are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
GOD in heauen but thee Whom haue I to guide and comfort me whiles I liue with men on earth but Thy SPIRIT In whom desire I to end my daies and die but euen in Thee With whom would I liue when I doe remoue but euen with Thee Grant that I may so liue to Thee and so die in Thee that I may liue eternally with Thee But my life doth scarre mee for when I sift it I finde it is either full of sinne or empty of good And if any fruite appeare therein it is either so feigned or so vnperfite or some way or other so corrupted as that either it cannot please or cannot but displease the most righteous and holy Iudge What shall I now doe Or whether shall I goe Thy Passion O LORD is my refuge and singular comfort Therein is my confidence on that I stand Thy Mercies are my Merites Thine Indulgence is my Iustice Thy Grace is my Glory Thy Crosse my Crowne and Thy Death my Life IESVS is a Name full of delight and sweetenesse Mel in Ore Melas in Aure Iubilus in Corde Hony in the mouth Melody in the eare and Ioy in the heart I will reioyce and trust in Thy Saluation I will not contend against Thee in the Vallies nor on the Mountaines The King of Israel is a Mercifull King Thy mercy it is thy mercies O LORD that I onely thirst for My soule thirsteth after Thy mercies as the chased Hart doth after water LORD IESVS in Thy mercy make mee pertaker of Thy Merites Of the Law THE Law saith Doe this and thou shalt liue It rests not in faith but exacteth action and promiseth life to them which keepe it It allowes not infirmities but requireth all perfections and if a man faile but in one point thereof it denounceth a curse vnto him Alas then what are wee what shall become of vs who are grieuous and continuall sinners Our very Iustice being strictly sifted by the Law which is the rule of Iustice would bee found iniustice and that would be contemned in the strict iudgement of the Iudge which is commended in the iudgement of the worker But could not this Law haue beene exactly kept Surely Adam might haue kept it if hee would but as the case now standeth wee cannot but trangresse it Neither yet is there iniustice in GOD For by commanding things impossible Hee makes not men sinners but humble that euery mouth should bee stopped and that all the world should bee made subiect vnto GOD because by the workes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified in his sight For when wee haue receiued a commandement and perceiue what is wanting in vs wee are put in minde to send vp our cries into heauen and GOD will haue mercy vpon vs and that so wee may know that wee are not saued by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but by His owne free Mercy For indeed therefore was the Law giuen and is yet vrged to shewe not what wee can doe but what wee should doe and that the proude might see his weakenesse and seeing it might bee humbled and being humbled might confesse it and confessing it might bee saued Not resting vpon his owne dignity but on GODS Dignation not in his owne iustice but in the Righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST Being therefore terrified by the Law let vs seeke for comfort in the Gospell And seeing all hope in our selues is cut off by the Law let vs flie to CHRIST IESVS Who is the fulfilling of the Law and in Whom whosoeuer beleeueth hath the perfection of the Law They say the Elephant as knowing his owne deformity loues not to looke into cleere water Foule faces would haue false glasses and such as would vent their copper loue not the Touchstone And they that haue deceiptfull wares like not the light But I doe desire to vnderstand the Law exactly that I may see all my deformities and foulenesse mine hypocrisies and false-dealings that so I might bee brought to a loathing of them and finding mine imperfections towards the Law I might bee prouoked to seeke for the perfection reuealed in the Gospell I will indeuour to keep the Law exactly but when I faile I will flie to the Grace of the Gospell speedily as knowing that not by mine owne iustice but by the iustice of CHRIST I must bee iustified and that I am not saued for any graces in mee but by the grace of GOD in CHRIST vnto mee Of Sinne. SINNE is the transgression of the Law If there were no Law there could bee no sinne The Law claimes obedience and when it is transgressed then sin is committed And the more men wander from it the more they sinne The cause of sinne is not GOD who is Truth and Goodnesse Wisedome and Iustice but a mans owne will yeelding to the diuell For it cannot bee that Hee should make vs fall into sinne who makes vs rise from sinne and that Hee should be the Author of that whereof Hee is reuenger And though Sathan be politique to beguile yet hath he no power to compell he cannot make thee sinne except thou wilt It is true hee can bewitch thy body inchaunt thine eyes and dull thy eares whether thou wilt or no but he cannot compell thy soule to sinne he cannot make thee sinne against thy will A man standing in a showre of haile or bullets or beeing among persons infected with the plague may be strucken and infected though he would not bee so but no tentation darted from the Diuell no