The Arraignment of Pride, Chapter 29
CHAP. 29. The third Direction.
Direct. 3. LEt one Chriſtian labour to exerciſe love towards another. Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf: Auſtin ſaith, Voluit deus unicum heminem in principio formare, à quo omnes procederent ut tanquam fratres omnes inter ſe invicem amarent. Aug. Si fratres ſumus in quantum homines, quanto magis in quantum Chriſtiani? Auguſt. Sanctior eſt copula cordium quam corporum. Lumb. ſenten. lib. 3. diſtinct. 29.God would form one man in the beginning, from whom all men ſhould proceed, that all might mutually love one another as brethren: the ſon of Syrach urgeth this very argument, ſaying, every beaſt loveth his like, and every Chriſtian ſhould love another: we ſee it verified in Wolves, Lions, Tigers, &c. and ſhall they agree, and men diſagree? we may obſerve it, that the very dogs that live together in an houſe will not ordinarily fight one with another, but one for another; and ſhall men agree worſe then dogs in a family? its nothing but pride that makes men ſwell thus one againſt another; and we have not only the bond of nature, but of grace to bind us to this duty.
This is the command of the Lord Jeſus, and the badge and livery whereby we may be known to the world to be the Diſciples of him who is the moſt admirable pattern of humility and lowlineſs.
Divers reaſons why we ſhould love one another as our ſelves, may be taken from the ſimilitude of the members of the natural body, where the Apoſtle tells us, that as the body being but one, 1 Cor. 12.12.hath many members, ſo we being many, are all members of the ſame myſtical body of Chriſt.
1. The more noble and honourable members deſpiſe not the leſs honourable, and thoſe that are appointed to more baſe offices: as for inſtance, the head, though it ſelf be covered, and carried aloft, doth not contemn the feet, though they travel and trudge to carry the whole body about: no more ought the rich in gifts, parts or eſtate, deſpiſe the poor; Mal. 2.10.for they be their fellow members, made of the ſame matter, by the ſame Maker. The rich Angels in heaven deſpiſe not the poor Saints on earth, but are ready to perform the duties of love unto them, as appeareth by their carrying the ſoul of the poor beggar into Abrahams boſom; Luk. 16.22and ſo ought it to be on earth, as James ſpeaketh; Jac. 2.1, 2.not having the faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with reſpect of perſons.
2. As the more noble contemn not the leſs noble, no more do the leſs noble envy the more noble; and ſo it ſhould be among us; for as the hands and the feet grudge not that themſelves are uſed and employed as inſtruments to feed and defend the head and heart, no more muſt ſubjects and ſervants, and men of meaner condition envy their ſuperiors, and Maſters the places that God hath allotted them, but content themſelves with their own, and be faithful and painful in them, as King David willed Ziba and his ſons and ſervants to do for his Maſters ſon Mephiboſheth, 2 Sam. 9.10.
3. If one member fail in performance of ſome duty, whereby another catcheth hurt, the other doth not in a rage run upon it and hurt it again; as for example; if the foot chance to ſlip, and ſo the head catch a knock, it doth not preſently perſwade the hand to heat the foot; or if the teeth bite the tongue, this were to ſeek the ruine and deſtruction of the whole body: no more ought we in our mad mood furiouſly to ruſh one upon another, when we have been unawares hurt one by another.
4. When one member is hurt, the whole body feels it, and fares the worſe for it; as for example; a thorn in the foot grieveth the head, yea the very heart; ſo ought we to have a ſympathy and fellow-feeling of the hurt of one another, as Chriſt our head hath of us all, as is evident by that ſpeech he uſeth to Paul before his converſion, ſaying, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Act. 9.4. ſignifying to us that the hurt that was done to his members on earth, even reached him their head in heaven.
5. What good parts ſoever any of the members be endued with, they hoard not up, nor reſerve to themſelves as Monopolies, but impart and employ them for the good and benefit of the whole body, and the meaneſt member thereof; if a toe or a finger be but fore, the eye looketh, the head deviſeth how to help it, and if they be not able to do it themſelves by their own skill, then they ſeek out to others, and the tongue will play the Orator, and entreat, yea rather then fail, and not have it, the hand will play the Almoner and reward; thus ſhould we be willing to afford our mutual help one to another, and ſo we would if we were once perſwaded of the neceſſity of this duty, that we ought to love our neighbour as our ſelf; but pride and ſelf-love do ſo blind the eyes of men, that they will not learn this leſſon; 1 Gor. 13.4.Charity ſuffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not it ſelf, is not puffed up, ſaith the Apoſtle.