Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 2, Collection of lectures · Lecture 2
THE II. LECTVRE.
AMOS 2.1, 2, 3.
Thus saith the Lord; for three transgressions of Moab, and for foure, I will not turne to it, because it burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime.
Therefore will I send a fire vponupon Moab, and it shall devoure the pallaces of Kirioth, and Moab shall dye with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of a trumpet.
And I will cut off the Iudge out of the midst thereof; and will slay all the Princes thereof with him; saith the Lord.
IN the former Sermon I handled the Preface. The Prophecie is now to be spoken vntounto. The first part therein is: The accusation of Moab; in these words;
For three transgressions of Moab, and for foure.] Where we are to consider,
1. Who are accused.
2. For what they are accused.
The accused are the Moabites; and they are accused of many breaches of the Law of God. First of the accused.
Moab was one of the sonnes of Lot, begotten in incest vponupon his eldest daughter. Gen. 19.37. From him by lineall descent came these Moabites, a people inhabiting that part of the East, which is commonly knowne by the name of Coelesyria, but was formerly the possession of the Amorites. These Moabites, like their brethren the Ammonites, were professed enemies to the people of God, and did euermore very grieuously afflict, and vex them. In which respect, they were for euer by God his singular commandment excluded from the Church. Gods commandement is expressed Deut. 23.3. The Ammonites, and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. And its repeated Nehem. 13.1. The Ammonites, and the Moabites shall not enter into the Congregation of God. Thus hauehave you the accused; euen the Moabites; the posteritie of Moab, who was Lots sonne; inhabitants of Coelesyria, and borderers vponupon the Holy Land, the possession of the Israelites.
Now what are they accused of? Of many breaches of Gods law: in these words, For three, and foure transgressions] This phrase we met with fiue times in the former chapter, and hauehave heard it diuersly expounded. The most naturall, proper and significant exposition commended to you was; by three, and foure, a finite, and certaine number, to vnderstand many; a number infinite, & vncertaine. For three transgressions of Moab, and for foure, that is, for many transgressions of the Moabites.
Among the many transgressions of the Moabites, their inhumanitie, and pride are specially noted. Their inhumane, spightfull, and cruell dealing against the Israelites, though a people of their owne kinred, appeareth diuers wayes. First, because when the Israelites came out of Aegypt, they met them not with prouision. Deut. 23.4. Secondly, because at that time they hiredaDeut. 23.4. Balaam, the sonne of Beor, to curse them. Num. 22.5. Thirdly, because they kept them in seruitude vnderunder King Eglon eighteene yeeres. Iudic. 3.12. Fourthly, because without respect of their allegiance to the Kings of Israel, due vntounto them vponupon King Dauids b2. Sam. 8.2.conquest, they rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2. King. 1.1. Fiftly, because they waged warre against Iehosaphat King of Iudah. 2 Chrō. 20.1. Sixtly, because they derided the Israelites, vpbraided them, and made a iest at them. Ier. 48.27. Zephan. 2.8. You see the inhumanitie of the Moabites. Concerning their pride, heare the words of Ieremie chap. 48.29. We hauehave heard the pride of Moab: (he is exceeding proud) we hauehave heard his pride, his stoutnesse, his arrogancie, his disdaine, and the hautinesse of his heart. Of this pride of Moab you may see more Esai. 16.6.
Of the many sinnes of Moab, you see two specially noted: their inhumanitie, and their pride: for which, and others, the Lord protesteth against them, that he will not turne to them. I will not turne to it] That is, as heretofore hath bin expounded, I will not be fauourable to the Moabites; I will not spare them; according to their deserts, so shall it be vntounto them: I will not recall them to the right way; they shall runne on to their owne perdition: I will not turne away the punishment, wherewith I hauehave resolued to punish them: I am the Lord, I am not changed. I will not turne to it] It is in effect, as if the Lord had thus said: If the Moabites had offended but once, or twise, I would hauehave bin fauourable to them, and would hauehave recald them into the right way, that so they might hauehave bin converted, and hauehave escaped my punishments: But now, sith they daily heape transgression vponupon transgression, and make no end of sinning, I hauehave hardned my face against them, and will not suffer them to be converted; but indurate, and obstinate as they are, I will vtterly destroy them. For three transgressions of Moab, and for foure I will not turne to it.
Here may you recall to your remembrances a doctrine sundry times recommended to your religious considerations.
