Comparatively in the second degree of love and thus he loves his Church and children Deut. 10.15 Hos 11.4 Zach. 2.8 III. Superlatively in the highest degree of love and thus he loves Christ Iohn 10.17.15.9.17.24 An. 2. Sometimes love is referred to God the Son who is said I. To love his Father And II. His Church Psal 45.11 Cant. 1.2.7.10 And III. Some particular persons Mark 10.21 John 11.35 36.20.21 And IV. To love righteousness Psalm 45.7 Answ 3. Love sometimes is referred to God the holy Ghost Rom. 15.30 And 4. Sometimes to the Church of Christ Can. 7.12 5. Sometimes to men and that both I. To good men Gen. 22.2 Luke 7.5 Iohn 21.15 16. 1 Pet. 1.8 And also II. To bad men 2 Chron. 26.10 Psalm 52 3 4. And 6 Sometimes to beasts Hos 10.11 Qu. 6 How many ways is a thing loved An. Things are loved three manner of ways viz. I. Propter se for themselves thus we love health II. Non propter se sed propter aliud not for themselves but for another end thus the sick man loves a bitter potion not for it self but for healths sake III. Et propter se proper aliud somethings are loved both for themselves and for another end thus we love good wine and such Preserves and Censerves as we like and are good for our health and the preservation thereof Qu. 7. From whence comes this word Love An. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love comes from doing or working because it is a working grace not onely working it self but setting all the soul on work to attain what is believed True love is never idle but worketh industriously to serve him who is beloved for as fire is most active among the elements so is love most active among vertues and graces and As a root is ingendred of moisture and celestial heat so love groweth ariseth or springeth from the moisture of devotion and the supernatural heat of the holy Spirit whence it becomes so vigorous and active Qu. 8. What is Love in general An. Ovid who thought himself a Master of that art and writ precepts of the same thought it more obscure then the letters of Ephesus or the riddles of Sphinx to tell what it was so that being demanded to shew the definition thereof said Love is I know not what it cometh I know not from whence who sent it I know not it engendreth I know not how it is satisfied I know not wherewith it is felt but how I know not and to what end it tendeth I am ignorant but sure quoth he it is the loss of a mans self Anacreon said It was a sweet mischief sith for a pinte of pleasure we receive a gallon of sorrow and pain Callimachus called it a Court without Sergeants because they who love obey without constraint and are captive without conquest Propertius saith Love is a sweet tyranny because the Lover endureth his torments willingly Natural love is an inward good will which we bear to Parents Husbands Wives Children or Kindred moved thereunto not onely by nature thinking that we should love them as our selves but also by a likeness of mind whence generally we love all because all be in some things like unto us but yet we love them most who both in body and mind do most resemble us Love is a passion or affection in the concupiscible anpetite that it may enjoy the thing which is esteemed to be good as near as it can Or Love is the purest rightest and best affection of the soul whereby we love God for his own sake and our neighbor for Gods Or Love is Complacentia appetibilis an appetible complacency of that which is good For the understanding of this definition given by the Schoolmen we must note That there are three things in love I. An affection to the thing or person loved II. A desire to be united or conjoyned unto or possessed of the thing or person beloved III. An extraordinary and unspeakable joy in the fruition and possession of what we love Hence we may gather How we shall love the Lord I. We must be enflamed in our affections and ravished with the love of God 2. We must then desire to be made partakers of the Lord to enjoy him by faith in our souls and to be married unto him with an everlasting covenant 3. Being once made partakers of the Lord we must reâ—oâ—ce in him as the Church did in her beloved when she had found him Cant. 5. Qu. 9. Wh ch â— true Love An. 2. Not that which is in word and tongue onely 1 Iohn 3.18 â—ut 2. That which is without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 or that love which is unfeigned 1 Pet. 1.22 that is which is indeed and in truth 1 Iohn 3.18 3. That which is fervent Cant 8 7. 1 Pet. 1.22 4. That which springs from faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 5. That which proceeds from a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 6. That which issues out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.22 Qu. 10. Whereunto may Love be compared An. 1. Love is like nature in light and heavy bodies for it presseth down if it be terrene and earthly it raiseth up if it be heavenly hence Augustiwe saith Amor meus pondus meum eo feror quocunque feror my love is the lead and weight which sets all the wheels of my soul on work and guides me whethersoever I go and in whatsoever I do 2. Love is like Fire that is like a fire enclosed which straitly kept more fiercely flames at last Adverso tempore crevit Amor. Ovid. Love heightens by depression And as fire in all shops is an instrument for all or the most Artisans and workmen so nothing is well done without love and charity 3. Love is like to a Racket for as at Tenâ—â— Rackets make the ball live in a perpetual motion so do repulses in love reflecting it stronger into one anothers bosom the best temper of it is that the communication thereof be neither too forward to cool desire nor too froward left it cause despair 4. Love is like a light for as a light is not diminished by participation so love is not lessened by being divided amongst or imparted to many but rather augmented 5. Love in many things is like unto the Sun For I. As the Sun is of an uniting vertue it uniting as some Astrologers say the Planets in their effects so love doth spiritually unite and is therefore called the bond of perfection because it perfectly uniteth the soul to God and bindeth the hearts of the faithful together II. As the Sun is of a reviving nature so is love it translating from death to life and quickening the soul to every good work III. As the Sun is of an attractive power to draw vapours upwards so love ravisheth and raiseth up the affections unto God setting the heart upon those things which are above IV. As the
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
blinds judgement according to the French Adâ—â—e Amour fait trouver bâ—â—u ce qu de soy n' est beâ—u Love makes us judge a thing fair though it be soul Quisquis amat ranam 〈◊〉 puâ—â— esse Dianam And 5. It is sometimes the cause of irreconcileable jars and strife The cause of civil dissention between Themâ—stocles and Aristides was the love of Stesilâ—a an harlot whose beauty being decayed their hatred did so continue that they could never be reconciled but continued enemies even to death The like hatred was between Cato and Caesar about the love of the harlot Servilia 6. It iâ— hurtful both to the party loving and beloved the dart of Love being like a stroke with a clod of earth which being thrown amongst a company doth hurt one and blindes another 7. It makes men like beasts the Poets tell us that Jupiter transformed himself into the form of a Swan to enjoy Laeâ—a and into a Bull to beguil Jo and that Neptune changed himself into a Heâ—fer a Ram and a Dolphâ—n onely for the love of those he lusted after By these fictions I think the Poets mean that lustful love makes men more like beasts then men 8 Another fruit is loss of peace quiet vertue and all sweet content Marcus Aurelius writing to his Empress Faustina about the careful education of their daughter Lucilla saith Love in young blood and springing and flourishing youth is a poyson that spreadeth into every vein it is an herb that enrreth into the entrails a fainting which incontinently mortifieth all the members a pestilence that infecteth the heart and finally it putteth an end to all vertues For as the precious stone Antracites being thrown into the fire looketh black and tawny but being cast into the water glistereth like the Sun-beams so the precious mind of man once put into the flame of love is ugly and loseth her vertue but sprinkled with the water of wisdom and detestation of such fond delights it shineth like the glorious rays of Phoebus 9. This loose lewd love makes men effeminate low-spirited and base in their courses and carriage The Ambassadors of Lydia coming suddenly into Hercules chamber to speak with him found him attired like a woman lying on Joles lap Dionysius the Tyrant was so devoted to the love of his Curtezan Mirta that he onely ordained and she took care for the execution and administration of all the weighty affairs of the Weal-publique Antenaricus the famous King of the Gothes after many great victories in Italy was so deeply enamoured with one Pincia that whilst she combed his head he made clean her slippers Themistocles that famous Grecian Captain in the wars of Epirus took a woman captive whom he so doted on that if she were sick he would feign himself not to be well if she were appointed to purge he would purge if to be let blood he also would bleed carrying himself towards her not as if she were his prisoner but as if he were her slave King Demetrius having taken â—hodes a beautiful Gentlewoman of the City was presented unto him whom by little he did so immoderately affect that once she seeming angry with him and refuâ—ing to sit near him he forgetting all majestie and dignity fell before her on his knees entreating her pardon and the Kings of Assyria of old never answered any Ambassadors themselves but by Messengers they wasting their time wholly in their Concubines company Pausamus 10. Another fruit and effect of inordinate love is the ruine and destruction both of soul and body for as fainting and swounding mortifieth every member as pestilence infecteth every part and as poyson pierceth every vein so love if not timely prevented and looked unto will in time bring body and soul to utter confusion Qu. â—0 What are the Remedies against inordinate lâ—ve Answ To labour that our heart may be taken up with another love for as Rubarb by a certain peculiar vertue doth purge choler although by nature it be cholerick so one love often times doth drive out another as one nail doth another one re another or one grief another And indeed as a â—â—ll vessel will receive no more so where the love of God hath taken possession lascivious love will not be entertained 2. Another remedy is speedy resistance for as fire is to be quenched in the spark weeds to be rooted up in the tender blade Tetters and Ring-worms to be cured in the beginning lest they spread over the whole body so the assaults of love are to be beaten back at the first siege lest they undermine at the second 3. Another remedy is to avoid occasions He who hath sore eyes must not behold the candle and he who would not be entrapped or entangled in the meshes of love must not look upon beauty but with Job make a covenant with his eyes If the Flye will flutter about the candle she muâ—t expect to be burnt if the Quâ—il will seed on the Hemlock she must look to be poysoned and if lascivious dispositions will frequent the society of lewd women they may look to be seduced and led aside and therefore Guevara in his letter to Sir Lewes Brave fol. 186. saith Let Hermogenes Tesiphontes Dorcatius and Ovid write what they please concerning the remedies of love yet I say There is no better remedy for love then to avoid the occasions of love or never to begin to lovâ— for love is so evil a beast that with a thread he suffereth himself to be taken but he will not depart w th the thrusts of a lance and therefore Fly fly betimes for onely they Do conquer love who run away Thus much for the Evil and inordinate love at present till we come to treat of Fornication and the kinds thereof according to the prescribed order I now proceed unto the Good love and the several sorts thereof Qu. 51. How is love attributed unto God Answ Both in the Abstract and Concret for I. In the Abstract he is said to be love 1 John 4. 8 16. And II. In the Concrete he is said to be loving Qu. 52. What doth the Lord and his Christ love Answ 1. Righteousness Psalm 11.7.33.5 Hebr. 1.9 2. Judgement Psalm 37.28.99.4 Isaiah 61.8 3. The gates of Sion Psalm 87.2 Qu. 53. How manifold is Gods love towards us Answ The love of God is twofold viz. I. Amor benevolentiae the love of Gods good will or the love of Election And. II. Amor complacentiae the love of Gods being well pleased with us and delighted in us Ephes 1.4 5 6 7. Rom. 11 6 7 â—8 God loves us before we are sanctified and called God is pleased with us when we walk worthy of our vocation and according to the rule of sanctification Qu. 54. What is the love of God Answ Love is a will whereby God wils that is approves that which is good and rests therein Psalm 45.8 11. Matth. 3.17 or love is the essence of God whereby he loves his creatures
