The Happiness of the Church, Biblical commentary 17

The Happiness of the Church · Biblical commentary 17

p. 145LOVES COPIE OR The best Precedent of Charitie.

EPHE. 5. 2.

As Christ loued vsus.

WE distinguished the whole verse into a Canon, and a Crucifixe. The Canon consisted of a Precept, and a Precedent. LoueLove is the Subiect: and it is both commanded and commended. Commanded in the Charge, which you hauehave heard. Commended in the Example, which you shall heare. I determined my speach with the Precept; Walke in louelove. The Precedent or Patterne remaines to be propounded and expounded; As Christ loued vsus. Every word is emphaticall: and there be foure, signifying foure seuerall natures.

Two of these words be Vincula or Media; that ioyne and vnite other things; Sicut and Dilexit: As and Loued. As directs our louelove to God and Man, by the exemplified rule of Christ louing vsus. Walke in louelove to others, As Christ loued vsus. Loued is that blessed reconciling nature; whereby Gods good Greatnes descends p. 146to our bad basenesse; and the Iust giues to the vniust Saluation. For what other nature but MercieMercy, could reconcile so high Maiestie, and so low Miserie!

As

According to Zanchius his obseruation on this place, is a note of Qualitie, not Equalitie; of Similitude not of Comparison. We must louelove others As Christ loued vsus; As; for the manner, not for the measure. His aaCant. 8. 6.Song 8:6louelove was strong as Death; for to the death hee loued vsus. It was a bright & cleare fire; many maters could not quench it; yea water and bloud could not put it out. bbIoh. 3. 16.John 3:16God so loued the World: so freely, so fatherly, so fully; as no tongue can tell, no heart thinke. ccEphe. 3. 19.Eph 3:19The louelove of Christ passeth knowledge. To thinke of equalling this louelove, would be an impossible presumption. Our louelove is inconstant, weake; a mingled, and often a mangled louelove, mingled with selfe louelove, and mangled with the wounding affections of the world. Our louelove is faine, his strong: ours ficle, his constant: ours limited, his infinite. Yet wee must follow him so fast as we can, and so farre as wee may; Walking in louelove, as he loued vsus.

His Walking in louelove was strange and admirable: hee tooke large steps; from heauen to earth, and from earth to heauen. As Bernard on that speech of the Church concerning her Beloued. ddCant. 2. 8.Song 2:8Behold! hee commeth leaping vponupon the mountaines, skipping vponupon the hils. He leaps from heauen to the Virgins wombe, from the wombe to a manger, from the manger to Egypt, from Egypt to Iudah, from thence to the Temple, from the Temple vp to the Crosse, from the Crosse downe to the graue, from the graue vp to the earth, and from the earth vp to the highest glory. And he shall yet hauehave another leap, from the right hand of his Father to iudge quicke and dead.

These were great iumpes, & large paces of louelove. When he made but one stride from the clouds to the cradle, p. 147and another from the Cradle to the crosse, and a third from the crosse to the crowne. To come from the bosome of his immortall father, to the wombe of his mortall mother, was a great step. From the lowest hell, or depth of his humiliation; to the highest heauen or top of his exaltation was a large pace.

We cannot take such large steps, nor make such strides. These leaps are beyond our agilitie, our abilitie. Yet we must follow him in louelove; stepping so farre as we can, and walking so fast as we may. Follow we carefully and chearfully; though non passibus aequis. The Father, that takes his yong son into the field with bowes & shafts, and bids him shoot after him, doth not expect that the child should shoote so farre as he, but so farre as he can. Though we cannot reach Christs marke, yet ee2. Cor. 8. 12.2 Cor 8:12If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not. Now this particle