bad example scandall or suggestion of any sinner can doe thee harme except thou yeeld vnto it Know that when thou sinnest it is not against but with thy will For the foundation and roote of sinne is in our selues and whosoeuer sinnes is the proper cause vnto himselfe of sinne It is true that God doth harden the heart and deliuer men vp sometimes vnto a Reprobate sence but how Not by the insusion of hardnesse or immission of corruption but by not imparting mercy and by leauing a man to himselfe and deliuering him vp into the hands of sathan For then Hee is said to harden when Hee doth not soften to deliuer them when Hee doth not retaine them to giue them vp when Hee lets them go and to leade them into temptation when Hee doth not deliuer them When therefore I shall commit a sinne I will not accuse GOD I will not impute all to the diuell but I will condemne my selfe smite my breast and say with the Publican GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner I haue hard some complaine they cannot chuse but sinne O fearefull bondage O vnhappy necessity But who constraines thē against their wils Nothing But thus it is Euill thoughts of sinne beget delight delight consent consent action action custome custome necessity What shall a man doe that is thus intangled Let him beware of custome for the custome of sinning takes away the sense of sinne and let him preuent or mortifie euill thoughts which
yet his desire and endeuour should bee euer to liue and loue as one not of this world but redeemed from the world Many are Christians in name not so in deed for they that are CHRISTS do crucify the flesh and fleshly desires and are not ruled by their flesh but gouerned by His SPIRIT In vaine is hee called Christian that is in nothing like to CHRIST What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not Hee is indeed a Christian that resembles CHRIST his Maister that sheweth mercy to the miserable that feeleth the smart of others that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed that preferreth heauen to earth and GOD to Mammon that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure to doe the Will of his Father that takes vp his Crosse in this life and beares it with patience and which iudges him onely happy in his death which dyeth either in CHRIST or for CHRIST CHRIST endured the Crosse before Hee obtained the Crowne and suffered Shame before Hee entred into His Glory O Christian thou art a delicate Souldier if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting or to triumph without troubles For the whole life of a Christian if hee liue according to the Gospell is labour toyle trouble crosses Martyrdome Of the Ministers of Christ ALL the Apostles had equall power What Peter was all were what Peter could all could There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts inequality in yeares difference in conditions but an identity of power an equality of authority all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office of one and the selfe-same Power These had authority ouer nature to sure it ouer diuels to subdue them ouer all men to conuert them To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke mighty wonders to bind and to loose to open and shut the dores of heauen These hee sent into the world as the Sunne his beames as the Rose her sweete smels and as the Fire his sparkles that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames as the Rose is perceiued in his smels and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard the Architects of His Temple the Fathers of His Church the Champions of the Faith and Trumpetters of the Gospell who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing the Mountaines ring and fil'd the eares of all These were men of mercy such as had obtained mercy shewed mercy and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy They neither liued to themselues nor dyed but vnto Him that dyed for them and for His sake also euen for vs receiuing light from the Father of Lights and spending themselues like Lampes in giuing light vnto others Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests who are not Maisters of the Church but Ministers not Lords but Seruants not Authours of the Faith but Preachers not Makers of the Truth but Keepers To whom is committed the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD the power of remitting and retaining sinnes the care of the Churches and the keeping of the Faith These simply as they are Ecclesiasticall persons haue no secular power and authority for if the Maister then the seruant must also say My Kingdome is not of this world CHRIST came not to make them Princes but Priests Not Monarkes but Ministers Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen and not of Citties or Kingdomes Hee committed the Word vnto them but not the Sword and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules but not with their States or Substance Now to make a true Minister it is requisite that he haue a true Power a true Mission for otherwise he runnes vnsent and rules but not by CHRIST And that hee Preach the Truth or else hee abuses his Power This is a most reuerent and holy calling not instituted by