The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 9
Of LoueLove and Charitie in generall. Chap. 9.
WE will begin with louelove, which hath two reſpects. The firſt is to God,Math. 22. 1. Iohn. 4.19 Ephe. 2.4 Rom. 5.8 Iohn 3.16 as it is commanded, that wee ſhoulde louelove him with all our heart, with all our ſtrength, and with all our mind. The ſecond, to our neighbour, whome wee ought to louelove as our ſelues. As for our louelove to God, the ſame, as Saint Iohn ſaith, proceedeth of his louelove to vsus, We louelove him becauſe he first loued vsus. He loued vsus euen when we were dead in ſinne, when we were his enemies, yea, hee ſo loued vsus, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten and welbeloued ſonne to die for vsus. This his incomprehenſible louelove toward vsus, doth therefore bind vsus moſt feruently to louelove him. And in deed, as a colde ſtone by liyng three or foure houres in the warme Sunne, gathereth heate, ſo this louelove of God ſhining vponupon our ſoules, ſhould kindle them in his louelove.1. Ioh. 4.16 1. Ioh. 4.7 Iohn. 13.33 Auguſt. vponupon Iohns goſpel. 1. Cor. 13 As for louelove toward our neighbor, we are the rather to deſire it, and to put it in practiſe, becauſe it is the marke of Gods children, the diſciples of Ieſus Chriſt. And therefore ſayth Saint Iohn, God is louelove, and he that loueth is borne of God, and knoweth God. And as all Gods children are the diſciples of Chriſt. Heereby alſo (ſayth Ieſus Chriſt) ſhall men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye louelove one another as I hauehave loued you. They that are not my diſciples, ſaith Saint Auguſtine in the perſon of Chriſt, doo notwithſtanding participate in many other my benefites. They hauehave not only nature, life, ſenſe, reaſon, and common preſeruation among al mankind, but alſo the gift of tongues, the ſacramentes, propheſie, knowledge, faith to worke miracles, diſtribution of their goods to the poore, yea, euen the giuing of their bodies to fire, but becauſe they hauehave no louelove, they are as ſounding braſſe and tinkling cimbals, they are nothing. It is not therefore by theſe my benefits,Auguſtine in praiſe of charitie, which euen they that are not my Diſciples may alſo hauehave, that men ſhall know you to be my Diſciples: but onelyonly in this, that ye louelove one another: Likewiſe a man may receiue the ſacraments, and yet be wicked, but no man can hauehave louelove and be wicked. Not without reaſon therefore doth Saint Paul, writing to the Galathians, ſay. Neither circumciſion auaileth anything, neither vncircumciſion, Cal, 5.6.but faith which worketh by louelove. In which ſentence the Apoſtle ſheweth, that in the kingdome of Chriſt the matter wherein we doe moſt teſtifie our faith: which is of greateſt accompt: and whereto wee are eſpecially to apply and giuegive our ſelues, is louelove,Auguſtine in praiſe of charitie. which alſo Saint Auguſtine calleth the fountaine of all goodneſſe, as couetouſneſſe is the roote of all euill.
