Four Sermons Upon the Seven Chief Virtues, Sermon 3
The third Sermon.
7 And with godlines, brotherly kindnes, and with brotherly kindnes, louelove.
8 For if theſe things be with you and abound, they will make you that ye ſhal not be idle, nor vnfruitful, in the knowledge of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt.
9 For he that hath not theſe thinges it blind and ſeeth not a farre of, and hath forgottē that he was purged from his olde ſinnes.
ANd with godlineſſe brotherly kindnes, &c. Wee hauehave heard already, that with our faith muſt be ioyned vertue or godly deedes, which it cannot be without, if it be a true faith: with vertue wee are commaunded to ioyne knowledge, which may bee a guide thereunto, our knowledge muſt goe with temperance, with this muſt come patience, & therevnto muſt be ioined godlines. There remaine yet two branches of theſe ſpecial vertues, about which wee are to trauell: the firſt of theſe is brotherly louelove or kindeneſſe, which muſt be yoked with godlines: as I ſaid, that this godlines he ſpeaketh of, is referred to the firſt table of the law, reſpecting God and his religion, that wee bee ſound and zelous in the ſame, and not as thoſe which are for al times, and al religions, and therefore care not what bee ſaide againſt religion, beeing very belliegods and Atheiſts: ſo this is referred to the ſeconde table, ſhewing what wee owe vntounto men. This is very fitly, and neceſſarily added, for as there bee many, which regarding men onelyonly, howe to pleaſe, and not to grieue or offende them, altogether forgetting their dutie towards the Lord God, and wholy ſhutting him out, as thogh their chief care ſhould be of men, let pas godlines: ſo there bee ſome that offend on the other ſide, which looking alwaies ſo high, as to hauehave reſpect to the Lord, and his trueth, to bee earneſt and firie in that, ouerlooke men, forgetting the dueties which they owe vntounto them: the holye Apoſtle meeteth with this miſchief, and telleth vsus that we muſt ſo louelove God, that we alſo louelove men: ioyne, ſaith hee, to your godlineſſe, brotherly kindneſſe: for vnleſſe this be ioyned, and goe with our zeale of Gods worde, it is no true godlineſſe, although wee bee neuer ſo ſounde in iudgement and ſeeme to be as hotte as Moyſes or Elias, yea euen to be ſwallowed vp with burning zeale: for it doeth not proceede from Gods ſpirite, who doeth alſo worke the louelove towardes men whereſoeuer hee goeth: but it doeth proceede of ſome corrupt cauſe, as of vaineglorie, or ſelfe louelove, and ſuch like, and deſerueth not indeede tobee called godly deuotion, no more then the true faith can be without vertue, or deſerueth to be called ought, ſaue a ſhadowe, or Image of faith, if it bee without good workes: but it is a bitterneſſe, which reſembleth the true zeale, which doth euermore carrie with it, a louelove, and care towardes men. True it is that to be zealous in ſpirite, is a ſingular and ſpeciall gift of God, and they which be without it are but brutiſh, & ſenſleſſe creatures, not knowing God, nor howe precious his glory is: yet this muſt be lo…ed vntounto in euerie one of vsus, whether we beare a lo…ing affection toward our brethren or no: for if we louelove God, we muſt needs louelove men, which beare his Image. If we delight in the worde of God, this is one chiefe point of doctrine which is taught in it, that we be louing and kind vntounto men. Therefore as Saint Paule 1. Cor. 13. ſheweth, that very excellent giftes doe not profite without louelove, ſo likewiſe in this place wee be taught, that if wee woulde ſeeme to bee godly, and hauehave not louelove, it is nothing worth. Let eueryevery man therefore lay this doctrine to his hearte: that hee muſt be earneſt in the cauſes of the Lorde, zealous in religion, preferring God and his truth, before all men, whoſoeuer, and whatſoeuer they be: but yet withal that he muſt looke downe vntounto men, rendring vntounto them their due alſo, this doing hee may beholde hee is in the right way. VntoUnto this brotherly louelove wee bee charged to ioyne louelove. It may bee heere demanded againe, what manner of ſpeeche this is, which the Apoſtle doeth vſe, for is not brotherly kindneſſe or brotherly louelove, as the word doth ſignifie, and louelove al one; We muſt bee farre from thinking Saint Peter to deale with ſo little heede, as to wil vsus to ioyne the very ſame thing to the ſame: wee muſt therefore ſeeke a difference betweene theſe two. We may take this difference, either that the firſt of theſe doth expreſſe what wee owe towards the Godly, who be chiefly called the brethren, and the latter what we owe vntounto all, both good and bad: or els the former, doth ſignifie the inwarde affection of