As, is not barely similitudinary, but hath a greater latitude: and serues

1. This Sicut Confines

Our imitation, and limits it to that circumference, which the present rule or compasse giues it. We may not follow Christ in all things, but in this thing; LoueLove, As he loued vsus. Our imitation hath a limitation, that it may not exorbitantly start out of the circle. There are speciall workes, which God reserues to himselfe; and wherein he did neuer commaund or commend mans following: but rather strikes it downe as presumption. His Power, his Maiestie, his Wisedome, his Myracles, cannot without a contumacious ambition be aymed at. When Lucifer aspired to be like God in Maiestie, he was throwne out of heauen. When Adam contended to be like God in knowledge, he was cast p. 148out of Paradise. When Nebuchadnezzar arrogated to be like God in Power, he was expulsed his kingdome. When Simon Magus mounted to be like God in working Miracles, and to flie in the ayre, he was hurld downe, and broke his necke. God must not be imitated in his Finger, in his Arme, in his Braine, in his Face; but in his Bowels. Not in the Finger of his Myracles; nor in the Arme of his Power; nor in the Braine of his Wisedome; nor in the Face of his Maiestie; but in the Bowels of his Mercy. ffLuk. 6. 36.Luke 6:36Be ye mercifull, as your heauenly Father is mercifull. And sayth Paul; ggCol. 3. 13.Col 3:13Put on the Bowels of mercy; as Christ put them on: Forbeare, forgiue; Walke in LoueLove; As hee loued vsus. Neither Angell nor Man did euer, or shall euer offend, in coueting to be like God in LoueLove, Grace, Mercy, Goodnes. So that this Sicut excludes his Myracles, and directs vsus to his Morralls. Walke in LoueLove, … &c.

2. This Sicut Defines.

What our LoueLove should be; As Christ was to vsus. Now his louelove to vsus had an infinite extention; and is past the skill of men or Angels to describe. Yet because this is the perfect Copy of our imitation; and the infallible Rule whereby we must square our Charitie; I must according to my shallow power wade a litle into this infinite and boundles Sea. I will onelyonly note foure sweete streames of life in his LoueLove. It

1. Holy.

The LoueLove of Iesus to vsus was Sancta & sanctificans dilectio: a LoueLove holy formaliter, in itselfe: and holy effectiuè, in making those holy on whom it was set. He p. 149gaue himselfe to vsus, and for vsus: and gaue vsus a faith to receiue and embrace him. Sine quo nec dil…cti, nec diligentes fuissemus. Without whom wee neither could hauehave receiued louelove, nor returned louelove. Now his louelove did not only extend to our bodyes health, but to our soules blisse. So he loued vsus, that he saued vsus.

Our louelove should likewise be holy & whole: desiring not onelyonly our brothers externall welfare; but much more his internall, his eternall blessednes. He that pitties not a famished body, deserues iustly the name of an vnmercifull man: but he that cōpassionates not an afflicted conscience, hath much more a hard heart. It is an vsual speech of compassion to a distressed man; Alas poore Soule: but this same, alas poore Soule, is for the most part mistakē. Neither the pittier, nor the pittied imagins the soule pittiable. Very humanitie teacheth a man to behold an execution of theeues & traytours with griefe: that men to satisfie their malicious or couetous affections, should cut off their owne liues with so infamous a death. But who commiserates the endangered Soule, that must then ventor and enter on an eternall life or death?

The story of Hagar with her Son Ishmael, is set downe by so heauenly a pen, that a man cannot read it without tears. She is hhGen. 21. 14.Gen 21:14cast out of Abrahams house with her child that might call her Master father. Bread & water is put on her shoulder, and she wanders into the wildernes: a poore reliefe for so long a iourney, to which there was set no date of returning. Soone was the water spent in the bottle: the child cries for drinke, to her that had it not; and lifts vp pittiful eyes, eueryevery glance whereof was enough to wound her soule: vents the sighes of a dry & panting heart; but there is no water to be had; except the teares that ran from a sorrowful mothers eyes could quench the thirst. Downe she layes the child vnderunder a shrubbe: and went as heauy as euer mother parted from p. 150her onelyonly son: and sate her downe vponupon the earth, as if she desired it for a present receptacle of her griefe, of her selfe: a good way off, saith the Text, as it were a bow-sho…e that the shrickes, yellings, & dying groanes of the child might not reach her eares: crying out; Let me not see the death of the child. Die she knew he must: but as if the beholding it would rent her heart, and wound her soule; she denyes those windowes so sad a spectacle; Let mee not see the death of the child. So she lift vp her voyce and wept. Neuer was Hagar so pittifull to her Sonne Ishmael, as the Church is to eueryevery Christian. If any sonne of her wombe wil wander out of Abrahams familie, the House of Faith; into the wildernes of this world; and prodigally part with his iiIon. 2. 8.Jonah 2:8owne mercy; for the gawdy transient vanities thereof. She followes, with intreaties to him, and to heauen for him. If he will not returne, she is loath to see his death: she turnes her backe vponupon him, and weeps. He that can with dry eyes, and vnrelenting heart, behold a mans Soule ready to perish, hath not so much passion and compassion, as that Egiptian bond-woman.