must beloved in truth and verity He must have the heart as well as the hands Deut 6 5. the soul as wel as the body Mat. 22.37 he searches the mind so â—oon as the man 1 Sam 16 7 and will be worshipped within as well as without 5. We must love the Lord constantly and perseverantly never falling from our first love Rom. 8.35 39. Apoc. 2.4 6. With all our heart and with all our soul Deut. 13.3 Ephes 3 17. To love with all the soul is to love wisely to love with all the strength is manfully to suffer for truth to love with all our heart is to prefer the love of God before all other things The measure to be observed in loving God is to love him without measure for our love to our God should be in the highest degree and that both I. In regard of the Object or as they say Objective that is wishing greater or more good unto him then unto any And II. In regard of estimation or as some speak Appretiativè that is by preferring him and his will before all other things yea before our own life Mâ—t. â—0 37. Luke 14.26 yea so that we had rather choose to dye and to submit our selves to death then transgress the least of his Commandments And III. Intensively i. e. in regard of our most vehement endeavour in applying all our faculties to the love of God Deut. 6. â— Thus the Prophet David saith That he will love the Lord with all that is in him which our Savior Luk. 10.27 28. expounds thus We must love the Lord with all the heart soul mind and might that is First in general that there must be no part of us void of the love fear and honour of God but that all our zeal thoughts will study of the mind and labour of the body should tend unto the love service and honour of God and there must be nothing in any part of us which is not dedicated unto God But Secondly more particularly Deut. 6.13 it is said Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart soul and strength S. Matthew 22.37 saith with all thy heart soul and mind and S. Luke hath all Heart Soul Might and Mind I. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart that is Thou shalt esteem and acknowledge him thy chiefest good V sin or With all thy heart that is with thy whole understanding without any errour August de doct Christ ca. 22. or with all thy heart that is wisely Bern. ser 20. sup Cantic II. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soul that is with thy whole will and purpose Vrsin or With all thy whole will without contradiction August de doct Chris ca. 22. or sweetly and with joy Bern. ser 20. s Cantic III. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy strength or might that is all thy actions both external and internal must be conâ—ormable and agreeable to the will and law of God Vrsin or With all thy strength i. e. so valiantly couragiously and constantly that we neither be subdued by deceit nor seduced by allurements nor dejected by injuries and afflictions Bern. ib. IV. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy mind and thought that is thou shalt always intend to think and meditate of God that thou mayest both know him and love him the better Vrsin or VVith all thy mind i. e. with thy whole mind without oblivion August Qu. 76. VVhether are we to love God more for the moe benefits he bestows upon us or not Answ God is to be loved though he should give us nothing but correction as a good child loveth his father although he correct him But when it is said VVe are to love God for his benefits this word FOR denotes not the final cause here but the moving and therefore Augustin in Johan ser 3. saith It is a good thing for a man to think upon Gods benefits that he may be stirred up by them to love â—od but to love him onely for himself and not for his benefits Qu 77. Can we by nature this love God Answ No for by nature we rather hate him That we cannot by nature love God appears thus I. Nature is so wholly corrupted and depraved that we are prone unto every evil thing but averse from every thing that is good Jer. 3.12.14 II. The love of God is a spiritual work and that a hard one and consists not in word or countenance but in internal and ineffable joy Psal 42.1 63.1 Cant. 5.8 III. The love of God requires self denial which is a duty not to be performed Viribus naturae by the power of nature Eph. 2.3.5.17 Heb. 10.36 1 Pet. 41. 1 John 2.16 17. Qu. 78. VVhether is the love of God or of our neighbour one sort of love or not Answ It is one sort of love for the formal object of our love in this life is God because all things are reduced to God by love and the material object of our love is our neighbour and these two make not two sorts of love but one for as there is but one Spirit though diversity of gifts so there are two precepts and but one love 1 Corinth 13. Qu. 79. VVhat things are contrary to the true love of God Answ 1. The casting away of Gods love or the contempt and hatred of God as the avenger and punisher of sin Inordinate love of our selves or of other creatures viz. when we prefer our own lusts pleasures wills and lives before God and his will and will rather offend him then part with them 3. A feigned love of God viz. when we seem through hypocrisie to love him but indeed do not Mark 7.6 Qu. 8â— VVhat are the Impediments of the love of God or VVhat things hinder us from loving him An. 1. The love of the world James 4.4 1 John 2.15.3.17 2 The want of love to our brethren 1 John 4.8 19 20. 3. The love of sin Psalm 52.3 4. The love of our selves 2 Tim. 3.2 5. Idolatry Hosea 3.1 6. Drunkenness Hosea 3.1 7. Pleasure Hosea 3.1 Qu. 81. By what means may we attain unto this love of God or How may we be enabled to love him An. 1. The Author hereof is the Author of all good viz. God who works this love of himself in our hearts by his holy spirit Deut. 30.6 Rom. 8.28 2 Cor. 13.11 Phil. 1.9 1 Tim. 1.14 2 Tim. 1.7 1 Pet. 1.22 An 2 The means which the Lord useth for the begetting of love in us towards his Majestie is the revelation of his love towards us 1 John 4.10 whence the Saints are called Beloved Rom. 1.7 Col. 3.12 and therefore we should meditate of this infinite love of his towards us John 3.16 Rom. 5.6 7 8. An. 3. The means which we must use if we desire that the love of God may be wrought in our hearts are these I. We must learn the sweetness of God and labour to taste how good and gracious the Lord is Psalm
a special gift of working Miracles or a certain perswasion springing from a special revelation and promise of God whereby a man firmly believeth that some extraordinary and miraculous work and contrary to nature shall come to pass by Gods power which he hath foretold or would have to be done in the Name of God and Jesus Christ Fourthly there is a Justifying Faith which is either I. Weak Mat. 6.30.8.26.14.31 Rom. 14.1 or II. Strong Mat. 8.10.9.2.15.28 Acts 6.5.8 Rom. 4.19 20 Heb. 10.22 What this Justifying Faith is is shewed in the next Question These four sorts of Faith differ thus the Miraculous Faith and the Temporary the wicked may have the Historical the Devils have and the Justifying only the Elect and faithful have Answ 2. I might answer That Faith is only twofold False and True I. There is a False Faith which is threefold Temporary Miraculous and Historical of which in the former answer II. There is a True Faith which is twofold Imperfect and Perfect First there is an Imperfect Faith which is either I. In knowledge when a man believing and holding the foundation of the Love of Christ and Religion is ignorant in the rudiments and particular grounds of Religion And II. In certainty when a man hath some probable perswasion and comfortable hope of his good condition but yet dare not certainly conclude of the certainty of his salvation Secondly there is a Perfect Faith and it is either I. Perfectly Perfect viz. when knowledge and assurance being absolutely compleat and perfect begets a hope without any doubting or an assurance never to be shaken by any temptation or tribulation at all or II. Imperfectly Perfect viz. when that confident assurance which a man sometimes hath is at other times shaken by affliction and temptation although never finally or totally destroyed Job 13.14 â—5 Rom. 8.38 2 Tim. 4.8 Note here these three things 1. The Perfectly perfect Faith was never in any save only in Christ 2. The imperfectly perfect Faith hath been and is in many and all true Christians should labour for it 3. The imperfect Faith may be in the Lords younglings and babes who are but newly regenerated Qu. 2. What is Faith or true Justifying and saving Faith Answ 1. For the answer hereof I will lay down these several particulars First Faith or believing follows illumination and the opening of the eyes as Numb 24 16. Ioh. 3.19.9.39 Acts 9. Secondly Faith is a habit or quality wrought by the holy Spirit Rom. 5.5 Eph. 1.13 whereby we are enabled to comprehend Christ Phil. 3.13 that is the Love of Christ Eph. 3. â—8 whence comes the act of confidence and assurance Eph. â— 12 and therefore to those who demand unde from whence Faith is we answer from heaven Joh. 3.27 Jam. 1.17 Thirdly Faith gives a new mind and a new life Gal. 2.20.5 â—8 25. that is I. It makes us acknowledge our duty and service and that we ought to serve God both in body soul and spirit 1 Câ—r 6.20 II. It makes us hate sin acknowledge our sinfulness and be ashamed of our sins and cohabitation and conjunction with sin and sinners Psal 120.5 Rom 7.24 III. It makes us seek the glory of God in and above all things whence comes a desire after good and unto every good work IV. It makes us ashamed of our childish affections and delights and teacheth us to contemn and despise the world with the vanities thereof V. It makes us to ruminate of heavenly things and to desire to be there Phil. 1.23 â—3 20 It makes us set our affections upon those things which are in heaven and to meditate continually of those joyes Animus ubi amat non ubi animat Aug. Fourthly Faith gives internal peace Rom. 5.1 that is assures us of our reconciliation with God 2 Cor. 5.19 And Fifthly spiritual and solid joy Rom. 8.37 1 Pet. 1.8 Answ 2. The Apostle defines Faith thus It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 whence the Father described it as follows afterwards Fides quod non â—ides Faith is that which thou seest not or more fully Faith is the acquiescing of the heart in God as in the author of life and eternal salvation that is that by him we may be freed from all evil and made partakers of all good Psal 37.5 Isa 10.20 Ier. 17.7 or Iustifying Faith is a most firm and perpetual appropriation of the Love and Mercy of God through the merits of Jesus Christ to every penitent heart and faithful soul Or Faith is a sure and certain perswasion whereby we assent unto every word of God delivered unto us and whereby we are resolved that the Promise of the free grace of God for Christs sake doth belong unto us Or Faitâ— is a firm and certain knowledge of the good will of God towards us which is founded upon the truth of the free Promise of â—od in Christ which Promise is revealed to our mind and sealed to our heart by the holy Spirit Or Faith may be considered either according to the derivation or signification of the word First Grammatically Fides à fio dicitur fides quia fit it is called Faith because it is made and therefore Faith is twofold I. Active Faciens veritatem and is called Fidelity Hinc fides facta II. Pâ—ssive credens veritati and is called Perswasioâ— hinc fiâ—es habita Secondly according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken either I. Actively and thus God is said to be faithful 1 Cor. 1.9 and his word to be faithful â— Tim. 3.1.4.9 and his Ministers to be faithful 1 Cor. 4 2. because God works Faith in his children by the Word and Ministers thereof Or II. Passively and thus they of the Circumcision and Timothieâ— mother and divers others believe in God Acts 10.45.16.1 2 Cor. 6.15 Now the question here is concerning Passive not Active Faith and it may clearly be thus defined True Faith is a certain perswasion of the Love of God given unto us from the holy Ghost by the word whereby being changed and renewed into new creatures we have Christ dwelling in us and leading us unto every good work 1. Faith is a certain perswasion Rom. 8.38 Heb. 10.22 2. It is given or wrought by the holy-Ghost Rom. 5.5 Eph. 1.18 3. The holy-host works Faith in us by the means and ministry of the word Iohn 17.10 Rom. 10.17 4 The holy-Ghost by the word having wrought Faith in us we become renewed and changed into new creatures Iohn 1.12 13. 2 Cor. 5.17 5. We being renewed and our hearts cleansed Christ vouchsafeth to dwell in and with us 2 Cor. 6.16.13.5 Galat. 2 20. Ephes 3.17 Apoc. 3.20 6. Christ dwelling in and with us our Faith becomes active and operative Gal 5.6 I conclude this Question with a double testimony Quid est fides nisi credere quod non vides August in Iohan. â—ides est voluntaria
Sun is never without heat so love is never without works and well-doing 6. Love is like unto Compasses or Faith and Love make up a perfect pair of Compasses which can take up the true latitude of a Christian heart Faith is the one foot pitch'd in the center immoveably while love walks about in a perfect circle of beneficence and these two can never go asunder 7. Love is like Honor which varies it self according to the qualities of the persons Or 8. Like unto the Pourcontrel or Peak fish who becomes of the same colour the things are whereon it fastens so that a man may love divers persons with all his heart according to divers respects a father as a father a mother as a mother a child as a child a neighbour as a neighbour a friend as a friend c. This flame of love extends it self like unto the flame of a torch which lights many others without impairing his own light 9. Love is like dew for that as this falleth as well upon the low grass as upon the high Cedar the poor as well as the rich are subject to love and to be beloved 10. Love is like death for as death is the end of sin so is love because he who loveth God ceaseth to sin 11. Love is like the Sardian-stone for as it expelleth fear procureth mirth maketh bold and sharpeneth the understanding as Dioscorides saith so love bringeth joy joy expelleth fear and consequently maketh bold and valiant and whetteth the understanding to the contemplation of heavenly things 12. Love in many regards is like or may be compared to a vessel or â— soul repleat or replenish't with the love of God and Religion is like unto a vessel full of liquor For 1. As a full vessel will endure the fire whereas an empty one cracks or melts so the soul being empty of grace and goodness is broken by affliction but a heart filled with the grace of God will endure the fiery tryal II. As a full vessel is more firm and stable but an empty one less steady and more easie to be overthrown so a soul filled with Gods love is more staid and steady in good and the practice thereof then a heart void of love III. As a full vessel is in no part separated from the liquor it holds so a spiritually loving and religious heart is never separated from God in obedience IV. As the vessel and the liquor it holds are of the same figure or form so by a holy love we are made like unto God or after his image V As the full vessel sends forth liquor at every hole so he whose heart is filled with religious love is always speaking or uttering something that is good From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks VI. As the full vessel being bent downwards towards the earth spills or sheds part of the liquor so those who lean and encline unto the world fall away quoad gradum in regard of some degree of grace received for a time VII As the full vessel will receive no other liquor except part of thâ—t which it holds be emptied out so the heart filled with the love of God will not admit of the love of the world or worldly things VIII As the full vessel