ΦΙΛΑΛΛΗΛΙΑ. OR, THE Grand characteristic whereby A MAN MAY BE KNOWN TO BE CHRIST'S DISCIPLE. Delivered in a SERMON at St. Paul's, before the Gentlemen of Wilts. Nov. 10. 1658. It being the day of their Yearly Feast. By THOMAS PIERCE, Rector of Brington. Philo Judaeus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 557. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. LONDON, Printed by I. G. for R. Royston, and are to be sold by John Courtney Bookseller in Salisbury. 1658. To all my very much Honoured Friends and Countrymen, The respective Natives of the County of WILTS. More especially, To those of the late Solemn-Meeting. And in particular, To the worthy Stewards of the Feast. My dear Countrymen, I Here present you with a Discourse, which by a threefold Title you may properly call Yours. There having been nothing but your entreaty, (which with me shall ever obtain the force of a Command) in a just conformity to which, it was both penned, and preached, and is now committed to the press too. Next to the reverence which I bear to the work itself, (I mean, The * 1 Thes. 1. 3. labour of Love, and the † Mat. 5. 9 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. beatific office of making peace,) which cannot choose but carry with it its own Reward, I was chiefly encouraged to the enterprise in which you were pleased to engage me, by your being so much at unity amongst yourselves, & so Religiously intent on the good of others. For in how many things soever there may be a * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, &c. Iam. 1. 26. seemingness of Religion, I am sure its † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Iam. 1. 27. Purity consists in these two; The Relief of the needy in their afflictions, & the keeping of one's self unspotted from the world. For the taking of both into possession, I think I cannot direct to a better course, (either for brevity, or clearness,) then that we measure and deal out our Love to others, by that natural proportion we commonly bear unto ourselves. This being the scope of that * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Jam. 2. 8. Royal Law, to which as many as are Christians must needs be subject. I say they must, so much the rather, because † Gal. 6, 7. whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap. And with what measure we * Mat. 7. 2. meet, it shall be measured to us again. As 'tis the mercy of good men, which is said to † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Jam. 2▪ 13. triumph over God's judgement, so there is judgement * Ibid. and Mat. 6. 14, 15. without mercy for them that show little or none. This I desire may be considered by a peculiar sort of professors, who hate and persecute their Neighbours under colour of Devotion and zeal to God. As if it were not sufficient, simply to break God's commandments, unless they be broken against each other. For if the same God that saith, [Thou shalt not worship a graven Image] doth also say in the same instant, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself,] Then sure to persecute a Neighbour, in pretence of affection and love to God, is to take up the second Table in anger, and to dash it in pieces against the first. And what is that (in effect) but to make the Law its own Transgressor? Such men are told by an Apostle, That they * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Iam. 1. 26. deceive their own hearts, and feed themselves with such hopes as will but nourish them to destruction, whilst they imagine that † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Ibid. such Religion will ever stand them in any stead. And to show them the thickness of that Fallacy, which (by the Sophistry of the Flesh) they are made to impose upon themselves, was not the least of those ends, at which I leveled my Meditations. For no sooner was I invited to entertain my dear Countrymen, with the first and chiefest Course in a Feast of Love, but straight I reflected upon the Character which Christ had given to his Disciples, just in the Close of his Farewell * Joh. 13. 1, 2. Supper, (which was indeed a † verse 4, 5. 14, 15. Love-Feast) by which they might certainly be known to be truly His. I knew the Character of a Christian was to be sought▪ most fitly from Christ Himself; And that Love was that Character, which Christ had left upon Record. Not such a Love of one another, as was the * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Luk. 11. 39 Ravenous Love of the Scribes and Pharisees, wherewith they loved the widow's Houses, so far forth as to devour them, and † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Luk. 23. 14. eat them up. Nor such a * Prov. 12. 10. cruel kind of Love, as was that of the * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Herodot. in Melpom. cap. 26. p. 233. Confer ejusdem. Lib. 1. c. 73. p. 30. &c. 119. p. 51. cannibals in Herodotus, who glutted themselves with the flesh of men, because they loved it as well as venison. For when professors are transported with such an unnatural kind of Love, as gives them an Appetite to † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Eph. 5. 15. bite and † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Eph. 5. 15. devour each other, (as the Apostle speaks to the Ephesians) or to eat up God's people as if they would eat Bread, (as the * Psal. 53. 5. Royal Prophet thought fit to phrase it,) It hath a tendency to nothing, but mutual ruin. Whereas the Note of distinction, whereby to know a sincere and a solid Christian, is such a divine kind of Love as tends to unity and peace, and so (by a consequence unavoidable) to mutual safety and preservation. If we are † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Eph. 3. 17. rooted and grounded in such a Love to one another, as was the Love of Christ unto us all, we shall be known by the * Mat. 7. 16, 17 fruit web ear, to have been † Rom. 11. 19 grafted into Him, who is indeed the * Joh. 15. 1. true Vine. We shall not only do to † Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris. no man, what we would that no man should do to us, (which was the motto a Heathen Prince would needs have carved in all his Plate) But † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Mat. 7. 12. Luk. 6. 43. what we wish that All men would do to us, we shall earnestly endeavour to do to all men. We shall love them for God's sake, whom, for their own sakes, we cannot love. If we are merely weak Brethren, we shall manifest (by our meekness) that we are not wilful. And if strong, we shall * Rom. 15. 1. bear the Infirmities of the weak. We shall walk in † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Colos. 4, 5. wisdom towards them that are without, (I mean the enemies of Christ, both Jews and Gentiles.) That we may neither be in danger of being corrupted by their secular and sensual bairs, nor heighten their prejudice to the Gospel, by any matter of scandal in our Converse. I shall never forget what I was told (about eight years ago) by a * Philo {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 539. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. learned Jew, That Godliness and Honesty, or the Love of God and the love of men, are a kind of Twin-Sisters, which every Creature is to espouse, who is not so wedded to the world, as to admit of a * Isa 50. 1. Divorce from the celestial † Luk. 5. 34, 35. Bridegroom. It was never allowed unto the Jews, to * Deut. 23. 7. abhor an Edomite, or an Egyptian; or to reckon any man as an Enemy, (although he were † Philo {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 548. scaling the City-Walls) until he had absolutely refused their solemn offers of Reconcilement. And I do now the rather take this occasion to recount the things which I have learned, both as an instructor of the Ignorant, and as an humble * 2 Pet. 1. 12. Remembrancer to men of more knowledge, (not only to You of mine own Countr●y, to whom I make this Dedication, but to as many as shall not disdain to read me, let their Place and their Principles be what they will,) if peradventure by any means, I may * Rom. 11. 14. provoke to Emulation, them that are mine own Flesh, (as the Apostle spoke in another case, which yet was of kin to the case in hand,) and become instrumental to † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, &c. Ibid. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Jam. 5. 