The necessity is great: our Apostle would not have given it a room among these principal graces, if he had not found it, Et in se dignum, & aplerisque dedignatum; worthy in it self, and yet generally neglected. It is worthy in it self: that virtue which is ranked with Godliness, must needs be honourable. Here behold Gods great goodness and mercy; who doth not only provide for his own glory, but mans good. A man would think, so long as he is served by godliness, what should he care whether we serve one another with kindness? yes; he esteems no man his servant, that is not his brothers friend: if we be not kind to our brethren, he values not our kindness to him. David would little respect the peace-offers of the Ammonites, who had so villainously entreated his servants, 2 Sam. 10. God abhors the Israelites challenge of his paternity, when they had beaten his servants that demanded his rent, and slew his son. Our Faith, knowledge, temperance, patience, concern our selves: our Virtue and Piety, God: only these two last. Brotherly love and Charity, hath he put in for men. See his goodness: of eight he hath given four to thy self, allowed two for thy brother, and hath reserved but two immediately for himself, that owes all. Now albeit this grace be worthy in it self, yet we are apt to neglect it: therefore our Apostle in his two Epistles urgeth it four several times, 1 Pet. 1.22. Chap. 2.17. Love the brother-hood. Chap. 3.8. Love as brethren; and lastly here in my Text. Saint Paul in his writings thrice, Romans. 12.10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, 1 Thes. 4.9. Hebr. 13.1. Let brotherly ⟨p. 153⟩love continue. Diverse of the fathers in their several Apologies highly commended this virtue. This inculcating doth insinuate both the precious necessity, and the common disestimation of it. All ages have complained the want of it The Poet wrote long since; Fratrum quoque gratia rara est. The Prophet;m Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in a brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, Jer. 12.6. Even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, have dealt treacherously with thee. Our Saviour; The brother shall betray the brother to death, Mark. 13.12. The Apostle; 1 Cor. 6.8. you do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren, Gal. 2.4. He tells them of false brethren, privily coming, &c.
The necessitie is great: our Apostle would not have given it a roome among these principall graces, if he had not found it, Et in se dignum, & aplerisque dedignatum; worthy in it selfe, andyet generally neglected. It is worthy in it selfe: that vertue which is ranked with Godlinesse, must needs be honourable. Here behold Gods great goodnesse and mercie; who doth not only provide for his owne glory, but mans good. A man would thinke, so long as he is served by godlinesse, what should he care whether we serve one another with kindnesse? yes; he esteemes no man his servant, that is not his brothers friend: if we be not kind to our brethren, he values not our kindnesse to him. David would little respect the peace-offers of the Ammonites, who had so villanously intreated his servants, 2 Sam. 10. God abhorrs the Israelites chalenge of his paternitie, when they had beaten his servants that demanded his rent, and slew his son. Our Faith, knowledge, temperance, patience, concerne our selves: our Vertue and Pietie, God: onely these two last. Brotherly love and Charitie, hath he put in for men. See his goodnesse: of eight he hath given foure to thy selfe, allowed two for thy brother, and hath reserved but two immediately for himselfe, that owes all. Now albeit this grace be worthy in it selfe, yet we are apt to neglect it: therefore our Apostle in his two Epistles urgeth it foure severall times, 1 Pet. 1.22. Chap. 2.17. Love the brother-hood. Chap. 3.8. Love as brethren; and lastly here in my Text. Saint Paul in his writings thrice, Romans. 12.10. Bekindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, 1 Thes. 4.9. Hebr. 13.1. Let brotherly ⟨p. 153⟩love continue. Diverse of the fathers in their severall Apologies highly commended this vertue. This inculcating doth insinuate both the precious nccessitie, and the common disestimation of it. All ages have complained the want of it The Poet wrote long since; Fratrum quoque gratia rara est. The Prophet;m Take yee heed every one of his neighbour, and trust yee not in a brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, Ier. 12.6. Even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, have dealt treacherously with thee. Our Saviour; The brother shall betray the brother to death,