louelove, and the latter, the outward practiſe of the ſame: for the doctrine in both theſe, is needful to be opened. If we take then the former ſenſe, we be willed to ioine with our louelove towards the godly and faithful brethren (whom we ought chiefly, and more dearely to fauour,) a louelove alſo which may reache euen ouer al, good and bad, friend and foe, This Saint Paule teacheth when he willeth vsus to do good to all men, but eſpecially to thē which are of the houſeholde of faith. So that we muſt acknowledge our ſelues bounde, in ſome ſort, euen to the wicked: according as our Sauiour doth teach, Math. 5. Bleſſe them which curſe you, pray for them whiche hate and perſecute you: and Saint Paul ſaith, Rom. 12. If thine enemie hunger, feede him: if he thirſt, giuegive him drinke. Well then, although this bee very harde to mans nature, yet the Lorde doeth ſtreightly require it at our hands: and ſo that if this bee wanting, wee doe but deceiue our ſelues. If we take it in the latter ſenſe, the firſt worde to ſignifie the inward affection of louelove, the other, the outward practiſe: then we hauehave heere a notable point to be obſerued, not to ouerſhoote our ſelues in our louelove, in iudging it to be right, & ſincere, when it is halting, and lame: for many when they heare, that we are ſo ſtraightly charged, for to louelove our neighbours, & that with out the ſame, there is nothing good in vsus, or which God accepteth: looke no further but thus, whether they bear any grudge or euil wil in their mindes, & if they cā ſay I hurt no mā, nor I meane no hurt to any, they perſuade thēſelues that this is an excellent louelove. And ſo a ſtone meaning no hurt may bee ſaide to louelove: other ſomwhat wiſer, do not only looke to that one thing, whether they beare euil will, but alſo whether they hauehave any kind of affection in them, and here they ſtay, when they ſhoulde goeyet this ſtep further, to ſee that this kindnes in them, breaketh foorth into good and charitable deeds: for there may be ſome louing affection in a man, and yet bring foorth but ſlēder fruits, bicauſe there is a great ſlouth in nature, which hindreth men from putting their louelove in vre, for louelove is labourſome and paineful as Saint Paule ſetteth it forth 1. Theſ. 1. when he ſaith, Your laboring louelove. If then we wil louelove the brethren, heere is the touchſtone, by which we may proue our louelove, that wee ſpare not for any labour or coſt, nor yet waxe weery: becauſe louelove is not like one that is lazie & luskiſh, loytring at home within a mans breſt, but ſteppeth abrod and is verie diligent: neither doeth it preferre eueryevery light commodity & vaine pleaſure, before the benefite of the brethren. Then by this it is manifeſt, how that al thoſe which would ſeeme to bee godly, and yet hauehave caſt away the care ouer their brethren, at the leaſt thus farre, that they wil neither trauel, nor be at any charge, for other mens ſake: whoſe wealth they ſhold procure, eſpecially of the ſoule, for therein lieth the chiefe trial of louelove: becauſe it is a prepoſterous thing, to be very tender ouer the bodie, a rotten carkaſſe, and to pitie the miſerie thereof ſo much, & in the meane while, not to care for that, that is more precious, namely the ſoule, the relieuing and healing of which, ſhal be the happineſſe of the whole man for euer. This I ſpeake becauſe wee ſee many, that wil beſtowe ſomewhat vponupon the reliefe of the bodily miſerie, which hauehave no pitie vponupon mé, which wander in blindnes & ignorance, whoſe ſoules are famiſhed & pined, for want of foode, full of deadly woundes and ſores, which are not ſalued, bounde in the bands, and chaines of ſinne, holden vnderunder captiuitie by Satan, euen readie to be ſwallowed vp, of the bottomleſſe gulfe of hell: the cauſe in deede is, that they hauehave not yet learned to pitie their owne ſoules, and therefore cannot pitie the ſoules of their brethren: for if they did know the ſpiritual miſerie, they woulde neither ſpare night nor day in trauelling to hauehave it eaſed: wheras now contrariwiſe they can pull backe men, from godlineſſe, and diſcourage them from ſeeking after ſaluation: they can laugh & ſport themſelues in their owne ſinnes, and in the ſinnes of their neighbours, as though there were no miſerie therein, finally, being cruel murtherers of ſoules, would neuertheles, gladly be deemed charitable: But their bountifull almes, doth want ſeaſoning. Let vsus learn therefore to pitie, & to ſhewe kindnes to the bodily neceſſitie of men, and not to forget eſpecially, & aboue al, to procure with al diligence, as much as lyeth in vsus, the ſaluation of their ſoules: otherwiſe we can neuer be ſaide to ioyne louelove, and godlineſſe together.
