Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 1 · Decade 1 · Sermon 10
Of the louelove of God and our Neighbour.
¶ The tenth Sermon.
IT remaineth ſince I hauehave in ſome ſermons diſcourſed of true faythe, yt I do nowe alſo adde one Sermon touching louelove towards God and our neyghbour. For in my fourth Sermon I promiſed ſo ſoone as I ſhould hauehave done with the expoſition of fayth, that then I would ſpeake of louelove towarde God and our neighbour: bycauſe the expoſition of the Scriptures ought not to goe awrye out of faythe and charitie, whiche are as it were the right and holy markes for it to drawe vntounto. Ye, as hitherto ye hauehave done, ſo ceaſe not yet to pray, that this wholeſome doctrine maye be by me taught as it ſhoulde be, and by you receiued with much increaſe and profite.
And firſt of all I will not curiouſly put any difference betwene Charitie LoueLove and c…antie.and LoueLove. I will vſe them both in one and the ſame ſenſe. S. Auguſtine De doctrina Chriſtiana ſaith. I cal Chatitie a motion of the minde to delight in God for his owne ſake, and to delight in himſelfe and his neighbour for Gods ſake. And therfore I cal louelove a gifte giuen to man from Heauen, wherby with his hart he loueth God before and aboue all thinges, and his neighbour as him ſelfe. LoueLove therfore LoueLove frō whence it isſpringeth from Heauen, from whence it is powred into our hartes. But it is inlarged and augmented partly by the remembrance and conſideration of Gods benefits, partly by often prayer, and alſo by the hearing & frequenting of the worde of Chriſt. Which things them ſelues alſo are the giftes of the ſpirite. For the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, The louelove of God is powred out into our hartes by the holy Ghoſte which is giuen vsus. For verily the louelove of God wherwith he loueth vsus, is the foundation & cauſe of our louelove wherewith we louelove him, and of both theſe iointly conſiſteth the louelove of our neighbour. For the Apoſtle ſaith: We louelove him bicauſe he firſt loued vsus. And againe, EueryEvery one that loueth him which begot, loueth him alſo that is borne of him.
Hereby we gather againe, that this Double charitie.gifte of louelove can not be diuided or ſeuered although it be double. For he that loueth God truly, hateth not his neighbour: and yet neuertheleſſe this louelove, bicauſe of the double reſpect that it hath to God and our neighbour, ſtā deth of two partes. And bicauſe of this double Charitie, the tables of Gods law are diuided into twaine: the firſt wherof conteineth foure commaunde…nts touching the louelove of God, the ſeconde comprehendeth ſixe precepts touching the louelove of our neighbour. Of which I will ſpeake in their owne place. But at this time bicauſe the louelove of God and of our neighbour are twaine, I will firſt ſpeake of the louelove of God, and then of the louelove of our neighbour. In theſe two commaundements, ſaith the Lord, hang the law and the Prophetes.
With that which wee call the louelove The le… of God▪of God we louelove God entirely wel, we cleaue to God as the onelyonly, chiefe and eternal goodneſſe, in him we do delight our ſelues and are well pleaſed, and frame our ſelues to his wil and pleaſure, hauing euermore a regarde and deſire of him that we louelove. With louelove wée louelove God moſt hartelie. But wee doe hartelie louelove the thinges that are deare vntounto vsus, and the things that to vsus ſéeme worthie to be deſired, and we louelove them entirely in deede, not ſo much for our cōmodity, as for becauſe wée do deſire to ioyne, and as it were for euer to giuegive and dedicate our ſelues whoalie to the thing that wée ſo dearelie louelove. So verilie wee deſyre for euer to be ioyned with God, & are in charitie faſt lincked vntounto him: as ye Apoſtle ſayth: God is charitie, and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God, and God in him. And that is the way whereby we cleaue to God as to the onelyonly chiefe and eternal goodneſſe, in whom alſo wee are delighted, and that not a litle. On him wee reſt thinking aſſuredlie, yt withoute him there is no good at all: and againe, that in him there is to be found all manner of goodneſſe. Wherefore our hartie louelove is ſet on no good thinge but God: And in compariſon of him whom we louelove, wée do lightly loath and treade vnderunder foote all things elſe that ſeeme to be good in the whole world: yea verilie ye louelove of God in vsus doth ouercome all By the louelove of God all euilles are ouercome.the euils whiche otherwiſe ſéeme inuincible. Let vsus heare Paule with a a vehement motion proclaming this and ſaying: Who ſhal ſeparate vsus frō the louelove of God? ſhall tribulation? or anguiſh? or perſecution? or hunger? or nakedneſſe? or perill? or ſword? (As it is written, For thy ſake are wee killed all daye long, and are counted as ſheepe for the ſlaughter.) Neuertheleſſe, in all theſe thinges we ouercome through him that loued vsus. For I am ſure that neyther death, nor life, nor Angels, nor rule, nor power, nor thinges preſent, nor thinges to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeperate vsus from the louelove of God whiche is in Chriſt Ieſu our Lorde. Hitherto hauehave I recited the wordes of Paule.