Many sinnes doe plucke downe from Heauen the most certaine wrath and vengeance of God vponupon the sinners.
God is of pure eyes and beholdeth not iniquitie. He hath laid righteousnes to the rule, and weighed his iustice in a ballance. His sentence is passed forth from him, and stands vnalterable: Tribulation and anguish vponupon eueryevery soule that doth euill. The soule that sinneth, it shall be punished. God makes it good by an oath Deut. 23.41. That he will whet his glittring sword, and his hand shall take hold on iudgement to execute vengeance for sinne. His soule hateth, and abhorreth sinne; his law curseth, and condemneth sinne; his hand smiteth, and scourgeth sinne. Sinne was his motiue to cast downe Angels into Hell, to thrust Adam out of Paradise, to turne Cities into ashes, to ruinate Nations, to torment his owne bowels in the similitude of sinfull flesh. Because of sinne he once drowned the old world, and because of sinne ere long will burne this. Thus doe many sinnes plucke downe &c.
One vse of this doctrine, is; to teach vsus heedfulnesse in all our wayes, that we doe not by our many sinnes prouoke Almighty God to high displeasure.
A second Vse, is; to moue vsus to a serious contemplation of the wonderfull patience of Almighty God, who did so graciously forbeare these Moabites, till by their three, and foure transgressions, by their many sinnes they had prouoked him to indignation. These things I hauehave heretofore laboured to lay vntounto your hearts.
Now therefore I proceed to the third part of this prophecie: wherein you hauehave the declaration of that grieuous sinne, by which the Moabites so highly offended. This their sinne was a sinne of cruelty; expressed in these words: Because it burnt the bones of the King of Ed m into lime.
When this was done, or by which of the Kings of Moab, or against which of the Kings of Edom, it is not expressed in holy Scripture. Some would hither referre that Historie, 2 Kings 3. Where it is recorded of the King of Israel, that he assisted with two other Kings, the King of Iuda, and the King of Edom, made war vponupon the King of Moab. The King of Moab, when he saw the battle was to sore for him, tooke with him seauen hundred stout warriours, and would hauehave broken throw to the King of Edom, but could not. Through indignation whereofcPiscat. Analys in 2 Reg. 3. some thinke that hee tooke the King of Edoms eldest sonne, and offered him for a burnt offering vponupon the wall: for so some will hauehave the last verse of that chapter vnderstood of the King of Edoms sonne. But I take it more agreeable to that storie, there to vnderstand the King of Moabs owne sonne: that the King of Moab should offer vp for a burnt offering vponupon the wall his owne eldest sonne, thereby to obtaine helpe of his God against his enemies. And so that storie appertaines not to this my Text. No; though wee receiue the former interpretation. For it is not here said, that he burnt the bones of the King of Edoms sonne into lime, but the bones of the King of Edom himselfe.
It is a tradition of the Hebrewes, that after the buriall of the King of Edom (that King, who went vp withd2. Reg. 3.1. Iehoram, King of Israel, andev…rs. 7. Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, to warre againstfvers. 4. Mesha, King of Moab▪) the Moabites, in vltionem doloris, to be reuenged vponupon him for the sorrow, which he wrought them; did digge vp his bones, and burne them. Of this tradition S. Ierome maketh mention: They did digge vp the King of Edoms bones, and burne them. Great was their rage, great their cruelty. Death appeased them not. The King of Edoms bones were not suffered to rest in his sepulcher, but were taken thence, and burnt into ashes. These ashes some thinke were vsed with lime, or morter for the plaistering, pargetting, or rough-casting of their houses: for as much as my Prophet here saith, they burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime. If so; it was done Vindictae maioris, & contumeliae causâ; that they might take full vengeance vponupon the King of Edom.
I may not passe it ouer with silence, that this cruelty of the Moabites, was against the Edomites, without all respect of bloud, and consanguinity. Edom, the Edomites, or Idumaeans were descended from Abraham. Thus:gGen. 25.25. Edom, the first Father of the Edomites, or Idumaeans, was otherwise called Esau, and was sonne of Izhac, who washGen 21 3. sonne of Abraham. AndiGen. 19.…7. Moab, from whom the nation of the Moabites tooke their name, was sonne vntounto Lot, and Lot was Abrahams brothers sonne, the sonne ofkG n. 11.27. Haran. There was then betweene the Moabites, and Edomites neerenesse of bloud, and full kindred.