In that which followeth in the foure nexte verſes, there is ſhewed partly the great, and ſingular commodities, which wee ſhal reape, if wee bee garniſhed with theſe foreſaide vertues: and partly the diſcommodities, which we ſhal finde, in the want of the ſame. And this S. Peter ſetteth forth, not ſtaying in the bare declaratiō of the vertues, which indeed of themſelues, beeing ſo precious & excellent ſhoulde moue vsus, but dealeth with vsus, as with thoſe which are lumpiſh, and dul, needing many ſpurres, to bee pricked forwarde withall, and all litle enough: let vsus bee careful therefore to take heede to that hee ſaieth. If theſe things be with you, & abound, they will make, &c. In this 8. verſe, hee beginneth to ſhew the commodities which ſhal redounde vntounto vsus, if wee ſo giuegive our diligence, that wee may bee richly decked with theſe graces: they wil make you, ſaith the Apoſtle, that yee ſhal not bee idle, nor vnfruiteful, in the acknowledging of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte. It is a ſhameful thing, when GOD hath ſhewed himſelfe vntounto vsus in his Sonne, hath called vsus into his ſeruice, out of miſerable bondage, for vsus to bee ydle, and vnfruiteful: If the Lorde hauehave planted vsus, if he hauehave dreſſed vsus, then, as it is alſo ſaid by our ſauiour Chriſt, Iohn 15. Herein is my father glorified, that ye goe and bring foorth much fruite. Then it is by this place very apparant, that a man may draw out a ſure & an infallible argument, againſt all thoſe whiche are idle, and ſlouthful in the profeſſion of religion, and as they ſay key colde, or ſlack in the worſhip, & ſeruice of god, or vnfruitful in good workes: namely, that they are graceles, voide of faith & thoſe vertues which doe euer accompany the ſame: for when Saint Peter ſaith, if theſe things bee with you, they wil make that ye ſhal not be idle, nor vnfruitful, it foloweth neceſſarily, that ſuch as bee idle, which ariſeth for want of zeale, or bee vnfruitful, continuing in their ſinnes, it is, becauſe they did neuer yet come to the true knowledge of Ch…iſt; they may wel boſt thēſelues, of their ſtrong faith, make a braue ſhewe of their skil, & ſine wit, ſo that men might think there were ſome deepe thing in them, & that they ſhold be able euē to iudge, & giuegive aright verdit, in al matters: but a man reading but euen this place, finding them ydle, and vnfruitful, (yea euen a ſimple man) ſhal eaſily ſounde them to the bottome, and ſay of them, that they hauehave not as yet knowne or learned Chriſte: becauſe they want thoſe former thinges. Wee muſt note this alſo, when hee ſaith, If theſe thinges abounde in you: this is, that wee ſhould not content our ſelues, with a ſcant and bare meaſure of faith, of vertue, of knowledge, and of the reſt, as he ſetteth them downe: but we muſt labour to hauehave a dayly increaſe, for that muſt bee gathered by this, that he pricketh forwarde theſe ripe, and grounded men. A doctrine moſt neceſſary to be vrged, becauſe if men hauehave gone two, or three ſteppes, or hauehave once a litle begunne, to labour about theſe thinges, ſo that they can looke backe, and ſee ſome come behinde them, or can ſay I thanke God, I knowe ſomewhat. I hope that I am not without faith, ſomewhat there is which I hauehave done, that I would be loth to doe againe: they by and by perſuade themſelues, that they are ſufficiently furniſhed; ſo that they wil not ſticke to ſay, I truſt I hauehave that which ſhall ſerue the turne. Naye, the Apoſtle telleth vsus an other thing heere from the Lord, & that is, that we muſt ouerflow in theſe, and abounde: and truth it is, that theſe men which thinke they bee well fraught, and ſo ſeeke for no further increaſe of ſtore, hauehave as yet nothing, for if they had once founde the ſweete of theſe thinges, and ſeene withall that they are farre behind, and in beggerly need, they would neuer content themſelues with ſo little: for who is hee, which feeleth increaſe in worldlye treaſure, that wil crie hoe, and ſay, I hauehave enough? Is there leſſe in the heauenly treaſures to drawe men to like them, than in the earthy? Or is it becauſe men doe not knowe them? Wee muſt learne to take heede of ſuch therefore, as woulde beare men in hande, that it is ſufficient, yea, that it is the beſt of al, for men to content thēſelues