The louelove of God worketh in vsus a The louelove …f God fa…oneth vsus … the will … plea…re of …od.will to frame our ſelues wholy to the will and ordinaunces of him whome we doe hartily louelove. Yea, it is pleaſaunt and ſwéete to him that loueth God, to doe the thing that he perceiueth is acceptable to God if it be done. He that loueth, doth in mynde reuerence him whome he loueth. His eye is neuer of him whome he loueth. He doth alwayes and in all things wiſhe for his dearling whom he loueth. His onelyonly ioy is as oft as may be to talke with God, and againe to heare the wordes of God ſpeaking in the Scripture. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſaith: If any man louelove me he will kepe my word, he that loueth me not, doth not keepe my wordes. Againe, Abide ye in my louelove. If ye keepe my commaundementes, ye ſhall abide in my louelove, euen as I alſo hauehave kept my Fathers commaundements and do abide in his louelove. And againe, If any man louelove me, he will keepe my word, and my father wil louelove him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling in him.
But nowe let vsus heare Moſes the The manner how to louelove God.ſeruaunt of God declaring and teaching vsus the way and manner how to louelove God, to wit, howe great louelove ought to be in the elect. Thou ſhalt ſaith he, louelove the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy ſoule, and with all thy ſtrength. The very ſame wordes in a manner did our Lord in ye Goſpell repeate, and ſayd: Thou ſhalt louelove the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy mynde. By this we vnderſtande that the greateſt louelove that may be, is required at oure handes to God warde: as that which challengeth man wholy howe bigge ſo euer he be and all the parts of man as peculiar vntounto it ſelfe. In the mynd is mannes vnderſtanding. In the heart is the ſeate of his affections and will. The ſtrength of man conteineth all mans abilitie, as his very wordes, déedes, counſell, riches, and his whole ſubſtance. Finally, the ſoule is the life of man. And we verily are commaunded to employ all theſe vponupon the louelove of God, when we are bidden to louelove God with all our ſoule, with all oure ſtrength, with our whole mynde, and our whole heart. Nothing is ouerſlipt, but all is conteyned in this. We are Gods wholy and altogether, let vsus altogether therefore and wholy louelove God. Let nothing in all the world be dearer to vsus then God, let vsus not ſpare for Gods ſake any thing of all that which we poſſeſſe howe deare to vsus or good ſoeuer it be, but let vsus forſake, ſpende, and giuegive it for Gods ſake, and as the Lord by his worde appointeth. For in doing ſo we louelove God before and aboue all things. We are alſo cō maunded to ſtick to God only & to imbrace him alone. For to whom we doe G…d alone to be loued.wholy owe all that we hauehave, to him is al the whole ſincerely, ſimply and fully to be giuen. Here are they condemned, whoſoeuer wil not once louelove God and the world together. The Lord requireth the whole heart, the whole mynde, the whole ſoule, and all the ſtrength, finally he requireth al what ſoeuer we are, or hauehave in poſſeſſion: he leaueth nothing therefore for thée to beſtowe on other. By what right then wilt thou giuegive to the fleſhe, the deuill, to other Gods or to the worlde the thinges that properly are Gods owne? And God verily alone is the chiefeſt, eternall, greateſt, mightieſt, creator, deliuerer, preſeruer, moſt gentle, moſt iuſt, and beſt of all. He alone doth giuegive, hath giuen, and is able to giuegive to man all that is expedient for the ſafegarde of his body and ſoule.
God alone doth miniſter to man abilitie to liue well and bleſſedly: and therefore God deſerueth to be loued alone, and that too before and aboue al other things. This louelove of God doth bleſſe all the haps and chances of men, and turneth them to their profite, according to that ſaying, To them that louelove God all thinges worke for the beſt This louelove of God alſo conteineth this, that it ſuffreth vsus not to honour, worſhip, reuerence, feare, or call vponupon any, neyther to truſt in, obey, or ſticke to any other, but to the one and onelyonly God, to whome all glory is due.