2. Hearty.

The louelove of Christ to vsus was hearty; not consisting of shewes, and signes, and courtly complements; but of actuall, reall, royall bounties. He did not dissemble liue to vsus, when he dyed for vsus. Exhibitio operis, probatio amoris. He pleaded by the truest and vndenyable argument, demonstration. I louelove you: wherein? I giuegive my Life for you. Tot ora, quot vulnera; tot verba, quot verbera. So many wounds, so many words to speake actually his louelove: eueryevery stripe he bore gaue sufficient testimony of his affection. His exceeding rich gift, shewes his exceeding rich louelove. This heartines must be in our LoueLove; both to our Creator, and to his Image.

1. To God: so he chalengeth thy louelove to be conditioned; p. 151with thy Heart, with all thy heart. And this saith Christ, is Primum & Maximum mand…tum kkMath. 22. 38.Matt 22:38the First and the greatest Commandement. The first; llMarlorat.Quasi virtualiter centinens reliqua; as mainely comprehending all the rest. For he that loues God with all his heart will neither Idolatrize, nor blaspheme, nor profane his Sabboths; no nor wrong his creatures. The greatest; mmAretius.as requiring the greatest perfection of our louelove. This then must be a hearty louelove; not slow, not idle, but must shew it selfe Et properando, & operando: in ready diligence, in fruitfull & working obedience. There are many …otent to louelove God alitle, because he blesseth them much. So Saul loued him for his kingdome. These louelove God Pro seipsis, not Prae seipsis; For themselues, not before themselues. They will giuegive him homage, but not fealtie: the calues of their lippes, but not the calues of their stals. If they feast him with venison, part of their Imparked Riches, which is deere to them: yet it shall be but rascall deere, the trash of their substance: they will not feast him with the heart, that is the best deere in their Parke.

2. To man: whom thou art bound to louelove as thy selfe: where say some, As is but a Tam, not a T…ntum. As thy selfe, not As much as thy selfe: As for the maner, not for the measure. But this is certaine; true louelove begins at home; and he cannot louelove another soundly, that primarily loues not himselfe. And he that loues himselfe with a good heart, with the same heart will louelove his brother: nnIacob. de Vorag. in Luc. 10. Serm. 2.Luke 10In qu… seipsum, & propt…r quod seipsum: In that maner, & for that cause that he loues himselfe. This then cōmands the same louelove, if not the same degree of louelove, to thy brother, that thou bearest to thy selfe.

This hearty louelove is hardly found. More is protested now then in former times, but lesse done. It is wittilyob serued, that y^e old maner of saluting, was to take & shake one another by the hand: now we locke armes & ioyne breasts, but not hearts. That old hand full was better p. 152then this new armefull. Our cringes and complementall bowings promise great humilitic: but the smootherd venime of pride …es within. We hauehave low lookes and loftie thoughts. There are enough of those ooPsal. 28. 3.Ps 28:3Which speake peace to their neighbours, but mischiefe is in their hearts. Whose smooth habites doe so palliate, and ornamentally couer their poyson; as if they did preserue mud in Chrystall. The Romaynes vsually painted Friendship, with her hand on her heart: as if she promised to send no messenger out of the gate of her lips, but him that goes on the hearts arrand. Now we hauehave studied both textures of words, and pretextures of manners, to shrowd dishonestie. But one ounce of reall charitie is worth a whole talent of verball. He loues vsus best, that does for vsus most. Many Politicians, (and the whole world now runnes on the wheeles of policie) vse their louers as ladders, their friends as scaffolds. When a house is to be erected, they first set vp scaffolds, by which they build it vp: the house finished, downe pull they the scaffolds, and throw them into the fire. When the couetous or ambitious man hath his turne serued by others; either for his aduancing or aduantaging; for gaine or glory: he puts them off with neglect and contempt. The house is built, what care they for the scaffold? The feate is wrought, let the wise and honest helpers be prison'd or poison'd, sinke or swimme, stand or perish. Nay it is well, if they helpe not those downe, that helped them vp.

