The Way of Love, Title page – Dedication
Καθ'ὑπερβολήν ὁδός. OR, The way of Love, SET FORTH IN A SERMON PREACHED AT Pauls Septemb: 10. 1648.
BEFORE The Right Honourable, John Warner Esq; Then Lord Mayor of the City of LONDON.
By Richard Kentish, Preacher of the Gospel at Katharines, neere the Tower of London.
Rom. 12.18.
If it be possible, as much as lyeth in you, live peaceably with all men.
1 Tim. 1.5.6.
Now the end of the Commandement is Charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good Conscience, and Faith unfained, From which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling.
Nihil charitate dulcius, nihil pace gratius.
Ambr. Off. lib. 2. cap. 30.
Cancordiâ parvae res crescunt, discordiâ maximae dilabuntur.
Salust. de bel. Jug. cap. 1.
Si concordes eritis, invicti manebitis, si discordes expugnatis faciles.
Plut. Apophth.
Printed for Hannah Allen at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1649.
To the Right VVorshipfull, My much Honoured Friends,
Collonel FRANCIS WEST, Lieutenant of the Tower of London.
Mr. WILLIAM CLEGAT, Master of Katharines Hospitall neere the Tower.
Mr. SOLOMON SMITH, Marshall of the High Court of the Admiralty of England.
Esquires, Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex. Mercy, and Peace, and Love, be multiplyed.
Right Worshipfull,
THe Scripture tells us,Cant. 8.7. that many waters will not quench love, and experience tells us, That much fire will not kindle love; especially such fire as we have among us,John called the beloved Disciples wa… banished into the Isle… Patmos, by Flavius Donu… an. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 16. the fire of contention, (I meane) much augmented, enflamed and blowen up, by the bellowes of unnecessary and unprofitable disputes; which are carried on with much heate, most men contesting, rather for victory than verity; few arguing for God, fewer according to God: Hence so many different opinions, which beget so much difference in affections among us, That as in the primitive times the beloved Disciple was banished, so in our times the love of Disciples is banished: sad times! when so sweete a thing, so choyse a grace, is so little set by: when men study more to gratifie Sathan by dividing, than to please Jesus Christ by uniting; when instead of helping we are hurting, instead of bearing with, we are biting of one another. It cannot indeed be expected, that the wicked should love the godly Cordially; but who would have thought that such as professe godliness should devoure one another cruelly? yet so it is, there hath not been more fighting in the Nation, with sword and speare, then there hath been among Professors, with tongue and pen.
While they are thus striving, I come as Moses to his brethren, to set them at one again, Act. 7.26.saying, (as he) Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? Now least it should happen to me in this case, (as to him that endeavours to part a fray,) to have unkindnesse offered for my courtesie, and hard blowes for soft words, I make bold to entreat your Worships being Commissioners for the peace to patronize my weak endeavours, for promoting peace among brethren: And that you would also, each of you in your places seeke this peace, Psal. 34.13.and pursue it, 'tis a blessed thing: Mat. 5.9. Yet give me leave to mind you, That you must not be so much for peace, as to forget that you are Justices, you must not so pursue peace, as to passe by offendors, bonis nocet, qui malis parcit, mercy to the bad is mischievous to the good.Psal. 82.6. You are Gods on earth, labour to be like that God which is in Heaven; who, though he be the God of love and peace, yet can tell how to be angry with the wicked, and to raine down upon them, Psal. 7.11. Psal. 11.6.fire and brimstone, stormes and tempest. Though Jacobs voyce do well become you, yet sometimes it will not be amisse for you to use Esau's hands. When the great day of account shall come, as there will lye much upon some Ministers, for not warning, so there will be much charged upon some Magistrates for not punishing offenders. The Lord grant, That no such thing be found standing on any of your scores, or lying at any of your doores.
As for these Meditations, though but meane, I beseech you to accept, I have no better at present, to present you with; let not the manner cause you to dis-rellish the matter, nor the worthlesnesse of the work cause you to dis-esteeme the Authours good will, non ex munere animus, Plutar …n Artax Mat. 12.42.sed ex animo munus. King Artaxerxes accepted of an handfull of water, from a poor peasant who had nothing else to present: and our Lord Jesus Christ accepted of the poor Widdowes mites. I hope this Sermon will find the like favour at your hands. Now the Lord manifest his love to you all, and teach you to manifest your love to him, to the truth, to one another, and to all the Saints; Exod. 18.21.and make you all to be Jethroes Justices, Men of Courage, fearing God, dealing truly, and hating Covetousnesse, This is, and shall be the earnest prayer of
Your Worships Most humble Servant in the Lord, RICHARD KENTISH. Kath: Tower Mar. 30. 1649.