20. save some of them. If in any thing I have spoken, I seem to have spoken somewhat Austerely, I here declare myself free from all particular Reflections, upon any man's person, alive or dead. My Propositions are universal, as well as true; and my severities to sin lie all in common. As many as find themselves guilty may make particular Application of my Reproofs, so as they have it in their Remembrance, that I have made none at all. I have one thing to beg (as from all my Readers in general, so) in particular from you, Sirs, for whose particular satisfaction my work is done; even that you will labour to be the better for all that is offered to your acceptance. That, * 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8. when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire; taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you may be able to † Wisd. 5. 1. stand and to appear with great boldness; as wearing his Livery, which is Love, and as owned thereby to be his Disciples. To the sure protection of whose Providence, and to the wise direction of whose Grace, you all are heartily commended (without any Ceremony or compliment) by Your affectionate countryman in all the services of Love and Friendship, THO. PIERCE. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. OR The Grand characteristic, by which a man may be known to be Christ's Disciple. JOHN 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one to another. AS the Text is part of our Saviour's last words, his Farewell Sermon to his Disciples; so I may say it is a part of his last Will and Testament; and shows the worth of that Legacy, which he was pleased to bequeathe them at his departure. The ever blessed * Heb. 9 16. Testator (as the Author to the Hebrews doth fitly call him) being now to take his last leave, and having prepared them with an assurance that the time of his leaving was at hand, (that so they might ponder what he was speaking, and lay it up as the speech of a * Joh. 13. 33. Dying man,) And being resolved not to leave them without some Legacy, some special Token of his Solicitude, both for their present Fortification, and future bliss, † Chap. 14. v. 27. Peace (saith he) I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the World giveth, a few good words in civility, or at the most, a kind wish; And therefore let not your heart be troubled at the sudden departure of my person; for as a supplement of that, I leave you my cordial and solid Peace. But knowing well, that His peace could never quietly rest with them, in case of war and Division amongst themselves, and being not able to endear them with a greater expression of His love, then by obliging them strictly to the constant loving of one another, He therefore bequeathed this * Jam. 2. 8. royal Precept (as a previous part of their Patrimony, whereby to fit them for all the rest,) That their reciprocal kindness should be like His, that they should all be so affected, as they had Him for an † Joh. 13. 15. Example, that just as He had been to All, they should be All to one another; for such are the words of the will, in the verse immediately before my Text, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} &c. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. But then to gain their Acceptance of his Bequeast, and their religious Execution of what he commanded them to observe, He showed them the value of such a Legacy, as did obligingly tie them to such a Love. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, &c. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye love one another. In which words of our Saviour, there are two things supposed, and a third is taught. First of all it is supposed, that All to whom the words are spoken, either are, or aught to be, Christ's Disciples. And that not only in profession, but in singleness of heart; not only verbally, and by name, but very really such. This is easily collected from three words in the Text, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Ye are my Disciples. In the second place it is supposed, that such as are really Christ's Disciples, (not in show, but in substance, not in hypocrisy, but in deed) ought to endeavour to make it known to all THE WORLD, that they are such. Their light must shine before men, by their Procope and Growth in the SCHOOL of Christ. This is apparent from two words more, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, All men shall know it. And were it not so in good earnest, their Master would never have directed them (as here he doth) to the infallible means of its attainment. For Mark attentively in the third place, the most important Lesson which here is taught, (and which is now of all Lessons the most worth learning, especially if we reflect on the original Occasion of this solemnity,) by what certain {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, or way of proof, ye may make men know ye are Christ's Disciples. This is delivered in the first and the last words of the Text, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, they shall know it even by this, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, If ye bear love to one another. From these three parts there are just as many Propositions, into which the Text is very naturally dissolved. The first is this. That all who are Auditors of Christ, or all to whom he is revealed, do stand obliged by that means, to be very really his Disciples. The second this. That their Discipleship, if it be real, will also be eminent and exemplary, so far forth as to be known, and taken notice of by All. The third is this. That the surest Testimony and proof of sincere Discipleship under Christ, and the principal Instance or effect wherein its eminence doth consist, And that which by Christ is here pronounced as an unerrable mark or Criterion of it, is this Divine Qualification of mutual Love. And this indeed is the proposition, upon which I have fastened my Meditations, because it is that which suits best with the principal end of our present meeting, and that wherein is swallowed up the prime Importance of the Text. Not only the prime, but the whole rational. Importance. And I verily think you will say as much, if you duly compare the Proposition, with the fourfold Emphasis which is to be put upon the words. For first our Saviour doth not say, Men shall guess or conjecture that ye are mine, but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, they shall know it. Nor 2ly doth he say, Your Discipleship shall be known as a special Secret to very few, but as the Sun in his Meridian, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, All men shall know it. Nor thirdly doth he say, All men shall know that ye seem to be by a Disguise, but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, that ye are my Disciples without a fiction. Last of all, he doth not say, Your Discipleship shall be known by such deceivable Tokens, as your Assembling yourselves in the House of Prayer, your crying out * Mat. 7. 22, 23. Lord Lord, your doing † Chrysostom. Hom. 71. in Joh. wonders in my name, your being Orthodox in Judgement, and jumping together in Opinions; but by This it shall be known, as by a Token which never fails, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, If ye have Love for one another. I must therefore begin with That Proposition, which is last in Order, but first in Dignity. And which being as the Heart of the whole Body of Christianity, deserves to be (like the Heart in the body of man) {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Aristot. The first thing that lives, and the last that dies in our consideration. For can there be any thing in the world of greater consequence than this, which gives us a Token whereby to know we have an Interest in Christ? and such a sure token too, as cannot possibly deceive us? yet even such is that Love, with which I am now to entertain you, and which if you take into your hearts, as well as into your outward ears, will (I doubt not) carry with it that peace of Conscience, which is to all that feed on it, a continual * Prov. 15. 15. Feast. But because there is hardly any word that is more equivocal than this, I must needs Anticipate an Objection, by showing what Love it is which our Saviour meant, when he appointed it for the measure, by which his Scholars are to be scanned. And to show you the better what it is, I must first show you what it is not. For all sorts of men pretend to Love; not only Christians, but the professed Enemies of Christ; and as well the nominal, as real Christians. Nay in one kind, or other, they all have Love in their possession; and many times the worst men in the greatest measure. For greater Love than this (our * Joh. 15. 