3. Kind.

The Apostle makes ppCol. 3. 12.Col 3:12Kindnesse one essentiall part of our louelove; deriuing it from Christs example: who was Kind to vsus, both in giuing vsus much good, and forgiuing vsus much euill. And God commendeth, yea commandeth the inseparable neighbourhood of godlinesse and brotherly kindnesse. qq2. Pet. 1. 7.2 Pet 1:7Adde to your godlinesse brotherly p. 153kindnes. For there is no piety towards God, where there is no kindnesse to our brother. Now Christs kindnes to vsus consisted in 2. excellent effects Corrigendo. Porrigendo.

1. In correcting our errours, dir…cting and amending our liues. Non minima pars dilectionis est, reprehendere dilect…m, It is no small part of kindnesse, to reproue him thou louest. Therefore God sayth; Th… shalt reproue thy brother; and not hate him in thy heart. A louing man will chide his erring friend: and he that does not, hates him in his heart. rrAug. de verbis Apost. Serm. 22.Sic vigilet tolerantia, vt non dormiat disciplina. So let patience watch, that discipline sleepe not. This was Dauids desire. ssPsal. 141. 5.Ps 141:5Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindnes: and let him reproue …e, it shall be an excellent oyle, which shall not breake my head. Our Sauiour tooke this course, but he was pittifull in it: not ttMath. 12. 20.Matt 12:20breaking the bruised re…d, nor quenching the smoking flaxe. He was not transported with passion, but moued with tender compassion, and mercifull affection. uuMark. 6. 36.Mark 6:36He was moued with compassion toward the people, seeing them as sheepe without a shepheard. xxPsal. 103. 13.Ps 103:13As a Father pittieth his children, so the Lord pittieth them that feare him. And children are Vicera parentum, saith aaIn Epist. Paul. ad Philem.Ierome: the very bowels of the parents. Therefore his bowels earned within him, when he saw the weakly blind led by the wilfully blind, and he instructed them. It is no small mercy in a Father, to correct his erring child.

This is one office of louelove almost quite forgotten in the world. Our eyes and eares are conscious of many horridsinnes, whereof we make also our soules guiltie by our silence. Like Cameleons, we turne to the colour of our companie. Oppressions that draw bloud of the Common-wealth, moue vsus not. Oaths that totter the battlements of heauen, wake vsus not. O where is our kindnesse! whilst wee doe not reproue, we approue these iniquities. bbGreg.He is conscious of secret societie, that p. 154forbeareth to resist open iniquitie. Thou sayest, it is for loues sake thou sparest reprehension: why, if thou louelove thy friend, thou wilt gently rebuke his faults. If thou louelove thy friend neuer so dearly, yet thou oughtst to louelove truth more dearly. Let not then the truth of louelove preiudice the louelove of truth.

2. In …, reaching …orth to vsus his ample mercies: cc1. Tim. 6. 17.1 Tim 6:17Giuing …ichly …l things to enioy. Where the Apostle describes Gods bountie; that he

Giues

Freely.

Fully.

Vniuersally.

Effectually.

1. Freely; he giues without exchange: hee receiues nothing for that he giues. Vngodly men hauehave honor, wealth, health, peace, plentie: their bellies are filled with his treasure, and they doe not so much as returne him thankes. His Sunne shines, his raine fals on the vniust and ingratefull mans ground. Man when hee giues, & respicit & recipit gratitudinem; both expects and accepts thankes, and a returne of louelove: God hath not so much as thankes. For the good, they are indeed gratefull: but this Gratia grati is Gratia gratificantis: God giues them this grace, to be thankefull: and they may blesse him, that he stirres them vp to blesse him.