But nowe before we ſpeake of the Who is our neighbour.louelove of our neighbour, it is requiſite that we firſte ſhewe who it is that is our neighbour, touching whiche I ſée ſome men to doubt and ſticke vncertainely. For ſome there are that t…ke their kinſfolkes to be their neighbors. Other ſome there are that think that their benefactours are their neighbours, & iudge thē ſtrangers yt do them any harm. But our Lord Ieſus Chriſt telleth vsus, yt eueryevery one, yea, thogh he be our enimie is neuertheleſſe our neighbour, if he ſtande in néede of our ayde or counſell. For he imagineth that a Iewe, lighting among théeues and lying on the highe way halfe deade, and couered with woundes and ſwelling drye blowes, was not regarded of his owne countrey men, a Leuite, and a Prieſt that paſſed by him, but at laſte was taken vp and healed by a Samaritane. Nowe there was a deadly enimitie betwéene the Iewes and the Samaritanes: yet notwithſtanding this Samaritane doth good to the Iew bycauſe he ſawe that the caſe and neceſſitie of the afflicted man did ſo require. Nowe therefore the Lord applying this to his owne purpoſe demaunded of him, that deſired to learne who was his neighbour, and ſaythe, which of theſe thrée ſéemeth to thée to hauehave bene this mans neighbour? He aunſwered, He that ſhewed mercy, Then ſayde the Lorde, Goe thou and doe the like. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, like as the Samaritane iudged euen his enimie to be his neighbour, and dealt friendly with him when he ſtood in neede of his friendſhip: ſo ſée that thou take eueryevery one that néedeth thy helpe to be thy neighbour, and do him good. Aurelius Auguſtine therfore, according to the right ſenſe of the ſcripture ſayde, we take him to be our neighbour, to whome we ſhewe mercy when néede requireth, or to whome we ſhould ſhew mercy, if at any time he ſhoulde néede. We Suitzers doe moſt properly expreſſe it, when we cal our neighbour, Den nachſten menſchen, The …t…at is, any man without difference whoſoeuer by hap ſhall light into our company. Moreouer in our coū trey ſpeache we will call our neyghbour, Der abenmenſch, namlich ein …ny one …hat is a …an as wel … we.yeder der ſo wol ein menſch iſt als wir. Meaning thereby any man what ſoeuer whether he be our friende or enimie. Herevnto belongeth that ſaying of Lactantius in the eleuenthe Chapter of his ſixte booke. Why makeſt thou choice of perſons? why lookeſt thou ſo narrowly on the limmes? Thou muſte take him to be a man, whoſoeuer beſeecheth thee, therefore that he may thinke thee to be a man, GiueGive to the blinde, to the impotent, to the lame, to the comfortleſſe, to whome vnleſſe thou be liberall, thou ſhalt dye vndoubtedly. Againe he ſaith, If ſo be we will rightly be called by the name of men, then muſt we in any caſe keepe the lawe of ciuill humanitie. And what elſe I pray you is it to keepe humanitie but therfore to louelove a man bycauſe he is a man, and the very ſame that we our ſelues are. The Lord in the Goſpel verily ſpeaking of the louelove of our neighbour ſaith, LoueLove your enimies, bleſſe them that curſe you, doe good to them that hate you, pray for them that hurt you. And againe, GiueGive to eueryevery one that asketh of thee. And if you louelove thē that louelove you, what thanke is that to you. For ſinners alſo louelove them of whome they are loued. So then eueryevery man who ſo euer ſtandeth in néede of our ayde, both is, and is to be counted our neighbour.
And yet all this notwithſtanding An order …nd mea…re in ….there is no cauſe but that there ought to be an order, a meaſure and decent regard in louelove and well doing. For rightly ſayde Saint Auguſtine in the 27. Chapter of his booke De doctrina Christiana. No ſinner in that he is a ſinner is to be loued. And in the. 28. Chapter. All men are to be loued alike, but ſince thou canſt not do good to all men, therfore thou muſt eſpecially doe good to them, to whom thou art as it were by lot more neerely ioyned by opportunitie eyther of time, of place, or of any other thing what ſoeuer. And this did Paul before Auguſtine teach, where he ſayth: Who ſoeuer worketh not let him not eate. And againe, While we hauehave time let vsus worke good to all men, but ſpecially to them of the houſhold of fayth. And in another place he commandeth vsus not to beſtowe on others, & to lacke our ſelues at home. But rather he chargeth eueryevery one to hauehave a godly care of his owne houſe. The place is knowne in the fift Chapter of the firſt Epiſtle to Timothie.
