ΘΕΙΟΝΕΝΩΤΙΚΟΝ,  
A DISCOURSE OF HOLY LOVE, By which the SOUL is united unto GOD.  
Containing the various Acts of Love, the proper Motives, and the Exercise of it in order to Duty and Perfection.  
WRITTEN IN SPANISH By the learned CHRISTOPHER de FONSECA, Done into English with some Variation and much Addition,  
By Sr GEORGE STRODE KNIGHT.  
LONDON, Printed by J. Flesher, for Richard Royston, at the Angel in Ivy-lane. 1652.   


Charity   
  

The Epistle Dedicatory.  
Dear Children,  
THE good old Patriarch Jacob, constrained in his later days to live in a strange Country, considered the manner how to make himself happy, and to bless his Children before his death; Such were the thoughts of my heart, in these sad distracted times, when, in the declination of my age, I was enforced to eat my bread in foreign parts; where, having abandoned the thorny cares, and troubled cogitations of worldly employments, some way to alienate the weight of my pressing afflictions, I resolved by studious endeavours to find the right and true way to my eternal habitation, and heavenly Country as it is manifested in the book of God, which although alsufficient every way for man's salvation; yet I omitted not to cast mine eyes on such objects, as might prove helps to discover the clearest and easiest paths for my better conduct thereunto, to which end amongst other books, I translated this treatise entitled the Love of God, Compiled in Spanish by the learned Christopher De Fonseca.  
This when I had finished, and considered that the general subject of the whole work was love, and the several parts thereof might tend to the better ordering of a Godly, Moral and Civil life, I knew not unto whom more fitly to recommend it, as the Legacy of a dying man, then to you my dear children, the living Cions of my Corporal stock, and the comfortable cares of my drooping age, and this I do the rather bequeath unto you, as confident that you like Noah's good children, will not only turn your own eyes from your father's nakedness (in this his undertaking) but as much as in you is, labour to cover the same from others.  
But that which especially invites me to address this tract unto you, is that you may not only be put in mind (so far as God shall enable you) to imitate your father, in Holy Love, whereby I may seem to revive and live again in you, but that making yourselves first Scholars and followers, and then having your hearts replenished with the Spirit of Love, and your feet conducted in the right paths of Charity you may become guides of others unto the heavenly Canaan.  
After which as my soul ever longed, move then after all earthly goods, worldly contents or fleshly delights, so that herein you may imitate and exceed me your father, is the earnest desire, hearty counsel and most fervent prayer of  
Your most tender affectionate father, GEORGE STRODE.   

The Contents.  

Chapter. 1. OF the division of Love into its kinds. Fol. 1  
Chapter. 2. What love is, and how it is the cause of all our passions. Fol. 3  
Chapter. 3. Of the power and force of love. Fol. 6  
Chapter. 4. That love is silent yet active. Fol. 9  
Chapter. 5. How love lesseneth or facilitateth things most difficult. Fol. 11  
Chapter. 6. Love extracteth delights and glory, out of sufferings and torments. Fol. 13  
Chapter. 7. Love transformeth the lover into the thing beloved. Fol. 15  
Chapter. 8. Vehement love causeth ecstasies. Fol. 19  
Chapter. 9 Love exchangeth and counterchangeth all with its beloved. Fol. 21  
Chapter. 10. The motives and causes of love. Fol. 25  
Chapter. 11. Love is only conquered and remunerated with love. Thus far of love in general. Fol. 29  
Chapter. 12. The love of God is not to be parrallelled. Fol. 33  
Chapter. 13. By the same means that man's love decreaseth, God's love increaseth. Fol. 36  
Chapter. 14. God's jealousy. Fol. 39  
Chapter. 15. God's revealing his secrets unto man is a great demonstration of his love. Fol. 40  
Chapter. 16. God seemeth to be solitary without man. Fol. 42  
Chapter. 17. Charity is the most eminent amongst all the virtues. Fol. 44  
Chapter. 18. Our love to God is to precede all other loves. Fol. 47  
Chapter. 19 God must be loved with the whole heart. Fol. 52  
Chapter. 20. The love of the heavenly Angels unto man. Fol. 58  
Chapter. 21. Of the love which man oweth to his neighbour. Fol. 61  
Chapter. 22. The manner how we are to love our neighbour. Fol. 72  
Chapter. 23. That we ought to love our enemies. Fol. 77  
Chapter. 24. Motives and reasons inducing love to our enemies. Fol. 86  
Chapter. 25. To pardon is a sign of honour, and of pusillanimity to revenge. Fol. 93  
Chapter. 26. Of friendship. Fol. 102  
Chapter. 27. Of the comfort and benefit of friendship. Fol. 111  
Chapter. 28. Of self-love. Fol. 115  
Chapter. 29. Temporal goods cannot give content. Fol. 121  
Chapter. 30. Temporal goods deserve not man's love. Fol. 123  
Chapter. 31. The brevity, frailty, mutability, uncertainty and misery of man's life abateth the love thereof. Fol. 140  
Chapter. 32. The honour of this world deserveth not man's love. Fol. 157  
Chapter. 33. Pleasures and delights are not worthy of man's love. Fol. 168  
Chapter. 34. Of the love of women. Fol. 175  
Chapter. 35. Of the inordinate love of eating and drinking. Fol. 185  
Chapter. 36. Of the immoderate love of apparel. Fol. 195  
Chapter. 37. Of favourites to Princes, and Conquerors in war. Fol. 202  
Chapter. 38. Of the mutual love of the married couple. Fol. 208  
Chapter. 39 Of the love of Parents and Children. Fol. 247  
Chapter. 40. Of the love of our native Country. Fol. 262    

Holy Love.  

CHAP. I. The division of Love into its kinds.  
THat which is most pleasing and delightful to the Soul and Nature of man, next unto God, is Love. Of which I intending to speak, (by way of Preface) I must tell you that there are two kinds of Love; the one metaphorically so termed, which is that natural inclination in things insensate, and irrational, whereby they are moved according to that, which may most work to their rest, or better being. By the power and strength of this Love, the fire ascends, the earth descends, the air and water ever strive to attain and reach their own Region, or place; wherein, and where, (never till then) they are at rest.  
And I may not altogether improperly call that quality, strength, or virtue, Love; which doth so unite, and knit all the parts of this great world (the Universe) together, that without it, both it, and all the parts thereof, would soon be dissolved and come to nothing, of what they are. An ancient Philosopher called this kind of love, unity; and to this loving unity, other Philosophers attributed so much, that they conceived the whole world, and all in it, to be nothing else but that, or but one entire thing; which, though consisting of many various and different natures, are yet by Love collected, drawn together, and knit into one; which so long as it holds to be one, becomes incorruptible.  
What is Music, but an harmony or consonancy of various discordant sounds? What's health, but a temper or accord of the elements and parts of the body? Some writ that the stone Tuces, if broken, though then less weighty, sinketh; but, so long as it is one, whole and entire, then, and so long it swimmeth, and keeps from sinking under water: and the like power hath love and unity in all other bodies.  
Consider and know, that if the Almighty Architect of the world had not breathed or infused a spirit of unity into the upper and celestial parts with the inferior elementary, that these had soon been scorched, and indeed consumed by those. Again, the inferior parts ever stand in need, and crave the help, benefit, or influence of those above them, as the earth of the water, the water of the air, the air of the fire, and the fiery element of the Heavens; in which if one Sphere should thwart, and not gently yield to the others influence or motion, they, as the inferior world, would suddenly perish and be consumed.  
The great Creator of these, and all things in, and under them, 
Genesis 1.31.  gave not the high praise and title of very good unto them, until himself, by his most admirable power and goodness, 
Gen. 1.31.  had united them by love, and so made them all one. I cannot but acknowledge, the saying of that Philosopher to be good and wise, who called this kind of love, the Soul of the world. For, as the soul gives life and motion unto the body: so doth love unto all other things; and as the soul cherisheth and enlightens the body: so doth love beautify and enrich the world.  
In a word, there is no creature, nor part of the world, either great or small, but hath, if not all, yet the greatest part of its perfection, subsistence, or continuance from this love.  
But besides this kind of love hitherto spoken of, which in unreasonable creatures may more strictly be called inclination; there is a love properly so termed, which hath its working in the will, both of God, Angels, and men. Parmenides (though an Heathen) could say, That love in God preceded the Chaos, or the creation of the world, as causing and making both. Take this love as in man, and then hear another Philosopher call it, the Pilot; a second, the Sun; a third, the guide and director of the will of man, and of all his choice actions.   

CHAP. II. What love is, and how it is the cause of all passions.  
THings high and immense, having some resemblance to infinity, hardly come under the limits of a strict definition: which hath caused the ancients to set forth love by Emblems and Hieroglyphics. Yet so, that some have in general described it by negatives: as that, it is a thing which is I know not what, affecteth and worketh I know not in what manner, and which hurteth I know not how. S. Gregory calls it, the fire in man's heart, which, according to the working thereof, either cherisheth, or destroyeth the Tabernacle of its residence: and it may well be conceived, that when the holy Ghost descended in the figure or show of fire, 
Act. 2.3.  that that fire signified the love and accord to be amongst the holy Apostles, being assembled together in one place; which is, the compliment and blessing of all good Assemblies, when they are all of one mind and one heart, in a godly innocent love. The fire which came from Heaven to consume the Sacrifice, God commanded ever to be continued, 
Levit. ●. 13.  that so it might never be extinguished, or put out. Isaiah saith, 
Isa. 31.9.  That God hath his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem: each, Symbols of God's love, burning in the temple of our souls. Now Philosophy teacheth, that love is a passion both of complacency, and such as fasteneth the thing or person beloved, in the heart of the lover; and it addeth, That this love is the original cause of all other passions in man, according as they please or displease, suit with, or are contrary to our love and desire.  
For the soul of man hath two great powerful faculties, called by Philosophers, the concupiscible and the irascible. In that are love, hate, desire, fear, joy, and sorrow, arising from the presence or absence of something or other, which is either truly or apparently good. And according as the concupiscible part is affected with grief, want, or loss of that which is desired: so, more or less, the irascible part is inflamed or incensed to the prosecution or revenge of the affronts or bereaving of the souls desire. S. Basil compared this passion unto the Shepherd's dog, more valued by him, than many of his sheep; not for that the dog hath any wool, or gives any milk, but because by his watchfulness and barking, he defendeth the flock from the wolf; and so the concupiscible faculty, or part of the soul, proposeth to itself matter of delight and content, and the irascible removeth or converteth the inconveniences and difficulties which cross or oppugn this desire. And these are the two wings wherewith man's soul flieth in the pursuit of great Acts, and without which, she appears as a Galley unoared, and a bird unwinged, each unable to move or help itself.  
A certain Philosopher hath compared the body of a man, to a Coach drawn with two horses. Conceive them to be love of good, and hatred of evil. But considering that they are disorderly, and ofttimes unruly, God hath assigned them a discreet guide, that is, reason, to rule and govern them. Seneca the Philosopher, calleth this the Guardian: and S. Augustine termeth it, the Author and Mover of all our actions, be they good or evil, as having tied at its girdle the keys of all our wills and affections.  
Betwixt love and concupiscence some put this difference: 1. That concupiscence aimeth at a supposed good that is absent: but love, both at the absent and present. 2. Concupiscence, after the having and enjoying the thing desired, (as being satisfied) groweth cold, or ceaseth for the present to desire: whereas love, by possessing and enjoying, increaseth, and is more ardent towards the thing beloved. For the possession or enjoyment of the thing beloved, serveth as fuel to continue and increase the flame or fire: whereas things desired by a concupiscence, being enjoyed, die, and are often resolved into the smoke of disgrace, or the ashes of hate.   

CHAP. III. The power and force of Love.  
SOlomon saith, Love is strong as death. But if we examine the strength of each, we shall find love to be the stronger. 
●antic. ●. 6.  'tis true, that all earthly things submit to the power of death; the young as the old, the King as the Peasant, the rich as the poor, the wise as the fool. Sceptres and spades are both alike to death. All know this truth; would we did but half so well consider and prepare for it.  
And as the jurisdiction of death, so is that of love, universal. None ever escaped the flames of this fire; not the Supremacy of the King, not the holiness of the Prophet, both proved in David: not the gravity of the high Priest, verified in Eli to his sons; not the wisdom of Solomon, nor the strength of Samson; all own homage, and pay their tribute to Love, as unto Death.  
When Solomon compared Loves force, to the power of death, he so compared it, because he could find no one thing so strong, to which he might have likened it. And if with the Hebrews there had been in their expressions any comparative degrees, I conceive Solomon would, as well he might, have said, That Love is stronger than Death; which will easily appear, if we compare the powerful acts of Love, with those of Death.  
For the power of Death is seen in that (as is before said) Kings, wise, rich, strong, young, all stoop and submit to the stroke of Death Nay, it you say further, That Death adventured upon, yea, and prevailed over the Son of God, the Saviour and life of the world: yet know, that all this was done, neither could it have been done, but only by the Love of Him, who submitted himself to this Death. For love it was, and only love, that wrestled with God, and overcame him in this, that he should leave the Heavens, and lay down his life, submitting himself to that death, which had no power over him, but through his own unspeakable love. So that I may truly say, That all Death's achievements are but weakeness, in comparison of this Love.  
Might I not add to this, that it was love, and love alone, that brought down God himself from Heaven, to be incarnate in the womb of a woman, to suffer all the miseries and hardness to which humane nature (not sinful) is subject? to endure weather, travail, hunger, thirst, fear, yea, the sadness of soul, even unto death, and to a kind of expostulation with his Father, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? and, in conclusion of all, to suffer his glorious body to be nailed to the Cross, and there, by direful long torment, to linger out his life? and what were all these sufferings, but so many triumphs of his love? and may I not cry out, O the power of Love! triumphing (with reverence and in a right sense be it spoken) over God himself?  
You have in a glance or shadow, as it were, seen some glimpse of Love's power in God; will you now see, how it hath wrought on men? where to rehearse the many great affronts disgraces, persections, suffered by S. Peter, S. Paul, and by other the glorious company of the Apostles, and the noble Army of Martyrs: were to write Volumes greater than have been seen yet. In close of all, we must conclude, that all those glorious Martyrdoms were performed by the power of Faith, through Love.  
It were easy to enlarge the history of Love's power, should I tell you, that Love ofttimes rejecteth the greatest Commands, wisest Edicts, and best Laws, despiseth honour, neglects fame, wealth, health, life, soul, and all: yea, and perverteth the very course of nature; such is the unruly and untamed disposition and power of Love. It makes the weak dare and to encounter the strong, and the coward, the most valiant. In a word, it turns the hen, having chickens, to become an Eaglet, and a timorous do, as a courageous Lion.  
Love by many is rightly compared to fire, the most active, and strongest worker of all the Elements, which destroyeth houses, Castles, Towns, Cities, which melteth and consumeth the hardest Metals; and such is, and so ofttimes works, Love. Which as it most takes and works by idleness, and converse: so is it best resisted by the contraries, good employment, and the shunning wanton company.  
We read that one of Darius his servants held, 
1 Esd●a● 3.  that the King, a second, that Wine, and a third, that a Woman, is of the greatest power to persuade, or overcome man. But neither wine nor woman, hath, or can have, this power over man, unless it first prevail, and get the love of man. So that it is not the beauty, or enticements of woman, but man's love, that overcomes, enthralls, and destroys man.   

CHAP. iv Love is silent, yet active.  
SCripture, and experience teach us, that they who love most, make the least show of their love; and in this they resemble, the most righteous, the wisest, the noblest, and most valiant: who rather let others see, and judge of their goodness and virtue, than themselves to become their own trumpets.  
True love hath hands, and no mouth: whereas the false hath only a tongue to prate, but no hands to act. Some Ancients therefore portrayed Love, with the finger on the mouth, as sparing of words: but naked, as having distributed, and given all away unto his very skin. And, our most blessed Saviour after his resurrection, showed unto his Disciples his side and his hands pierced, that, by that fountain, and these channels, his love might appear to them, and to all the world. S. John therefore, his beloved Disciple, 
1 Joh. 3.18.  and true follower, admonisheth his scholars not to love, by tongue, and in words; but in truth, and works: S. Peter having made large promises, though all forsake thee, yet I will not: and again, I will lay down my life for thee: Christ upon this puts Peter to it, three times questioning him, Lovest thou me? and as often bidding him, to make proof of his love, by feeding his sheep, 
Joh. 21.17.  the elder, and his lambs, the younger sort. Action and performance is the touchstone, and surest trial of true love; for which, and the cause thereof, showed in anointing Christ's head, washing his feet, and wiping them with her hair, one M. Magdalene hath no less reward, than the forgiveness of all her sins; and all this saith Christ, because she loved much.  
Moses the Angel and servant of the Lord, had prodigious or wonderworking hands, and such, as with his rod could draw fountains of water, out of the hard and dry rock: such as could bring flies, frogs, and destroying armies of small beasts upon Pharaoh, and all the land of Egypt: yet he was a man, as it were, without a tongue, tonguetied, or no man of fluent speech: and therefore his brother Aaron, 
Exod. 4.10.  was in his stead, the mouth, 
Exod. 4.30.  and Orator, to deliver the Almighty's message unto King Pharaoh. Ezekiels living creatures, 
Ez●k. 1.  the representations of God's Ambassadors, had wings to fly, and soar aloft by contemplation, and spreading glad tidings to the world, but under these wings they had hands, herein expressing the nature and work of true love.  
Love, we see, is best seen by works, not words: and the work of love is such, that ofttimes it disroabs, or takes away that stupidity, or incivility, which naturally is inbred, and by a gentle influence and cultivation, infuseth, or begets fantasy, and manly deportments. Plato a great Philosopher, was of opinion, that, the strength of fantafie, which was showed in many high strains of Poesy, was kindled, and inflamed by the heat of love.  
And this love, though it ofttimes want a tongue for outward expression, yet this defect, it makes good by the eye; for as love's palace is the heart: so this palace is full of lights, through which love makes itself visible, and known.  
And as a Chamaeleon, or an Actor on the stage, is now fearful, then confident; sorrowful, and anon joyful; jealous, yet secure; weak, but made strong: so love makes one man twenty several men, it makes him all, and again a nothing, but all working love.   

CHAP. V Love lesseneth, or facilitateth things most difficult.  
LOve hath a participation of the Almighty's power, able to make the bitter, sweet; heavy, light; and the almost impossible things, feasible. A taste of the Coloquintida in Elisha's pot of portage, 
2 King. 4.41.  causeth his guests the Prophets, to cry out, Death is in the pot: to remedy the which Elisha casts meal, and then saith the text, there was no harm, or evil thing in the pot: what that meal did, Love can do, and more. Our most blessed Saviour saith, My yoke is easy, 
Mat. 11●. 30.  and my burden light: now his yoke, and burden are, the renouncing all that a man hath, wealth, liberty, and life; and are these so easy, and light? yes, Truth itself hath spoken it, and most true it is, that Love makes these, both light, and easy.  
The traditional Jews had branched, and summed up the precepts of the Mosaical law into 793, whereof they made 428 affirmatives, & 365 negatives; but all these, and if there were a thousand times more, 
Joh. 15●. 12.  Christ hath reduced them all, into this one, Love; and according to this truth, S. Paul averreth, that the fulfilling of that law, which to flesh and blood was impossible, is now done, and performed by love; Love, saith he, is the fulfilling of the law. 
Rom. 13.10.   
As love fulfils all, and makes all things easy and light: so where love is wanting, nothing is light, easy, well done, or indeed is done at all, or not as it ought to be done; for where love is wanting, all is too much, that is done: and where love is, all that is done is too little; love maketh a beam, a straw; and contrariwise it can change a straw, into a beam. He, saith Christ, that loveth me, keepeth my law: for where love is, the least word is a law, and that law is fulfilled by this word, Love. Some spectacles there are, that represent things greater, and others lesser than indeed they are, and both these spectacles are made of love; which makes the virtues of the beloved greater, but his vices less.  
Jacob loves Rachel, and that he may enjoy this beloved piece, he serves twice seven years, bearing the heat of the day, and cold by night; and yet all this seemed to him, but as a pleasant act of a few days, 
Gen. 29.20.  for the love (saith the text) he had to her.  
The truth of this Axiom, is made manifest by the mirror of love, Love itself, Christ, our Saviour, who being very God, and so, impassable, yet assumes our nature, and then suffers himself to be reviled, scornfully used, scourged, and put to a shameful and most ignominious death; and all for us, his open, deadly enemies.  
Look upon me O Lord, saith David, and be merciful unto me, 
●s. 119.132.  as thou usest to do unto those, that love thy name: that is, as to thy friends, and servants whom thou lovest; for as Love, by the Heathens, and Poets is feigned, and portrayed blind: so indeed, where love is, it doth not, or will not see, or censure the infirmities, and blemishes of its beloved, but takes them to be as Love-spots, rather than deformities.  
When Adam laid the blame of his transgression on his Wife, S. Bernard seems to blame Adam, that, he had not taken it upon himself, which, saith he, he would have done, had he loved her.   

CHAP. VI Love extracteth delight, and glory, out of torments, and sufferings.  
I Speak not this of carnal, or politic love, which is usually changeable, and inconstant, and accompanied with falsity, tending to self-ends; but of Divine love, and of this I may truly say, the greater or lesser the affection is, such, more, or less is the perfection acquired.  
The blessed Apostles, and holy Martyrs in the primitive times, give us ample testimony, and proof to this assertion, whose revile, and most exquisite tortures, begot in them not patience only, but delight, and pleasure; the stones thrown at the Proto-martyr Stephen's head, he esteemed, as so many jewels. The fire under Laurence, was to him, as some precious balm, or sovereign confection. Ignatius, who so much longed, to be torn in pieces by wild beasts, said, If they be tame, I will provoke them; for I am as wheat to be bruised, broken, and to be served up to my Lord's table. And S. Paul said, that his afflictions, 
2 Cor. 11.30.  temptations, and tribulations were his joy, and glory: so that, though pain, ofttimes, might have drawn tears from their eyes, or blood from their veins, yet, the love they bore to their Lord Christ, raised content in their hearts, and such smiles in their faces, as if they had been already with him, in heavenly joy.  
And, in all this, they did but as scholars imitate their Master; who, as he often delighted to treat of his passion: so he professed to his disciples, that, 
Luk. 22.15.  with desire he desired, that is, he greatly, and earnestly desired to eat the Passover, not as delighted to feast with them, but to suffer for them: and when S. Peter would have dissuaded his Lord from his last great sufferings, his Lord reproved him more for this, then for his denial of him in the high Priests hall; for on this denial Christ did but cast his eye toward Peter, minding him thereby of his high promise made never to deny him; but for that, he not only bids him avaunt, 
Mat. 16.23.  which we only say to Dogs, but he calls him Satan, as being an adversary or hinderer of his much desired and longed-for Death.  
We read in the New Testament of two Mountains whereon Christ more eminently appeared, the one was Tabor, where the shine of his glory seemed greater than that of the sun: the other was Calvarie, where he was beheld as a man despised more than the worst of men, Barrabas the thief & murderer preferred before him; and when the sun hide his face, ashamed of the horrid fact, of putting the God of Heaven to death; yet this exaltation on the Cross in Mount Calvarie, took more with Christ, than that other, of his transfiguration on Mount Tabor, insomuch as here he finished the great work of his love, for which he came into the world, for the redemption of mankind, and that all might be saved: a pledge of which the thief dying besides him, found; who, upon the word of Christ spoken unto him, presently entered Paradise: and this suffering on the Cross in Calvarie, substantially proved, what the other appearing on Tabor, did but typically prefigure, the glory of his passion; so that, here, not there, the standers by, and since that, the Christian world proclaimed him, 
Mat. 27.54.  what before was believed but by few, that he was truly the Son of God.  
Men on earth study to blazon their coats with Dogs, Hogs, Cats, and the like; and by these means think to traduce their names, as famous to posterity, though themselves never in their lives, did an act worthy of a Dogs-taile; whereas our most blessed Lord Christ, who acted all things worthy the Son of the most high God, and all for the good of mankind, had no other coat-armour, but the Cross, which his love procured and wrought; and hath thereby made him justly to be adored, and worshipped, as the God of the whole world.   

CHAP. VII. Love transformeth the Lover into the thing beloved.  
NOT only some choice Philosophers, but learned Fathers of our Church have deemed, and called a friend, a second self; the half of the soul: or the same. And, among them, one saith, he that loveth entirely, is dead as to his own body, and liveth in that body which he loveth: for that, love carrieth with it, if not the whole substance, yet the principal vigorous acting faculties of the soul. This position, (in some sense) is made good in the divine Lover, by that of S. Paul, when he saith, Your life is hid, 
Col. 3. 3●.  with Christ, in God: where love to God hath mortified the Lover, as to the body, and to the world; and, makes him live by, and in Christ: for truly the soul cannot be thought, or said to live, but where it appears to move, or work. Hereupon, some wittily have pronounced, that the beloved is become an homicide, and guilty of murder, if he return not love, for love; but robs the Lover of his soul, not returning his again to the Lover.  
And some Philosophers have conceived, that, the soul of a dead friend by a strange transmigration, hath been secretly conveyed into the body of a friend living, and there kept alive, and operating: and all this to be effected, and brought to pass by the spiritual power of love. S. Augustine comes somewhat near to these conceits, when he saith, My love is as the weight in a clock, or the magnetic virtue in the loadstone; for whithersoever I am moved, or carried, that it is which carrieth, or moveth me, and my soul.  
Every one therefore it strongly behoveth seriously to consider, before he settleth, upon what he intends to set his love: for if on earth, he becomes earthly; if flesh, fleshly; if heaven, heavenly; which agreeth well with those terms given in holy Scriptures, to several kinds of affectionate lovers. Our most blessed Saviour prayeth for us, that, we may be in him, and be one with him: 
Joh. 17.21.  as Christ is in, and with his Father: which holy residence, and blessed union, must be next to God's goodness, the work of love.  
S. Paul saith of himself, that he is crucified with Christ, 
Gal. 2.20.  nevertheless (saith he) I live, and yet (he adds) it is not I that live, but Christ liveth in me; if you ask him, how this can be? he tells you in the words following, the life which I now live, I live by faith, this is the instrumental mean: & if you inquire into the cause of this life, it is there mentioned, when he saith, by the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself, and all his merits, and benefits to work for, and in me.  
Our carnal and profane lose lovers, usually court their mistresses with these, and the like unhallowed speeches; You are my life, my heart, my soul; which ofttimes is more true, then godly. Divinely spoke King David, (O that we would imitate him!) God is my light, and salvation.  
Plato said, that a friend is like a good lookingglass, in, and by which, the other friend may see himself; and be seen by others: for so it was in Jonathan and David, that who saw the one, discerned the other.  
Or, you shall find two friends united by true love, to be like the mother and the child; where if the child smile, or weep, the mother doth the like: and as the Chamelcon appeareth to be of that colour with the thing to which it is joined; so is it with good, and true lovers; who like Hypocrates twins looked, laughed, cried, each as the other, and were of like colour, condition, and passion each as other; so that the union of friends made by sincere love, is well compared and presented by inoculating a bud into another stock, whereby it is made one with it.  
Now in man there be three unions, and each of them caused or bottomed on love: the first is that of the soul and body matched together by a natural love. The second is the union of souls, whether as among ordinary friends, or as among Christ's disciples, 
Act. 2.1.  who were of one heart and mind, endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit (as S. Paul speaks) in the bond of peace: 
Eph. 4.3.  the former of these is wrought by a natural, the other by a spiritual love. The third union is that which is betwixt God, and man's soul, when, as S. John saith, God is in the righteous, 
1 Joh. 4.16.  and they in him: and the efficient cause of this union is, Divine love.  
Which union as of all other, and above all things in this world, it is to be most desired, esteemed, and preserved; so is the separation or divorce the most to be feared, grieved for, and most carefully to be prevented; for, as by that blessed union we are made partakers of all the best things that earth or heaven can afford; so by that separation, we not only lose all the blessings by that union acquired, but we purchase to ourselves all the miscries, vexations, and torments, that hell, the Devils, and our own conscience can afflict us with: the cutting off a finger from the hand is painful; of the hand from the arm painful, and damagefull; and of the head from the body, painful, grievous, and deadly: but the dividing or divorcing the soul of man from God, the life of the soul, is a pain, grief, and loss not to be expressed, no nor to be imagined fully, no not by them that suffer and feel it. Of all separations and divorces, O my soul be fearful and careful to avoid this: and, O thou the God of my soul, be gracious, and merciful unto me, that through blindness of understanding, or hardness of heart, I never incur the dreadful sentence of such a divorce or separation.   

CHAP. VIII. Vehement love causeth ecstasies, making the Lover besides, or to rob himself, of, himself.  
LOve (saith the Wise man) is strong as death; and, in this comes near to death, 
Cant. 5.6.  in that it makes the Lover ofttimes not to see what he fixeth his eye on, not to answer what he hears, or what he is demanded: and indeed, ofttimes to put him into such trances, as that he seems rather a moving trunk of flesh, than a living soul: and, this in part excuseth the words and acts of Lovers, as proceeding from men distracted, rather than from men in their wits; and hereupon the Romans had a law, exempting such Lovers from the penalty of death, holding them to be no better then mad men.  
This holy frenzy of love, hath not escaped the Saints of God on earth. S. Paul was near this, when in his extreme love to his Countrymen, as Moses, 
Exod. 32.32. Rom. 9.3.  that wished himself blotted out of the Book of God: so he wished himself accursed from Christ, unless the Jews his brethren might be pardoned, and saved with him: so that which is said of Peter, ravished with the glorious apparition on Mount Tabor; the like might be spoken of S. Paul, in his excessive love to the Jews, he knew not what he said; or, as Felix said unto him, Paul, thou art surely besides thyself; love, in stead of learning, hath made thee mad.  
And if ever any exceeded in love, 
Joh. 10.20.  above all the love that ever was in the world, it was Christ; who so exceeded herein, that the Jews once thought him mad. And might not others, as well as they, have imagined the like of him, when in the excess of his love to his very enemies, he would suffer himself to be taken, delivered up, and shamefully put to death for them? Thus far did the love in Christ work him to go, or seem to be besides himself: and all, that he might work us to return to, and to look into ourselves, and up to heaven; that, as ravished with the love hereof, we might live here in the world, as though we were out of the world; and that we might so look on these delights below, as men blind; and hear of them, as deaf; and discourse of them, as not concerned; but as men in part translated to heaven, and here become earthly Angels.  
S. Paul made his daily prayers unto the Father of our Lord Christ, That he would grant unto the Ephesians the riches of his holy Spirit, to be rooted and grounded in love: 
Ephes. 3.17.  and that they might know the love of Christ, which passeth all knowledge; where he prayeth for the mutual love between the head and the members: their love to him, but his love to them first. For without this love of Christ to them, they cannot love him. He loved his first, saith S. John: and then without their love to him, 
1 John 4. 1●.  they cannot understand the power that love hath, ere it is rooted in them.  
For it is able to make things in themselves base and contemptible, to be of great price and esteem. Might it not seem in our blessed Saviour a blemish and dishonour to his person, to be reviled, scorned, whipped, and crucified: yet the love of Christ took and accounted all as acts of glory; and all, that he might prove himself thereby, the Saviour of the world. It is registered of the wife to the Emperor Theodosius, That she, as a Nursekeeper, rather than an Empress, attended the sick and weak, and made plasters, and dressed the sores of the poor Hospitallers: who when she was by some nice Courtiers gently reproved, her answer was, That although those offices were below the person of an Empress, yet were they not able to reach and express the love which she bore to the poorest members of her Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus: who in his unspeakable love did more, saith she, for me, than ever I can in the least deserve, or in any measure requite.   

CHAP. IX. Love exchangeth and counterchangeth all with its beloved.  
FOr proof of this, I could instance in many Lovers Registered in profane Authors, as in Pylades and Orestes, each of them, though but one was guilty, took the fact upon himself, that he might thereby redeem the life of the other. King David, when the plague seized on, and destroyed the people, cries out to the Lord, 
2 Kings 24.17.  It is I, Lord, that have sinned, let me suffer, but spare these innocent sheep, for what have they done? And when the Soldiers came to apprehend Jesus, whom they yet knew not, and some of his Disciples being present with him, he asks, Whom seek ye? they answered, We seek Jesus; he roundly and readily answereth, I am he. And this he did, 
Joh. 18.  to the end that he might save his disciples from their arrest; and therefore he addeth, Ye have me whom you seek, therefore let these go their way.  
Read and consider that of S. Paul, Who is weak, 
1 Cor. 21.29.  and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? the troubles, infirmities, and sufferings of the Corinthians, through the Apostles love to them, are all become and made his. Yea, but see a greater power of love manifested in the same Apostle toward the Philippians, whom he tells, that his death will be gain to him, v. 21. 
Phil. 1.  for thereby he shall enjoy Christ; whereas life to him, will prove but labour and pain, v. 22. and yet, saith he, though the difference be so great, as is betwixt everlasting joy and glory, being with Christ, and pain and labour, living with you; yet my love is such to you, more than to myself, that I am in a straight, not knowing which to choose; but concludes, Though it be far better for me to die, and to be with Christ, v. 23. nevertheless saith he, v. 24. to abide in the flesh is more profitable for you; and therefore he concludes, v. 25. Having this confidence, I shall abide and continue with you, for your furtherance and joy of faith.  
But, S. Paul writing to the Romans, seems to go beyond all the bounds of love, I, and of common reason, 
Rom. 9.8.  when he saith, I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen, (the Jews.) Expositors, ancient and modern, generally conclude that this wish or desire of S. Paul, was an expression of the most transcendent power of love, which might possess any mortal man; but what the full extent and force of the words may be, is not so clearly agreed on; for some expound the words [accursed from Christ] (wherein all the difficulty lies) to intent a temporal affliction, or corporal punishment: 2. others, a spiritual separation, or excommumcation from the Church of Christ: 3. a third sort, will have an eternal separation, rejection, or casting away from the joys of heaven, to be here understood.  
They, who embrace the first exposition, conceive this desire of the Apostle, to be like that of Moses, saying, Lord, 
Exod. 32.32.  if thou wilt not forgive the sins of the Israelites, in making the golden calf, then blot me out of thy book; and this blotting out of the book, they expound, of deposing, or casting Moses from his government of that people; which was, as they would have this in S. Paul to be, but a temporal punishment; and this they would deduce and infer, from the word [accursed;] which in the Greek, they say, may here, as elsewhere among sacred and profane Writers, signify a separation, or setting apart the person of man, and beast, to suffer death or the like, as a sacrifice, thereby to expiate the offence of others; and if this sense may be admitted, then much more cannot be inferred, than that S. Paul preferred his Countrymen's spiritual, and eternal estates, before his own temporal, or before his life; which shows (that which we allege for to prove) the transcendency of his love.  
Others conceive the words [anathema, or accursed from Christ,] to mean Excommunication; and this to be like that casting out of Cain, 
Gen. 4.14.  where it is said, and from thy face shall I be hid; God's face noting typically, the Church, or visible congregation of God's servants: and this wish, or desire in the Apostle, though it go fare, yet because it includes not an everlasting separation, but such as by God's mercy, and the Apostles repentance may be relaxed, it is not so scrupulous, and dangerous as  
The third sense of the words, viz: that S. Paul hereby should wish, his eternal disherisance, from heaven, for his brethren and Countrymen; which curse, separation, or disherisance, if it be the sense of the words, than some answer, that the word is, I could have wished it. So that S. Paul doth not expressly and plainly say, I do wish this, but, I could; or, my love is such, that rather than my Countrymen, to whom the Promise and the Covenant is made, should perish, and they lose the benefit thereof, I could find in my heart to wish, that I might be separated. But, say they, he doth not explicitly, and in the indicative mood, say, I do wish.  
But if this answer be not admitted as satisfactory, but that S. Paul seems to wish, as a dear friend and tender father, to be kept from eternal joys, rather than want the company of his children and Countrymen, (whom he calls by a near relation brethren) the question than will be, (as it is generally made) how far forth this desire may be held justifiable, or be accounted sinful, as to himself, to wish the privation of his own eternal bliss. Which question or difficulty, some thus assoil.  
1. That for the greater promotion and exaltation of God's glory, this may be desired: being that this is the first main principal end of man's being made or redeemed, to advance the glory of God: and that God's glory should the more appear, by the restoring and saving of the Jews, cannot be denied, or doubted by any.  
2. Or, as before, the Text speaks not, that I do wish, but that I could so wish; and that, I could wish, may imply, that this wish in the Apostle, is not so absolute, as simply to desire his own damnation, for his Countrymens' salvation: but that it may well comprehend under it, at least a  condition, as, Lord I wish it, if so it agree with thy will, decree, and good pleasure; for whatever is agreeable to this, must be, and is justifiable, and no ways sinful.  
3. S. Paul may be construed thus to mean, if for any cause under God's glory, I may desire mine own exclusion from Heaven, than I could wish it for my Countrymens' benefit and salvation; such was the height and depth of the love of this blessed Apostle, which desires at least to translate all its own good to his beloved.   

CHAP. X. The Causes and Motives of Love.  
I Shall not yet here touch upon the prime and principal cause of Love, which is God: but of that which is nearest unto God, goodness; which is the true proportionate object of the will, and so of our love. Insomuch, that if the will at any time makes choice of the contrary, which is evil, this comes to pass by the wills being deceived by a false object, and counterfeit colour, in appearance of some seeming good. For the will, in its pure constitution, doth not, cannot affect or desire that which in itself simply is, and so appears to be evil.  
A man blinded in his reason, and deceived by the pleasancy of wine, or the beauty of women, may will the unlawful company of the one, and the inordinate use of the other: yet in neither doth he will or desire fornication, or drunkenness, as they are evils; but, as he is ashamed to be termed a fornicator, or a drunkard: so though he become, or be both, yet he desires not drunkenness or fornication, but only the base delight and pleasure in them; which hath deceived and cozened his desire; under a show of that which seemed then unto him good.  
For God, which made all by weight and measure, hath given to our understanding and will, certain natural inclinations, which as laws, cause them to affect their proper objects, which are truth to the understanding, and goodness to the will. So that who is perverted, or willingly perverteth the truth, this is done by the false colour and shadow of truth: and so it comes to pass in the matter of our will, which ever desires that which is good, and if deceived, it is by that which appears at that time so to be.  
Aristotle hath ranged Love into three kinds, according to the three several objects alluring the will and desire. The one is, love of pleasure and delight, which too commonly follows, and is entertained by youth. Another is, the love of wealth, and is the servant mostly of old age. A third, is the love of that which is comely and honest, which, I fear, hath the least part or predominancy in man's will, where private interest bears the sway. We have read, that in ages before us, virtue, honour, and beauty, had the mastery in the will; but those objects are laid aside, and are passed away with those times.  
Some ancient Fathers give a reason why our Saviour openly proclaimed his gift of paradise to the Thief on the Cross, rather than to the Patriarches and Prophets; and it was, say they, because he, at that time when Christ was publicly disesteemed, and contemptuously used by all, that he then proclaimed him to be the Messiah and the Saviour of the world. This singular bounty therefore of our Saviour, accompanied that rare piece of faith and love in the Thief, to whom (at that time when the Thief professed him) Christ had showed no miracle, nor done him savour. Whereas now adays few serve or worship Christ, unless he honour or serve their turns: so that were it not for the benefits he daily bestows on us, he might for us, live as retired in the contemplation of his own infinite goodness, with little or no love of the world.  
Next to goodness, not only Philosophers, but the holy Scriptures, have assigned knowledge to be an especial worker of love. Our Saviour saith, This is life eternal, 
Joh. 17. ●.  to know the Father and the Son; for from this knowledge ariseth our love, and by them both, we attain to life everlasting. Unbelief, ignorance, or the forgetfulness of this principle, as to say with the fool, there is no God, or with the Epicure, he regardeth not our works below, but that we may, for all him, eat and drink, and die. These, and such like, are the great causes of all our sins. S. Paul professedly hath expressed so much, when he saith, The Gentiles have given themselves over unto all lasciviousness, 
Ephes. 4.19.  to work all uncleanness with greediness. Whereof the cause is expressed in the verse before; when he saith, this they did, having their understandings darkened, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts. And the Prophet Hosea saith, there is no knowledge of God in the land: 
Hos. 4. ●.  and what then follows? but ver 2. swearing, lying, kill, stealing, adultery, so that blood toucheth blood.  
I may add another cause, or the engenderer of love, which is likeness. Like will to like, is seen among the beasts, among whom sheep flock not with woolves, nor will Hearts heard with Lions.  
And the like to this in man, some Philosophers have attributed it to the complexion in men; among whom we find the company, gesture, voice, and looks of some, to be displeasing and distasteful to others; for which the person disaffecting, at first happily, can give no sufficient reason.  
Others, and more nearly to reason and truth, have given the cause of this love betwixt men, to be the likeness of their qualities and dispositions: as the sinner hateth the righteous, whatever the alliance is, as it was seen in Cain to Abel, Ishmael to Isaac, Esau to Jacob: so on the other side, the good, just, and wise, love each other. S. Paul hath determined this piece, when he saith, Be ye not unequally yoked; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? 
2 Cor. 6.14.  and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?  
The Pythagorean and Platonique Philosophers were of opinion, that the souls of men had a kind of harmonious consent each to other; so that, as in music, one string being struck, another will quaver, and offer to give the like sound, though not touched: so say they, and not improbably, fareth it with the souls of many men.  
S. Ambrose giveth another cause or parent of love, which is conversation; when as he tells us, that to this end God walked with man in Paradise, and that it is said of Enoch, that he walked with God; and though God had given Adam all the goods of the air, earth, and water, yet with none of these, or any, or all of the Beasts took he any delight, but only in that consort which God gave him, as a companion to his body, and solace to his soul, and to her he cleaves, and so of two, they are made but one, by a loving converse and agreement.  
If any ask, how this comes to pass, that likeness and conversation should thus beget, continue, and increase love: the reason is easy and plain: for seeing every man naturally loves himself, and the rather because he is ever conversant with himself; therefore it must needs follow, that whatever is nearest to, or most like him, that he most nearly loveth, and most desireth. Can any give any other reason, why man or woman delights to see their face in a glass, but because it represents them, and makes them, as it were, to see and know themselves by this representative, whereby the imagination apprehends itself?   