being struck soundeth not so where the love of God is there affliction is undergone without murmuring IX As the full vessel becomes empty and runs out if there be any cracks or clefts therein so if the heart be not sincere but dissembling all shews or seemings of love will soon be lost X. As the full vessel holds and hath more within then is seen without so a heart filled with Gods grace and love cannot shew forth so much of goodness without as it hath within Qu. 11. How many sorts of love are there An. 1. I might with some divide love into these three sorts viz I There is a natural love this is that love whereby every thing hath an inclination to the like as heavy things naturally go down to the centre of the earth II There is a commanded love now this is that love whereby reason sheweth us some good thing to be loved and then our will commands us to love the same III. There is a love freely proceeding now this is when the affections make choise of God freely that is when they so consider his goodness that it breeds admiration in them and his beauty that it breads love in them and his sweetness that their desires are satisfied therewith and consequently they find nothing so worthy an object to be beloved as God who hath all these properties in him infinitely An. 2. To give a full answer to the question and a full division of love I say that there are thirteen sorts of love viz. First God loveth God i. e. I. â—od loveth himself II. God the Father loveth God the Son from all eternity and God the holy Ghost Heb. 1. III. God the Son loves God the Father and God the holy Ghost IV. God the Holy Ghost loves God the Father and God the Son Secondly God loves God and Man that is I. God the Father loves the Son incarnate or when he took mans nature upon him John 17.24 II. God the Holy Ghost loved Christ become man Thirdly God and man loves God i. e. I. Christ in our nature loved his Father And II. His holy and blessed Spirit Fourthly God loves man i. e. I. God the Father loves man John 3.16 and II. God the Holy Ghost loves him Rom. 15.30 Fifthly God and man loves man that is I. Christ loves his Catholique â—hurch Cant. 2.4.3.10 Rom. 8.35 Ephes 3.19 and. II. He loves his particular servants John 11.3 4.5.36 20.2 Sixthly man loves God that is I. Personally and thus he loves God the Father and God the Holy Ghost And II. Essentially and thus he loves God one in essence but three in person and that either 1. With a false and hypocritical love for his own ends and sake Or 2. With a true sincere and faithful love Seventhly man loves God and Man and thus I. Sometimes the Church is said to love Christ Cant. 7.12.8.7 2 Cor 5.14 and II. Sometimes his faithful children and servants are said to love him John 21.15 16. 1 Cor. 16.21 Phil. 1 23.3.8 Eightly Man loves man that is 1. Man loves himself 2 Men love men 3. Men love women 4. Women love women 5 Women love men FIRST man loves himself and that I. Naturally Semper tibi proximus esto Ego sum proximus mihi est vox naturae it is so natural for man to love himself that he needs no precept or command to do it And II. Sinfully every one hath two selves a self of nature and a self of sin and both must be denyed for Christ this we must ever cast away as a snare and that we must be ever ready to lay down as a sacrifice when Christ is pleased to set himself in competition with it SECONDLY men love
residences in corde in ore in apere in the heart by loving and affecting in the dead by well doing and relieving and in word by instructing and reproving Qu. 38. What are the Marks Signs and Properties of Love Answ As one knows not a Musician but either by his voyce or by the touching and handling of his instrument even so he cannot be reputed a true and perfect Lover except he make it known by the testimony of the true signs belonging to love These signs are 1. Love is full of fear Res est solliciti plena timoris amor Love that is dear Is full of fear The French say Amour ne fut jamais ou sans Peur ou saus pleurs Love never was without both fear and tears Love is full of fear that is I. Is afraid to offend the party beloved II. Is afraid to lose the love of the party beloved And III. Is afraid lest any occasion of difference should be given between him and his beloved Discipulus plus amat Christum quam timet gehennam Bern. The servants of Christ love him more then they fear hell and fear him out of true love 2. Another sign is this Love is always thinking pondering ruminating and remembring the party beloved Anima Amatoris est in re amata Aquin. the desire of the lover is towards the party beloved as the needle of the Compass is towards the north The soul of man entangled and set on fire with love dyeth in his own body and liveth in another Plato A man travelling into far forreign parts left his wife a precious jewel as a token of his love to remember her of him in his absence she loved often to look upon her jewel but forgot her husband her jewel was oft in her hand but her husband seldom in her heart and far from the desire of her thoughts this argued that she loved her jewel more then her husband for if the Passionate Lover sail love is his Pilot if he walk love is his companion if he sleep love is his pillow Pondus meum amor meus where we love there we like if it be earth there we rest if heaven thither we aim For where our treasure is there is our heart Mat. 6.21 Machina mentis est vis amoris Love draws us to our liking if heavenly upwards if earthly downwards 3. Another sign is this Love sings always loth to depart and cannot with any patience bear the absence or departure of the beloved We bewray out love more by grief in parting with any good then by our joy in partaking of it Love goes to love as school-boys from their books But love from love toward school with heavy looks Perdiccas for the love he bare to Alexander refused a great revenue in Macedonia following him in his wars in Asia Plutar. he would part with his possessions rather then the person of him whom so dearly he loved Quanto gratiorem experta est persentiam tanto molestiorem sensit absentiam Bern. 4. Another sign is this that the party loving cannot endure to hear the party beloved to be evil spoken of Men by duels and quarrels will hazard their lives to revenge a disgraceful word against themselves or their female Loves but can endure to hear God blasphemed without any rising of their blood at all which shews that most men love their lusts and themselves more then God Plato said The man who loveth with his heart neither in absence forgetteth neither in presence becometh negligent neither serveth for profit nor loveth for gain and finally defendeth the case of his friend as his own 5. Another sign is this love bewails the miseries of the party beloved according to that of Euripides That which with the heart is loved with the heart is lamented And 6. When we never think we love enough as the Papists say that Fryer Giles companion to St. Francis wept bitterly because Amor non amatur as the Author saith he could not love God so heartily as he was beloved of him And 7. Love me and love my dog a sign of love is to love those who are loved by the party who is beloved He who loveth the father will love the son he who loveth the King will love his servant and he who loveth Christ will love his members 8. Another sign of love is this the person loving will hazard yea lay down his life for the good or at the command of the party beloved When Dionysius the Tyrant said in the presence of Xenocrates to Plato I will cause some to cut off thy head Xenocrates said But they shall not except they take away mine first Eros the servant of Antonius having promised to kill his master when he requested him drew his sword his master remembering him of his promise and holding it as if he would have killed him turned his masters head aside and then thrust the sword into his own body Plutarc He who desireth clear water must dig deep he who longeth for sweet musick must strain Art as well as the strings to the highest and who seeketh to win or desireth to shew love must stretch his labour and hazard his life 9. Sympathy is another sign of love yea to love what the party beloved loves and to loth what he hates is one of the clearest arguments of love And 10. Another is to be constant in love notwithstanding all the denials delays and discouragements we meet withal for one may as soon go kindle fire with snow as seek to quench the fire of love with words seeing love is like a Spaniel who fawns upon his master when he spurns him away As the Hunter plyeth his hounds the Falkner his Hawk and the â—â—sâ—er his angle for getting the pain thorow delight of the pastime so the Lover in the prosecution of his love esteemeth all labours and troubles but trifles in respect of the hope of his amorouâ— harvest Substractio rei quam amas augmentatio desâ—derii est quod amas ardentius cares aegrius Bern. Denyal in love doth but sharpen the edge of desire and the lack of the thing beloved doth augment the love thereof for as the Abeston stone once kindled can never be quenched as the Griphon if he once soar into the ayr wil never come down without his prey as the flye Pyralis cannot live out of the flame and as the bird Trochiles cannot keep from the Crocodile so the heart once throughly heated with love cannot live without the thing beloved but doth pursue after it to the death Thus we see what the signs of love in general are Qu. 39. What are the Means unto Love Answ The Means are either ordinary or extraordinary I. The ordinary means unto love or to be beloved is to love Hecaton saith I will shew thee a means to get or gain love without herb medicine or enchantment Vt ameris amato amabilis esto if thou wilt be beloved love c. labour to be lovely How can
God but love them who love him seeseeing he loved them when they loved him not II. The extraordinary means are either lawful or unlawful 1. The extraordinary lawful means is a strange herb which Marcus Aurelius in his letter to Antigonus maketh mention of which groweth in Cypres upon a little mountain called Archady which herb is called Ilabia and hath this vertue if it be cut it dropeth blood and if a man rub another with the blood thereof while it is warm he will love him extreamly but if he rub him with the blood when it is cold he will hate him deadly The truth hereof the Emperor saith he found by experience for anointing one with the warm blood of that plant he would always protest that he would sooner lose his life then cease to love him 2. The extraordinary unlawful means are charms enchantments and philtres Love gotten with witchcraft is as unpleasant as fish taken with medicines is unwholsom or affection bred by enchantments is like a flower wrought in silk in colour and form most like but nothing at all in substance and savour Qu. 40. What is here required of us in regard of Love Answ To labour so to live that people may love us the love of others towards us being better then silver or gold Prov. 22.1 Qu. 41. Who are too blame in regard of Love Answ 1. They who are without natural affection Rom. 1.31 2 Tim. 3.3 2. They who love those who are unworthy to be beloved as Dido the Carthaginian Queen loved Aeneas a stragling Trojane as Phillis loved Demophoon a Pyrate a robber in Greece cast up as a shipwrack on the shore and as Sappho loved Phao a Ferriman a slave 3. They who love evil and loath good as the Scarab loaths the sweet flower and loves the corrupt flesh the Vulture forsakes the odoriferous oyntment to smell the dead carkass the common rabble are more delighted with a song which is ordinary and barbarous then that which is cunning and curious many with Sytha had rather hear a horse neigh then a musician play and too too many prefer in their affections the pleasures of sin which are but for a season before the joys which are at Gods right hand for ever and ever Qu. 42. What may we learn from Love Answ 1. That true love is very rare in the world Mat. 24.12 and 2. That in perilous times the love of many shall wax cold Mat. 21.12 and 3. That love consisteth in unity as the heart hath but one string and the heaven one Sun so true lovers have but one love And 4. That love sometimes turns to hate for as the best wine doth make the sharpest vinegar so the deepest love in some turns to the deadliest hate And 5. That the love of ancient approved friends for the most part is the truest as the young vines bring the most wine but the old the best so tender love maketh greatest shew of blossoms but tryed love bringeth forth sweetest fruit And 6. We may learn what the Causes of Love are viz. I. The goodness of the thing loved for no man loves any thing but what he apprehends to be good and worthy to be loved II. The knowledge of the thing loved Ignoti nulla cupido a man cannot love what he knows not and therefore as the thing must be good so he must know it to be such And III. Likeness is a great cause of liking Toute chose naturelle appete son semblable every natural thing loveth that which is most like to it as the French men say Adam loved Evah when he saw her first because she was like unto him As a man when he looks into a glass he loveth his image because it is like unto him but he loves not a Toad or Serpent because they are unlike him Thus much for love in general I proceed according to the method propounded to touch upon evil and inordinate love Qu 43. How many sort of Lovers are there Answ 1. I might answer that Lovers are either constant and true or inconstant dissembling and false 2 Sam. 13.4 15. Job 19.19 Judges 16.15 The love of some thaws like a waxen image against the fire which quickly bears no impression of the thing it was Some expressions of affection are but like Apes hugings which smoother with their embracings or 2. I might answer that there are three sorts of Lovers I. Some love what they should not II. Some love what they may III. Some love what they ought of all these I spake before 3. Some answer that as there are four sorts of Combats or wars Forreign Civil Duels and Internal conflicts so there are four sorts of Lovers Spiritual Carnal Temporal and Common F. Johan a. S. Geminiano lib. 1. de caelo cap. 4. 4. Lovers are of two sorts for I. Some love their souls better then their bodies And II. Some love their bodies better then their souls Qu. 44. Whereunto may inordinate love be compared Answ 1. To a fish for as they who angle for the Tortois having once caught him are brought unto such a sluggishness or numness that they lose all their spirits so those who hunt after the love of women and being taken in their toils are brought into such a slavery that they are deprived of their liberty and bewitched like those who view the head of a Medusa or the Viper tyed to the bough of the Beech-tree which keepeth him in a dead sleep though it begin with a sweet slumber Or as the Fish Echineis or the Remora albeit but little yet stayeth a ship under sail so the love of one or other beautiful woman hath often diverted wholly a mans course from study or the wars or at least hath for a time made him lay his great and important affairs aside 2. Inordinate love may be compared to envy for as envy consumeth both body and soul so doth such love And 3. To fire for as fire is not felt without burning so love is not entertained without enflaming and wounding Bâ—sil de virginit Or unlawful love given way unto is like a fire-brand tossed in the wind by which how much the fire encreaseth still so much the brand with blazing flames consumes 4. Inordinate love may be compared to poyson for as poyson mixt with sweet wine at the first is pleasant to the drinker but afterwards paineth deadly so they who consume their time with beautiful harlots at the first feel pleasure but afterwards dolour sorrow and bitterness do follow Diogenes Qu. 45. Whether are all Lovers alike or not Ans They are not for as the Serpertine Powder is quickly kindled and quickly quenched but the Salamander stone once set on fire can never be extinguished so all lovers are not alike some being like troathless Jason some like trusty Troilus some like dissembling Damocles and some like loyal Laelius More particularly I. Some Lovers are faithful and constant like a stone found in Egypt which will quickly receive a form