Nowe ſince I hauehave declared who Howe our neighbour muſt be loued.is our neighbor, let vsus ſee alſo in what ſort this neighbour of ours ought to be loued. Our neighbour muſt be loued ſimply without any coloured deceipt, with the very ſelfe ſame louelove wherwith we louelove our ſelues, or that wherwith Chriſte hath loued vsus. For in al things we muſt ſtand our neighbour in ſtéede, and doe him pleaſure ſo farre as the lawe of humanitie ſhall be founde to require. In this declaration there are foure things more fully to be noted.
Firſte that louelove of our neighbour The louelove of our neighbour muſt bee ſincere.that is looked for at our handes ought to be ſo ſincere as that it be without all manner guile, deceipt and coloured craft. For there are many to be foūd, that hauehave the ſkill to talke to their neighbours with ſugred tongues, and to make a face as thoughe they loued them, when as in déede they do vtterly hate them, meaning nothing elſe but with fauning wordes to beguile them, that thereby they may worke the thinges that they deſire. Paule and Iohn therefore, the Apoſtles of Chriſte goe about earneſtly to ſeuer hypocriſie from louelove. For Paul ſaith, Let not your louelove be fayned. Againe, The ende of the commaundement is louelove of a pure heart, and a good conſcience, and fayth not fayned. On the other ſide, Iohn cryeth out ſaying: My babes let vsus not louelove in worde nor in tongue, but in deede and in veritie. Moreouer, in this ſinceritie we conteine a frée willing & mery chearfulneſſe that nothing may ſéeme to be done vnwillingly or by compulſion. For Paule ſayth: Let eueryevery man doe with a good purpoſe of mynd, not of trouble or neceſsitie. For God requireth a chearefull giuer.
Secondarily, it is to be looked for of We muſt louelove our neighbour as our ſelf.vsus that we ſhould louelove our neighbor as our ſelues. For the Lorde hath ſayde. LoueLove thy neighbour as thy ſel…: that is, moſt intirely and as dearely as by any meanes thou mayſt. For there is not any affection that is of more force or vehemencie then ſelfe louelove is. Neyther was it the Lord his minde that the louelove of our neighbour ſhould be any whit leſſer thē the louelove that we beare to our ſelues: but rather by this he gaue vsus to vnderſtand that we ought to beſtowe on others as ardent louelove as may be, to wit, the very ſame affection that we beare to our ſelues and our owne eſtate, and that we ought to be readie to do good to other, or to kéepe them from harme with the ſame care, fayth, and diligence, with the ſame zeale & goodwil, wherewith we prouide for our ſelues or our owne ſafetie. Wherevpon the Lorde in another place ſayth. What ſoeuer thou wouldeſt hauehave done to thee ſelfe, that doe thou to another. And what ſo euer thou wouldeſt not hauehave done to thy ſelf, do not thou the ſame to another. And herein doth the lord require two things at our hāds, not to hurt, & to do good. For it is not inough not to hurt a mā, but alſo to do him good, ſo much as lyeth in vsus to do. For we our ſelues deſire not onelyonly to kéepe our ſelues from hurt, but to do our ſelues good alſo.
But if ſo it be (dearely beloued) that We muſt louelove ou… neighbo… as Chriſ… hath louelove vsus.ye doe not yet ſufficiently underſtand the manner howe we ought to louelove our neighbour, then marke (I beſéeche you) the thirde part of my deſcription of this louelove, where I ſayde, That we ought to louelove our neighbor with that ſame louelove wherwith the Lord Chriſt loued vsus. For in the Goſpell after S. Iohn the Lord ſaith. This is my commaundement that ye louelove one another, as I hauehave loued you. So then here ye hauehave the manner of our louelove, we muſt louelove our neighbours as Chriſte hath loued vsus. But in what ſort hath Chriſte loued vsus? Here againe in the Goſpell he ſayth. No man hath greater louelove then this that a man beſtowe his life for his friend. So then, ſuche muſt the manner of our louelove toward our neighbour be, as that we ſhal not doubt to giuegive our life for our neighbour. And i… ſo it be then▪ that for our neighbours ſake we owe the loſſe of our life, there is nothing verily that we owe him not, conſidering that to a man nothing is more deare thē life. For ſooner will he looſe all that he hath thē once to put his life in ieopardie. Whervpon the Apoſtle Iohn cryeth out, and ſayth: Hereby perceiue we louelove, bycauſe he layde downe his life for vsus: and we ought to lay down our liues for the brethren. This is eaſie to be vnderſtood by reaſon of the moſt euident example. Let vsus praye earneſtly and continua…ly to the Lor… ſtande by the worde of God, leaſt peraduenture the ſame Apoſtle condemn vsus who ſayeth, Who ſo hath this worldes good and ſeeth his brother hauehave neede, and ſhutteth vp his compaſsion from him, howe dwelleth the louelove of God in him?