CHAP. XI. Love is only conquered and repaid with Love.  
LOve (that is the inward affection of the heart) is the soul, as it were, of the soul of man, yea, of the whole world; for by it the world continueth, and without it, it could not stand, as was showed before.  
We thank not the water, nor the air, nor any inanimate or animate thing for doing us good, it this good proceed from a natural disposition in themselves, without an affection of doing good to us. For this latter is it, which truly is called love: and he that thinks ro requite this with gold, or other gifts of price, returns scarce dross for gold. Our Saviour and his Apostles, have summed up all the Law in this kind of Love: and after all their precepts and counsels, call for this love, as the fulfilling of all. For he that hath this, cannot but believe, and endeavour to work according to what is required or desired by Christ and his Apostles.  
Our blessed Saviour promiseth heaven to him that gives but a cup of cold water in his Name, 
Mat. 10. 4●.  and for his sake: and can any imagine, that heaven is of so mean a value, or water so much worth, as that heaven should be given for a cup of water? no, not the cup of water, nor all the waters under heaven, can be valued with heaven, but the cordial love and affection of the heart; this is that God esteems; and therefore calls to every one for it, when he saith, My Son, take all earth, heaven, and all, as my gift; and for all, only give me but thy heart. 
Prov. 23. ●.   
It was not Abel's sacrifice, nor the widow's mite cast into the Treasury, that God so highly prized and commended, but the love of the sacrificer and giver, which he esteemed more than all the world's good. For all these are his, The earth is the Lords, 
Ps. ●4. 1.  and the fullness thereof. And when we have these, or any part thereof, we receive and hold them as his gift; and for all, he only requires our love; which only is ours to give.  
If you tell me, 
Prov. 21. ●.  the heart of Kings, and so of all men, is in the hand of the Lord, he turneth it whither soever he will. And that without God, 
2 Cor. 3.5.  we cannot so much as think a good thought, and therefore not love. I answer, that though all things in man, are of him, through him, 
Rom. 11.36.  and to him, as the Apostle speaks: yet of all things in man, man's will is most his own; and this so lest by God to man, that for it, when it freely loves God, it may return him in recompense (as it were) his love again. The free present of a pair of pigeons, with man is more esteemed than the return of 100 l. which was lent, and the borrower bound to repay. God often expresseth his regard to the love of his servants, when he asks them, Am I delighted with the sacrifices of goats and bullocks, 
Ps. 50.9.  and who requires these things at your hands? 
Isa. 1.12.  and by his Prophet Jeremiah, I spoke not to your fathers, 
Jer. 7.22.  nor commanded them, when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, concerning sacrifices, to be satisfied or served therewith. Save only by these, as outward testimonies of your inward affections, which indeed, as to me, are the only sacrifice and service.  
And from hence iris, that. God and man repay love with love. For love hath an Adamantine power, that is able to draw the hardest heart of iron unto itself, by a mutual love. For the very apprehension of being beloved, directs the soul without any force, to a return of a love reciprocal.  
And as love mollifies the heart of the beloved, drawing from it a return of love: so this return of love gives ample satisfaction and reward, as it were, for that love that was bestowed. And so the Spouse in the Canticles, 
Can. 1.2.  for her love to her beloved, desires some kisses (as testimonies) for the assurance of his love to her again.  
And neither the first, nor the second, neither an inviting nor the returned love, are purchased, won, or procured by gifts, greatness, or power. These have no force on a generous heart, to cause love; which is only begotten by itself, through love; and this may be well called the mystery of love, that the same thing, and nothing else, should beget itself.  
And this love being of so rare an extraction, so amiable, and so much to be desired; we shall find God, of all things desiring it, and in comparison of it, nothing else but our love; and therefore useth it, as a conjuration to the effecting his will and commands; as when he saith, 
John 21.16.  If ye love me, keep my commandments; to Peter thee times, as it were, in a breath, lovest thou, lovest thou, lovest thou me, Peter? and than follows three times, Peter, feed, feed, feed. For this thou canst not choose but do, and keep my 〈…〉. Love, as we say, breaks through stone walls; intimating, that nothing is hard to a loving heart, but that this tender love, as is said of the milk of the Goat, is able to mollify, and soften the hardest Adamant.  
God, willing to draw man to himself, first used his power, showed in the great deluge of the world: after that he used his goodness, bringing his people out of Egypt into a goodly and plentiful Land; but when neither power nor goodness prevailed, he takes the ready course, if any could prevail, to show his love unto them, in sending his only Son into the world, there to suffer so ignominious a death for them. And if this did not, he never meant to use other means to draw them to him. For if love, such love could not, than nothing in heaven, earth, or hell, can work or move their conversion.  
Charit as Christi urget nos, saith S. Paul, 
2 Cor. 3, 14.  the love of Christ, this, this, or nothing, doth, or can, with a sweet, delightful force, as it were, constrain us. Christ showeth this in the parable of the Creditor and Debtor, concluding, that to whom most was forgiven, that he should and must love most. For love freely showed to the well beloved, may be resembled to the depositing or trusting a great Treasure in a friend's chest or Cabinet; which friend, if he return it not when desired, deserves the note and estimation, not of ungrateful alone, but of a false and most wicked man, and no friend.   

CHAP. XII. The Love of God is not to be paralleled.  
THe essence or being of God is pure and simple, and the infinity of his attributes and perfections are single: so that his omnipotency is his mercy, his mercy is his justice, his justice his goodness, his goodness his love, neither is there in these any distinction real or formal, only man's apprehension conceiteth a variety in this simple unity.  
Now the love of God differeth from the love of man, as in many other things, so in this, that man's love oft times wants power to effect what it loves and desires: whereas God's love is both operative and effective, it both works and accomplisheth whatever it will; so that to love with God, is the same thing as to do us good.  
And this is so large, as to do that, beyond which nothing more can be done. Isaiah expresseth this in God's person, saying, 
Isa. ●. 4.  What could have been done more, that I have not done? so that if we would enter into, and consider all the works of God's love, in creating, redeeming, sanctifying, and glorifying man, how can they be fathomed? man's soul cannot apprehend it in the least degree.  
To help man's weakensse in this, and by shadows, as it were, to make some appearance of this love; 
Isa. 49.15.  the Prophet Isaiah tells us of the love of a mother to her child, when he asks the question, Can a mother forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Which, can she? is as much as, she cannot: but saith God, If she could, yet such is my love to man, that I will not, I cannot, my love is myself: and therefore I may be said as well, to forget myself, as to forget or deny my love to mine own Image, man.  
The Prophet Isaiah seems to go a little farther, by a similitude to set forth God's love, when he compares it to the love of a Bridegroom, 
〈◊〉. 62.5.  married to a Virgin, in whom he is delighted and rejoiceth, saith the text, where it addeth, and so shall thy God rejoice over thee.  
Nay, the Prophet Jeremiah goes farther yet, saying, If a man put away his wife, for her lewdness and adultery, shall he return unto her again? 
●e●. 3.1.  But thou Judah lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lain with: in the ways thou hast sat for them; and thou hast polluted the Land with thy whoredoms, and with thy wickedness; and yet hear the husband of this wife, which is God, notwithstanding all this crying out, and proclaiming, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers: yet return again to me, saith the Lord. Tell me now, whether a greater love can be expressed, than this in God.  
As the love of God is infinite, so might I be in the prosecution of this argument; but I contract myself, and wish you to remember, that as God in holy Writ is parabolically called King, Father, Husband, Physician, Shepherd, Head of his Church: so under all these, and many other names and notions, his love is manifest unto us; for as the head, he governs: as the Shepherd, he leads us to good pastures, and defends us from destroying beasts: as the Physician, he cures and heals our infirmities and sores: as an husband, he embraceth and delighteth in, and rejoiceth over us: as a Father, he nourisheth, and provideth for us: and as a King, he not only protects us from oppression and danger, but gives us honours, yea, makes us heirs with his only begotten Son Christ Jesus, to reign with him in his heavenly Kingdom for ever. And is there any love that can be compared to this?  
All that I will add for close, is this: love requires love. And, O my soul, though thou wilt not love this thy Father, this thy King first: yet when he hath so super abounded in his love to thee, too flinty hearted, I must needs say, thou art, if thou shalt refuse to return all the love thy heart can afford or conceive to him again, for that infinite and endless love which he hath bestowed on thee.   

Chap. XIII. By the same causes and means that man's love decreaseth, the love of God increaseth.  
SOme Divines have propounded the question, why Christ, the second Person in the holy Trinity, rather than either of the other persons, was made man; and among other reasons, this they give in answer: That our first parent's sin, 
1 Cor. 1.24.  in desiring to be as God, knowing good and evil, directly opposeth the wisdom of God, which is Christ. And to show the infinite love of God to man? that Person who most directly was offended, came down from Heaven, took man's nature, and suffered more than man could do; and all to redeem man. So that he alone, (God, that can draw good out of evil, and light out of darkness) used man's sin as an occasion, through his love, to save mankind.  
The Prophet Zacbary describes the state of the world, 
Zach. 6.  and in especially of the Israelites, by four Chariots; the first whereof had red horses, which typified the bloody Babylonians: the second had black horses, which noted the Persians; under whom the Jews were near their utter extirpation: the third had white horses, by which may be meant the Macedonians, who, as Alexander and others, were gracious and favourable to the Jews: the fourth had grizzled, or horses of divers colours, which figured the changeable, various, and mixed government of the Romans, which first or last is destructive to a State. And now under this power and rule, which contained all the misrule and barbarous usage of the three other Governments, came the Messiah into the world, and this by the Apostle is called the fullness of time: 
Gal. 4.4.  because when the sin of the world was at the full, now was. the time of our blessed Saviour to come into the world, and by his unspeakable love to redeem it.  
The Prophet Isaiah sets forth Jerusalem thus: Their hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity, 
Isa. 59.3.  their lips have spoken lies, and their tongues perverseness; none calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: the act of violence is in their hands, their feet run to evil, and they make baste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; yea, judgement is turned backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter: and he that departeth from evil, maketh himself a prey. And the Lord saw, and wondered that there was no Intercessor; therefore his arm brought salvation. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and vengeance for a clothing; and according to their deeds, he will repay fury to his adversaries: but to Zion shall the Redeemer come. And is there any thing in all this, that savours, but of the love of God (to truth and justice) to his people, though laden with their sins; and for this punished and oppressed by their enemies?  
The love of Christ in this kind, is not to be uttered, or any way expressed. I will sum it up therefore in that one passage of S. Paul; the same night that our Lord Jesus was betrayed, he instituted the Sacrament of his body broken, 
1 Cor. 11.23.  and of his blood shed: as a sacrifice fully and solely expiatory for the sin of the whole world. And, while the Jews cried to the Romans, Crucify, crucify him: he for them more incessantly prays to his Father, Father, forgive them; and though they said. Let his blood be upon us, and our children; yet he tells them, My blood is shed for you, and for all that will take and apply it to the forgiveness of their sins.  
The Psalmist, in a wonder and amazement of this excessive love, 
Psal. ●. 4.  exclaims, Lord! what is man, that thou art so mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? for what is there in himself, as man, but that is to be abhorred? his body being at the best, but a bag of bones, a sink of foul water, and stinking dirt, and his soul like a cage of unclean birds, or a forge of wicked imaginations, and a storehouse of sin. To the Psalmists question, Why, Lord, hast thou so visited man? no other answer or reason can be given, than this of the Apostle, 
Job. 3.16.  So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to be made, saith the Prophet Isay, 
Isa. 9.6.  as a child; as the Apostle Saint Paul, saith, as a Servant, who emptied himself, as it were, 
Phil. 2.7.  to a nothing; and all this, as the effect only of his infinite, incomprehensible Love.   

CHAP. XIV. God's jealousy.  
JEalousie in man is an excess of love, and for the most part, is the attendant of some ill condition in him: whereas in God, it is the quintessence (as it were) of his love. And this riseth in God, and moves him to anger and punishment, when he finds himself dishonoured or neglected by those he loves.  
Moses not only tells us, 
Exo. 20.5.  that he is a jealous God, but adds, Exod. 34.14. that his Name is jealous. And such is his jealousy, that although he suffered the rebellious murmur of his Israel, 
Exo. 34.14.  yet when they committed spiritual whoredom, in making and worshipping the golden calf, he destroyed 33000. of them: and had not his dear servant Moses interceded, he had in his jealousy utterly destroyed them all.  
Covetousness, by S. Paul is called Idolatry; 
Col. 3.5.  and when God finds his people worshipping or setting their hearts on these, it moves him to jealousy.  
Yea, God is jealous of the inordinate or overmuch love of the husband to the wife, or of the wife to the husband. For these may love each other so much, that some part of the love and worship due to God, is bestowed on the Creature. And for this God oft times turns jealous, and in his anger takes the one from the other; or bereaves them of their delight, which is children.  
And it being so, that God hath commanded us to love him with all our heart, and with all the strength and powers of the soul, the least alienation of our love from God, and bestowed on vain delights, moves God to jealousy, and provokes his anger.  
And as the least withdrawing of our love from God, works jealousy in him: so when he finds us persist in a daily revolt from him, he ceaseth any longer to be jealous. See this proved in Israel's case; where God, for Israel's multiplied departings from him, threatens, My jealousy shall departed from them, 
Ezek. 16.42.  and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. And this is the saddest condition that a soul can fall into; for than it is apparent, that God hath sent a bill of divorce to that soul: and hath removed his love utterly from it; for where God loves, he cannot but be jealous.   

Chap. XV. Gods revealing his secrets, is a great demonstration of his love to man.  
DElilab useth this as an argument, 
Judg. 16.15.  that Samson loved her not, because he did not open the secrets of his heart unto her: for so she said, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? and when thou tellest me not where thy great strength lieth?  
When God purposed the destruction of Sodom, 
Gen. 18.17.  he saith, I know Abraham, that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement. Here God rests assured in Abraham's love and service to him; and what followeth? why this, that though God intended a secret and sudden burning of Sodom: yet he will not do it, before he acquaints Abraham therewith: and therefore saith, Shall I hid from Abraham that thing which I do?  
We read the like of God to Moses; 
Exo. 33.9.13.  that when God spoke face to face with Moses in the Tabernacle, that there was a, cloudy pillar at the Tabernacle door, so that the people might not see them. And at this interview and conference betwixt God and Moses, Moses saith unto God, If I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way. The Prophet saith, 
Psa. 147.19, 20.  the Lord shown his word unto Jacob. And then addeth, He hath not dealt so with any Nation, but this his beloved. And S. Paul saith, 
Col. 1. 2●  The mystery (of salvation by Christ Jesus) hath been hid from ages, and from generations; but now is made manifest to his Saints. In a word, he that loveth me, saith Christ, 
John 14▪ 21.  shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and 〈…〉 my 〈◊〉 unto him. And accordingly he saith unto his Disciples, To you (as my friends) it given to know the mystery (or secrets) of the Kingdom of God: but unto those that are without, all these things are done in parables. And why in parables to these? that seeing, 
Mark 4● 11.  saith Christ, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Whence we may gather and learn, that whom God loves, to those he reveals his word and will: so that they may see, and hear, and understand it to their conversion and salvation of their souls; which none can deny to be an especial argument of God's love; the fruition whereof, the Lord grant unto us in Jesus Christ.   

CHAP. XVI. God seemeth to be solitary without man, which is an especial argument of his love to man.  
THe Scriptures tell us of thousands of Angels that attend Christ; and in the Gospels we find them upon all occasions, at his birth, in his life, and at his passion with him: how then, having such a company of holy Spirits ever with him, and at his command, can he be said to be alone (if without man?) It is true, in respect of the sweet society of Saints and Angels, he cannot be truly said to be alone; yet in regard that he made man to his own Image, and every one loves that which is most like unto himself: and that God hath said, My delight is to be with the Sons of men; in this respect, without this his like, with whom he is delighted, he may well be said to be alone.  
In the parable of the lost sheep, 
Matth. 18.12.  it is seen, that the shepherd had 99 besides that which was strayed, yet he left them all. Suppose these to be the Saints and Angels in heaven, and all to seek the one that was lost, which is man. The Prophet saith, 
Psal. 33.10.  The Lord looked down from Heaven, to behold the Sons of men; and seeing them captived by the Devil, weltering in their filth of sin, and therefore lamentably afflicted; for them he came down, and never rested, but underwent all travel, hardness, and death; that he might exalt them, and bring them where himself was to have his everlasting residence, in Heaven.  
God under the Law, when he saw his Israel scattered in Egypt, he rested not, till he brought them together; and though in the wilderness, yet there he commanded them to make a Tabernacle, and after that, a large and glorious Temple; that he might be with them, and enjoy, as it were, their company there together.  
And Christ, God in heaven, that he might have the company of man, he descended from heaven; and as though this were too little, to have the more full society of man, he took his nature, and was made man; yea so, that as it was spoken of Adam to Eve, he was so married to man's nature, that he might truly say, He is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.  
More yet; see Christ in his agony and torture on the Cross, and wanting the company of his Disciples, and men believing in him, he cries out, My God my God 
Mat. 27.46.  why hast thou forsaken me? and as soon as the the Thief on the one hand was converted, and prayed unto him, Lord, 
Luk. 23.43.  remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; he was so pleased with this, that he readily granted his petition, and told him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: and so gently departed, and took his new convert with him to Heaven.  
And it is the opinion of many ancient and learned Fathers, that the Saints and holy men which risen out of their graves, at the time of our Saviour's resurrection; that they likewise, as pleasing company, ascended with Christ into Heaven, there to be with him; and as of the Chore, to sing continual Allelujahs of glory, Glory to the Lamb, that was, and is, and ever shall be.  
S. Hierome cries out, O ungrateful man to thy God, who ever thou art! considerest thou not the wonderful and unspeakable love of him, the Lord of heaven, to be thus delighted, and to do, and to suffer so much for thee? and thinkest thou thyself best, when thou art in the company of the wicked, blasphemers, murderers, adulterers, drunkards, and profane persons? return rather, Shunamite, return, and run to him who is delighted with thee, and is thy Saviour.   

CHAP. XVII. Charity is most eminent among all the virtues.  
EVery virtue hath its proper opposites; as liberality hath covetousness and prodigality to encounter: whereas Charity is enemy to, and opposeth not two, or more, but all vices. And if any particular sin be more opposite to Charity then other, it is the enmity to God. And it being so, that there is no sin that man committeth, but, more or less, is tainted with this enmity; hereby Charity is become a general enemy and opposer of all sin.  
When David had wickedly deflowered the wife of his faithful Soldier Vriah, and basely slaughtered the husband; here were sins of murder, adultery, scandal, and all these sins, and enmities against his neighbour: but as though these were nothing in comparison of that one sin and enmity to God; 
Psa●. 51.4.  he saith, Against thee alone, O Lord, have I sinned.  
But although against this sin principally, Charity opposeth her forces; yet no less doth she abhor and resist all other sins of the lower rank. S. Paul, when he saith, Charity suffereth long; 
1 Cor. 13.4.  what saith he less than that, as the impatient man acts against the long suffering Charity: so Charity works against all impatience: and as Charity, that envieth not, is assaulted by the envious: so Charity fighteth against envy: and as Charity, that vaunteth not, nor is puffed up, is opposed by pride: so Charity labours to beat down pride. And what from S. Paul I have said of those sins mentioned, is alike true of those other sins instanced by S. Paul; and of all other sins committed in the world. And therefore not only the Apostles, but their and our Lord and Master, Christ, hath taught us this lesson, that Charity is the fulfilling of the Law. Insomuch as, 
Rom. 13.10.  so far as Charity can prevail to the kill of sin, 
Mat. 22.40.  which is the transgression of the Law, she may well be called the fulfilling of the Law.  
And so high an esteem had our Lord Christ, of the great virtue and power which Charity hath in the work of our salvation. that when he had largely preached of the whole duty of man, and given him many precepts, and expositions of the Decalogue, necessary to be understood and followed by old and young, learned and illiterate: for the relief of man's memory, and the greater encouragement to his proceeding, he sums up all, and tells us all the Law, and all that God requires of man, is nothing else but Charity; (that is) love to God, and for his sake, love to thy neighbour.  
S. Augustine addeth, that as God calls himself Love, who is all in all: 
1 John 4.8.  for all things are from him, by him, and for him: so the like▪ in a quailfied and reverend sense, we may speak of Love or Charity; we say, he that hath not houses, nor Vineyards, nor Lands, yet if he hath Money, he hath potentially all: so may we say of Charity, in respect of other graces and endowments of the soul.  
In the place before cited, S. Paul speaks that of himself, 
1 Cor. 13.1.  which the best of men may say of themselves with the like truth; that could I preach as though I spoke with the tongue of Angels: yet this without Charity, will make me but like an empty sound of brass, or like the bell in the sleeple, that calls others to the Church, and so to Heaven, while itself hangs without doors. Nay, do I give all my goods to the poor, and my body to martyrdom for the truth, and have no charity, these will profit me nothing. Yea, if I understand all the mysteries of God, and have all faith, saith he, and have not Charity; observe this, he saith not of this last, as of the former gifts of preaching, martyrdom, or goods, that these without Charity profit nothing; but he saith, that although he hath all understanding, all knowledge, and all saith, yet these without Charity, make him not only as a sound, or which profiteth nothing; but he saith, that having these, and not having Charity, he is plainly nothing; nothing as in God's acceptance, and nothing as appertaining to the Kingdom of Heaven.  
The Prophet Isaiah tells the people, that God regards not, 
Isa. 1.  but abhors the sacrifices which he requires of them; and that when they lift up their hands to Heaven, he will hid his eyes, and not see them: and when they make many long and loud prayers unto him, yet he will not hear them. And how? or why is God become so averse to his own commands and ordinances? the Prophet tells us, the cause is want of Charity, when he saith, Your hands are full of blood, your works are full of evil, injustice, and oppression. In a word, I see not, I hear not, saith God, but I abhor you, and your works, because both want Charity.  
Much like this hath the same Prophet, 
Isa. 58.  taxing the falsehood of the Israelites, who hypocritically cried out, saying, Have we not held our Fasts? and have we not afflicted our souls? yet thou, O Lord, seest not, neither takest thou knowledge of our holy acts. To whom the Lord in truth makes answer, 'tis true, I neither see, nor take knowledge, nor pleasure in your sounds and shows of holiness. For in, or by these, saith God, ye exact your labours, or things wherewith ye grieve others. And ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness, and call ye this your fasting, saith God? no, saith he, the fast that I have chosen, is to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke (of Taxes, Excize, and the like) these, these, and not praying, preaching, fasting, with murder, robbery, and oppression, are the works of Charity, well pleasing to, and required of God. Without which, no man by his crying, Lord, Lord, 
Mat. 7.23  shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.   

CHAP. XVIII. Our love to God, is to precede all other loves.  
SUch was the exceeding goodness of God to his people, that he knowing the many delights and enticements of the world, the flesh, and the Devil, to withdraw man's love from his God, that he not only wrote in the heart of man, that he was to love his Creator: but that he might never forget it, he gives him this as a spiritual Law, written in the Tables of stone, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
Deut. 6.  with all thy soul, and with all thy might. In which words, not only the precept is expressed to love him: but the reason is annexed, because he is the Lord of all, and thy God in special. And that thou mayest keep this commandment, it shall be in thy heart. And because from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh; therefore thou shalt talk of it sitting, walking, lying, rising, that thy children thereby may learn the same: and thou shalt bind it on thine hand, and between thine eyes; and shalt write it upon the posts of thine house, and on thy gates. I do not remember that any law or precept was so largely and strongly enjoined as this, binding heart, tongue, eyes, and all the faculties of the soul, to love God.  
Probably some may demand, wherefore the Almighty should so earnestly and desirously require our love before, or more than any, or all things else, that are in man's power? In answer whereunto, I may say, that man hath nothing else to present, that is so much his own, or that is so much worthy of God's acceptance, nor so easy and beneficial to himself (for man) to give, as his love. And therefore that which is least painful, or chargeable, and most easy and beneficial to the giver, man: and which, withal, is most pleasing to the Receiver, God: God the Receiver, in his infinite goodness, hath required of man, the giver, only his love.  
If a man were in danger to lose his life, or his understanding, or but an eye, or any other member of his body, how would he love that person, who could and would cure, free, or deliver him? and how much more than is he bound to love him, who both gave the eye, the other members, reason, and life; and not only made them wonderfully, but gave them freely, with all manner of gracious endowments; and not only so made, and so gave them, but who hourly so preserveth them from all outward and inward dangers of corruption and destruction? can any price or estimate be set, sufficient for such a rare workmanship, so bounteous a gift, and so gracious a preservation? and than can we render any thing less for them all, than love to him, that so made, so gave, and so preserves them all?  
And yet hitherto I have told you but the least of what God hath done for the meanest part of thyself. For when I shall add, that when thou hadst destroyed thy soul by sin, and forfeited it with thy body, and all the faculties and members of both, to the Devil and everlasting hell fire; that then thy God should descend from Heaven, should be disgracefully used, shamefully tortured, and cruelly murdered; and all this only to ransom and free both thy body and soul: Can any price be set too high for this? or canst thou repay any thing less than thy love?  
Should God, as he might justly, for the least of his mercies and benefits, have commanded thee to offer unto him all thy worldly wealth, or to sacrifice thy children to him, as some Heathens did, and as once he tempted Abraham to do: or with stripes or fasting to mortify or kill thy body; had it been too much for a compensation or requital? but, in lieu of these, what a mercy, what a goodness, what a love is it in thy God, to require only that which costs thee least, which is easiest performed, and is in the power of all sorts of people to give, love? which if thou keepest back, and cheerfully renderest not, how canst thou answer thine own soul without blushing here, or without confusion and condemnation of thyself at the last day of judgement?  
If God had required of man, almost any thing else but love, some or other might have framed, at least, some probable seeming excuse for not performance; as if God had commanded our bounty to God's poor, the poor man might have answered, I have it not to give; if fasting, or labour, the sick and infirm; if knowledge or contemplation; the ignorant or simple might have pleaded, these are not in our power to do; and therefore, Lord, I am to be excused. But when God requires only thy love; neither the illiterate, nor ignorant, neither the poor, nor the weak, nor any other condition or sort of people, have any show or colour of excuse for not performance; for it is in every man's power, if he will, to love.  
I may add, that this sweet return of our love, as it is generally easy for all men to give: so is it as generally always to be performed, in all the actions, studies, or demeanours of our life. Art thou eating, drinking, recreating thyself, buying, selling, meditating? loving of God hinders thee not, but furthers thee in all these, so in, and with all these, he hath but justly and graciously commanded thy love.  
God by his Prophet thus reasons with his Israel, 
Isa. 43. ●3.  as now with us; I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering, nor wearied thee with Incense, but without these; Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, and thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. And for all this, I ask but that, which without expense, pain, or labour, thou mayest easily afford me, thy love; and for it receive heaven. So easy and plain a way, and so open a door to everlasting joy, hath God prepared for us, when he requires from us only our love.  
The Scripture is plentiful, not only in telling thee, O man, that God came down from Heaven, and was incarnate for thee; but that he suffered, died, and risen again, and all this for thee: and it is as often repeated in holy Writ, that he is thy Lord, thy Father, thy King, thy God; and if God in all be thine, 
1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.  the Apostle rightly infers, than all that is Gods, Angels, Spirits, and all that is in God, power, justice, mercy, all is thine. And canst thou possibly think, how to make a better purchase, then to make God, Heaven, Earth, and all thine wholly and only by Love?  
And when God is thus made thine, then in loving him, thou dost but love thine own; and this is so common, that it is natural for a man to love what is his, rather than what is another man's. But further, indeed to love God, who by love is made thine, is but to love thyself; who by love art united to God; and no man, saith the Apostle, hates, 
Ephes. 5.29.  but rather cherisheth and loveth himself.  
S. Paul reckoning up the fruits of God's blessed Spirit, in the first place sets love, as being the source and spring of the rest; 
Gal. 5.22  The fruit of the Spirit, saith he, is, love, peace, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; where the first, as the parent of all, is love.  
From the consideration of somewhat here, and elsewhere spoken of love, some holy Fathers have professed, that nothing can be accounted difficult, hard, chargeable, or painful to him that truly loves; such are the fruits of an hearty active love, and such are the sufferings of love from its beloved. For if it reprehends, it is gently; if it burdens, it is delightfully; if it detains, it is pleasantly; if it restrains, it is courteously; if it rewards, it is bountifully. And therefore well may we with them conclude, that love is the precious pearl mentioned in the Gospel, 
Matth. 13. ●6.  for which the wise Merchant sold all to buy it: as being of most value of all other pearls, or heavenly virtues.   

CHAP. XIX. God must be loved with the whole heart.  
GOd requires the heart, 2. the whole heart, 3. that none other may have part therein, 4. no, not man himself, to use his heart any way against, but altogether as tending to God's service and glory.  
All that God courts, and woos man for, is for his heart; 
Prov. 23.26.  My son give me thy heart, is the sum of his desire. Which in another word is explained, by that of the King of Sodom to Abraham, give me the souls (of the people,) the rest take to thyself. 
Gen. 14.21.  And for this, as in war for the Citadel, or chief place of strength, is all the contention, that I may so say, betwixt the true husband and lover of the soul, God, and the adulterous and false lovers, the world, the flesh, and the Devil.  
And God, to show how ardently he affecteth this, and how jealous he is of it, he is not satisfied with thy heart, unless, as he hath expressed himself under the Law and the Gospel, 
Deut. ●. 5.  Thou love him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, with all the strength, and faculties thereof. For as a great Prince coming to an Inn, takes up all the rooms in the house; not holding it to stand with his state, to have any stranger a sharer with him: so is it, and much more, with God. And that again, because as S. John saith, 
1 John 3.20.  God is greater than thy heart: so that all is too little for him, though he hath all. And if he will not endure, that one Temple shall receive both his Ark and the Idol Dagon: will he be content, 
1 Sam. 5▪  in his bedchamber, which is man's heart, to endure his enemies, the World, the flesh, and the Devil, to have their abode, or to lodge there? No, one saith Christ, cannot serve two Masters; I am sure not two such, that are so contrary and opposite, as God is to the Devil, the World, and the Flesh: neither, saith S. Paul, 
1 Cor. 6.14.  can light dwell with darkness, nor Christ with Belial.  
The Prophet Elijah saith unto the people, 
1 Kings 18.21.  How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, serve him; but if Baal, then follow him. God will not, cannot endure any corrival, much less any bedfellow with him in the heart of man. Moses tells Pharaoh, 
Exod. ●●  that God will not suffer him to leave so much as an hoof behind in Egypt, when he goes to sacrifice to God: for the least possession is a kind of engagement against God. The world or the Devil, like the counterfeit mother, cries divide it, let me have a part, 'tis no matter which, living or dead, so God hath not all to himselt alone: whereas the true mother of the living child, 
● Kin. 3.  will admit of no division, but she will have all or none; and such is God's desire, for if the heart be divided, as H●sea speaks of Israel, 
●os. 10.  it is as the child divided, which cannot live to the true Parent.  
But O man, consider how reasonable and just God is, in requiring thy whole soul: and how unjust and unreasonable thou art in denying it him entire, or dividing it in parts, betwixt him and his enemies. Consider, I say, when he created the goodly universe of this world, and so gloriously adorned and furnished it, not only with the fruitful plants, and fragrant flowers, but with those bright Lamps in Heaven; that he made all this, and gave it entire to thee alone, making thee the sole Lord thereof, in respect of any other creatures, over all which also he gave thee temporal power and dominion: and as though in this he had showed but half, or indeed but the least part of his love: consider, that God himself gave himself wholly to thee, was incarnate, suffered, died, rose, and all only for thee, and not for any other. And is not this argument sufficient, that the least thou canst return in gratitude, should be thy heart, entire, not to be cut into parcels or shreds; some whereof to be given to the giver of all, and the rest to his and thine own enemies?  
But some perchance may say, though this is just and reasonable, which is required, yet it is most difficult, for man clothed with flesh, to perform this duty so strictly commanded, to love God with all the affections and thoughts of the soul, and these ever to be fixed on him, and nothing else; neither on parents, friends, or things of this life.  
In answer hereunto I must tell you, that God knoweth what we are, and whereof we are made; and therefore in this strict command, or absolute request of all our love, he prohibits us neither to love parents, children, friends, no nor the things of this world: so we love them with these two rules or cautions.  
1. That we love neither friends, nor things on earth, with such a degree of affection as may alienate or divide our fouls from God. And therefore God himself hath not only commanded us to love our neighbours, all our neighbours, of what rank or distance soever, so they be men: and to seek in the second place, things necessary for the life and well being of ourselves and those who depend on us, and for whom we are to provide: but hath figured the fame in proportioning our heart; which though it hath a large and broad superficies upward, to look and dilate itself to Heaven: yet it hath but a cone or small point downwards, to the things beneath.  
The second caution, in our love to any thing besides God, is, that whatever we thus love, it must virtually tend and move to the service and glory of God. And in this, our love resembles the point of the needle in the Seaman's Card, or the Geometricians pair of compasses; the former of which, though it be ever moving, and as it were, casting about to several parts, yet it still returns, and reteins its whole settled course to the true pole star: and the latter, though the one foot of the Compass circuit and surround the circumference or globe of the earth, yet the other stands ever firm and constant to the point, which point here, as that star before, in this our application, is God.  
So that God, who without any show of covetousness in himself, or wrong to thee, might require all thy substance, all thy actions, and all thy time, wholly to be dedicated and spent on his immediate holy service: yet grants thee the fruits of thy honest labour, thy wealth, and bids thee give his poor, only th' t which thou mayest well spare; and of the fruits of thy increase, he takes only a tenth; and from thy worldly travails, only a seventh part: and that Love which he wholly and entirely calls for, is the affection and love of thy heart.  
Shall I sum up all? There is none so ungodly in this world, but assents to this general doctrine, that God is to be so loved as he requires; but all the question and difference lies in the performance, and manner of loving; for the most wicked, in some sort, may be said to love God. But how? and why? for it is but with a carnal or worldly mind, and to their own end and behoof; as by him to enjoy life, health, wealth, pleasure, and delight; and so they love God for these things, that if he would confirm his letters patents unto them, that these they might perpetually enjoy, they would readily release unto him all the grant and interest made to them in Heaven.  
On the other side, the true lovers of God so love the world, as that thereby, and therewith, they may the better serve him, and promote his glory; without which, they desire neither the things of the world, nor long to continue in it. They love these things so, as a man doth his horse, his cloak, or garment; the one to carry him through his journey, to his Inn, and the other to keep him warm, and to defend him from the hurt or violence of the weather: so that the love of the first, is like that of the Strumpets, all for reward, or what will ye give me? and by these means, he makes the principal of what he should love, God, but the accessary to the thing he loves: and the accessary indeed, the things of the world, and flesh, he makes the principal part of his love. Whereas the true lover makes God the prime, original, principal cause, and mover of all his love, and all things else, but subordinate and subservient to this love.  
The regenerate and unregenerate children of God in this world, make use of God's blessings; and so return their love to God, as Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau: where the father in blessing Jacob, ver. 28. gins with heaven; 
Gen. 27.  God give thee of the dew of heaven, yet he after adds the fatness of the earth: but in blessing Esau, ver. 39 he gins with the earth, Behold, thy dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew above. In like manner God gives his truly beloved Israel, the dew, the desire, and love of heaven in the first place: but to the Edomite, first the fatness of the earth; and according as their desires are set, so also are their loves; this man's to the world, and the others to God. And by these their loves, as by certain and infallible rules, ye may know and discern what they are.   

CHAP. XX. The love of the heavenly Angels unto man.  
IN this Chapter of Angels, my Author is very large, and attributes mare unto Angels, than I can find sufficient ground for; therefore I shall abbreviate▪ and deliver no more from him, than I conceive is warrantable. Which is,  
In Scripture we have no mention of an Angel, until the world was above nineteen hundred years old; 
Gen. 16.7.  and who that Angel was, that appeared and talked with Hagar, is questioned By the learned; among which, many are of opinion, that it was God himself, for that he said, ver. 10. I will multiply thy seed; and that she answered, v. 13. and called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her, Thou God seest me.  
But if this were not God, but a created Angel, the question may be, wherefore Moses so faithfully and fully speaking of God's works in that great Creation, neither then, nor in all the time since, till this of Genesis, hath any word of an Angel. Some are of opinion, that Moses writing more especially to his Countrymen the Jews, omitted the history of the Angel's creation, lest the Jews, over apt (as the most simple people are) to Idolatry, might by it have fallen into such an esteem of them, as to have adored them. Or, Moses writing his history of the Creation in brief, expressed only what more directly concerned man to know concerning his duty and service to God; yet when he finds a just and necessary cause, he than omits not to speak of them, as in this story of Hagar.  
Now what they are, though we have not in Scripture any exact discourse or definition of their natures, yet the Psalmist hath expressed the end and office why they are created, when he saith, God shall give his Angels charge over thee, 
Psalm 91.11.  to keep thee in all thy ways; and this that they may the better do, he adds in another Psalm, He maketh his Angel's Spirits, 
Psalm 114.4.  his Ministers a flaming fire, or a flame of fire, as the Apostle renders it. Which summed up, the result will be, 
Heb. 1.7.  that God's good Angels are created for the good and benefit of God's good servants on earth; to whom, under, and from God, they are in a kind of ministry or service, as is expressly spoken by the Apostle, Are they not all ministering Spirits, 
Hebr. 1.14.  sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? And Psa. 34.8. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them And that they may do God service for man's good, God hath made them for their activeness, agile and swift, as Spirits, and for their fervency and zeal in discharge of their office, as a flame of fire.  
The Scripture is plentiful in the confirmation thereof; therefore when Hagar is blessed in the promise of a great issue, 
Gen. 16.  it is done by an Angel; and when she and her son were in a famishing distress, they receive their comfort by an Angel; 
Gen. 21.17.  and they were Angels that brought and delivered Lot out of the fire in Sodom. 
Gen. 19 ●15.   
When King Hezekiah and the people of Judah were in eminent danger to be swallowed up and destroyed by the vast and potent army of the Assyrians, 
2 Kings 19  than the Angel of the Lord smote of the Assyrians in one night 185000. And we find the three servants of God cast into the fiery Furnace, when God sends his Angel, and delivered them that trusted in him; then Daniel cast into the Lion's Den; 
Dan. 3.28.  we see in the same place the Angel of God shutting the Lion's mouths, 
Dan. 6.22.  that they cannot hurt him. And the blessed Babe Christ, his Mother, and supposed Father, being in jeopardy of their lives, by that bloodsucker Herod; 
Matth. 2.13.  behold the Angel of the Lord counsels and guides them forth from the malice and rage of that tyrant. And an Angel of the Lord did as much for Peter, 
Act. 12.8  when he was cast into prison, and ready the same night to have been destroyed by another Herod.  
Many rare examples have we of the deliverances of God's servants out of great and imminent dangers, and of other their helps and comforts, in time of need and distress, by the hand and help of God's ministering Spirits, the good Angels. To shut up all, they were Angels who pronounced John the Baptist to be the light and forerunner of the Messiah. 
〈◊〉. 1.13. Mat. 1.10.  They were Angels who proclaimed the birth of the Son of God, 
Mat. 4.11.  our for ever most blessed Saviour. Angels they were, that ministered unto him after his long fasting, 
Luk. 22.43.  and that comforted him in his sad passion; 
Matth. 28.5.  and Angels that preached the joy of his resurrection. 
Joh. 20.12.   
Thus fare we may safely go and with the warranty of Sacred writ pronounce to God's glory and his mercy, the loving offices performed by Angels to God's dear servants; but to say as my Author and divers otherwise learned Divines do, that every particular▪ man hath his Tutelar guardian Angel to attend, guide, and protect him, I cannot say; for the two places by them cited, to prove this, where it is said of the little Ones, 
Mat. 18. 1●.  Their Angels in heaven do behold the face of God which is in heaven, and that where it is said of Peter, It is his Angel, 
Act. 12.15.  confirm not their Tenet; For by their Angels, and his Angel, in those two Texts, may be understood these or such Angels as God had especially appointed as helps for them, and yet not that thence it should necessarily and generally follow, that every man hath, and is to have his particular Angel; But in this I will not be peremptory, but submit my opinion to the judgement of the better learned, and so from the love of God and Angels I will follow mine Author to speak of the love of man to man.   