man nor Angell nor any other creature but by IESVS CHRIST the Head and Husband of the Church And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies because they liue not to themselues onely but to the people also And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill a Citty vpon a Mountaine a Candle vpon a Table all mens eies are fixed on them By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well but by liuing ill they teach GOD how to condemne them And in truth a good life is a good Sermon and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine Of men no man is better then a Christian and of Christians no man is better then a good Priest But hee that is vicious is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it and as the water in Baptisme which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men for their power and calling is His and their wickednesse is their owne that is holy though they bee vnholy Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse nor the worse for their vngodlinesse The light is not polluted though it passe by polluted places or persons neither is the soule corrupted though it should bee in a corrupted body so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained though hee bee full of staines himselfe And as water whether it run through a pipe of Wood or Stone or Siluer doth good vnto the ground so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them Neither are wee to respect riches age greatnesse of gifts noblenesse of birth in a Minister as if hee were to bee contemned when these things are wanting but wee are to regard especially his place and power for the power varies not with the man neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect for any personall respects in the Minister Water hath the properties and effects of water whether brought in an earthen Pitcher or a cup of gold or siluer And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath the better it is yet his power is not thereby greater or more excellent but still it is the same as a Diamond is whether set in gold or siluer Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same whether hee haue more wisedome godlinesse and insight in the Law or a lesser measure of the same And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said how different soeuer in their Age Wealth Birth Breeding Gifts They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with Him For without them Hee will not saue men and without Him they cannot saue men I say He will not for who that contemnes the Baptisme of man is Baptized with the Holy GHOST
Anchor followes the motion and turning of the water and not it the Boate or as as the drynesse of the Wayes follow the drynesse of the Weather and this that or finally as the Sea followes the Moone and not it the Sea By this Faith we heare with profite we walke with comfort wee worke by charity wee hope for glory we enioy tranquillity and though wee bee not iustified for the merite of it yet are wee iustified by it as by that onely meane whereby wee behold and hold beleeue and place our confidence in IESVS CHRIST who was made vnto vs of GOD Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption So Saint Paul knowing that a man is not iustifyed by the workes but by the Faith of IESVS CHRIST Wee also Paul and Peter haue beleeued in IESVS CHRIST that wee might bee iustified by the Faith of CHRIST and not by the workes of the Law Because by the workes of the Law no flesh shall bee iustified Epiphanius saith iustice is by Faith without the workes of the Law Chrysostome saith Hee hath saued vs by Faith alone Theodoret saith by bringing onely Faith we haue receiued pardon of sinnes We iudge saith Ambrose according to the Apostle that a man is iustifyed by Faith without the workes of the Law Ierome saith thou knowest that thou as the Gentiles hast found life in CHRIST not by the workes of the Law but by Faith alone To omit many heare onely now Saint Austen a word or two When the Apostle saith a man is iustified freely without the workes of the Law by Faith it is not his drift that when Faith is receiued and professed the workes of Iustice should bee contemned but that euery man may know it is possible for him to bee iustified although the workes of the Law haue not gone before for they follow him that is iustified and go not before him that is to bee iustified So then wee for our parts are iustified before GOD onely by Faith but wee and our faith also are iustified before men by good workes as the goodnesse of a Tree is shewed by the fruite the goodnesse of a rose by her sweete odors the cunning of a workeman by his workes And though Faith bee not alone but very well attended yet it iustifies alone as the eye sees alone the eare heares alone the mouth tastes alone the legges go alone but yet are not alone but are coupled to other parts of the body Hee that hath this faith hath all the vertues of a Christian hee that wants it wants all With it a man is something without it a man is worse then nothing A man hath all that hath himselfe he hath nothing that wants himselfe but hee hath himselfe that hath his Sauiour and hee hath his Sauiour that beleeueth in Him and