13. Saviour tells us) there is none, that a man lay down his life for his friend. And plentiful store of this Love we commonly find (in our reading) amongst the Heathen. Their great † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Arist. Eth. l. 9 c. 8. p. 887. Philosophers did prescribe it, and not a few of their people obeyed the Precept. To save a Friend ready to perish, we find Episthenes (in Xenophon) a Xenoph. in exp. Cyri. l. 7. p. 319. ready to lay down his life. And such was the love of Artapates to Cyrus junior, that he perfectly b Idem ib. l. 1. p. 209. hated his own life, as soon as Cyrus had lost His. Nor c Val. Max. l. 4. c. 7. p. 128. would Lucius Petronius outlive his friend. d Id. ib. p. 127. Pomponius & Laetorius died a couple of Martyrs for Caius Gracchus. And Titus e Id. b. Volumnius followed Lucullus into his grave. f Ib. p. 129. Terentius preferred the life of Brutus by many degrees before his own. And g Lib. 7. c. 8. Valerius tells us of divers servants, who to preserve their masters, destroyed themselves. What transcendent lovers of one another were h Q. Curt. l. 7. p. 211. Menedemus and Hipsides, i Xenoph. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} l. 5. p. 446. Cleonymus and Archidamus, k In exp. Cyri. l. 5. p. 304. 305. Agasias and Xenophon, l Diod. Sicul. l. 16. p. 448. Bagωas and Mentωr, m Val. Max. l. 1. c. 8. p. 34. Hippoclides and Polystratus, n Tacit. Annal. l. 16. p. 331. Asclepiodotus and Soranus? 'Twere easy to name as many o Ex Polyb. l. 10. p. 582. Tacit. Hist. l. 4. p. 491. Diodor. Sic. l. 17. p. 518. Q▪ Curt. l. 10. 316. Val. Max. l. 9 c. 9 p. 283. Aristot. eth. l. 9 c. 11. p. 912. Homer, Il. l. 13. p. 250. & l. 6. p. 109. Odyss. δ. p. 44. more, as would make you weary to hear them named. Nor do I speak only of Couples, but of whole Societies and Sects; whose astonishing Love to one another hath raised them Monuments in story, which will endure as long as the Sun and Moon. Such as the p Val. Max. 1. 2. c. 6. p. 50. Cimbri and Celtiberians in Valerius Maximus; The q Xen. exp. Cy. l. 1. p. 212. friends of Cyrus in Xenophon; The r Thucyd. l. 2. p. 124. 125. Athenians in Thucydides; The s Polyb. l. 2. p. 147. Megal●politans in Polybius; The men of t Val. Max. l. 6. c. 6. Liv. l 21 c. 14. l. 23. c. 20. Saguntum and Petellia; The many u Solduni apud Aquitanoes. Societas Hunnorum. Sodales Antonini. Tauri apud Scythas. Fratres Arwale: {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Apud Aegyptios. Alex. ab Alex▪ Dier. Genial▪ l. 1. c. 26. p. 74. 75. Societies reckoned up by Alexander ab Alexandro, who had all things in common of every kind, and as well their sufferings, as their enjoyments. Insomuch that if one did lose a limb by any accident, all the rest were to cut off theirs, that in every Circumstance of Adversity, they might all be equal and alike. Thus there were multitudes of men who loved each other unto the Death; And some beyond it, as far as * Diodor. Sic. l. 4. p. 266. Talis etiam Roboaldus, occidentalis Fris●ae Rex ultimus, à Carolo magno profligatus. Hell. Yet very far were those Pagans from being known by such love, to have been either the Disciples of Christ or Moses. 'Twas little better than the love of King Perus his Elephant, and other generous beasts, which have exposed their own lives to save their Riders. There is a † Homer. Odyss. ρ. p. 251. 256. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Id. Iliad. ρ. p. 322. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Vid. Plin. l. 8. c. 42. Solin. c. 47. Virgil. l. 11. Tranquillum in vitâ Caesaris. Aelian. de Animal. l. 10. c. 17. natural kindness and Generosity, which is common to men with the meanest Creatures; and so hath nothing of affinity with what is intended in the Text. Nay if we reflect upon ourselves, upon whom the name of Christ is called, we must not imagine we have attained unto that excellent Love which is here required, because we find (upon inquiry) that we are loving to our friends; or because we have our † Isa. 1. 13. solemn meetings; or stand * Sariaster adversus patrem cruenta conspiration faedus fecit. Val. Max. l. 9 c. 11. p. 287. fast to one another as drivers on of a design. For as there are many sorts of Love which are not rational, and pure, as not proceeding from a right principle; so there are many things too which are but the Counterfeits of love, and yet are called by that Name, because they look extremely like it. The Devils themselves have their combination, they are still at † Luk. 11. 18. agreement among themselves, so as Satan is never divided against Satan; but 'tis from a principle of Policy, and not of Love. Even rebels and schismatics (the greatest enemies of Church and state) are wont to * Psal. 56. 6. hold altogether and keep themselves close; but from a principle of Faction, and not of Love. We read of † Luk. 23. 12. Pilate, and Herod, that they were solemnly made friends; but from a principle of Hatred to an innocent Christ, not of love to one another. The world is full of such Merchants, as keep a good correspondence, and are punctual Dealers with one another; but from a principle of traffic, and not of true Love. The friends of Ceres & Bacchus, Vide Philonem {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} p. 693. have their times of Feasting and Good-fellowship, their times of enjoying the Creature-Comforts; but from a principle of looseness, and not of Love. Many love the merry meeting, but not the men whom they meet. Or if they are Lovers of the men, 'tis far from being * Luk. 6. 33. Mat. 5. 46. thankworthy. For even the Publicans and Sinners do love those that love them; but from a principle of Nature, and not of Grace. It being a mere self-Love, which makes them so to love others. Nay farther yet, A man may do the very things which are the principal offices and works of Love, for which (not his Love, but) only his vanity is to be thanked. He may bestow his whole substance to feed the poor, and yet may perish for want of Love. He may dare to die a pretended Martyr by giving his body to be burnt, And yet he may be frozen for want of Love. So I collect from the Apostle, 1 Cor. 13. 3. It concerns us therefore to know, what love this is, (having seen what it is not,) by which a man may be known to be Christ's Disciple. And the shortest way to know this, is to reflect a while on the Love of Christ. For such as was his Love to us, such must ours be to Him and to one another. We have his own word for it in the verse immediately before my Text, and c. 15. v. 10, 12. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love. (v. 10.) And this is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. (v. 12.) Now we know the Love of Christ was both extrensively, and intensively great; and proposed (in both respects) not more to our wonder, than imitation. First it was so extensively▪ Great, as that it reached to All in general, (1 Tim. 4. 10.) to every man in particular, (Heb. 2. 9) not to a world of men only, as that may signify a part, but to all the whole world without exception, (1 Ioh. 2. 2.) without exception of the ungodly, (Rom. 5. 6.) without exception of enemies, (Rom. 5. 10.) without exception of them that perish, (2 Pet. 2. 1.) And so intensively great was the Love of Christ, that it made him empty himself of glory, and become of * Phil. 2. 7. no reputation; † Isa. 53. 3. it made him a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; indeed an intimate Acquaintance of the most heart-breaking grief, that ever was suffered on this side Hell. It put him upon the vassalage of * Joh. 13. 5. washing and wiping his servants feet; It made him † Phil. 2. 8. obedient unto the Death, and to seek the lives of his Enemies, whilst his enemies sought his; He in order to their safety, as they in order to his ruin. It made him once our Priest after the order of Aaron, and our Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. For us he descended into hell; for us he ascended into Heaven; for us he maketh intercession at the right hand of God, Rom. 8. 34. Thus Christ, as our Master, hath set us a Copy of His Love, to the end that we, as his Disciples, might do our utmost to take it out. Our Love must be so extensive, that it must reach even to All; not only to all our fellow-Disciples, but to all men living upon the Earth; it must reach unto our Enemies, and of them to all sorts too; not only to those without the pale of the Church, (who do us little or no hurt) even Jews, Turks, Infidels, and heretics, for whom we pray once a year in our English Liturgy; But to our crueler Enemies within the Church, our particular Persecutors and Slanderers, for whom we pray in our Liturgy three times a week. Indeed the Hypocrites of the Synagogue did constrain the word Neighbour to signify nothing but a Friend; Mat. 5. 