And now let vsus alſo declare yt fourth Howe we ought to ſtand our n…ighbour in ſteede& laſt manner how we ought to ſtand our neighbour in ſtéede, and how to do him good in ſhewing our dutifull louelove and ciuil humanitie. That hath the Lord already very finely ſet out, in ye very ſame parable wherin he taught vsus who is our neighbour. For he hath briefly, and yet very euidently touched all the points of the louelove that we owe to our neighbour. Firſt the Samaritane at the ſight of the woū ded man, was moued with pitie.
There is therefore required of vsus a mercifull motion of pitie, ſo to regard other mens calamities as thoughe they were our owne: it is looked for at our handes, that we ſhoulde be as ſorrowfull mynded for another mans trouble, as he that féeleth the miſerie, according to that ſaying of the Apoſtle. Be mindfull of them that are in bondes, as bound with them, and of them whiche ſuffer aduerſitie, as thoughe ye your ſelues alſo being in the body ſuffered aduerſitie. Secondarily the Samaritane paſſeth not by, but commeth vntounto him, he doth not with ſorrowefull words wiſh health to the wounded, and ſo letting him lye, depart to diſpatche his owne affaires: For Iames the Apoſtle ſaith. If a brother or ſiſter be naked and deſtitute of dayly foode, and one of you ſay vntounto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled: and yet notwithſtanding giuegive them not thoſe things that are needefull to the bodie, what ſhall it profite? The Samaritane therefore conuneth vntounto him, ſetteth to his hande, and ſheweth the ſkyll that he hath (whiche was not muche ywis) to heale the ſillie māgled man. He doth not loath and turne his face from the yllfauoured colour, bloudy matter, corrupted filth and ſtenche of his woundes, but bindeth them vp him ſelfe, not letting them alone for another to doe. He maketh not his excuſe that he is no Phyſician: but dothe what he can in that neceſſitie, vſing ſuche medicine as for the time preſent he had in a readineſſe, til more conueniently he might come by better. Wine and Oyle he had taken with him when he beganne his iourney, which in that neceſſitie he doth vſe, and that not very inconueniently, bycauſe wine purgeth woundes and oyle doth make them ſupple.
Moreouer, whatſoeuer he hath that dothe he employ to the ſilly mans behoofe, and to doe him eaſe doth euen diſeaſe him ſelfe. For he alighteth from the backe of the beaſt whereon he rode, and maketh him to ſerue the maimed mans neceſſitie. He alſo with his owne hands lifteth vp from the grounde the man that was too weake to ſtande, and ſetteth him on the beaſt. And laſtly he him ſelfe becommeth his guide to leade the way, not ſuffring any other to take charge ouer him. For when as he could not readily bring him to his owne houſe, yet did he conueigh him into a cōmon Inne. Where againe he ſpareth not for any coſt or paines taking. For he him ſelfe taketh charge of the miſerable man, bycauſe in common Innes ſicke folks, for the moſt part, are ſlenderly looked vntounto. But when his earneſt buſineſſe calleth on to make haſt in his iourney, he taketh out ſo much money as he doth thinke to be ſufficient till his returne, and giueth it to the Inkéeper. And not being therewithall content, he giueth to his hoaſt an eſpeciall charge of the ſicke man: and alſo bindeth him ſelf for him, ſaying: whatſoeuer more then this, thou ſhalt lay out about things neceſſarie for his recouerie, thou ſhalt not looſe one myte: For at my returne, I will pay thée all againe to the vttermoſt farthing. So then he promiſeth to returne, and therwithall declareth that he ſhall not be quiet, vntill he ſée him thorowly healed of all his woundes. Ye hauehave here (dearely beloued) in this the Lorde his parable, a moſte goodly and abſolute example of louelove. For the Samaritane doth liberally, and willingly imploy his whole ſeruice vponupon his néedie neighbours neceſſitie: We therefore owe our ſelues wholy and all that we hauehave, to our neighbours behoofe, which if we beſtowe on him, then doe we fulfill the dueties of louelove and ciuil humanitie.