by the vertue of his faith doth seeke and serue Him It it not faith but faithlesnesse not trust but distrust for a man to put affiance in himselfe I will therefore distrust in my selfe that I may beleeue in CHRIST I will despaire of my selfe that I may haue hope in Him and I will loose my selfe in my selfe that I may finde my selfe in Him I will not distrust in His might because Hee is Almighty nor in His good will because Hee is most mercifull and cryeth Come vnto mee not yee that are worthy but yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will refresh you Of Hope that maketh not ashamed HOPE is the wishing and expecting of some good to come True Christian hope is that worke of the SPIRIT in a true Beleeuers heart whereby hee patiently waiteth for those good things which GOD hath promised vnto him in IESVS CHRIST This hope is certaine and not false begotten of faith in the promise of GOD It is the anchor of the soule which would be split in peeces with stormes and tempests and driuen vpon Rockes and Sands or loose it selfe in the vaste Ocean of this vnquiet and sinnefull world if it were not preserued and staied by Hope fastned on our LORD and SAVIOVR CHRIST IESVS who is the ground of our hope our staffe our stay our comfort and contentment Ioy is the motion of the heart vpon some present good now enioyed But Hope is the hearts expectation of some good to come Which good the faithfull heart doth long and looke for not led thereunto by the euidence of humane sense or reason but moued by the euidence of faith which is the promise of GOD. The way to come to true Hope is to haue no hope in our selues but to receiue all our hope from faith in the Word of GOD. For to hope in the creature is to despaire of the Creator Neither doth hee truely hope in CHRIST that doth fixe his hope on any thing out of CHRIST To despaire is a grieuous sinne for a man thereby denies the Power of GOD who is Omnipotent or His good Will and Mercy who will cast away no humble Suppliant but knowes how to alter His Sentence if thou canst tell how to performe repentance It is true desperation doth destroy thousands but presumption doth kill ten thousands There is no more dangerous presumption then for a man to expect saluation by his owne deserts or to ground his hope of eternity vpon his owne perfections His waxen wings where-with hee soares on high will not bee able to endure the heate of GODS Iustice but with Icarus hee shall most surely fall and perish in the gulfe of hell So it is very vanity for a man to hope for heauen whiles hee is alwaies like a Mole rooting and turning vp Mountaines of enormities against the heauens and laying sinne vpon sinne as the Babilonians did stone vpon stone and so threatning heauen with their sinnes as they with their Tower The sinner may not hope for heauen but the Saint onely the humble and not the proud the penitent not the man addicted to his owne lusts and hating to bee reformed For the promise of Eternall Life is made not to Infidels but to Beleeuers not to the rebell but to the penitent not to the presumptuous but to the poore not to the children of the world but to the true spirituall sonnes and daughters of the Church of GOD. Adulterers Drunkards worldlings shall not inherite the Kingdome of GOD. They cannot be saued except they repent and when they do truely repent then GOD accounts them no longer Adulterers Drunkards Worldlings but doth forgiue them And as without repentance they cannot be saued so without repentance they cannot hope to bee saued If they looke to be saued and yet run on in their sinnes they looke in vaine This their looking being the presumption of fancy not the expectation of faith It is but a castle built in the Aire imaginary Or like an house of clay set in the waters LORD IESVS thou art mine Hope mine Honour I will beginne and end in Thee I would be found in Thee and not in Mee I will desire seeke and waite for life
in Thee in Thee alone in nothing else I doe long and looke to see the face of GOD in the Land of the Liuing But it is because Thou art mine and I am Thine and Thine I desire to be and none but Thine for euer and euer For this hope is not a mans but a Christians Thou art the author of it not Alam It is of Faith not from the flesh Wee haue it not by generation but by Regeneration Neither can any man be possessour of it longer then hee continueth Thine euen Thine and none but Thine ruled of thy Spirit and not ouer-ruled of his flesh Of holy Charity LOVE is an vniting affection by which the heart is knit vnto the thing beloued and by which the knot is continued knit and not dissolued For as hatred looseth so loue bindeth that diuideth but this vniteth that causeth abhomnation but this delectation that contempt but this contentment Loue that is good hath for his obiect good As euill either true or seeming is the obiect of hatred so a true or seeming good is the obiect of loue A true loue is fixed on a thing that is truely good This is a rare and excellent vertue that which appeaseth GOD to man and reconcileth man to GOD that which made the Sonne of GOD come downe to men and the sonnes of men go vp to GOD that which ties GOD to vs and our hearts to Him Knowledge is in the