knowledge of the object or thing loved As those who know God will love him so the greater our knowledge of God is the greater will our love unto him be 2. There are four meditations very helpful to encrease in us the love of God viz. I. We should love him because he is the Supream good Invenito si potes aliquid pretiosius Deo dabitur tibi Bern. Seek heaven and earth quite through and if in either thou canst find any thing more excellent then God thou shalt have it And II. We should love God because he hath first loved us Invenimus eum sed non prevenimus Aug. we may find God but we cannot prevent him he seeking us ere we seek him Dilexit non existentes imò resistentes Bern. God loved us before we were creatures yea when we were traytors III. We should love him because he hath declared his love already by innumerable gifts given unto us And IV. Because he hath yet greater things which he hath prepared for to give unto us Non de his quae condidit sed de scipso August For he will give himself unto us which is better then all the enjoyments of earth and heaven Qu. 86. Who are too blame in regard of Gods love Answ 1. Those who will not acknowledge Gods love unto them Mal. 1.2 2. Those who have not the love of God in them John 5.42 3. Those who love those things which hinder them from the love of God 1 John 2.15 4. Those who are inconstant in their love unto God Apoc. 2 4. Qu. 87. What is required of those who love the Lord Answ 1. To hate evil Psalm 97.10 2. To labour to keep themselves in the love of God Jude v. 21. 3. To be joyful in the Lord Psalm 5.11 4. To bless and praise the Lord Psalm 40.16.70.4 5. To do whatsoever they do in love We read of one â—â—â—nundus who would answer all questions with this one word LOVE e.g. If he were asked Whence came you he answered From love whether go you to love with whom dwell you with love What aim you at love Why do you this or that for love so all we do should be done in love and for love and come from a heart filled with love 6. To love the Lord alone we say Love and lordship brook no fellowship and the French say Amour et Royaultè ne neulent point d'esgal Love and royalty can suffer no equal and therefore the Lord will have no Rivals in his love Simbaldo Flischo of Geneva perceiving that a Lady whom he entirely loved suspected that he loved others besides her in regard of his free courteous and chearful behaviour in the company of others he devised this Impress A Needle touched with an Adamant applyed to a sea Card with a Compass thereunto and above was the clear Azure sky with stars with this Mot Aspicit unam to shew that although in the heavens were very many fair and bright stars yet there was but one regarded of the Adamant viz. The Pole-star This should be the Christians Motto for although we are compassed about with many things which seem amiable and lovely yet the eye of our affection must be fixed onely upon God Qu. 88. What is our love unto Christ Answ Love unto Christ is an holy affection of the soul carrying of us with ful desire to the enjoying of him and making us prefer our communion with him before all things in the world that may challenge our dearest respect Qu. 89. Who love Christ Answ 1. The Church Cant. 1.3 2. The righteous Cant. 1.4 Qu. 90. Why must we love the Lord Christ Answ 1. Because if we do not love him we are worse then infidels for Christ hath loved us and they will love those who love them Matth. 5.46 47. 2. Because If we love not him we shall be accursed 1 Cor. 16.22 3. Because if we love him the Father will love us John 16.27 4. Because if we love him he will love us John 14.21 5. Because if we love him he will know and take notice of it Iohn 21.17 6. Because if we love him all things shall work together for our good Rom. 8.28 7. Because his love towards us was extraordinary that is I. It was a perfect love viz. As his father loved him so loved hâ— us John 15.9 II. It was an unparallelled love John 15.13 Rom. 5.6 c. III. It was a perpetual love John 13.1 IV. It was an inexpressible love Ephes 3.19 Qu. 91. How may we know whether we love Christ or not Answ 1. If God be our father we will love Christ John 8.42 2. If we love him we shall rejoyce that he is ascended unto the Father Iohn 14.28 3. If we love him we will obey him and keep his commandments Iohn 14.15 21 23.15.9 2 Iohn 6. Qu. 92. How must we approve our love unto Christ Answ 1. By forsaking all things that is our beloved sins yea if it be required our life and all Matth. 19. for his sake Quomodo amas Christum cum adhuc amas quod in te odit Christus August And 2. By taking up his cross and following him Mat. 16.24 and 3. By denying our own wisdom and righteousness that we may be found in him 1 Corinth 3.18 and 4. By loving the brethren for his sake 1 John 2.3 4 5. Chapters Qu. 93 What is required of us in regard of Christs love Answ 1. To desire and prize his love above all things When Alexander came to Diogenes and asked him if he wanted any thing or would request any thing of him he answered He desired nothing of him but that he would stand out of the Sun Thus our hearts should be set on fire with a love to Christ that we might covet nothing more then to see the beauty of his face and the ravishing beams of his favour 2. We should so long meditate of the love of Christ to us Donec totus fixus in corde qui totus fixus in cruce till he were as fast fixed in our hearts as he was upon the cross Qu. 94. How or how many ways doth a man love himself Answ 1. Some answer that a man loves himself three manner of ways I. Diligit se ut se this is not good love II. Diligit se ut principalem finem this is not right love III. Dil git se in ordine ad Deum this is to love a mans self truly Answ 2. There is the love of a mans self which is proper to the wicked for they esteeming their bodies and sensitive nature to be the principal thing in them love them better then their souls and so are more careful to pamper feed and satisfie them then to cherish nourish or provide for their souls This self-self-love is wicked and not to be imitated Answ 3. There is the love of a mans self which is proper to the good for such esteeming their souls to be the principal thing in them do love
them better then their bodies this is the best love and this self-self-love is peculiar to the righteous and is grounded upon a truth and fixed with wisdom and pious prudence Thus we are commanded to love our neighbour as our self that is we must love him cordially and truly and express our love unto him in the best kind loving his soul more then his body Answ 4. There is the love of a mans self which is common to all both good and bad For the confirming and understanding whereof observe That â— man is said to be something two manner of waâ—s I. According to his substance and nature and thus all men know what they are that is that they consist of a body and a soul and according to this knowledge of themselves they love themselves in desiring the conservation of themselves and their own being Thus both good and bad naturally love themselves and that without sin for Omne appetit praeservationem sui And II. A man is said to be somewhat according to the principal thing in him and thus men do neither always know themselves to be what theâ— are nor love themselves as they ought The principal thing in man is the reasonable soul and the next thing thereunto is the sensitive and corporeal nature the first is called the inward the second the outward man 2 Cor. 4 16. Qu. 95. Because our Saviour saith Luke 10.27 28. We must love our neighbour as our self it may be demanded How doth a man love himself Answ 1. Not feignedly or with the tongue onely but truely heartily and in work as well as word 2. Not frigidly nor coldly but zealously and fervently 3. As a man seeks diligently for that which may be for his own good or gain but carefully avoids that which is evil or which may turn to his hurt so should we do for our neighbour 4. As we love our selves constantly and are not weary of doing good unto our selves although we see many vices and evil habits in oor selves so we must not cease to love our brethren although there be in them something which deserves hatred rather then love 5. As we wish well unto our selves for our own sake and not for the sake of others so should we love our neighbour not for our benefit or profit but for his own 6. As we would be done unto by others so should we do unto others e. g. I. Would we that others should supply our wants when we are in need then let us do so unto our neighbour when he is in want and we able to supply him II. Would we have others candidly to interpret all our actions and words then let us do so unto our neighbour III. Would we have others to pardon us when we have injured or offended them then let us do so unto our neighbour IV. Would we be helped by the prayers of others then let us help our neighbour with our prayers Qu. 96. Because it was said before Quest 94. That men oftentimes love themselves so as they should not it may therefore he demanded Whether the love of God and of our selves be contrary one to the other or not Answ Man is considered in a fourfold estate I. In his innocent estate and so to love God and himself were the same For when man loved God in his innocent estate and then loved himself it was but a reflex of the love of God and but one love with it II. In his corrupt estate and so to love God and to love himself are contrary Rom. 1.30 2 Tim. 3.2 III. In his regenerate estate and thus to love God and to hate our selves are not directly contrary but sub-contrary for by this hatred is onely understood self-love hatred not being properly taken here which maketh the subcontrariety As the Lord in regeneration doth not extinguish but well order the affections so he doth not in those who are regenerated take away the love of themselves but onely moderateth that love and so to hate themselves signifies onely to love themselves less then God as Gen. 29.31 it is said Jacob hated Leah that is he loved her less then Rachel IV. In his glorified estate and so to love God and to love himself shall be one love again Qu. 97. What is the nature of self-love Answ 1. To wish better to a mans self then to others or to desire and endeavour to raise themselves above others though by an indirect way Titus Livius saith That the Romans were offended because Appius Claudius had chosen himself of the Decemviri and Lucius Furius Camillus to be Consul and so the Cardinals disagreeing about the choice of a Pope gave way to John 24. to appoint whom he pleased who chose himself this is the natural property of self-love 2. The nature of self-love is to like themselves best The people of Chinâ— having thin beards short nâ—â—es little black eyes and wearing long garments when they would describe a deformed man they paint him with a short habit great eyes a broad beard and a long lose Thus as there is no creature that more fervently loveth her young ones then an Ass and an Ape so many unlearned Ideots tainted with this vice of self-love do more esteem their own vanities and scurrilous pamphlets then the grave learned and elaborate Works of others Qu 98. VVhat evils proceed from self-love Answ These two great ones I. It makes a man hate God And II. Good men It is a rule in the School that Amor est odio prior odium ex amore oritur Thom. Aq. sum part 1. 2. qu. â—9 art 2. Love ever goeth before hatred and all hatred springs from love Therefore do wicked men hate God and his law because they love themselves and their corruptions which God by his Law doth cross controul and endeavour to curb and Plutarch de irac colub well observes that men are many times eager against some whom they either deem or would have deemed delinquents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather out of self-love then any hatred of evil because they stand in their way or in their light in regard of their ends and interests or because they oppose and thwart them in some corrupt courses that they are strangely addicted unto Qu. 99. Whom should we love besides the Lord and his Christ Answ 1. Particularly all those who are our brethren in the Lord or who are truly religious 1 John 2.9.3.10.4.20 Note here which is the true respect of love or for what respect chiefly we must love our brethren First in general we must love the faithful for Gods sake or love of the Lord in them Secondly more particularly from Mat. 10.41 we are taught to love them for a threefold respect I. Because they are Prophets and thus we must love them for the words sake which they bring or at least which they profess II. Because they are righteous and thus we must love them for that sanctity purity and integrity which we see in them III.
