to suffer any of his faithful labourers and servants to want encouragement David had it in his heart to build him an house and God establishes the house of David 1 Chron. 17. 23. and his family was upheld till Christ the Son of David came I have done with the third Proposition That the Body of Christ should diligently endeavour the edifying of it self Proposit IIII. The fourth and last Proposition is this The more Love abounds among the members of the Church the more the whole Body will be edified or more briefly thus Love is exceedingly for the Churches edification I might be large in discoursing of Love to Christ and manifest how this will constrain all in whom it is to endeavour the edification of his Body and to seek the welfare of those for whom he died One who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity how can he chuse but love all Saints though of different perswasions since notwithstanding that difference they are all so dear to him that he gave his life a ransom for them all and the blood of God was shed for every one of them that there might be a price paid sufficient for their Redemption But the Apostle is to be understood in my Text of Christians love one to another This is that Charity which the Scripture calls so loudly for Joh. 13. 34. A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another the command is doubled and called a new commandment because though delivered long before yet here 't is delivered with a new example that of Christ himself as I have loved you and consequently with a new and strongly enforcing motive The Apostle Peter gives this charge 1 Pet. 4. 8. Above all things have fervent charity among your selves Gifts though excellent may be abused and perversely employed to instill Errour and rend the Church of God Knowledge if it be alone will not profit but puss up him that has it But Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8. 1. Love is greatly beneficial its acts are pure and peaceable and gentle full of mercy and good fruits and 't is against the very nature of it to work ill to any In the handling of the Proposition I shall First Discourse concerning the Nature of Love Secondly Discover the Properties which the Scripture attributes to it Thirdly Demonstrate how it is for the Churches Edification Fourthly Shew the vanity of those excuses that are made for the want of love Lastly Apply In the first place I am to discourse concerning the Nature of love There is a fourfold Love Carnal Natural Civil Spiritual 1. Carnal and impure Thus Amnon loved his fair Sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 1. and Sampson fell in love with Delilah but this impure affection cost both these their lives and brought the one and the other to an untimely end This may more properly be called Lust than Love and in whatever heart 't is harbour'd how does it defile and harden If but a spark of lust be let alone what a flame may quickly follow which may consume the Estate the Reputation the Body and the Soul it may indeed be extenuated but 't is threatned with the wrath of God Not only for fornication but for evil concupiscence cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience Col. 3. 5 6. When Lust is suffer'd to conceive and bring forth actual Adultery how do the Adulterer and his Strumpet shew their hatred one to the other The mischief they do themselves is inconceiveable and how do they defile each the others Body wound each the others Conscience and delight in that whereby they damn each the others Soul 2. There is a Love which is Natural I mean Natural affection To have this natural affection is a duty for 't is planted in the heart by the wise and gracious God as that which has a mighty tendency to the conservation of Mankind therefore to be without natural affection the Apostle makes one of the crimes of them who were given up to a reprobate mind to do those things which were not convenient Rom. 1. 28 31. Natural affection we owe unto Relations which debt if we refuse to pay we shut our ears to the dictates of Nature as well as the word of Christ and become worse than Infidels nay worse than the beasts that perish Parents must love their Children Children their Parents Husbands and Wives be full of affection to one another But Grace should spiritualize this Natural affection Not only the persons of our Relations must be loved but their Souls and their eternal Salvation most earnestly desired and endeavoured and if we cannot bear the thoughts of a Parents Husbands Wives or Childs pain poverty slavery starving the thoughts of their being eternally damn'd should be much more intolerable and all means should be used to prevent it 3. There is a Love which may be styled Civil This is one of the great bonds of Humane Societies whereby they are kept together whereas hatred and discord do first divide and then destroy them This Amor patriae love to our Countrey the more it prevails the more will our Countrey flourish In a Kingdom the whole should be concerned for every individual and every individual for the whole and all the parts for one another No member should hastily be concluded a gangren'd one that is Ense recidendum ne pars sincera trahatur Presently to be cut off lest the whole Community be endanger'd Draco is not lookt upon as one of the wisest Legislators who made almost every Offence capital and therefore is said to have writ his Laws in blood A mild Government such as our English is does best suit with Christianity and is likeliest to attain the end of Magistracy the Highest Sovereigns glory the King and Kingdoms safety Love should make all the Subjects of a Kingdom to consider the Relation they have to and their concern