To this we will yet adde ſome teſtimonies of the Scripture, that therby The pith of Charitywe may more fully vnderſtande the very innermoſt pith of louelove, if yet peraduenture any thing may ſéeme to be wanting in that, which hitherto I hauehave alledged. Paule therefore writing to the Corinthians, ſayth: LoueLove ſuffereth wrong and is curteous, louelove enuieth not, louelove doth not frowardly, louelove ſwelleth not, dealeth not diſhoneſtly, ſeeketh not hir owne, is not prouoked to anger, thinketh not euill, reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the trueth, ſuffereth all things, beleeueth all things, hopeth all things, indureth all things. And againe, the ſame Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Romanes, ſaith: LoueLove ſtriueth to goe before in giuing honour to oth…r, louelove diſtributeth to the Saintes neceſsitie, is giuen to hoſpitalitie, ſpeaketh well of her perſecuters, and curſeth not them that perſecute her, louelove reioyceth with them that do reioyce, and weepeth with them that weepe, and applyeth it ſelfe to the weaker ſortes infirmitie. And againe, Owe nothing to any man, but to louelove one another. For he that loueth another, hath fulfilled the lawe. For LoueLove the fulfilling of the la…this, Thou ſhalt not commit adultrie Thou ſhalt not ſteale, Thou ſhalte not kill, Thou ſhalte not beare falſe witneſſe, Thou ſhalt not luſt: and if there be any other commaundement, it is comprehēded briefly in this ſaying: namely, Thou ſhalte louelove thy neighbour as thee ſelfe, LoueLove worketh no yll to his neighbour, therefore the fulfilling of the lawe is louelove or charitie.
Hitherto alſo pertaineth the workes Workes of merciemercyof mercy, which as they flowe out of louelove, ſo are they rehearſed of the Lorde in the Goſpell after Mathew, and are eſpecially theſe that followe, To féede the hungrie, To giuegive drinke to the thirſtie, To harbour the harbourleſſe and ſtrangers, To couer or cloathe the naked, To viſite the ſicke, and to ſée and comfort impriſoned captiues. Herevnto Lactantius lib. Inſtitut. 6. cap. 12. hath an eye where he ſayth. The chiefeſt vertue is to keepe hoſpitalitie, and to feede the poore: To redeeme captiues alſo, is a greate and excellent worke of righteouſnes: And as great a work of iuſtice, is it to ſaue and defend the fatherleſſe & widowes, the deſolate & helpleſſe, whiche the law of God doth eueryevery where cōmaund. It is alſo a part of the chiefeſt humanitie, and a great good deed to take in hand to heale and cheariſh the ſicke, that hauehave no body to helpe them. Finally, that laſt and greateſt duetie of pietie, is the buriall of ſtrangers and of the poore. Thus muche hitherto touching the duetie of ciuil humanitie, which true louelove ſheweth to his neighbour in neceſſitie.
But it is not inough (my brethren) An exhortation to LoueLove,to vnderſtande how we ought to louelove our neighbour (though we ought often to repeate it) but rather we muſt louelove him excéedingly, and aboue that that I am able to ſay. Let vsus heare the Apoſtle, who with a wonderful goodly grace of ſpéech, with a moſt excellēt, exquiſite, & holy example of Chriſte doth exhort vsus all to the ſhewing of charitie to our neighbour, and ſayth: If therefore there bee any conſolation in Chriſte, if any comfort of louelove, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirite, if any compaſsion & merciemercy, fulfill ye my ioye, that ye be like minded, hauing the ſame louelove, being of one accorde and minde, let nothing be done through ſtrife or vaine glory, but in meekeneſſe let eueryevery man eſteeme one the other better then him ſelfe, looke ye not eueryevery man on his owne thinges, but eueryevery man alſo on the thinges of others. For let the ſame minde be in you that was in Chriſt Ieſus, who being in the fourme of God, thought it no robberie to be equall with God, but made him ſelfe of no reputation, taking on him the forme of a ſeruant, and made in the likeneſſe of men, and found in figure as a man: he humbled him ſelfe, made obedient vntounto death, euen the death of the croſſe. Wherefore God alſo hath lightly exalted him, and giuen him a name which is aboue eueryevery name, that in the name of Ieſus eueryevery knee ſhoulde bow, of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnderunder the earth, and that eueryevery tongue ſhoulde confeſſe, that the Lorde Ieſus Chriſte is the glory of God the father. To him alone be honor & power for euer & euer. Amen.
The end of the firſt Decade of Sermons.