CHAP. XXI. Of the love which man oweth to his neighbour.  
WHen the Pharisee demanded of our Saviour Christ which was the great commandment in the law, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
Mat. 22.36.  etc. This is the first and great commandment: and the second is like unto it, Thou s; halt love thy neighbour as thyself: on these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets: whence it appeareth that the love of our Neighbour is next unto and a declaration of that former of our love to God.  
And that it is so fare necessary, that when the Pharisee only asked which was the great commandment, Christ not only answered him directly to that, but thought it requisite to add what the hypocritical Pharisee lest cared for to know, or practise, namely what God had commanded touching his neighbour: yea and S. chrysostom adds, that in some respects preachers have more cause to enforce this doctrine of love to our neighbour, then that of our love to God, for that all things which we see, feel, have and enjoy, prompt and move us to this, whereas there are many and several occasions daily offered through our words, bargains, transactions, and private interest, to divert or lessen our love to our neighbour, and therefore I shall set you down some reasons moving to, and confirming the necessity of this duty.  
And the first shall be, that our Saviour Christ gave us this commandment, which indeed is in the nature of an inestimable legacy, even then when he was to departed this life, and to leave the world; and we usually say, and hold it true, that the charge or gift of a dying friend sticks and works most in the heart of the friend living, and therefore Christ at the last point as it were before his passion speaks unto his disciples, and in them unto us, saying, My time is short, and I find death approaching, 
Joh. 13.34▪  before which, I have one especial remembrance to give you, that you love one another, and that in no ordinary way, or according to the course of this world, but so to love one another even as I have loved you, who conversed with you kindly, communicated all to you friendly, and have truly laid down my life for you; Therefore my last Will and Legacy to you is, that as I have loved you that even so ye love one another.  
And to strengthen, yea to sweeten this gift of command, Christ in the words following gives a good reason; for, saith he, by this kind of love among you, as by a cognizance or badge all men shall know that ye are my disciples: and I this will prove if not in the eyes and estimation of the world, yet I am sure in the hearts of all good men, in the esteem of Saints and Angels, and in the eyes of my heavenly Father, a piece of great honour unto you to be know through your mutual love to be my disciples.  
The brethren of Joseph fearing that he might call to mind and revenge the injuries done unto him by his brethren, 
Gen. 50.16.  they sent a messenger unto Joseph, who said unto him, Thy Father did command before he died; forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin: which words of his dying Father when Joseph heard, he wept faith the text, and spoke kindly unto them, and not only expressed his love by words and tears, but he comforted and nourished them and their little ones: and the like love with Joseph, if we have any bowels toward so dear a friend, our Lord and Master, as Christ was, we will show for his sake, who dying commanded us so to love one another, as he loved us who gave his life for us.  
And yet lest as Christ foresaw and foretold that in the last days, as iniquity should increase, so charity would wax cold, and thereby both our love to such a dead friend, and for his sake to our neighbour would grow faint and die, he therefore gives us a second reason to love our neighbours, which with man may happily work more than the former, because it contains in it the unspeakable benefit and reward acquired by this love to our neighbour, and this benefit is no less than the kingdom of heaven, with the full fruition of all the unutterable and unconceivable joys with Christ for ever. All which are evidently and expressly promised and annexed to this love; for when God in the Law and our Saviour in the Gospel have pronounced life and the kingdom of heaven to those that keep and fulfil the law, and their commands, the Apostle as the Ambassador of God hath plainly pronounced and proclaimed that love is the fulfilling of all this law; 
Rom. 13.10.  & indeed our Saviour himself spoke no less (and from it this our Apostle might take his Commission) when he said, 
Mat. 22.40.  on love depends all the Law and the Prophets.  
Neither doth the reward of our love to our neighbour terminate and end in this great blessing declared, but it works before it comes to that, and produceth singular and infinite blessings, therefore our Saviour before he commends the keeping of this commandment of love to his disciples, 
Joh. 14.14.  he prefaceth, what ever ye shall ask of God in my name that will I do: then in the next words he subjoineth, as the means to obtain this wonderful grant and blessing, saying, 
v. 15.  this is to be performed if ye love me and keep my commandments, that is, to love one another. And yet as though this were not the half of that blessed reward which Christ annexeth to this love, he goes on saying, it you love, 
v. 16.  I will give you the Comforter who may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, intimating hereby, and that plainly, that as by love we receive the comfort of the holy Spirit and truth, so without it, neither truth nor comfort will or can dwell or abide with us.  
And which is a third reason to incite and stir us to this love, nature itself infuseth this love into the heart of man, which in this sympathiseth with the sensitive creatures, that all so love and agree together according to their several kinds, that they not only fall not out among themselves to hurt each other, but feed, nourish, flock and herd together, helping and defending each other against the assaults and hurts of other enemies to their kind.  
And this reason of love drawn from common reason is and aught much to be strengthened by that bond of natural propagation, for that what God vouchsafed not to other creatures, no nor to his good Angels, he granted unto man as an especial bounty and sign of his love, that all mankind should proceed from one general Father, Adam, that so all his posterity as descending from one and the same root, might all love, as being in or indeed as all but one.  
I read that when Trajan the Emperor had sent to Pliny Praetor in Sicily to destroy all the Christians there, the Praetor forbore the execution and counselled the Emperor rather to cherish then extirpate them, for saith he they are a people, which live in obedience to law, they neither rob, nor kill, nor injure any, but live as hating none, but loving all.  
And when I read that of S. Paul, love is the fulfilling of the law, I find that the Apostle in the same text by way of command bids to owe no man any thing, but mutual love; 
Rom. 13.18.  whence I conclude that love as it is a command from God, so from and by God it is held as a debt, and so enjoined, as that though we daily pay it, yet we should never be discharged from it, but that we should with our days and years grow yearly and daily more in this debt of mutual love.  
But there is a fourth reason persuading and urging this love, which is stronger than that of nature, and this is our spiritual brotherhood, as being not so much one from our natural parents, as one by our spiritual birth and regeneration in our baptism, whereby being united to our head Christ, we are all become members of Christ's mystical body, and this, if any thing, will enforce our love; It was the argument which good Abraham used to Lot, Let us have no breach nor difference betwixt us, but let us love and live in accord; For, saith he, (and he thought he could bring no stronger argument for it then this) me are brethren. 
Gen. 13.8.   
And we Christians may say we are all brethren, not by one Father in the flesh, but by one Father which is in heaven, and by one Mother the chaste undefiled spouse of Christ, and by these we become heirs, not of an estate got by force or fraud and which may be taken away by fire, thiefs, injustice or an usurping power, but of an inheritance in the heavens, where neither thief nor usurper shall ever come, to help himself or hurt us.  
When S. Paul had showed how in Christ we are all become one body, 
1 Cor. 1● 1●.  he than infers that no one part can pride itself over an other, saying, I have no need of thee, but that as members in the natural body, so much more being members in this mystical body of Christ, we should be tenderly compassionate, and not only not to have Schisms and breaches, but much more not to hurt or offend, but rather to help and defend each other from wrong and oppression, and so fare as the law will permit, to act as Moses did when he saw his contreymen to be oppressed or wronged. 
Exod. 2.13.   
S. chrysostom useth an other metaphor to persuade this love, when he tells us that this spiritual brotherhood is as the cementing stones together in an arch, or other building, where as the one supports the other, so all united bind and keep all fast and safe together: To which well may that of S. Paul be applied, that love or peace is the bond of perfection, and therefore, 
Col. 2.14 Eph. 4.3.  keeps the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; In which texts as love is the bond, ligament, or holdfast of the Christians mystical body: so it is the bond, uniter, and knitter together of all the perfection that man in this world can attain unto.  
You see the great, sweet and powerful effects of this spiritual love, begotten by our baptism into Christ; which is much cherished, and increased by the Sacrament of his body and blood. It was not only acted by Caliline, but long before him, and since, (I would I could not say the like of Christians) that they strengthened their leagues, and covenants of holding together, as it were in one, binding each other to defend, and keep them, though they were covenants with hell and death: yet these I say, they entered into, and strengthened by drinking the blood either of themselves, or others; a covenant we have taken, and received, the Sacrament of the blood not of beasts, or man, but of God himself; that as we are all members of one body, which is Christ, so we will love one another. In the real and true performance whereof if we fail, S. Paul tells us that we have not only taken that Sacrament unworthily, 
1 Cor. 11 27.  but therein we have taken our own damnation, because, saith he, we did not discern the body and blood of Christ, but did eat and drink these, as of course and in ordinary, and not considering that if we kept and performed the commandment and covenant of love, the seal whereof was the body, and the red ink the blood of Christ, that then we should have life everlasting in him: but otherwise nothing but infirmities, sickness and death. And whether we find not these sad and deadly effects to have fallen upon us for the want or breach of God's commandments and our covenant signed and sealed in the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood, judge and seriously think of it while I proceed to  
The fifth reason why man should love his neighbour, which is grounded upon the nature of the Lawgiver, God; for generally such as the legislator is, such are his laws. So that be the lawmaker a bloody man, his laws savour of cruelty and blood: whereas be he of a sweet meek disposition, his laws are full of mercy and love. Now God being love itself, his law or command to man that he love his neighbour relisheth of Gods own nature, as flowing from it. So that the nearer we come to the fulfilling this law of love, the nearer we approach to the nature of God which is love.  
Christ therefore though at first he took not away all legal sacrifices, yet he professed that he would have mercy and not sacrifice, 
Mat. 9.13.  or mercy rather than sacrifice: but so as in the sacrifice of Cain, if it were mingled with the hatred of his brother Abel, he rejected it: and in this or such a sacrifice he saith, I will have mercy and not sacrifice: and accordingly when the Scribe answering Christ according to his own doctrine, that to love our neighbour as ourselves, 
Mar. 12.13.  is more than all sacrifices, Christ hereupon finding that the Scribe answered discreetly, and to the truth, he said unto him, Thou art not fare from the kingdom of God: which is as much as if Christ had said, thus to teach and so to do is the strait way to the kingdom of God, and without it there is no other way.  
In the levitical Law we read that God finding the Jews to be hard hearted and merciless, to incline them to better and more loving dispositions he gave them several Laws wherein he forbids them to eat blood, and to boil the kid in the milk of the dam, and enjoins them to leave the glean after harvest for the poor, and some grapes for the passenger, and that every seventh year the land should have rest, and the benefit thereof to accrue unto the poor. And although Christ was a zealous and strict observer of the Sabbath as consecrated to God's service, 
Mat. 12.27.  yet for the necessary relief of man he is content to dispense with some part of that days service, and therefore concludes that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  
And according to this law of God and Christ, Moses under the law, and S. Paul under the Gospel were so zealous in their loves to their brethren, that the former desires to be blotted out of God's book rather than his countrymen should be destroyed, 
Exod. 32  and the latter rather than his brethren in the flesh should not be saved, he could wish himself to be separated from Christ, 
Rom. 9  or excommunicated from the Church.  
Some ancient Fathers are of opinion that when Elijah laboured to draw the Israelites from their Idolatry to God, 
1 King. 17.6.  and that himself was there involved and driven near to famme, that God sent Ravens a kind of bird which leaves her young, featherlesse and meatlesse to feed him, that thereby he might mollify the heart of the Prophet to be more tender to his countrymen, and by his prayer to obtain rain, and the fruits of the earth for them.  
And without conjectures the text is plain, that the widow of Zarephah her compassionate love in feeding the Prophet out of her small remainder of her little meal and oil, is recompensed with such an increase, 
1 King. 17.16.  that neither her oil, nor her meal failed so long as the famine continued. So true is that of our Saviour, Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful; and, Give, 
Luke 6.37, 38.  and it shall be given unto you, good measure (as to the widow last mentioned) pressed down, shaken together and running over: for with the same measure that you meet with all, it shall be measured to you again.  
A sixth reason for this law of love is drawn from the end of all good laws, which are made that we may live in security, & enjoy our peace, which is accomplished principally by this love to our neighbour. The old law given to the Jews by which they conceived that they might hate and kill their enemies, 
Gal. 5.1  S. Paul calls servitude or bondage, but the law of grace which commands love to all, he terms liberty: because as by that law slavery, so by this, liberty is acquired to every state. Again S. Paul building upon the same foundation raiseth his work by bowels of mercies, 
Gol. 3.12  kindness, humbleness of mind, forbearing one another, if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ also forgave you, even so do ye; and above all these things put on Charity which (as it is the foundation of all, so it) is the bond of all perfection.  
S. Jerome writes of S. John that being through age grown so weak that he was carried by his disciples to the Church, he ever and anon repeated this saying of our Saviour, Love one another; and being asked by them why so often he commemorated this text rather than any other, he answered, that in this they should fulfil the whole law, insomuch as none could love God unless he loved his neighbour. In which others agree saying, that the love of God is the centre of all our true love, on which the heart as on a point of the Compass being set, the other point moves about the whole circumference of the world: and indeed he that carefully observeth the tenor of the Epistles of that beloved and loving disciple S. John, he shall find this often insisted upon, that the love of God and of our neighbour are so inseparable, that he that doth the one cannot but do the other: for that the love of God necessarily produceth the love of our neighbour.  
And therefore when our Saviour before his departure out of the world would set a mark of distinction whereby his disciples should be known from all others, the note or mark was not preaching or prophesying: for happily Judas, Hymeneus, Philetus, Diotrephes or others might say as those of whom Christ speaks, Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name? 
Mat. 7.21, 22, 23  nor was the note of distinction the working miracles or casting out devils: for Simon Magus and others in Christ's name did the like, and of those and such like Christ saith, I take you not for my disciples, Depart hence, I know you not; 
Joh. 13.35.  for my mark is love, and by this men shall know that ye are my disciples, and such as for whom I have prepared a place in my kingdom.   

CHAP. XXII. The manner how we are to love our neighbour.  
THe Scripture hath given us three rules by which we are taught how to love our neighbour. The first is that of our Saviour, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; 
Mat. 22.33.  the second is that which Christ likewise prescribes, as I have loved you, 
Joh. 13.34.1 Cor. 12 12.  so shall ye love one the other; the third is that of S. Paul comparing the members of Christ's mystical body to the parts of man's body natural.  
The loving our neighbour as ourself is to be understood first as desiring the same graces spiritual and eternal to thy brother as to thyself; secondly, wishing in all things else the like to be done to thy neighbour as thou wishest to be done to thyself.  
And against this first rule of love we find in the world two offenders, the one in the excess, the other in the defect, and among the former besides some others whom I might touch, I may not amiss place some preachers in our times, who, as some Physicians, through covet of gain or other respects so much intent the cure of others, that they neglect the health of their own bodies: so these by their preaching raise others and lie still themselves in their own sins; of whom and such like I may use S. Paul's words, Thou art inexcusable O man: 
Rom. 2.1.21.  for thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself '? and likewise wise that of our Saviour, Physician, thou that professest to cure others, heal thyself.  
The Defective Lover hath one scale wherein to weigh himself, and another for his Neighbour, which Moses tells us is an abomination before God; yet too many such there are, 
Deut. 25.  who looking into their neighbour's virtues or miseries, they see them with diminishing-glasses, whereby they seem little or not considerable, the first as not to be commended, and the latter as not to be pitied: but upon their own sufferings or actions, they look with eyes like multiplying-glasses, whereby their own actions seem unvaluable, and their sufferings intolerable. So that what in himself he fees as a beam, in his brother it is looked upon as a gnat or a straw: whereas did they state their Neighbour's case and act to be as their own, than they might judge the better and more uprightly; and this were to love our Neighbour as ourselves.  
But before I pass from the first to the second Rule in loving our Neighbour, I must observe, that there be some who are not capable of this rule to love their Neighbour as themselves, because themselves are such who love not themselves. And if you wonder who these should be, being that S. Paul tells us, that no man ever hated himself, I must answer you, that the sinners are the men that do not love themselves: 
Eph. 5.29.  for he who loves and follows that which is his ruin and destruction, cannot rightly be said to love himself; and therefore if he love his Neighbour as himself, that is to make his Neighbour a sinner as himself: he may be rather said to hate his Neighbour as himself, and not to love him, for that by his wicked love he destroys himself and his Neighbour.  
The second Rule in loving our Neighbour, Christ gives us, 
Joh. 15.12.  saying, Love ye one the other as I have loved you: and this is that new Commandment which Christ speaks of, when he saith, A new Commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you: and this is that makes the Commandment new, not the loving of our neighbour, for this, as before is showed, is as old as the Law of Nature; but to love our neighbour as Christ loved us. 
Joh. 13.34.  This is new, and therefore by Christ called A new Commandment, because given in this new manner of loving, as Christ loved us.  
Now that we may love according to this rule, we must learn how Christ loved us, and that is expressed in these words of our Saviour, As my Father loved me, 
Jo. 15.9.  so do I love you: So that now we are to know how God the Father loved Christ his Son: and here we shall find the Father in his love to his Son (as Man) conferring all blessings, graces, and endowments upon him, and so we shall find him loving Christ his Son. 2. Not for his wealth person, or any such like thing, but freely. 3. That he loved him not in a fit, or for a time, but as Christ is said where he loves, 
Jo. 13. ●.  to love unto the end. Lastly, though God thus loved his Son, and more than we can express, yet he is content that this Son of his love should die for the good and salvation of his brethren. And thus as the Father loved his Son Christ; so Christ hath loved us: and as Christ hath loved us, so he commands us to love our neighbour: and this is the second Rule.  
The third Rule is taken from the comparison made betwixt the members of man's body, 
1 Cor. 12.  and those of the mystical body of Christ: And here first we shall consider that as in the former the members of man's body, so in the latter the members of Christ, there should not be any envy or grudging in any one member, be it never so loyw or mean, at the good or prosperity of the other: For as every member hath its particular office; so no one member can say to the other: I have no need of thee: but God having given them distinct offices, whereby the one serveth and helpeth the other, there can be no envious or malignant humour among them; neither if the members of Christ love as those of the body (as they ought) can there be any grudging or repining betwixt Christians which are the members of Christ; for the honourable & rich cannot say to the low and poor, We have no need of you: for they have need of their prayers, their corporal service, and other helps, and therefore are not to be proud over them: nor can the low and poor say they have no need of the rich and honourable, for they have need of their defence from wrongs, and relief in time of necessity, and therefore small cause have they to envy that which affords them defence and relief. The eye set on high, despiseth not the foot that goes on the ground: nor doth the foot that treads on the earth, envy the high place of the eye; and so ought it to be with the rich and honourable, and with the low and needy.  
Secondly, in our natural bodies the members each are subservient and mutually assisting each to others; the eye by his light guideth the foot from falling, and the hand in working: and the foot and hand return a reciprocal office to the eye, the one in carrying, the other in helping and defending the eye. The like may be said of the head to the ear, and of the ear to the head, of the stomach to the rest of the parts, and of the rest of the parts to the stomach; and so should it be in the body mystical, that the members thereof may relieve and help each other in all cases and kinds wherein the members are made or become able to help each other.  
Thirdly, in the body natural of man, where one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; 
1 Cor. 11.29.  and when one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it: and so should it be among the members of Christ, that each may say as S. Paul, Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? Naturalists observe, That Hearts and Hinds swimming over a river or stream, the head of the follower is laid on the haunches of the former, and this former being weary, turns about and is supported by the latter. Nay, we daily see, that the Swine, yea and the fearful Deer, if hunted or worried by a Dog, will shelter or strive to help and defend each other: and shall these beasts, by the instinct of Nature, excel Christians in the mutual help of each other?   

CHAP. XXIII. That we ought to love our Enemies.  
TO prove this, we need add no more to the former Chapter, then to show, that under our Neighbour, Christ understandeth, and comprehendeth our enemy. And that it is so, we need no further proof, then that which our Saviour manifested in the parable, where when the Lawyer asked Christ, Who is my neighbour? 
Luk. 10.29.  Christ told him, that a poor Jew was rob and wounded, who being neglected by the Priest and Levite, yet was comforted and relieved by a Samaritan: now the Samaritans and Jews being divided in their Religions, as another Gospel hath it, have no deal together, witness the same Text, where the woman said to Christ, How is it that thou being a Jew, 
Joh. 4.9.  shouldest so much as ask a cup of water of me that am a Samaritan? upon this Christ, by way of satisfaction to the Lawyer's question, demands of the Lawyer, whom he took to be neighbour to the wounded Jew? whether the Jew who passed by not helping him, or the Samaritan who hated the Jew? and the Lawyer, as convinced in judgement and conscience, readily and roundly answered, The Samaritan, who helped the Jew whom otherwise he hated, was neighbour to the Jew; and upon that verdict thus given by the Jewish Lawyer, Christ inferreth this doctrine by way of exhortation, Go and do likewise; that is, have mercy, and love ' thine enemy.  
And what Christ preached here, he practised to the full; for had Christ any so great enemies unto him as the Jews, who notwithstanding all the good works that he did among and for them, yet hated and persecuted him to his death: and when they cried loudly to the Judge Crucify him, he more fervently prays to his Father to forgive them, and when they madly wished, that his blood might be upon them and their children, he mildly pronounced, that his blood should be shed for them and their posterity. Can there be any greater signs of the Jews enmity to Christ? and could there be any greater evidence of Christ's love to the Jews? and according to his practice, he gives his law, As I have loved you, even so love ye your neighbour, though he be your enemy.  
Notwithstanding this so plain and evident truth, there have not wanted who have urged reasons against this position, as the Rabbis masters or expounders of the Mosaical Law, who feign, that though the Commandment of loving our neighbour, was written by God in the Tables of Stone delivered unto Moses, yet it was written in the heart of man to hate his enemy. 2. They urge that of our Lord God to Solomon, 
1 Kings 3.11.  saying, Because thou hast not asked long life, nor riches, nor the life of thine enemies, I have given thee a wife heart: whence they would infer, that revenge on our enemies is as justifiably desired as long life. 3. They add, that David, of whom not only himself, but God pronounced, that he had walked according to his Commandments; yet David used many and bitter curses and imprecations against his enemies. 4. To persuade us that this is natural to man, they will tell us, that a child being offended with any, will soon be pleased, if another will but strike and revenge him upon the person that gave him the offence. 5. They urge some passages of ancient Fathers, who deem this hate of enemies to have been permitted to the Jews, as that of Divorce, for the hardness of their hearts.  
To the first argument I may say, That such a Tradition as is alleged by the Rabbis, is not to be regarded, but to be rejected as frivolous and false.  
But if any add, that it should seem by the words of Christ himself, that in Moses' time, or at least before Christ, there was such a Tradition among the the Jews, as that it was permitted to them to hate their enemies, for Christ saith, Ye have heard that it hath been said of old, 
Mat. 5.43.  Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  
To this I may answer, That the words of Christ, It hath been said of old, might relate to the perverse interpretation of the Scribes, who argued, That seeing we are to love our neighbours, that is, say they, our friends, therefore we may hate our enemies: or because God commanded to make no peace with nor to spare the Canaanites, but destroy them, therefore we might do the like to all our enemies. But to this, or that old saying, we need say no more than what Christ hath said, Ye have heard it said of old, 
V 44.  Thou shalt hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.  
But notwithstanding this, they urge, That by the Law of Moses as much is employed as the hate of our enemies: for it is said, Thou shalt not hate thy brother: 
Leu. 19.17. Deut. 15.7.  and ver. 18. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people: from which Texts and the like they would infer, That they may hate and avenge themselves on all but their brethren, and the children of their own people, which were the Jews only, and therefore all the rest they might hate as their accounted enemies.  
But to this we answer, That it is an implication of their own making without ground from the Text, which may be proved from other Texts, which command the love of our enemy, and the Spirit of God doth not, cannot command contradictions: Now God commands, If thou meet thine enemy's beast straying, 
Exod. 23.4. Prov. 25.21.  thou shalt bring it back to him, that is, to thine enemy: and Solomon, (which words S. Paul, Rom. 12.20 urgerh to our Saviour's sense) If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him to drink, and the Lord will reward thee. Here is no sign nor tittle of hate or revenge to our enemy, but quite contrary, to show him the fruits of our love in doing him good.  
And if to any the hate of our enemies seem natural, I must say, It must be to such as are of a perverse corrupted Jewish disposition, and not to the nature of a true Christian: for can any man conceive that God who is love, and is most delighted with mercy and love, should infuse into the heart of man, created after his own image, hatred and revenge, and that against his neighbour, his brother, who likewise bears the image of his Maker, who is Love?  
That David used imprecations against many, is not to be denied, but denied it must be, that it was against them because simply his enemies, but rather against them as God's enemies, not his. 2. The imprecations were not against their persons directly, as to the destruction of their soul or body, but against them as they were sinners. 3. It was for the conversion of sinners, and that God's glory might appear either by their conversion or destruction, and not to the satisfying his own revenge.  
Observe I pray with me, That David in his Psalms is often said to hate, but what? sin, not the man; for so Psal. 101. v. 3. I hate the work of them that turn aside. Psal. 119. v. 104. I hate every false way. Ver. 113. I hate vain thoughts. Ver. 163. I hate lying; and if once, as Psal. 139. v. 21. he be found to hate them, the persons, yet observe, v. 22. he is said to hate them with a perfect hatred, which hate can only be such, when it is against that which God hates, the sin, but not the person of the man, which is an imperfect hatred, and against charity, and such an hatred God abhorreth: Hear David speak as to his rebellious Son Absolom, his treacherous Cousin Joab, and foul-mouthed Shimei, Psal. 7.4, 5. If I have rewarded evil to mine enemy, let him persecute my soul, tread down my life, and lay mine honour in the dust.  
And to that of Solomon, because God commended and blessed him for not desiring the blood of his enemies, from hence to conclude, that he might have hated or revenged himself upon his enemies, is all one as to say, God loves and blesseth the humble, the chaste, and the sober: therefore a man may be proud, lascivious, a glutton, or a drunkard.  
But passing by what is, or may be argued in defence of hate, or revenge to our enemies; it is easy to show, and prove that it is unnatural, and against the law of God so to do: and that the contrary, to love them, is not only commanded, and praised as natural, but easy to be performed even by the Heathen.  
The royal Prophet David saith, Thy law is sweeter and more pleasant to me then honey, 
Psa. 19.10.  or the honeycomb: and our Saviour Christ speaking of his Law, which is this, to love and not hate our enemies, 
Matth. 11.30.  he calls it, though a yoke and a burden, yet such as he professeth to be easy and light. But we must consider to whom it is such, not to the carnal worldling and mere natural man, but to his disciple, whom he understands to be a new creature, born and begotten▪ by the Spirit of grace, and then to such a nature it is as natural to love his enemy, as it is natural to the other to hate him.  
The reason is, for that as the Elements of Earth and Water, though of themselves ponderous and heavy, yet while they are in their own place they press not, nor are burdensome: So is the love of an enemy in an heart spiritual: And as the armour of Saul before David was exercised in bearing arms, was cumbersome unto him, but after much use and practise in the war, he could wield the great Sword of the Giant Goliath, and say as he did to Abimelech, There is none like unto that; 
1 Sam. 21.9.  even so fareth it with him who hath practised and exercised himself in this holy duty of loving an enemy, which an humble spiritual use and exercise will make not only tolerable, but joyous and delightful.  
May not this and much more be confirmed by the examples of Joseph, who being sold treacherously by his brethren, 
Gen. 45.  wept over them, feasted them, and plentifully provided for them? of Moses, who being murmured against by his Subjects, and grossly slandered by Corah, 
Numb. 16.  Dathan and Abiram, who endeavoured to disgrace and dethrone him; yet then, even than he ceased not to labour with God to preserve them, whom otherwise the Lord in his just anger would have consumed? of David, who not only would not suffer his Soldiers to knock down that railing Shimei, but forgave him; and when his unnatural rebellious Son Absolom conspired not only the deposing, but the killing him, yet he than cries, Spare the life of the youngman: who being slain against his will, he with floods of tears bewails his death, and as desirous to have saved his life by the loss of his own, cries out, Absolom my son, my son Absolom, 
2 Sam. 18.  would God I had died for thee, O Absolom my son, my son. Now can we conceive that more love than this in Joseph, Moses and David to their greatest enemies, could have been showed by any other to their dearest friends? So true is this, that love of an enemy in a soul purified and exercised with patience, proves not only connatural to it, but most easy and delightful.  
Nay further, if any shall say, these indeed were rare examples of men extraordinarily endowed with heavenly gifts of faith, love and patience, and to these, and such as these, it was no hard matter thus to love their enemies: To this let me reply and tell you, that Heathens who, as S. Paul speaks of them, know not God, yet by the light of reason, and by the help of humane patience alone, have come near to these most enlightened and sanctified men, and therefore the art of loving your enemies, is not so hard a thing to the natural man, if he would give his mind to it.  
Augustus Caesar, that great Conqueror and Commander of the World, being in the open streets called Tyrant by an unworthy fellow, returned no more than this, If I were as thou callest me, thou couldst not live to call me so a second time. Zino, a Conspirator against Julius Caesar, was pardoned by him, and his estate restored, and when he had fallen into the like again, yet Caesar again pardoned him, saying, I will see which of us two shall be soon weary, thou in procuring thy own death, or I in pardoning thy life.  
I confess there are ingraffed by God in man's sensitive Soul, the concupiscible and irascible faculties, the one whereof is soon provoked, and the other as soon desires and delights in revenge: but on the other side you must know, That God hath placed in the reasonable Soul the Understanding and Will; so that be thy Passions as wild horses, or cursed and cruel as mastiff Dogs, yet these two (the reasonable Spiritual Soul) like the skilful Rider, or the Master of the dogs, can with the whistle or bridle retrain and keep them in, if they will use their own power and authority over them.  
If any ask me, May I not sue my neighbour or mine enemy, who hath taken or kept away my goods? or may I not implead him who hath rob me of my good name? I briefly answer, Yes, so it be for restitution of the one, or reparation of the other, and without hate or revenge to his person. Nay, this thou art bound to do in a triple obligation; the one to God for the honour of his Power and Justice in punishing violence and iniquity: the second to thyself, who art bound to love thyself before thy neighbour: the third to thy neighbour, be he in this case as in place of an enemy, yet thou are bound to sue and implead him, that by a moderate and lawful chastisement, he may see his faults, repent, and do no more so, and hereby thou shalt in part, and as much as in thee is, save his soul, which is no piece of hate, but a great part of love, that thou shouldest bear to thy neighbour.  
If it be yet urged, that the voice of the blood of Abel cryeth to God for vengeance; 
Gen. 4.10.  and that the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, cry with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, 
Rev. 6.9, 10.  dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  
The general answer to the cries of God's Saints or holy ones (living or dead) to God for vengeance, is, That these as holy ones and Saints, desire nothing against, but according to his will. 2. Not so much, or not directly to the torture of their persons, as to the destruction of their violence, rapine and murder, under which the Saints and holy ones suffer.  
And to that place more especially of the souls crying, How long, O Lord, dost thou not judge and avenge? know, that these souls in the 6th chap. v. 9 are the same with them who ch. 7.9. clothed with white robes, and palm sin their hands, cried with a loud voice, Salvation; and herein is no destruction. 2. These souls being the same with them, cannot be deemed to pray, for aught more than what is suitable to Christian doctrine, and the kingdom attained by it, which cannot be revenge, or that such holy ones should desire it, but that which they desire, is, 1. That God's justice may be seen in his vengeance on those persecutors of his holy Martyrs. 2. That God would shorten the time of those ten Roman Persecutions, and of the suffering of those Martyrs, and hasten his judgement. 3. That the kingdom of Sin may be the speedier destroyed, and the bodies of the persecuted Martyrs be the sooner glorified, and in all this there is nothing that savours of an uncharitable hate, or desire of revenge to their enemies.   

CHAP. XXIV. Motives and Reasons inducing love to our Enemies.  
AND the first main reason may be drawn from the Author and Maker of this Law, which is Christ, God blessed for ever. Who tells us, 
Matth. 5.14.  Ye have heard of old that ye may hate your enemies: but I say, Fellow not all that you have heard, but that which I tell and instruct you, who am the Way, the Truth and Life itself, and I say, Love your enemies.  
Now concerning man's carriage or demeanour to his neighbour, we have three several Laws and Lawmakers: the one Law is that of a friend to love his friend, which though it may and should be from God, yet very often it is from the world and worldly respects; Christ himself intimateth little less, when he saith, When thou makest a dinner, 
Luk. 14.12.  call not thy friends, nor thy rich neighbours, as though this were the use or law of the world, to love and make much of their friends. The second, is of an enemy to an enemy, each of which hunt and take all occasions to prosecute one another with vexatious law-suits and quarrels; and the maker of this law is the Devil, who, as Christ witnesseth, is a murderer from the beginning. The third and last law is this, not only of love to a friend, 
John. 8.44.  but to an enemy, and this is Gods, when he saith, But I say, love your enemies.  
It hath ever held as just and reasonable, to give reverence and obedience to good Laws; partly for the respect we show to the Justice, Wisdom and Integrity of the Lawgiver. With the disciples of Pythagoras the Philosopher, it was enough to say, he our master spoke it; and this with them was confirmation sufficient of the saying. We read of the Rechabites, that because they had obeyed the Commandment of Jonadab their father, 
Jer. 35.18.  therefore there should not want a man to stand before God for ever. And of Laban it is recorded, that when he purposed mischief against Jacob, he desisted, and changed his enmity into good: why? for saith he, The God of your father spoke unto me, 
Gen. 31.29.  saying, Take heed, that thou speak not unto Jacob either good or bad, or from good to bad; and this authority Laban the Syrian, though an Heathen and an Idolater, obeyed.  
Now the Author of this precept is no less, but the same who spoke unto Laban, who now saith, I who am the King of kings, and Lord of lords, I who from the beginning have created and made all, I who from the beginning to the end make Laws, and punish the breakers of them; and none can deliver; I, even I give you this law to be observed for ever, Love your enemies.  
And this being the law of God, then whether the law of Duels, so understood, and practised in these latter and worse times, be the law of God or of Devils, judge ye: and bethink yourselves in time, whether he the same God that gives this law of Love to out enemies, will not judge and severely punish the despisers of his authority, and the breakers of this his just and sweet Law with everlasting hellfire.  
A second reason may be drawn from the love of this Lawgiver God unto his enemies, and he saith, 
Matth. 5.45.  I that give my light to shine upon the good and on the bad, and send my rain on the just and on the unjust, and so impartially, that if my rain of afflictions fall first on the just, yet my Sun's prosperity doth first shine on the bad. And again, I who not only pardoned my persecutors and murderers, but died for all my greatest enemies; I who have done this and more, give you this law, wherein if you have any thing of children, disciples, or Christians in you, ye will imitate and obey me, for it is I who say and command, Love your enemies.  
And see further, that when this Lawgiver Christ had given this command of love to our enemies but in general in the fifth Chapter of S. Matthew, in the next Chapter he teacheth the manner how we should love them, when in his most divine Prayer he bade them to forgive them, 
Mat. ●.  as they wished and prayed that God would forgive themselves: and to give them an example not only in the general, which was not yet so sensible to all, he shows and gives us a pattern of this his love, when a night or two before his passion, he not only washeth the feet of Judas, but he feasts him with the rest of his Apostles; and though he knew him to be a Thief, an Apostate, and a Traitor, yet as though he had forgiven him, he calls him friend. And it is the. reasonable conjecture of an ancient Father, That to the Thief who died with Christ, and heard him pray for, and to forgive his enemies, it became an especial motive to his belief, and thereby to his Salvation.  
A third reason for this love to our enemies, is the benefits redounding thence to ourselves: For my Names sake (that is, 
Isa. 48.9  for mine honour's) and for my praise, saith God, I will refrain (and not revenge or punish) and man loving and pardoning his enemies, is made partaker of this honour and praise with God. How often, 
Mat. 18.21.  saith S. Peter to Christ, shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? where the remitter of his enemy's injuries is called by the Apostle a forgiver: and is not this a great honour, and highly to be esteemed, to participate in the like title with God, to be a forgiver? But (hear on) he that is out of charity, and fostereth enmity in his heart, is like a man wounded or sick of an hectic Fever; now the first means to cure and recover this infirm person, is to wash away the corrupted blood, and to purge out the putrefied humour, which is the rancour and hatred burning in the soul, and this is effected by love, for love casts out hate and revenge; and herein thou dost thyself, and not thy enemy the good.  
But again consider, if thou wert to appear before a Judge whose Son thou hast killed, wouldst thou show thy hands to that Judge all reaking in his Son's blood? The case is much alike in him who prays for mercy and forgiveness from Christ the great Judge, while his heart and hands are full of malice and revenge to his brother, who is the image and Son of the Father which is in heaven. I shall not need to add what Christ the Judge hath determined in this case, 
Mat. 18.33.  in that Parable of the merciless fellow-servant, to whom when his Lord, which is God, had forgiven him his debt of ten thousand talents, yet he would not forgive his fellow an hundred pence. Now the sentence of this merciless wretch, is pronounced by the just Judge of all the world in these words; O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all, not a part, but all thy debt, and shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? but since thou art so uncharitable, hear thy unreversible doom, Thou shalt be delivered to the Tormentors the Devils, till thou hast paid all thy debt, which thou canst never do.  
But notwithstanding all this, how many find we professed Christians, 
Rom. ●. 4, 5.  who despising the riches of God's goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, after the hardness of their impenitent hearts, treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and all through their hatred, envy, and revenge toward their brethren? For have we not many, too too many, who not only practise, but profess their rancour to those that have offended them, or to those whom without any just cause they love not, and not only profess this, but have left it as apart of their last Will, as David did to his Son Solomon, to punish such as Joab and Shimei, who had offended him? We have read of Esau's malicious revengeful heart toward his brother Jacob, when he said, 
Gen. 27.41.  The days of mourning will come, and then will I slay my brother; and of Saul, who so long nourished a malicious thought to destroy David, and that of Absolom, who for two years' space made fair professions, eating and drinking with his brother Ammon, 
2 Sam. 13.  whose direful soul never ceased boiling in revenge, until he had killed him at a feast, perhaps when he was full of wine, and thereby as much as in him lay, with his body, destroyed his soul also.  
S. Paul gives better counsel, saying, Be ye kind one to another, forgiving one another, 
Eph. 4.32.  as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. And not only this, but as a mean hereunto, he premiseth, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away, with all malice: where you may by the way observe, the generation, production and growth of this hatred to our neighbour; where the last in the text, malice, is the seed and matter of clamour and evil speaking; as evil speaking and clamour, arise from anger and wrath, and these from a bitter sour ill-leavened soul. And why we should not be angry or malicious, the Apostle gives us the reason, when he saith, Grieve not the holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of love, meekness, long-suffering, and hater of all those that hate their brethren.  
A fourth reason to quench this hatred and revenge against our brethren, may hence arise, because God hath openly declared and given sentence against the same. Observe S. Paul, how large he is in one Chapter upon this Theme, who bids us to Bless them that persecute us. 
Rom. 12.  Bless, saith he, and curse not; 
V 14.  and not only this, not to curse, but to bless, which though they reach but to heart and tongue, yet he goes further, and extends his Counsel of Charity to the hand; first negatively, 
V 17.  Recompense to no man, (not therefore to thine enemy, if he be a man, recompense not to him) evil for evil; then affirmatively, and positively, In stead of evil, do him good: and which comes full home to our purpose, If thine enemy hunger: what? 
V 20.  cut his throat? no, in no wise, but feed him: and why not rather cut his throat, which is the roarers language? To this the Apostle gives answer, saying, v. 19 Avenge not yourselves, but give place unto wrath, 
Deut. 32.35.  for it is written, Vengeance is mine, therefore not to be usurped by any, nor to be practised, but where I have given Authority, And as it is my proper prerogative, so I, and I alone will repay, saith the Lord, for besides me none have that Power, that Justice, that Patience, that Wisdom as I have, except those whom I have constituted in my stead, and given them part of my Spirit for the discharge of that office.  
And this the Lord hath not only spoken or threatened, but practised and performed. Cain we know was an hater and murderer of his brother Abel, and was the blood of Abel unrevenged for this, because his father Adam would not or could not punish and execute Justice upon him? no, 
Gen. 9.6.  but the same God that said, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, will by the hand of man revenge the cause of the murdered upon the murderer. This Cain found, and said, It shall come to pass for this my murdering my brother, 
Gen. 4.14.  that every one that findeth me shall slay me; and so it came to pass that Lamech killed Cain: for so that Text is interpreted, 
Gen. 4.23.  when Lamech saith, I have slain a man; and though God's vengeance did seem in this act to sleep long, (for by computation Cain was the third great Grandfather to Lamech) yet at last it did awake, to prove that vengeance is the Lords, who in his time will repay: And I could be large in the proof of this assertion, but I shall pass all by, with that one piece of God's just vengeance upon Amalek, concerning whom God saith, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, 
1 Sam. 15.2.  how he laid wait against him, (which was above 300 years before this was spoken) now therefore go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare none of them.   

CHAP. XXV. To pardon is a sign of honour, and of pusillanimity to revenge.  
THis is seen not only in men and women, but amongst the beasts also: a Cur-dog is sooner provoked, and follows the offender with barking and biting, than a Mastiff, whereas the Lion, unless very hungry or provoked, seldom pursues a man to destroy him.  
Julius Caesar, that great Roman Emperor, excelled more in pardoning, then in conquering his enemies, of whom Tully gave this high Elegy, That he forgot nothing but injuries: and it is written of the Lacedæmonians, That they desired of their gods not to be cruel to their enemies, for that they conceived a vindicative and revengeful soul, never acted that which was truly glorious.  
The Almighty God by his Prophets and Apostles is said to be rich in mercy, 
Joel 2. Heb. 2. Neh. 9.16, 17.  but never in punishing; and richer in this then in any thing else, that when the Levites had acknowledged what wonderful things God had done for the Israelites, and that notwithstanding all his blessings to them, they dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and obeyed not his Commandments; yet for all this they confess of God to his glory, That he is a God ready to pardon, or a God of pardons, and not only not a punishing God: but (as it follows there) God is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great goodness; And indeed go through the whole Book of God, and ye shall not find God so much extolled for any attribute of his Power, Wisdom, or Justice, as for his Mercy, in pardoning injuries done unto him. 
Numb. 14.17.  Accordingly when God was minded to have destroyed the rebellious Israelites, Moses findeth no stronger argument to incline him to mercy, then by praying, Let the power of my Lord be made great, according as thou hast spoken; 
Exod. 36.6.  saying, The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgressions: 
Psal. 10.3, 8.  Pardon (therefore) I beseech he, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy: So that by the greatness and riches of his mercy, his Omnipotency is made most glorious.  
And as God is most pleased with this attribute of Merciful, as conducing most to his glory: so in imitating God herein, man most proves himself to be his Fathers own child: for as our Saviour spoke of the hardhearted revengeful Jews, 
Joh. 8.44.  Ye are of your father the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning: so saith he, Love your enemies, 
Mat. 5.45.  and do good to them that hate you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; intimating, that by this act and disposition of the heart, ye may prove yourselves the true born Sons of God your Father.  
And such as cross and oppose this doctrine of our Lord Christ, saying in heart or tongue, it is baseness and cowardice to put up an affront without taking revenge; I must pronounce that man not only a bastard, as S. Paul calls such, & no son of God, but an heretic to Christ's doctrine, whose precept is, Love your enemies. We read, that our Saviour told his disciples, that for his sake they should suffer, and forsake estates, wife, children and life, but never that they should suffer for his name or doctrine, any loss of reputation or honour: whence it will easily follow, that to obey Christ's command in pardoning the offences of our neighbour, and in loving our enemy, we lose not, but gain that which indeed with God and good men is truly called and known to be honour.  
To incline man's heart to this duty, is the consideration of that trouble and torture which hate and revenge brings into the soul of man. This appears by many instances in holy Writ: Cain, after the murder of his brother, became a fugitive in the land of Nod, 
Gen. 4.14.  which signifieth disquiet; and he is a vagabond not only to others, but to himself, wand'ring with fear and torture of mind, as a man distracted and terrified, fearing himself, or, as we say, his own shadow: and Lamech having, as the general opinion is, slain his thrice great Grandfather Cain, he saith, I have slain a man to my wounding; 
Gen. 4.23.  though it were done ignorantly, and by a misadventure, yet that manslaughter was a wound to his own heart. Good God, what wound must that be then to the heart of him who meditates and useth all the means he can to destroy that image of God which Christ the Son of God so loved, that he vouchsafed to die for it! When Abigail laboured to pacify David, 
1 Sam. 25.31.  incensed and purposed to kill the Churl Nabal, though a man of no worth or esteem, she useth this argument, This shall be no grief nor offence of heart unto my Lord, that thou hast not shed blood, or that thou hast not avenged thyself; and David considering what a corrosive the act if committed would have been to his conscience, 
V 32, 33.  saith, Blessed be the Lord which sent thee with this counsel, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me from shedding blood.  
It is observed, that the Bee having shot her sting, and wounded what offended her, she either soon after dies herself, or continues but as an half lived drone, and as despised of others, so disconsolate and careless of itself: and it can be little other, if not worse, with that man who seeks revenge on his neighbour: for the edge or point of that sword which killed his brother, pierceth and woundeth the soul of the slayer; and as the wiseman speaks of sorrow and wrath, 
Ecclus. 30.23.  so may I of this, It shorteneth the life, and hath killed many.  
Another reason to pardon the injuries done us by our enemy or neighbour, is, that the stroke comes not so much from our enemy, as from God, and thereby that we may reap benefit and no hurt, if we will ourselves. Although Joseph had said, Ye my brethren sold me to the Egyptians, yet in the same verse he addeth, God sent me into Egypt. 
Gen. 45.5.  His brethren sold him, but God sent him. And when Shimei cursed David, 
2 Sam. 16.10  David. would not revenge himself on Shimei (this had been to have imitated the dog who bites the stone thrown at him) but he passeth by the reviler or railer, not saying, Wherefore hast thou done this? and he gives the reason for it, for the Lord, saith he, bade him curse David. The King of Assyria is called the rod and the staff of God's indignation; 
Isa. 100LS. Psa. 37.14.  and the Prophet saith, The wicked have bend their bow, and drawn out their sword to slay the godly: what then are the godly to do? to draw their swords and kill the wicked? (which in case of defence, and backed by lawful authority, is justifiable:) no, but they are to consider what follows in the next verse, 
Psa. 17.  Their bow shall be broken, and their sword shall enter into their own, hearts: and when or how shall this be? see that where it is said ●he wicked, and so the sword of the wicked is God's sword, who cannot rise or strike, unless God speaks as be doth, 
V 13.  Awake O sword and smite. 
Zech. 13.7.  Now thine enemies being God's rod, his staff, his sword, what man is so mad as to resist this sword, or to break this staff, and not rather to kiss the rod, because it is Gods, and that it is not laid on for thy destruction, but correction, and not to hurt and wound, but to chastise thee, and make thee better?  
Job, the upright and just man, when he was robbed of his goods and , had his houses burnt, his children slain, and his body filled with botches and sores, neither chargeth these on the Chaldeans, Sabeans or Egyptians, nor on the fire, no nor on the Devil himself, but acknowledging the hand of God in all, giveth God thanks for all, saying, It is thou Lord who gavest all, that hast taken away all, and blessed be thy name; that is, the power and mercy of the Lord: and in all this Job sinned not, 
Job 1.21.  nor charged God foolishly; but wisely and thankfully entertained these sufferings, as great benefits and blessings from the Lord.  
We find S. Paul vehemently afflicted, complaining of the thorn in his flesh, 
2 Cor. 12.7.  and the messenger of Satan buffetting him; suppose these to be like unto the wrongs and injuries done thee by thine enemies, and then learn by S. Paul's example how to behave thyself in this case where we hear the Apostle praying thrice, that is, earnestly and often, that it might departed from him: and though his Saviour had promised, that whatever he asked in his name, it should be granted; yet in this case S. Paul is not heard, but his suffering is continued, but know why; for though the thorn and the devil b● not removed, yet they are continued for his greater good; for by them he hath the presence and assistance of God's grace, for so the Spirit of God answered, My grace is sufficient for thee: 
V 9  and hereupon the Apostle in stead of grieving, or complaining, most gladly rejoiceth, that the power of Christ may rest upon him; and for this cause he not only rejoiceth, but, as there he professeth, he takes pleasure in his reproaches, necessities, persecutions and distresses, and he gives his reason for all, When I am weak, saith he, to the world and the flesh, then am I strong, and comforted in the Lord; Can there be any greater benefit than this, redounding to the heart of man, while he suffers and revengeth not the hate and wrongs of his enemies? whereby, saith our Saviour, ye are not only made like to your Father, 
Mat●. 5. ●8.  but are made perfect like your Father.  
And this may satisfy the question, Whether it be of more merit to love a friend or an enemy? which is answered first by that of our Saviour, to love your friends, and those that love you, is to do no more than the publicans and sinners do: and he that doth but this, saith our Saviour, hath his reward in returning love for love: but to love our enemies, saith Christ, is to attain the height and perfection of love, and so be like, and perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect: The old Proverb with the Heathen, was, I am a friend, till I come to be sacrificed for my friend, but then no longer a friend: but God, saith S. Paul, commendeth his love towards us, that he would die for us, 
Rom. 5.8.  while we were yet sinners; that is, as in another place they are called, enemies: so that the height, perfection and merit of Christian love, is seen in the love of our enemies, more than of our friends.  
We may urge this duty further, from the great and eternal reward held forth and promised to the lovers of their enemies: in a tempest on the sea; when the ship is tossed, the best way to keep thy brains steady, is to look up to heaven, the application is ready at hand: and this course took that holy Martyr S. Stephen, 
Acts 7.34.  who when his enemies gnashed upon him with their teeth as enraged against him, be then, saith the Text, looked steadfastly into heaven, where he ●●w the glory of God, and Jesus on his right hand; and this caused him not only to pray for himself, Lord Jesus receive my spirit, but to pray for his persecuting enemies, saying, Lord, lay not their sins to their charge.  
It is storied of Abraham, that his seed should be strangers in Egypt, where they should serve, 
Gen. 1●. 13.  and be afflicted 400 years, but that nation God, saith be, will judge; and not only so, but that his Israel shall go forth out of Egypt with great substance, and after that shall go to their fathers in peace, and shall be buried in a good old age: so that the patiented suffering of the world's injuries, is rewarded with freedom, plenty of goods, long life, honourable burial, and peace, that peace of God which S. Paul saith passeth all understanding. Christ, when he gave this law of love to our enemies, hath explained and made it Gospel-proof, when he saith, Hereby ye shall make God your Father: and if he be our Father, than we are his Sons; and if Sons, saith S. Paul, then also we are heirs with Christ in the heavenly kingdom.  
The last reason to, provoke us to this duty, may be the example of Christ, and the holy ones, praying for their enemies, and the inevitable necessity, that we cannot in this world live without enemies, and therefore are to make, as we say, a virtue of necessity, and therein imitate God, who draweth sweet out of sour, and good out of evil, and by a godly alchemy, draw patience from their persecution, and praise to God for granting us patience, and a greater reward after all our sufferings.  
If some Country, as Crete, Ireland or the like, want poisonous beasts, yet no land or country is without contentious rancorous men, yea no village is without some such: for, a● David said, so may we, They have compassed me round about, and are as bulls and lions, roaring and seeking where and whom to devour. I have read of one who foolishly bragged, that be had never an enemy in the world: to whom another more wisely replied, saying, Then I conceive you have never a friend: for sure there is not a man living, that hath any thing in him worthy a man, but for his wisdom, his justice, his valour, his honour, or wealth, he shall be envied, quarrelled with, pursued or persecuted: so that he that will think to live free from these, must, as S. Paul, go out of this world. In this world, saith our Saviour, unavoidably ye must and shall suffer tribulation; only be of good comfort, saith the same Saviour, for I have overcome this world, and that by my suffering, and leaving this act and suffering of mine, as an example to you, that as I, so ye likewise should suffer.  
For so not only Moses, S. Stephen and S. Paul did suffer, and yet pray for their enemies and persecutors; but above all let our Lord and Master Christ be as our Lawgiver, so in this our pattern and example for imitation, who descending from heaven and humbling himself to the ignominious death of the Cross for his desperate enemies, yet then on the Cross, suffering under them, prayed for them in these words, Father, forgive them, 
Luk. 23.34.  for they know not what they do; their malice, hatred and revenge is such, that they know not what they do against themselves, nor what they do against me: yet Father, for this and for this cause, that their malice hath so blinded them, O Father, forgive them. And if this cannot work and persuade you to love, and not to hate and revenge yourselves upon your enemies, I know not what to say, but to leave you to God's judgement, or which I rather desire upon your repentance, to his mercy.   