in one another and no Plots and Conspiracies should be allowed but onely designs and endeavours of one anothers wealth and welfare especially the truest wealth and the welfare that is eternal I cannot but here bewail the want of this Civil love and the variance that is in my Native Country New Names of discrimination are invented which our forefathers knew not Breaches grow wide as the Sea who but the God of Love and Peace can heal them A perverse Spirit mingles it self among different Parties and differences are kept up and still increased with an unusual animosity When Phaeton had set the World on fire the Poet by an elegant Prosopopoeia brings in the Earth it self thus pleading Hosne mihi fructus hunc fertilitatis honorem Officiique refers c. And may not England which at this day is in a flame of Contention be introduced thus speaking to her Inhabitants O English-men what means this more than civil Discord and Fury among you In Me you have been born and bred And considering the
Love to unite Christians and to make them one since divisions strike at Christ himself and harden the World in its infidelity 5. Love enlarges the Heart and frees it from the bonds of selfishness and makes its desire others welfare as well as our own Love to our Neighbour breaths forth in servent wishes that it may be well with him both in Time and to Eternity We are in every respect to consider our Brethren and true love will make us long that every way they may be benefited that they may not want any needful fecular comfort and encouragement especially that they may be blessed with all Spiritual blessings And above all that they may attain Eternal Happiness and Salvation The Apostles love vents it self in a Prayer for the Corinthians temporal prosperity and increase 2. Cor. 9. 10. Now he that mimistereth seed to the Sower both Minister brend for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your Righteousness So St. John writing to his beloved Gaius wishes him health and prosperity 3 Joh. 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health even as thy Soul prospereth But the Apostles wishes that Souls might be sanctified and saved were most vehement and most pathetically expressed Rom. 10. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Phil. 1. 8. God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you Behold how the Apostle loved Souls I don't wonder that he wishes his love as a blessing to the Church 1 Cor. 16. 24. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus Amen 6. Love is the fulfilling of the Law the doing of which is so much for our Neighbours benefit Rom. 13. 8. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law As love to God includes the whole first table of the Law so love to our Neighbour includes the second with reason 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling of the Law for it causes an affectionate and obediential respect unto every Commandment of the second table and there is not one of these precepts but 't is hugely for the good of Mankind 1. Love has a regard â—o the Honour and Authority of Others That honour which is due to Natural Parents love is ready to yield They that were instrumental in giving us our very Being and that nourished us with such tenderness and care when we were not ablâ— to shift for our selves may rightfully challenge obedience from us Upon a supposition that Parents are fallen into decay that piety that Children shew them in relieving them is called a Requiting them 1 Tim. 5. 4. so that Childrens disobedience as 't is unnatural so it has a great deal of ingratitude in it Love ascends higher than our Natural Parents and reaches the very Thrones where Kings and Princes are placed Kings are Patriae Patres Fathers of their Countrey all the inhabitants of a Kingdom are the Children of the King and as a Common Father their very hearts should love and reverence him It was not a Court complement or a strain of Rhetorick but an expression of religious Loyalty when the Prophet call'd the Anointed of the Lord the breath of the peoples nostrils Lam. 4. 20. and signifies how dear his life should be unto them all Love will cause tribute and custom to be willingly paid fear and honour to be rendred Rom. 13. 7. Christian Princes according as it was prophetically promised Isa 49. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Ecclesiae Nutritij the Churches Nursing Fathers The Church of Christ in this world is not arrived to such matâ—uity but it stands in need of nursing the Magistrates care is needful and his Authority is a good fence unto the Christian faith And if the Doctrine of the Gospel has a legal establishment how should this endear the Supream Magistrate unto all inferiours Where Christian love reigns in the hearts of Subjects there Christian Kings will reign with greater security Love and rightly informed Conscience wherever found will do more than Rods and Axes though these are also necessary to support and defend the Civil Government 2. Love has a regard to the Lives of Others The guilt of blood is great the cry of blood is loud Murther how does it wound the Murtherers Conscience and defile the very land which receives the blood of him that is murthered Love utterly abhorrs cruelty and slaughter It considers the meekness and gentleness of Christ When James and John would by miraculous fire have consumed a Samaritan village that would not receive their Lord He rebukes them and sayes ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luk. 9. 55 56. Love is so far from thirsting after blood that it will not allow of malice in the heart nay rash and causelefs anger it dislikes for that will make a man in danger of the judgment Mat. 5. 