43. esteeming it godliness, and Zeal, to hate an Enemy. And some there are even in Christendom, who feigning God from all Eternity to have hated more than he loved, think they acquit themselves fairly (and look upon it in themselves as a godlike property) if they are much less inclinable to love then Hatred. They know they need not love more, than the Saviour of the world was pleased to die for; And easily taking it for granted, that he died only for some, they think they need not exhibit their love to all. Such men must be taught, that even our Enemies are to be treated as one sort of friends, and that the Scripture-word Neighbour extends to both; 'twas so extended even by * Exod. 23. 4, 5. Lev. 19 17, 18. Deut. 23. 7. Moses; and so by † Prov. 25. 21, 22. Vide Philonem {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 550. 551. Solomon; if by Moses and Solomon, much more by Christ; who having first commanded us to love our Enemies, to bless them that curse us, to oblige them that hate us, and to pray for them that are spiteful to us, gives us his reason in these words, because * Luk. 6. 35. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Hieroc. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 70. God also is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. Which is as much as to say, that in the extension of our kindness, we must be imitators of God. For so he tells us in the very next words, † Verse 36. be ye merciful as your Father in Heaven is merciful. And when a Jew asked the Question, * Luk. 10. 20. Who is my Neighbour? Our Saviour answered him by a Parable of a Jew and a Samaritan, not of a Jew and a Jew. Whereby we are given to understand, that all are our Neighbours who stand in Need. Let that need be what it will, A need of our Pardon or our Purse, we must not only forgive them in case they reduce us to want of Bread, but we must give them our † Rom 12. 20 Bread too, in case they want it. We must pray for them, and pity them, and endeavour to melt them to reconcilement; we must do them all the good offices within our power, excepting such as are apt to hurt them; we must show them such favours as may help to raise them out of the Pit, not such as may sink them the faster in; we must not be so rudely civil, so discourteously complaisant, as to * Lev. 19 17. suffer their sins to be upon them without disturbance, but must rather oblige them with our † Ibid. rebukes; lest for want of such favours they go down quietly to destruction. For so runs the precept, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, (on the contrary) thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother, and shalt not suffer Sin upon him. Although a man be so scandalous as to be shut out of our * 2 Thes. 3. 14. company by the direction of the Apostle, yet the same Apostle tells us, we must not count him as an Enemy, but admonish him as a brother, 2 Thes. 3. 15. And from hence we are to argue à minori ad majus. For if our Love must thus extend to Enemies, how much more to such as are friends? friends to our persons, and to our God too? The love of Ch●ist had degrees, & so must ours. As the Apostle tells concerning Christ, he is the Saviour of all, but especially of them that believe (1 Tim. 4. 10.) so the same Apostle doth also tell us of ourselves, we must do good unto All men, but especially to them who are of the household of faith (Gal. 6. 10.) And even of those that are faithful, a primary care is to be taken for them that are of our own Country. † {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} &c. ●●em. Rom. in ep. ad. Cor. p. 70. It was not only for God's sake that David was kind unto Jerusalem, but for his Brethren and Companions sake he prayed to God for her, and did his utmost to do her good, (Psal. 122. 8.) Our Saviour being himself an Israelite, did * M●t. 15. 24, 26. prefer the lost sheep of the House of Israel. How kind was Moses to His Countrymen, when he became for their sakes extremely cruel unto Himself? Lord (saith he) if thou wilt, forgive their Sin; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of the book which thou hast written, Exod. 32. 32. As if salvation itself could hardly please him, unless his Countrymen might have it, as well as He. Nor was the passion of St. Paul inferior to it, who for the love he bare unto His Countrymen, whom he calls his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh, was ready to wish himself accursed, and utterly cut off from the body of Christ. (Rom. 9 2▪) As if he cared not what became of him, so that his Countrymen might be saved. But many times our nearest Countrymen may become our worst Neighbours; and, in respect of their Religion, dwell farthest off too. To a man that is born in Judea, A good Samaritan ought to be dearer, than a cruel Jew. * 2 Cor. 11. 26. St. Paul, and the Christians † Thes. 2. 14. of Thessalonica, were never used with more rigour, then by the men of their own country. And our saviour's words are very remarkable, that except it be in▪ his own country, a Prophet is never without honour, (Mat. 13. 57) But let him be in his own country and he hath no honour at all, (John 4. 44▪) Christ himself had lest there; and there he did the fewest Miracles; but that he did not more there then in other places, the only Cause was their unkindness. This is therefore the firmest Bond whereby to hold us together in peace and love, not that we are of one country, but that we are of one * Quan●● dig●●●Fratres & dicuntur & habentur, qui unum patrem Deum agnoverunt, qui de uno utero ignorantiae ejusdem ad unam lucem expiverint veritatis? Tert. Apol. c. 39 Christ; And can say of ourselves, with better reason, than it was anciently said of the Lomnini, That in all our bodies there is no more than one soul; or (to express it with St. Paul) that we have all but one Faith, one baptism, one Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. (Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6.) If we will manifest to the world, and prove convincingly to ourselves, that we are really the Followers and Friends of Christ, It must be by a burning and shining Love. A love of men, and not of God only. And a Love of men it must be, in which the true Love of God is not excluded, but presupposed. Not a love of ourselves only, (Condemned so much by the * 2 Tim. 3. 2. Apostle) but a Love of others as ourselves; if not as much, yet as well; if not in that measure, yet in the very same manner, in which we are obliged to love ourselves. And it must be Dilectio Amoebaea, a mutual Love; a giving and taking of affections. Indeed rather than fail, we must pledge them in Love, who do begin to us in hatred. But to make 〈◊〉 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, or Love-Feast indeed, (such as ●ith which the blessed Apostles did once adorn both the Doctrine and the Discipleship of Christ,) It must be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Love interchanged with one another. The chiefest requisites of our Love must be Sincerity and Fervour. As St. Paul speaks to the Romans, we must be kindly affectioned one towards another, so as our lov● may be brotherly, and without dissimulation. (Rom. 12. 9, 10.) we must not be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, double-sould men, (Jam. 1. 8.) but must carry our meaning in our foreheads, and hold our hearts in our hands. Not love in word, neither in Tongue, but in deed and in Truth. (1 John 3. 18.) we must not look every man at his own things only, but every man at the things of others, (Phil. 2. 4.) If we are owners of such a love, as is a Testimony and proof of our real Discipleship under Christ, The same mind will be in us which was in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2. 5.) And if so, we shall be ready to stoop (as he * Joh. 13. 5. did) to the meanest offices of love, even to wash, and to wipe the very feet of our Inferiors, we shall willingly bear one another's burdens, (Gal. 6. 2.) by love serving one another. (Gal. 5. 13.) And in honour preferring one another, (Rom. 12. 10.) Nay, if the same mind be in us which was in Christ Jesus, (as the Apostle tells us it ought to be) our love will be so intensive, as to make us lay down our lives for the Brethren. And so St. John tells us we ought to do, 1 John 3. 