2. Fully and richly, as becomes the greatest King. A Duke at the wedding Feast of his daughter, caused to …e brought in thirtie Courses; and at eueryevery Course gaue so many gifts to each guest at the Table, as were Dishes in the Course. And I hauehave read of a Queene, that feasted her guests with wines brewed with dissolued precious stories; that eueryevery draught was valued at a hundred crownes. Here was royall entertainment; but this was but one Feast. Such bountie continued would quickly consume the finite meanes of any earthly Prince. OnelyOnly God is ddEp…. …. ….rich in merciemercy: his treasurie p. 155fils all the world, without emptying, yea empairing or abating it selfe.

3. Vniuersally; all things. The king hath his Crowne, the great man his honour, the mightie his strength, the rich his wealth, the learned his knowledge, the meane man his peace: all at his Gift. He opens his hand wide, he sparseth abroad his blessings, and filles all thinges liuing with his plenteousnesse.

4. Effectually: he settles these gifts vponupon vsus. As he gaue them without others, so others without him shall neuer be able to take them away. As he created, so he conserueth the vertues; strength in bread, and warmth in cloathes; and giues wine and oyle their effectiue chearfulnesse.

Be …ou so kind as this holy and heauenly patterne, not ayming at the measure which is inimitable, but leuelling at the maner which is charitable. Like Iob, who vsed not to eeIob 31. 17.Job 31:17eate his morsels alone: neither to deny his bread to the hungry, nor the fleece of his flocke to the cold and naked. Let thy stocke of kindnes be liberall, though thy stocke of wealth bee stinted. GiueGive Omni petenti, though not Omnia petenti; as that Father excellently.

4. Constant.

For with Christ is no variablenes, ffIam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17no shadow of change. But ggIoh. 13. 1.John 13:1Whom he once loues, he loues for euer. Ficklenesse is for a Laban, whose hhGen. 31. ….Gen 31countenance will turne away from Iacob: and his affection fall off with his profite. I hauehave read of two intire friends, well deseruing for their vertues; that when the one was promoted to great wealth and dignitie, the other neglected in obscuritie: the preferred, though he could not diuide his honour, yet shared his wealth to his old companion. Things so altered that this honourd friend was falsely accused of treacherie, and by the blow of suspition throwne downe to p. 156misery: & the other for his nowe obserued goodnes raised vp to a high place where now he requites his deiected friend with the same courtesie: as if their minds had cōsented & contended to make that equall, which their states made different. O for one dramme of this immutable LoueLove in the world! Honours change manners: & wee will not know those in the Court, who often fed vsus in the countrey. Or if wee vouchsafe to acknowledge them as friends, we will not as Sutors. Hereon was the verse made.

Quisquis in hoc mundo cunctis vult gratus haberi:

Det, Capiat, Quaerat, Plurima, Pauca, Nihil.

He that would be of worldly men well thought:

Must alwayes GiueGive, Take, Beg, Much, Litle, Nought. Men cannot brooke poore friends. This inconstant charitie is hatefull; as our English phrase premonisheth; LoueLove me Little, and LoueLove me Long.

3. This Sicut Refines

Our louelove; Walke in louelove, as Christ loued vsus. Where As is not onelyonly similitudinary, but causall. LoueLove because Christ loued vsus: for this cause, as after this maner. Which serues to putrifie our louelove, to purge it from 1. Iohn 4. 19.1 John 4:19corruption, and to make it perfect. Dilectio Dei nosfacit & diligibiles & diligentes: both such as God can louelove, and such as can louelove God. For it is the louelove of Christ to vsus, that works a louelove to Christ in vsus. A man will euer louelove that medicine, that hath freed him from some desperate disease. Christs LoueLove hath healed vsus of all our sores and sinnes: let vsus honour and louelove this medicine, compounded of so precious simples, water and bloud. And let vsus not onelyonly affectionately embrace it our selues, but let vsus inuite others to it iiPsal. 66. 16.Ps 66:16Come and harken all ye that feare God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soule.

Christ.