22. Were but love every where revived it would put an end to the Iron one and cause the Golden age to return Swords would be beaten into Plough-shares and Spears into Prâ—ning-Hooks and Nations would not learn Warr any more 3. Love will not violate others chastity Lust is strongly inclined to such a violation but the grace of love is of an holy and clean nature and abhorrs all obsceneness It is so far from consenting to defile anothers body that it will not allow the heart where 't is by a filthy thought or desire to be defiled for our Lord sayes Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5. 28. Love looks upon the bodies of Christians as Members of Christ as temples of the Spirit now the Members of Christ are not to be polluted the temples of the Spirit are not to be profaned How little of true love is there in this lustful Age in this adulterous generation An affection that is indeed Christian is rarely to be found but a reprobate and brutish concupiscence is very rise both in City and Countrey though hereby both are ripening apace for vengeance Jer. 5. 7 8 9. They assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses they were as fed Horses in the morning every one neighed after his Neighbours Wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nature as this 4. Love will not steal away the substance of another It abhors to be injurious to any it is for following that which is altogether just It is ready to distribute willing to communicate to the poor according to that charge 1 Tim. 6. 18. and the poorer any are it is so much the more communicative Love is liberal for he that
the excellent ones and his delight was all in them as the most eligible and suitable Society Psal 16. 3. Love is exceedingly pleased with the holy and unblameable and exemplary Lives of others it finds a Melody and Sweetness in their gracious and edifying Discourses when their Hearts are warm and their Graces are in vigorous exercise the delight is greatest when Saints are most like themselves discovering most of real Sanctity and least of sinful Infirmity Love is for Communion with all Saints though of different perswasions He that likes Saints of his own Judgment onely 't is a sign he is fond of his own Opinion and that his Complacency is not so truly in the Image of God wherever it shines 'T is want of light that makes Saints of different sentiments in Religion and 't is want of Love that makes them so shye to look so strangely to speak so strangely and to act so strangely one towards another 9. Love causes a joy in the good of others In the natural Body if one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. Christians in like manner are to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce Rom. 12. 15. It was an excellent Spirit in John the Baptist and it argued the Truth of his Love to the Messiah of whom he was the forerunner that he rejoyced to see Christ increase though he himself decreased Joh. 3. 29 30. The Apostle was perswaded of the Corinthians affection to him when he said I have confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all 2 Cor. 2. 3. The more Love abounds the more the joy of one Christian will be the joy of every one Love rejoyces to see the Spirit of God poured out in the most plentiful manner to see useful and excellent gifts distributed to others It is really glad of their highest attainments their enlargements their comforts their honour and esteem following upon all this We are all Members one of another and why should we not rejoyce in one anothers honour since we are really honoured one in another and the honour of all redounds at length to our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of all 10. Love covers a multitude of sins and Infirmitieâ— 1 Pet. 4. 8. Not that there is any merit in this Grace of Charity to deserve the pardon of sin in our selves but instead of spreading the faults of others it spreads a veil over them Love makes us tender-hearted and kind ready to forgive others as we our selves for Christs sake have been forgiven And indeed the offences and injuries done to us by others are but like the debt of a few pence compared with our offences against God which amount to many Millions of Talents The Apostle Peter asked Christ Lord how often shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say unto thee not till seven times but untill seventy times seven Mat. 18. 21 22. Some think that there is allusion to the custom of the Jews to shew favour every seventh year but especially in the year of Jubilee As there is a greater measure of light in the Christian Church than there was in the Jewish so ought there to be a greater measure of love We must not only forgive to seven times or seven times seven but seventy times seven a certain â—umber for an uncertain intimatinâ— we must pardon our trespassing Brother without any stint or limitation Our Lord calls the time of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the acceptable year Luk. 4. 19. Christians should abhorr all manner of revenge and be as charitably inclined to pass by their Brethrens faults as if their life were a perpetual Jubilee Where is the love of those who not only harbour in their hearts a grudge against their Brethren but their mouths are like Trumpets to sound forth their failings Nay they tarry not to examine whether failings or no but boldly and blindly conclude them to be such and proclaim and exclaim against them Nay their eager tongues tarry not for a certain Information but whether reports to the disparagement of others be true or false they make them run like wild-fire What 's become of Love the mean while Love hiâ—es a multitude of sins but these persons won't conceal one Love covers real Crimes but these forbear not spreading false reports The Tongue by Drexelius is called Orbis Phaethon the Phaethon of the World that sets it in a flame If as the Apostle sayes an unruly tongue defiles the whole body and he that seems religious and bridles not his tongue does but deceive his own heart and his Religion is in vain Jam. 1. 