with ſome ciuil honeſtie, and not to ſeeke and weerie their mindes to gaine knowledge. But theſe were neuer as yet the men, which might bee right called the ſchollers of Chriſte, much leſſe wee are to deeme them worthie maſters, or teachers of others, when they goe flat contrary to the holy Apoſtle of Chriſte, who willeth to ſeek for ſo great abundance: when as they would contēt themſelues and perſuade others to bee contented, with ſcant a ſhadowe of theſe thinges, which ſhoulde bee ſo plentifully founde in them: Notwithſtanding ſome are ſo blinde, that hauing no ſhadow or ſhewe at al of goodneſſe, yet thinke they bee gone farre enough. In the next verſe where hee ſaith, Hee that hath not theſe thinges, is blinde, and ſeeth not a farre of, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde ſinnes: hee ſetteth forth the diſcommodities which follow the want of theſe vertues. And this hee doth, becauſe ſome man wil be litle mooued to heare that commoditie which hee ſpake of, and wil ſay, what care I though I bee idle? What care I though I bee vnfruitful? I will not goe about to be better thē other men, what ſhould I labour to excel thoſe which are wiſer then I; If then they wil not regard this, that theſe vertues wil make them excellent ſeruants of God, yet let them conſider what the Apoſtle maketh them without the ſame, where hee affirmeth them firſt to bee blinde, (a very miſerable thing in the bodily ſight, muche more in the ſpirituall, which hee here meaneth:) when God hath ſo cleerely reuealed himſelf in the face of his ſonne, in the knowledge which bringeth ſaluation, that the God of this worlde, as Saint Paule ſpeaketh. 2. Cor. 4. ſhould ſo blinde their minds, that the light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſte, which is the image of God, ſhoulde not ſhine vntounto them. Secondly he ſaith, they cannot ſee a farre of, or that they be poreblinde, for ſuch as hauehave the beames of ſight ſcattering or ſpreading a ſunder, ſo ſoone as they be out of the eye, cā ſee wel enough iuſt by them, but not a farre of, to theſe S. Peter doth compare thoſe men. But it may be asked what he meaneth: firſt to ſay they be ſtarke blinde, & afterward to attribute ſome ſight vntounto them. It may ſeeme by this worde, that hee maketh their cauſe not ſo euil, as before he had ſaide it was: yes euen as euill, for he ſaith as much in this worde, as he did in the other: for when he ſaith, They cannot ſee a farre of, hee taketh from them al ſight of heauenly thinges, which are remoued from vsus, & ſeene only by faith: hee doeth not denie them the ſight of thoſe things which are at hand, becauſe they hauehave a good and a ſharpe ſight in the thinges of this worlde, for the moſt part, better then they which can ſee a far of. But what are theſe quicke wits the better, whē they are but for this world, and their condition no better then that of the poore beaſt, (yea muche worſe) when we reſpect the miſery in the world to come? Let not this therfore cauſe thē to ſet vp their briſtles, that they can ſee ſo wel and pearcingly at hande, (that is, in earthly thinges) when as they are as blinde as beetles in things a far of, that is to ſay, in heauenly things. Heere wee muſt ſeeke to hauehave eyes giuen vsus of god, with which wee may bee able to ſee beyonde this worlde: for before ſuch time as the Lorde hath giuen vsus ſome glimmering of heauenly things, wee ſhal neuer couet to obteine them. And this is the cauſe that theſe poreblinde men neuer paſſe greatly to know the Goſpel of Chriſte. Thirdly he ſaith, they hauehave forgottē that they were purged from their olde ſinnes: as hee ſaid they were blind, ſo nowe he ſaith, they are forgetful: and this forgetfulneſſe is ſo much the more ſhameful, as it is in a chiefe & principal point of true religion. But where ſhall wee find the man, which if he be examined will confeſſe that he hath forgotten this point? It ſeemeth none doe forget it, becauſe the very wicked will ſeeme to ſet al vponupon this ſcore, that their ſins are purged, and that maketh them ſinne ſo franckly. But if we vnderſtande the Apoſtle wel, we ſhall finde very many whiche hauehave forgotten this point. Now here we muſt firſt note that our ſinnes are ſaid to bee purged, when there is ſatisfaction made for them by redemption in the blood of Chriſte.