16. If no diviner love of one another were meant by our Saviour in my Text, than what was so frequently exacted under the pedagogy of Moses, our Saviour would certainly have said, An old commandment I give unto you, it having been said to them of old, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Levit. 19 18. But here he calls it a new commandment; which we cannot imagine he would have done, had there been nothing in its subject but what was old. No, he might very well call it a New commandment, not only for that reason, (which I find given by St. * Novum mandatum appellatur, quia exuto vetere i●duit nos hominem novum. Austin) because it prescribes us such a love, as by which we cast off the old man, and put on the new; but because it prescribes us such a love, as never was thought upon before, much less delivered under precept, to any Sect or Society of Jews, Aug. Tract. 64. in Io. in ●i. Tom. 9 & Tract. 6. in Io. in in●●●o Tom. 9 or Gentiles. Had his commandment been no more, then that we love one another, it had been old with a witness; no doubt I may say, as old as Adam. But because he added [a Sicut Ego] that we must love one another, even as he hath loved us, (which was with such a new Love, as till he came into the world, was never heard of,) he had reason to call it a New commandment. For although St. John saith, Brethren, I write * 1 Joh. 2. 7. & 2 Joh. 5. no New commandment, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning, yet he means no more by that word, than the first beginning of Christianity, which was with the preaching of the Gospel by Jesus Christ. Remember therefore (I beseech you) what Love this is, which is the Badge and Cognisance of our profession; the mark of difference betwixt the Sheep and the Goats, and which is not exacted from Men as Men, but from Christians as they are Christians. We must not love as They do, who * Psal. 73 8. Non sicut se diligunt qui corrumpunt; nec sicut se diligunt homines, quia homines sunt; sed sicut se diligunt qui Dei sunt & filii altissimi, &c. August. loco sepra cit. corrupt one another (as S▪ Austin speaks) with a merely seditious or schismatical Love; nor must we love as They do, who only love one another for filthy Lucre; much less as They do, who love one another for filthy Lust; Nor must we love as They do, whose love consisteth only in this, that they agree in the hatred of some third Party; Nor must we only love as They do, who love one another as they are Men only, that is, as they are sociable and civil Creatures. But we must love one anothher as benig Lovers of God, and as being such whom God loves; as being * Luk. 6. 35. Children of the Highest, and * Sic mutuo fatres vocamus, ut unius Dei parents omnes, ut consortes Fidei, ut spei Cohaeredes. Minut. Faelix. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Philo {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p 554. younger Brothers of our Redeemer, as being all made Consorts of the very same Hope, and all coheirs of the very same kingdom. Our Love must imitate the manner and the Degree of Christ's Love. For we must venture our Lives for the good of others, and even in spite of all Dangers which may happen to the Body, we must own, and propagate, and defend the Doctrines of the Gospel, which is the most we can do for the good of other men's Souls; and that which makes us most like a Saviour. The Gospel (I may say) is the Christian Scool, thither it is we go to learn, Christ is the Master of it in chief; All Christians are Schoolfellows, or Condisciples. The Love I have hitherto described is the highest Lesson which there is taught. Those Titular Christians who do not attain to this Love, are so many Dunces and Truants, fit to be turned out of the School. It is indeed a hard Lesson, for us to love one another even as Christ hath loved us; a Lesson only to be found in the School of Christ. But yet how Difficult soever, it is not impossible to be learned. For God is faithful, and expects not to reap, but after the measure that he hath sown; He will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able. If there is in us a willing mind, He accepts according to what we have, and not according to what we have not. The Grace of Christ is sufficient for us. And we can do all things through him that strengthens us. And therefore let us not despair of getting the Mastery over our Lesson; For we are all * 1 Thes. 4. 9 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, (as St. Paul speaks to the Thessalonians) immediately taught it by God himself. Now the more largely I have discovered, both what it is not, and what it is to love one another, as Christ requires, the fewer words will suffice to make it as clear as the Sun at Noon, that by this we must be known to be Christ's Disciples. For such a Love as This is, is the fulfilling of the Law. So saith the lawgiver * Mat. 7. 12. himself, Luk. 10. 27. Mat. 22. 40. and so his principal Apostle, Rom. 13. 8, 9, 10. where he speaks of Love in a Christian, as Demosthenes did of Pronunciation in an Orator. As if it were not only the first Thing, but also the second, and the third, and so indeed the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, the All in All of a Christian. For mark the words of that Apostle, whom we cannot accuse of vain, or needless Repition. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law (v. 8.) All the Commandments of the Law are comprehended even in this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself (v. 9) Love worketh no evil to his Neighbour, therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law (v. 10.) Three times in a breath, without so much as a Parenthesis, love is reckoned to be the Pandect of all things requisite to make a Saint. Nor let any man say within himself, How can this be? Since God's word tells us, that so it is. And yet I think it is easy to show you How too; For the whole Body of the Law moral doth consist of ten Members, which are called the Decalogue, or ten commandments of the Law. The Lord Jesus hath reduced those Ten to these Two, Thou shalt love thy God with all thy Heart, And thy Neighbour as thyself. On those two Hinges the very Door of Salvation doth seem to turn. For on those two precepts hang all the Law and the Prophets, (Mat. 22. 40.) But St. Paul hath reduced them all to One. For thus he speaks to the Galatians, * Gal. 5. 14. All the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. The reason is, because the Love of our Neighbour (in the high Degree I here speak of) doth carry along with it, the Love of God: Either of them (saith * Bene intelligentibus utrumque invenitur in singulis. Nam & qui diligit Deum, non eum potest contemnere praecipientem ut diligat proximum; & qui superne ac spiritualiter diligit proximum, quid in eo diligit nisi Deum? August. Tract. 65. in Joh. à med. Tom. 9 Austin) is inferred by either; for if we really love God, we shall obey him when he commands us to love our Neighbour, and if we really love our Neighbour, it is for the Love which we bear to God. Observe the logic, by which St. John argues both backward and forward. By this we know we love the Children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments, 1 Jo. 5. 2. There he argues from the first Table to the second. Now observe how he argues from the second to the first, and that two ways, both in the Negative and the Affirmative. In the Negative thus; He that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 Jo, 4. 10. He that shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from his brother, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? 1 Jo. 3. 17. Again he argues it in the Affirmative. We know that we have passed from death unto life, if we love the brethren, 1 Jo. 3. 