26. Let a multitude of Professors at this day tremble and be astonished and cry out Who among us shall be saved 11. Love is projecting and designing the good of others Thus the Apostle abased himself that others might be exalted and sought not his own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved 1 Cor. 10. 33. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour but is very fruitful in contriving and operative in promoting his Neighbours welfare Love is not in not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. It will not only say depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but 't is ready to cloath the naked and to feed the hungry nay it deviseth liberal and charitable things and considers the wants of Souls as well as Bodies cordially according to its capacity endeavouring that both may be supplyed The Apostles love to the Corinthians was very active notwithstanding a woful failing on their side 2 Cor. 12. 14 15. I seek not yours but you and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your souls though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved Thus have I explained the Nature of Love In the Second place I am to speak of the Properties which the Scripture attributes to it and requires should be in Love 1. Love must proceed from a pure heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. A heart must of necessity be made a new one before this Grace of Love can dwell there If Satan cannot make us hate our Brother he will endeavour to defile our Love There is need of the greater care that our Love be not defiled by selfishness or lust and filthiness Our affections should be pure and clean as Angels may be conceived to love one another All impure motions must be detested utterly and our hearts being first circumcised to love a God of Holiness must love Saints for their holiness sake Our love should alwayes have an holy aim and never degenerate so as to design the polluting of others or our selves with them 2. Love must be joyn'd with a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. A Christian should not be conscious to himself of any sinful or by-ends that he has in
his love to others He must not have persons in admiration because of advantage nor allow of any Hypocrisy which Conscience cannot chuse if tender but condemn Therefore sayes the Apostle Let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. Conscience observes whether our inward affection answers our speeches our shews and our pretences and should be able to bear witness of our integrity Our love to our neighbours should be for Christs sake and should make us to pursue the ends for which Christ died on their account 3. Love must flow from faith unfeigned In that fore-cited place 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned There must be a firm belief of Gods good-will towards men of Christs love to his Church so as to give himself for its Redemption and Salvation and that he much insists upon this Command that Christians should love one another and when love is the product of this belief then 't is right then 't is acceptable The Apostle gave thanks without ceasing in the behalf of the Ephesians when he heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the Saints Eph. 1. 15 16. How can he refuse to love any one Saint who unfeignedly believes that Christ died for all especially if withall he be upon good grounds perswaded that Christ loved him und gave himself for him 4. Love must be fervent 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently 'T is ill with the Body if the natural heat abates it argues a dangerous decay in the new Creature if Love wax cold If Christians Love one towards another languish proportionably there will be also a languishing of their love to Christ himself and this is very perillous When there was not a fervency but lukewarmness in Laodicea Christ threatens to spue her out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. When Ephesus had left her first love he sayes I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 4 5. The great love of God in Christ his frequent injunctions that love may continue the excellency sweetness usefulness and even absolute necessity of love for the Churches conservation all this should be as perpetual fewel to maintain this holy fire 5. Christians Love must be Brotherly Christ sayes to his Disciples All ye are Brethren Mat. 23. 8. The whole Body of Believers is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brotherhood 1 Pet. 2. 17. Christians are all Children of the same heavenly Father who by one Spirit according to his abundant mercy has begotten them again to a lively hope all of them have Christ to be their Elder Brother and are born again of the same seed which is incorruptible how reasonable then are those injunctions Love as Brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. And let Brotherly love continue Heb. 13. 1. Alas for woe that the sinful Defects and Passions of Brethren are to be found among Professors but not the Affection Multitudes at this day resemble the Brother spoken of by Solomon Prov. 18. 