Now we see what is the particular sinne of the Moabites, for which this prophecy is directed against them. Their sinne is Cruelty, and a speciall kinde of Cruelty; euen their denying of rest to the bones of the dead: and the more odious and intolerable is their Cruelty, because it is against their owne kindred.
The lesson, which we are to take from hence, is this.
All kinde of cruelty committed against a man, highly displeaseth God; but that specially, which violateth, and extinguisheth the rites of consanguinity, and naturall affection.
In mylpag. 74. seauenth Lecture vponupon the first chapter of this prophecy, I commended vntounto you this doctrine: God is neuer well pleased with too much cruelty. In mympag. 230. 19. Lecture I recommended it vntounto you; varying my proposition, thus: Cruelty is a sinne hatefull vntounto God. Now it comes vntounto you in another forme, though the matter be the same▪ All kinde of cruelty, &c. My proposition hath two parts.
The first, All kind of cruelty committed against a man, highly displeaseth God. The second; There is a kinde of cruelty, that violateth, and extinguisheth the rightes of consanguinity, and naturall affection, and that specially displeaseth God. First, to the first.
All kinde of cruelty committed against a man highly displeaseth God.
No maruaile. For all kinde of cruelty is sin; and eueryevery sin must taste of Gods high displeasure. All kinde of cruelty is sin: For it is foreign, a want of conformity to the Law of God, a transgression of the law, a breach of the law. Will you know against which commandement it is? It is against the sixt commandement. The commandement is: Thou shalt doe no murther; or, Thou shalt not kill. Where to kill, or to doe murther; by a Synechdoche, signifieth any kinde of endamaging the person of our neighbours. We may not so much as hurt, or hinder them. We are forbidden to sin against our neighbour, either in heart, or in word, or in countenance, or in deed. And in this last branch is cruelty forbidden vsus. So is the first part of my proposition confirmed; All kinde of crueltie committed against a man highly displeaseth God. The reason is; because it is a sin, against the sixth commandement.
The vse of this doctrine is to reprooue such as delight in crueltie. Man of all liuing creatures, ought to be the most courteous. His name in Latin is homo, and thatnBoskier. Orat. Terra sancta. Philip. 4. loc. 1. pag. 87. one deriueth from the Greeke foreign, a word that signifieth vnanimitie, and concord: And from the Latin homo, is deriued Humanitas, a word that signifieth courtesie, or gentlenes. So that the very name of man, Homo, sheweth that*Hominem natura ad pacem composuit. man is euen framed by nature for vnanimitie, concord, courtesie, gentlenes, and peace.
Other*Animantia ca…era ad b…llum. creatures are by nature euen armed for warre. Some hauehave their hornes, as Vnicornes, Harts, and Bulls: some their teeth; as Boares and Dogs: some their nayles, as Griffins and Lyons: some their poyson, either in their tongues, as Serpents, or in their tayles, as Scorpions, or in their breath, as Dragons, or in their eyes, as the Basiliske: Some hauehave their hard skinnes for their coates or couerings, as on land, the Armadillo; in the sea, the Tortoyse, the Crab, and all shell fish. All these, and other beasts are armed by nature, partly to defend themselues, partly to offend others. OnelyOnly Man; he is borne in ermis, tenellus, edentulus; he comes into the world naked, tender, toothles; and hath not wherewith, either to offend another, or to defend himselfe; to teach vsus, that man should spend the dayes of his pilgrimage here in vnanimitie, concord, courtesie, gentlenes, and peace.
The more are they to be reproued, who liuing among men, hauehave, as it were, put off the nature of Man, by their delight in cruell dealing. Such is the racking Landlord, who takes aduantage against his poore tenant for eueryevery trifle. Such is the greedie Vsurer, who eares vp his brothers substance with interest. Such is the stony-hearted Physitian, or Chirurgion, that prolongeth his patients disease, or sore, to wring the more money from him. Such is the troublesome man, who vniustly vexeth his neighbour in the law to his vndoing. Such are a l they, who are any way iniurious to them, with whom they liue.
I trust, there is none that heares me this day fit to be reprooued for any cruell deed against the dead, as the Moabites here are for their burning the bones of the King of Edom into lime. And that you neuer may deserue with them to be reprooued, let it please you to heare a while, how this kind of crueltie hath in former ages beene accounted of.