I hauehave beene so punctuall in this word of Qualitie, p. 157that I can but mention the rest. The word of Maiestie is Christ; who being almightie God, coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Spirit; tooke on him our nature: and was factus homo, vt pro homine pacaret Deum. God was made man, that for man he might appease God. Thus did so great a maiestie stoupe low for our louelove; Non exuendo quod habuit, sed induendo quod non habuit: not by loosing what he had, but by accepting what he had not; our miserable nature. kkBern. Tract. de diligendo Deo.Ipse dilexit nos & Tantus & tantum, & gratis tantillos & tales. Hee that was so great loued so greatly, vsus that were so poore and vnworthy freely.

Loued

Is that word of Mercy, that reconciles so glorious a God to so vngracious sinners. The cause which moued Christ to vndertake for vsus, was no merite in vsus, but meere mercy inhim. He Loued vsus, because he loued vsus: in our Creation when we could not louelove him: in our Redēption, when we would not louelove him. Loued vsus, notbutthat he loueth vsus stil. But the Apostle speaks in this time, to distinguish the louelove wherewith he now loueth vsus, from that whereby he once Loued vsus. llRom. 5. 10.Rom 5:10For if when wee were enemies, we were reconciled to God by his death: much more being reconciled, we shall be saued by his life. Though it be also true, that mmIer. 31. 3.Jer 31:3from euerlasting he Loued vsus.

VsUs

Is the word of Miserie: VsUs hee loued, that were so wretched. The word is indefinite; Us, all vsus. VsUs be wee neuer so vnworthy: All vsus, be wee neuer so many.

1. VsUs that were vnworthy of his louelove, from whom he expected no correspondence. That hee loued the blessed Angels was no wonder, because they with winged obedience execute his hests nnPsal. 103. 20.Ps 103:20and doe his word. p. 158Yea that he loued his very reason-lesse and insensible creatures, is not strange: for ooPsal. 148. 8.Ps 148:8fire and haile, snow and vapour, stormy wind and tempest fulfill his word. But to louelove vsus, that were weake, vngodly, sinners, enemies. Rom. 5 weake, no strength to deserue: vngodly, no pietie to procure: sinners, no righteousnes to satisfie: enemies, no peace to atone: for wee hated him, and all his ppMath. 10. 22.Matt 10:22yee shall be hated of all men for my names sake. To louelove such vsus, was an vnexpectable, a most mercifull LoueLove. Hee that wanted nothing, loued vsus, that had nothing. Immortall eternitie loued mortall dust and ashes. O if a man had Ora mille fluentia melle, yea the tongues of Angels, he could not sufficiently expresse this louelove. qqIoh. 3. 16.John 3:16So God loued the world: Mundum immundum, the vncleane world; that not onelyonly not rrIoh. 1. 10.John 1:10receiued him; but euen crucified and killed him.

2, All of vsus, without acception of persons. This is the ssIoh. 1. 29.John 1:29Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world. The Gospell proclaimes an vniuersall Si quis; Whosoeuer beleeues, and is baptised, shall be saued. Qui seipsum excipi… se ipsum decipit. He that excepts himselfe, beguiles his owne soule. Hence I find three inferences, obseruable, which I will commend to your consciences, and your consciences to God.

1. We are loued our selues, therefore let vsus louelove. He that bids vsus louelove, loued vsus first ttIoh. 15. 12.John 15:12This is my Commandement, that yee louelove one another. Why? As I loued you. Non aliud iussit, quam gessit: he chargeth vsus with nothing in precept, which he performed not in practise. Therefore Si tardi su…us ad …andum, non tardi simus ad redamandum. Though we hauehave not beene forward to louelove first, let vsus not be backward to returne louelove. Dilecti diligite uu1. Ioh. 5. 11.1 John 5:11If God so loued vsus, we ought also to louelove one another. p. 159Magnes amoris amor: and the sole requitall which God requires for his rich louelove, is our poore louelove; that onelyonly may louelove him, but hauehave nothing to giuegive him, that is not his.

2. They are beloued whom thou art charged to louelove. He that bids vsus louelove others, loues them himselfe. It is fit we should louelove those whom Christ loues. If thou louelove Christ, thou art bound to louelove others, because he loues them: yea with that very same louelove, wherewith he loues thee. Therefore Dilectos diligamus.