2 That this louelove may be pure and true,Auguſtine in his confeſsions, Proſper in his ſentences of Auguſtine, it muſt ſo proceed from our louelove of God, that we may louelove our neighbour in reſpect of that louelove which we beare to God. For as Saint Auguſtine ſaith, we louelove not God ſo much as we ſhould, if we louelove any thing but him, which we louelove not for the louelove of him, and therefore in another place he ſaith. Bleſſed is he that loueth God, and his friend in God, and his enemie for the louelove of God. Hereby are we to gather three points: Firſt, that albeit ſome heathen may ſeeme to hauehave done workes of great charitie and louelove, yet was the ſame no true or liuely charitie, which is proper and peculier to the children of God: for they only doe know and louelove God, and their neighbours for Gods ſake. And indeed louelove ought to proceed from a pure hart, as both Paul and Peter doth teach. By faith our harts are purified. 1. Tim. 1.5. 1. Pet. 1.22. Act. 15.9.None therefore but the faithfull hauehave true louelove which proceedeth not from the louelove of themſelues, but from their louelove to God. Secondly, it appeareth in this, that in vaine we boaſt that we louelove God, if wee louelove not our neighbour for his ſake. This is it that Saint Iohn noteth, ſaying. If any man ſay, I louelove God, and yet hate his brother, the ſame is a lier. For he that loueth not his brother whom he ſeeth, 1. Ioh. 4.20. Rom, 13, 10,how can he louelove God whom he ſeeth not? And this commandement hauehave wee of him, that he which loueth God, loueth his brother alſo. Thirdly, hereby we vnderſtand the truth of the ſaying of Saint Paul, that LoueLove is the fulfilling of the law. For if we cannot louelove God, vnleſſe wee louelove our neighbour, neither our neighbour, vnleſſe our louelove to him proceed of our louelove towards God: It muſt needes follow, that louing our neighbour, we alſo louelove God, and ſo fulfill the law, which is comprehended in this: That wee louelove both God and our neighbour.
3 The better that we may yet vnderſtand what our louelove ought to be, we are diligently to note the commandement of God, that we ſhould louelove our neighbor as our ſelfe and explane this duty by two very naturall and iuſt rules which neceſſarily doe enſue. The firſt, by this auncient prouerbe, common euen among the heathen.Lampridius in the life of Alexander Seuerus. Do no otherwiſe by another, then we would be done vntounto. Alexander Seuerus, an Emperour endued with many excellent vertues, had this ſentence ordinarily in his mouth, thereby reprouing ſuch as wronged or iniuried others. Yea in publiſhing any ſentence of condemnation againſt tranſgreſſors, he cauſed the ſame to be added as the ground thereof. Doe no otherwiſe to another, then thou wouldest be done vntounto. To be ſhort, he had ſuch a liking, and ſo hartely embraced this ſentence, that he cauſed the ſame to be written and engrauen in his imperial pallace and in many publique works. The other rule reſteth in this, which Ieſus Chriſt commaundeth ſaying.Mat. 7.21. Whatſoeuer yee would that men ſhould doe to you, euen ſo doe yee to them. Now the louelove of our ſelues importeth, that men ſhoulde not only forbeare doing of vsus hurt, but alſo that they ſhould do vsus good. Draco, Licurgus, Solon and other lawgiuers hauehave written and ſet foorth many good lawes, whereby to maintaine man in equitie and vpright dealing: many Philoſophers hauehave written good bookes for the framing of the manners of men: Yet all their great volumes, their long diſcourſes, and the multitude of their lawes, hauehave alwaies had great imperfections, and tended as it were to the ordering but of the outward man, and ſo in parte to make men hypocrites, becauſe they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of true Chriſtian louelove. But God in one onelyonly ſhort ſentence, ſaying: LoueLove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, hath comprehended the whole dutie of man, one towarde another, that they may liue together in al equitie: peace, louelove and felicitie. And thus may theſe two naturall rules, Doe no otherwiſe to another then thou wouldest be doone vntounto, and Doe as yee woulde be doone vntounto, be ſufficient commentaries vponupon all Chriſtian pollicie. In this ſence did Saint Paule iuſtly call this louelove,Col, 3.14. the bond of all perfection. And indeed if we would louelove one another as our ſelues and declare our louelove by theſe two naturall rules, then ſhould there bee among vsus, neither fraud, iniurie, wrong, nor deceitfull dealing. Then ſhould all ambition, pride, couetouſneſſe, enuie, hatred, euill ſpeaking, and other like paſsions ceaſe. We ſhould ſee nothing but equitie, peace, concord,1. Cor. 13.4 louelove reliefe and mutuall aſsiſtance. And theſe fruites of louelove doth Saint Paul note ſaying. LoueLove ſuffereth long, it is bountifull, louelove enuieth not, louelove doth not boaſt it ſelfe, it is not puffed vp: It diſdaineth not, it ſeeketh not her owne thinges, it is not prouoked to anger, it thinketh none euill: It reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the truth: It ſuffereth all thinges, it beleeueth all thinges: It hopeth all thinges, it endureth all things. To be ſhort, if wee practiſe this louelove, we ſhall euen in this life beginne to taſt the bleſſed eſtate of the kingdome of heauen, whereto being lifted vp, wee ſhall louelove one another as our ſelues, and reioyce at our neighbours good, as at our owne. Let vsus alwaies therefore remember this commaundement, that we louelove our neighbour as our ſelues, and hartely let vsus endeuour to ſhew it by the practiſe of theſe two rules, ſtill harkening to nature, who crieth ſaying. Doe no otherwiſe to another then thou wouldeſt bee doone vntounto: And Doe as thou wouldeſt be done by.