It isoVirgil. Aeneid. 1. written to the disprayse of Achilles, that he dragged the dead bodie of Hector thrise about the wals of Troy. It ispLiv. Dec. 1. l. 1. written to the dispraise of Tullia, proud Tarquius wife, that she droue her waggon ouer the dead bodie of her Father Seruius Tullius the sixt King of Rome. It isqPlutarch in Cicerone, & in Antonio. written to the dispraise of Antonie, the Triumvir, one of the three, who bore the sway at the beginning of the Romane Empire, that he caused the right hand, and the head of dead Cicero, that great Orator, to be cut off, and brought before him, that beholding them, be might solace, and sport himselfe. And was it not a note of too much cruelty in Antonies wife, whether it wererHieronym Apol: aduersus R…ffinum. Fuluia, or that proud Egyptian Queene Cleopatra, that she thrust her needle through the tongue of that dead Orator? Thus hauehave prophane Authors Ʋirgil, Livie, Plutarch, and others, conducted onelyonly by natures light, noted, and censured crueltie against the dead. And shall not the light of Gods holy word conduct vsus Christians to alike measure of vnderstanding, euen to detest all cruelty against the dead?
To this purpose the holy Euangelists, S. Mathew, and S. Marke; St Mathew chap. the 14. and St Marke chap. the 6. hauehave recorded it for a memoriall to all ensuing ages; that to the solemnizing of Herods birth day, the head of Iohn Baptist was brought in a platter to Herodias. Cruell Herodias! could not the vntimely, and vniust death of that holy man satisfie thy greedie, and bloud thirstie heart, but that thou must hauehave his head brought before thee in a platter? and that at such a time, so solemne a time, the birth day of thy Lord, thy King, thy supposed husband, Herod, euen then, when he feasted his Princes, and captaines, and chiefe estates of Galilee? A dead mans head, besmered with bloud, was very vnseasonable, and vnfit sawce for such a banquet. Yet then was Iohn Baptists head brought before Herodias in a platter. What did she to it? Doubtlesse, all the disgrace she could. One thing St Hierome in his second booke of his Apollogie against Ruffinus, specifieth, that*Veri…qu…m … …uam discriminali acu confodi…. she thrust his tongue through with a needle.
In the 19. of Iohn ver. 34. it is recorded to the memoriall of all ensuing ages, that when Iesus had by his sufferings vponupon the Crosse, and paiment of the price of our redemption giuen vp the ghost; then a Iew, a souldier of the Iewes, with a speere pierced his side, whereout forthwith issued bloud, and water. VponUpon that cruell souldiers factsSalmeron comment. in Euangel. Tom. 10. Tract. 48. one asketh this question: Quid est, quod filius Dei tormentis in vita toleratis, non contentus, voluit etiam post mortem vulnera accipere? What is it, that the sonne of God not content with such torments, as in his life time he endured, would also after his death be wounded? Among many, and they great causes, he giues this for one Vt innotesceret nostra immanitas, & saeuitia, qui etiam in mortuum saeuimus; that notice may be taken of our immanitie, & crueltie, for as much as we spare not the dead. It is the propertie of a Lyon, to spare a man, not onelyonly, that is dead, but also that lyeth prostrate, and flat vponupon the ground: What fauour a man receiues from a Lyon, Christ Iesus, the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, the sweete Sauiour of mankind, could not receiue from man. A souldier with a speare pierceth his side, though he be dead. To exaggerate this St Chrysostome homil. 48. vponupon Iohn, sayth; Illudere mortuo, quàm ipsum crucis supplicium, longe peius est: It is farre worse to offer any contumely or disgrace to one that is dead. then is the punishment of the crosse.
In the 79. Psalme ver. 2. the Prophet in Israels behalfe complaineth vntounto God, against the surprisers of Ierusalem, that they gaue the dead bodies of Gods seruants to be meat vntounto the fowles of heauen, and the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the Earth. So he aggrauateth their crueltie, and inhumanitie. Monstrous was their crueltie, barbarous their inhumanitie, to cast the dead bodies, and flesh of Gods seruants, and Saints here, and there, to the end they might be a prey to dogs, to wolues, to rauens, to vultures, or other beasts, or birds, that liue by carion.
