The Diseases of the Time, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of the Pharises Disease, the LoueLove of vppermost seats.
THE Emphasis lies in the word [LoueLove] for to louelove prelation out of a tumour of the Flesh is a sinne, but to receiue it humbly being iustly giuen, may be a worke of the Spirit. Our Sauiour consutes not superiority and inferiority, he is not the Author of confusion, but of order; but that which he condemnes is the lifting vp of the heart in pride, and the proud hearts lifting vp of the body in place. If therefore thou seest the Disease, learne also the Remedies, and if thou art not yet prouided, I will helpe thee a few.
In the First place, That thou mayst cure thy selfe by contraries; by true iudgement and humility, grow first into patience, and after into liking with the lower place. Let thy iudgement tell thee that there is no oddes in the place, but in the minde; for the same place doth please or displease, as the minde likes or dislikes it. I hauehave knowen a man take a pleasure if not a pride in sitting lowest; if thou doe the same thou shalt find the place will do nothing to thee to discontent thee.
Secondly, Know that the true height of a man is eminence in vertue, and an especiall vertue is humility, and humility is very much expressed in a good digestion of inferiority. So if thou art high in vertue; sitting lowest, thou sittest highest; yea, by sitting low thou dost sit high, for humility doth exalt thee. Surely the true excellence of man is vertue guided by knowledge (and indeed otherwise it is no vertue) for wherein a man is more excellent then other creatures, therein is one man more excellent then another man. By how much a man riseth aboue the creatures toward the Creator, by so much is his excellence increased, and so farre eueryevery man excelleth another, as he goes beyond another in the Image of God. Therefore striue thou for that which makes thee inwardly higher, though thou be outwardly lower, for if in this thou excellest thy Neighbour, thou art higher then he in worth though lower in place. So a pearle is richer then gold, though in a pendent the gold sit aboue the pearle. And we say often that a valiant short man, is a taller man then a long coward; so that he is aboue him in worth, though below him in stature. And no lesse is it thought that a consequent Lady is preferred before an antecedent Vsher.
Thirdly, Know that this present order is but an orderly confusion inforced by necessity, & sorting with the confused misery of the fal of Man. It was not the appointment of Gods first Creation that Princes should goe on foot, and Fooles ride on horsebacke, but by Adams fall, rich folly takes place of poore wisdome. The heart of Man is deceitfull, and inward excellence cannot truly be iudged, therefore outward stuffe for the present is vsually the dull touchstone of eminence, and where there can be no better, the worst must serue. But here meets me a case that is vanity it selfe and vexation of spirit. Two men there are of equall meanes, the one liues like a Man and a Christian, and equalls his meanes by his exspences in hospitality, seruices of his Countrie, reliefe of the poore: The other hee is neyther Man nor Christian, doth nothing for God nor his Coū trie, but by sacriledge, oppression, and extortion, robbes God and the Countrie; yet by this no goodnesse, yea by his wickednesse he trebleth his goods, and farre surmounteth the other. Now let any man tell me which of these should bee taken for the better Man, whether the worse man or the better? Surely by the rule of riches, the latter which is stark naught must bee the better man, and if it bee so, LoueLove if thou canst this admirable excellence & superiority, which sets thee vp higher in place by being worser in wickednesse. Wouldest thou be this better man if thou mightst, or rather wilt thou not rather scorne this so much valued place, which is to bee gotten by excelling in wickednesse? Surely a most pittifull eminence, which is bought by the deprauation of a mans chiefest excellence, the Image of God. A lamentable dignity where the price of the soule must pay for the preferment of the body, and thou must inwardly be most vgly, that thou mayst outwardly bee glorious; It were farre better for thee to bee the better man that thou mayst bee the worse, then to bee the worse man that thou mayst bee the better. But to giuegive thee comfort against this confusion, I will tell thee.
Fourthly, That this confused order, shall bee righted by an order without confusion. The day draweth neer wherein eueryevery man shall bee seated in his right place, euen according to true, reall, and inward excellence. That (as I told thee) is the Image of God, wherein whosoeuer now shines aboue the rest by grace, shall hereafter shine aboue the rest in the eminence of Glory.
Therefore lift vp thy heart from earthly dignity, vntounto heauenly honour, and set thy heart on that which shall bee thine by true iudgement, by due administration and in an eternall fruition. Thy worth shall bee truly valued, and accordingly thy glory shall duly bee giuen thee, and this glory shall bee giuen thee in a Kingdome which hath no end. And then shalt thou see those glorious slaues whom vice heere preferred, tumbled downe into a bottomlesse Pit, and as farre below thee as hell is below Heauen: Then shall it be no griefe of heart to thee, that here thou wert misplaced by mistaking, but thou shalt rather grieue for them, that they were preferred by wickednesse vntounto eternall misery. It only remaynes, that some of that thought that then shall fully possesse thee, partly bee taken vp before hand, that so thy future superiority may make thee fully pleased with thy present lownesse, and the preferment of others by sinne may mooue in thee no other passion but pitty.
We see the sonne of a great Man, can indure to be below in the Schoole, because hee knowes he shall be high in the Countrey, and quietly suffers those to take place of him, of whome hee knowes by him place shal be taken. We walke by faith and not by sight, by the sight of the soule, and not of the body; and the soule seeing that heauenly exaltation, let not bodily sight depresse vsus, but let that glorious eminence which wee see by faith erect and cheere vsus.
And now because by that vniuersall variety of euents, all things comming alike to all, or otherwise by diuine fauour & immediate blessing, wealth and honour comes sometimes to grace and goodnesse; I thought it not vnfit to adde some cautions how the great good man should make vse of superiority.
First the louelove of Pride, which hath with it a swelling conceit of himselfe, and a lesning contempt of others, must be farre from being the cause of his being first, but he must take it for orders sake, which commonly brings two Companions, Comelinesse and Quietnesse.
Secondly, if there bee any doubt of the right of priority, let him rather incline to the humble side then the proud, and rather seeke to goe before in Humility, then in place, which is indeed Saint Pauls *Ro. 10.12going before in going behind.
Thirdly, let Charity accompany Humility, which sometimes will giuegive prioritie for louelove; for some such there are whom you may winne by this Rattle, and make them friends of enemies, as children are pleased with Apples. It is a bad Neighbour that is not worth more then his place, though indeed he be not very good that will breake friendship for louelove of the place. But louelove sometimes seeketh not her owne, especially where louelove must bee lost by seeking her owne, for louelove aboue all things seeketh louelove.
Fourthly, in the difference of place remember the Community of Nature: yea, perchance the priority of Grace; so shalt thou not bee lifted vp in thy heart, as thou art in thy place, aboue men of thine owne dignity by Creation, & perchance better then thy selfe by the eminent Graces of Sanctification. And where greater Graces sit below thee, Let thy louelove and courtesie acknowledge their inward dignity, as their inferiority doth acknowledge thy outward eminence.
For as I told thee, their excellence is the chiefest excellence, and it is farre from Iustice that he should respect thy outward worth which is the meaner, and thou shouldest not acknowledge his inward worth which is the better. But let each hauehave his due, thou the honour of outward eminence; and he the honour and respect due vntounto inward excellence.