The Chiefest DIVINE VERTUES EPITOMIZED OR A compendious Treatise of the three Theological Graces Faith Hope and Charity By Richard Ward Preacher of the Gospel at Bushy in Hartfordshire Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity 1 Cor. 13.13 Fides dicit Aeterna bona reposita sunt Spes dicit Mihi reposita sunt Charitas dicit Ego curro post ea Bernard LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet neer the Inner-Temple-gate 1655. To the Worshipful and my truly Loving Friends and Parishoners Dr. Walker John Gale Esq Thomas Nichols Esq Mr. Thomas Gee Mr. William Baâ—ly Mr. Henry Hickman Mr. George Blackwell Mr. Thomas Hobson and his truly vertuous Mother Mrs. Barbara Hobson Mr. Robert Blackwell with the rest of my charge and Christian Congregation MUch Honoured and Kind Gentlemen and friends revolving many times with my self the unanimous entrance I had among you my peaceable continuance to this hour with you the experience of your love generally towards me when being disturbed by an unworthy person who endeavoured to sequester me not one inhaibitant in the whole Parish assisting him or giving his hand against me and your in these daies rare and singular freedom from division and distraction in point of opinion not so much as one in judgement declining the good old way of sound and solid Doctrine Pondering I say these things with my self I considered both How by way of thankfulness I might make them known unto others and also How I might testifie to the world my desire to recompence your love and for this double end I have presented this small Tractate unto you entreating you and all those who shâ—ll peruse it to consider seriously these five things First That the great aime and scope of a faithful Minister is the salvation of his people Rom. 10.1 Heb 13.17 whence they are said To save 1 Tâ—m 4.16 Secondly That a cordial and real love ought to be between Minister and People 2 Cor. 1.14 Those being as Fathers these as Children Judges 18.19 Gal. 4 19. Those being as Guardians these as Orphans thâ—se as Captains these as Souldiers those as Shepherds th se as their Flocks The inhabitants of Dalmatia in Sclavonia as they were by the Romans often subdued so they as often revolted and the last rebellion was raised at the instigation of one Batto a man very poâ—eâ—t with the People who having ten years together maintained the liberty of his Countrey at last broken and wearied by and with the forces of Germanicus and Tiberius he submitted himself unto the two Captains who asking the reason of his revolt was answered Becâ—use the Romans send no Shepherds to keep but Wolve to devoure their flocks Some souâ—diers once mutinying in their Captains tent and offering to go forth into the open field to fight it out their Captain laid him down upon the thresh ld with these words If you go forth it shall be by treading on your Geâ—erâ—l Thus such is the love of a good Minister to hâ—s people that he will expose his life to hazard and himself to death for their good and a religious Flock will not stick to do the same for a faithful Pastour Thirdly The Gospel hath the more free passage where such reciprocal affection is for love makes all things light and the pains undertaken for those whom we love is though great the better undergone Lâ—ve takes all things with the right hand and receives in good part what coâ—â—s from and is spoken in love Fourthly The true love of a Minister to his People is to their persons not to their sins Exod. 32.33 Rom. 9.3 2 Cor. 6.11 and that both in regard I. Of his Duty which is care of for and over them Acts 20.28 to reconcile fathers to their children Mal. 4. and God to man 2 Cor. 5.19 And II. Of Gods glory which will be advanced by their peoples conversion and holy conversation And III. Of their peâ—ples good who being â—â—â—verted reconciled unto God and devoted unto his service are happy here and shall be eternally blessed hereafter Fifthly Observe that a Ministers love to his people is best known and shown by these waies and means I. By preaching the mysterie of the Gospel unto them Rom. 16.25 II. By preaching rather profitable things then pleasant for as he is an ill Cook who rather dresseth such meat as will please the pallat then help the stomach and provides for hungry hearts rather Spice-cakes then wholsom food so he is no good Minister of Christ who in his Preaching seeketh rather to tickle mens phansies and please itching ears then to build them up unto a holy building III. By preaching according to the capacity of their Auditory Solomon saith concerning children Prov. 22.6 Hanoch lanagnar gnal Pi Instrue vel initiare puerum ad os Teach the child according to his capacity even as we feed children with such meat as they are able to disgest seting down before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plain form of Doctrine Rom. 2.20 IV. By praying publikely and privately for them as Moses did Exod. 32. as the Priests were commanded to do Levit. and as the practise of the Apostles is frequently in their Epistles Hence Ministers are Types of Christ 1 John 2.2 V. By endeavoring that faith may be wrought in them not only an Historical saith as Caâ—dinal Ascanius Parrot could praâ—â— the Creed all over but a true and lively faith testified to be such by its works VI. By desiâ—ing and endeavouring that Religion may be propagated and the truth of the Gospel preserved to posterity this is done 1. By planting the Gospel by instruction and Doctrine 2. By perswading to the practise of the things â—aught and learnt 3. By commâ—tting to writing or publike view what is most necessary to be known and dâ—nâ— â—â—is the principal scâ—pe of our labour that our people should remember what we teach and hereunto writing or printing avails much Rom. 15.15 1 Cor. 4.17 2 Pet. 1.15 Wherefore seeing I can no way better express my love unto you then by endeavouring to the utmost that your souls may be saved in the day of the Lord and nothing being more absolutely necessary unto eternal life then these three amiable superexcellent and divine graces Pallas Juno and Venus or Faith Hope and Charity I have taken off the Veil and drawn aside the Curtain and exposed them to publique view that by a serious animadversion of the Doctrine thereof your judgements might be informed your affections enflamed and your conversations so religiously regulated that the end of your daies may bring you to the end of your hope the salvation of your immortal souls which is the earnest desire and shall be the hearty prayer of Gentlemen Your weak and unworthy Pastour R. Ward THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader I Know a little door sutes best to a poor Cottage and as the French say Aun petit mercier
both of the Understanding and Will that is of the Understanding as it is an Assent of the Will as it is voluntary for Faith is a willing assent of the soul Qu. 13. How manifold is the Act of Faith Answ Threefold for I. There is the Faith of reliance whereby a soul doth rely upon God in Christ II. There is the Faith of assurance whereby a man is perswaded of Gods love towards him and his love to God and that he is the child of God III. There is the Faith of acknowledgement whereby a man doth own and acknowledge the cause and truth of Christ but of this more by and by Qu. 18. Qu. 14. Who or what are the Causes of true Faith Answ 1. The principal efficient cause is God the Father who in the Son by the holy Ghost begets and nourishes Faith in our hearts John 6.29 Rom. 12.3 Gal. 5.22 Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.29 Hebr. 12.2 As the river cometh from the fountain so Faith cometh from the Lord. Fides appellata est ab eo quod sit duae syllabae sonant quum dicitur fides prima syllaba est à facto secunda à Deo August Serm. 22. Note here How God doth work Faith in us or What the work of God is concerning our Faith viz. First God in massa corrupta praevisa seeing man subject to a total and final curse and destruction out of his Love to mankind desired to save some and to that end decreed Christ for them this is called The purpose of God Rom 8.28 Secondly God did of his free mercy in Christ ordain some to salvation in this order I. He did take notice of so many as he would save in his particular wisdom Rom. 8.29 II. He did predestinate them so known unto salvation by Christ freely having no respect to any thing in us or to be done by us III. These in time he doth call by the Gospel without and by his Spirit within begetting Faith in them IV. After they believe he doth seal them unto salvation Ephes 1 1â— that is doth justfie them Rom. 8.30 Answ 2. The meritorious cause of Faith is Christ for as we are elected unto salvation in Christ so we are saved by Faith in Christ which is wrought in us by the Spirit for Christs sake Answ 3. The ministerial cause is the holy Spirit of God Rom. 8.15 Gal. 5.22 for he enlightneth the mind and makes it to understand the word and moveth the will making it to assent unto the word once understood Answ 4. The moving cause is Gods Decree Act. 13.48 5 The instrumental cause is either I. The preaching of the word Zach. 8.23 Joh. 1â— 8.20 Rom. 10.14.17 1 Cor. 3.6 Eph. 2.20 Col. 1.6 7. 1 Tim. 3.15 or II. Miracles wrougâ—â— John 2.3 6. The material caâ—â—e or subject wherein it remaineth is the Vnderstanding and Will of man Luk 24.45 Eph. 4.23 Acts 16.14 Rom. 10.10 The material cause whereof it is made is none for Faith is wrought by the sole and alone motion and efficacy of the holy Spirit working by the word whereby the mind is enlightned for the understanding and the Will is moved for the assenting unto and acquiescing in the word of God 7. The formal cause is not Love though Faith works by Love Galat. 5.6 no more then the body is the form of the soul because the soul works by the body but the formal cause is trust and confidence whereby Christ being acknowledged with his benefits is apprehended and applyed 1 Cor 2.2 2 Cor. 4.14 8. The final cause is I. The glory of God or the celebration of his truth justice bounty and mercy which he hath shewed in the sending of his Son and in the giving of Faith in him II. Our Justification and salvation or that we may receive the blessings which are promised in the word Qu. 15. How many things are there in Faith Answ Three I. An aptness or readiness to believe II. An ability of adhering and laying hold upon God III. An actual fastning upon him by a lively Faith The first of these is like unto earth The second is plain earth wherein the Tree is planted The third is the fruit which springs upon this Tree The first of these is taken away by infidelity The second by the sin against the holy Ghost The third by every sin they being no fruits of Faith Qu. 16. How many things are observable in true Faith Answ Two the Object and the Act. Qu. 17. What or how manifold is the Object of true Faith Answ Threefold for I. Faith looks upon temporal and corporal blessings especially those which belong to the exornation conservation and consolation of this life as outward peace health food and prosperity in what we take in hand II. Faith looks unto and upon spiritual things as remission reconciliation righteousness peace joy the gifts of the holy Ghost life eternal and the like III. The adequate object of true Faith is Christ or the Gospel or the promises or Christ revealed in the promises of the Gospel Qu. 18. How manifold is the Act of Faith Answ Fourfold viz. Knowledge Judgement Discerning Apprehension or Application First the initial Act of Faith is the knowledge and understanding of the Gospel and the heads thereof viz. of Christ and of his natures offices and benefits If it be here objected I. That knowledge is the subsequent reward of Faith as Psal 119.66 And II. That this is the difference between Faith and knowledge viz that knowledge is founded and built upon some reason but Faith upon some authority And III. That the Love of Christ which is apprehended by Faith passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 Then I thus distinguish of knowledge 1. There is a weak knowledge whereby we understand such things as are revealed unto us in the Word 2. There is a perspicuous and clear knowledge whereby we understand the things themselves and apprehend them as they are Now the former precedes Faith and the latter follows in the life to come for before we believe the Doctrine of the Trinity the hypostatical union c. we ought to know that such things are revealed in the word although the things themselves exceed and pass our understanding Secondly The next Act of Faith is Judgement and that both of the truth and goodness of the Gospel for as S. Paul saith Rom. 7. I assent unto the Law that it is good so much more doth Faith assent unto the Gospel that it is true and good Thirdly Another Act of Faith is Adjudication when our understandings do conceive and imagine that the promises of the Gospel belong particularly unto us Fourthly The last Act of Faith is Apprehension and Application when apprehending and laying hold upon the promises we apply them unto our selves or when the understanding doth adjudge or conceive that the promises belong unto us then the Will doth apprehend the Promises and that with joy John 1.12 1 Tim. 1.15 Hebr. 11.13 Qu. 19. How many things are observable in