CHAP. XXVI. Of Friendship.  
OUR Saviour Christ commands us to love our neighbours; 
joh. 15.  and Matth. 5. to love our enemies; but I read not that he ever counselled us to love our friends, not that he thought them unworthy to be loved, as more especially comprised under the title of neighbour, but he omitted this precept or counsel, for that every one would, as most bound, love them of their own accord; and indeed, Christ himself expresseth so much, when be saith, the Heathen Publicans who are ranged with sinners, 
Mat. 5. ●6.  these love their friends.  
But because friendship hath been used and worn as a Cloak, to do and cover much deceit and iniquity, I will therefore follow the method of the Psalmist, 
Psal. 1.  where from describing the wicked, he makes his way to the godly: so here I shall first note the disguises and falsities of counterfeit friends, that avoiding these, we may the better choose and love the true and good ones.  
And the first rank of these are like Simeon and Levi, 
Gen. 49.5.  Brethren or friends so made and joined together by the cords, as the Prophet calls them, of iniquity: such are they of whom Solomon speaks, who cry, Come let us lie in wait for blood, come let us fill ourselves with strong drink, and come let us take our fill of lust: the world hath, and ever will be too full of such conspirators, not friends. Such were joseph's brethren, when they sold him; such were the Scribes and Pharisees, Herod and Pilate, Jews and Romans, made friends in a most wicked conspiracy to murder the anointed of the Lord: of these I may say as Jacob, O my soul, 
Gen. 49.6.  come not thou into their secret; cursed be their wrath, for it was cruel: divide them therefore, O Lord, in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.  
Another rank of false friends are such, who under the cover of sheepskins, get in and play the Wolves to the spoil and destruction of the simple and innocent-minded man; and of this sort was Cain, who as some Rabbis spoke, 
Gen. 4. ●.  kindly entreated his brother to walk into the fields, and when he had him there alone, he flew him; and such was Absalon to his brother Ammon, Joab to Abner, the Pharisees and Judas to our Lord Christ: all which, under the pretext and colour of love, betrayed and murdered the innocent. With this rank of men, as King David was too well acquainted, so he often complains of, and prays against them, as being of his counsel, and eating of his bread; 
Psa. 94.  yet while they had butter and oil in their lips, their hearts and tongues were spears, swords, and very poison. These to David were more dangerous than his public enemies: for, of those, saith he, I could have taken heed, but the others I mistrusted not. The Thief, that rob in the day, if he were killed, 
Exod. 22.3, 4.  the blood of the killer was to be shed for him; but if he rob in the dark, and was slain, the killer was not to die for it: so much are the disguises and works of darkness abominable in the sight of God, more than apert and open villainy.  
Of these I might counsel, as the Philosophers and wisemen have done, Try before you trust, and l●●rn to distrust; and seeing all is not gold that glisters, eat a bushel of salt with that man whom you purpose to make your friend: S●chem paid dear for trusting Simeon and Levi's friendship; so did Samson in relying on the love of Delilah, and Abner on the fidelity of Joab. The counsel given by the Prophet is seasonable and proper, 
Jer. 5.4.  Take heed every, one of his neighbour, and trust not any brother: for they will deceive, 
V 7.  they will tell lies, and commit iniquity, therefore I will melt and try them, saith the Lord.  
There is a third sort of false friends, who make show of love when all tends to their own benefit or advantage. Such are they spoken of by the Prophet, 
Isa. 1.23.  Every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards. Such were Jobs friends; such the Prodigals lovers in the Gospel, who like Mice, Whores and Swallows, make love, and frequent your house in the summer of prosperity, but in the end prove like Actaeon's hounds to be your destroyers. The wiseman distinguisheth and rangeth this kind of friendship, into a friend for his occasion, 
Ecclus. ●. v. 7. v. 10, 11.  and to a friend at thy table, and to a friend in prosperity; these are to be tried as metals, not by colour nor weight, these are deceitful, but by fire, and the hammer: by the fire of danger and adversity, and by the hammer of trouble and persecution: If they will endure and burnish, and look bright under these, take and hold them for good, if not, reject them as counterfeit.  
The fourth kind of false friends, is that who loves for his own delight, be it of thy beauty, feature, or other outward parts or gifts: and these are not unlike to Lice, which so long as the body hath sweat and foul matter, they continue, but no longer: and their love is like the Apple of Sodom, or the beast called Acucena, which in twice handling yields an ill savour. We have Gardens, Parks and Chambers full of these, I would I could not truly say Churches full of such, whose love is most seen in being seen, touched and tasted. But as the flowers of the Garden hold not long their colour or sent, so nor this love. They cry, Let its crown ourselves with roses, let us eat, drink, take our fill of love; and suddenly they, as their love is, vanished, and their place no where to be found. 
Psa. 37.   
Betwixt these false vicious loves, and the true moral friendship, there is a natural love, engendered, fostered and increased by a similitude in the outward shape or inward qualities; and such is that whereof we say, Like loves its Like, and Birds of a feather will fly together: But this being in itself simply neither good nor ill, but may prove either as it is applied and used, I will pass it by.  
And tell you what the true moral love or friendship is, and what is required to the birth and growth thereof. Some Philosophers have called a friend another self, understanding thereby, that although friendship be betwixt two, yet that these two had but one soul, that is, but one will and affection in two bodies: so that Tully hath more largely described friendship to be a mutual and reciprocal will and desire betwixt two, in all good things divine and humane, by which will and desire each studieth the others good, as earnestly and affectionately as his own; yea and so far ofttimes, than he preferreth the outward good of his friend, before his own: And that such friendship hath been found, they tell us of Pylades and Orestes, Damon and Pythias, Theseus and Pirithous, who took upon them to be the persons of their friends imprisoned and in danger of life, thereby to hazard their own liberties and lives, for the freedom and preservation of their friends.  
To the settling and confirming of this friendship, I shall lay down some conditions, as necessarily requisite: First, that there be a kind of equality betwixt friends, which though the learned Roman Tully allows not, yet with some Grecians it passed as a Proverb, that Amity is Equality, which is to be understood not so much in the outward estate and place of wealth, honour and office, as in the condescension and submission of the reason and will of the one to the other, with a due observation to the place and dignity of the other. And so Jonathan, though the eldest Son of King Saul, became a friend to David a shepherd: for, saith, the Text, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, 
1. Sam. 1●.  and Jonathan loved him as his own soul; and in this respect may a King be a friend to his Subject: for Christ himself thus calleth his disciples and true followers friends, 
Joh. 15. ●4, 15.  who although he never did nor could divest himself of the glorious Deity, yet to the making good his friendship, he became in all things as man, sin only excepted; yea, as he called these his friends Servants in the Text before, so that he might prove himself the more their friend, he not only was found in fashion as a man, and as they, to be a man of no reputation, but more, he took upon him the form of a servant, 
●hil. 2.  and accordingly shown it before his passion, when he humbled himself, to the washing his Apostles feet.  
A second condition requisite to this confirmation of friendship, is a community of all communicable goods. Plato, the great Philosopher, held this so necessary not only for friendship betwixt private men, but for the general peace in a State, that he banished from his Commonwealth this thing called Mine and Thine, as the only bane both of friendship and public peace; which opinion some wise men have approved, with this small distinction of possession and use: So that though the one friend, according to the Law, be the Lord and Proprietary of his Lands and Moneys, yet the use and benefit thereof in case of necessity or conveniency, shall be enlarged to his friend. And surely, as the Apostle speaks, if we have Christ, with him we have all things, for all things are his: so he that hath the soul and the heart of a friend, with and by these he cannot but command for his necessary use his temporal goods; which, as before, he that shall deny in so doing, he denies himself to be a friend.  
And this condition hath a great part of its ground from this, That betwixt friends there must be, as before I spoke of Jonathan to David, but one soul or the soul of the one so knit to tho other, that each loveth the other as it were with the same soul. This love is expressed to be betwixt the bridegroom and the bride, Christ and his Church, where she saith, My beloved is mine, 
Cant. 2.16.  and I am his: where first he is made hers by the love of his soul, and then, I am my wellbeloved, 
c. 6.3.  and my beloved is mine; she first returns her soul and love to him, and confirms his to herself: and when love hath thus united their souls, all the affections and actions of the soul to say, will, and do the same thing, will follow.  
It is storied of two twins, That when the one laughed or cried, or the like, the other did the same: and so it should be betwixt friends, and such friendship or love is commended unto us in holy Writ, not only by the example of Christ's disciples, who were said to be of the same mind, 
Acts 2. & 4. Rom. 12.15.  but by their precept to us, as when it is said, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep: and then in the next words, which causeth this mutual compassion, Be of the same mind one towards another.  
And not only have we this precept, but Christ hath prayed, that we be enabled to the performance hereof, when he speaks to his Father, Holy Father, 
Joh. 17.11.  keep those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are one: and thus the heart of friends being made one in an honest holy love, the one shall not will, nor ever bear the sway, but they will in some things so submit to the judgement and will of the other, that neither shall seem to overrule the other, but at the most they shall seem to rule by turns.  
And love being thus preserved by the unity of an holy soul, the fourth condition must take its place, That friends must will and desire nothing but that which is just and honest: Just betwixt man and man, and from man to God, and honest, that is, of good report. I have read of one Pericles, who being desired by his friend to speak in his cause more than was truth, he answered, True, I am your friend, but no further then to the. Altar; which afterwards become a Proverb among the Grecians, and had this sense, that when they spoke as Witnesses, they laid their hands on the Altar, which no friend should dare do, no not for his friend, in a matter of untruth.  
'Tis true, that many held this too strict in friendship, when they say, So much you will do for every man, and will you do no more, or have you not a case for a friend? To which I must briefly say, He deserves not to be accounted a friend, who of a friend requires, more than what is honest and just.  
And from hence ariseth another condition in friendship, That the acts and desires of a friend must not solely tend to his own interest and behoof, for this is not just; but equally or by turns mutually to the good and benefit of each other. A picture well drawn, looks from its self casting his eyes and countenance, and as it were with them following the beholder which way foever he turns: and a friend being the image or picture of his friend, should in all good desires, wishes and actions, show himself like this picture; for otherwise, he that loves another for himself, loves himself and not the other: for the end of his love looks inward to himself, and not outward to him whom he professeth to love.  
To the better cherishing friendship, this sixth condition is somewhat requisite, That there should be as much and as often, as well may be, a mutual interview and conference between friends. The Spouse (such is true love) was at little rest while absent from her beloved: the whole book of Canticles proves this, Where, 
Ch. 1.7.  O where art thou whom my soul loveth? and, 
Ch. 3.1, 2.  by night I sought thee whom my soul loveth; and, I will rise, and go about the city, in the streets, and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loveth: and seeking, but not finding, how she bemoans herself to the watchmen; and having found him, she holds him fast, 
V 4.  and will not let him go, until she had brought him where she might enjoy him whom she so much loved and desired. Absence and silence in friendship, are like frost to the waters, which deprives them of their flowing and yielding their comfort to those that need them; whereas the presence and speech of a friend, is to a friend like the light and heat of the Sun.  
I end the conditions requisite to friendship, with this, That friendship should be without end. Enmities among all, but especially among friends and Christian friends, aught to be mortal, every day dying; but their loves must be, if true and from God, immortal: Such was Christ's love to us, 
Joh 15.  as himself professeth, saying, Whom I love, I love unto the end; and then as it were by way of Application, he saith, This Commandment give I unto you, That as I have loved you, so ye love one another: and where he finds not love thus long-lived, but temporizing, he blames it, as in the Church of Ephesus, with which Church as he gins, so in it the only thing he finds fault with, 
Rev. 2.4.  is, That she had left her first love: for this is the love that he shows to man, as by his Prophet he speaks, 
Jer. 31.3.  I have loved thee with an everlasting love. In conclusion, True love most not be like those Creatures spoken of by Naturalists, that live and die in a day; or like your Pinks or Tulips, flowers of sight and smell, delightful but for a few hours, but like the Oak, the Hart, the Elephant, which are long lived. In a word, it should be as our wives, till death us departed.   

CHAP. XXVII. The comfort and benefit of Friendship.  
TO set forth the good redounding from friendship, Tully and others, as it were in the manner of proverbial speeches, used these, That we had not greater need or use of fire and water, then of friendship; and to take this away, were all one as to take the Sun out of the firmament: intimating thereby, That man cannot live without friendship. Insomuch as what is generally spoken of health, may as truly be spoken of friendship, That it is such a good, as without which nothing can seem good.  
And this good, among many others, alleviates and lessens our griefs, and enlargeth and extends our joys, by the participation and communication of each of them with a friend. The wiseman therefore saith, 
Pro. 18.  that a friend is better than a brother: and according hereunto, Christ calls not his disciples brethren, but friends. And God himself, to express the great love he bore unto Moses, though his servant, saith, that he talked with him as a friend. To sum up all, 
Exod. 33. Ecclus. 6.14.  the wiseman saith, A faithful friend is a strong defence; and, he that hath found such a one, hath found a great treasure: and in the next verse, A faithful friend is the medicine of life, 
V 15.  and his excellency is so unvaluable, that nothing doth countervail it. But the same wiseman in the same Chapter, having pointed out many kinds of counterfeit friends, at the 7th verse counsels, If thou wouldst get a friend, prove him first; that is, saith another Translation, Try and prove him in the time of trouble, and be not hasty to credit him, that is, until thou hast tried him.  
And one thing wherein thou art to try thy friend, is his goodness and virtue: For as the Prophet saith, There is no peace to the wicked; so may I say, 
Ifa. 57. 2●.  There is no good lasting peace nor agreement with the wicked, no more then with a tempestuous Sea, to which the wicked is there compared, which is never at rest within itself, nor suffers others to rest that sail in it. There were Nations with whom God forbade his Israel to have any peace or league of friendship: And some sins there are, which more especially and nearly strike at, and destroy the root of true godly love, so that we cannot covenant or unite with them. In the first Table the breach of the first and third Precept, and in the second Table the violation of the sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth: But in brief, beware of the man deciphered by the Prophet, who walketh in the counsel of the ungodly, and standeth in the way of sinners, 
Psa. 1.1.  and sitteth in the seat of the scornful; that man, I say, whose study and counsel is sin, and maketh it a piece of his trade, so that he scorns all just reproof, that man avoid, as in no condition fit to be a friend.  
Now as Wisdom, Humility and Meekness are the virtues, in which, as in good soils, we may sow the seed of love and friendship; so Folly, Pride and Anger, are grounds that will never receive the seed of love to any good increase: not Folly, for as a fool cannot judge, or rightly value the hidden parts of a wise man, thereby to make him his friend; so neither can the wise man see any thing in the fool wherefore he should choose to love him. A fool may, & so may a wise man play and make sport with a fool, but a fool cannot love a fool, much less can a wise man: for the Moon changeth not so often as the fool doth; for his thoughts are as the spokes in the wheel of a Cart, ever moving up and down; and the secrets which thou shalt commit unto him, are, as the wiseman speaks, 
Ecclus. 19.12.  as an arrow that sticketh in a man's thigh, with which he travels to be delivered of, as a woman in labour of a child.  
Nor Pride, for this is apt to beget hate, envy and malice; whereas Humility, as the low and fertile valley, is the best ground for friendship. Again, Pride rejoiceth in itself, and as the Pharisee, despiseth others; & if he see a mountain or beam of virtue & good in another, he would make it appear but as a mote, or as a molehill: whereas on the contrary, the humble soul either seethe no faults in his friend, or he lessens it all he can to the world, and thereby would make his friends errors to be but motes, and his virtues, beams. And when the proud man speaks of his friends good qualities or endowments, he doth it with ●n if or a but, than the humble doth it categorically and affirmatively, but never forgetting how our Saviour commended John the Baptist, which was not to his face: for this is the mark of a Sycophant or Flatterer: but in his absence, when he shall hear least of it.  
A third enemy to friendship is Anger; you may observe, that when God spoke unto Elijah, 
1 Kin. 19.11, 12.  there first came a renting wind, than a shaking earthquake, and after both a burning fire: but the Text tells, that God, the Spirit of meekness and love, was in neither of these, but in a small still or gentle voice. This, this, and not rage or fury, is the parent of love, and therefore Moses, who was a meek man, is the only man to be called God's friend.  
And yet S. Paul teacheth us, that there is an anger that may not be sinful, for so saith he, Be angry and sin not; 
Eph. 4.26.  and anger sins not then, when it makes sin the object or butt of his displeasure; and this anger Moses wanted not, when he broke the two Tables wherein God himself wrote his Law; but if ye observe, this anger was not set against the persons of the people sinning; for these be bewailed, these he prayed for, and with a wonderful measure of love, when he wished rather that himself should be blotted out of God's book, then that they should be destroyed: but all his anger was bend against sin, and that not against a petite; out against a most heinous and abominable sin, gross Idolatry. So that there is an anger in a friend which is not only tolerable, but commendable, and it is like that of the Prophet, when he saith, 
Psa. 141.5.  Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a great kindness, and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which will not break my head.  
The Greeks, as the Latins, have distinguished anger by two words, the one is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and iracundia, by which is understood an ebullition or boiling of the blood, which as it comes from a natural cause, so it ofttimes, and in many, is almost as soon gone as it suddenly came: and this usually is found to be a consequent of the best dispositions: the other anger is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is a settled lasting wrath, arising from a malicious heart and a revengeful stomach. S. Paul himself seems to allow or favour this distinction, when he saith, Be angry and sin not, 
Eph. 4.26.  let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil; and this latter properly, and not that former anger, is it which we here speak against, as being the deadly enemy to true friendship.   

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Self-love.  
WE read not that man is expressly commanded to love himself, because every one is so inclinable to it, that the danger lies in our overlove to ourselves: yet it is employed when we are taught to love our neighbour as ourselves: and under this command is likewise employed what we should not do to our neighbour, as not to rob, not to kill him. We should not defraud ourselves of what is justly and necessarily requisite for us, much less should we destroy or kill ourselves.  
And this tacit precept of loving ourselves, is so much the stronger, because it is natural, ●nd ariseth from the first principles infused into man, and never becomes vicious or sinful, until it transgress, or goes beyond the limits prescribed unto it: which limits being to love God first above above all things, (and for himself) for that he is the Alpha, the first of all, the first by whom all things were made, and were all made for the exaltation of his glory. And the second limit or bounding of our love, being to our neighbour, who is God's image, and our second self, and therefore to love him as ourselves: now when man shall so love himself, as that he loves no other but himself, than this love is corrupted and forbidden as sinful.  
And into this sin, as the first and root of all other sins, did our first parents Adam and Eve fall, when the devil tempting Eve, he told her, that by eating the forbidden fruit she should be like God; the inordinate love to her own so great a seeming good, moved her to desire what was forbidden, and thereby to forsake God in disobeying his commands. Pride properly was not the first sin in that Adam or Eve would be like God, but the love of themselves was the cause of that pride.  
And as Eve was the first that fell into the transgression of not loving God through her self-love: so very soon after Adam dropped into the same transgression of not loving his neighbour; for he, when God called him to an account, took nothing upon himself, nor any way excused Eve, but laid all the blame and sin upon her, which was not to love her as his friend or neighbour: and all this came from self-love.  
The devil accusing Job, asks God whether Job served or loved him for nought? wherein his meaning was, That neither Job the upright, nor any other, loved God as they ought wholly for God, but for themselves: Jacob vows unto God, 
Gen. 28. ●0.  but hear his conditions, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me food and raiment, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God. Might not the devil interpose and ask, Doth Jacob serve God for nought? the like may be said of the mother and the sons of Zebedee, whose thoughts (when Christ drew near his passion) were for honour and precedency above their fellow-Apostles; so that self-love seeketh primarily its own good, though at the cost and charges of another.  
And so tenderhearted and loving we are to ourselves, that when God hath poured out all the vessels of wine and oil of his graces, mercies and benefits, yet if he require but some small return of a thankful love, expressed by some holy exercises in the Church or at home, how apt are we to say as the Spouse, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? 
Cant. 5.3.  I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? small things about our garments, or our very feet, shall keep us from God: or else we will say as in the Proverbs, There is a Lion in the way. In our way to God we feign and suppose Lions, dangers of losing liberty or estates, and rather than we will lose or hazard any thing for God, we will swear backward and forward, and serve the devil rather than God, and we think we have excused all sufficiently, by saying we were forced thereunto, for we saw a Lion in the way; when ofttimes this Lion is of our own making, or fear rather, then that there were any such indeed: and all this is the bastard-brat of self-love.  
And if you ask me what hath been the Mother and Nurse of all Heresies, as that first of Simon Magus, of the Gnostics, and Nicolaitans, who to be great, and to enjoy filthy pleasure, were sometimes Jews, sometimes Christians, at other times Gentiles in their Professions, but sure they would never willingly be Martyrs, or suffer for any. May I not say, and say truly, self-love was the mother of all? If you ask me how it came to pass that Diotrephes so loved to have the preeminence among the Christians, that he received not the Apostles, that he esteemed or reverenced them not, as they were indeed Bishops set over and above him? Can I or you give any better reason for it then his self-love? And if I yet be demanded, What stirred up Absalon, Jeroboam and Jehu to rebel against their lawful Kings, and by treachery or force to usurp the royal power? Can I give any other answer, then that it was their self-love?  
Now if you ask me how it should come to pass that self-love should so far blind and besot men, that by it they should fall into such horrid enormous sins, the reason is at hand and plain: we say ofttimes, that a man stands in his own light, which makes him that he cannot see, no not the Sun, and if a man puts his hand upon his eyes, no marvel if he cannot see either the object or his hand: All this and more doth self-love to the eye of the souls reason; for it presents nothing to reason, but what itself desires, and reason seeing nothing else, it offers nothing else to be desired and sought by the will, but that which self-love affecteth.  
Self-conceit, or an opinion of self-wit, knowledge or excellency, works in man many and several errors, follies and enormities: so that the wiseman truly said, There is more hope of a fool then of such a man, who is wise in his own conceit; for, he thinking himself wise enough of himself, never desires or studies to know more: but much more may be said of self-love, then of self-conceit, insomuch as the Will, which is the Captain-General and Commander under Love, is stronger than Opinion, which is but a lackey to the Soul.  
And from this poisoned spring of self-love, we have our eyes so blinded, vitiated, or bewitched, that what we should see as to judge ourselves we cannot, will not or do not; and what we should not see, that is to judge and condemn others, that we do. So that, love spread abroad, which by the Apostles rule should cover a multitude of sins in our neighbour, this love being locked up in our own breasts, covers only that which is within ourselves. The righteous man, saith the wiseman, is the accuser of himself; but the man that loves himself, is never so just and upright to himself, as to accuse or condemn himself: This judgement he keeps and executes wholly upon others; Judah, David, and the Pharisees, while the case was put in the third person of their neighbour, they are for the law, that woman, that man, that adulterer, must suffer without mercy: Such was Judah his judgement, Gen. 38.24. such was david's, 2 Sam. 12. such the Pharisees, who brought the woman taken in adultery, in the act to Christ. But when David was found to be the person, and that the Prophet told him Thou art the man; and when Judah by his ring and staff was discovered to be the sinner, as was David, I warrant you have not the like sentence given as 〈◊〉 fore, but the case must be said to be altered 〈◊〉 the person, and it cannot be deemed otherwise, when the same person who commits the fact shall be Judge.  
And as self-love is no upright Judge, so it is ever querulous, and complaining of other men's justice and good dealing to him: The Judge never does him right enough, but either he takes that from him which was his, or gives him not so much as was due unto him. True love and charity, saith the Apostle, envieth not, 
1 Cor. 13.4, 5.  seeketh not her own, thinketh no evil, but self-love clean contrary, thinks no good of others, envieth other men's good, and seeketh not only her own, but all that is another's, thinking all too little for herself.  
To sum up all: I will conclude with that of the Apostle, and judge ye how it concerns us in these our Times; 
2 Tim. 3.2.  Know, saith he, in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their oven selves; where before I proceed, I pray mark, that the Apostle in those perilous times wherein charity is grown cold, as our Saviour speaks, and sin aboundeth, hath reckoned up twenty sins, some against God, such are blasphemers, unholy, lovers of pleasures more than of God, hypocrites, having a form of godliness, yet deniers of the power thereof. 2. Other sins against themselves, such are proud, without natural affection, boasters, incontinent, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures. 3. Sins against their neighbour, disobedient, unthankful, truce-breakers, false accusers, fierce, despisers of others, traitors. Of these nineteen sins my question is, Whether there be any one root or cause? and what that cause or root should be? and I cannot uprightly say, that there is any other sin so properly and naturally the cause of all the ninetine sins mentioned, as that Self-love, which is set as it w●●● on purpose in the first place, which justly she may challenge, as being the mother or original of all the nineteen in this Chapter to Timothy, and of all the seventeen fruits of the flesh, 
Gal. 5.19.  reckoned up by S. Paul to the Galatians, or of all the sins that have been, or ever shall be committed, from the beginning to the end of the world.   

CHAP. XXIX. Temporal goods cannot content and therefore deserve not man's love.  
THe temporal things wherewith man is delighted as being good, are many, almost infinite: out as all sublunary compounded bodies are made of the four elements, so all the goods we speak of may be reduced to these four heads, 1 life, under which we understand health, strength, and beauty of body etc. 2 honour, under which may be comprised titles, offices, privileges, pomp and retinue. 3 Wealth, where lands, moneys, revenues, have place. 4 Pleasure, which is as various as there be objects of our senses pleasing to our eye, taste, touch, hearing and smell.  
Now, though all these in their kinds ordinately desired and moderately used may be both useful and lawful, yet in that they are not able 〈◊〉 content and satisfy the soul longer than a ●●nd or lightning which vanisheth with the appearance, man should not, indeed truly he cannot set his love upon them.  
What wanted Solomon of all the desirable things under heaven? He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, he built himself stately palaces, orchards, gardens, he had attendants answerable to his wealth and glory, which exceeded any King in those parts: yet when he weighed all, instead of proclaiming himself happy in these, he concludes, which are the words of the Preacher and the wisest man on the earth, that all is but vanity of vanities, 
Eccl. 1.2.  vanity of vanities, all is vanity.  
Will you examine King David the man after God's heart, and ask him, now thou hast strength to kill the Bear, the Lion, and the Giant, art thou satisfied? he tells you no, unless he be King over all Israel: and when he is so, is he yet satisfied? He tells you no, until he hath subdued the Rebels and all his enemies: and will he be then satisfied? He tells you no; and in a word he tells you no earthly thing can satisfy, nor will his heart ever be content, or at rest until he leave all these; and enjoy heaven: Hear him speak his own words, 
Ps. 16.  I have a goodly herilage, but the Lord is the portion of my inheritance in whose presince is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore: and therefore, 
73.24.  There is none o Lord upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee.  
And that man may find the right way to this everlasting joy, he hath left him no delights here, but such as are mingled with vinegar and gall, and all his paths, his labour and travail are full of stones and briers.   

CHAP. XXX. Temporal and worldly goods deserve not man's love.  
THe ancient Heathen called these temporal goods, the goods of fortune, and this fortune they portrayed upon a wheel which is made to be in a continual motion and change; others have compared them as man's life, so the things of this life to a shadow, and this in three respects. 1 For the uncertain or small continuance. 2 For that these when they are at their full growth or height, they vanish and are gone. 3 And when all is past, if we consider them aright, the content or delight in them was really nothing.  
Some upon the words of the Psalmist, By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, have compared these temporal goods and delights to those waters, not only for their swift passing away and never returning, but for the trouble in procuring, and sorrow in losing what we delight in, and therefore we may well be said when all is well weighed to hang up our harps, as all the joy we took in them, and for all to sit down and weep while we live in this Babylon of a golden captivity.  
It may be observed that in the genealogy of our Saviour, as it is expressed by S. Matthew, the first of his progenitors were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. shepherds, the second race were Kings, David, Solomon, etc. the third were less, ●●●ill it came to Joseph his supposed Father and 〈◊〉, both poor. 
Jud. 1.7.  And if I should tell you of Adonibez●k, who had 70. King's gathering their meat under his Table, who saith, As I have done, so God hath requited me: of Dionysius the great King of Syracuse, who was driven to get his bread by teaching School at Corinth: of Bajazet the great Turk, who was drawn up and down in an iron cage, and served as a block by whose shoulders Tamberlan was to mount his horse: or of Bellisarius, who after so many great victories and conquests was constrained to beg in the open streets, Give an halfpenny for God's sake to poor Bellisarius: will not these and ten thousand more the like examples, make proof of this, that our temporal goods are but of uncertain continuance?  
But say that some be so happy as to enjoy them to their lives end, yet longer they cannot, but as they came into the world without them, so without them they shall go naked and stripped of them. The Psalmist speaks that which we all know to be most true, Though man be made rich, and the glory of his house be increased; 
Ps. 49.16, 17.  yet when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away, and his glory shall not descend after him; what is his conclusion upon all this? why saith he, by this we perceive that man that is in honour and understandeth (and considereth it) not, 
Ps. 49.20  is like the Beast that perisheth.  
And what then have we to do but to imitate the woman in the Revelations, 
Re. 12.1.  who having a Crown on her head, and being clothed with the Sun; say these are as honour and wealth; yet she hath the Moon the emblem of mutability and change, under her feet, neglecting temporary things in respect of the Stars and Sun, the significators of eternal joy; for therewith Go● is content and delighteth, without any chan● or shadow of change, his word and motto being, I am the Lord, 
Mal. 3.6.  I change not.  
Our Saviour Christ speaking of temporal goods called them not helps, 
Mat. 13.22.  joys, or contents, but the care, indeed the distracting care, of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches; so that if to the uncertainty of our keeping them we add the carefulness in getting, the little good they do us, with many evils that also necessarily follow them, we shall soon conclude that they deserve not our love.  
We read in the Gospel that Christ preaching to the people, 
Luk. 12.15.  thought the most proper subject to forewarn them of, was the desire of wealth and worldly goods, and therefore gins his Sermon in these words: Beware of covetousness. And to give strength and reason to this admonition, he tells them of a rich man who having gained and purchased so plentifully, that he wanted room wherein to lay his wealth, he resolves to pull down the lesser, and to build greater barns, and storehouses, and this done he sets up his rest, saying, Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years; well, and what means he to do with all? Intends he them to pious and charitable uses, whereby God may be glorified, and the poor relieved? no such maatter: these never came into his thoughts, but in stead thereof, he saith he will take his ease, he will eat, drink and be merry. This is his saying, but what saith God to this? Thou fool, this night thy Soul shall be required of thee, and then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? And here appears that deceitfulness of riches, which Christ spoke of. 1 That man thinks himself 〈◊〉 in carefully gathering, whereas in this he 〈◊〉 deceived: for, for this Christ called him 〈◊〉 2 He intended these goods to have been his solace and comfort for many years: but in this he is deceived too, for Christ tells him he shall not enjoy them one night. 3 After his death perhaps he had bequeathed them as rich men do to their children, allies, or friends; but in this also he may be deceived; for not only David said, 
Ps. 39.6.  He heapeth up riches but knows not who shall enjoy them: but Christ saith, he knew not to whom they should come, or, not whose they should be, to continue with him; David and Christ have confirmed this truth, and the best Lawyer cannot contradict it.  
To this deceitfulness of riches touched by our Saviour, 
1 Tim. 6.9.  S. Paul adds that they not only deceive us in our thoughts and intentions, but that they pierce our Souls through with many sorrows. There is a comet called the foolish fire, which appearing in the night like a burning taper leads men out of their right way: the like saith our Apostle do riches.  
And yet, as if this were not all, they do pierce, the word imports that they pierce through and all round about, leaving the Soul but as one wound: and that with sorrows not ordinary, light ones, but with such sorrows as overtake women in the bringing forth children, or such as Christ himself suffered in that extreme agony of his last passion which were pains more than sorrows, 
Act. 2.24.  and yet both unexpressible.  
Will you hear a word more from Job, who telling that the covetous man swallows down riches, 
Job 20. ●5.  not that he takes them piecemeal to show them by little and little leisurely, and to digest them, but by gobbets he swallows greedily: And what is the consequence or fruit 〈…〉 of? that follows there in the next words, th●● soon as be hath swallowed them he should 〈◊〉 them up again, so that they should never nourish or do him real good. But how comes this to pass? why, that Job omits not to tell us, when he saith, This meat of riches which he thus gormandiseth, and greedily swallows, turns to the gall of Asps within him: and no marvel then that they do him not good, for they must needs turn to his poison. 
Prov. 11.4. Ezek. 7.19. Zeph. 1.18.   
Riches shall not profit nor deliver in the day of the Lords wrath, is expressly set down and confirmed for an undeniable truth by three authentic witnesses, Solomon the King, and the two Prophets, Ezekiel and Zephaniah: so that in this they are like the Martyns, Swallows, and other such birds, which in the summer, the time of our jollity, build with us, and seem to chirp in their tunes, but when the winter of adversity and judgement appeareth, they leave us with a foul house, but to shift for ourselves.  
And it were well did they only resemble those summer birds in leaving us helpless, and that they were not more like the Screech-owl which at the time of death makes a fearful hideous noise in our ears to the disquiet of our souls; and if this were not so, what means the Prophet to denounce a woe to the man that covets to set his nest on high, and adds the reason, 
Haba. ●. 9.11.  for the stone out of the wall shall cry, and the beam shall answer against him? and what means S. James to bid rich men weep and howl, but that as follows there, 
James. 5.3.  their miseries shall come upon them? and if you ask what miseries, he tells you that the rust of your wealth, which should 〈◊〉 been employed and used for God and his 〈◊〉 ●●all witness against you, and the cries 〈◊〉 ●●●e whom you have defrauded, are entered ●●●o the ears of the Lord.  
And if you ask what these will cry or witness? why, that the Prophets in part have spoken, for your injustice, your oppression, your fraud in getting, and your as base, and wretched hoarding up and not well employing the same: and as though this were not all, our Apostle adds what few think on; These riches saith he, shall cry against you, because you have lived in pleasure on the earth, and have for wealth condemned and killed the just, and him who doth not resist: So that here not only the golden vessels taken out of God's temple, shall witness and cry against Belshazzer, (though he were but the receiver, and detainer, and not the immediate sacrilegious thief) nor Naboth's vineyard against Ahab and Jezebel, nor the blood of Ahab and Jezebel, though bad Princes, against Jehu the traitorous rebel, but your fatted fowl, your gilded coaches, your pampered horses, your feast, balls and revel, your vain, ridiculous fashions; yea, your very dogs fed fat, while Lazarus wants, shall bark and cry aloud against you, for living in pleasure on the earth, and being wanton.  
Covetousness S. Paul calls idolatry: 
Col. 3.5. 1 Tim. ●. 10.  now these gross idolatrous Israelites having made a calf of gold, they said, These ●re thy Gods o Israel which brought thee out of Egypt: Gold is the rich man's God, and this he holds to be his deliverer, though indeed it prove as that golden calf did, the hazard of their utter destruction; and for this many, too many have cried out with the foolish perverse Jews, Not Christ but Barrabas: Jesus we desire not, but Mammon to be delivered to us, and so thi● 〈◊〉 have, crucify him.  
And yet all riches at their best are but as 〈◊〉 reed of Egypt, Jonah his gourd, Absalon's hair, or Sampsons' lock; 
Is. 36.6. ●zek. 29. 6●.  and that reed, saith the Prophet, shall go into the hand and pierce it: the Apostle (as before is touched) calls riches piercers with a witness. And for their short delight they are but as gourds or mushrums which rise and fall, live and die in a day: and besides this great pain and little content they bring us, they often prove as Absaloms' and Sampsons' hair: that wherein we most presumed, and what we esteemed our best support, shall become the occasion of our ruin, and utter destruction: Remember the first words of Christ's Sermon to the people, 
Luk. 12. 15●  Beware of covetousness.  
And this Christ did upon especial reason seeing man's heart above all other things set upon his wealth; for ask the husbandman, the tradesman, the Merchant, the Lawyer, the Physician, why he laboureth and toileth in the world? and ask the Seaman, the Soldier, the Digger in the mines, why he hazardeth his life? yea ask King Solomon why he lays heavy taxes on the people, and why Rehoboam doubles them? All they must tell you, if they will speak truth, it is for their wealth. This, this is the Tradesman's Diana, 
Acts 19.24.  the Physicians Galen, the Lawyers Littleton, and would it were not too true in many, that it is the Ministers Bible; and therefore S. Paul reckoning up twenty sins, to which man is most subject, as he makes the first or leading sin self-love: 
2 Tim. 3.2.  so the second to it as on which his love is most set 〈◊〉 placeth covetousness, and accordingly in 〈…〉 place he calls it the root of all evil. 
Col. 3.5.   
〈…〉 ●mong the evils I Shall reckon you but 〈◊〉 or four, for they all are too many for one book, the grave or hell, which the more it hath, the more it craves, ever crying Give, give, and is never satisfied though it be full to the brim and running over: yea though beasts are then only greedy and ravenous when empty and hungry, yet the covetous man desires most when he is full gorged, and when both men and beasts have less appetite to what they delight in, when they grow old: yet this desire of wealth, by age waxeth stronger, and when man is drawing near to the earth, the grave, as though like were delighted with its like, it than most desires the goods of the earth, and this desire is so rampant in many, that I believe some there are, that so they might have all the world to themselves: they would be content to be alone in the world, without any society or solace but their wealth. For when all other creatures, Angels, beasts, plants live and move as ministering Spirits, helps, and nourishments for man: yet man as if he were made only for himself desires all to terminate and end in himself, as though he desired to be the sepulchre or grave wherein all the world should be buried.  
I observe the subtle Serpent the Devil, 
Matt. 4. ●. 9.  when he tempted Christ, he began his temptation on him, as on the Son of God, and used two subtle arguments to work upon him thereby to show his power: but when these weapons in the Devil's hands were soon repelled by our Saviour, the Devil than sets upon him as a man, and though he knew well his several batteries, yet at first that he might not be long about his work and be foiled a third time, he used that which he knew seldom failed, and this was to show him 〈…〉 kingdoms and glory of the world, and to 〈…〉 him all these: which when the Devil 〈…〉 that Christ refused, he then perceived that Christ was more than man; and then and not till then, the text faith, the Devil left him; for he saw it was time to leave tempting him any further, knowing that if the proffer of the world's wealth would not persuade, that nothing could be able to move him.  
And being upon this temptation, I cannot but observe another thing in it, that the Devil in his two former temptations laid the baits so, that they might seem to be for Christ's good, as in the first to turn stones into bread, to relieve his hunger, and in the second to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple, to manifest his power: whereas in this last temptation, when he offers Christ the world's wealth, he plainly professeth it, that the end thereof was and is only this, that he might be brought to worship him.  
And when S. Paul saith that Covetousness is idolatry; herein the covetous man proves it, 
Col. 3.5.  that he doth worship and adore as his God Mammon, which in the Syriack tongue signifies riches: and see how in this worship the covetous man imitates, or apes the right worshippers of the true God. For doth the true worshipper of God often fast and pray to God? Doth he disobey the commands of Parents and Superiors to gain God? doth he suffer shame, labour, pain, loss of health and life for God? Why all this doth the covetous man for his God Mammon; and herein hath proved the Apostles words fully, in evidencing himself to be an 〈◊〉 or a worshipper of the heathens God 〈…〉 who having his name from riches, was 〈…〉 ●●m feigned to be the God of hell, and the ●●ch man's God.  
Judas we know was Christ's purse-bearer, and is called in the Gospel the thief, and the traitor; now when the Devil had an especial piece of service to be performed, as the betraying the Lord of life to death, he surely bethought himself, where to find out a proper and fit instrument for this damnable design: and having thought probably on the other eleven Apostles, the seventy Disciples and other followers of Christ; yet he pitched on none of these as fit for his purpose but Judas, knowing him to wait on Christ only for profit, was confident that this was the man for his turn, and therefore as S. John speaks, 
〈◊〉. 13.2.  the Devil put it into the heart of Judas, to betray his Master, which he did for thirty pieces of silver, as an other text hath it, for so vile and base a price, the covetous wretch would betray his Sovereign Lord.  
And from this part of the story observe again, that as Judas carried his Master Christ's purse: so he was purse-bearer to the Devil, and this purse of the Devils was Judas his heart, and into this the Devil put the thought of betraying Christ for money; so that this double purse, that I may so call it, of Judas his heart, though it were carried by Judas, yet the Devil had both power and a share in it; so that for the present the Devil and Judas might be said to go halves, though at the last and casting up the reckoning, the Devil will have all; for in this point (the purse of the heart) the Devil is as covetous as his servant the Idolater: for as the Covetous person desires all the whole purse of gold, so the Devil not caring for the gold, 〈…〉 this to the Covetous as his reward, but 〈…〉 that which pleaseth him, the whole purse, 〈…〉 is the covetous man's heart.  
Now to turn back, Can we say that the covetous man having forfeited and given up his heart for the world's goods, that he hath, and enjoys the goods of the world? we cannot deny but that he possesseth much, but can we say properly that he hath them, but rather that he is had by them? for he is rather their slave, than they his servants: but if he may in some sort be said to be master of them in that he commands them to build him stately houses, and purchase ample revenues, and they obey; yet I cannot say that he hath them, as Lords of lands are said to have them for ever; for the Psalmist tells us (that which we daily see) I have seen these men in great power, 
Psal. 37.35.  and spreading themselves like a green-bay tree. But how long sees he this? truly no longer as we say then you may tell ten: for in the next verse, 
v. 36.  I sought him but he could not be found, for be was passed away, and lo he was not; So that the man hath resigned up his interest by death, and being gone from his wealth, he hath them not for himself for ever.  
No nor for his heirs or assigns, hath he them for ever: for that verse before cited in the Psalm, which our translation renders, he could not be found, speaking of the person: the other vulgar edition reads, his place could no where be found, as though soon after his departure, his Mansion house and land were sold or alienated to some other, and not to his heirs or assigns. Christ when he asks the rich man, when thy soul is gone, 
Luk. 12.22.  whose shall these things be which thou hast provided? intimates that 〈◊〉 ●ich man could not tell. Tell he might to 〈…〉 he intended them, but who should have 〈◊〉 hold them, neither the rich man, nor the best Lawyer can with good assurance tell us.  
And yet could we say that the man, the owner of his wealth may prove so happy, as to have it for himself and his after him, yet the question may be whether either of them may be strictly said to enjoy them; for the care in getting, the fear in keeping, the sorrow in parting; but above all, the trouble of conference for these cares, fears, and griefs are such, as well may be thought to qualify or allay that which may be called the enjoyment of wealth.  
Yea many have been known so overcome with the desire of having, that they did not themselves desire to enjoy their wealth, but have lived as Tantalus, feigned by the Poets to stand in a goodly stream of water, with a tree full of pleasant fruit over his head, yet was ready to starve for hunger, and choke for thirst: and such is that wretched man's estate who in his abundance can hardly find in his heart to afford himself necessaries, but in stead thereof, he is well pleased to live in the midst of all his wealth, as a rat imprisoned in a trap standing in a room full of grain, or as a ferret with his lips sewed up. So that to such men their wealth is of no more use, than a shadow, whereof they can make no more advantage than for sight to look upon.  
And this is so far from giving joy to the possessors of wealth, that when Christ pronounceth his first blessing saying, 
Lu. 6.20.  Blessed be the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God: then as answerable hereunto, he denounceth his first woe to the rich, 
〈◊〉. ●4.  saying. Woe unto you that are rich, for you have received your cons●l●t●●● 〈◊〉 which last words may be understood Iro● 〈…〉 by the way of a scornful jeer unto them 〈◊〉 call it a consolation to have riches, or at the most they can intent no more than woe be to you hereafter, for here and only here you have that you call consolation in your wealth.  
And this is evident from that parable uttered by Christ, 
Luk. 16.25.  where he saith, (under the person of Abraham) to the rich man, Son remember that thou in thy life time received thy good things: this was thy consolation, the good things of this world in this life, and therefore now in hell thou art tormented; where we see that as the poor Lazar that suffers here on earth, shall be comforted in heaven, so the rich miser that comforts himself here in his wealth, shall be tormented in hell: so that with these it fares, as with the Hen that scratcheth hard to get her living, yet dead is served to the best man's table, when the hawk a bird of prey well fed and attended on, once dead is cast to the dunghill.  
And this is the evil of all evils, or that may comprise all evils in itself, that by the covetous desire of riches, the soul is too often in jeopardy of being cast into utter darkness.  
In the Gospels our Saviour speaking of riches and cares of the world, 
Mat. 13. Mark. 4. Luk. 8.  which chook and hinder the growth of God's seed sowed in man's heart. he calls them thorns, and besides the reason here assigned by our Saviour, riches and worldly cares may be rightly likened to thorns. 1 They grow for the most part in the worst grounds, so the love of riches comes up in the most sordid and basest souls. 2 They draw and suck the juice and fat of the earth, from other good seeds and plants, whereby they oft times (to the 〈…〉 of the world) seem near sterved; and so 〈…〉 it with the rich man and his poor neighbour. 3 If the poor harmless sheep shall chance to fall among these thorns (the rich men) he is sure to be fleeced. 4 Thorns hinder and often wound the poor traveller in his journey: many a man to his sad experience hath found the like in his way to heaven. 5 Thorns are smooth and not discerned to prick or hurt save only by the point and end: and so it fareth with riches, which few men seem to be troubled with till they grow to their end of death, or come to the end of judgement, and then they prick and wound, or as S. Paul phraseth it, they pierce the soul through, and round with torturing pains.  
Now the same Lord who hath compared the cares and riches of this world to thorns, committed not the purse, the bag of these thorns to any of his beloved Apostles or Disciples, save only to Judas, that miscreant wretch, because he considered what a vexation and torture they would prove unto them. 2 He knew that as the prodigal mentioned in the Gospel never returned unto his father, until all his temporal goods were spent, so neither could he have had any good, or comfort in his disciples company, so long as they had been entangled therewith, as indeed he had not till they had left all and followed him.  
And the leaving these Christ held so necessary towards the attainment of eternal bliss, that he pronounceth it as impossible for a rich man to enter heaven, 
Luk. 10.23.  as it is for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle; But lest these words might have reflected upon holy men, then living and dead, yet rich, Christ expounds himself to speak no● simply of men that are rich, though at 〈…〉 seemed to speak so, but of men that trust in 〈◊〉 riches, and for such to enter into heaven it is impossible: for God will admit none thither but such as trust in him: and they cannot trust in him who trust in their riches.  
To conclude this point in a word: 
●ol. 3.5.  S. Paul in one place of his Epistles tells us that covetousness is Idolatry and the root of all evil, and in another place that no idolater, unclean person, or sinner, can enter where God is in heaven; now put these two texts together, and it must evidently and necessarily follow from them, that the covetous cannot possibly enter heaven, because he is an Idolater trusting in his riches, and hath moreover with it the growth of all other sins springing from this one root.  
But if I proceed any further in this Argument, I may fear to be taken for some Scholar, that is poor and given to his book or contemplation: and therefore for the prosecuting this theme so far I may expect the like entertainment as our Saviour Christ had, who twice, and but twice for aught I read, was derided and laughed at, once was when he said that the maid who was really dead, was but a sleep, and for this say the Gospels they laughed him to scorn: 
Mat. ●. 24.  and the other occasion that moved the Pharisees with others to laugh at him, was when Christ had Preached against such as pretended to serve both God and Mammon, and hereupon the text saith, that the covetous hearing these things they derided him: 
Luk. 1●. 14.  so that although this sin of covetousness be the most large spreading, engendering, and corrupting sin, and therefore such as hath been most severely spoken against by Christ and his Apostles, yet so common it is to the ●●st, and the most are so hardened in it, that 〈…〉 to speak against it, were but to be laughed at.  
And the rather say these worldlings, for that riches are the promised and granted blessings of God, as in reward to the well doers, and therefore for that most of the Patriarches, good Kings, and holy men have been very rich, they held it a ridiculous thing to declaim against riches, or rich men.  
And indeed simply to declaim against either riches or rich men were a thing ridiculous: but to say that it is hard for a rich man to enter heaven, is to say no more than Christ in express terms hath spoken, and hard it was that Christ who cured all other corporal and spiritual infirmities, yet this of covetousness, he cured not in the man who had great possessions, 
Luk. 10.  who though Christ who spoke as never man did, preached and earnestly persuaded this man to sell all, yet he was so far from obeying this command of Christ, who professed that he had kept all the rest of the Decalogue, that without any civility or good manners tendered unto Christ his Master, he rudely and unthankfully departs, and never that we hear of returns again to hear him: for which no other reason can be given, then that which is expressed in the text which saith, for he had great possessions. And indeed when Christ took Matthew the Publican from the profitable trade of gathering custom, or to cure recover the withered, that is the covetous hand, and these cannot be done but by the great power of God, to whom alone all things are possible.  
And yet for all this, as you tell me many Godly men have been rich, so I tell you that so you may be rich and yet continue god 〈…〉 as you get and use your riches in God 〈…〉 and in God's name you may use and get them, so you get, keep, and use them in a moderate and ordinate manner, by lawful means and to the right end. Now the moderate and ordinate manner considers the action, and the time; whereas to the action we may seek, and seek with care, so that this seeking be not with a settling your hearts upon them, which the Prophet forbids, or with a trusting in them reproved by our Saviour, or with such a care as distracts or divides the thoughts and desires of the soul betwixt God and Mammon: For this is to serve two different discordant Masters saith Christ, which God never will like; And the time for this action, of your moderate seeking worldly things, must be as not before, so neither joined with the seeking of God (but after.) so Christ hath taught, 
Mat. 6.33.  Seek ye first the Kingdom of God.  
Then for the manner, which must be moderate and ordinate and the means of prosecuting must be answerable, that is, the means must not be by injustice of fraud or force, not by violence or oppression, nor by circumvention of wit, or tricks in law, but by just, lawful, fair, and clear dealing, and this will so clear the means, as to make them lawful and just.  
And the end of all your seeking and getting and keeping together worldly things, must be not to grow proud, to be able to oppress and stifle justice, nor to spend them on your lusts of the flesh, or purchasing honour; but that God the Donor and giver of every good gift, may thereby be glorified, by raising and propagating the more immediate means of his service, and s●●uants in the Church, and by relieving the 〈…〉 stressed and oppressed members of our head Christ. Thus by these means and to this end seek riches, and in God's name be rich, whereas if you fail in these or any of these, you neither love God nor your neighbour, no nor yourselves as you ought, but you love the world; which is enmilie with God; who with the world will first or last destroy all his enemies.   