You see partly by prophane examples, partly by instances out of the sacred Scriptures, how crueltie against the dead hath vsually beene censured. But what is this to you, who vse towards the dead all ciuilitie? All ciuilitie? I grant you giuegive the dead religious, and solemne buriall; And so doing you doe well. You doe well not to suffertLanctantius Jnstitut. lib. 6. figuram & figmentum Dei, the workmanship of God, Gods image, to be exposed, and cast out for a prey to wild beasts, and birds. To bury the dead, it isuAmbros lib. de Tobia. quotidianum opus, & magnum, it is eueryevery dayes worke, and a great worke; and you doe well so to account of it. For if the law commands you to couer the naked while they are liuing, how much more ought yee to couer them, when they are dead? If your friend vndertake any long iourney, you will take the paines to bring him part of his way; how much more ought ye to affoord him your company, when he is going in illam aeternam domum, to his long, and euerlasting home, whence he shall returne no more vntounto you?
You will say Cadaueribus nullus sensus; dead bodies hauehave no sense; What need then is there of such care of committing them to the earth? I reply in St xLib 1. de Ciu… tate D…i. cap. 13.Austins words, Deo placent etiam talia pietatis officia: such offices of pietie, humanitie, and ciuilitie doe please God. The bodies of the dead belong to Gods prouidence. He hath appointed the buriall of the dead, to confirme our faith in the Resurrection of the dead.
Thus farre by occasion of the first part of my proposition: which was, All kind of crueltie, committed against a man, highly displeaseth God. You remember the reason of it: the reason is; Because it is against the sixt Commandement. The vse of it, was a reproofe of such as delight in crueltie, whether against the liuing, or the dead. Now followeth the other part of my proposition: this:
That crueltie which violateth, or extinguisheth the rites of consanguinitie, and naturall affection, specially displeaseth God.
For God, the God of nature, cannot in any wise like, that natures lawes be violated. By natures lawes, its enacted, that there should be, that same foreign, much spoken of in the Schooles; a peculiar affection of louelove from the parent to the childe, and from the childe to the parent; from a brother to a brother, from a kinsman to a kinsman. Now if crueltie shall be exercised from a parent towards his childe, or from a child towards his parent, or from a brother towards his brother, or from a kinsman towards his kinsman, that same foreign, I spak of, is laid aside; the rites of consanguinity, and naturall affection are violated, are extinguished.
This doctrine may teach vsus, to carry our selues peaceably, and louingly towards our parents, our children, our brethren, our kinsmen, all that are of our bloud. There cannot be a greater bond betweene man and man, as men; then is this bond of bloud. I say precisely betweene man and man, as men, there cannot be a greater bond, then is this bond of bloud. For betweene man and man, as Christians, there is a greater bond; the bond of one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, one God, and Father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in you all, as St Paul speaketh, Ephes. 4.5.6.
The strength of the former bond of bloud, sheweth it selfe in the Patriarch Abraham, when there was a debate betweene his seruants, and the seruants of Lot. All the tales his men could tell him, could not worke in him any dislike of Lot. To end that debate, Abraham goeth to Lot. Abraham, Lots elder, and vnckle, his better in eueryevery respect, yet he stands not vponupon that; he looks not when Lot should come, and stoope to him; but as in yeeres, so in wisdome, in mildnesse, in humility, in temperance of affections hee passeth him. Ouer-ruled by such sweet vertues, hee goes to Lot, tels him of their kinred, and mooues him thereby, as by a strong reason, or a mighty bond, that louelove and peace might remaine betwixt them and theirs. His words, are as the words whereof Salomon speaketh, Prou. 25.11. they are like apples of gold with pictures of siluer, they are spoken in their place; and are recorded Gen. 13.8. where Abraham thus speaketh vntounto Lot: Let there bee no strife, I pray thee, betweene thee and me, neither betweene thy heard-men and my heard-men; for we be brethren.
We be brethren:] He might hauehave sayd wee bee cosens, or thou art my nephew, my brothers sonne, but hee vseth rather apellation of equality, and cals him brother, to manifest his desire of peace and concord.
You see the strength of the bond of bloud, how forcible it is betweene man and man, as men. I told you of a stronger bond betweene man and man, as Christians, and that was the bond of one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme, one God and Father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in vsus all.