Without the word there is no light or nothing but darkness Isa 8.20 And III. Faith desires to encrease and grow greater this it doth by the word 1 Peter 2.2 And IV. Faith desires comfort this it hath in the Word Psa 119.92 And therefore let us endeavour to delight in the word if we desire to approve our faith Remember 1. It is one thing to hear the word And 2. Another to understand it And 3. Another to taste the good word of God or to rellish the word to be good Heb. 6.4 that is to perceive the truth of the goodness and sweetness thereof And 4. It is another thing to hunger after the word Luke 11.27 Lord give us evermore of this bread And 5. It is another thing to delight in the Word Isa 58.13 This is the true tryal of faith when we are continually conversant about the word either reading it privately or hearing it publikely or meditating daily of the many good things we gain thereby and the like Thus faith is to be proved by examination affliction and by our Love unto the Word Answ 4. Faith is to he proved and approved by works Luther was wont to say that faith doth pinguescere operibus grow fat and well liking by or with good works Faith should be in the soul as the soul is in the body which is not there idle or in vain but is still stirring and shewing it self by motion and action Faith without works is like a Bird without wings who though she may hop with her companions here upon earth yet if she live till the worlds end shee 'l never flie to heaven Faith Instrumentum percipiendi recipiendi Christum the instrument that receives Christ to Justification and partakes all his merits to salvation declares us then to be just when accompanied with good works Faith is the root good works the fruit where fire is there is hear where a soul is there is life Fides à fiendo and where faith is there are works Habet vitam aeternam fides quia fundamentum est bonum habent bona facta quibus vir justus dictis rebus probatur Ambros 2. offic 2. Faith hath eternal life as a good foundation He who believeth is not condemned Iohn 3.8 and good works have the reward as an approbation because faith is shewn by works and works are manifest unto all Fides probatur per opera Chrysost hom 1. in 1 Thes 1. Faith is tried by works Fides similis est venusto corpori vita destituto Chrysost hom 8. in 2 Tim 3. Without works faith is like to a fair and beautiful body void of life to a golden picture or statue More particularly it appears that faith is to be proved and approved by works four manner of wayes viz. I. By these places of Scripture Mat. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 Tit. 3.8 14. Heb. 2.14 Iam. 2.18.20 22. 2 Pet. 1.5 c. And II. From nature for naturally the tree is known by his fruit Mat. 7.20 and the fruit of faith is works Gal. 5.6.22 whence the Apostle conjoyns them Eph. 1.15 yea by our fruits we are known what we are Iohn 13.35 1 Iohn 3.5.14.4.13 And III. From the precept of the Lord who hath commanded us to testifie both our faith and Love unto him by our obedience Iohn 14.15 Tit. 2.11 c. 1 Thes 4.3 And IV. From our vocation Eph. 2.10 1 Thes 4.7 Iam. 1.27 Qu. 31. What may we learn from hence Answ 1. That if our faith be to be approved by works then works are no more the cause of Justification then an Apple is the cause of the grafting and planting of the tree Note here that there is a double plantation I. Of good apple trees for some plant excellent and profitable fruit And II. Of wild trees which of themselves will never bear any good or pleasant fruit and such plants are we For 1. The Lord plants us And then 2. He cuts us off And then 3. He grafts grace in us or engrafts us into Christ And then 4. We bring forth good fruit Answ 2. We may learn hence that faith which works not is no true faith Jam. 1.23.2.17 and therefore this may be applyed I. To carnal men who brag of their faith and hope while in the mean time they live in sin Rom. 6.2 whereas sin and grace can no more live in one and the same heart then the Ark and Dagon could stand in one Temple And II. To novices and fresh-water souldiers who beginning to perceive some conversion to be wrought in their hearts are ready to stop stay and stand still as though no more now need to be done whereas they should strive unto perfection Titus 3.8 2 Peter 1.10 Qu. 32. What rules must we observe and follow for the approving of our Faith by our works Answ These which follow I. Do not perform good works only sometimes e re natà by chance or upon some special occasion but make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not our holiday work but our daily labour Let our study care and endeavour be to serve the Lord 1 Cor. 6.20 II. Principally have a care of the inward man labouring that all carnal affections may be subdued in us all Sathans strong holds in our hearts demolished and our hearts established with grace Ephes 4.22 c. Colos 3.5 c. Rom. 10.20 2 Cor. 10.4 III. Neglect not eternal works of holiness for Fides est sanctissima Faith is most holy Phil. 1.27 Jude 20. And IV. Omit not but add unto these the works of honesty and righteousness Phil. 4.8 Qu. 33. What are the Adjuncts of true Faith Answ 1. Latimer saith that faith is like to some great Lady who hath her Gentleman-Usher going before her which is the knowledge and acknowledgment of sin and a noble or honourable company of attendants waiting upon her Answ 2. More particularly the Adjuncts or the graces and vertues accompanying and attending upon this Queen Faith are these 1. Repentance Mark 1.15 Acts 19.18.11.21 2. Obedience Iohn 1.12 13. A man cannot live without lively faith and faith is not lively without a holy life Faith in Christ must be seconded with faithfulness unto Christ as we must have faith in him so by obedience we must keep faith unto him As fire cannot be without heat nor the Sun without light so a justifying Faith cannot be without sanctified obedience for as water maketh the earth fruitful so faith enricheth the man endued therewith with good works As Fabritio the famous Italian at the conflict of Ravenna bare in his Shield A Touch-stone with this Motto Fides hoc uno virtusque probantur importing thereby that his vertue and faith should of all men be known by touch and tryal 3. Peace Rom. 15.13 4. Joy Acts 16.34 Rom. 15.13 1 Pet. 1.8 5. Hope Rom 15.13 6. Confidence Mark 5.36 7. Divine worship Iohn 9.38 8. A good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 9. Patience 2 Thes 1.4 Hebr. 6.12
for example I. Love is greater then the Miraculous Historical or Temporary faith 1 Cor. 13.1 2 c. 15.2 II. Love being an effect of justifying Faith is inferiour unto it and therefore when it is said to be greater we must not understand it as though it were the greater grace or vertue much less in regard of the act of Justification Love not Justifying but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a double respect 1. In regard of more ample effects because faith profits a mans self but love transmits his effects unto others And 2. In respect of a longer duration in regard of the act thereof because love shall continue in heaven but not faith III. In many things faith is greater then love for 1. Faith is the cause of love Gal. 5.6 1 Thes 1.5 but the cause is greater then the effect 2. Faith is called our victory 1 Ioh. 5.3 so is not love 3. We are born again by faith we are made the children of God by faith and Christ dwels in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 4. We are justified by faith we please God by faith and as faith without love is dead so love without faith is sin Rom. 5.1.14.23 Qu. 38. How or by what means is faith begotten and confirmed Answ 1. By Christs own teaching and preaching Ioh. 4.42.16 30. 2. By his Miracles wrought John 2.23 3. By the grace of God Acts 18.27 4. By the teaching and testimony of others Iohn 1.7.4.42.19.35 5. By sensible demonstration John 20.27 6. By a serious consideration and observation of the written Word John 20.31 7. By the example of others or those who are over us 1 Tim. 4.12 8. By subduing and weaning our affections from all immoderate delights in and desires of the creature and by setting them upon heaven and heavenly things Col. 3.1 Phil. 3.20 9. By prayer unto God whose gift faith is Mark 9.24 Luke 17.5 10. By the Gospel preached by his Ministers and Messengers John 17.20 Acts 15.7 1 Cor. 1.21 1 Thes 2.13 Rom. 10.17 Qu. 39. How or by what means is spiritual assurance augmented and encreased Answ 1. I might answer this question from the former because Ex iisdem nutrimur ex quibus generamur we are fed and nourished by the same means whereby we are begotten Answ 2. But I will add a word or two I. Distress and danger is sometimes a means to encrease faith Crescit amor fidei quantum ipsa pericula crescunt the more true faith is exercised the more it is encreased II. Experience of former love and mercy is a means to encrease faith He who delivered me from the Lyon and the Bear will likewise deliver me from this uncircumcised Philistin 1 Sam. 17.34.37 III. The word of God and therefore we must both read and meditate thereof privately Psal 119. and also hear it read and preached publikely Iam. 1.18 c. 1 Pet. 1.25 IV. To purge and purifie the heart and conscience Jam. 4.8 by a constant examination both of our thoughts words and works by the Word of God V. By meditating seriously of these four things viz. 1. How true and faithful God is in all his Promises 2. How unspeakable the Love of Christ hath been and is towards his children 3. What experience the Saints have had of the care and love of God and Christ towards them 4. What sweetness there is to be found in Christ viz. in the fruition and possession of him in the soul by a lively faith Psa 34.8 VI. By an earnest endeavour to encrease in these three things 1. In knowledge and truth Eph. 4.15 Phil. 1.9 Col. 1.10 2. In internal fruits Rom. 15.13 And 3. In external fruits also both of holyness and righteousness 1 Cor. 15.58 Col. 1.10 1 Thes 3.12.4.10 VII By fervent and earnest prayer unto God Rom. 12.12 Cant. 1.3 5 8.8.6 7. Qu. 40. Because we affirmed the word to be both a means to beget faith and to encrease it and the Apostle Heb. 4.2 3. testifying that the word profited not some because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it it may be demanded How doth faith prepare our hearing if hearing precede faith How can faith be a help unto hearing and hearing a means unto faith Answ 1. Most certain it is that faith comes of hearing or is begotten by it For I. By preaching the subject of faith is given that is God Christ the Promises and Salvation And These things by preaching are given to the understanding And II. Preaching doth excite the affections and that 1. By shewing us the danger wherein we are by nature through sin And 2. By propounding unto us Christ as the remedy against both the evil of sin and of punishment And 3. By awakening us from the sleep of sin Isa 58.1 And III. The co-operation of the holy Spirit is Promised in the right hearing of the word of God Answ 2. Although faith be begot by hearing yet both of them mutually help one another For I. There is a hearing which doth excite unto some certain seeds of faith as we see in the blind man Matth. 9.28 Zach. 8.23 Acts 8.6 And II. That faith doth desire to hear more and more fully Acts 13.42 yea the heart being once molified the hunger and thirst is encreased Ezek. 36.26 And III. Frequent and continual hearing augments and perfects faith e. g. Those of Antioch 1. Hear the word Acts 11.20 And 2. In some sort or measure believe it Acts 11.21 Then 3. They send for Barnabas and Paul Acts 11.22 25. And 4. By their Doctrine are confirmed in faith Acts 11.26 c. Therefore we must neither neglect faith nor hearing but I. Attend to the hearing of the Word And II. Believe what we hear from the word though we do not understand it And then III. Labour to understand what we believe And IV. Implore the aid and assistance of the holy Spirit that our hearing may be profitable and comfortable unto us I conceive I may safely thus conclude this Question An Historical faith whereby we bâ—lieve the truth of the Word and a diligent attending unto and upon the Word doth prepare us unto and is a Means to beget Justifying faith in us which being begot is by the same means nourished cherished and augmented Qu. 41. VVhat are the benefits excellencies fruits and effects of true Faith Answ 1. In general many rare fruits and effects of faith are declared Heb. 11. which because every ordinary capacity may with ease conceive perceive and take up I willingly omit 2. In general Faith is like to the Cocorenut-tree which grows in the Islands called Maldyva of the wood whereof they make their Boats of the leaves sails of the Nut-shell strings which serve instead of vails and of the kernel they make both meat and drink for faith lays hold upon promises whether temporal spiritual or eternal 3. The Benefits of faith either concern I. People for if they believe in the Lord they shall be established 2 Chron.