CHAP. XXXI. The brevity, frailty, mutability, uncertainty, and misery of man's life; Abate the love thereof.  
THe Philosopher hath said it, and daily experience confirms it, that of all things dreadful to nature, Death is the most feared, and on the other side we speak it as a proverb, life is sweet. And the Devil knowing this to be most desired by man, as most agreeing to his nature, when he would provoke God to put the utmost of all trials upon Job, thereby to prove his sincerity, 
Job. 2.4, 5.  he persuades God but to touch his bone and his flesh, for then, he will curse thee to thy face; and the Devil gives his reason for this saying, 
V 6.  skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life: yea God himself when he gave the Devil leave to touch 〈…〉, and his flesh, yet as though he were not winning to put Job to the utmost trial, he enjoined the Devil to save his life.  
And that you may not think, this speech of the Devil proceeded more out of malice to Job, then from the grounds of truth; hear the Preacher speaking by the Spirit of God, who saith, A living dog is better than a dead Lion, 
Eccle. 9.4.  and he gives his reason for this assertion, for saith he, the Dead have no more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the Sun: so that as this wise min prefers a merry life before a sad; for this (saith he) dries the bones, and hastens death: so he prefers, as the wisest Philosophers have done, a sad, yea a tortured life before an easy death, in as much as while there is a being there is hope, but the not being at all, deprives us of all that can be wished, and this is the general dictate or vote of nature in the best of men.  
Now that some have, as the Apostle speaks, dared to die for a friend, for God, or for honour or the like; this proceeded from a higher cause then bare nature: either it is from grace, as in the Christian, or their desire was urged and heightened by some sting of ambition propounding to itself, an immortality of name and honour, whereby they thought to recompense the mortality of their body by a never dying glory in the world.  
Yet notwithstanding this inbred desire of life, did man consider and rightly weigh the brevity and shortness of his life, take it at the longest; 2 The uncertainty thereof, caused through the frailty and brickleness of the materials, and the many casualties, cutting off and shortening this appointed brevity; 3 And then lay 〈◊〉 the balance to these the infinite daily miseries with which this short, frail, mutable, uncertain time of life is surcharged; he would find little or no cause to settle his love and delight on this present life, but to fix it wholly on that better life, which may be full of joy for ever with God in heaven.  
Now the term or bounds of man's life, we find in Scriptures to be divers; for before the flood we read that many lived above nine hundred years. 
Gen. 6.3.  In the next generation after the flood the Patriarches and others exceeded not much one hundred twenty years: for God saith his days shall be a hundred twenty years. And in the third generation we find this term shortened seventy, 
Ps. 90.70.  for so speaks that Psalm penned by David; The days of our age are threescore years and ten (this in ordinary is the utmost) and if, saith he, by reason of strength they live eighty years, yet is their strength, labour and sorrow: and although King David a man of an excellent constitution lived to seventy years (as it is computed by the best) yet this saith he, is but an hand-breadth, or indeed as nothing before thee (o Lord: 
Ps. 39.5. ) for would the God think of the everlasting joys in heaven, of the wicked of their never dying torments in hell, they both might say that this hand-breadth of time was as nothing.  
We read of a beast called from the continuance of its life the Ephemeris, which though it live according to his appellative name but one day, yet it falls presently to provide for sustenance as though it might live years. Man's life be it at the largest as in ordinary the term of seventy years, yet in respect of eternity, or indeed of the frailty and uncertainty of the continuance thereof, it is in 〈…〉 often called a day, and yet man much like that beast labours, builds, purchaseth as though he were to live for ever, and although he be here but a pilgrim, a stranger and traveller to another place, yet like an unwise factor, he stores up all his goods hear whence he is as to morrow to departed, and never transports them whither he is to go, there to give an account of his employment, and to enjoy his well spent travails for ever; and such is the folly and most deplorable vanity of man. Which error will appear the greater to him that considers the frailty of man's life, in respect of the materials whereof man's body consists. 2 Of the artifice and curious workmanship whereby it is wrought. 3 How it is subject to the power almost of every thing, to be broken and dissolved.  
Now the best and strongest material of man's body is earth, and as Adam was made out of it, so he and mankind is called from the earth Adam, and homo man; so that man much resembles a swallows nest made of straw and dirt: such man's bones and clay, such his flesh, and how frail and easily broken this or that is, may appear when we see a little boy with a slick to pull that down in pieces, and less than that, every nothing of violence to do as much to the body of man; for what of earthly vessels account we more brittle than a Venice glass? yet this kept up and secured from violence or outward force, shall outlast two lives of any man: a China dish so preserved shall endure twenty men's lives. Whereas such is the materials of man's body that let him diet and behave himself according to Galens best rules, let him lie warm and enjoy himself a bed without spending his spirits, yet even in this diet, and enjoyment without any hurt or violence done unto him, he shall consume and molder away, unto that whence be was taken.  
Now to the weak brittleness of man's materials, if you add the curious nice composition and joining of his parts, you may rather wonder how he should live a month, then to marvel that he should die so young; the Psalmist to the honour of God's great power and wisdom acknowledged that man is wonderfully made, 
Ps. 139.14.  and that so much beyond the art and skill of any the best workman in the world, that when any piece, pin, or wheel in the most exquisite work of man may be renewed if broken, repaired if worn, and put again in its place if out of frame, yet to do the like in man's body exceeds the skill of all the best Physicians that ever were; for be the heart, be the liver, be the brain wounded, yea be they but pricked with a needle, be they putrefied or be they displaced, all the work is spoiled and comes to nothing, and man's life is lost.  
But if you consider how the least and weakest external things have power to destroy this body of man, can you say less than that he is a frail and brittle piece? I will not complain as some have done: yet I may tell you that God by his journyman Nature hath sent all other creatures some way or other armed, or strengthened into the world against outward force or hurt, and man only is put forth naked, weak unfenced, so that take him at his best growth & strength, there is no element, nor any little part of any element, fire, air, water, or earth, though man be made of these, but is able to undo him and take away his life. Yea a fly, a kernel, a hair hath done as much to many, and not only the living in a corrupt air may do the like, but the sent of a little subtle infection conveyed by a glove, a piece of linen or the like, may do the same thing. But if to these we add that which both history and philosophy confirm, that a man may de dissolved by extreme joy, caused by that which is good and harmless, how then may any man deny this certain and known truth, that man's life is a frail thing, or rather nothing but frailty?  
And not only thus frail, but a thing unstable and mutable, daily and hourly, running on and making way to its corruption and dissolution. Therefore when you see and observe the motion and going down of a watch, the running of the water in a stream which returns not the burning of a candle which wastes in giving light, of flowers, grass, leaves, which in the morning are green and flourishing, and ere night are cut down and withered: or will you think on and consider what is a vapour, a shadow, a dream, or the dream of a shadow. Thus know, in seeing, thinking, and considering, these all or any of these, that you see, think and consider the continual mutability and change of man's life running and flying to its last end. Neither may we wisely wonder, or justly complain, when we consider this, that Abel the youngest of all the world dies first, or that in the bills of mortality we find more children die then old men: for God in his wonderful wisdom and goodness hath thus provided and ordered it for man, that he may hence learn two lessons, that it is no argument of God's disfavour, but an evidence of his love to take us early from the world's miseries, and betimes to estate us in eternal felicity: and secondly, that man considering what a changeable thing his life is, he may provide against it all he can or may, and the best that he may and can is to think on and labour for an exchange of this mutable life for an unchangeable to come.  
And to this end God hath so fixed his greater and lesser lights in heaven, that looking on them we may daily and hourly consider, that although to us they seem not to move, yet they are in continual motion and tending to their journey's end, and that it is alike in man.  
And further to these heavenly visible lessons he hath joined his legible instructions in his holy word, 
Eccles. 9.9.  there telling us that the days of the life of man are vanity, that is, subject to change; and as though this expression had not sufficiently reached the vanity of this life, he enlargeth himself, saying, vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, 
Eccles. 1.2.  all is vanity: which lest some might apply to other worldly things besides man, to clear this the Psalmist speaks plain, and saith, Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity, 
Psa. 39.5.  where verily, is set as an assurance to take away all cause of doubting from this assertion, and therefore he saith, verily man is, not a beast or any other insensate creature, but man is vanity; and not only some or few or more men are such, but, verily all and every man (none excepted) is vanity: and verily every man is such not in his weak, sick or afflicted estate only, but in his best estate, neither in his best estate is he such at some times or in some part, degree, or measure, but verily every man at his best estate, is altogether vanity subject as I said, to a change or dissolution of his earthly tabernacle, his body.  
When the great and wise Preacher had enlarged himself on this Theme by way of doctrine in his eleven foregoing chapters, 〈◊〉 at the end in his last chapter by way of application to awake, stir and rouse men out of their sleep and security, he calls upon them; and as though he thought that the old man needed not this rousing, having incitements enough besides, he gins with the youth, and calls to him saying, Remember, not hereafter but now, 
Eccles. 12.1.  now remember in the days of thy youth, before the evil day come, that is faith he, before the keepers of the house (the head and hands, as though strooken with palsy) shall tremble: and before the strong men (the shoulders and thighs) shall bow themselves: and before the grinders (that is, the teeth) fail, because they are few: and before those that look out at the windows (that is, the eyes) be darkened (or wax dim) before all these shall happen unto thee, which will come to pass when old age approacheth, young man, saith the wiseman, remember. Remember, but what? and when? why, now in thy youth remember thy Creator to serve and fear him, and not to spend thy days in vanity; And why now, and not hereafter as well? no, not so well hereafter, saith he, as now, because man (hourly) goeth to his long home, which is the last house wherein he must sleep, and this last house and long home is the grave.  
But notwithstanding this frailty, brevity, and instability of life, it were a great stay and comfort to man if he might know the certain period of his life, and for this the holy Prophet earnestly prayed, dying, Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days what it is, that I may know how frail I am. But this for ought we read was never granted him to know, nor to any in mercy, save only to one good King Hezekiah, who ●●on his sincere repentance and earnest prayer obtained the enlargement of his days to fifteen years.  
It is a rule observed by Physicians, that when the Patient is most frolic and thinks himself best in health and strength, that then he is nearest unto sickness: and I am sure that this is a certain maxim in Divinity, that he draws nearest unto God, who fears that he is farthest from him; and so it is in this case that the further off we take out selves from death, that often times the nearer our approach is to it.  
For the key of the grave hangs, say the Jewish Rabbis, at God's girdle, which he trusts none with but himself: and as the day of Judgement Christ professeth that as man he knows not, so none but God knows certainly the day of our death: and that which Christ answered his Apostles in another case, may rightly take place here, 
Act. 1.7.  it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.  
Therefore as the beast in the toil, and the bird and fish are taken in the net, whiles they were seeking or hunting for prey: so man while he is meditating or committing adultery, rebellion or murder, is himself made the slaughter; the Assyrians, Belshazzar, Zimri, besides many millions more prove this position; for they the Assyrians intending the destruction of Judah, the next night are suddenly dead they witted not how: 
2 Kings 39.35.  for by an Angel of the Lord, saith the text, were slain of them one hundred fourscore and five thousand: the like we read of Heraclius his army, whereof in one night were found dead fifty and two thousand: and of Belshazzar it is recorded that while he was carousing in the sacred ves●● of the Temple, 
Dan. 5.30.  the hand-writing went out against him, so that the same night he was slain: and we read that Zimri and Cosbi breathed their last being both taken away while they were reaking hot in the act of beastly uncleanness: 
Num. 25.8.  when the young men of the Prophets were feasted there was found, 
2. King. 4  saith the story, death in the pot, and the pot hath been the death of many young and old and midse-aged: we read in the Gospel that the rich man said, Take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry, 
Luk. 12.19.  for thou hast much goods laid up for many years, and yet all these years are suddenly contracted into less than one day, and he called fool for his presumptuous calculation of the time of his life, for the Lord saith, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee; and what befell this rich man may become every, man's case, and that as well the young, as the old.  
The Prophet Jeremiah hath this saying; 
Jer. 9.21.  Death is come up in our windows, (for though the windows be never so close shut, Death will come in) and is entered into our palaces to cut off the young men and the children, and lest any might fool himself as the rich man did and shall say, My wisdom, my strength, health or wealth shall defend me and keep me from death, hear the Prophet. Thus saith the Lord, 
Ver. 23.  Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his strength, let not the rich man glory in his riches, intimating hereby that neither wisdom, strength, nor wealth, can save from death.  
Our holy Leiturgy hath taught us considering the uncertain surprisal of Death both in the time of health and wealth to pray, From sudden death, good Lord deliver us: and if any over holy pretender object against this prayer, because every man ought ever to be prepared to encounter death, let him answer why God was pleased to give Hezekiah a forewarning of the time of his death, who though he were a man who by Gods own testimony and elegy did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet because he might have been unprepared at that time, therefore God gave him time to think and prepare himself, and that all things were not so well in order for the soul of that good King, as they should have been for a dying man, it appears by the message of the Lord sent unto him saying, set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.  
They come short who say by house here is meant only household affairs: for can we think that God had more respect or care to these, then to the soul of Hezekiah, which is the Temple and house of God, though trusted to Hezekiahs' keeping: and when Hez●kiah is commanded to set his house in order before his death, 
2 King. 18.3.  it is apparent enough, that somewhat therein necessary to be put in better order, was out of good order; and therefore as apparent it is that the very best may pray if for no other reason, (though many more there are) yet for this, that he may set his house in order before he die; for as the best swept house may gather some dust or uncleanness in an hour, so the purest soul of man: and therefore as he is ever bound to pray, Lord forgive me, so he is ever bound to pray, From sudden death good Lord deliver me, that he may before his death say the same prayer which many suddenly surprised by death have not had time to say, neither at their death to pray, or say as S. Stephen, or our most blessed Saviour, who though they were before their deaths approach as well prepared for death as could be, yet even then and as blessing God for this benefit and mercy, they prayed not only for themselves but for others: whereas he who is suddenly stroke dead hath no time with that blessed Martyr, or the son of God to say, Father forgive them, or, Lord have mercy on me: The thief that died near Christ found this as an especiallmerc y from heaven, that before his death he had time and grace to say, 
Luk. 23.42.  Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, and this mercy was a thousand times greater to the thief on the Cross, then if he had died on his bed without prayer.  
I am not ignorant that such seeming Saints as mislike of this prayer against sudden death, reply that men are daily put in mind of their death by the frequent preaching of the Gospel and the hourly spectacles of mortality, and these are enough to prepare them against a sudden death; I know that the like frequent preaching might be means enough and sufficient to prevent and resist all sin, and is it therefore so effectual, but that notwithstanding all the preaching sin continues? I would I could say it abounds not, for all the preaching, and would I could not truly say that it more abounds by the latter kind of preaching. But tell me I pray, did not Noah preach unto the old world of the deluge which should destroy them, and therefore that they should repent and be prepared for death? had not Sodom fair warnings in the like kind? and had not Jerusalem caveats and preparatives given it by Christ himself to prepare and prevent that which might suddenly fall on them? But did these warnings and preach produce the effect? and to tell us we should be ever prepared for death, is no more than to tell us we should avoid all sin: but this telling, this preaching works not ever the effect for which preaching was ordained, and therefore in God's name pray against sudden death.  
In the Prophet Ezekiel and the Revelations of S: John, 
Ezek. 1● Rev. 1.  we find the Beasts said to be full of eyes, as though they had eyes not only in their heads, but in their hands, feet, tongues; that all should watch against the approach of death, and for a preparation to Judgement: and not only the Apostles, but Christ himself often preached this lesson to his disciples, and lest they might forget it, three times a little before his departure out of the world Christ bids his disciples watch, 
Mat. 26.  and in the parable of the Virgins, he gives the reason of this advice, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, 
Mat. 25.13.  wherein the son of man calleth either to death or judgement. For as it is in another parable, he shall come secretly and closely as a thief that he may not be discovered, 
Mar. 13.39.  but take thee unawares, he shall come in the night; therefore saith he, that you be not surprised watch. He that hath any enterprise or great work to do, and hath but an hour, a day, or a week, or a short set time allotted for the same, how careful he is to observe the time how it passeth that it slips not away before his work be ended? And can man be said to have any greater work to finish, than so to negotiate and do his business here, that he may be ready and prepared whensoever he shall be summoned by death, to give an account of his stewardship, and so not fear that doom, Go thou accursed into hell fire: but rather that other, Come ye blessed of my Father, enter into the kingdom prepared for you?  
S. Peter for close of this point, 
2 Pet. 3. 16, 11, 12  is most worthy our reading and best consideration, Seeing, saith he, the Lord will come (suddenly, unexpectedly, and to us uncertainly) as a thief in the night, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.  
And as the frailty and uncertainty of man's life should instrnct us to this: so should the iniquity and misery thereof cure the itch of the desire of life, which is no less to the best than what Job speaks: 
Job. 14.1 Goe 47.9.  man is of few days and full of trouble, which is verified in Jacob who pronounced his to be such when he said, Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been: the years few, but all the days full of evil: of evil either of sin to be lamented, or of affliction to be suffered; and for this cause as many Philosophers blamed nature as a stepmother to man, so many nations and people rejoice at their friends going out, but weep at their coming into the world. And Tertullian hath a conceit (call it a conceit because I cannot warrant it) that male children as soon as born express their lamentation by A A as sons of Adam, and the females by E E as coming from Eve, the parents of all their misery and sorrow.  
Yet this is apparent that when God had fashioned the earth, and the two great lights, 
Gen. 1●  the Sun and the Moon, and after that he had made the waters and the beasts, that after every days work of each of these it is said, God saw them that they were good: which he forbears to speak of man in special, foreseeing both the evil that he would fall into, and that evil which should fall upon him.  
And to the first evil man from the first was so prone and subject, that before he was much more than a day old he fell into it, which like an ill weed grew so fast that before the flood in the first generation God saw that the wickedness of man (or mankind) was great, 
Gen. 6.5.  and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually: If we consult with King David and Solomon, they will speak as much for their times, and the like will S. Paul and the other Apostles for the times wherein they lived, and as the ends of the world are fallen upon us, so have we exceeded all that went before us in evil.  
And for the evil or misery which man suffers in this life, I need say no more than what Job and S. Paul have said before, who besides divers others have compared man's life to a warfare, or the life of a soldier, in which, if there be any misery or iniquity to be found in any profession or trade in a small quantity, than here it is bound up altogether in an huge volume: for all sins in them are so rife and common from the least to the greatest, that you may truly speak of it as is said in the Gospel of the unjust Judge, 
Luk. 18.  he feared neither God nor man.  
But that I may contract myself, and speak to the misery of man's life under the comparison of it to the life of a soldier, I must necessarily tell you what the enemies are, with which man in this life is to grapple.  
The first and chief of these is the General the Devil, who for his agility is called a spirit, for his subtlety and stratagems a serpent, and an old Dragon, for his strength and power to devour a Lion, and in his band and under his command are principalities and powers in high places, and legions of these without number, 
Mat. 4.  and this enemy is of that undaunted spirit, that he durst encounter the Son of God, as we read in the Gospel: and although he were foiled by him, yet in revenge and with greater malice he never hath ceased to war against the upright Job, the chosen vessel S. Paul, 
Rev. 12.7.  against Michael and his Angels, yea we find him fight with the Church and Saints of God: 
Leu. 13.7.  and as he scratched, buffeted, and wounded Job and S. Paul, so the Church and the Saints, in his encounter he overcame them, and yet continually this enemy, as S. Peter witnesses, 
1 Pet. 5.8.  walks up and down seeking whom he may devour.  
The second enemy of man in this life, is the Devils Major general, or Marshal of the Field the World, 
1 Jo. 5.19.  which as S. John speaks like the General himself, is wholly set on to do mischief, being the great Malignant, and in this company ye shall find Pharaoh who enjoins Israel to continue their task in making brick, but takes away their straw: like the Roman Conquerors to cense and number the people, to fight under their banners; and to pay all taxes, and customs, though both against their wills: and such are the slights of these soldiers that as Cain, Joab, and Judas they will talk of peace, speak friendly and kiss whom, they mean to devour.  
And in their company they have the whore in the Revelations arrayed in purple, 
Rev. 17.4.  and gilded with gold, having a cup of Gold in her hand full of all abomination and filthiness, and with that she allures and deceives her followers, although upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, 
V 6.  and this woman ye shall find drunk with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus Christ.  
The third enemy of man in this life, though not so cruel and bloody to man as the former, yet as dangerous to him as being of his own family, and lying in his own bosom, and this is his flesh; and this enemy is so dangerous to man that when he may flee from the world or resist the Devil, as the Apostles counsels against them, yet of this fleshly enemy we may speak as of the Sun none can shelter or defend himself from the heat thereof, nor fly from it, for it is man's self; Against this enemy called the thorn in the flesh, 
2 Cor. 12.7.  S. Paul though a chosen vessel struggled, fought, and prayed, yea he prayed thrice that it might departed from him, but as to this suit he was not heard, and therefore he cries out, 
Rom. 7.24.  o wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin! For though I find the spirit willing and resisting, yet this flesh I find weak and yielding, in so much as we may here use the words of S. James, 
James. 1.14.  every man is tempted by his own lust: and to his enemies assaults every man, noble, ignoble, rich, poor, young, old, more or less is subject, according to the heat that is in him. For can a man carry fire, saith the wise man, in his bosom, and not burn? Amnon had often seen his sister Thamar, and was not inflamed, but at the last he was tempted and overcome.  
Will you now take the sum of all? Then know that this life of man is a Sea of trouble, a school of vanity, an enticement to fraud, a labyrinth of error, a dungeon of darkness, a den of thiefs, a wood of thorns, a valley of tears, a troubled stream of care and sorrow, a tale of lies, and a sweet poison. And he that can delight himself in these may love this life, but not else: For though man be as a soldier, who may not move out of his station until his General God Almighty, who placed him here, call him, and bid him go; yet his love and delight should not rest upon the place and employment, but upon him who placed him here to fulfil his commands, and to fight for his glory.   

CHAP. XXXII. The Honour of this world deserves not man's love.  
When I speak here of worldly honour, 
Prov. 22.1. Eccles. 7.1.  I understand not a man's good name; or his godly, just, and honest life, which the wiseman calls a precious ointment to keep man's name sweet and delightful in life and after death: For this is to be desired and preserved by every good and wise man.  
Neither do I understand here such praise and glory which are the attendants and followers of our good and laudable actions; But I understand by honour, that exaltation or lifting up a man to some more eminent place, office, or title of dignity, above others of his rank, for some excellency seen in him above others; and this to be given him not as a summary reward of his virtuous actions (for the true reward hereof is his blessedness, and felicity, and is the gift of God) but as a testimony and sign of the favour of man: For this kind of honour makes not a man more excellent or truly glorious, but shows him to be such if he be in himself truly virtuous and excellent.  
In the Greek, Latin and English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honestus and honest, some derive from honour, intimating that the honest and the honourable are or should be all one, and that he only should he honourable. That is as I before said honest and virtuous: and such an honour as this should by every man be desired, as being that which God himself hath promised to give to all such as honour or glorify his holy name, for so God himself speaks; 
1. Sam. 2.30.  Those who honour me I will honour: yea more in the same chapter, the Lord (ofttimes) raiseth up the poor out of the dust, 
V 8.  to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: and to this honour of Gods giving, every one ought to aspire, and not simply to the honour of the world's giving: For the honour of the world, for the most part is such as the world itself is, and the world saith S. John, 
1 Jo. 5.19.  is set, and lieth in wickedness.  
And so, and by the same means, is the honour of the world gained either by serving the wicked turns of men, 
Acts 5.9.  or by money. Simon Magus desirous to be accounted some great one, and to that end that he might as the Apostles did work miracles, he presently took the course of the world, 
V 18.  and offered the Apostles money: money thought he (and millions more think, and have practised the like) is the first step and readiest way to be great in honour; Therefore to get wealth first, and then by it a gilded coat, a Knighthood, a Barony, an Earldom, to be a favourite as Haman, though after all, as he to the gallows, is the world's simony or sorcery; What the chief Captain spoke of his freedom in Rome, 
Acts 22.38.  may a Mercer, a Draper, an Usurer or Grazier say, with a great sum of money obtained I this honour. And if a few can say as S. Paul, I was so born, yet not the tenth man, that his honour was the reward of his virtue.  
And yet would this were the worst: for as we read, when the Heathen people saw Mordecai and Esther who were Jews honoured by the King, 
Esther 8.17.  than most of the Heathen became Jew's; for (saith the text) the fear of the Jews came upon them: for favour and honour, these, as thousands and millions more, have changed their Religion.  
And would it held so only with the Heathen who changed from the worse to the better, and that it were not too frequent with Christians, and those not only the Laiety, but such as would be ranked in the holy order: that these would not only preach for honour, but that they would not as the Gnostick heretic's side with Jews or any religion, rather than suffer for their first faith and profession, yea with Jews or any other, to prove seditious, rebellious, murderers, that they may live happily and sit in the chair of honour.  
saul's word is become most men's desire, 
1 Sam. 15  Honour me before the people, and to purchase this at what iniquity, villainy or actions to be abominated have they stuck? 
Jud. 9  for honour Abimelech the son of a whore will kill seventy of his brethren the legitimate sons of his father, and Absalon will rebel against the crown and life of his own father: 
2 Sam. 15  Athalia will destroy all the royal seed for honour: the Romans often did so, 
2 King. 17.  and before them to get the highest throne of honour it became frequent and customary, as it were with the Kings of Israel to do the like: witness among the rest Jehu who slew not only seventy of the royal seed of Israel, but as many as he could lay hands on, of the other kingdom of Judah, to which he could pretend no title. So true and general is that saying of the Poet; Honour and the crown cannot be bought at too dear a rate.  
And the Devil was so well acquainted with man's disposition in this case, that being foiled in his former temptations of our Saviour, yet he kept this as his last card or engine to set him up aloft, and to show and promise him all the glory of the world: For he was well assured that it this failed, nothing would make him to fall down and worship him: for the Devil had found it hold, as in those before mentioned, and that it did take and seldom fail.  
In the Idol set up by Nabuchadnezzar, 
Dan. 3.  find you of millions any more than three who refused to fall down and worship the Devil in the idol, and all for the favour alone of the King? from whom as generally all this honour flows (and so in the book of Esther is five times related, whom the King shall please to honour) so for the most part, it is oftener given to an Egyptian then to a Joseph, to an Haman an Agagite, then to Mordecai the Jew, to an Herod then to a John Baptist, and the commission shall be to Saul the bloody persecutor, and not to Paul the Apostle of Christ; So that of the world's honour we may speak as S. Paul doth of members in man's body: 
1 Cor. 12 23.  Those members which we think least worthy of honour, upon these we bestow more abundant honour. And as in Jothams' parable among the trees, 
Jud. 9  so it mostly fares with the honour and dominion in this world, where the Vine and the Olive which honour and benefit God and man, they refuse to be King over the trees; But what the Italian hath in his proverb, what Christ refused at the Devil's hand, the glory of the world, this the Pope readily and thankfully accepted: so it falls out in the civil government, that what the merciful, gracious, and good refuse, this the Bramble, the Exactor, the oppressor, the tyrant embraces, whose language is as there, you that put not your trust under my shadow, let fire come out of me to devour the very Cedars, the greatest on the mountains.  
And this honour and dominion hath been so much observed to be generally given to the worst of men, that it caused not only Philosophers and the Heathen to think that the Devil reigned and ruled in this world, but even men well read in God's school, as Job, David, and other Prophets, it moved them to scruple and take offence at this course.  
But he that looks upon God as unequal, or unjust in this, cannot see perfectly and aright into God's ways: For though God advance these, men to high places, yet it is not truly so much to blazon their honour, as to publish their shame, both to the now living and to those that shall come after them. For to set an Ass or a Bear to rule over the rest of the Beasts, were to proclaim the sottishness of the one, and the ravenousness of the other: which two qualities when seen and felt, what can they produce but the hate and conspiring of all the beasts to tear and destroy them?  
And so little is such advancement to the good of the wicked, that as the Psalmist saith, 
Ps. 35.6.  Their way is dark and slippery; the original saith darkness and slipperiness itself, and thereupon it follows that destruction shall come upon him at unawares; 
V 8.  nay to acquit God utterly that he advanceth not these for their good, the Prophet plainly and to God's honour truly piofesseth, that these and such men as I here speak of, surely God doth set in slippery places, 
Psal. 73.18.  and he sets them there as it were on purpose, that they may fall as in a moment, or if their place will not do it, than God himself will: for so it is in the same verse, surely thou o God will cast them down into destruction: so that Gods raising them higher, is but to give them the greater fall, & the same the Prophet Jeremiah hath in the person of God, 
Jet. 23.12:  I will make their way slippery, I will bring evil upon them.  
And hear what Job more largely and plainly speaks for God in this case when he saith, 
Job. 12.17.  He leadeth counsellors away spoilt, and maketh the judges fools, 
V 19.21.  yea he leadeth Princes away spoilt, and overthroweth the mighty, he poureth contempt upon Princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty: and this surely cannot be construed co be done by God for the good of such wicked ones; and yet a man would rather pity the madness, then admire the wisdom of these men that greedily hunt for honour, when he doth consider what pains, expense, hazard of good name, goodness, life and soul, the ambitious man both gets and holds his honour with.  
It is observable that when Samuel according to God's appointment was to anoint Saul King, that he first invited him and set before him as a dish prepared and reserved for him the shoulder, intimating therebythat upon his shoulders the burden of the whole land was to be laid and born.  
And we see that Christian Kings crowns, as Nobleman's coronets, are set with crosses, though those of Kings have the greater, for that herein they imitate the King of Kings whose head was crowned with thorns; and not only crowns and coronets, but all their robes are weighty and cumbersome, and made only supportable by the honour they signify to the world; and so heavy are these honours that if rightly undertaken and administered, the bearer may truly say with S. Paul, 
2 Cor. 11.29.  Who of my flock (and charge) is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, (or wronged) and I burn not? (to right or revenge him) so that as S. Paul spoke of the Churches, so may the King speak of his dominions, The care of them all comes upon me daily.  
And not only care to act and do for them, but patience to suffer from and by them. King David shall be crossed and wronged by Joab, and he must suffer it: nay he shall hear, whether he will or no, the revile and curses of a railing foul mouthed Shimei: so that as the Romans riding in triumph had some sat by 〈◊〉 derogate from their great achievements, and to revile them; so fares it with the best Kings and rulers, do they what they can: when S. Paul was exalted he then likewise was buffeted. 
2 Cor. 12.7.   
Nay further, to get and keep honour many an ambitious worldling doth that contrary to his disposition and desire which otherwise he would not do: for he will make brick without straw, as the Israelites were constrained: that is, for a time he will wait, serve, and work in base employment, and upon his own pay and charge in hope of Pharaohs favour: nay rather than offend the superior powers and so be cast out of the Council or employment, he will not dare to be seen with his Saviour Christ, nor will he come at him as Nicodemus did, not, but by night; and if they of the great Council at Jerusalem shall say one by one that the King must die, these will be as forward to vote it as the rest, 
Joh. 11.48.  lest the conquering Romans come and take away the honour and benefit of our places.  
And yet when places of honour are got by such means, they are as uncertainly held as they were hardly gotten, tall trees, houses and steeples, we know, stand most subject to the force and stroke of winds, thunder and other tempests: and the fictions of Phaeton burnt with the ill guidance of the chariot of the Sun, and of Icarus melting his waxed wings and breaking his neck by soaring too high, what are they but mythologies and morals of the fate due to high climbers in the world? So soon as Saul was anointed King he is sent forthwith to Rachel's Sepulchre: 
1 Sam. 10.2.  sorrow, or death, or both, are pages to highest honour, and no sooner did our Saviour hear the joyful acclamations and triumphs of the people crying Hosanna, blessed be the King in the highest, but the next day after follows Hosanna, crucify, crucife him, with the basest.  
Or if he escape death himself with his crown, 
2 Sam. 1.19.  yet as David, he lamenteh the coming to the crown by the death of King Saul, saying, 
v. 21.  the beauty of Isr●el is fallen, 
v. 24.  he is vilely cast away as though he had not been anointed with oil. Therefore weep ye subjects over the King who clothed you with Scarlet and with other delights and ornaments.  
Or grant that he comes not in by blood, yet when he is possessed of the Crown, his rest and content is little other then that of Damocles, who to try the happiness of a crown was set in a throne of State with a rich feast, goodly attendants and sweet music, but had withal a sharp pointed sword hanging in a small weak thread, the fear of whose fall bereft him of all the pleasures and content that all the dainties might hare otherwise afforded him: and such and little else rightly and truly is the real content of a royal. throne.  
Or yet suppose that he be of a spirit not easily daunted, with fear or subject to discontent and passion, yet in so high a ladder as that which reacheth to the crown, be there but one rotten staff, be it blood, oppression, luxury, this may fail and deceive his footing, and lay his honour in the dust; Read and consider what is spoken of Antiochus; 
1 Mac. 2. 62.  To day he shall be listed up, but to morrow be shall not be found: He shall be turned into his dust and his thoughts shall come to nothing: for his glory shall be dung and worms. Or will you rather take it in the words of the Psalmist? 
Ps. 49.12.  Man being in honour abideth not, (for) his way it his folly, and like a sheep (not as an honourable person) he is laid in the grave, and his glory shall not descend after him; where he sums up all in the last verse saying, Man that is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. 
v. 20.   
And now you have heard at what expense of travail, cost, trouble and danger, this honour is purchased: now see what the thing called honour is, and whether it be worth man's love or the half of that which man daily proffers for it; The Psalmist saith, 
Ps. 39.7.  He walketh in a vain show, or as other translations have it, in a vain image or shadow: so that honour being properly and causally in the affection of him that gives the honour, and in the breath of the people, as in the trumpet that proclaims it, what can this honour be in the person honoured more than a shadow of the King's favour, or an echo of the people's voice? and that this may appear so, when you see the picture of a King and a beggar, if this of the beggar though in rags be better drawn and shadowed then that of the King though with a Crown and Sceptre, yet this picture we commend and prefer before that, and that only for the well laying on of the colour and shadow.  
Or if you will, you may liken this worldly honour to a man in a gilded or laced coat, who to many may seem a noble man, yet indeed is but a lackey or a page to run on his Master's errands, or to do base services for him, who thus arrayed him: or compare this honour to a coloured butterfly, after which ignorant boys and silly fools hunt and tyre themselves, taking many a fall (and repulse) in the pursuit, which if they miss they lie down, and as Ahab failing of Nabaoths vinyeard, they cry out and grieve, and if perchance they get it, yet what have they in very deed more than a coloured butterfly?  
Or it is such a picture or shadow that the same hand that gave it the honour, can with the turn of the hand dash it out again, and the same breath of the people that proclaimed him honourable, can with another breach make him ugly and cry, hang him.  
What then shall we conclude of this honour other ways then the wise man counsels us saying, 
●●●l. 7.4.  Seek not pre-eminence nor the seat of honour from the King?  
And yet, as I spoke in seeking riches, so I must say of honour. 1. So you seek not more than is justly due to you or your abilities; 2. So you seek it not inordinately by wicked and corrupt means; 3. So you seek it not thereby to grow proud over others and to oppress them, or thereby to heap up unjust gotten goods, and to spend them on your lusts, seek honour in God's name.  
First, for this seeking that, and only that, and so much as is due to you; 2. that seeking it by just and lawful means; 3. that it may serve for the advance of God's glory and the relief of thee poor and oppressed, seek it in God's name, and as from God.  
Who as he is the first spring and clear fountain of true honour, and so proclaimed, 
1. Sam. 2.20. 1 Chr. 16.27.  Those that honour me I will honour, and again, Honour and glory are from the Lord; So he can and will when he seethe time and cause, either immediately and by his own hand, give thee honour as he did to Meses, the Judges, and the Kings of Judah, or else mediately and by the hands of others, he will cause Kings whose hearts are in his hands, as Pharaoh to lay honour on Joseph, and Nebuchadnezar on Daniel; or rather than fail he will cause Ahasuerus to dishonour his favourite Haman, and to double that honour on faithful Mordecai: and he that seeks honour by that rule and means which S. Paul hath prescribed, that is by well doing, 
Rom. 2.7.  either he shall receive it here on earth, or a fare better in heaven, 
2 Cor. 4.17.  which the same Apostle calls, a fare more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  
And this many holy men not only in sacred order, but Nobles, Princes, and Kings earnestly longing after and labouring for, have voluntarily and freely either renounced the taking of honourable and royal places in Church or State, or have resigned them that they might intentively pursue that other honour in heaven above.  
Yea not only these Godly and holy men prosessors of Christ's lowliness have done this, but even many heathens, and among them as well Poets as Philosophers have neglected and abandoned the golden fetters, and gilded rays of worldly honour, and in stead thereof have betaken themselves to contemplative lives, studious of virtue and well doing, which under God in a moral sense is the right parent of all true honour.   