3. They also louelove God, whom God commands thee to louelove. The louelove of Christ is so shed abroad into all Christian hartes, that they vnfainedly affect Iesus their Sauiour. They louelove him, whom thou louest, therefore louelove them. It is fit, we should louelove them highly, that louelove God heartily. Therefore Diligentes diligamus.

Thus you hauehave heard Loues Walke, or Race: now then sayth Paul; So runne that you may obtaine. I will end with an Apologue, an Epilogue, a Parable. Charitie, and certaine other her riualls, or indeed enemies would runne a race together. The Prize they all ranne for, was Felicitie; which was held vp at the Gaoles end by a bountifull Lady, called Eternitie. The runners were Pride, Prodigalitie, Enuie, Couetousnes, Lust, Hypocrisie, and LoueLove. All the rest were either diuerse or aduerse, neighbours or enemies to Charitie. I will, Herald-like, shew you their seuerall equipage; how they begin the Race and end it.

1. Pride, you know, must be formost; and that comes out like a Spanyard, with daring lookes and a tongue thundring out braues: mounted on a spritely Iennet named Insolence. His Plumes and Perfumes amaze the beholders eyes and nosthrils. He runnes as if he would ouerthrow Gyants and Dragons: yea euen the great Red-Dragon, if he encountred him: and with his lance burst open heauen gates. But his Iennet stumbles, p. 160and downe comes Pride. You know how wise a king hath read his destinie; Pride will hauehave a fall.

2. The next is Prodigalitie; and because hee takes himselfe for the true Charitie, hee must be second at least. This is a young Gallant, and the horse he rides on, is Luxurie. Hee goes a thundring pace, that you would not think it possible to ouertake him: but before he is got a quarter of the way, hee is spent, all spent; ready to begge of those, that begd of him.

3. Enuie will be next, a leane meager thing, full of malicious mettle, but hath almost no flesh. The horse he rides on is Malcontent. He would in his iourney first cut some thousand throates, or powder a whole kingdome, blow vp a State; and then set on to heauen. But the hangman sets vp a Galowse in his way, wherat he runs full butt, and breakes his necke.

4. Then comes sneaking out Co…eteousnes; a hungerstaru'd vsurer, that sells wheat, and eates beanes: many men are in his debt, and he is most in his owne debt: for he neuer payd his belly and backe a quarter of their dues. He rides on a thinne hobbling Iade called vnconscionablenes which for want of a worse stable hee lodgeth in his owne heart. He promiseth his soule to bring her to heauen: but tarrying to enlarge his barnes, he lost opportunitie and the prize of saluation: and so fell two bowes short; Fayth and Repentance.

5. Lust hath gotten on Loues cloke, and will venture to runne. A leprous wretch, and riding on a trotting beast, a hee-goate; was almost shaken to pieces. Diseases doe so crampe him, that hee is faine to sit downe with Vae misero: and without the helpe of a good Doctor or a Surgion, he is like neuer to see a comfortable end of his iourney.

6. Hypocrisie is glad that he is next to Charitie; and presumes that they two are brother and sister. Hee is hors'd on a halting hackney (for he does but borrow p. 161him) called Dissimulation. As he goes, hee is offring euerie man his hand, but it is still emptie. Hee leanes on Charities shoulder, and protests great louelove to her: but when shee tryes him to borrow a little money of him for some mercifull purpose; he pleads, he hath not enough to serue him to his iourneys end. He goes forward like an Angell, but his trusted horse throws him, and discouers him a Deuill.

7 The last named, but first and onelyonly that comes to the prize at the goales end, is Charitie. She is an humble vertue, not mounted as the other racers, but goes on foote. She spares from her owne belly, to relieue those poore Pilgrims that trauell with her to Heauen. She hath two Virgins that beare her companie; Innocence, and Patience. She does no hurt to others, shee suffers much of others; yet was shee neuer heard to curse. Her language is blessing, and shee shall for euer inherite it. Three celestiall Graces, Glory, Immortalitie, and Eternitie, hold out a Crowne to her. And when Faith and Hope hauehave lifted her vp to heauen, they take their leaues of her; and the bosome of euerlasting MercieMercy receiues her.