19. A Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong City and their Contentions are like the bars of a Castle 6. Love should be extended so as to become Catholick and the more extensive 't is the more it makes a Man resemble God himself 1. Love is to be extended to the whole Church to all Saints When Love is limited to a party 't is Imprisoned as it were which ought to enjoy the greatest Liberty 'T is common and needful to distinguish between Conversion to a party and Conversion to God There is a distinction likewise to be made between Love to a party and Love to the Church of God 'T is but too apparent that men place too much in being of such a party and Perswasion and therefore all Receeding though done with a clear Conscience and for the Churches Peace is nick-named Apostacy And though a man walks as closely with God lives as well as ever loves more Saints and Saints more than ever yet because he is not rigidly of such a way he is censur'd belyed reproacht and shunn'd as if he were an Heathen man or Publican Oh Love why sleepest thou awake awake wherever thou art planted revive and flourish and bring forth the fruits of kindness peaceableness tenderness and moderation All true Saints of all Perswasions are beloved of God and purchased with his blood and nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom. 8. ult Disaffections therefore and distances one from another are very unseemly very sinful Though God does love all his Children freely yet they are all worthy of one anothers love and this love is a just Debt which they owe one to another If Saints are loved as Saints all Saints will be loved à quatenùs ad omne valet consequentia And if we love not all 't is but too plain that we love none at all truly 2. Love is to be extended to the Jews if they are beloved for their Fathers sakes Rom. 11. 28. Christians should love them and express that love by Prayer that they may not still abide in their Unbelief but look unto Jesus whom they have pierced and obtain Mercy 3. Love is to reach unto the uncalled Gentiles The worlds blindness and wickedness should move our Compassion and since the Mercy of our God is so unconceivably large we should desire that more may partake of it and since Christ is a Propitiation sufficient for the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 22. We should pity the millions of Souls that never heard of him and beg that the sound of the Gospel may come to their ears and that through this Jesus they may be reconciled and saved 4. Love is to be extended even to enemies and Persecutors Christians must not render evil for evil reproach for reproach cursing for cursing but if they are reviled they are to bless if they are defamed they are to intreat and they must endeavour the Worlds benefit though they are made the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 12 13. A Saints Patience should alwayes be greater than the Passion of a Persecutor a Saints love than a Persecutors hatred 'T is an excellent Spirit and the right Spirit of Christian charity to be meek and kind to those that are most bitter against us to speak the best of those who speak the worst of us to Pray that our most spightful Enemies may be forgiven and that the injuries which are done us being Pardon'd may not do an eternal harm unto the Injurers 7. Love should never fail but more and more increase It must be a constant fire never to be extinguished nay it
things wherein they agree than of those wherein they differ And be sure to deafen your ears to Tale-bearers whose business is to destroy Love and sow Discord The words of a Tale-bearer are as Wounds and how deep do they go Where no Wood is the Fire goeth out and where there is no Tale-bearer the Strife ceaseth Prov. 26. 20. 6. Let this be your frequent Petition That you may be taught of God to love one another Pray that the Word which commands Love may be more deeply engraven in your Hearts and rule there at all times and that all exasperating thoughts and surmises all unruly passions which are contrary to Love as enemies to you to the Church to God himself may be brought into Captivity unto Christ the Prince of Peace USE V. Of Consolation to the distracted drooping desponding Church of Christ and all the sincere Members of it The grounds of Comfort are these 1. The Church of Christ shall be upheld noâ—withstanding all her Divisions What heats what Heresies in the Primitive times If one reads the Catalogue of Errours in Epiphantus and St. Augustine which men professing Christianity embraced and what rents these Errours made it will be just matter of wonder that the Church was not torn to pieces by her own Members Satan has been striking at Faith and Charity and yet still there is a Church and when he has done his worst there will be one 2. The Love of Christ towards his Church is unchangeable The Members may fail in their duty one towards another but the Faithfulness of the Head never fails His care is constant he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. 'T is said Joh. 13. 