4 We are alſo farther to conſider,1, Pet. 1.22. 1, Pet. 4 8. that this louelove muſt not bee colde, but ſeruent: not ſlacke, but earneſt and vehement, as Saint Peter admoniſheth vsus. And that it may bee ſuch, it is requiſite firſt that we hold nothing ſo deare or ſo precious as to bee alwayes readie to employ our ſelues for our neighbour, yea euen to the ſpending of our liues,Iohn 3.16 after the example of the louelove that Ieſus Chriſt ſhewed vntounto vsus, as Saint Iohn ſayth: Hereby hauehave we knowen his louelove, that he gaue his life for vsus. So are wee alſo to giuegive our liues for our brethren. Secondly, the heate and ſeruencie of our louelove and charitie ought to bee ſuch, as might ſu…mount any thinge that ſhoulde quaile it, as ingratitude, hatred, iniurie, or vnworthieneſſe of our neighbours. And indeede if wee muſt louelove our neighbour for the louelove of God: If the Image God in him doth thereto binde vsus. If being parcell of our fleſh wee ought thereto to bee affected: then notwithſtanding whatſoeuer vnworthieneſſe bee in him, yet God muſt not looſe his right: his image is not vtterly defaced: Neither is that coniunction wherewith God bindeth vsus together, taken away.Luk. 10.29. Therefore doth Ieſus Chriſt by the parable of the Samaritan teach vsus, that eueryevery one knowen, vnknowen, ſtraunger, yea euen an enemie, as were the Samaritans to the Iewes, is our neighbour, whome wee muſt louelove as our ſelues. And ſo did Ieſus Chriſt,Mat. 5.43. correcting the falſe gloſe of the Phariſies, expound it, ſaying. You hauehave heard that it hath beene ſaide. Thou ſhalt louelove thy neighbour and hate thine enemie: But I ſaye vntounto you louelove your enemies. And which is more, hee willeth that wee ſhoulde teſtifie this louelove, not with our lippes only, but alſo in deedes and workes, by bleſsing thoſe that curſe vsus, by doing well to thoſe that hate vsus, and by praying for thoſe that moleſt and perſecute vsus.