14. Hereby we know wear of the Truth, and have Confidence towards God, if we keep his commandments: And this is his commandment, that we love one another (v. 19 to v. 23.) Hence you see it is evident, There is not a clearer Demonstration of our loving God with all our hearts, than the loving our Neighbour as ourselves. From whence it follows, that every sin must needs argue some want of Love. For if against the first Table, it is through a want of some love to God. And if against the second, it must needs be for want of some love to Men. Again, it follows on the contrary, that where Love is perfect and entire, no commandment can be broken. For, loving God with all our hearts, we shall keep the first Table; and loving our Neighbour as ourselves, we shall not fail to keep the second. What I have showed in the Great, I can easily show in the Retail too, to wit, that Love is the fulfilling of the Law. For if we love God as we ought to do, we shall certainly have no God but Him. Much less shall we worship a Graven Image. We shall not lift up his Name in vain. Nor shall we fail to keep holy his Holy days. And if we love our Neighbour as Christ requires, we shall be sure to render to every man his Due. And so by consequence we shall honour all our Parents and Superiors, whether public, or private, ecclesiastical, or civil. Then for the Neighbour who is equal, or in any degree inferior to us, we shall be sure not to injure him in any kind. From whence it follows, we shall not kill; (for that were to injure him in his Life.) Nor commit adultery; (for that were to injure him in his Wife.) Nor steal or Plunder;) for that were to injure him in his Goods.) Nor bear false Witness; (for that were to injure him in his good Name.) And as we shall not thus injure him either in Deed, or in Word, so if we love him as ourselves, or as Christ loved us, we shall not do him any injury, no not so much as in our Thoughts; we shall not covet, or be desirous of any thing that is our Neighbours. Thus the four Precepts of the first Table, and the six Precepts of the second; Or if there is any * Rom. 13. 9 other Precept besides these Ten, they all are briefly comprehended in this one word, Thou shalt love, thy Neighbour as thyself. And so I hope by this time, we are all of one mind, as touching this Grand characteristic by which we are to be known to be Christ's Disciples; The peculiar Note of Distinction, by which we are taken from out the world, as it were severed and set apart, from all other societies and sorts of men, whether their ringleaders and Masters are Jews or Gentiles. First for the Gentiles, ye may know the Disciples of Zoroastres, by their belief of two gods, and their incestuous wedlocks. Ye may know the Disciples of the Brahmins, by their unparalled self-denials in food and raiment. Ye may know the Disciples of Pythagoras, by their Reverence to the numbers of four and seven. And the Disciples of Plato, by their fanciful Idaea's in the concave of the Moon. And the Disciples of Zeno, by their Dreams of apathy and Fate. And the Disciples of Mahomet, as well by the filthiness of their paradise, as by their desperate Tenet of God's Decrees. And then for the Jews, ye may know the Disciples of the Scribes, by their Traditional corruptions and their expositions of the Law. Ye may know the Disciples of the Pharisees, by their Form of godliness, and their * Matth. 23. 28. appearing righteous unto men. Ye may know the Disciples of the Sadducees, by their denial of Providence and their disbelief of the Resurrection. Ye may know the Disciples of the Esseni, by their overstrict Sabbatizing. And the Disciples of the Nazarites, by their abstinence from the flesh of all living creatures. And the Disciples of the Hemerobaptists, by their every day washings from Top to Toe. Ye may know the Disciples of John the Baptist, by their remarkable Fastings, and other Austerities of Life. But by this shall all men know that ye are all the Disciples of Jesus Christ, If ye love one another, even as Christ hath loved you. Whilst I am thinking what proper Uses are to be made of this Scripture, the words of St. Paul which he writ to Timothy do straight occur to my remembrance; All Scripture (saith he) is by divine Inspiration, and is profitable for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be furn●shed unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. Were there no other Scripture, then that with which I have entertained you, I should think it very profitable for each of those ends, and esteem the preacher well furnished for every good work. First, it is profitable for Doctrine, because it teacheth such as are ignorant, the true importance of Christianity, which doth not consist (as some would have it) in our being born of godly Parents, believing the History of the Gospel, making profession of zeal to Christ, posting up and down from Sermon to Sermon, making many and long prayers, or whatsoever is comprehended under the Form of Godliness, that is, the Image, the Picture, the Counterfeit of Devotion, (as the word in the * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, 2 Tim. 3. 5. Original doth very naturally import, 2 Tim. 3. 5.) For many profess to know God, who in their works deny him † Tit. 1. 16. . And let a man's profession be what it will, yet if he act in contradiction to the commandments of Christ, that very acting is nothing better, than a Denial of the Faith. And so 'tis called by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5. 8. Christianity doth not consist then in such a sanguine presumption, as some call Faith; in such a carnal security, as some call Hope; in such a parcel of * Jam. 2. 16. fair words, as some call Charity; in such a † 2 Cor. 7. 10. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. worldly sorrow, as some call Repentance: But it consists in such a Faith, as * Gal. 5, 6. worketh by Love; in such a Hope, as doth * 1 Joh. 3. 3. cleanse and purify; in such a Charity, as worketh no ill to his neighbour; but is (on the contrary) the † Rom. 13 10 fulfilling of the Law; and in such a Repentance, as shows itself by amendment, and change of life, bringing forth * Mat. 3. 8. fruits meet for Repentance. Whatever some Mockers are wont to say; we find by the Tenor of the Gospel, that a material part of Godliness is moral honesty. The chief ingredients in a Christians life, are acts of justice, and works of Mercy; than which there was nothing more conspicuous in the life of Christ. The second Table is the touchstone of our obedience unto the first. Our chiefest duty towards God, is our duty towards our Neighbour. God will have justice and Mercy to be performed to one another, before he accepts of any sacrifice which can be offered unto himself. For what saith our Saviour? If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, Mat. 5. 23, 24. and there remember'st that thy Brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy Brother, and then come and offer thy gift. As if he should have said, Get thee gone, and be Honest, before thou talk'st of being Godly. Now together with this, compare St. John's way of reckoning * 1 Joh. 3. 10 . In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil, whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother * Ve●s. 14. . And we know that we have passed from Death unto Life, because we love the Brethren. Nor doth our Saviour say (in my Text) By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if they see ye love God, But by this they shall know it, if ye love one another. Because our love of one another doth presuppose we love God; which 'tis * 1 Joh. 4. 20 impossible we should do, in case we love not one another. For he that hateth his Brother is a Murderer, and abideth in Death, 1 Joh. 3. 14, 15. Thus ye see how this Scripture is profitable for doctrine. And as for doctrine, so also for Reproof. Because it serves to convince us of the small proportion of Christianity, which is to be found amongst men who are commonly called Christians. How much there is of the word, and how little of the thing. When the son of man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth? Luk 18. 8. Yes, store of that Faith, which will ever be common to men with * Jim. 2. 19 Devils. But when the Son of man cometh, shall he find justice, shall he find Mercy, shall he find Love upon the Earth? shall he find that Faith which worketh by Love? and which worketh by such a Love, as is the mother of Obedience? and the mother of such obedience, as is impartially due to the Law of Christ? Alas! how frequent a thing is it, for Christians to persecute their fellow-Christians, and then to reckon it as the character of their Discipleship under Christ? As if they read the Text backwards, Joh. 16. 2. or understood it by an Antiphrasis, supposing Christ had meant thus, By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye Hate one another. Will it not be a very sad, and a shameful thing, if Jews and Gentiles shall rise in judgement against a great part of Christendom, whilst Christendom shall justify both Jews and Gentiles? First for the Jews, they are so much at unity amongst themselves, that however covetous in their particulars, and however cruel to us Christians; yet, they are kind to one another, and full of good works too. They suffer not the needy to go without his relief, nor the Captive without his ransom. Nay the * Joseph. Antiq. 18. 2. Philo Iud. in lib●o cui Titulus, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, p. 678. 