CHAP. XXXIII. Pleasures and delights are not worthy of man's love.  
NOt only the heathen generally were carried away with the sin of pleasure and luxury, as Sardanapalus the founder of Tarsus (where S. Paul was born) upon whose tomb it was written (that which S. Paul alludes unto) Let us eat and drink, 
2 Cor. 15 22.  for to morrow we shall die, but some kind of Philosophers, as the Epicures, placed man's chief good in the pleasures and delights of this life; Yea King Solomon seemeth to join and close with these when he saith, I commended mirth because a man hath no better thing underthe Sun, 
Eccles. 8.15.  then to eat, drink and be merry s●●● that shall abide with him of his labour.  
And to speak truth, though it redound to the shame of men, this sin hath had more followers than any other, exceeding covetousness or ambition; the woman in the Revelation with a cup of fornication in her hand sits upon waters; by which waters are understood multitudes of people: and that which some have observed of the Diamond, that the hardest of them is mollified & broken by the milk of the Goat a luxurious or lascivious beast, holds true oft times with the strongest and otherwise the wisest men; for not only Samson in holy writ, 
Gen. 6.2.  and Hercules in profane writers, but the Sons of God and King Solomon have been overtaken and carried captive herewith.  
And no marvel, for the Heathen and their Philosophers, as the Sadduces, held no resurrection, nor immortality of the soul, and therefore hoping for no joy after this life, they would be sure to have it here. Yet I will not think that Solomon, though his writings seem too much to savour of this leaven, was wholly infected with this beastly opinion: but that his speeches may be taken ironically by way of jeer and scorn, as that speech of God is, Behold man is become like one of us: and this may appear to be so when you compare other passages of salomon's, in the same book with this mentioned, as if he said, I will prove thee with mirth; 
Eccles. 2 1.  therefore enjoy pleasure, but behold (saith he) this it vanity, and vanity is sin.  
And that pleasure is such a vanity consider the little peace and content, but the great disquiet, trouble, and torture that follows it. That grief follows pleasure, as the shadow doth the body in a sunshine, was the saying of Poets as Philosophers. For as the itch in the flesh causeth us to scratch, and the scratching procureth rawness with pain, and after all comes a scab: so after fleshly lust succeeds both trouble and shame, and after this sin, more by many degrees then after any other, be it cover of riches, honour, or the like, for after these sins few cry out as S. Paul did, Woe is me wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of sin, or sin of my fleshly body: whereas this sin of pleasure resembles much the woman in the Prophet, 
Zach. 5: 7:  which in a similitude is said to be in a great pot, be it of pleasure or the like, but there is a great weight of lead upon the mouth of the pot, not only to keep her down in shame and pain, but also that she cannot get forth when she is once in, and that must increase and double both her shame and pain; that which the Prophet speaks of all sin, 
I say: 57: 21.  is most certainly of this, That there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; whereas the fruits of God's Spirit abandoning and mortifying these lusts are peace and joy, 
Gal. 5.22.  present and eternal.  
It is storied of Socrates, that when he was to declaim against the foulness of this sin of luxury, that he covered his face, as being ashamed to express that in words, which men openly showed in their actions; and it is worthy our observation, that the Spirit of God in the penmen of holy writ taught them to speak of this sin in covert and modest terms, and sometimes by circumlocutions, that the ears of the godly might not otherwise be offended, or the hearts of the wicked be corrupted: for as our first parents seeing their nakedness were ashamed: so if there be any shame left in man after this sin it will appear. S. Paul by way of question proves this when he saith, What fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? 
Ro. 6.21  but more plainly saying, 
1 Cor. 5.1:  There is fornication among you, and such as (for shame) is not so much as to be named: but most plainly to the Philippians, Their God is their belly, 
Phi. 3.19.  and their glory is their shame.  
But shame and pain are not the only or the least evil attendants of pleasure, but there are worse that follow, as the loss or darkening at least of man's best faculties, his understanding and reason: and not this to follow alone, but to be accompanied with the worm of conscience, and after all hell fire.  
Other sins, as covetousness, ambition, lying, quicken, but this sin being gross and fleshly clouds and stupefieth the understanding; the Prophet speaks it plainly, 
Hosea. 4.11.  whoredom and wine take away or rob man of his heart. The wanton Goddess Venus, bathe her name given by the Greeks as being without an understanding soul, and the Philosopher gives the reason hereof, for that the immoderate use of Venery sucks and draws away the purest blood and the clearest spirits from the brain, wherewith the understanding is made lively and quick; if you would find an instance in holy writ, look upon Solomon, who being a man made by God of the greatest understanding and wisdom, through this sin became in plain English the greatest sool, which most of his actions after did plainly prove.  
It is storied, or sabled if you will, but the moral will serve our turn, that Ulysses his companions were by Circe a witch turned into swine, in which condition of being they were so well pleased, that they refused to be changed into men again: so much were they delighted with the habit and custom of beastly delights; the thing applies itself, and of this picture of these bewitched beasts let the Sodomites be the motto or word, who over swollen and ready to break with this sin of fleshly uncleanness, are by the Angel of God strucken blind, and so, as for aught we read, 
Gen. 19.11:  they never recovered their sight again; and what is spoken of their bodily sight, may be as true of the sight in the soul, man's reason, which by this sin more than any other, in all is darkened, in many for a time blinded, and in some irrecoverably lost.  
And would this were the worst: for in the admit of a beastly or swinish man into the place of purity? A cleanly man or woman will not suffer a dirty nasty clown, much less a beast or a swine to enter, and much less to sty himself in his adorned chamber; and then how can we think that God will suffer a man that walks after the flesh in the lust of uncleaness, 
2 Pet. 2.10.  to enter and set up his abode and everlasting habitation in the throne of heaven? No no, saith S. Paul, let no man deceive you with vain words, 
Eph. 5.6.  of pleading nature, natural infirmity, company, custom, the opinion of Philosophers or practise of otherwise wise and great men: all these and the like the Apostle calls vain words, which may deceive us but be assured, saith he, Notwithstanding all these, no unclean person hath, or can have, any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.  
And yet after all this I shall not doubt to affirm, that as God hath graciously breathed into man a living soul, so he was and is as wonderfully pleased co afford him all good means for the preservation of his life: and I conceive no reasonable man will deny the use of honest delight, pleasure, and recreation both of soul and body to be numbered among these. Provided that these pleasures, delights, and recreations, be lawful and of good report, and that they be used seasonably and with moderation, without which conditions sincerely observed, those pleasures and delights which are otherwise lawful, yea and necessary, will become sinful, and without the merits of Christ our Redeemer and repentance by forsaking them, can be no less than damnable.   

CHAP. XXXIV. The love of women and of their beauty hath caused many evils, and therefore for themselves alone they are not to be loved.  
THe love of man to woman is naturally implanted, ever since God made her an help meet for man: 
Gen. 2.20.  For man could not take any comfort and content in beasts, either by speech or for procreation of children: but being she is bone of man's bone and flesh of his flesh, as Adam spoke, Therefore, saith God, A man shall leave father and mother for her, 
Ephes. 5.31.  and so saith S. Paul they shall be joined or glued together, and shall become one flesh: Hereupon for a man to become a woman-hater, was among the heathens as to be called a Monster nature, or an unnatural piece of flesh.  
And this love is inflamed and increased by the beauty, comely proportion of the body, and graceful demeanour of the woman, which hath been and so proved as a letter of recoramendation, and superscription of favour to man, and not only Christians but heathens have called this a divine gift, as arising from the most excellent temper of the soul, created and infused by God: and thereupon they conjecture the internal disposition of the soul from the outward beauty of the body, as judging Moses, David, Daniel, Rachel, Judith, Esther, all spoke in Scripture to be fair and godly, accordingly to be fitted for great achievements, or several excellent uses.  
And this holds oft times so true, that not only Poets feigned ganymed the beautiful to be the cupbearer and favourite of their great God Jupiter, but the heathens, as the Lacedæmonians, held their great sights like those of the Greek Olympiads, in defence of their greater esteemed beauties; and both Greece and Troy can speak much to this, which lost so much blood about the beauty of one lose Helena.  
The Civilians have gone so fare in the esteem of this beauty, that they say if a man promise marriage to a fair woman, and she prove deformed before the contract, that he may forsake her as though she were not now the same woman, although only changed in countenance and complexion; and they add, that beauty with graceful proportion and demeanour, in a poor man or woman, is portion and estate sufficient to couple them to the less handsome, though rich.  
And this, with other private thoughts and considerations, hath taught women to amend that by filthy art which hath been denied them by God or Nature, and accordingly to bestow much care and cost in waters, plasters, and paintings, to cure, colour and daub over scurvy faces.  
If you ask me how this comes to pass, that beauty hath gained such a powerful working upon men and women; I confess I cannot readily say, whether this ariseth from some secret disposition in the soul, some temper in the brain or eye, but certain it is that the man who hath the whole parts of a man, is delighted with the beauty and comely composure of any creature, but especially of a woman, though but pictured in lively colours, but then much more if her beauty and motion be living; for her graceful moving her warbling tongue, and her sparkling eye, oft times gives hear, fire, and life to this beauty, but above all the eye.  
Philosophers searching how the sight is made, whether by the sending forth light and spirits from the eye, or by taking the species and representations of the thing to be seen into the eye, they conclude that it is done both ways: and so indeed in this case of beauty and love the eye is the witch and the thing bewitched: it is the inlet and outlet, the giver and taker of love upon beauty's score. In one word, it is as dry wood to take fire, and in an other like fire to set the wood on burning.  
Some have gone so far in the extolling of beauty as to call it the image of God, which is true of the souls beauty, but cannot be so of the beauty corporally save only in a double reflexed sense.  
But many, and these not of inferior rank in the Church of Christ, have been of opinion that the words in Genesis, The sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair, 
Gen. 6.2.  and they took them wives of all that they chose, were spoken of the Angels who fell by the sight of woman's beauty, and hence they conclude how hard the resistance of this temptation is, and teach us the more strongly to stand and labour against it.  
Now although we cannot say that by the sons of God in this text are understood the created spirits in heaven, but the sons of Seth, who serving God are called his sons, and that these saw and married the Daughters of men, that is, of those who sprang from Cain and earthly ungodly men: yet this we may and do say, that if sight alone (for the text speaks no more) wrought so much and so strongly upon the sons of God, as to make such marriages, as soon after brought the deluge and drowning of the whole world: Then what may we conceive that talking, walking, conversing, dancing, touching and other dalliances with fair women may work with the cumbustible matter or touchwood of fleshly man? my counsel is, resist the beginning, shut the door or the windows; for Death, 
Jer. 9.21.  as the Prophet speaks, enters in at the windows, the eyes; and it hath been the complaint of thousands, I had never sumed had I not seen. Thus fell our first parents, and their whole race have tripped, stumbled, and fallen in the like manner.  
And to strengthen thyself against this temptation, consider that as under fair and sweet flowers you oft times have found a venomous creature, and under gilded pills a dram of poison, so under beauty there may be as much, which is more to be shunned and avoided, then to be desired and embraced.  
For first consider that though as Poets feigned, fair Narcissus, and so women have fallen in love with their own beauty, which hath cost them dear, loss of modesty, reputation, honesty, life and soul, so it is of no worth or use to the possessor or to the beautiful, but is as a picture or pageant made and set only for the Spectator: so that if there be any real good in it, we may speak of it as of that good, for which all creatures sensate and insensate were made, which was for others and not for themselves.  
But when both man and woman the possessor and beholder of this beauty, shall consider the frailty and sudden fading thereof, he may as well fall in love with a flower or shadow, as with it; for as it is like a tulip, which is of no use, but only for sight, so is it oft times of as small a continuance. So that we may speak of it, as the Psalmist doth of man's life, 
Ps. 90.  in the morning (about the age of sixteen or eighteen years) it is green, about noon (thirty years of age) it gins to whither, but at night, at or before fifty, it is out down and cast into the black smoky oven, that some in pity, more in scorn, may say as of Jezebel dead, Is this Jezebel, or is this that lately admired piece of beauty? 
2 King. 9.37.  so frail, so vain a thing is beauty, or a beautiful woman.  
And not only is the beautiful woman frail herein, but as weak and frail to that which is good, though strong and too strong, to that which is evil; For the eldest child of this fair mother (beauty) commonly is pride, which is as a skin blown up with self-delight, and scorn of others, the two natural brats or attendants of pride, as pride is of beauty.  
And yet besides these fruits of beauty, there are others not a sew like them; For beauty seldom begets the best housewives, but makes them gadders abroad; For of what other use is beauty but to show itself, thereby either to enamour or ensnare the beholders; or to gain some windy praise of their shadow of beauty? fair Dinah will be gadding, and though she say it is to visit the Daughters, it is to entangle and to be taken by the men of the land.  
Again we say, as by way of proverb or common speech, fair and foolish, (or ordinarily, not so wise at others) which proves nature's equity, that if she denies beauty to the hard favoured, she makes her amends with wisdom, which she denyeth to the fair; But indeed the fair piece so much confides in her beauty, that she hath neither time, wit nor will, to study the beauty of the mind, which is judgement and discretion.  
And for want of wit or judgement it often falls out with these fair snouts, that if they have not what they long for or desire, they grow above others impatient and impetuous; Rachel must have children, 
Gen. 31.  else she will die: Herodias will not be pleased, no not with half a kingdom, nor any thing can content her but the head of John Baptist: nor will our grandam Eve be quiet till she have the forbidden fruit, though it be purchased at no less rate than the death of mankind.  
When S. Peter counsels men to honour women as the weaker vessels, some have thought that counsel fit in this case, to temper such proud lust full women with good words and gentle usage, as the best remedy: and I remember that when Christ was plain with S. Peter saying, Come behind me Satan, though Peter counselled his Master to be good to himself, yet when Zebedees' wife indiscreetly would require the precedency for her children above all the other Apostles, yet Christ mildly answers her, You know not what you ask: and gives her a reason for his refusal, adding, it is not mine to give; Fools and children we see must be pleased or fooled with fair words, or else their haughty beauty will make them above others mad.  
That these kind of women are inconstant, fickle, and false, one day loving and another hating, like the Chamaeleon or the planet Mercury, which are of that colour or disposition as is the plant or planet with which they are in conjunction, is so ordinary a theme with Poets as other wise men, that they have compared women to fortune which is said to be constant and certain in nothing but levity, and inconstancy.  
And if they be constant in any thing else, it is in coveting and ill getting, that they may as vainly spend it, as. S. James saith, on their lusts: and they who would more exactly know in what kind these lusts are conversant, let them read the Prophet Isaiah, 
Ch. 3.16.  who in seven verses together tells us, and that in the first place of their necks (bare and) stretched forth, with the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, their cawls, their round tires like the Moon, their chains, bracelets and musters, the bonnets, head-bands, rings, changeable suits of apparel, the mantles, wimpels, crisping pins, the glasses, fine linen, hoods and veils; and to these, as additionals of our later pride S. Peter hath added the plaiting of the hair, 
1 Pet. 3.3.  wearing gold and rich apparel, and hence it comes that S. Peter speaks of their eyes full of adultery, 
2 Pet. 2  as though all this cost and waist were to show by their eyes what their hearts desires.  
You may read that Asa destroyed the stately and rich temple of Belphegor, 
1 King. ●. 15. 2 Chro. 2.  or Priapus, wherein were the most abominable uncleanness used and not to be named by the most impudent and profligate men: yet this was built by women at their cost and charges, and so was that golden calse (which the Isaelites adored) made out of the car-rings and Jewels of the women, which though they loved above all outward things of fortune, yet these they would part withal to please themselves in Idolatry, lust and vain delights; yea the Prophet tells us of women, who at their husband's costs give gifts to their lovers, and hire them that they may come in unto them. 
Ezek. 16.33.   
I would I could truly say that ofttimes in these women's hearts malice, envy, revenge, murder, were not lodged, though the face pretends and holds forth, as many an house, the sign of an Angel, or a fair maid: the wiseman said, 
Ecclus. 25.15. 1 King. 17.9.  There is no wrath above that of a woman, if she be an enemy, the Prophet found it so, who fled from Jezebel haz-arding death by famine, or wild beasts, rather than to fall under her implacable anger and merciless revenge; and no less did John Baptist see, when Herodias would rather refuse the half of Herod's kingdom in Judea than not to be revenged on the head of John Baptist. So immortal is their enmities when they hate, as their affections are mortal and short lived where they love: King Solomon said that beauty in such a woman as this, 
Prov. 12  is like gold or pearl in a swine's snout, which defiles the gold and that which is precious, her beauty by her routing and wallowing in the stinking dunghills of uncleanness and filthy lusts.  
A Legend tells us of a young child taken and kept by an Eremite in the wilderness; at last when he grew to be a young man, he saw goodly fair women, and asked the Eremite what they were; who told the youth as to dissuade him from the love of them, that they were Devils: yet so it was that not long after the Eremite asked the young man what pleased him best of all that ever he had seen, who readily answered that those Devils which he lately saw, delighted him most. That women known to be little better than Devils, or their Imps, have thus overtaken men is not to be denied or doubted, and can any man conceive that the man who hath brains in his head, or an heart in his bosom, can be so mad or destitute of all grace and understanding as to set his love or affection on such a Saintlike Devil?  
Which that they may not do, let me tell them, that as there hath been virtuous good women, such as Sarah, Rebecca, the widow of Sarepta and the old poor woman that cast in the mite to the treasury, Marry Magdalen, Dorcas, with many others in the new Testament, so there have been and are with us, Daughters of Sarah, as S. Peter calls them, and such as are not taken with the outward adorning, in plaiting hair, naked breasts and necks, gold and silken clothes, but in the inward dress of a quiet and meek spirit, and these, these love in God's name, but of the other beware, and as we say (look before you leap) for a woman, if good, deserves the love of all: if ill, of all creatures she is most dangerous and ofttimes worse than the Devil.  

Gen. 6.2.  The Devil did not, but the daughters of men did tempt the sons of God, so did Dinah the son of Sichem, Delilah Samson, Bathsheba David, and millions more have done the like; for the eyes of such women are like burning lamps or coals of fire to kindle, 
Prov. 6.24, 30.  her breath as bellows to blow, her lips like lime-twigs to ensnare, her hands as manacles or bands to hold fast, 
Ecclus. 7.26.28.  and her belly like hell.  
What the world could not do to Solomon the wise, a woman did, and what the Devil could not by himself do to Adam, he did it by a woman. A Lady desiring a religious man to think on her in his prayers he flatly answered that he did not at all desire to think on her; for, saith he, if Christ would not that May Magdalen should touch him, because as himself speaks he was not yet ascended into heaven, then sure the thought of a woman co me frail man may prove a temptation to sin.  

Ecclus. 7 26.  The wise Preacher saith, I find a wicked woman to be more bitter than death, and the wise man saith, 
Ecclus. 15.13. Ecclus. 42.14.  Give me any wickedness but that of a woman, and again, Better is the wickedness of a man thou a courteous woman, for saith he, as from the cloth comes the moth, so from a woman ariseth wickedness, and hereupon he counsels man in the same place, Sat not in the midst of women, 
Ch. 9.8.  but rather turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman, for therewith love is kindled as by fire.  
The first part of this counsel was practised by Joseph, who when his Mistress cast her eye upon him saying, Lie with me, he cast his eye off her, and left his garment with her, in stead of himself: and the later part was the act of holy Job, 
Job 31.1  who made a covenant with his eye that he would not look upon a maid: for the company and the sight of them are both dangerous, We read in the parable that the worldly men desired to be excused for not coming to Christ's feast, but the man that was joined to a woman makes no excuse but plainly and roundly saith, 
Iu. 14.20.  I am wedded to a woman, therefore I cannot come.  
I shall end all in a word, favour and beauty are deceitful, deceitful in the highest degree, 
Prov. 31 1●.  and to the greatest loss both to the possessor and to the spectator, so that each may say of beauty as God doth of Israel, Destruction is from thyself: 
●os. 13.  first to thyself thy beauty being to thee as Samsons or Absaloms' hair, halters to the owners: and no less to the beholders, then as Tamar to Amnon and Dinah to the Sichemites.   

CHAP. XXXV. The immoderate love of eating or drinking.  
THis Chapter leads us from the Chamber to the Close-stool, or from the beauty of women to the beastliness of men, who like beasts tied to the manger put their most delight in pampering the flesh, of which foul sin I shall need to speak no more than what S. Paul hath said, Their God is their belly, 
Phil. 3.18.  their glory is their shame, they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, and their end is destruction, in which words you may discover the nature, 
Rom. 6.21.  the fruit (as S. Paul elsewhere calls it) and the reward or end of this sin, where the nature of it is expressed when the Apostle saith, their belly is their God, and to this as the Heathens did, so do they sacrifice as to their God, which they only worship, with whom their temple is their parlour, their altar is their table, the Priests are the cooks and butler's, their sacrifice the daintiest of meats, and the richest wines, and all these are offered up with incense ofttimes, music, dancing and the like, as in the sacrifice to the Calf God, 
Exod. 32.6.  to their God their belly.  
And such as the sacrifice and the God is, such we shall find the effect and end of all to be, and these are such as S. Paul speaks of, 
Rom. 6.11.  shame and destruction; for these gluttons and riotous persons glory in their feeding and feasting, as the heathens did in their sacrificing, but saith the Apostle, their glory is, wholly is, or is built and settled alone in shame; and in this shameful act they become the enemies of Christs-crosse, which cross is an enemy to this excess, and their justly deserved end is destruction, which S. Paul could not rehearse but with weeping: and I must desire you to remember that whereas S. Paul is never found weeping in the setting down the quality, effects or end of any other sin, yet this alone as the most deplorable and most to be lamented of all sins he tells it even weeping.  
And how could the blessed Apostle do less, considering that it besots a man and deprives him of that which makes him a man, and is called the candle of God? 
Prov. 20.27.  1. It robs him of his spiritual reason; 2. It fills him full of diseases, and thereby deprives him of his health; 3. Often of his life, taking it away untimely or before that time to which with sobriety he might have continued it; 4. It robs him of that precious balm which might keep him alive when he is dead, it takes away his good name, making him as he lived to die like a beast; 5. and which is the greatest theft or robbery of all, this sin robs him of his soul, which as he enjoyed not while he lived, so less shall he enjoy it when he is dead, for the weight and pressure of his meats and drinks offered to his beastly God shall sink it down to hell.  
I need not to prove the first, that excess in eating and drinking clouds and besots the brain and understanding; for what the fume and stench of meats and wines doth to a parlour which stands with open chinks and crevices over a wine-cellar or kitchen, the like doth the vapours arising from the stomach to the head, and much more, seeing that the passages from the stomach to the brain are more open and nearer than those of the kitchen to any other place. But I shall not need to illustrate that by similes, which the holy writ doth most plainly prove, for so the Prophet speaks, 
Hosea. 4.11.  wine robs the heart of man; and the Prophet Jeremiah having denounced a woe to the drunkards, 
Jer. 51.13.  or drinkers of more than is sufficient, which are indeed drunkards, he adds they have no knowledge, 
v. 17, 18.  or they are bereft of that they had, and in the same chapter, the same Prophet calls this excessive drinking the cup of trembling, and such as makes the man lie at the head of the streets as a bull (entangled) in a net. The Apostle S. Paul saith he kept under his body by temperance and abstinence, 
1 Cor. 9.27.  from excess in meats and drinks, lest he became, our translation saith a reprobate, which word reprobate hath the like sense here, which it hath in another of his Epistles where it is called a reprobate mind, 
Rom. 1.28.  and by the words preceding he means a mind void or bereft of knowledge. You shall hear the wise man saying, that he who eats and drinks moderately hath his wits with him, 
Ecclus. 31.30.  from whence less cannot be concluded than he that doth the contrary, eating and drinking immoderately, is out of or in time will lose his wits; 
Jer. 25.16.  but the Prophet Jeremiah speaks it home and plain, they shall drink and be moved and be mad.  
Wine in former times in this as other northern Countries, was sold only in Apothecaries shops, and was drunk in small quantity to recover health, but now being sold and drunk in large measures to the decay of our health and estate, I could wish that the Vintner's tavern might stand next to the house of madmen, that thereby the Drunkard might either reel or be carried to his cure; for not only Poets but Philosophers called Drunkenness no less than madness.  
And such a madness it is that makes a man forget himself, in his two most desirable things, in his health and life, which two while he is in his wits he most highly esteems. Physicians not only declaim against excess in eating, and drinking, as an enemy to health, but profess and maintain, that a simple uncompounded or a spare diet, most conduceth to the maintenance thereof. For that heat which will boil or concoct a rabbit or pullet, will not do the like to beef, mutton, capon, pie, custard, and other compounded meats made by the saucy Cook: but much of these must lie raw on the stomach, and the crudities corrupted and putrefied must necessarily turn to humours destructive to health; 
Eccl. 31.20.  The wise man tells us that sound sleep cometh of moderate eating, but watching, choler, pains in the belly are with an insatiate man, and the same writer saith expressly, 
C. 31.30.  Excess diminisheth health and makes wounds, and if you will hear it rather in the Prophet's words, 
Jet. 25.27.  Drink and be drunk, and spew and rise no more.  
S. Paul knowing the manifold mischieses arising from excess in meat and drink, useth a remedy which is worthily to be followed by all wise and good men, 
1 Cor. 9.27.  I keep under, or more properly as the word imports, I make my body as my slave, and I bringit into subjection; that is, as though by cudgelling, and beating my dog, I make him lie down when I bid him, and run and go and do as I command him; which otherwise my body would not do, but as an overfed colt or pampered jade, it would kick against the feeder, and cast down and trample upon the rider. The body we must remember is a good servant to the soul, thus kept under and brought into subjection, as S. Paul dealt with his body, but it is a most refractory and impetuous Master if by custom it get the dominion.  
A wife, an host of an Inn or Tavern, and a Civetcat have some resemblance in this, that the wife if over cockered and too full fed is likely to fool or cuckold her husband; the host if you ever give him his ask, and not sometime find fault and rebuke him, will grow careless and use you ill; and the Cat unless beaten will yield no musk: the application is easy and obvious to any understanding, that the body will do the like, if over fed and not kept under.  
And as it doth in the point of health, so of life itself, for this life depends necessarily on that health, a ship over-laden with merchandise, or which hath taken in too much water, will soon sink, it fares alike with man's body; for as fevers and other diseases are generally cured by fasting, so they are increased and death follows upon fullness. It is storied of a kind of Viper that comes not forth of the womb but by eating out the dams belly: so that belly which seems to give the body life, often takes away life from the body. The wise man hath said it, 
Ecclus 21.25.  Wine hath destroyed many, and the Prophet likewise, for thy drunkenness desolation and destruction are come upon thee: 
Isa. 51. 1●.  and what they speak of drink is as true of meat excessively taken: So that as before I wished that the Vintner's house should be placed next the house of mad men: so I hold it fit that the Cook should dwell betwixt the Apothecary and the Sexton, for he makes work for these, for as he kills and coffins the bodies of flesh and fish, so he endeavours to do as much for the guests that feed thereon. The wise man's counsel is worthy our learning, 
Prov. 23 2, 3.  and imitation. If thou be a man given to thy appetite, put a knife to thy throat, and be not desirous of dainties, for they are deceitful; and so deceitful they are, that unless thou put thy knife to thy throat, as affrighting thy throat from swallowing too much, they will prove as a knife to cut thy throat and destroy thy life.  
And not it alone, but thy good name and honour; S. Paul comparing man's life to a race or fight saith, 
1 Cor. 9.25.  every man that striveth for the mastery and the crown, is temperate in all things, where as temperance gains, so excess loseth this crown. S. Paul in the place before mentioned speaks it plainly, 
Phil. 3.18.  their glory is in their shame. See Noah drunk and uncovered, Lot drunk and lying with his daughters, and in them see the shame of this sin.  
And when you hear the rich Glutton in the Gospel say, Soul eat, drink, take thy rest and be merry, can you conceive it to be the speech of any but a beast like man? and accordingly the Prophet comparing the earth to a drunkard, calls it a field of beasts. 
Is. 24.20.  The wise man bids eat as it becometh a man, 
Ecclus. 31.16.  and leave off for manners sake, and devour not lest thou offend, and in the same chapter he addeth, Wine moderately drunk makes the heart glad; 
v. 28.  but immoderately taken makes bitterness of the mind, with brawling, quarrelling and rage. S. Paul couples the drunkard and the railer, and in another Epistle the murderer and the drunkard: and King Solomon saith, 
1 Cor. 15 11. Gal. 5.21 Prov. 2●. 21.  The Glutton and the drunkard shall come to poverty; and after poverty, railing, quarrelling, rage, and murder, what can follow less than shame and dishonour?  
The old Testament mentions little more than bread in the feasts, so called, of the Patriarches and Godly men: and as Christ never invited or entertained any with more than bread and fish, so he taught us to pray for all under bread: in all which feasts as we read nothing of costly and dainty sauces, so neither of pies, tarts, second courses; and in all the Gospel we read but of one that fared sumptuously every day; and if we remember his end, I think we should not desire to inherit his glory.  
Excess in meats and drinks robs us of our wits, health, life, good name, and would it could stay there and not deprive us of our joy in heaven, but we find that Eve lost paradise for an apple, that Esau sold his birthright for pottage, and Rachel was content to part with her husband for mandrakes: the souls husband is Christ, his birth right and paradise of joys is heaven, and what mandrakes, pottage, and an apple, did to Rachel, Esau, and Eve, gluttony and drunkenness must and will do the like and more to the soul of man.  
It is storied by three penmen of God, 
Exo. 32. Ps. 106. 1 Cor. 10.  that when the Israelites had sat down to eat, drink and risen up to play, that God was sore displeased and angry with them, and had not Moses earnestly interceded, the Lord in his wrath ●ad utterly destroyed them. Holy Job therefore, when the days of his children's feasting were over, rose early and speedily sacrificed unto the Lord; for he said, 
Job 1.5.  It may be my sons have sinned, (in this their jollity and feasting, which is seldom without sin:) the wise man counsels well, 
Ecclus. 23.6.  Let not the greediness of the belly, nor lust of the flesh take hold of me: and give me not over to an impudent mind; an impudent mind follows lust of the flesh, as the lust of the flesh doth the greediness of the belly, but after these three follows the anger and wrath of the Lord, for so the Prophets have termed the cup of wine the cup of the Lords fury, 
Is. 51.17. Jer. 25.15.  Let us therefore walk honestly or decently, not in rioting and drunkenness, saith S. Paul; nor be ye deceived, saith he, 
Rom. 13.13. Cor. 6.10  for drunkard (and riotous persons) shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.  
What I have here spoken I desire may not be so taken, as that I speak against all great solemn meetings or feasts; for as fasts, so feasts have been for good ends and used under the Law. There were three great public feasts yearly to be observed by all God's people, the Passeover, the feast of Tabernacles, and of Harvest. And these were appointed and commanded by God himself; and besides these there were public feasts ordained by man, as that instituted by Mordecai yearly to be kept, 
Est. 9.21  and that they should make them days of feasting and joy for the deliverancce of the Jews from their intended destruction, and such was that of the Encaenia, the renovation or dedication of the Temple, instituted by the Maccabees after the profanation thereof by Antiochus Epiphanes, 
1 Mach. 4 59  and was honoured by Christ's presence as S. John witnesseth. 
John 1●.   
And besides these yet we read in holy writ, of Private feasts allowed and no way to be reproved, 
Gen. 19:  as that which Lot made to entertain the Angels: that which Abraham made at the weaning his son Isaac, 
Gen. 21 & 43.  which Joseph made for his brethren though in a time of scarcity and famine, which Samson made as for a wedding feast, 
●. 14  to which or the like Christ might allude in the parable of his wedding feast, and in the primitve Church we read of feasts at the tombs of martyrs which were yearly held to continue the memory of their persons, and for imitation of their virtues, and therefore neither these or any such like are simply to be reproved because feasts, without especial precept in holy writ against them, 
Esthr. 1.4.8.  yea we read that Abasuerus the King made a feast for his Princes thereby to show the glory and honour of his Majesty for 180 days, but no ill is reproved in this because none were compelled to drink but every one might take or refuse at his pleasure.  
But as fasts have been instituted on ill grounds, and have been kept to as ill or worse ends, so have feasts had the like fate; of such fasts the Prophet speaks to the Jews, 
Isa. 58.4  Ye fast (saith he) (and I would Christians had not imitated them herein) to strife and debate (and not for peace) to exact and oppress (and not to relieve and do justice) to smite and to shed blood (not to save and restore:) and such was that fast practised by Jezebel where a fast was proclaimed, 
2. Kin. 21  and solemnly though most hypocritically and abominably performed to colour false witness, robbery and murder, and such was that of the Pharisees mentioned by the Evangelist who fasted twice in the week, 
Lu. 1●. 12.  but most probably for a show of holiness, or thereby to deceive and draw others into the like ways of error, hypocrisy and iniquity.  
And as fasts, so feasts have been alike instituted and practised, the Calfe-feast to eat, drink and play, 
Exo. 32. Dan. 5.  Belshazzars feast to carouse in the sacred bowls, Nabals feast to be drunk, 
2 Sam. 13  Absaloms' feast thereby to lie in wait to shed his brother Amnons' blood, 
1 King. 12.32.  and the feast of Jeroboam to continue and hold the people in their begun rebellion against their lawful King, such feasts as these may well be compared to those wherein the Jews blindly and most wickedly offered their sons and daughters to Moloch the idol, 
Psa. 100LS.  indeed as the Psalmist rightly termeth him, to the devil.  
And yet in these feasts of thanksgiving they would entitle God to be the author of their Regicide and bloodshed, but hear what the Prophet speaks of these feasts and such feasters and thanksgivers, where the prayers and sacrifices thus offered one Prophet calls the dung of their feasts, 
Ma●. 2.3 Amos 5.2.  and for these dungy and stinking offerings, saith another Prophet in the person of God, 
Isa. 1.14  I hate and despise your feast-days, and therefore saith the Preacher, 
Ecclus. 7.2.  It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of (such) feasting, 
Joel 1.5.  and therefore saith the Prophet Joel, Weep ye drunkards and howl ye drinkers of wine, for the Lord hath spoken by the Prophet Amos, 
Amos 8.10.  I will turn your feasts into mourning and your songs, (of triumph and victory) into lamentation, and I will make it as the mourning for an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.   

CHAP. XXXVI. The immoderate love of Apparel.  
THe clothing or apparelling the body hath three lawful and justifiable uses or ends, 1. to cover the shame of our nakedness; 2. to defend us from the weather; 3. to distinguish persons in their several ranks and qualities.  
And of this last there can be no doubt, considering that our Saviour tells us that they who are gorgeously apparelled are in King's houses: 
Lu. ●. 2●  and that S. James speaks that the man in authority is in goodly apparel, 
James 2.  and the poor man in vile raiment: and that neither of these is spoken by way of reproof simply to either.  
But what is said in an other case, is true here, what ever is more (than for these three uses) is of sin, 1. from the vanity of the mind, and such might that be in the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen, 
Luk. 16.17.  (who is not notified to be a person in place of authority:) 2. from pride, and such might that be in Herod, who makes an oration to the people being arrayed in royal apparel: 
Act. 12.21.  3. from lust, and such is the attire of the harlot so distinctly called by Solomon, 
Prov. 7.10.  and accordingly Tamar intending to ensnare and entice Judah to lust, 
Gen. 38.14.  hath her dress fitted for the purpose.  
To these though men (as more effeminate then formerly) are become too subject, yet not so much as women, whose dispositions being more inconstant and mutable than men's, so they show it in their apparel and dress, who change oftener than the Moon, and are become like the spotted beast, the Panther, and as the Chameleon or Serpent which changeth according as her mode serves, of being pleased or displeased, or according to that colour or appearance which she last looked on: and this if it proceed not ever from lust and pride (which may be justly suspected in the most) yet undoubtedly it cannot proceed from less than a vain mind, that is, from a soul which is like a vessel empty of any good liquor, and therefore fills itself with windy matter, such as are fancy, humour, and delight in toyish garish, indeed in ridiculous habits and apparel.  
And though the man in the Gospel be not in in this kind so much for the fashion (which is the folly of our times) as for the stuff, 
Luk. 16.19.  yet it sounds no less than as a reproof or charge against him, that he beyond or besides his calling (though probably not besides his ability) wore purple and fine linen: but how conceive we then that Christ would have taxed him, had he daubed his clothes with laces, strewed them with buttons, and points, or had hanged his linen out to be seen about his loins, or draggling it about his feet almost in the dirt, and could Christ have pronounced less of him, then that he had been a vain prodigal man, and such an one who probably as he had gained his money by fraud or oppression, so he rob the poor of what was due to them out of this waist: remember what the Prophet speaks, in thy skirts (that is) in thy garments and rich apparel, 
Jer. 2.34  is found the blood of the poor innocents'.  
I could wish that we (except the French) were not by all nations laughed at and scorned, as the apes of all other parts of the world, imitating what ever is most fantastical, absurd and scornful in them all. So that when the people of other countries are for the most part portrayed in their ancient native habits, the English man is set forth naked with a piece of stuff in the one hand and a pair of shears in the other as ever to be new shaping or fashioning his apparel.  
I shall not need to speak more of women's vanity herein, then to use the words of Solomon, saying, Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity; for who sees not women vailed like Tamar, when she purposed to entice Judah? or who sees them not wearing more spots on their faces then the Panther hath on his tail, wooing lustful youth with their prostituted naked shoulders and out-thrust breasts? yea and as S. Paul saith, on their uncomely parts, 
1 Cor. 1● 23.  more abundant comeliness, of laces and the like, are bestowed.  
But if to these you shall add what the Prophet speaks, of their stretched forth necks wanton eyes, 
Isa. 3.16.  their mincing as they walk, discovering their naked parts, the bravery of their ornaments, their networks and tires like the Moon, their chains, bracelets, spangled dresses, the ornaments of the legs, the rings, earrings, changeable suits of apparel, the wimples, and the crispin pins, the glasses, fine linen, the hoods and the veils, can you then say less than with Solomon, vanity of vanities, all is vanity, or as S. Paul spoke upon an other occasion, their glory is their shame, if such women were not already past all shame? 
Phil. 3.18.   
But many say, our estates will bear the expense of our apparel, and in it we spend nothing but our own. And to this I may answer, that the sin lies not so much in the expense of your money, (although part of this might and should rather have been given to the poor and needy) as in the excess of apparel. 2. But may you not as well say, I may play the Glutton and the Drunkard, for in them I spend but mine own, and my estate will bear it; yet gluttony and drunkenness you know are forbidden as sins. 3 But might not those Jews whose excess in apparel the Prophet Isaiah taxed, and the Christians which S. Paul and S. Peter reprehend, might not they have given the like answer as you do, and can you think that this could have stood for good; as though you may sin, so it be not at an others charge but your own?  
And yet I have heard others say, May we not use those creatures as gold, silk, and the like which God hath given us? True, use them you may, for necessity and honest ornament, but not abuse them to excess and superfluity. 2. God gives us fire and iron, but not to burn or kill ourselves or our neighbours and he gives us tongues, but to praise him, and not to blaspheme. 3 That God who gave us those creatures of wool, gold, silk, gave them not made into colours, laces, and such or such fashions, this is the wit and often the wicked inventions of men. 4 David when King Saul was slain, 
2 Sam. 1.24.  bids his subjects to weep over Saul who covered them in scarlet, and put ornaments of gold on their apparel, but he bids them not cover and adorn themselves now their King was slain.  
But you see that all or the most follow these, fashions, and why not I? all sin, saith the Apostle; and will you thence infer, and why not I? and the most go to hell, so saith our Saviour, and will you then say, and why not I? God's Spirit hath told us that we must not follow the multitude to do evil, for the evil of punishment will follow the evil act, and I verily believe that Epidemical or national sin in apparel, in part hath caused this national punishment of the sword, which as the sin grows while the sword devours; so the sword will devour till we destroy this sin.  
2. For did we no● promise to God in our baptism, to forsake not only the Devil but also the vain pomps and delights of the world? and is not the excess in apparel and dressing our bodies, to be reckoned among them?  
3. But if you will be followers, why not to follow Sarah, and godly women whom S. Paul and S. Peter commend unto us, and to be imitated rather than to tread in the steps of Tamar the harlot, or the strumpet in the Proverbs? 
Prov: 7:   
4. Read and consider what Esther speaks, and did when she resorted to the Lord God to put up her prayers to him; and to receive his gracious answer; where you shall find that she did not then as our women now do, deck or trim herself as though she were going to the King or to allure him, but the text saith when she resorted unto the Lord, 
Esther 14 2.  she put away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of anguish and mourning, and in stead of precious ornaments, she covered her bead with ashes (a sign of humiliation with the Jews) and she humbled (not prided or trimmed) herself greatly; and thus attired, the text saith she began to pray unto the Lord God, and toward he close of her prayer she saith. Thou knowest o Lord that I abhor the sign of my high estate or pride as a menstruous rag. And this was a woman whom God raised and used as an instrumental means of the Jews deliverance, from their utter destruction intended them by that bloodsucking Haman the Agagite.  
But may some say, If this be a sin, how comes it to pass that it is become so general and common? this comes to pass, 1 because the sensitive part or soul in man hath got the mastery over his reasonable part. 2 Because we look not up, and set our affections on heaven as we ought, but we mind most the vanities below. 3. We living betwixt heaven and hell, draw most to that which is nearest us, which is not heaven but hell. 4 A strumpet told Socrates that she drew more after her, with her apparel and wantonness, than he did with his wise precepts and eloquence: to which Socrates as granting the thing and giving a reason for it, saith, Thou leadest them down the hill, and the descent is easy to sin and hell, but I draw them up, and this is hard and therefore few follow me.  
And a 5th reason is because we put the day of account and the evil day of death and judgement far from us: and this may be the cause why the younger sort are more addicted to this sinful vanity than the Elder, (although many old ones offend herein, 
Ezek. 12: 27.  as though they were younger) for when the Prophet threatens the Israelites with speedy destruction, uless they repent, than they answer, the days are prolonged, and the times are, far off: and such or worse (though Christians) S. Peter had to do with, who scoffingly said, 
2 Pet. 3: 4.  Where is the promise of Christ's coming to judgement? for all things continue as they were from the beginning. 
v: 11:  But these the Prophet answers. Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more: and so S. Peter doth answer these, Know that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 
V 10.  therefore what manner of persons, saith he, ought ye to be in all holy conversation looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God?  
And yet think not that all will be well with you till then, remember that when the Israelites had dedicated their jewels to the dressing up their calf god, 
Exod. 32 25.  that Aaron made them and so shown them naked to their shame, and this God ha●● done to many in our days,, and to our knowledge; and why fear we not the like may befall us? remember what follows that apparel, decking and trimming of the Israelites, in stead of sweets there shall be a stink, in stead of well-set hair baldness, and burning in stead of beauty.  
But if all this seems but spoken in a parable, then hear God by his Prophet speaking plain and home. 
zeph▪ 182  I will visit and punish all such (none excepted) as are clothed with strange apparel: and I think none can be so frontless, as to deny that our land yearly is full of new and strange apparel, and that worn mostly by such as the Prophet speaks of. 
Hab. ●. 19.  They are idols not men or women, which are covered with gold and silver, for there is no breath of life in them, or there is not that life in the soul which God breathed into them, for they are, as Christ compared the Pharisees, 
Mat. 83.  like Sepulchers or coffins, which oft times have a rich hearse-cloth or goodly ornaments set upon them; whereas within them (so in the gloriously apparelled bodies of these living men) there is little more than rottenness, diseases and filthiness.  
Not withstanding all this the Preacher now may say as the others did. 
Ecclus▪ 10.15.  There is an evil and an error which I have seen, which proceedeth from the Rulers: folly is set in great height, and I have seen servants upon horses: 
Prov. 19 ●0.  that is, as Solomon expresseth it in his Proverbs, Servants, (in royal robes) ruling and reigning over Princes, 
Prov. 10. ●2.  while the Princes (meanly attired) walk as servants upon the earth. This the Preacher hath seen, and he calls it both an error and an evil; and is it not an error and an evil, to see trades-mens wives decked and mincing like the women in the Prophet Isaiah, 
Is. 3.  and Ladies or gentlewomen in their apparel, to exceed Queen Esther? Lay the words to heart which the Lord God hath spoken by his Prophet, 
Zep. 1.3.  and in anger I will visit and punish all such as are clothed with strange apparel.   