soule as a Candle in a darke roome yet without Charity the greatest Clearke is but an empty bladder or like a vaste house full of light but voide of treasure hee may haue Learning but hee wanteth Grace This holy affection makes the poore man very rich and the want thereof makes a rich man very poore With it a man is as an Angell Without it hee is euen as bad or little better then a diuell This is the soule of all learning the condiment of all vertues the roote of all good actions the ornament of all Christians the keeper of true peace the mother of true obedience and that without the which a man hath nothing is nothing A man may haue wealth as Nabal wit as Achitophel beauty as Absolom honour as Haman strength as Goliah the Sacraments as Iudas and yet be wicked and cast away for euer But a man cannot but be good whose loue is sincere and good And as soone shall the diuell bee saued as a charitable man condemned But who is this charitable man indeed Euen hee that loueth GOD in CHRIST and euery good Christian for CHRIST His sake Many will boast of loue as many brauadoes will bragge of wealth they haue not If to for sweare and sweare idly if to profane the Saboath and to contemne sacred Persons Places Offices Acts and Exercises If to be stout and sturdy to superious If to brow-beate stabbe quarrell raile threaten and reuenge If to paint the face and die the haire to weare a long locke or to abuse our neighbours wife daughter or seruant if to robbe purloine embezle or beguile If to oppresse and grinde the faces of poore people If to bee idle and vnprofitable If glutting glouring pranking lying slandering flattering and euill speaking If these bee charity the world is full of charity and such charitable persons are rife as the frogs of Aegypt which would venture into the Kings Court But if these bee not as indeed they are not then may wee iustly complaine and say There is men enough but few louers much enormity but little Charity Some commend Charity but shew none and thinke they haue it when no fruite thereof appeareth Charity needs none of their prayses but they stand in neede to bee praysed by Charity which loues onely to be commended of her children It is true Charity it selfe is not seene but it is manifested by her operations as the heart by panting as the winde by blowing as the Aire by drying or as the spirit and iuice of a tree by the apple And it is as impossible for Charity to bee in the soule without signes and friuts as for fire to bee without heate or for water not to wet them that touch it or for the soule to bee in the body and yet to shew no vertue or comfort thereof vnto the body Of Gods Loue to Man THERE is no man liuing which as a creature is not loued of GOD the great Creator which appeareth in that Hee is said to be the SAVIOVR of All and to cause the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall euen on the wicked Hee loueth Humanity but hateth impiety the Man-head is beloued but malice in it is detested Hee likes well of the Nature but dislikes the sinne That which is His Hee loues but that which marres His Hee hates His owne Image Hee loues but the deformities therof made by man are altogether displeasing in his sight Now when all men had transgressed and by transgression had made themselues the children of death it pleased Him to passe by fome being tyed to none and some others to chuse in loue vnto Eternall Life But what loued Hee now The men and not their manners their nature now vnder great corruption but not corruption it selfe Their persons not their preuarications And why loued Hee them What moued Him to make that difference Surely nothing but His owne good Will Meēre mercy in Him no merite at all in them His free Dignation and no dignity or deserts of theirs His free fauour to them and no fore-seene faith in them But GOD that had nothing to loue in a sinner but his Humanity in a true Saint hath also Christianity then Nature but now Nature and Grace too In Generation the Humane Nature in Regeneration a certaine Diuine Nature If the diuell hate all men but especially all Saints then wee may be sure that GOD loues all men but especially all holy men And if the diuell hate and pine at the graces of GOD in men then questionlesse GOD loues all His graces in whomsoeuer Hee findes them O the riches of the loue of GOD vnto His chosen O inexplicable kindnesse O irrecompenfable fauour What is man that Thou shouldst regard him or the son of man a worme a wretch the childe of death that Thou shouldest cast thine eies vpon Him When all were fallen and had deserued nothing but wrath but woe but death eternall wrath eternall woe eternall death Thy mercy Thy mercy not at all deserued pittyed some but diddest passe by others as amiable and as miserable as the other O how vnspeakeable is Thy loue to Thine How admirable art Thou in all Thy waies Euen Thine enemies hast Thou receiued vnto mercy Thou hast punished their sinnes in the Flesh of Thine owne Sonne and in Whom Thou dost Crowne them with grace and glory O GOD Thy Loue brought the Israelites out of Aegypt ouerwelmed their persecutors guided them in the wildernesse trod downe the Nations for them and brought them into the land of Canaan Euen so ô