So there is a two-fold kinred, or brotherhood. The one, by nature, the other by grace: the one, by generation, the other, by regeneration. In respect of both, we are tyed with bonds of louelove. First, in respect of the former. After Noahs floud, there was a diuision of countreyes made to the remainder of Adams posterity: some dwelt heere, some there; some in one place, some in another, as they best liked; yet one bloud remained amongst them, as a knot euer to ioyne them in amity and louelove, what distance of place soeuer seuered them. Is it not so still, though longer time, and larger encrease hauehave spred it further? Yes (Beloued) it is so. And therefore this bond of bloud, stocke, house, linage, and kinred in the root, should continue among vsus, regard one of another, and make vsus louelove one another, more then we doe.
But this kinred, by nature and generation, so many degrees remooued from the root, our great grand-father Adam, the first of men, little mooueth vsus; wee disdaine to take notice of it. Let then the other kinred, that of grace, and regeneration, by its stronger bonds of louelove, tye & ioyne vsus together. The iust and wise man knoweth (saithyDiuin. Jnstit. lib. 5. c. 23. Lactantius) cuncto… ab eodem Deo, & eadem conditione generatos, iure fraternitatis esse coniunctos, that all who are borne of one God, and vponupon the same condition, are ioyned together by the right of brother-hood. To which purpose a greatzCaluin. Comment. in Genes. 13.8. Diuine saith; Hac lege adoptati sumus omnes in Dei filios, vt alij alijs mutuo fratres simus, Wee are all adopted or chosen to be the sonnes of God vponupon this condition, that we mutually be brethren, one vntounto another.
Dearely Beloued, sith wee are become the sonnes of God vponupon a condition, let vsus fulfill the condition; let vsus bee brethren, one to another. That is, let vsus not bee cruell, one towards another; let vsus doe no iniury, one to another, let vsus be mercifull one to another, let vsus louelove one another. Let good Abraham be the patterne of our imitation. If there be any variance, or iarring among vsus, let vsus goe one to another, and kindely entreat one another; I pray thee, let there bee no variance, no iarring, betweene mee and thee, nor betweene my men and thy men, for we are brethren.
But proud and rebellious flesh and bloud will not suffer vsus to become Abrahams; so wise, so meeke, such louers of concord and vnity. Not suffer vsus? Then is our condition fearefull, and we may well expect, that the God of Abraham at his great day of visitation, shall reiect vsus, and cast vsus from out his sight into the euer burning lake. There is no entrance into the Heauenly Canaan, for the cruell, injurious, malicious and despitefull man.
Its onelyonly LoueLove that opens the gates of Heauen; without LoueLove whatsoeuer you doe, its no aduantage to you. S. Paul tels you, 1 Cor. 13. that though you speake with the tongues of men and Angels, and hauehave not LoueLove, you are but as sounding brasse, or a tinckling cymball: and though you hauehave the gift of prophesie, and know all secrets, yea, if you hauehave all faith, so that yee can remooue mountaines, and hauehave not LoueLove, you are nothing: and though you feede the poore with all your goods, and giuegive your bodies to bee burnt, and hauehave not LoueLove, it profiteth you nothing.
To bee short, almes without LoueLove, prophesie without LoueLove, knowledge without LoueLove, miracles without LoueLove, martyrdome without LoueLove, prayer without LoueLove, and the like very commendable and good workes, all are nothing. LoueLove is the fire that purifieth, it is the incense that perfumeth, it is the oyntment, or box of Spikenard, that sweetneth, it is the salt, that seasoneth all our good thoughts, words, and deedes. I conclude with S. Iohns words in his 1 Epist. cap. 4. vers. 7. Beloued, let vsus louelove one another, for LoueLove commeth of God, and eueryevery one that loueth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. For God is LoueLove; if therefore wee dwell in LoueLove, we dwell in God, and God dwells in vsus.
Now, O Lambe of God, that takest away the sinnes of the world, take from vsus all bitternesse, and anger, and wrath, and crying, and euill speaking, with all maliciousnesse. Raise vp in vsus a desire of brotherly LoueLove, that wee may eueryevery one hauehave a care to helpe another, that our LoueLove be not fained, false, hypocriticall, wayward, tedious, disdainefull, nor hunting after profit; but that it be vnfained and perfect, euen towards our enemies. Grant, good Lord, that thus retaining the study of concord, and louing one another, we may all meet together in the vnity of faith, and knowledge of thee, the Sonne of God, till we become perfect in thee, our onelyonly Sauiour and Redeemer. To thee, O Christ, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, bee ascribed all prayse and power, might and Maiesty, dignity and dominion for euermore. Amen.