CHAP. XXXVII. Of Favourites to Princes and People, and of Generals and Conquerors in war.  
MAny towering and ambitious Spirits have made it the end of their study and endeavour to become the favourites of Princes, or People in authority, or to be Generals and Conquerors in war, that thereby they might attain to power, honour, and wealth, though the success hath seldom answered their expectations, but have been rewarded according to their just merit, with, dishonovoable and shameful ends.  
In holy writ we read but of two eminent favourites, Joseph in Egypt, and Haman in Persia; of whom we find that as the first came to that height by his piety to God, fidelity to the Prince, and an honest care for the public, so he continued that place of trust, and honour to his dying day, which was for eighty years; and as his death was lamented generally by all, so he was as honourably interred: whereas Haman through his power and greatness of favour growing proud, bloody and destructive, climbs the gallows which he had prepared for innocent Mordecai.  
In the first time of the Roman Emperors, few were there of them but had their favourites, who they for the most part gained their places by ill means, and held them by worse, as by injustice, rapine and blood, so few of them but came to ends well suiting with their rise and actions. Seiavus favourite to Tiberius, declared by that Emperor his colleague and companion of his labours; yet at length the day came, wherein the rising Sun saw him the second in the Empire, and before its setting dragged by a hook through the streets of Rome, and thrown from the Gemonieses into Tibur, his only child ravished by the hangman and killed, his adored statue made vessels for the basest use, his friendship esteemed an honour and a crime, and his fortune both a blessing and a curse. Norcissus the favourite of Claudius slain at the instance of Agrippina, Tigellius favourite to Nero, Asiaticus to Vitellius, and Cleander to Commodus: each had their shameful and ignominious ends.  
The corollary from this consideration of favourites, shall be that of King David, Put not your trust in Princes, 
Ps. 146. 3  (no) nor in the son of man, for it is better, 
Ps. 118. 8 9  saith he, to trust in the Lord, then to put any confidence in man, or in Princes: and a reason of this again he gives when he saith, 
Ps 107.40. Ps. 76.12 Ps. 148.8.  he poureth contempt upon Princes, yea more, He cutteth off the spirits of Princes: and will bind their Kings with chains: and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them judgement.  
And whether Generals and Conquerors have proved more happy than favourites, see in Abner General to King Saul, Amasa to Absalon, and Joab to King David, of which three not one came to his end in peace, but had their blood of war shed in the time of peace. Might I not add to these in holy writ the ends of Abimelech and Olophernes, the former of which was brained by a stone cast on him by a certain unknown woman, and the latter had his head cut off by a widow. So like is victory and conquest to a game at cards, where that which is now turned trump, is at the next dealing cast to the lowest of all, or is discarded as of no use. Generals and Conquerors remember this, when that air which should be above is thrust into the earth, it casts the earth into a quaking and trembling ague, but when earthly vapours ascend into the place of the air above it begets some fiery meteor or a combustion.  
It is fabled that when Perseus went out to fight with Medusa, his cause being just, and hers wicked, each of the Gods assisted and furnished him with arms and weapons, whereby he became the conqueror and cut off the witch's head: the fable will moralise itself into that which the blessed virgin Mary said, he hath put down the mighty, the unjustly mighty, from their s●ats.  
So that if we look for success in war we must be sure not to enterprise it without these four requisits or conditions; 1. that the cause be sincerely just; 2. that the means be honest and lawful; 3. that the end be purely good; 4. that the authority of the war be rightly vested in him to whom God either immediately and extraordinarily hath given the sword; as he did to the Kings of the Jews, or ordinarily & mediately by the laws of man, in other states; and if either of these be wanting it is not victory though ye overcome, but treachery, nor conquest, but tyranny.  
And therefore they who have used it, may deservedly expect the fate of those in Israel who by unjust conquest gained the crown, the stories at large expressed in the Book of Kings, I shall abbreviate.  
Politic Jeroboam who by rebellion rob Reboboam the King, of ten tribes, and made himself King of Israel, had his debauched son Nadab rooted out with all his house by Baasha; this man's son Elah with all that family was made away by Zimri, this Zimri was burnt by Omri, Ahab Omries son hath his blood sucked by dogs, Ahaziah son to Ahab dies by a fall, Jeheram his brother succeeds him, but was slain by Jehu, who makes an end of all Ahabs line; Jehu imitates Jeroboam, as his son Joash imitates his father, Shallum makes an end of Jehu's race. This Shallum is taken off by Menahem, Pekaiah the son of Menahem is outed by Pekah, and this Pekah is slain by Hoshea, who with the ten tribes is carried captive by Shalmaneser of Assyria, which ten tribes never recovered the dispersion but were thought to have peopled Tartary and the west▪ Indies.  
Almost each of these usurpers, as he gained the Crown by the sword and slaughter, so had each of them the Crown snatched from his head, and his life taken away by the sword; yea and Jehu though he were appointed to be King by God, yet because he ambitiously and bloodily invaded Ahahs' Crown, shall find as the Prophet speaks the blood of Jezreel to be avenged on the house of Jehu. 
Ros. 1.4.   
Who sees not in these passages the justice and revengeful hand of God on such enterprises, though he suffered them, so long to continue, yet at last he recompenseth his long abused patience with the severity of his judgements pointing out by the stroke the concealed crime, so that we may truly say with the Prophet, 
Ps. 9.16.  The Lord is known by the judgement which be executeth, the wicked it snared in the work of his own hands, the prosperity of begun rebellion encouraging their trembling hearts to proceed, and the crowning success exciting others to imitate that treason to the teacher's destruction, so that each may say, verily there is a God that judgeth.  
The kingdom and people of Judah are likewise captived and carried away to Habylon, and the temple of Jerusalem destroyed by Nabuchadnezzar, but as God by his Prophets foretold, after 70 years the people are brought back from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the temple is re-edified, dedicated, and the Passover solemnised and in this who sees not God's mercy to his people, who served and called upon him, although for their great sins they long suffered under their enemies? All which considered there remains little more for us then to believe the Scriptures to trust in the living God, to possess our souls in patience, to acknowledge, that for our sins we have deserved much more, and to call upon him in prayer for a timely deliverance.  
Remember but as yesterday Tomaso Anello, the fisherman of Naples, who for the ease and relief of the people's heavy taxes, was able on a sudden to raise an Army great enough to subdue all the power of the King, yet at last failing to perform what he engaged them for, he himself is as suddenly slain by the people as he risen in their defence.  
But to close all in one, remember that Andronicus who had formerly taken an oath to be true and faithful to his Liege Lord the Emperor of Constantinople, yet after under colour of religion and pretence of freeing the people from the maladministration of the Emperor, through his fair but false words and oaths, soon gains so many of the people unto him that he as suddenly vanquished the forces of the Emperor, whom he caused by the help of a most ungodly Council to be sentenced to a most unjust and ignominious death: which done he imprisons, drives away or breaks all that favoured the Emperor or his cause, were they otherwise never so good or well deserving, but when the people saw themselves thus abused, and that their taxes and miseries were doubled upon them by their pretended redeemer and saviour, him they fall upon and having overcome him both at sea and land, they make him fast in chains and fetters and first torturing him with their tongues, calling him Dog of uncleanness, Goat of lust, Tiger of cruelty, Religious Ape, and envious Basilisk, they first cut off his right hand and pull out one of his eyes, they set him on a lean poor Mule with his face turned to the tail thereof, and carrying him through the streets and market places, men and women strove how to exceed each other in casting stones, dirt and dung of men and beasts in his face, who after all being hanged up in the theatre by the heels with his head downward, some cut off his privities, others slashed off his buttocks, and other fleshy parts, and thus half tortured and half sterved to death he voided out his ambitious bloody irreligious soul, after which the remaining parts of his carbonadoed and loathsome carcase were thrown into a stinking vault there to lie and rot as the body of some wild and noisome beast, after he had tyrannously reigned two years. And such ends may all such Conquerors have, and let all those that think on him be wise in time, and neither to put their trust in Princes nor in the sons of men, 
Ps. 146.2. Ps. 145.20.  but in the Lord, that preserveth all them that love him, but all the wicked he will utterly destroy.   

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the mutual love, duty, and happiness of the married couple.  
TO the discovery whereof I shall first tell you what marriage is; 1. According to the name; 2. To the nature of it; 3. The causes necessarily required to the making such a marriage; 4. The previous considerations, and the usual consequents of marriage. 5. The duties necessarily and justly required of the wife; 6. Of the husband. 7. From all which fully performed and accomplished, will arise such holy fruits and happy benefits, that may fully and rightly pronounce, that marriage, both before God and man, to be truly honourable. 8. And therefore capable of a benediction, corporal, and spiritual, temporal and eternal.  
Some say, our English word Marriage comes from the Latin Maritus, which signifieth an husband, otherwise, most of our Latin words come from the woman's side, as Matrimonium from matrona, a matron, or from matter a mother, as Eve so called, because she was to be the mother of all; and Nuptiae from nubo, which is properly spoken of the female to be married, as ducere is for the man to lead, and nubo is to be veiled, and so Rebecca when she first appeared to Isaac she put on her veil, 
Gen. 24.65.  as a sign of her modesty, and as a note and testimony of subjection.  
And, to pass from the name to the nature of marriage, I hold marriage to be a lawful and free conjunction of a man and woman in the Lord: for the propagation of children, the avoiding of fornication, the mutual comfort of each other, and all to the glory of God: wherein the material cause is, man and woman, the formal, the lawful conjunction of them, the efficient, the consent of the persons in the Lord, and the final, as is before expressed.  
Where note that as marriage must, be of man and woman; so it must not be of a man to women, or, of a woman to men, but of one man to one woman, as at first it was betwixt Adam and Eve, so that if Polygamy were at any time permitted or indulged, yet never was it authorised by the institution, or word of God, as to be practised; for it is said, both in the old Testament; that two, not more than two, shall be one flesh.  
Anciently, and among the Jews, they gave money for their wives: and we did retain with us a small resemblance of the like at the time of marriage in laying on the book, or giving money to the wife, though this was not as to buy her at a price, which were beastly, and slavish; but to endow her (as in our Liturgy is well expressed) with all our worldly goods: but the best marriage is, when God brings the woman and gives her: 
Gen. 2.22.24.  and when Adam freely takes her, not as a thing obtruded or forced upon him, but freely: saying, this is now flesh of my flesh, than she is called a wife, and when God is not the Contractor to espouse, the Father to give, and the Priest to marry them, either immediately by himself, as in Paradise: or mediately by his lawful Ministers, I cannot say, or promise that the marriage is rightly performed, or that it shall well prosper.  
Marriage then being a holy conjunction of man and woman in the Lord, and this to hold for life; concerns it not each, as we say in our proverb, to look before we leap, whether the ground we are to light upon, be firm, and good, or a quackmire, and our ruin? Our most blessed Lord, by a parable, hath taught us, that no wise Commander will enter into a war, before be well hath weighed, and considered with whom he is to encounter, and what his strengths are; for as we say of war, that a General can offend but once, (if for want of providence and, foresight he lose the day,) so much more may it be said of marriage, then that of war, for if a General hath loft the day, and be imprisoned, yet there may be an exchange for his person, and some remedy for his loss: but in the miscarriage of marriage, there is no relief but death. For it is a conjunction till death departed one party or the other, and this when the Apostles of Christ heard their Lord to preach and forewarn, they concluded if the case be such, said they, Than it is not good to touch a woman, 
Mat 9.10.  (that is) not to be married.  
Some Philosophers treating of marriage, said that he that would have: a year of content and pleasant life, let him marry; but he that would wish to have two such years, let him not marry: intimating, as some other Greeks said, that the married couple had but two merry days, the one in the bedchamber, the other in the chamber of the grave, or the one, at the first of marriage which we call hony-moon, and the other at the burial, so that with them married and marred should differ but in a letter, and that as the aspirate h, taken from Sarah, should be added to Abraham: and that she should be Sara, but he with the aspirate to be Abraham.  
Now though in the great pile or mass of women, there be many Sarahs', Rebeccas, Abigails, widows of Sarepta, and Mary's; yet there being as many, or, I fear, many more Eves, Delilahs, Jezebels, and Jobs wives, is there not cause, that a great care, and consideration should be had, to make choice of that woman, with whom we would be yoked, or joined in that estate of matrimony till death us departed?  
Now the sour especial, and usual promoters, or workers of marriage are; 1. Beauty; 2. Wealth; 3. Honour; 4. Goodness or virtue: of which the first three moderately desired are good requisites, for the better keeping up the superstructure in this building: but the most necessary basis and foundation (without which marriage can neither please God, nor benefit man) is grace, and goodness.  
And of these four promotors in marriage the 1. Beauty (for the most part) works upon the carnal man, the 2. wealth on the worldly, the 3. honour on the proud, the 4. grace and virtue moves the desire, and works the assent in the heavenly minded, and spiritual man; virtue I say and not beauty: for first consider what beauty is in its nature and being, 2. what it is in power; and then say, whether beauty rather than goodness, should make the match. Now beauty, as to its first being, whether in man or woman, is a delightful object of the eye, appearing from the colour and figure of the body; which colour is as a fair blush well mixed with white and red, clearly glimmering through a tender skin, and arising from an equal temper of the humours, but especially of the blood well tempered; and the figure is, that comely proportion of all the limbs, and members in themselves, and with the rest of the parts each to other; so that, neither are too long, nor too short, nor too big nor too little: but that all, and each holds an equal symmetry, which makes the parts, and members seem goodly: and now though this beauty (in colour and figure) may be accounted among the common gifts of God, and therefore it may serve as often it doth, for a letter of commendation, and a superscription of favour, as being the sign of a well tempered soul, and therefore it never satiates the eye of the beholder, yet oftentimes like a tyrant, it is not long-lived, but short of continuance; for if it be blasted with sickness, or buffeted by Satan, it is soon withered like your fairest flowers. And yet ofttimes beauty is not only deceitful like a painted Sepulchre, or the apples of Sodom, which have only a fair superficies (yet dust or rottenness within) but it is often dangerous, both to the Spectator, (becoming an infectious Basilisk) and to the owner, as a gilded poison. For in many, it is little more than a skin puffed up, with a proud love of itself, and a base envy or contempt of others.  
And yet these beauties, as coloured flies, or well skinned beasts, are most run and hunted after, though it prove to the ruin of the huntsman, as in Samson, and the Son of Shechem: and to the hunted as Dinah, Lucrece, and others. For as boys love to be running after coloured flies, to play with them to their destruction: so such coloured flies delight to be flying abroad to play in the Sun, or with a burning light. Dinah may serve for a motto of this emblem, and David for the word of that. Beauty is, and hath been both a straggler, and a tempter to the destruction of others; and a restless piece desirous to be tempted, though it prove to its own ruin. And besides all this, you shall find fair Rachel to sell her husband for mandrakes: which such women, ofttimes love as well as their husbands. Be therefore if you please a well wisher to beauty; but the lover, and wooer only of grace and virtue, without which beauty in an ill woman is like a ring of gold in a swine's snout, and therefore of itself not to be desired.  
Neither is honour, to be loved whither traduced by descent, or conferred by the favour of the Prince, for though these as branches of choice roots, are left to be graffed on, and likeliest to bring forth the finest fruit; yet even these by time, or taint are often so corrupted, that they become as blood in an ill dieted, or surfeited body, which is good for nothing but the sewer; yea, and take honour at the best, yet what is it more, than a splended phantasm? or airy opinion floating, or warbling in the brain of the standers by? who one day reverenceth the honourable person as thing sacred, while the next day perhaps he scorns it as profane, yea and by a vote to be utterly cast away as a thing both useless and dangerous.  
And though money and lands have a more elementary stuff, and substance, than either beauty, or honour; and are so far worthily called goods, as being instruments to work, and do good; yet neither are they in themselves good, no nor so well able to make or denominate the possessor good, as either honour or beauty. I find not among all the marriages, whereof we read in the book of God, that any of them were made for wealth, and for this and many other reasons, I cannot but condemn the too too common senseless guise of our times, which sends lands or moneys to be, or as it were, the chief Orators or contractors of marriage; or as though the ironical words of the Poet were now verified (Quaerenda pecunia primùm, virtus post nummos) be he or she rich, it is that we most look after, and let grace, wisdom, and other beautles of the soul or body serve but as lackeys, which we much regard not, whereas these are not to be used as contractors of marriage, they being at their best, but earthly, uncertain, deceitful, or dangerous; and such, as of which one may say, when marriage is made for these winged creatures, that as these take wing and fly out of the door, so love that was endeared for them, will soon creep out at the window.  
Mary not then for these, nor marry with one that is unequal to thyself. An ox and a sheep, a lion and a calf will hardly yoke or draw together; choose a wise according to thyself said Plutarch, and Pittacus the like, marry one of thy own quality, for (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) equality it is, that begets love▪ and love to continue and grow, is best planted with the like roots or branches. Where I would not be understood, that the man or woman exceeding the other in wealth, birth; or the like, is ever to be accounted above the other, that hath not the same in the like measure. But as the soul is to be preferred before wealth, etc. so the extraordinary endowments thereof, make the persons so qualified, superior to those that exceed in wealth, honour, or power.  
For close, wouldst thou man have a good wife? or thou wise have a good husband? know that as at the first marriage, neareness of flesh begat affection in the soul, 
Gen. 2. Gen. 3.  (for Adam seeing Eve to be flesh of his flesh called her wife) so since that, the affection in the soul hath begot the nearness in the flesh. For first they affected, and then they are made one flesh. So that all things considered as premised, I would not wish the man to marry that woman that is confident of her wit, beauty, or birth: nor the woman to match with him, that presumes on his wisdom, honour, or power: for where these are overvalued in either man or woman, each is apt to undervalue the other to contempt, or discontent.  
In a word, the durable contractor in marriage is, the harmonious consent of soul, manners, and love: and this will make and continue the marriage happy, always provided that as in purchasing land, or lending your money, you look well to get good security, and the best, is the honesty of the person with whom we deal, and good sureties that will see all performed, as it is agreed.  
Now the first part of this security in marriage is, the grace and virtue of the espoused man, or woman, of which the wise Solomon speaks, 
Prov. 18.22.  He that findeth a good wise findeth a good thing, which good thing is her inward goodness, and this, as in the words following, is the favour of the Lord. And of all the virtues in a woman most to be desired, 
Prov. 19.14.  prudence and discretion are the chief: for this will keep her chaste and modest, this will teach her reverence to her husband, and to give every one their due, both within and without doors. And this prudence saith the wise man here, is the gift of the Lord. therefore let the wise sell all, as the Merchant in the Gospel to purchase this pearl. For, without this jewel, wealth, beauty, and such like are (as I before cited) but as a ring of gold in a Swine's snout.  
The other part of the security, for a good wife or husband, rests on the Surety, and this is he, that is the only best matchmaker, God the Lord. Therefore be sure, before, and at the consummating the marriage, to invite and get Christ, as he was at Cana, to the wedding, and then be as sure, that if all the vessels be filled up to the brim with water, which in Scripture signifies afflictiton and sorrow, yet this guest Christ will miraculously turn them all into wine, that makes the heart merry; which is consolation.  
Which great change is instrumentally wrought by that great Mystery, 
Ephes. 5. v. 31.  as S. Paul calls it, where the conjunction is such, that 'tis said the man shall be joined, the Greek is (as much as) he shall be glued to her, so that they two shall be, as it were made into, or be but one flesh and this is a great mystery or secret, that as Christ and his Church: so man and his wife shall of two be made one.  
The Philosophers went further in their expressions when they said, man and wife are not only one flesh, 
1 Cor. 7.4.  so that each hath power over the others body: but that they are but as one soul, and but one fortune common to them both, one fortune in good and bad, insomuch that the Civil law holds that, if the husband prove bankrupt, and be cast into prison, the wife may be sold, if she be worth it, to pay and release her husband: and as it was in the primitive Christian Church, 
Acts ●.  so here especially between husband and wife, all things are to be common; and this is partly signified on the man's part, who is the chief proprietor, when in our liturgy, the husband tells her with all my worldly goods I thee endow; where we must note that, although the Apostle and our Church speak it only of the man, that he shall be so joined to the woman, and he shall endow her with all, yet this is as truly, and more necessarily intended to be true of the woman; who is, as it were, a subject to her Lord her husband. But expressly charged on the husband, to take away all scruple from Jew and Gentile, who gave themselves a greater liberty, and indulgence herein then Christ doth.  
But yet the greatest spiritual mystery in this marriage is, that between the man and his wife who shall be but one soul: (that is) though two in substance to animate two bodies, yet but one in affection and desire; or but one to desire and dislike, to will, and to nill the same things; so that, what the Holy Ghost spoke and made good of the Apostles, 
Acts. 2. R●m. 12. v. 10.15, 16.  that they were of one mind: and what the Apostle commands Christians, to be kindly affectionate one to the other in love, and to rejoice and weep together, and to be of one mind each to other, this and more, if more can be, is here required in this conjunction, and mutual love betwixt man and wife: and this completes the great mystery spoken of S. Paul in marriage, which mystery, though it held good, and true from the beginning of the creation in the law and gospel, and so is to continue, as long as there shall be man and wife on earth; yet, as at the beginning that Envious one (so he is called in the Gospel) the Devil seduced our firsts parents; so (soon after the Sunshine of the Gospel, and to this day afresh) he works both on man and wife, infusing into them foul and dangerous doctrines, which S. Paul therefore called doctrines of Devils.  
For in the Apostles times be taught Simon Magus, 
Acts 10.  and in and by him he taught all Simons scholars (therefore called Simonianis) that women may be used promiscuously, and without difference, or respect had to God's precept relating to man and wife: after which filthy sect succeeded the Saturninians (followers of Saturninus) who professed and practised the like: then followed the Nicolaitans, 
Rev. 2.  who used each others wife in common: then came the Gnostics, living among, and glanced at by the Apostles: after these the Adamites, who both male and female read, prayed, and administered the Sacraments all naked. Soon after the apostolics, called by themselves Eucratites, or Abstinents, who admitted none into their assemblies who had wives. After these, were the Manichees, called also Catharists, the Eunomians, Priscillianists, Jovinianists and the Paternians, who, holding that the lower parts of man and woman were ●●de by the Devil, indulged to themselves all licence of uncleanness in those parts. These and some more, though professors of Christ, grossly and filthily erred either in the prohibition of marriage, or in the allowance of a beastly usage or gross community of women, wives, or single persons; insomuch that I cannot say, that there have been so many several sects or heresies since the Apostles times, erring so grossly about any one subject, as these named about marriage, and fleshliness, such and so great a power the Devil hath over man, tempting him in his weakest, and most sensual part of the flesh: which in the most, is so predominant that some Divines think, that this was that which S. Paul meant by the thorn in the flesh: and for that cause he bewailed his estate in those words, Wretched man that I am, 
2 Cor. 12.7  who shall deliver me from this body of sin, or sin (say some) in the body.  
About the year 1533 arose in Germany one John Becold, better known by the name of John of Leyden, a tailor, but a pestilent Anabaptist; who bewitched the people by bis false visions, dreams, and prophecies to follow him. He taught, and caused the Ministers publicly and commonly to preach it, that a man is not bound to one wife, but that he may have as many as be desired; and he swore by the holy Bible, that this doctrine was revealed to him from heaven. He and his disciples being asked how they could defend so foul and gross a tenet? answered, 1 That Christians must give up what they loved best, which women held to be their bodies. 2 That for Christ's sake they are to undergo any infamy. 3 That Publicans and harlots shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4. Which was the opinion and argument of the C●poc●atian heretics, that as all Christians should be as one spirit: so they ought to be as one body each to other. And this lying with others besides their wives, to colour the sin, they called spiritual marriages, as though there could be any thing spiritual, in this so foul corporal beastliness.  
The ground of these most wicked doctrines, in many of these recited heretics was, and is, that most wicked tenet (now defended by the Antinomians, 
1 Tim. 1.9.  and Adamiticall Ranters, so called of our times, viz.) Be, or believe in Christ, and sin if you can: for being and believing in Christ justifieth and to, or against the Just there is no law. I might tell you, that such doctrines and such do cannot be the fruits of faith, or justification, and therefore they neither rightly believing, nor being truly justified are condemned by the sentence of God's word, 
Exo. 20.14.  which saith; thou shalt not commit adultery, and no unclean person shall inherit the Kingdom of heaven. 
Eph. 5.5.  But recitare (as S. Hierom: speaks) est consutare, to rehearse these damnable doctrines, is to condemn them, in the judgement of all good Christians.  
I leave them therefore, and shall touch upon the duties of man and wife each to other, and in this, I shall follow the Apostles S. Paul and S. Peter's method, who both begin with the duties of wives, as though these should provoke the husband to his, or as though the wife could not so justly expect the husband's duty (which is love) unless she first perform hers which is subjection. And I find the Apostles insisting, urging and inculcating this lesson, wives obey, 
1 Cor. 14 34. Eph. 5: 24. Col. 3.18 1 Pet. 3.5  wife's reverence, wives sear, wives submit, and wives be subject to your husbands. Yea, it was God's sentence from the beginning, and given to all women even to the greatest and to the best, Thy desire shall be subject to thy husband, 
Gen. 3.16.  and he shall rule over thee. And where God commands, there should be no dispute, but simple obedience. And yet God, considering woman's backwardness to this duty, is content to subject his command to reason, and therefore, by his Apostle S. Paul, he gives one reason for this subjection of the wife when he saith, Adam was not deceived but the woman, 
1 Tim. 2.14.  and therefore fit it is, she should be subject to the guidance of her head the wiser; a second reason may be collected from S. Paul, 
1 Cor. 11.9. v. 10.  that the man was not made for the woman, but the woman was made for the man, and for this cause the woman ought to be covered, which was a sign of subjection.  
A third reason is given by the same Apostle Ephes. 5. 
Ephes. 5 21, 22.  where having given the precept, Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands as unto the Lord, for saith he the husband it the head of the wise, even as Christ is the head of the Church. S. Paul commands wives not only to submit, and be subject, but he saith the wise must reverence; the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there implies a reverence proceeding from fear, 
v. 33  yet no servile base fear, but a loving, or a fear to give him offence, because she loves him, as she is commanded. 
Tit. 2.4.  And this kind of reverence, fear, or subjection arising from, and coupled with the mutual love of the husband to the wife, and the wife to the husband, makes it such a subjection, as S. Paul speaks of though in another case, 
2 Cor. 3.17.  saith, where that the Spirit of the Lord is, I say where love in the Lord is, there is Liberty. And such as Christ speaks when he saith, 
Mat. 11.30.  my yoke, I may say the wife's yoke thus fastened is easy, and the burden she bears, by such her subjection, is light: for love makes all easy and light.  
And yet that wives may not grumble, or dispute against their subjection, as too unjust, servile, or hard, let them know that their subjection to their husbands is but as to the Lord, 
Eph. 5.22.  which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as to the Lord, means not that the wife must be a subject to her husband as to the Lord God, but it teacheth, that she is to be subject to her husband, according to the Lords command, 
Gen. 3.16.  or according to, and so far as the husband shall command agreeable to, and not repugnant to the word, and will of the Lord. For if the husband usurp a power, or command contrary to the Lords word, 
Act. 5.29  the wife's answer and obedience is that of S. Peter, We ought to obey God rather than men. And a subjection to the husband, if such as God commands, or such as is suitable to the will of the Lord, should be willingly entertained, and embraced by every good woman, who desires to be a wife; and yet to make this subjection more readily to be embraced, let the wives know, that the words which the Apostles use, when they call for this submission or subjection in wives, signifies to be under their husband's will and power, according to just and comely order; and not simply to the husband's unlawful, or unlimited will; which orderly subjection of the wife, according to order, is that Political or Economical disposure, by which the wife, according to God's ordinance and appointment is to be inferior, or under her husband, so that he, as the head, is to rule, and she as the body is to obey her husband.  
And, that wives err not, or come not short in the performance of this duty, the Apostle hath been very careful to set down the qualifications, and necessary concomitants of this subjection, when he bids the woman submit, 
Eph. 5.22.  which teacheth her it should be spontaneous and voluntary: and not a forced subjection. 2. That it must not be a carnal worldly, but an holy submission, for, as to, or as in the Lord. 3. It must not be a partial lame subjection in some things which the wife likes, and not in others which pleaseth her not; but it must be perfect and total, in all the husband's just and lawful requirings: therefore, 
v. 24.  as the Church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 4. It must not be a false eye-pleasing, or counterfeit subjection before her husband's face only, or in his hearing; but as that of Sarah who called him her Lord, 
1 Pet. 3.6  and that as it is expressed to testify her sincere and hearty subjection, it is said, 
Gen. 18.12.  within herself, or to herself, in her heart, she calls him Lord.  
And all this aught to be as fully performed by every wife; as it is clearly expressed by the Apostle: for it is not only the Apostle but the Lord that commands this subjection, and obedience, and therefore, not the husband only but the Lord God is disobeyed, when the wife submits not in all, as required and expressed, to her own husband. I may, I must add that when S. Paul commands wives to submit to their husbands, 
Eph. 5.22.  as to the Lord; it implies that, by this submission with love, fear, reverence, and obedience, she should confide in, depend and rely on him, and on no other earthly creature, before, or comparatively to him, for he is her head.  
And certainly, when all this is required by S. Paul, 
1 Cor. 7. ●3. ● Pet. 3.1  and by S. Peter of evil and unbelieving wives, much more ought the Christian good wives yield to this doctrine, and be subject to their husbands, and this as in Gods most holy word: so in our sacred Liturgy is required of the wife, that as the husband must love, comfort, and give honour to his wife: so she must love, honour, I, and, which is not where required of the husband, she must serve, and obey him.  
And yet, lest any husband should force the words too far, he must remember that, though the wife must be, as the vine on the side, and not on the top of the house: so she must not be set in the Cellar or Coal-hole, this is not her seat, but on the side of the house; And, as she was not taken out of the head of man to rule, or to be a ruler: so she was not made out of the foot to be scorned, abased, or to be trod upon: but out of the side, as to be cherished, and made much of, as being in domestical affairs, in the Kitchen, Parlour, and bedchamber, coequal, as taken out of the side of her husband, and set with him on the side of the house.  
S. Paul gives some additional qualities requisite in a wife; 
Tit. 2.  as that she must be chaste, purely chaste, the word implies so much, and that she must be devout, holy, and not fantastic or humorous in her habit or dress of attire. Beauty in wives, ofttimes, is a great enemy to those two: and therefore though beauty be not to be despised or neglected, being it is the gift of God; so great care is to be had, that this beauty prevail not over, or against their pure chastity, and decently holy attire: for beauty ofttimes, and in too many, begetteth pride, pride costly dresses, costly dresses gadding to be seen, not at home to please the husband, so much as to be seen abroad: and this gadding is ofttimes the mother of temptation, temptation of being seduced to evil and lust: for as many beasts are hunted, taken, and destroyed for their fair skins: so it fareth with women. Bathsheba's words to her Solomon, are worth the fair woman's remembrance and consideration: 
Prov. 31 30.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised: let the fear of the Lord be in her esteem her chief beauty, and then the beauty of her body shall not suffer prejudice, but be as a graceful outward ornament, according to our proverbial word, (gratior est virtus veniens è corpore pulchro) more amiable is virtue which proceeds from a fair body; and this may serve as a watch, and guard over the wife's beauty.  
And for her habit and attire, 
1 Pet. 3.3.  S. Peter gives good instructions, and saving caveats, when he saith, Let not her adorning be that outward plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, and pulting on costly apparel, in which precept, the Apostle simply condemns, not the wearing of costly rich apparel, or the most comely dressing, but the excess herein; which discovers the vanity and disease of a soul distempered with pride, profusions, superfluity, inconstancy, the too too much redundant and luxuriant humours (to call them no worse) which abound in women, and the old adage hath a good reason in it, ex veste hominem, by a man's, or woman's attire or dressing, you may give a great guests what their soul is. I would all great, as good women, 
Esther. 14.16.  would remember the words of Esther, Lord, thou knowest my necessity, (that I am to go so richly attired) for I abhor the sign of my high estate wherein I show myself (before the King) and that I abhor it as a menstruous rag.  
And if any tell me that such attire and dress are not in themselves simply evil, but things indifferent, I must tell them that, though the dressing and attire be such, yet such attire and dressing mostly proceeds from a mind tainted with pride, excess, affectation, or desire to satisfy lust: and these are not things indifferent but evil; and such as the root is, such will the fruit be, and if the root be only fit for hell fire, I know not how such fruit should reach, or carry the body up to heaven. S. Peter therefore having taxed the excess in outward apparel, he proceeds to teach women, wherein their comely dressing should consist; 
1 Pet. 3. ●. 3, 4.  which saith he, should be inward, in the adorning the hidden man of the heart: for wise Cato hath told us, long since, that they who spend too much cost, or time in adorning the body; generally neglect the adorning of the soul, the ornaments whereof S. Peter in the same place tells women should be of a meek and quiet spirit, and this, saith the Apostle, is of great price in the sight of God, and closely he implies the reason hereof, when he adds, that this ornament of the soul is not not like the beauty of a flower, or a beasts skin, which soon fadeth or is destroyed; but it is saith he, incorruptible, it cannot be spoiled, or vanish, but will remain in esteem, and honour with God and man for ever.  
And S. Paul as he gives counsel to women from the same spirit, so 'tis very near unto S. Peter in the expression of it, when he saith, 
1 Ti●. 2.9. v. 10.  women must adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but that which becometh women professing godliness, with good works. I must not say that here the Apostle forbids the wearing pearl, or costly array: unless it be an enemy unto modesty, shamefastness, sobriety, or an hinderer of good works: but, rather than any of these be hindered or diminished, away, in God's name, with pearls, and costly array.  
The great Philosopher Aristotle, setting down the qualities and duties of a good and fit wife saith, she must be apt to rule within doors, according to the will of her husband; 2. That she neither carry our, nor take in aught, against her husband's mind; 3. That she be cleanly and handsome to please her husband, and not fine and trim to please other men; 4. That she be no busybody in others houses, or affairs; 5. That she should observe her husband's qualities and conditions, that so, if they be good, she may follow and teach them: if ill, to avoid them herself, and, as much as she can, to weed them out of her husband, or by little and little to wean him from them; 6. That with a godly and loving fear she be careful, not to give her husband cause of offence; and, if he be offended or troubled, with discretion and meekness to pacify, and mitigate his passions; 7. To be a compatient or fellow-sufferer, as a true yoke-fellow, in all estates: as well in adversity, as in prosperity. We read that Admetus being sick, and the Augurs inquired of how he might recover, they answered, it could not be but by the death of his best friend, which his wife hearing, answered, he cannot have a better friend than me his wife, and thereupon to recover him, she killed herself. I propound not this, as a thing to be imitated, but to show of what power the compassionate love of a wife is, to which I might add that of Phinehas his wife, who, upon the report of her husband's death, 
1 Sam. 4.19.  fell in travail and died; and from these, and many the like instances, we may conclude that the compassionate love of women to their husbands is, as Solomon said, 
Gent. 8.6  as strong as death.  
And now having touched some duties, and qualities of good wives, I shall add a few observations, or exhortations if you please to call them so, whereby wives may the better be enabled to perform those duties, and to make those qualities be more gracious, and seem more glorious.  
And the first shall be, that the wife learn to be obedient to her husband, with a loving fear, as well in his absence, as in his presence. For, though the husband, happily, in some respects may be inferior to her: yet she having yielded to be his wife, she hath withal made him her head, and it is an honour to the wife to reverence her husband, that he may appear to others worthy of honour.  
The second is, that she be modest and bashful, even in her greatest desires, and best delights; fire being blown may seem to resist the breath, although, by it, it is kindled. Nolo nimis facilem, saith one Poet, I refuse the too easy yeelder, and fugit ad salices, & se cupit ante videri, saith another, she fled to the covert and seemed desirous to be first seen, both intimating, that a gentle and modest refusal provokes, and inflames desires. I observe that Rebecca, when she had travailed many miles uncovered, now approaching near the place where Isaac her husband was to meet her, that she then put on her veil, that love, or desire in women is most to be esteemed, when she seems to refuse with one hand, yet ready to entertain and embrace her husband with the other.  
A third may be, that she be not garish in her dress, or to disguise herself with spots, patches, or paintings. I have read that a Judge, who persuaded the husband, who had put away his wife, to take her again being so fair and comely; the husband answered, that it was not his wife, for she that accompanied with him at home, was none such: and indeed, though wives generally say, all their dress and sl●bberings is to please their husbands, yet I may answer with that of S. Augustine to covetous fathers, (who pretend all their care is for their children, saith the father) vox pietatis, it is the voice of piety: but indeed, excusatio iniquitatis, it is but an excuse or cover of their iniquity. For observe when Jezebel paints, and when Esther puts on her bravery, the first doth it to appear, not to her husband but to Jehu, whom she would inflame; and the other to Ahashuerus, whom she would enamour. I pray observe that, when you would make the child leave the dug, you smear it with mustard, or the like: such are Mercury waters, or such sl●bbers to a good and wise husband; neither can this counterfeit beauty, or artificial dressing so much allure, or please the husband for the time, as the wives ordinary familiar homeliness will distaste, or take off at all times else.  
The fourth observation is, that wives, as they are called, so they should be, housewives. For, so saith the Psalmist, Thy wise shall be as the vine about thy house, 
Ps. 128.  not in the streets, or fields, but on the sides of the house. The males only were commanded thrice a year to go to Jerusalem to serve the Lord, 
Exod. 24  but not the wives, but the husbands were to go so far from their own homes. And the spouse called his beloved a Dove, 
Cant. 2.  which delights herself only in her mate at home, and he courtech her to solace herself in the cliffs of the rocks, not in the markets, exchanges, or playhouses, yea when the Spouse invites her to recreate herself with the flowers, figs, and pleasant fruits, her answer is, (Dilecius meus mibi,) all my delight is in thee my Spouse. Armenia being asked by her husband Tygranes, how she liked the King? answered, that she looked not wishly on him, for her eyes were all the while on her husband.  
A fifth, may be that the wife, though she be fair, rich, or honourable, yet ought she to be frugal, and careful for the estate at home. The Germans used anciently to present a yoke of Oxen to the new married couple, intimating thereby that they as yoked, should draw together, and S. Paul calling marriage (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) a yoking together, 
2 Cor. 6.14.  charges the man and woman not to be unequally yoked. The Greeks, when they would express a careless prodigal wife, called haet Ocnus his Ass: for this Ocnus being a rope-maker, that laboured and wrought all day, yet, before night, his Ass eat more than he got by his work: you may add that, if an Ox and Ass be yoked, if the Ox draw never so much, and the Ass hang back, so little good will come of their yoking, that, as a father said in another case (non solum non trahunt, sed rumpunt quod junctum est) they not only draw not, but break what was joined. I can conclude this observation with no better counsel than that in the Proverbs Chap 31. from the 11. verse to the 25. which I leave and commend to your reading, and meditation.  
A sixth is, that the wife be nor apt to resist, or crossly to reply against her husband. 
Prov. 15.1.  The wise man in general tells us that a soft answer (frangit, reads the vulgar) breaks anger, wherein is a mystery that, that which is soft can break; and it can be no less than a secret in nature infused by God into the soul of man: and note that woman though at first she were made out of a rib, yet that is not so hard as some bones, and it was out of the husband's rib too, that it should not resist him, who was the matter of her being. Fire we all know will soon break out by the collision, or clashing of two hard matters, as iron beating on flint: but rub a thousand weight of oil, or feathers against twenty flints. no fire will issue: and lightning and thunder breaks the sword in the scabbard. A woman, complaining, that her husband was so waspish and cross that she could not contain, but reply; her neighbour taught her this remedy, that, while her husband was chiding, she should hold water in her mouth, till his fit was over, which with thanks the woman found to be an especial remedy. I have red that anciently among some Gre●ks, the Bride on the day of marriage, was presented with a horse bridled and saddled; not to teach that she should be ready to ride and gallop abroad, but that she should be, as that horse, with her tongue bridled; and silent at her husband's command. In a word that I talk not too much in an argument of silence, 
Prov. 31.26.  Bathsheba tells the wife that she must open her mouth in wisdom, and that in her tongue must be the law of kindness, not sharpness, or replies, but what ever the husband be, kindness must be observed by her as a law, and by this law she shall find great ease and no small benefit to herself.  
For the wives gentle meekness, which is a seventh necessary requisite, is like goat's milk to an adamantine husband: which as is storied, will of itself dissolve the hardest diamond, which no iron, steel, or the like can do. For the soul of man, as the P●ilosopher observes, is a generous and noble piece, which though it cannot be drawn or forced, yet it may be led and won. Or like a strong well fenced Castle, it may be mined, but not battered. S. Paul to win the Thessalonians made himself like a Nurse, 
1 Th. 2.7  which stills and gains the love of the Child by lullabies, a merry note, and the dug; and not by curstness, 
2 Tim. 2.24, 25. Gal. 5.22.  or blows. And the servant of the Lord who desires to win souls, and bring them to Christ, must be gentle, patiented, meek, for this is the fruit of the holy Spirit, which descended on Christ in the figure of a Dove; a Dove, which as they say, hath no gall, neither can she chatter though offended, but only mourns. In a word, the Psalmist saith, the wife must be as a vine, not as a scratching bramble: no nor, though sweet as a rose, yet she must not be pricking as a rose: but as the vine, which brings not forth sour but pleasant grapes, to make her husband's heart not sad, but merry. For close of this, if the husband be a Naball a churl, a fool, a distempered person, let the wife learn to be an Abigail, who would not move or stir him to choler or grief when he was in heat of wine, 
1 Sam. 25 36.  but after his rest, when she found him well tempered than she speaks unto him, and gently too.  
I will sum up the duties of a wife with that precept of S. Paul which I will read as the Hebrews, 
Tit. 2.5  backward, or beginning with the last first, and the last duty here expressed is, that she be obedient to her husband: and that is to be wrought, or caused by the next before it, when he commands her to be good, that is, benign, gentle, courteous. The third duty ascending is that she be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) like the tortoise (except on sufficient cause) ever in her shell, (that is) an housekeeper, or housewife. The duty preceding this, is that she be chaste; for this chastity is a great preserver of retiredness, when on the contrary gadding abroad is no great friend to chastity. The duty first here placed, and which is first in repute and esteem is, that she be discreet and prudent. Which virtue is not only a great help to preserve chastity, and to keep the wife at home; but an especial cause or worker of the wives courteous carriage, and due obedience to her husband: according to that of Solomon, 
Prov. 19.14. Ecclus: 26.14.  A prudent woman is the gift of the Lord, and a silent and prudent woman is the gift of God. So S. Paul in setting down the commendable virtues and duties of wives, gins with this, let them be discreet, or wise: for without this, they will hardly be ch●st. Seldom housewives, and never good, and obedient to their husbands.  
To this observation I may add one more, as the last to this point; that neither the Apostle, nor any other penman of God ever commended beauty, wealth, honour, as to be sought after in the choice of a wife. But house-wifery, chastity, gentleness, obedience, and the crown of all prudence, and therefore I should never counsel any to make choice of a woman in marriage, who is confident of her wit, wealth, beauty or birth: nor the woman to be married to that man that presumes on his wisdom, wealth, power, or honour; for when these are over valued in either, each will undervalue the other to contempt, or at least to some discontent.  
I have been long (I hope women will not beshrew me for it) in setting down the duties of wives to their husbands. I shall be shorter, (and I wish that they would not blame me for it) in the duty of the husband; because as Christ and the Apostles spoke of the law, so the whole duty of the husband is comprised in this one word love. So that though under love, both in the law and the husband's duty, many things are required which are not simply and properly called love; yet all these flow and stream from this one spring of love, and this is the cause that S. Paul only saith, 
Eph. 5. Col. 3.  husbands love your wives.  
Now love being. 1. natural: 2. carnal: 3. political: 4. divine: I may say, in a qualified sense, that all these loves are commanded the husband, under this one word love. a natural love, because the woman was of, and from man, being flesh of his flesh. 2. the carnal love, because thee shall be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) into or one flesh. 3. political, for a sweet society, and peopling the world. 4. a divine love, 〈…〉 be in holi●●●● such as C●●●●●hawed compriseth all, that possibly any woman can require, or desire from her husband. For if he love her, he wiseness her well, he doth well for her, he gives her what in justice and reason she ●n desire, he suffers for her more than she would, he is careful not to displease, and most willing to give her honour, and all good content. God when he gives laws and precepts to man, he concludes them all in this, Love the Lord thy God; and S. Paul, 
Rom. 13 10.  love is the fulfilling of the law.  
And to this love, as portrayed, the husband is bound: so saith S. Paul, men ought so to love their wives, 
Eph. 5.28.  and this expressly proves it to be the husband's duty to love his wife. Which S. Paul barely saith not, it is his duty (though his word as from God were a law, and there needed no other confirmation for it) but he proves it. For the man to his wife is, as Christ to his Church, and Christ loved his Church, and therefore (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) so ye husbands ought to love your wives. Secondly, the wife is not flesh of thy flesh, but is made one flesh, and one body, and as it were one person with thee: 
Eph. 5.28.  so Ephes. 5.28. and therefore man ought to love his wife.  
And if you ask me, how he ought to love her, this the Apostle expresseth too, and most plainly, saying, 1. as Christ loved his Church: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so ye husbands ought to love your wives. Where note, that the Apostle means not by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so, to tell the husband that he ought to love his wife in that high measure, and degree as Christ did love his spouse, the Church, this is not possible for man to do; but as Christ did truly and hearty love the Church, so ought m●n to love their wives▪ And a second 〈…〉 should love his wife, the Apostle add in the same place, when he saith, he ought to love her as hit own, and as himself; and be it that the man love his wife so, the woman covets too much, that would desire more, then that her husband love her, as he doth himself: for no man, 
v. 29.  except a mad one saith S. Paul hateth, but rather cherisheth, and nourisheth his own flesh.  
Now S. Basil, (taking it for granted that the man, according to this duty and rule loves the wife, more than the wife her husband) demands the reason for it, and answers it thus. That woman was made subject to the guidance of the man, and therefore to make a compensation, as it were, the man by his love is made in some sort subject to his wife: so that the husband, though he be in his natural capacity a Lord to his wife (as Sarah called her husband) yet in a sweet manner he is, through his love, become her servant, so that though God gave the woman long hair which might be as reins in the man's hand to guide her: yet God gave her an eye, that her husband may say, as Christ to his spouse, 
Cant. 4.9.  thou hast ravished or taken away my heart with one of thine eyes. and be the man the head of the wife, yet the wife by her ravishment of the man, is become (according to the place or part whence she was first taken) the heart of the man. and hereby it comes to pass that as Christ taught, the man is to leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and all this is wrought by man's love to his wife.  
Well therefore did S. Paul, 
Ephes. 5.  speaking of this loving subject, call it a mystery; a mystery in nature, and a mystery in grace, and each applied by the Apostle to the husband's love. for, as Eve was taken out of Adam, so the Church from Christ: she from Adam cast into a sleep, the Church from Christ sleeping in Death: Eve was from the side opened, the Church from Christ's side pierced. Adam therefore was to to love Eve as his flesh and bone: Christ his Church as his blood and life. and hereupon the Apostle concludes, Men therefore love your wives, as Adam did Eve, and as Christ did the Church. For man and his wife are coupled, as in the bond of nature, so in the covenant of grace, and this is the mystery which S. Paul calls the love of man to his wife.  
And another mystery there is couched in the words of the Apostle when be saith, that the man and wife being two subjects or persons, are made and become one. for though two, yet but one body, and two, but one soul and affection to love each other, as himself: 
Eph. 5.28. v. 33.  so that two should be one in, and by love; and yet by the power of the same love this one to become two to help each other against all enemies, adversaries, or opponents: and here is the mystery, and such a mystery as love only under God can, and should make between man and wife.  
Which love as it is strong as Death, 
Can. 8.6,  so it fears not, nor stoopeth to death: but undauntedly encountered for the object, be it the wife or the spouse beloved, S. Paul tells us, it was so in that most divine love of Christ to his Church; who gave himself even to death for her; and so hath it been in many a man natural love to do the like for his beloved. He touch but one example of Tiberius, who finding two snakes in his bedchamber was told that, if he killed the female his wife must die, if the male, himself; whereupon to preserve his wife, he chose rather to kill the mal●●●nd himself to die. and happy is that conjunction, which is so cemented by love, that each can say (as Castor and Pollux as brethren) vive tuo Coujux tempore, vive meo. live o my spouse thy term, and live thou mine.  
The Greeks, though most abundant in expressions by words, yet in this case of husband and wife seem defective and scanty. For as Ephes. 5. and Col. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Eph. 5. Col. 1.  which is in general a man, stands for husband: so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is in general a woman signifies in the Apostle a wife: which defect, if it may be so called, is supplied by our English, when we translate that man and woman, by husband and wife: and not unfitly from the first creation of both; for as the woman was made for the man, to be a comfort unto him as a wife, 
Gen. 2.18.  so the man being alone, and wanting any, under God, on whom to place his love and delight, is to settle these on the woman his wife, therefore saith the Apostle, husbands love your wives, 
Eph. 5.22.  these being the objects of your solace, and delight, and as they were made, helps to the husband. Which word husband as it notes the man to be the band of the house, and all therein: so primarily and principally of his wife, by which he is put in mind to keep her from shattering as the band in sheaves, or as the band of an house to keep it from shaking and falling: and this is required in the love, as in the name and title of husband.  
And yet S. Paul enlargeth this love of the husband to his wife, 
Ephes. 5.29.  when he tells the husband that he must (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) he must nourish, and cherish her; not feed her only, for so he must do his servant, but the word minds somewhat more, to feed her with the best, and so to nourish her: and not only th●● to nourish, but to cherish; which may be 〈◊〉 metaphorical word taken from hens hover over, and covering the young ones, defending them from the sharpness of the weather, and warming them by her feathers, and the heat of her body. The plain and full sense of the word you may find in the 1 King. 1.2. where the Shunamitsh damsel is said to cherish old David lying in his bosom, and giving him heat: 
1 K. 1.2.  and thus the husband, by the precept and rule of S. Paul, is to love his wife, when he saith he must nourish, and cherish her.  
And to this end that the wife be not driven on all occasions to run to the husband for her nourishment, our holy and wife Liturgy hath taught that, at the marriage, the man is to endow his wife with all his worldly goods, and as a token and earnest hereof, he usually gave her both silver and gold, which is near to the Jewish ceremony, though far enough from any superstition or Judaisme, for the Romans used this ceremony in their marriages, that the Bride being brought home to her husband's house, she openly proclaimed, ubi tu Caius, ego Caia: which Erasmus translates thus, Where thou art Lord, or Master, I am Lady or Mistress; whereby she hath an estate for maintenance, so far as the husband's ability can extend both in his life and after his death.  
The Apostle S. Peter hath added another duty of the husband, as a fruit or effect of his love to his wife; when he saith, 
1 Pet. 3.7.  Give honour to your wives. Whereby it appears that although the woman be in herself, or otherwise honourable, yet by marriage the husband adds to her giving her the honour of a wife, according to that, marriage is honourable in all, even in the lowest, 
Heb. 13.  because God hath sanctified and honoured it by his institution, and blessing, he being, as at first to Adam and Eve, the Contractor, the Priest, and the Father to give the woman to the man: for so it is said, 
Gen. 2.22.  the Lord brought her to Adam.  
Again, when the Apostle saith, the man must give her honour as to the weaker, may it not be fitly understood, that, if she hath any defect, weakness, or infirmity common to all, or some more than usual, yet the husband ●s to honour the wife by concealing and covering them from others; and to cure and to comfort her in and against these infirmities, as he would do his own body? Which agrees with that of S. Paul Ephes. 5. and with that other, 
Eph. 5.29. 1 Cor. 12 23.  1 Cor. 12. our more uncomely parts we adorn most. Another sense there may be of this, which agrees with the words and form in marriage prescribed by our Liturgy, where the man saith, with my body I thee worship: whereby he doth as it were appropriate his body to his wife in respect of all other women, and this agrees with that of S. Paul, that men must so far as may stand with chastity, modesty, and his ability, give her due benevolence; for he is not sole Lord, or Master of his body, but his wife herein is copartner, or cape-master, and this S. Paul speaks fully, 
1 Cor. 7.4.  and plainly.  
Other appendent or subordinate duties are required from the husband, under or flowing from this great master duty love, 
1 Cor. 7 3. Col. 3.19  as that the husband must yield his wife due benevolence; 2. That he must not be bitter, or sharp, but gentle and apt to pass by infirmities and offences of his wife as of the weaker vessel; A 3. requisite duty of the husband is, that, the husband live with his wife according to knowledge: 
1 Pet. 3.9.  so that, as he is the head of his wife: so like an head he may be able to guide and to direct, according to knowledge in Gods and man's laws. And this may be one reason why S. Paul suffers not a woman to speak in the Church but to learn of her husband at home; 4. When the Apostle tells the husband that he must love his wife as Christ doth his Church, 
Eph. 5.25.  it is hereby employed that as there can be no greater love than this, nor any greater spur to this love then what the Apostle gives, that the wife is the husband's flesh and body: that he is her head, and that God hath commanded this love: so that love to his wife being such as Christ's was to his Church, therefore it must be a chaste, not a wanton and carnal love: an holy, not a worldly or profane love: a sincere, hearty, not a feigned hypocritical love: and lastly, not a temporary and fading, but a perpetual love, to hold as the bands in wedlock, till death departed the one from the other, or both together.  
And be thy love such, it will so help, at least, to temper and qualify all straggling wild passions towards thy wife, that seldom, if ever, thou shalt be angry with her; but sure never to be jealous of her fidelity to thee. Which jealousy, as it is like the Hemlock in the Prophet's pottage, destructive to all matrimonial peace and bliss: so is it often conceived without a father, brought forth without a midwife, and cherished without a nurse; or, at least, without any that thou canst prove to be such, for if the woman be so wicked as to play false, the Serpent is not more wily than she to conceal it. I observe that when Christ told the woman that she had submitted herself to six men, 
Joh. ●.  she concluded that sure he was a Prophet, and so when Christ's feet were washed and wiped by Mary 
Lu. 7.3.  Magdalen: the Pharisees argued were he a Prophet he could have known that Mary Magdalen was a lose woman. So from both passages it may appear, that it was hard for any unless a Prophet, who had revelations supernatural, to discover and find out, a false incontinent wife; and better I hold it, if the thing prove too apparent, to dissemble it, as Jacob did his daughter Dinahs' wickedness, then to blow his horn at the door, or to proclaim it in the Market place. I end all this in one word of exhortation, Pe not to thy wife as a Lion in the house, 
Ecclus. 4.30.  but as a Lamb, or be, in this, as a Dog, that is cursed to strangers or strange women, yet to be kind and affable at home, for this will beget, preserve, and increase the reciprocal love of thy wife to thee, which is the key to thy worldly bliss and happiness: and the fruit of a well grounded and holy marriage.  
Which happiness appears and is evidenced, on the man's part; 1. When it is said, thy wife shall be as a vine; 
Ps. 128.3  which is both pleasant, and profitable; pleasant on the sides of thy house, for shade and refreshment; and profitable, because fruitful. Fruitful two ways; 1. Bringing that forth which makes thy heart merry, being as she was made, a help and comfort unto thee; 2. Fruitful in children. And, not only brings she pleasure and profit to her husband, but honour too, for so we read, a virtuous wife is a crown to her husband. 
Prov. 12 14.  For, as the lewdness of the woman turns to the husband's shame; witness the word Cuckold: so her discreet and good life becomes his honour, and as the crown of gold is to the King's head, such is a virtuous wife to her husband, for an ensign of his honour, and not an external temporary, windy honour, placed, begot, or settled in the opinion of men; but that intrinsic, during, real honour which is the fruit of God's favour, for, so Who findeth a wife findeth a good thing, 
Prov. 18.22.  where good the adjunct to the subject wife is necessarily to be understood, else the thing that he findeth would scarce be good. And would you know how this wife becomes such a good thing? then read Proverbs 19.14. where you shall find that a prudent or good wife is from the Lord, and, 
Prov. ●● 14.  if a present from God the Lord, then sure she is a good thing, especially if ye add what is before to that of Proverbs 18.22. he that findeth this good thing the wife, obtaineth and receiveth her, not only as a gift, but as a gift of honour, and favour from the Lord.  
I might surfeit an husband with a glut of happiness, if I should here repeat and enlarge the manifold blessings redounding to him from a good wife, of whom I may speak as the Philosophers and Fathers did of health, saying, it is bonum such a good, as without which there is scarce any sublunary thing good unto him. God said, at the first, It is not good that man should be alone, without society and company (that is, to be without a woman his wife) therefore good it is to have her; 2. It was not good to be without an help meet for him, which is man's case without a wife, therefore it is good to have her.  
Thirdly, it is not good for a man to be without arrows, the weapons of defence against his foes, now these arrows are his children, which honestly cannot be had without a wife; therefore it is good to have her. I could add to these 600 more goods attending an husband with a good wife. But that I may not clog you, Ireferre you to that which I might here repeat and enlarge, Prov. 31. from the 10. v. to the end of the Chapter, and to these places in Ecclesiasticus ch. 7.19. ch. 25.8. and ch. 26. v. 1, 2, 3.13, 14, 15, 16.22, 23, 24, 25, 26. and ch. 36. v. 14. and ch. 40.23. so that I may say merrily, yet truly, an egg is not so full of good meat, as a virtuous wife is of good things.  
And, as to the husband such a wife is a blessing and a good thing: so no less good and bliss is acquired to the wife who hath found a good husband. I have heard women jestingly (I hope) say, that if the husband be the head, the wile shall be the Cap: and surely, the wife hath no readier means to attain this, then by her discreet subjection to her husband, according to that of our Saviour (in several places repeated by the Evangelists) He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and this accords with that (before mentioned) a virtuous wife is a crown to her husband, 
Prov. 12.4.  now the place for a crown to be set, is his head, and as the crown is to the bearer an ensign of honour: so honour we know is in honorante formally, and efficiently in the giver of honour, which in this case is the virtuous wife; and hereby she acquireth to herself the just title of honour, and this she hath gained by being a wise wife.  
But, if this satisfy not all women, then let them hear and find other blessings, and good things arising from marriage, which single, she neither had, nor well could have, for hereby she hath not only the society, but the love, the union, the body, the soul, the all things of the man her husband, and what greater or more good can she wish, or desire under heaven? Again, when Adam had all the world given him, yet it was not said for these, or for all these thou shalt leave thy father and thy mother, but, when he had his wife, then and not till then, was it spoken; Thou shalt leave father and mother, and all things, except God, and shalt cleave to thy wife: and is not this a bliss, or a good thing to a wife?  
May I not without offence say, that a woman before marriage, was, as it were an headless thing? for, as the man was said without her to be without an help, or helpless: so she, without him, to be without an head, headless; for so S. Paul speaks, The husband is the head of the wife. 
Eph. 5.28.  2. Whereas before marriage, she was but half an one, now by wedlock she is made a whole and perfect one, for her husband and she (as Christ and his Church, so S. Paul saith) are made one; 3. S. Paul goes further when he saith that he the husband, as Christ, is the head, 
Eph. 5.23  and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saviour of the body, which word Saviour, Zanchius the learned and judicious expositor doubts not to refer, as to Christ, so to the husband; and if so, than the wife by marriage not only gets an head, but a Saviour, under which word, as in the Greek more is included, saith Cicero, then can well be expressed, yet so much at least is evident and easy, that the husband may well be called the wife's Saviour, not only in that he labours and travails for her maintenance of life, and security against all harm and danger; but because he it her guide and te●cher in the ways to her salvation, for so much S. Paul implies, when he saith, if the wife will learn any thing, for the benefit of her soul, 
1 Cor. 14 35,  let her ask her husband: who, as be is her head to guide, so he is, in part, and in a saving sense, her instrumental Saviour.  
And not singly in this, but that by this husband she may receive another blessing, that is, children, 
Ps. 128.5, 6.  for so it is proclaimed, The Lord shall bless thee in seeing thy children: where they are a blessing from the Lord, 
Ps. 127.3 ver. 5.  and children are an heritage and reward of the Lord; yea blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them, in which blessing the woman hath not the least share, for she is the quiver, which keeps, and yields the blessing of such arrows, as are children. Yea S. Paul saith, 
1 Tim. 2.15.  the woman shall be saved in childbearing, if she continue in faith, charity, holiness and sobriety.  
Yet, because simply and absolutely all children are not blessings, therefore to make them such, 
Ps. 128.  the Psalmist saith, they shall be as Olives, now the oil of Olives is not only good to smooth the countenance, but to expel poison or poisonous cares from the heart, and such shall the children be of the virtuous wife and the good husband: and, though these Olives must not hold the like place with the wife, to be on the side of the house; yet they shall be round about the table, there ready to wait, and serve both father, and mother at their call or need in all faithfulness and obedience, as they are taught by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul. 
1 Pet. 1.14. Tit. 1.6.   
And yet I cannot promise that this blessing of having children, shall overtake all good husbands and wives: no nor that all such as have children, shall be blessed in them. For the Psalmist restrains this blessing of good, obedient, and faithful children only to such Parents as fear the Lord, Lo thus saith the holy Ghost shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord: 
Ps. 128.4  and I cannot but observe, that King david's were good, till he became bad: but when once he deflowered Bathsheba the wife, and murdered Vriah the husband; then his children committed uncleanness, and rebelled against him. The fear of the Lord in the parents, begets, and preserves the fear of the Lord in the children. and this the parents ought to observe and do, not only for their children's good, but that their children may be good, and a blessing to their parents.   