men and that either with an evil or a good love First sometimes men love men with an evil love this love is fourfold I. Inconstant when for the smallest offence committed or but supposed to be done extream love is changed into extream hate Eusenides talking privately with the Philosopher Cuspides asked him If he were not so happy as that nothing could be added to his felicity seeing he was above all others most favoured and honoured by Ptolomy the King To whom Cuspides answered How soon can Fortune tumble thee down and then how miserable a thing will it be to have been happy Shortly after this discourse Ptolomy found Eusenides his great Favorite and one of his Concubines whom most dearly he loved talking privately together whereat he was so incensed that he made her straâ—ght drink a cup of poyson and caused him to be hanged before his own gates And II. This evil love is immoderate inordinate and most lewd Adrian the Emperor so doted on the love of Antinous a beautiful young man that he dedicated a Temple to him at Mantinea and a City at Nilus Pausanius Too too many with a Sodomitical affection have loved and lusted after some Gen. 19. and III. This evil love of men to men is Sensual called Amor concupiscentiae which is this when we love our neighbour for our own profit and commodity onely as Laban loved Jacob onely for his own ends and as subjects sometimes love their Princes for their own advantage and advancement And IV. This evil love is most wicked and diabolical when men love such as themselves because they are wicked Psal 50 18. Suetonius tells us that Caligula the Emperour did deeply love Marcus Lepidus and Marcus Nestor the Buffoon onely for the commerce of mutual alternate brothelry or because they would accompany him to the stews Secondly sometimes men love men with a good lawful and laudable love this love is sixfold viz. I. Natural that is of Parents to children of children to Parents and of kinsmen to kinsmen Gen. 22. â— 25.28.37.3 And II. Oeconomical viz. of husbands to wives of wives to husbands of masters to servants and of servants to masters Genes 29.18.20.30 2 Chon 11.21 Prov. 5.19 Eccles 9 9. and III. Political when a man lives peaceably and quietly in a Commonwealth not having suits contentions or jars with any And IV. Reciprocal when one neighbour or friend loves another because he is beloved of him Exod. 21.6 1 Kings 5 1. It was said of Socrates that all who knew him loved him and the reason why any loved him not was onely because they did not know him he was so loving to all he knew And V. Moral which is an intimate entire and cordial love and is for the most part between two as Jonathan and David 1 Sam. 18.1 2 Sam. 1.26 Pyladeâ— and Orestes Damon and Pythias Scipio and Laelius and Severus and Pertinax for such was the love of Severus the Emperor to Pertinax whom Iulianus slew that he commanded that all should call him Pertinax Entropius And VI. Spiritual and Supernatural vvhich is called Amor amicitiae love of friendship and is this When vve love either our neighbour chiefly for his ovvn good or our neighbour or our enemy for Gods sake This love I call spiritual because although the object of this love be our neighbour yet the reason why we love him is God THIRDLY men love women and that either with an evil or a good love First sometimes men love women with an evil love This is twofold I. Inconstant thus Demaphon was false to Phillis Aeneas to Dido Jason to Medaea Paris to Oenone And II. Immoderate inordinate lascivious and lustful Gen. 34.12 Colos 3.5 Militat omnis amans habet sua castra Cupido This love is a wanton war under Cupids colours Turinge had so many lovers that she could not reckon them upon her fingers ends but called for a bushel of pease to tell them by Aurelius Alexander for the love he bare to that famous for beauty infamous for lewdness harlot Thais caused that most renowned and rich City Persepolis to be burned Cataline for the love of Orestista killed his own son because she would not joyn in marriage with him while his son lived Salust From this lascivious and inordinate love came that proverb Wisdom and love never go together Secondly sometimes men love women with a good love this is I. Moral when 1. He who marries is as though he married not in regard of the moderation of his affection 1 Cor. 7.30 31. and. 2. When the husband is constant in his love to his loyal wife And II. Natural or Conjugal when men love women in the way of marriage Two things are here observable the kinds and causes of this love First this love s threefold for 1. Some love for vertue 2. Some for beauty And 3. Some for both loving dainty meat in a neat dish Secondly the causes of this Natural or Conjugal love are Sight and Suitableness I. Sight for looking is the cause of loving and a curious observation the rice of affection Etrasco the Roman and Verona being both born dumb by beholding one another were so taken with one anothers love that it continued full thirty years before they were joyned in marriage and of them descended the noble linage of the Scipio's Aurelius II. Suitableness of disposition Likeness is the cause of liking For as between the similitude of manners there is a friendship in every respect absolute so in the composition of the body or likeness of disposition there is a certain love engen dred both the bodies resembling each other as woven both in one loom FOURTHLY women love women and that sometimes with an evil and inconstant love and sometimes with a good and constant affection FIFTHLY women love men and that either with an evil or good love First sometimes women love men with a good and constant love as Charites loved her husband Expolemus Cornelia Gracchus Julia Pompey Artimesia Mausolus Panthea Abradatus Portia Brutus Alceste Admetus Penelope Vlysses Sulpitia Lentulus Hipparchia Crates and Macrina Torquatus Secondly sometimes women love men with an evil love this love is either I. Inconstant when women like to the Polipe stone change colour every hour or like the Weather-cock waver with every wind or like the Marigold change with the Sun This inconstant love proceedeth often from sudden choice for we account those Damoselâ— too light of love who betroath themselves upon the first sight and motion because as the ratling thunderbolt hath but his clap the lightning but his flash the baven but his blaze so hot love begun in a moment endeth in a minute Scalding water if it stand a while turneth almost to ice and Pepper though it be hot in the mouth is cold in the maw so hot love is soon cold and that affection which frieth in words commonly freezeth in works And II. The evil love of women to men is sometimes meerly feigned and
counterfeit as was the love of Cresida to Treilus having tears at command as the Crocodile to betray and smiles at will to bewitch And III. Immoderate inordinate and lustful as the love of Josephs mistris unto him Gen. 39 9. Thus much for the eighth sort or kind of love Ninthly man loves sin and the world 1 John 2.15 James 4.4 Hic amor est odio majus scelus This love is worse then hatred I wave these till I come to treat of the World and Sin Tenthly man loves things viz. both I. Natural things as Xerxes all his great exploits both by sea and land being laid aside for a time he fell so far in love in Lydia with a Plane-tree which hapned to his sight that he tarried a whole day by it and caused the boughs to be adorned with chains of gold bracelets and spangles yielding thereto great reverence And II. Artificial things as a Senators son in Rome loved extreamly the Ivory picture of Vesta which wrought him such discredit as that he was exempted from bearing office in the City Pigmalion doted on an Ivory image that he had made with his own hands Ovid. Two young men of Athens were in love with the picture of Fortune Prillius Pilatus was in love with the images of Helena and Atalanta and Demetrius having strongly begirt the city of Rhodes for the love he bare to Protogenes painted table raised his siege Eleventhly Men love beasts as the Emperour Adrian caused a tomb to be made and a pillar to be set up with an Epitaph in praise of his horse Boristhenes which he exceedingly loved Julius Capitolinus witnesseth that the Emperour Verus ordained that there should be a tomb erected in the Va iâ—aâ— for his horse Volucer which he loved so much that he used him more like a man then a beast and made for him a statue of gold Dioâ—in vita Ver. The Persians for the affections they bare to their horses when they dyed buried them Alexander the great made a tomb for Bucephalus The Emperor Augustus buried his Parrot and Heliogabalus made a grave for his Sparrow out of their love to them Twelfthly beasts or living creatures love men At Assus a Babylonian City a Dolphin so loved a boy that following too far after him he stuck fast in the sand Solinus c. 18. Aelian tells of one Sophocles an Athenian who seeing himself to be so well beloved of his horse that he would exceedingly faun upon him he fearing some shame thereby sold his horse away which the horse took so heavily that he would never eat after but pined himself to death Thirteenthly beasts love beasts as Marcus Aurelius saith as one bird loveth another one bruit another one wiseman another so one fool loveth another Thus much for the sorts and kinds of love Qu. 12. What difference is there between the love of a childe and the love of a servant Answ They differ not in the subject matter of their obedience but in the mâ—nner thereof for the child ex amore obeys the law for the love of vertue but the servant ex timore obeys rather for fear of punishment The childe who conforms himself to the Law rather for love hath respect especially to the Affirmatiâ—e precepts but the servant who conforms for fear hath respect chiefly to the Negative commandments Qu. 13. What difference is there between Love and Charity Answ 1. All charity is love but all love is not charity 2. There are three words which signifie Love Dilectio Amor. Charitas Peter Martyr loc com fol. 379. calce distinguisheth them thus Dilectio est lenior affectus Amor vehementior charitas vero ibi statuitur ubi conjunctio necessitudo quadam intercesserit Dilection signifies a lower degree of affection and love a higher but charity rather imports a necessary duty unto Parents Countrey Kindred and the like Qu 14. Wherein do Nature Reason and Religion differ in regard of Love An. 1. Nature bids me love my self and hate all who hurt me 2. Reason bids me love my friends and hate those who hate me 3. Religion bids me love all and hate none Nature sheweth care Reason wit and Religion love and therefore Nature may induce us and Reason perswade us but Religion must rule us Qu. 15. What difference is there between Love and the most if not all things Answ Of all things the newest is best save of love and friendship which the elder it waxeth is ever the better Qu 16 What difference is there between Love and Friendship Answ The difference between femine love and true friendship is Love is but an eye-worm which tickleth the head with hopes and wishes Friendship is the image of eternity in which there is nothing moveable nothing mischeivous As much difference as is between beauty and vertue bodies and shadows colours and life so great oddes is there between Love and Friendship A friend loveth always a Lover but for a time Qu. 17. What difference is there between the love of men and women Answ Some Poets and Painters representing the love of men bring in Cupid with a pair of wings discyphering the love of women a Tortuse under the feet of Venus shewing that as the love of men is moveable and unconstant as a bird so the fancy of women is as firm and fixed as a stedfast Tortuse This is not generally nor universally true for from what was shewed before Qust 11. it appears that 1. Sometimes men are more constant in their love then women 2. Sometimes women are more constant then men 3. Sometimes both are constant And 4. Sometimes neither Qu. 18. What difference is there between the love of heavenly things and earthly Answ The love of heavenly things is better then the knowledge of them the knowledge of inferiour things is better then the love of them Qu. 19. How doth our love differ from the love of God Answ Our love is caused from the goodness of a thing the love of God is the cause of the goodness of a thing Qu. 20. What difference is there between our love to God and to our neighbour in regard of the time Answ 1. We should chiefly and principally love the Lord in prosperity because otherwise he will not love us Xenophon saith We should always honour and love God but much more in prosperity because we may then more confidently call upon and seek unto him for succour in adversity Themistocles in his lower fortunes was in love with a young Gentleman who scorned him when he grew to his greatness which was soon after he sought to him but Themistocles answered We are both grown wise but too late Thus if we will not love the Lord in prosperity we may expect that he will not love us in adversity 2. We must approve our love to our neighbour or brother principally in adversity for as the Chrysolite is proved in the fire and the Diamond by the Anvil so love is tryed not by favour of
fortune but by the adversity of time Jacob Almansor King of the Moors going one day on hunting found by chance a poor travelling man who being taken with some sudden sickness was fallen on the ground which he seeing alighted set him upon his horse and with one hand led the horse and with the other upheld him and when his Alcaydes came unto him he refused to ride on another Steed or to let any other conduct him until he had brought him home and then gave him a great sum of money that he might live in good fashion afterwards for which the poor man thanking him when he was recovered he answered there belongs no thanks to me but to God onely who brought me to that place where you was Thus in misery and distress our love to our brother is chiefly to be manifested Qu. 21. What is the Nature and Excellency of Love Answ 1. It is of that nature that many waters cannot quench it Cant. 8.7 and 2. â—t is of that nature that the more it is expressed the more it is enflamed For as fire suppressed doth often flame forth with more violence so doth Love according to the French Proverb Vne amour par contraire est plus chaude rendue Love doth encrease when it is withstood it is like fire which the more it is dammed up the more it burns or like the water which being stopped overflows all and bears all before it 3. Love makes men couragious Castillo in his Courtier lib. 3. thinks and affirms that an Army of Lovers were invincible except by another Army in love and he instanceth in Troy and in Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain in their war against the King of Granada that all notable exploits performed in battel hath still been by Lovers Leander being in love with Hero the fair Sestian Nun ventured for her love to swim over Hellespont but was drowned therein One asking Why Cupid is pictured with wings was answered Because the desires of lovers for the most part tend to high things 4. Love thinks a great deal of labour and pains taken and undergone for the party beloved to be easie and as nothing Gen. 29.20 5. Love descends as appeared by Pythius Bythinius a Persian who feasted all Xerxes Army and gave him four hundred Miriads of gold and onely because of five sons he had Xerxes would leave one of them at home to comfort him in his old age We ordinarily do say Love doth descend more then ascend whence we see that one father doth with less labour and trouble maintain ten children then ten children can one father A certain man and his son being both condemned to dye for a hainous offence the Earl of Flanders promised to save his life who would cut off the others head which after much debate was done by the son Among the Ancients it was a common proverb That the taste of all tastes is bread the savour of savous is salt and the greatest love of all loves is from the fathers to the children 6. Love is of that nature that all is well taken that comes from love Si diligis fac quicquid vis si tacueris dilectione tace si locutus fueris dilectione loquere si precaris dilectione precare c. Aug. in Joh. 1. epist If thou lovest do what thou wilt speak or be silent exhort or rebuke call or cry so it be in love all is well 7. Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 Reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive but love hath a compulsive faculty reward draws punishment drives but love hales a man forward to the discharge of his duty and therefore if God write a Law of Love in our hearts and shed abroad his own love to joyn therewith it will work so strongly that one grain thereof will have more force to purge out sin and to constrain and strengthen to obedience then a whole pound of terrors Chrysostome saith Love iâ— a pleasing tyrant the power whereof is above all power and reigns over all impediments in heaven and earth prevailing both with God and man As men allure Doves by the beauty of the house and reclaim Hawks by the fairness of the lure so love joyned with virtue is able to recal the most stragling Aeneas to make sails again to Carthage As there is no cloth so fine but Moaths will eat it no iron so hard but rust will fret it no wood so sound but worms will putrifie it no mettal so course but fire will purifie it so there is neither man nor woman so resolute or constant but love will bring them into thraldom and bondage 8. Love will shew it self As bashful Suiters seeing strangers by Parly in silence with their hand or eye The French say to this purpose Vne parfaite amour ne se peut desguiser A perfect love cannot be disguised for as fire cannot be hidden in the flax without smoak nor Musk in the bosom without smell so neither can love be hidden in the breast without some suspicion or manifestation 9. It is free or there is no affection freer then love for as there is nothing more forcible so nothing that can be less forced Marcus Aurelius in his oration to Fulvius the Senator saith There is never true love where there is any particular interest and if so then love is free and then no wonder if love be so rare every one as the Dutch say having their back-door or by end and self-respects in whatsoever they do 10. Love desires love again the party loving desires to be beloved as Hellen saith to Paris Bella gerant alii tu Pari semper ama Whilst others follow Mars do thou follow Venus Pythagoras saith Love is not satisfied with gold but onely payed with love again Hence Sophocles being asked What harm he would wish to his enemy answered That he might love where he was not liked and that such misfortune might last long There is no herb will make lovers sleep but hearts-ease and there is no hearts-ease vvhere love is not mutual and reciprocal 11. It is the cause of all action and motion Parisius saith Omnis animae motus radix est amor Love is the root and principal of all the motions of the soul Quodlibet agens propter amorem agit quodcunque agit Aquin. Every vvise and free agent doth for love vvhatsoever he doth 12. Love is Lord of all Love of old vvas pictured vvith flowers in the one hand and a fish in the other to shevv that he is Lord both of Sea and Land And 13. It is svveet profitable and comfortable Love is like honey in bitter broth and sugar in sour vvine It is a rule to direct us a light to shevv us and a vvay to vvalk unto salvation and therefore full of profit comfort and sweetness 14. Love is the preserver of mankind for as a ship would perish without a Pilot as a City is in danger without a Magistrate as the world is nothing but
must take heed that we lose not the love of God as the birds Ibes lose their sweetness when they lose their sight so we lose all peace and happ ness when we lose the sense and apprehension of Gods love towards us in Christ The Lizard hath this peculiar property that he is never in love which all other beasts are subject unto whereupon S. Fedâ—rico Duke of Manto made him this Impress The Lizard figured with this Motto Quod huic deest me torquet thus it should be the anguish of our souls to lack the assurance of Gods love it being a misery herein to be like the Lizard without this love Qu. 65. How may we know whether the Lord love us or not Answ 1. We cannot know it by any outward thing Eccles 9.1 2. We may ghess at his love by his correcting of us Prov. 3.12 Heb 12.6 3. If we be righteous in our lives and conversations and obedient to his commandments we may then be assured that he loves us Deu. 7.12 13.11.1 13. Psalm 146.8 4. If we be the members of Christ by faith and regeneration then we may be assured that the Lord will love us Iohn 17. This question may be abundantly amplified from Qustion 56. and 64. Qu. 66. Wherein or how doth the love of Christ express and shew itself toward his Church or children Answ 1. By that impression which they make upon his heart they being there deeply engraven Cant. 8.16 2. By his desire unto or towards them Cant. 7.10 3. By his dying for them Gal. 2.20 Ephes 5.25 1 Iohn 3.16 4. By his washing of them clean by his blood Apoc. 1.5 Qu. 67. What is the Nature of Christs love towards hâ—s Answ 1. It is a perfect love John 15.9 2. It is a love which passeth knowledge Ephes 3.19 3. It it an unparallelled love Rom. 5.6 7 8. 4. It is an eternal love John 13.1 Qu. 68. What is here required of us in regard of Christ and 〈◊〉 love towards us An. 1. To continue in his love John 15.9 2. To remember his love Cantic 1.4 and 3. To be obedient unto him for it Iohn 15.10 4. Not to love our lives in regard of him Apâ—c 2.11 Qu. â—9 By what means may we be assured that we shall continue in Christs love Answ 1. If we keep his Commandments Iohn 15.10 If my diligent and observing Reader admire at my brevity concernâ—ng Christs love towards us or his let him know that the reason hereof is because I shall fully God willing handle it when I come to treat of God the Son which will be a little â—olio by it self Qu. 70. What is predicated in the Word of our love unto God Answ 1. That it is the sum of the law it being taken for our whole obedience as being the cause of our obedience Mat. 22.40 2. That it is the first Commandment it being the spring and fountain of the rest Matth. 22.38 3. That it is the greatest commandment Mat. 22.38 Qu. 71. VVhat is the love of God Answ It is a vertue whereby we love God as the chiefest good Psalm 106.1.118.2.136.1 or to love God is to acknowledge him to be the chiefest good in himself and so to us and so to love him that we will rather forgo all things then part with him or not be joyned unto him Qu. 72. VVho must love the Lord Answ 1. In general all are commanded to love him Exod. 20. 2. More particularly all the Saints ought to love him Psalm 31.23 Qu. 73. How many ways do the children of God love God Answ Three manner of ways I. Secundum actum actually and always and thus the glorified Saints in Heaven Love God II. Secundum studium in regard of their endeavours because their care desire and study is to love the Lord. And this is the greatest perfection of love the children of God can attain unto in this life III. Secundum habitum in regard of the habit of love and thus although many of the children of God fall into some great sins yet they lose not the habit of the love of God but may be said even then habitually to love him Qu. 74. VVhy must we love the Lord An. 1. In regard of himself viz. I. Because he requires this at our hands Deut. 10.12.11.1 13. II. Because he loved us first 1 Iohn 4.10 III. Because he sent his Son into the world to reconcile us unto himself 1 Iohn 4.10 IV. Because he is our rock and fortress Psal 18.1 Answ 2. In regard of our selves because a threefold benefit will redound unto us thereby whereof The first is Temporal for if we love him I. He will preserve us Psalm 31.23 and II. He will deliver us Psalm 91.14 and III. He will fight for us against our enemies Josh 23.10 11. The second is Spiritual for if we love him I. â—e will hear our prayers when we call upon or unto him Psalm 116.1 Iâ— He will know and take notice of us 1 Cor. 8.3 Iâ—I He will be merciful unto us and keep covenant with us Exod. 20.6 Deut. 5.10.7.9 Nehem. 1.5 Psalm 119.132 Dan. 9.4 IV. He will give us a place in his Church Psal 69 36. The Third is Eternal for if we love him I. He will cloth us with glory â—udges 5.31 II. He will give a crown of life unto us Cor. 2.9 〈◊〉 1.2.2.5 Qu. 75. How must we love God Answ 1. Above all friends Amandus est generator sed praeponendus Creator Aug. we must love all but God above all but God above all Ordo charitatis est ama post Deum patrom Hier. Loves method is first love God then our kindred and if the case happen that there be a difference between them and God then Odium in suos pietas in Deum est hatred to kindred is piety to God 2. We must love God above all things It was an ancient custom among the Romans that the things they most entirely loved they offered up to their gods nature teaching them that nothing should be too dear for God but that he should be preferred and loved more then and above all 3. We must love the Lord for himself The Ploughman loves his Ox for his profit and the enemy a traytor for commodity but God must be loved for himself Alexander would say That He hestion loved Alexander and Craterus loved the King Plutar. And some Christians love Jesus others love Christ there are many of the first rank who desire to rule and reign in heaven with Christ few of the second who desire that Christ may rule and bear sway in their hearts Vix dâ—ligitur Iesus propter Iesum August Jesus is scarce loved for his own sake There is a Spanish Pâ—overb Love without end hath no end meaning that if it were begun not upon particular ends it would last 4. We must love the Lord in sincerity Ephes 6.24 Religion is no vizard for impiety God must not be served in hypocrisie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato But
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
things which are most near unto us 1 Tim. 5.4 4. We must love Parents more then children in those things which ought to redound from the effect to the cause of which kind are honour estimâ—tion reverence thankfulness and the like 5. We must love children more then Parents in those things which ought to be derived from the cause to the effâ—â—t of which kind are maintenance advâ—nâ—â—menâ— â—â—â—cation and the like 6. We must love husbands and wives more then either Parents or children in those things which belong unto the society and union of this life Gen. 4.24 Matth 16.5 7. We must love those who have deserved well of us more then others and amongst those we must love them most who have communicated spiritual things unto us Gal. 6.6 Qu. 117. What are the steps and degrees of true Christian love Ans 1. We must love some for God and thus we are commanded to love strangers and enemies Exod. 23.4 Deut. 10.18 19. 1 Sam. 24.5 7. 2. We must love some in God and thus we are commanded to love the faithfull Rom. 12.9 10. 1 Pet. 2.17 3. We must love the Lord for himself that is simply by himself and according to all the parts of love i. e. with the affection of good will with the desire of union with a most contented yea joyful acquiescing in the fruition of him and all this in the highest degree Qu. 118. What are the fruits and effects of true Christian love and charity towards our brethren Ans 1. It will cover a multitude of sins Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 2. It will be a means to keep a man in the light and to preserve him from all scandals 1 John 2.10 3. It is a sure sign unto us that God dwelleth in us and that his love is perfected in us 1 John 4.12 4. It confirms us in an assuranâ—e of glory 1 John 3 14. This question may be much amplified and enlarged from Quest 113. and 114. Qu. 119. By what Means may we obtain love and kindness from our brethren Answ 1. By making a Covenant and league of amity with them 1 Sam. 20.14 15. 2. By being kind unto them Gen. 21.23 Josh 2.12 1 Sam 15 6. 3. By being loving and kind unto those whom they love 2 Sam. 2.5.6 4. By fair and gentle entreaties Gen. 40.14 John 2.12 5. By covering their trespasses and transgressions Prov. 17.9 6. By forgiving them their debts Luke 7.47 7. By a friendly rebuking of them Prov. 9.8 8. Aristippus saith a means to preserve love between us and our neighbour is this Haunt not too much thy friends house for that engendereth no great love neither be long from thence for that engendereth hate but use a mean in all things Neither be too troublesome unto nor too great a stranger from thy friend and neighbour Qu. 120. What are the Impediments of true Love and Charity or what things hinder us from loving our neighbour Answ The causes hindring this love are either internal or external First The Internal impediments are I. A natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or coldness or want of affection there are some who care for none II. Self love some love themselâ—es so much that they cannot love others at all as they ought III. A proud affection towards a mans own will or a supercilious wilfulness for he who adores and deifies his own will as his God can never love his neighbour IV. Suspition jealousie and doubtings that our neighbour loves not us at least not truly but only for his own endâ— V. Want of patience a peevish passionate impatient and angry man cannot as he ought love another Secondly The external impeâ—iments of Love between neighbour and neighbour are either in others or our selveâ— I. The Impediments of Love in others are 1. Whisperings and tale-bearings Busie-bodies and carriers of tales are oftentimes the Devils instruments for the kindling of hatred and cooling of love between friend and friend 2. Evil counsellers many by perswading urging and solliciting of others unto hatred and revenge do hinder love betwixt neighbour and neighbour II. The Impediments of love in our selves are 1. Our injuring and wronging of our neighbour 2. Our carelesness to provoke and incense them 3. An aversness from reconciliation for if a man abuse and wrong his neighbour if a man be careless of his carriage towards his neighbour never regarding whether he give him just cause of distaste or not and if a man refuse to be reconciled unto his neighbour when some breach hath been made between them there can be no true love or charity Qu 121. Who are too blame in regard of brotherly love and charity Answ 1. Those who would not be beloved Cepariuâ— telâ— us of Gonzaga the â—esuite vita ejus â—46 that he was sorry if any body loved him To be free from love is strange but to think scorn to be beloved is monstrous And 2. Those are too blame who will love none but those who love them Mat. 5.46 And 3. Those who hate those who love them Psalm 109. 4 5. as Tereus did Progne Minos did Scylla and one of the Sabins did Tarpeta And 4. Those who love men better then Christ Dr. Ruy Lopez being accused for undertaking to poison Queen Elizâ—beth answered with oaths and execrations that he never intended any hurt to her for he loved Queen Elizabeth better then he loved Jesus Chr st Amongst these they may be ranked who are more careful to please men out of their love unto them then to please Christ If a Prince were to come to a subjects house what painting what paving what flourishing with flowers what perfuming with smels what tâ—â—mming of apparel what garnishing with Jewels no cost too costly no pains sufficient Quicquid ergo non vis inveniri in domo tua quantum potes ut non inveniat Deus in animae tua August de temp Are we so conceited of our house and so curious of our apparel against the coming of an earthly Prince oh how provident shouldst thou then be of thy soul and careful of thy body for the entertaing of the Lord of glory Shall not the Prince see a cobwep in thy house and shall God behold sin in thy soul shall not he see a spot in th garment and shall God behold filthyness in thy body Certe non amant ille Christum qui aliqu d plus quam Christum aâ—â—nt August Those who either love men or sin more then Christ are much too blame and unworthy of Christs love 5. Those are faulty who love none affectionatly Bias the Philosopher gives this counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so love as though thou wert immediately to hate so hate as though thou shouldst shortly love but Scipio could never believe that ever this was the speech of a wise man because according to this rule or advice we must never Love any heartily 6. They are too blame who have minds evil affected towards the people and servants of Christ