680. Esseni (amongst the Jews) had all things in common; and, living Virgins themselves, bestowed their cost and their care in breeding other folk's children. Then, secondly, for the Gentiles, a Iliad. p. 109. Homer describes the love of Enemies; The b Hierocl. in {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} p. 65, 66, 70. Pythagoreans gave it in precept; and c Val. Max. l. 7. c. 8. p. 193, 194. Antius Restio's brave servant reduced the doctrine into practice. Whilst some of the Heathens do love their Enemies, were it not well if some Christians would love their Friends? What a scandal is it (at this day) to the Disciples of Mahomet (that grand Impostor) that the Spirit of Division should seem to reign, more amongst Christians then amongst them? Nay are there not many great Potentates, who profess to be the followers and friends of Christ, and yet are ready (at any rate) to buy peace of the Turk, to the end that they may break it with one another? Or (not to go so far from home) how little is there of Christianity, except the syllables and the sound, even in that part of Christendom, where Christ is most talked of? Amongst the many who are followers of the name of Christ, how few are followers of his Example? Mar 10 21. how far are they from giving all to the poor, who * Isa. 3. 15. & 47. 2. grind their faces as it were meal, and eat them up as it were * Psal. 14. 4. & 53. 4. Bread? how unlikely are they to iudure the bearing of the cross, who lay it so heavily upon other men's shoulders? how do they leave all and follow Christ, Mar. 10. 20. who take away all from them that follow him? How do they wrestle against powers and principalities, Eph. 6. 12. who flatter and syncretize with every thing that is mightiest? How do they abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thess. 5. 22. who have nothing of good but in appearance? Where are those pieces of Christianity, which are the grand characteristics whereby a Christian should be distinguished from Jew and Gentile? I fear the places are very few (though God be thanked some there are) where Christ may be known, by solid Love, to have real Disciples upon the earth. Thus you see how this Scripture doth furnish matter for Reproof. And as for Reproof, so withal for correction and instruction in righteousness. Because it serves to * Consule virum consummatissimum, D. D. H. in 2 Tim. 3. 16. reduce such as are wandering out of the way, and to build up such as have begun, or, as it were, set out in the way of righteousness. Whereby it brings me nearer and nearer to the more special end of our present meeting; which we are not only to celebrate, as a people born in the very same County, but as a people brought up too in the very same School; and deservedly dear to one another, not so much by being countrymen as Condisciples. Not Disciples under the Law, which was a rigid * Gal. 3. 24. School master to drive us on unto Christ; but Disciples under Christ, who was a gracious Schoolmaster to lead us on unto God. You know when I entered upon my Text, I told you it was a part of our Saviour's last will. And I must tell you, before I leave it, that the will was made for the behoof, as well of us, and of our children (upon whom the ends of the world are come) as for that dozen of Disciples to whom 'twas given by parole, 1 Cor. 10, 11. and with whom the Depositum was left in trust. They were the Witnesses, Overseers, and Executors in chief; But we the remotest of the Legataries have equal right with the most immediate. For this Testament (like the Sun) is so communicated to All, that every Christian in particular hath a full right unto the whole. Will ye know the reason? 'tis briefly this. The true intent of the Testator was to make us * 1 Tim. 6. 18. rich in good works, rich towards God, and to one another. But I may say of Right in such a Legacy, what Aristotle saith of the soul of man, that the whole is in the whole, and the whole in every part too. Nor is it left (as other Legacies) to be accepted, or refused, without offence. For what is allowed to be our privilege, is also enjoined to be our duty. In such a Legacy as this, we are not only permitted, but strictly obliged to claim our portions. For so run the words, A new commandment give I unto you. His command of our Acceptance was one part of the Gift; and made his Testament of force, not only * Heb. 9 17. after but before his death. Thus we see our obligation to fulfil the intent of the Testator. And to the end we might see it, the will is registered by St. John in this indelible Record. It lies upon us, this day, to give a proof unto the world of our Discipleship under Christ. As much as in us lies, through the grace of our God which is working in us, we must make this an imitable and an exemplary meeting. Every man must endeavour (as St. Paul exhorts his son Titus) to show himself a pattern of good works, Tit. 2. 7. Our love, as well as our moderation, * Phil. 4, 5. must be know unto all men. Our light of love (like the Sun) must cast a glory round about it, though not to this end, that men may see us, and glorify us, yet at least to this end, that men may see our * Mat. 5. 16. good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Or as 'tis expressed in my Text, that all men may know we are Christ's Disciples. Let us not walk after them, who open their meeting with a Sermon, and shut it up with a surfeit. But as we have happily begun with some Acts of sacrifice, so let us end more happily in works of mercy; for we are not invited to a Feast, like that of Herod, and the Israelites, who sat down (like Brutes) to eat and drink, and then (like wantons) rose up to play, (Exod. 32. 6.) This is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, a Grecian Feast of good fellowship; but a Christian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, or Feast of love. If you will know what that means, you must consult the second Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles; where you will find, in the co●clusion, Act. 2. 46. that they did not only continue daily in the Temple, but they did also break bread from house to house. They did enjoy their merry meetings of love and charity; for so it follows in the Text, * Ibid. They did eat their meat with gladness, as well as with singleness of heart. From whence I take out this Lesson, That Christianity is not a sullen thing, making every man's life a continual Lent, as the heretic * Illi tres in anno faciunt quadragesimas, quasi tres passi s●at salvato●●s. Hieron. in ep. ●d Ma cellam. ●ol. 406. Montanus would fain have had it. There is a difference very sufficient betwixt the Church of a Christian, and a Stoick's Porch. But withal let us ruminate on the two Verses going before, where they had all things in common, the rich distributing to the poor, (to every man his proportion) just according as they had need. Verse 44, 45. Neither was it upon a sudden, that charity grew to that coldness in which we find it. For * Quia animo animáque miscemur, nihil derei communicatione dubitamus. Omnia indiscreta apud nos sunt, praeter uxores. Tertull. in Apol. cap 39 Tertullian tells us, that (in his days) they had all things in common, except their wives. I do not press you to an equality, (for I think the Age will not bear it) I only plead for a similitude with what we find was the practice of better times. I do not urge you to be liberal beyond your pow●r (like the Primitive Christians of Macedonia, 2 Cor. 8. 3.) nor to part with your Riches in exchange for deep Poverty, that through your poverty the poor may grow Rich, (as St. Paul speaks of our Saviour, v. 9) For when the Age is Iron, I cannot hope I am speaking to such a gold●n flock of Hearers, as will endure to be preached into so much purity. All I exhort you to, is this, That ye will be but as ingenuous as the Heathen Emperor Severus, that is, that ye will do as ye would be done by, and at least be liberal * 2 Cor. 8 3. to your power; and that ye will so show mercy, as ye hope to find it. Ye cannot call it a Feast of Love, where some are drunk, whilst some are hungry, (as it seems at * 1 Cor. 11. 21. Corinth some such there were.) A true Feast of Love must be for all comers, as well for the poor, as for the rich, or rather for the poor before the rich. For mark the words of our Saviour to one who invited him to a Feast, Luk. 14. from v. 12. to v. 15. where first he adviseth in the Negative; Luk. 14. 