot be without faith Spes sine fide quomodo esse pâ—ssit non invâ—nio nemâ— enim se sperat posse assâ—qui quod non esse câ—edit August How can hope be without faith seeing a man cannot hope to possess or enjoy that which he doth not believe is Fides credit spes charitas crant sed sine fide esse non possunt at per haec sides orat August in Enchirid. Faith believes hope and love pray but these cannot be without faith and by these faith prayes Qu. 32. VVhat is required or what is the duty of all in regard of this grace and vertue of spiritual hope Ans To labour diligently for the full assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 When Alexander passed into Asia he gave large Donatives to his Captains and other principal men of vertue insomuch as Parmenio asked him Sir what do you keep for your self He answered Hope Wincelais King of Hungary being driven out of his Kingdom and forsaken of his own oftentimes used to say The hope I had in men hindred me from putting my trust in God but now my hope being wholly in him I assure my self that he will help me by his divine goodness as indeed it fell out not long after he being re-established in his Estate and Dignity Thus by hope we are saved and therefore we must hope for good by a good hope Qu. 33. Whether may hope be certain or Whether is there certainty in hope An. 1. Sometimes I confess Hope is contrary and uncertain men oftentimes hoping one thing and another coming to pass For I. Sometimes that which men hope will be for their salvation turns to their destruction as Rom. 11.9 Let their table be made a snare and a not for a recompence unto them Christ here by the mouth of the Prophet wisheth that which came upon the Jews that is that as Birds are taken whereas they think to find food so the Law which the Jews of a blind zeal preferred before the Gospel thinking to have salvation by it should turn to their destruction II. Sometimes a man hopes for one thing and a better comes to pass Saul hoped by his seeking to find his Fathers Asses but found a Kingdom Phalaris the Theban being grievously sick of a disease in his lungs would needs enter into battel with his enemies hoping to be slain therein and so to be released from his pain in the battel he was sore wounded with a Spear and hoped it had been mortal but he was cured of his wound and eased of and freed from his former malady by the wound received Mamilius Bubulus King of Hetruria received in a battel a wound with an arrow which entred his body up to the feathers and being drawn out the head thereof remained still in the flesh being something recovered of his wound he went to hunt a Hart hoping to cheer and refresh himself thereby but in his hunting he fell into a ditch and his horse upon him and thereby the Arrow-head which was left in his body was forced out and it being voided out he became afterwards more healthful then ever he was III. Sometimes a man hopes for one thing and a worse comes to pass as Cornelius Rufus being very weary laid him down to sleep hoping to ease and refresh himself thereby but in his sleep the faculty or sense of seeing was taken away from him and he became all his days blind Lucian in his Dialogues tells us of a Cobler who being invited to a rich mans house and seeing much plate dreamed the next night that he was his heir and enjoyed it all
Because they are Disciples and thus we must love them for their spiritual society and bond of charity as fellow-travellers in a long journey love one another or as Countrey-men love one another in a strange place or remote Countrey And therefore three sorts of men are here too blame First hypocrites and dissemblers who as Bernard saith have Mel in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis peace in their words but war in their hearts towards the Saints loving them with their lips but hating them in their hearts Pro. 23.7 James 2.13 Our love unto the faithful must be sincere and cordial not sinister and counterfeit Secondly those are too blame who love the Saints onely for some second causes either I. Because they are their neighbours and their good neighbours from whom they receive no evil but upon every occasion all neighbourly offices Or II. Because they are of their kindred and alliance Or III. Because they are of meek affable and gentle natures and loving dispositions or IV. Because they love them and theirs Or V. Through vain-glory that they may be praised for their loving of those who are good Thirdly those are faulty who love the faithful onely with a mercenary love or for reward Aliud est sperare aliud est hoc agere Hier. A man may hope that God will bless him if he love his children because this God hath promised but a man must not therefore love them that God may bless him this being but self-love Ans 2. In general besides the Lord we are commanded to love our neighbour and our enemies Luk. 10.27.28 Qu. 100. VVhat is the nature of the love of the faithful one to