Secondly that they are ſaid to be purged by grace of ſanctification, when by the power of Gods ſpirite, ſinne, or all ſinfull affections are ſuppreſſed and killed in vsus: ſo then there is a purging in redemption, and there is alſo a purging by ſanctification: Nowe if they hauehave not forgotten ſo much, but that they can prattle of the purging of their ſins, by redemption, yet they hauehave forgotten this, that they were redeemed to the ende they ſhoulde no longer ſerue ſinne but purge away the olde leauen: But beeing without thoſe former graces, he ſayeth they hauehave forgotten this, not meaning thereby that they had euer learned it, for if they had, yet at the leaſt they had not wel learned it: wee may ſee by this howe many there bee, which are ſtarke blinde, and hauehave forgotten that Chriſtians are called to liue in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe of life. If we looke vponupon the ſmall number of thoſe which hauehave a care to ſeeke after the Lord, and howe ſmall a parte of them doe come (I will not ſaye to abounde,) but to hauehave a competent meaſure of thoſe forenamed vertues. Let vsus come alwayes to this true meaſure, and not bee deceiued neither in our ſelues, nor in other. Let vsus bee aſhamed if we be carnal, to take vppon vsus the name of the true profeſſours: let vsus denie vntounto them the honorable name of Chriſtiās, which are but filthie ſwine, and prophane dogges, as our Sauiour Chriſte calleth them: to conclude this matter, none are allowed to bee true receiuers of the Goſpel, but ſuch as ioyne vertue with their faith, & with vertue knowledge, and ſo temperance, patience, godlineſſe, brotherly kindenes, and louelove, and ſuch as alſo doe ſeeke to abound in them: the reſt which care not for theſe, or contēt themſelues with the bare ſhewe of them, although they would ſeeme to be worſhippers of God, and deuout perſons, yet they are by this doctrine of the Lord wholy ſhut foorth, vntill they hauehave learned a newe leſſon. Remember that this is the doctrine of God, and not of man. Remember that we muſt ſtand and dwell vppon it, not for a day, or two, while wee hauehave hearde it, but all our life long to bring it to the practiſe, it is plaine and cleere, none can be excuſed if they know it not and ſo through ſimplicitie ſtand vppon the common faith, thinking to ſhroude themſelues wel vnderunder the ſhadow of the multitude: but when God hath warned them, who wil pitie them, when they wil not be warned; if this were not told vsus, and that by God him ſelfe, wee might thinke, as men doe commonly, that a very little doth content the Lord, that no great things are required at the handes of Chriſtians, and other ſuch fooliſh, and vaine opinions, as to ſay, they muſt hope wel when God telleth them, there is no hope, vnleſſe they walke this way, alſo that it is not good to bee ouer preciſe, when as in goodnes a man cannot proceede too far, nor offer too muche obedience to the Lorde. To make an ende, let none of al theſe thinges blinde vsus, becauſe they blinde ſome, which ſtande in reputation of their owne wiſdome.