12. When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper, call not thy Friends, nor thy Brethren, neither thy Kinsmen, nor thy rich Neighbours, lest they also bid thee again, and so recompense be made thee. From whence we learn this Lesson, That 'tis true * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Aristot. Eth. l. 8. p. 816. courtesy indeed, to be afraid of a requital. He is a Mercenary Feaster, whose Guests are all Entertainers as apt and able as himself. For one rich man to invite another, is no more in effect, than to make an exchange of good Cheer; to commute a Dinner for a Supper; and what is that to be esteemed, but a more Gentlemanly Barter? A buying and and selling of Entertainments? Our Saviour therefore goes on to the positive part of his Advise. Vers. 13. When thou makest a Feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, adding this for a reason, because they cannot recompense thee again. Vers. 14. Which is as much as to say, that the noblest motive to our Beneficence should be the poverty of the object on which 'tis fastened, and the greatest impossibility of the least Requital upon earth. It is always * Acts 20. 35. more blessed to give than to receive, (as our saviour's words are recorded in the Nazarene gospel) but then especially, when we give with an assurance, that (on this side heaven) we shall not receive. Yet even in this case also, the merciful man is a projector, and driving on his own interest; bestowing a little here on earth, for a large Recompense in Heaven. For so saith our Saviour in the next words of that Verse, (giving the reason of that reason he gave before) * Vers. 14. Thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Dead. Say then, my Brethren. When God professeth to be our * Prov. 19 17. debtor for all we give unto the poor, and gives us his word for a * Ibid. Repayment, and when Christ becomes our security, Mat. 19 29. that all we lend shall be returned a hundred fold into our bosoms; * Luk. 6. 38. what kind of reason can be imagined why one Rich man will lend his money unto another, for six pounds in the hundred, or lay it out in some Trade (at most) for twenty in the hundred, rather than * Prov. 19 17. lend it unto the Lord (by having pity upon the poor) or * Mat. 13. 45, ●6. lay it out upon life eternal, whereby he shall not only receive six or twenty in the hundred, but exceedingly more, than a hundred-fold the very Principal? If you inquire into the reason, I am afraid you will find it to be but this, that they cannot easily trust God, or believe the Scripture, or accept of Christ for their security. Let me therefore say to as many of you as are superlatively Rich, That if ever you do expect to be * Luk. 16. 22. carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom, you must think yourselves obliged to take Lazarus into your own. And let me say to as many of you as are comparatively poor, that rather than fail of being merciful, ye must * Eph. 4. 28. work with your hands the thing that is good, that ye may have to give to him that needeth. St. Paul's own hands did administer to his necessities; and not only to his, but to theirs also that were with him, Act. 20. 43. The strong aught by their labour to * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Philo {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 557. support the weak, (v. 35.) Rather than any man should want, who is not able to earn his Bread, He hath a right to eat it in the sweat of our Brows. For there is one sort of poor, who are an honourable Order and Rank of men, as being Iure Divine, of God's immediate * Deut. 15. 11. 1 Sam. 2. 7. institution. And our Lord himself, that * Mal. 4. 2. Sun of righteousness, when he was here in his Hypogae●, was pleased to make himself free of that Company; He became the head of that Order. For whilst he lived, he lived upon alms, (Luk. 8. 3.) the Foxes were not so poor, for they had holes; the Fowls of the air were not so destitute, for they had nests; but the Son of man (said the Son of man himself) had not where to lay his head. (Mat. 8. 20.) And then when he was dead, He was fain to be buried upon other folk's charges. (Luk. 23. 53. 56.) Ye must not therefore neg●ect the poor, unless you dare * Prov. 14. 31. reproach your Maker; or, unless ye dare despise that, which Christ himself in his person was pleased to honour. The Infidels provided as well for those of their own country, as for those of their own House. And St. Paul implies by the word [ * 1 Tim. 5. 8. especially] that Christians ought to provide for both, unless they dare be worse than Infidels. From all which it is evident, that they who are of your country, yet not admitted to your Feast, and that for no other * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Philo. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 544. fault than their being poor, must have such provision made for them, that they may fare the better for being Hungry. But yet I am not at an end of my Exhortation. For in vain do rich men conspire, to refresh the Bowels of the poor, Philem. 7. whilst by envy, or Animosity, or by vexatious Suits at Law, they do impoverish the Rich too. It is not true Charity they show to others, if they nourish Contention amongst themselves. Men may be liberal to their Vanities, and bestow a great deal of Riches in Ostentation to the poor, and yet be still strangers to Christian charity, if they will not let fall a quarrel, or Suit at Law, until they are utterly disenabled to hold it up. The wise Disciples of * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Hierocl. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. p. 61. Pythagoras would rather quit their own right in matter of Riches, or Honour, or worldly greatness, then run the hazard of breaking peace in any such carnal considerations. And therefore (my Brethren) let me conjure you, not so much by that common, but civil Interest, which you have in one country, as by that common, and sacred Interest, which you have in one Christ, that all your Contentions (from this day forward) may be swallowed up in this one, who shall show the greatest Zeal, and who shall use the best endeavours, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. Eph. 4. 3. That however your Feast is but once a jeer, yet your peace and your unity may be all the year long. Remember the saying of St. James, That to love one another, as you love your own selves, is to fulfil the Royal Law, Jam. 2. 8. If Jesus Christ is a royal Saviour, and if his Law is a royal Law, than all true Christians must needs be Royalists; that is, obedient to the Precepts of Christ their King. Remember the saying of * 1 Cor. 12. 13. St. Paul, That by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body; whether Jew's, or Gentiles, bound or free, of different countries, or of the same, we have been all made to drink into one Spirit * Vers. 27. Ye are the Body of Christ, and members in particular. * Vers. 25. Phil. 4. 8 Let there be no schism in the Body. But whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good Report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, Chap. 2. v. 1. if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any Bowels and Mercies, Think on these things. And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly; that the * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. whole of you, both body, 1 Thess. 5. 23. soul, and spirit, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now unto him who is able to keep us from falling, Jude 24. and to raise us when we are down, and to present us being risen, before the presence of his Glory, with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, even to God the Father, who hath created us in love by his mighty power, to God the Son, who hath redeemed us in love by his precious Blood, and to God the Holy-Ghost, who hath prepared us in love by his sanctifying Grace, and thereby given us a Pledge of our future Glory, to the holy, individual, and Glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God, be ascribed by us, and by all the world, Blessing, Rev. 5. 12, 13. and Glory, and Honour, and Power, and wisdom, and Thanksgiving, from this day forward, and for evermore. THE END. Books written by the same Author, and lately published, Viz. 1 THE Sinner impleaded in his own Court; wherein are represented, the great discouragements from sinning, which the Sinner receiveth from sin itself, &c. 8 2. The Christians Rescue from the Grand Error of the Heathen, touching the fatal necessity of all Events, and the dismal consequences thereof which have slily crept into the Church. 4 Sold by Richard Royston at the angel in Ivy-lane.