another Answ 1. It is a growing and encreasing love 2 Thess 1.3 2. It is a continuing and abiding love Hebr. 13.1 Qu. 101. VVhether are we to love all the Saints and faithful alike or not Answ I might for the resolution and satisfaction of this Quaere refer my Reader to Camara quaest concil exposit qu. 97. p. 98. But I will to him adde two things First in respect of the different degrees of men there must be different degrees of love e.g. Magistrates and Ministers being publique Persons and religious are to be loved above other private persons they bearing in them a double image of God I. Inward in sanctification And II. Outward in authority and place Secondly in equal comparison when men are equal in degree then we must first and principally love parents children affinity and consanguinity we being bound to love them by a double bond I. Of nature And II. Of grace for grace doth not abolish natural affection but onely orders and disposeth it aright Qu. 102. How may we know whether we truly love the children of God or not Answ 1. He who loves the Father will love the children 1 John 5.2 2. He who obeys the Father loves the hildren 1 Iohn 5.2 3. He who loves those whom he hears to be religious and zealous though he knows them not is a lover of Gods children 4. He who delights in the company and society of godly men when he hath no other relation unto them then as they are good men is a true lover of the faithful Psalm 16.3.126.5 Rom. 1.12 5. He who hath a fel ow-feeling of the Saints miseries as if himself were in misery is a lover of them 6. He who is always willing to distribute to the necessities of the Saints according to his ability must needs be a lover of them 7. â—e who can bear with reproaches and reproachful words at the hands of truly righteous men â— a true lover of the Saints When Luther had wofully wronged and reviled Calvin the good man said Etiamsi Lutherus millies me Diabolum vocet ego tamen illum insignem Domini servum agnosco c. Let Luther hate me and in his wrath call me Devil a thousand times yet I will love him and acknowledge him a most precious servant of God To answer the wrath of the Saints with love is a good sign of a Saint-lover As the members of the same body albeit having divers duties and functions and differing also in form do tenderly and mutually love one another because they live by one and the self-same reasonable soul so faithful Christians love one another being made alive by the Divine Spirit of God who by how much he is more good or excellent by so much also he is more Powerful to knit and unite those together in whom he dwelleth Lodov. Granat As in a material building one stone is knit unto another by lime and morter so in the spiritual building one Christian is joyned to another by love and hence though one member be casually or causlessly injured by another it doth not seek revenge upon the other Qu. 103. Who must principally abound in Christian Love and Charity towards their neighbours Answ 1. Old men Tit. 2.2 2. Ministers 1 Tim. 4.12 2 Tim. 3.10 Qu. 104. Wherein or how ought Ministers to express and show their Love unto their People Answ 1. By speaking friendly unto them and beseeching them to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 2. By testifying their inward affection unto them by their outward works 3. By serving them in Christ not desiring so much to be ministred unto as to minister 4. By being ready to lay down their lives for them John 15.13 Qu. 105. From whence springs true Christian Love and Charity towards our brethren Answ 1. Originally from God true Love being his gift Eph. 1.15.16.6.23 Phil. 19. Col. 1.3.4 1 Thes 1.2 3.3.12 2. It proceeds out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 3. It issues out of a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 4. It flows from Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Qu. 106. Whether are wicked men to be Loved Answ As the Physitian hateth the disease yet loveth the person diseased so we must love that in our neighbour which is good and made of God and abhor that which the Devil and man hath made evil i. e. we must Love the wicked mans person though we hate his vice For 1. God hath commanded us to love our enemies and those are truly evil who are enemies to good men And 2. Those who are wicked for the present may belong unto God in regard of divine election and therefore such are to be loved And 3. We ought to pray for all wicked ones who have not sinned against the Holy-â—host and therefore we must love them 4 This is confirmed from Christ who for our example loved us when we were wicked Rom. 5 6 7 Qu. 107. What is the Love of our neighbour Answ To love our neighbour is for the love which we owe unto God to wish well and do good unto our neighbour and to do all things unto him which we would in equity and according to Law should be done unto us Or The love of our neighbour is a true and sincere good will both in will mind and