1. That Jesus having loved his own that were in the World he loved them to the end And this love secured them to the end 3. There will be no want of love in Heaven Though Christians may not fancy to travel in one anothers company yet they are all going towards the same Countrey and place of eternal rest and when they are once come thither they shall rest from sin and contention as well as from trouble and affliction In that glorious place and state there will be no errour no culpable ignorance remaining both light and love will be in their perfection and because perfect love is there perfect peace and joy will be there also Jerusalem above is a City indeed that is compact together strongly founded for its builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. and 't is to last for ever and is built accordingly The triumphant Saints that inhabit there how near are they brought unto God who is all in all How closely and inseparably are they knit together in love St. Paul and Barnabas will no more fall out being both in Heaven and Luther and Zuinglius are perfectly agreed When St. Augustine as he tells us in his Confessions had been discoursing with his Mother concerning Heaven the Crown the Joys the Peace the Pleasures there his Mothers heart grew warm with Sacred Fire and that warmth at length was heightned into an Heavenly Rapture making her cry out Quid hic faciam What shall I do here below How shall I with patience stay in a vale of fears who have had such a sight of the glory such a taste of the joyes of the New Jerusalem Certainly it should make sincere Christians long to be above and it should comfort them that it will not be long ere they are above when they behold the Church on Earth so rent and torn by Pride and Ignorance and unruly Lusts and Passions and when withall they remember that among the innumerable Company of Angels and all the glorifyed Saints there is not the least discord but a compleat and everlasting Harmony I have finished my Discourse concerning Love and the Churches Edification I shall add a few Verses which I made when Prisoner in the Marshalsed I find that Musick relieved Saul when the Evil Spirit came upon him and composed the Spirit of a Prophet when it was ruffled and out of order and perhaps Poetry may have an effect of the like nature The Versâ—s are these Now use thy liberty my Mind Who art not in the least confin'd The whole Earth over thou may'st go And view the All that it can shew And that great All which thou can'st see Is not enough to satiate Thee From Gades to Ganges thou may'st run Thy thought 's much swister than the Sun And in thy travel nothing spy But what is vexing Vanity The greedy Worldling spares no pains The morâ— he has the less he gains To profit others does refuse Nay locks up all from his own use Sensual pleasures mixed be With an inward Anxiety The brutish part they only please But are the Mind's snare and disease Th' Ambitious Man strives to climb high That he may stand more slippery The glist'ring Crowns which Monarchs wear Have less of Honour than of Care Vain World produce even all thy store Thou art indeed a thing but poor Nay Heavens Heirs have felt thy rage In this as every former Age. If not by an excessive love An Idol made of thou do'st prove A Hell or Shambles unto them Who dare thee with thy all contemn The Church is too much like the World Into a strange confusion hurl'd Envy and Wrath and Pride and Strife Imbittering this present life By all is plain enough exprest Arise depart here 's not thy Rest Trample on Earth then take thy flight Immortal Soul Things out of sight Above the Sun or any Star Are worthy'st of thy thoughts by far Let not thy Senses Jaylors be Nor what suits them infatuate thee Open thy eyes behold thy God Rise with thy Lord that thy abode May be with him that 's Light and Love Nay All in all that are above The Persecution most fierce Can no way hinder thy Converse With Heaven Though in a Dungeon deep As the Earth's Centre Foes should keep The Body close yet thou art free And thy best Friend to visit Thee The joyful tokens of his Love Prisons are Palaces do prove Nay Paradises of Delight Although they silly Nature fright Sorrow is Joy and Pain is Pleasure Disgrace is Honour Loss a Treasure The World when worst is best of all To those God does to suffer call The New Jerusalem comes down Is clearly'st seen when Men most frown And with the sharpest Thorns thee Crown Take up thy Cross which is thy Tryal And taste the Sweets of Self-denial God is thy Father and thy Rest Abide with him and thou art blest The Following Poem was more lately Composed A Welcome to Disesteem I. THe World 's a Syren and its sweetest Song The greatest Wrong Th' Applause of Men the Prais'd endangereth Like poysonous breath The Wings of Fame like those of Icarus Pernicious He that Ambitious is of Estimation Shews himself fond of Peril and Temptation II. I' th most of Men a change is seen as soon As him i' th' Moon A word a look can quench the hottest Love And anger move The fondest Friend oft turns the worst of Foes And fury blows Whoso does think to make men alwayes kind He may as well attempt to hold the Wind. III. On Mountains high the Tempests fiercest are And nothing spare The tops of loftiest Buildings in a Town Are soonest down He that 's Above is envied to Death By those beneath Ambition does prove a fatal Charm And makes a man expose himself to harm IV. Vnconstant World how low should wise men deem Thy high esteem To better bad men Honour has no force Makes good men worse Honour is fitly styl'd the Foolish Fire That flies desire But fondly follows such as scorn and fly it That they may be misled and ruin'd by it V. What peace and safety is in being low The Prudent know Christs Head did fly the Circle of a Crown And great Renown The whole World offered He did refuse And Meanness chuse To follow Wisdoms Pattern can't be folly Dishonour's no just ground of Melancholy VI. False World thy ill report I 'le not deserve It shall me serve Thy frowns and slanders shall a kindness do Not make me rue When Friends turn Foes and Foes more Foes I see It weaneth me From things below and kills excessive Love Where doating my destruction might prove VII I will the Rage of Froward Men and Spight With Love requite It troubles me to see Professors Ire Burning like Fire I wish I were all Tears to check the Flame And quench the same If Wrath shut ears against my Ministry I will to God for all the louder cry N. V. THE END