Exod. 23.4.5,5 This did Moſes in his daies teach, ſaying, If thou meeteſt thy enemies Oxe or his Aſſe going aſtray, thou ſhalt bring him to him againe: Againe. If thou ſee thy enemies Aſſe lying vnderunder his burden: leaue thy buſines that he may not riſe alone, yea leaue thy buſines & help him vp. 1. Cor. 9.9Or as others doe expound it. See thou doſt not forſake him vntill his maſter hath first forſaken him: Careth God for beaſtes ſaith S. Paul That he ſhould thus commend them to vsus. Is it not rather hereby to ſhew vsus what we are to doe to the perſon of our enemie, ſith we are bound to ſuch a dutie to his Oxe or his Aſſe,Rom. 12, 20. as Saint Paul teacheth vsus, ſaying. If thy enemie hungereth, giuegive him meate: If he thirſt giuegive him drinke. And becauſe the practiſe hereof is very difficult, Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe,Mat. 5.45. the rather to induce vsus to this dutie, proteſteth that In ſo doing we ſhall be the Children of his heauenly father, who maketh his ſunne to ſhine vponupon both good and bad, Mat. 5 46.and cauſeth his raine to fall vponupon the righteous and the vnrighteous. Hereby we gather, that if our charitie be bound…d onelyonly to our friendes, and that we extend not the ſame euen to our enemies, it is not the charitie of the children of God, but as Ieſus Chriſt addeth, of publicans and infidels. Alſo in workes and deedes if we ſhew not the louelove that wee beare to our enemies, it is in vaine for vsus to proteſt that wee wiſh them no more hurt then to our ſelues, or that wee louelove them, or wiſh as well to them as to our ſelues. The holy hiſtorie expreſſely noteth, that Abſalom vſed no hard words to his brother Ammon who had defouled Thamar the ſaid Abſalons ſiſter: Yet loued he him not, neither wiſhed his good, but in his hart nouriſhed cruell hatred againſt him, which hee finally declared by pro…g him trayterouſly to bee murthered. And thus it appeareth, that ſpeaking neither well nor ill, betokeneth hatred and mallice. For louelove can not but both ſpeake wel and do well euen to her enemies.
6 This louelove is the rather to bee eſteemed and commended, becauſe the giftes of ſpeaking with tongues, working of miracles, prophecying, and ſuch like, are nothing without louelove. Yea which is more then al thoſe gifts, euen faith & hope ſhal hauehave an end, but louelove, as Saint Paul ſaith, abideth for euer. Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felicitie, yet is the effect and fruite of louelove greater, in this reſpect, that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie, obtained by faith, ſhall be infinitly doubled and encreaſed for eueryevery of the electes ſakes, whom we ſhall then louelove as our ſelues, and whoſe felicitie will be vntounto vsus as great a comfort as our owne. Thus wee ſee what louelove is required at our hands, and how much wee are to eſteeme it. Now if wee would examine our ſelues, and trie our louelove with the ſame which God requireth at our hands, as is afore ſhewed, we ſhal find that it cometh very ſhort. And indeed what man loueth his neighbour as himſelfe, and that for the louelove of God? Who doth not many times by his neighbour otherwiſe then himſelf would be done by? Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by? Who is reſolued to giuegive his life for his brethren? Who loueth his enemies as himſelfe, and in hart praieth for them? If louelove, as is aforeſaid, ſuffereth long: if it enuieth not: if it ſeeketh not her owne: if it thinketh none euil: if the patience therof be ſuch as that it endureth & ſuſtereth al things:1. Cor. 13 Then doth it ſufficiently appeare that we do wrongfully boaſt our ſelues to be the children of God, becauſe his character cannot bee ſeene in vsus, which is louelove: or that in purpoſe to amend, we doe not miſlike our owne corruption. When therefore we heare the holy Ghoſt ſay, Amend your liues. Let vsus be aſſured that he doth admoniſh vsus ſo to encreaſe in this louelove, that wee may louelove God with all our harts, and our neighbours as our ſelues: and that to the ſame end theſe two naturall rules may continually ſound in our eares: and that our conſciences by the ſame examining all our wordes and workes, may bee our iudge to condemne whatſoeuer we ſhall peraduenture doe to others which we would not ſhould be done to our ſelues, and to reproue our want of louelove, when we do not that to him that we would hauehave done to our ſelues that ſo in amending whatſoeuer it ſhall find in vsus not conformable to this louelove, we may dayly encreaſe therin, and thereby more and more get printed in vsus the Character of Gods children and of the true Diſciples of Ieſus Chriſt. And now let vsus proceed to another examination of our louelove.