CHAP. XXXIX. Of the mutual love and duty between Parents and Children.  
ONe especial end of marriage is the propagation of children, and therefore from marriage, and the duties thereof we shall proceed to that between parents and children: and herein considering whence children come, to see the love and duty of parents to their children, and the return of honour, obedience and other duties of children to their parents.  
The Hebrews say, that God keeps the keys of the womb, and of the grave, which agrees with that, that he kills and he gives life, or more nearly as to our purpose, children are the gift and heritage of the Lord; but by the agency, and instrumency of the parents: so that they are as slips or ciences taken from them, and this makes the relation between them so near, that some have observed that when God said, A man shall leave father and mother for his wife: yet he saith not he shall forsake children for his wife; for though the man and wife, are as the Apostle phraseth it, joined or glued together, as made into one flesh, yet except Eve no wife is out of, or a part of, the man's flesh. But I speak not this to lessen the relative love between husband and wife, so much as to heighten that which is between parents and children.  
And this is so great, even in all sensitive Creatures, beasts and birds, that not only the Lion, Dog, and Bear, but the Do, the Ewe, and Hen; will oppose the strongest creature, and interpose between them and their young, hazarding their own lives to preserve that of their young ones.  
And it hath not been less seen among men, for so we read that Octavius Albanius, keeping a castle besieged when one cried out your son without is in danger to be slain, he suddenly sallied out for his rescue, though with the loss of his own life. an other hearing that his son was sentenced to death for a murder, he appeared before Charles the great; swearing it was he that slew the man, and thereupon was put to death, thereby to save his son's life. and Agrippina mother of Nero, being told that it would cost her life to have her son Emperor; answered, So he may be Emperor let me die, and how much short is the affection of Jacob to his children Joseph and Benjamin; or that of David to Absalon; 
Gen. 42.38.  when Jacob said, If mischief shall befall Benjamin, it will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave, and he hearing that his son Joseph was dead, he rend his clothes, put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for him many days and would not be comforted, saying, I will go down into the grave unto my son; 
Gen. 37.35.  and how much short of this was David's expressions for the death of a rebellious son, who though he sought his father's crown and life, yet the father thus passionately laments him, 
2 Sam. 1 33.  O my son Absalon, my son, my son Absalon, would God I had died for thee, O Absalon my son, my son?  
It hath been a question whether the love of the father or the mother, be the greater to the child, and if we answer by the consideration of examples, we shall leave the question unresolved. For as we found Jacob and David most tenderly loving, so the like we shall see in Rachel, 
Goe 30.1.  who sells her husband to Leah for mandrakes, whereby she hoped to get children, which she so much longed for that she cries out, give me children else I die, and having lost them, she weeps for them, 
Jer. 31.15 Mat. 1.8.  and would not be comforted because they were not.  
But if we consider the mother's pain in breeding, danger in bringing forth, and her care and trouble in their first training up, we may conceive that her love exceeds, especially if we add hereunto that which the Prophet saith, if a mother, (he saith not if a father) but if a mother can forget the child of her womb, which may seem to intimate, that a father may sooner forget the son which he got, than the mother which bore him in her womb: which womb nature as the Anatomists observe hath filled with most tender affectionate bags, membranes, veins, and sinews; thereby to make her more loving to the child, 
Gen. 29.32.  and if to this we add what Leah speaks, who having born a son unto Jacob her husband, she saith now my husband will love me; Then we may conclude that the mother for her own sake loves the child more tenderly or fond, but the father for the child's sake loves him more wisely and strongly; or we may say, that the man and the woman, love their child, as Alexander was said to love his two intimate friends, Ephestion and Parmenio, who loved the former as a fine delicate man, and such women delight in, but Parmenio he loved as a brave man for action, and such a wise father is pleased with.  
And from hence we may assoil an other question, why both father and mother ofttimes loves one child better than an other, as Rebecca did Jacob the younger, more than Esau the elder; I and Jacob affected his two youngest, Joseph and Benjamin, more than his first born, Reuben and Simeon, and King David placed the crown on the head of Solomon contrary to the Jews law and custom, though he had six sons elder than Solomon; and a great part of this act in King David we may ascribe to the affection, policy and power of Batsheba the mother, as that other the like act of Isaac in preferring Jacob to Esau may be attributed to Rebecca.  
Now from this root of love in the parents, shoot out the branches of their care in nursing, breeding, and providing for their children; all which are so natural and necessary, that who neglects the performance of these duties deserves not the name of father and mother, nor yet so much as to be called Sire, or Dam, for beasts and birds generally perform these cares for their young, until they are able to provide for themselves: for did we ever know or read that an Ewe, a Do, or a Sow, put out her young to nurse, or would suffer any other to give their young suck, but themselves so long as themselves were able to do it? and must we conceive that nature hath less power, or works less in a woman which hath reason then in a beast? or will ye have me think that reason and grace which add unto, and strengthen the gifts of nature, do both weaken nature in the woman? and if not, which indeed cannot be thought by any endued with grace or reason, why then think we that nature hath given the mother breasts, and fountains of milk if not to suckle her young? or why think ye that a strange woman's milk should be so naturally and properly good for the child as the mothers which brought it into the world? and why rather consider you not that as children with the milk, draw that humour which makes for the good or ill of their bodies, so many by sucking cruel, drunken, unchaste women, have become such in quality and condition as their nurses were? It may be instanced in Tiberius, Commodus, Emperors of Rome, and divers others: but not to be long on this subject, remember that Sarah is said to have given her son suck, from which act I shall draw no other inference but that of S. Peter, 
1 Pet: 3.6  whose Daughters ye are as long as ye do well (doing as she did who gave suck to her child.)  
But the mother's duty ends not in this, but that she with the husband and each and both must labour with the soon to administer the spiritual milk of the knowledge and fear of God, thereby to nourish the child's soul to everlasting life; and this duty lies more straightly, and strongly, upon the parent in as much as the soul the Temple of God is more excellent & of greater esteem than the body, which is but an house of clay. The father and mother of Samson inquire of the Angel of the Lord saying, 
Judge. 13 12.  How shall we order the child, and bow shall we do unto him? and that the child Samuel may be ordered aright, his mother brings him very young to the house of the Lord, and she lent, saith the text, or returned him to the Lord, 
〈◊〉 1. 2●.8.  to be his as long as he lived, and what follows so good an entrance and beginning, 
I Sam. 2.11.  as in the very next chapter, that the child according to his matriculation, did ever after minister unto the Lord.  
And what the further duties of parents are in this kind S. Paul intim●●es in one place when he saith, 
I Thes. 2.11.  I exhort; and not only so, but I charge you as a father doth his children, that ye walk worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom: and in another text he expresseth it more plainly, as a precept to parents, fathers bring up your children in the nurture and fear of the Lord. and if you will have a more especial and particular account of the several lessons to be taught this child, you may read them set down by the wise man in his Proverbs; 
●●ov. 4.  where that whole chapter contains the full instruction of a child in the ways of godliness, and the fruit thereof the parents shall find in the same book where it is said, 
Prov. 23. ●4.  The father of the righteous shall have great joy, and be shall rejoice that hath a wise son.  
And that Parents may receive this joy, 
Prov. 22. ●.  the wise man counsels them; Train up or catechise the child in his youth in the way he should go, 
Prov. 23.13, 14.  and with hold not correction from the child, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die, but thou shalt deliver his soul from hell: 
Prov. 29. ●5.  Whereas a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.  
I have read of a son who on the Gallows called to speak with his father, where he bitten off his ear telling him that if he had done the part of a Father in training him up with due correction he had never come to that end. And was not Eli to blame suffering his sons to behave themselves wickedly, when all the correction he gave them was Why do ye so my sons? And what was it least if not more in Lot to drink immoderately with his daughters, whereby he came to uncover both their nakedness? and Jacob himself deserved to be reprehended for suffering his daughter Dinah to ramble among the strange young men whereby she caught that clap which caused so much bloodshed; the Apostle therefore saith, what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 
Heb. 12.7, 8, 9  yea and if the son be without chastisement than is he a bastard and no son, but if chastened he gives his father reverence, and the mother, saith S. Paul, 
1 Tim. 5.10.  that hath brought up her children in the faith is well reported of, whereas the Prophet tells us that it became a proverb, 
Ezek. 16.44.  as is the daughter so is the mother, which appeared true in David whose children after himself had committed folly and murder were found lose, rebellious and murderers.  
And yet to this admonition lest Parents grow too severe and rigid I must give this caution, that Parents be not like Rehoboam to threaten or use scorpions, that is, whips having sharp thongs like points of thorns or stings of Serpents, but ever that they remember the counsel of the Apostle, 
Eph. 6.4.  Fathers provoke not your children unto wrath lest that (as himself speaks) they may be discouraged, 
Col. 3.21  correction with discretion and moderation is the chastisement required in a father to his child, for that as S. 
Gal. 4: ●  Paul speaks, the heir as long as he is a child differeth not from a servant.  
And yet the duty of the Parent ends not here but extends itself to a further point that he provide for his child, the Apostle is express herein when he saith, 
2 Cor. ●2. 14.  The parents ought to lay up for their children, which thing if they do not, then saith the same Apostle, 
1 Tim. 5.8.  That man that provides not for his own hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel, (for the heathens and infidels do it) yea he is worse than the very beasts, all which provide for their young, except the Raven, which as some writ forsake theirs featherlesse and meatlesse, leaving them to be nourished either by the dew from heaven, from flies in the air, or from small worms breeding in the nest: and this if the Naturalists observation holds heightened the miracle that God wrought when he caused these Ravens such unnatural birds to their own, to feed the Prophet Elijah.  
But to this duty of Parents providing for children, I must give a memento or two which may concern the parent and some other, that may respect the child; to that which concerns the Parent, we have a proverb or byword, Happy is that child whose father goes to the Devil, and I remember when Rebecca intended in love to Jacob the younger to rob Esau the elder and and the heir of his birthright, Jacob said to his mother, by this fraudulent and false way I shall bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing, but what is the mother's reply? upon me be the curse my son, so I make thee great and Lord of all; but worthily deserves that Parent the curse, and justly is he rewarded with hell, who fears neither the curse nor hell, so he can make his son rich and great.  
A learned Father of the Church, 
August.  having reproved the immoderate raking together of riches in many men, was answered by these men, that all they did was for their children, and every man was bound by God's law to provide for them: whereunto be replied, this seems to be the voice of piety, but indeed it is the excuse of iniquity, and better it were your children should want wine, than you water to cool your tongue, or better they should want fire here, than you should burn in hell hereafter.  
But certainly if Parents were so besotted with their love to their children as to hazard their own everlasting damnation and torture for their children, yet did they consider how little benefit these ill gotten goods bring to their children and posterity in the end they would not be so hell-hardy as they are, for hear what the Prophet speaks, 
Psal. 37.35.36.  I have seen (and so have we) the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green Baytree, yet he passed and lo be was not, yea I sought him but he could not be sound; and the Egyptians when they would express such a father and his son they portrayed one twisting a rope, and an other ravelling it ou●, and indeed often it comes so to pass that the house reared by fraud and iniquity, becomes like an house that is built of a liquid substance that the sun will consume, or if not, yet God as the Lord of the earth may take his own if ill gotten, from him where he finds it, and this without all or any show of injustice.  
Therefore Fathers that your estates may prove durable to your children and comfortable to yourselves, get them in the fear of God and by honest, and just means, and in the distribution of them be just and equal, not giving all or the most of all to one for the raising or propagating a name, and little to the rest. I am not ignorant that divers people do it and herein they do right well, because herein they seem to imitate the Jews who indeed left those lands in Canaan which came unto them and were divided by lot, these for the most part as by prescription or law descended to the elder, and again because the elder among them both in sacred and civil affairs and titles had the pre-eminence before and above the younger. But neither before nor after the law given by Moses did this hold as a law, that the elder should enjoy all the lands, except as before, I say that which by God's immediate prescript was so divided to them by lot.  
For before the law observe the eldest of jacob's children, Reuben, Simeon and Levi, and of the twelve Joseph and Benjamin the youngest, yet Judah the fourth son he hath the dominion, and Joseph and Benjamin, the greatest part in their father's blessing, but yet so that although be gave them most whom he most affected for the inward endowments and goodness of the soul, yet he gave them all of his blessing from God liberally and proportionably to their several abilities; And did not Isaac the like? & what did King David a man after Gods own heart, who having had six sons elder than Solomon yet intended in their life time and afterward actually settled the crown upon Solomon, the younger it hath been so much practised by many that it bathe almost become a proverb, Who best deserves best have.  
Yet so, that all may be as heirs of their Father's spiritual, so of his earthly and temporal blessing and that with some indifferent measure and proportion. For although a river cut and divided into many streams runs not so strongly nor makes so great a show or noise, yet thus divided it doth less harm by breaches or overflowings, and more good by watering and refreshing the land. And I am sure, that an house, bridge, or castle, built or settled upon most arches buttresses or piles of stone stands more firmly and for continuance then that which stands but upon one; for if this one fails as oft it is seen in the heirs of England, all the house falls to decay with him and is gone.  
Now if two strings to the bow holds surest, then say I why not to have two, three or four, rather than to trust all to one? but if you shall add hereunto, the heart-burnings, contentions, troubles and wars not only between David's children, or isaac's, or between the Edomites and Israelites, the issue and posterity of Esau and Jacob, but of thousands more upon unequal distributions, you will soon conclude that it is neither wise, good nor safe to give all or most of all to one because he is the elder, but either to give the most to the best or proportionally to divide it among all.  
And because the children of great men and gentlemen as well as of others grow from good to bad, and from ill to worse, therefore it behoves parents as much as in them is, and in their life time not to bring up their children to be mere gentlemen, that is, to hawk, hunt, or to eat, drink and play, which was the sin and destruction of the old world, and is taxed by the Apostles, which is the same in our days, but as the Apostle wisely and holily hath given us in charge, 
1 Cor. 7●. 20.  Let every man abide in that calling wherein he was called, which words imply no less then that every man should have a calling which is agreeable to the first foundation and building up of the world.  
Where at first no sooner was the stage of the world reared, but that our first father Adam was set to acting, that is to speak plainly, Adam was set to dress the garden, and not only the children of Adam, who were heirs of the world, spent their time in tilling and sowing the earth; or in keeping and feeding sheep, but the Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though Lords of great possessions, and masters of many servants, and powerful to fight with, and conquer Kings, yet these (witness the holy writ) lived not as our Gentlemen do, but as the Apostle counsels and commands us, they lived and exercised themselves in honest callings; for they knew that as of idleness comes no goodness: so he that lives idly, to eat, drink and play, must be sure as the Apostle speaks, that the judgement of God is according to truth, 
Row. 2.2.5.  against them which commit such things, and therefore that they do hereby treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the just judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds.  
The Greeks as I am taught have a word which signifies to play the Stork, whereby they understand, that the love of parents to their children should beget in children a reddition and retribution of their duty to their Parents; for it is storied of the Stork that as the old one hath been loving and tender to feed, defend, and cherish their young; so the young will feed, defend, and carry the old when it is unable to help itself.  
Now Christ himself, 
Mat. 6.26.  though in another case, bids us behold the fowls of the air, and accordingly the Spirit of God, by his penmen grounds instructions to children, in their duty to parents, as S. Paul doth when he saith, Children obey your Parents in the Lord, 
Ephes. 6.1, 2.  for this is right; and again, Honour thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise) and he adds a reason to his counsel on the child's behalf, That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long (and happy) on the earth. The Parents of Tobiah called their son (implying what children should be to their parents) the light of their eyes to guide and direct them, 
Tob. 5.17.10.5.  and the staff of their hand in going in and out to defend them. and we have a story of a godly Christian Daughter to this purpose, who in part robbed her child, that with the milk of her breasts she might nourish her father imprisoned and almost sterved by the merciless Tyrant.  
Nor doth the Child's duty here end, 
Eph. 6.1.  but goes on to what S. Paul taught, that children must obey their parents in the Lord: that is, in all just and lawful things, what ever they command, so it be not repugnant to the word, or law of the Lord, which the same Apostle in an other Epistle commands saying; 
Col. 3.20  Children obey your parents in all things (that is, as before, in the Lord) for this is well pleasing to the Lord: for obeying them in all things in the Lord, in so doing the children obey the Lord, which commands this obedience.  
And what the sin or punishment of disobedience is, 
Prov. 30 17.  the wise man in part hath told us when he saith, The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens, those birds which of all others are lest regarded (as I told you) by the old ones, shall pick out, and the Eagles shall devour them: but the Apostle saying, Obey and honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long (and happy) on earth, implies no less then, that he who doth not obey and honour them, shall have but few or evil days while they live here, besides the evil which shall follow after, Our blessed Saviour hath pronounced the same plainly and fully, saying, God commanded, 
Mat. 15.4.  Honour thy father and mother, and he that doth contrary let him die the death.  

Prov: 30.11.  And yet such ungodly children have been found of whom the wiseman speaks, there is a generation that curseth their father: and such saith the Prophet are those who dishonour their parents; 
Mie. 7.6.  and such was the accursed Cham, 
Goe 9.22  who proclaimed the nakedness of his father, yea monsters of men have there been, whom I am ashamed to name; Nero, who in an inhuman manner ripped up that womb of his mother, where himself lay, but I will tell you of the sons of S●nacherth, 
2 King. 15.37.  who fearing that their father would kill them in hope to prosper thereby, as Abraham did in sacrificing his son, slew their father.  
Against which sin of parricide or kill parents, the wise lawgiver Solon, provided no law, because he thought no man could be so desperately wicked, as to kill and destroy him, that under God gave him life, yet the Romans in detestation of this so unnatural a sin, decreed a death unheard of until their times, which was that such a parent-slayer should be closed up in a leathern satchel, together with a viper, art ape, and a cock; and so to be cast into the river to be gnawed upon, to be drowned, and to be sterved to death.  
When God promised Abraham to be his exceeding great reward, he replied to Godand said, Lord God wherein wilt thou reward me, or what wilt thou give me, seeing I am childless? wherein he employed all temporal goods and blessings were as nothing to him without an heir; and then the word of the Lord came unto him saying, thou shalt have an heir come forth of thine own bowels. Hezekiah likewise when the Prophet told him, he should die, wept that he should die childless. And barrenness or want of children is in holy writ often called a reproach, yea, and pronounced by God as a punishment, but on the contrary a great blessing to have children.  
Insomuch that David repining as it were at the prosperity of the wicked, he reckons this as one of their greatest, 
Psal. 17: 24.  That they are full of children, and that they leave their substance to their babes, and in another psalm, 
Ps. 115.14.  God will bless them that fear him, and will increase them more and more them and their children; and again, Lo children are an heritage of the Lord, 
Ps. 127.3.5.  and the fruit of the womb is his reward, for they are as arrows in the band of a mighty man, and therefore happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them, for they shall (be able to) speak with their enemies in the gate; that is, in the gate where the Judges sat, where their children shall stand up to plead for their father: and in the field they shall be as arrows to defend him against his enemies.  
It is storied that when Croesus was ready to be slain, that his son who till that time was dumb and never could speak, yet now distracted with fear and grief, arising from the love to his father, he cried out, O kill not my father Croesus. And it is fabled that Geryon had three faces, the moral whereof was, that he had three sons who lived so lovingly, and defended their father's name, and possessions so unanimously as though they had had but one soul, animating and actuating in three bodies. Neither can I forget here that passage of Scylurus because it comes so near to that quiver of arrows, which I mentioned from King David, in his Psalms, who calling his sons unto him, compared them to a bundle of arrows which saith he, if ye sever you may easily break them singly, but so long as they are thus bound and fastened together, they will hold and be a defence both to yourselves and your father; and thus happy is that father which hath his quiver full of such arrows.   

Chap. XL. The love of our Native country.  
NExt to the love of our Parents our Country challengeth an interest in our love, as being our common parent, and although one Philosopher would derive the word from the mother's side and call our country Matria yet generally it is called Patria, as from the father because though our country as the mother bears us, yet as the father it nourisheth, provides for, and defends us, which most properly are the acts of the father.  
And hereupon, both with Greeks and Latins these speeches became as proverbs: The salt of our own country is more pleasant than all the dainties of strange places, and of all sweets our country is the sweetest.  
And this holding true and working by a kind of natural instinct, it comes to pass that what ever our country is, though barren or unhealthy, yet we love and prefer it before a richer and more healthy place; & were there not such a working natural instinct in man, inclining his love and desire to his own native soil, many a country would hardly be inhabited but be left desolate.  
Ithaca the place of birth to Ulysses esteemed the wisest man then living among the Greeks, though it were a poor rocky land, and the meanest of Islands thereabout, yet it were worth your reading how that wise man bewailed his absence thence but ten years, though employed abroad in his country's service, and with what joy he welcomed himself home at his return.  
And from the fervent love and zeal that some men above others, have born to the honour and welfare of their country, they have deserved the highly priced, and honourable title to be called Patriots, which signifies lovers and defenders of their country.  
And although all countries more or less, have abounded with such, yet Rome (which by this means became the Mistress of the world) hath exceeded all; with whom it was common, and ordinary to prefer the good and glory of their country, before parents, wife or children, or what ever was most dear unto them, even before their own lives: holding that true which the Roman Orator said, It is said a sweet thing, to die for the good of our country. Histories that confirm this among the Romans are obvious and innumerable: I maul therefore without troubling you give but one, of those Lacedæmonians, who being sent to pacify the enraged Persian, and finding that nothing but their lives could abate that fury against their country readily yielded themselves to death, which gallant resolution and zealous love, when the Persian considered, he gave them their lives, and spared their country.  
And so much were the holy Patriarches affected which this love to their native soil that when they were either sent or constrained through want or otherwise to die in other lands, yet as Jacob and Joseph they made it one of their last and greatest requests among earthly things to be brought back and to be buried in their own Countries.  
I could add hereunto that among all punishments inflicted upon capital offenders, that next to death was generally accounted banishment, by which I mean not an amandation, sending away or sequestering a man from his own house within his own country, which was not much feared or declined, but an exile, casting out or driving away from his native soil.  
Neither held this so among men alone, but it was denounced by God himself as a most severe punishment and sign of his heavy wrath against the King Jehoiakim, 
Jer. 22.  that he should not return home from captivity to bis own country.  
Nay I could instance in divers both wise and noble Spirits who have desired rather presently to die and so to be buried in their own then to prolong their lives, and after it to be interred in a strange country, esteeming themselves better laid in a grave in their own country and returned to their own house.  

Dan. 6.10.  I cannot deny but when Daniel being in Babylon usually prayed three times a day with his window open and looking to Jerusalem, that he much longed after the Temple which once stood there, but I think no man can deny that his love and desire was not the less to bis country, and the rather for that God himself commands Jacob to return to his own country though it were from a richer to the poorer place. 
Gen. 32.9.   
A Philosopher being asked, what a man ought to do to a wicked rebellious country answered you must deal with it as with your mother, whom you must never despise but honour and make her better if you can, but never forsake her: and accordingly we have read of divers who have rejected parents, wives, children, when grown to excess of impiety or iniquity, yet so it comes to pass that even for the most crying sins few or none cast off their country. Think on Lot, who rather than forsake his country he must be forced out of it by an Angel of heaven, as rather hazarding to burn in his own country then to live in a better.  
I could add to all this, that Christ himself so fare testified the love he bore to Bethlehem the village and Nazareth the region of his birth and education, that he resorted often to them labouring their conversion, and bewailed himself as it were for this, that through their unbeleef he did no miracles among them.  
But briefly to close all, I shall desire you to read two Psalms, in the one whereof you may plainly see how the people of Israel though they enjoyed Gods gracious presence and comfortable assistance in Babylon, 
Ps. 137.  yet how they mourned for the absence from their own country, and in the other you shall as apparently discover the wonderful extreme joy they took in being restored home again. 
Ps. 126.   
For being out of their country, saith the text, They sat down and wept when they remembered Zion, yea they hanged up their harps the instruments of joy, and music to the Lord, professing they could not sing the Lords song in a strange land; and yet though this they could not do for grief, yet for love's sake they wished to forget their cunning if ever they forgot Jerusalem, yea they wished that their tongue might cleave to the roof of their mouth, and that they might never speak if they did not remember, nay if they did not prefer Jerusalem above their Chief or choice joy.  
And as their grief was such for the loss, now see if as great joy were not conceived by them for the regaining of their beloved country, for now they say being returned we rejoice indeed, and not only rejoice, but our joy is such as if it were a dream which coming suddenly and unexpectedly makes men loughor sing or exult as not knowing for joy what they do; which we express when we say mad for joy; and such was this joy of God's Israel upon their return to their own country, as the Psalmist there expresseth.  
If you believe not me, hear themselves speak their own joy when they say, Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing, insomuch that among the Heathen they said, The Lord hath done great things for us, that is, our return home to Judea, is such an act that none could have wrought for us but the Lord, and thereof we are glad.  
The Grecians held that to be their country where they thrived best and got most, yea it was a Proverb among both Greeks and Romans, That is a man's country where it is well with him, or where he doth well. Now if this terrestrial country of smoky unsavoury earth below be so sweet and pleasing to the corporal, what then must that other heavenly glorious country above be unto the spiritual man? for man as he consists of two parts body and soul, and in that regard man may be termed a double, that is, an earthly and a spiritual man, which agrees with that of S. Paul, 
1 Cor. 15  so he hath two countries answerable and fitted to the double inhabitant; therefore as for the earthly man God hath prepared this earthly habitation, so for the spiritual he hath provided that heavenly and glorious country; for to speak truth, and as the Scripture speaks, this below is not properly our country, but as we are here but travellers, strangers, and pilgrims, so we have here no abiding city nor place, and therefore this cannot be our country, but our Inn or guest-chamber, wherein to lodge in the time of our pass or travail from this place of traffic or trade to our own country whence we came.  
All this and much more will be evident to any ordinary understanding that will read the Apostle where he thus speaks: Abraham when he was sent by God from his own to a strange country, 
Heb. 11.9  obeyed; for he looked for a city, & confessing himself a stranger & pilgrim on the earth, 
ver. 10. ver. 13.  he declareth plainly that he sought a country, and this country is called the better and the heavenly country: and in this country God hath prepared for Abraham, and all his faithful seed, 
ver. 16.  saith the text, a city, a City saith the Apostle which hath foundations (as though this of the earth were instable) and such foundations as whose builder and maker is God.  
And if you will further know and see the glory of this city in this heavenly country with the excellent company, and joy there to be found, then read forward where the Apostle faith, Ye are now in the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, 
Heb. 12.22.  where you shall find an innumerable company of Angels, the Spirits of just men made perfect, yea God the Judge of all, and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant or testament, whose blood speaketh better things for us (to the Judge) than the blood of Abel.  
And this being our country indeed, and that we may express our love thereunto, Let us, saith the same Apostle, go forth (out of this vale of misery, 
Heb. 13.13.  iniquity and country of Devils) unto him (Christ Jesus) For here we have no continuing City but seek one to come: And that this we may seek aright, and so find, God of his infinite mercy grant unto us for Jesus Christ's sake, to whom be all glory and honour, Amen.   
The End.   

ERRATA.  
PAge 39 Line 14. rea. 3000. p. 115. l. 25. deal above. l. 31. for to love him, r. be loved. p. 123. l. 18. for as r. for. p. 125. l. 16. r. matter. p. 126. l. 23. r. show. l. 34. r. no p. 129 l. 27. r. it is like the grav●. p. 138. l. 19 r. he did cure and. p. 142. l. 7. r. to seventy. p. 156. l. 13. r. to this. p. 168. l. 17. r. for. p. 170. l. 5. r. certain. p. 183. l. 10. r. have. p. 203. l. 16. r. who as. p. 210. l. 1. r. and the new; that. p. 240. l. 21. r. man.