To brotherly kindness, Charity.] We are now gotten to the roof of this spiritual house, Charity. This is the highest round of the ladder: there be eight steps, this is the uppermost; as nearest to heaven. It hath a further extent than Philadelphia; that is only to brethren in the same faith, this is to all, even to our enemies, Matth. 5.44. All men love their friends, but Christians love their enemies, Tertullian. Beatus qui amat te, & amicum in te, & inimicum propter te. Aug. It is greater than faith, and hope, 1 Cor. 13. Faith shall bring in vision, vision shall thrust out faith: Hope shall lead in possession, possession shall cast forth hope.u Above all things put on Charity: here are three particulars; the Action, put on: the Affection, the robe of Charity: the preeminence; Above all. We find a preeminence, if we read Super haec omnia, above all: a necessity, if we read Ad haec omnia, To these all. Put it on, as either clothes for covering, or armour for defending. It is a good armour against Satan's temptations to sin, or accusations for sin. Of all men, seldom is any great sin fastened on the charitable: how should he speed ill, that hath so many prayers! It is a good covering, Job professes that he had warmed the poor with the fleece of his sheep, Job 31.20. That charity which keeps the poor receivers body warm, keeps the givers soul warmer. Whether it consists in donando, or in condonando: in bearing and forbearing, in case of wrong: in beneficence and giving, in case of need. Put it on: xwisdom and treasures hidden are unprofitable; this must not be hidden as a night-gown, or closet-robe, but worn: Yea, keep it on; it must not be a loose garment, soon on and soon off. Charity, some think, is a vesture that will quickly be worn out; therefore they seldom wear it, unless it be on high days, and then they give a little to a collection. But it should ⟨p. 156⟩be rather like the Israelites clothes in the desert, lasting forty years. If this grace be wanting, all the former are lost: brotherly love is not, Godliness vanisheth, there is no place for Patience, temperance is worthless, knowledge is obscured, all Virtue pineth away.3 Oh that now your hearts, like those two disciples going to Emmaus, had this doctrine of Charity, burning within you. Here for methods sake consider we the motives to it, and the materials of it.
To brotherly kindnesse, Charitie.] Wee are now gotten to the roofe of this spirituall house, Charitie. This is the highest round of the ladder: there be eight steps, this is the uppermost; as nearest to heaven. It hath a further extent than Philadelphia; that is onely to brethren in the same faith, this is to all, even to our enemies, Matth. 5.44. All men love their friends, but Christians love their enemies, Tertullian. Beatus qui amat te, & amicum in te, & inimicum propter te. Aug. It is greater than faith, and hope, 1 Cor. 13. Faith shall bring in vision, vision shall thrust out faith: Hope shall lead in possession, possession shall cast forth hope.u Above all things put on Charitie: here are three particulars; the Action, put on: the Affection, the robe of Charitie: the preheminence; Above all. We find a preheminence, if we read Super haec omnia, above all: a necessitie, if we read Ad haec omnia, To these all. Put it on, as either clothes for covering, or armour for desending. It is a good armour against Satans temptations to sinne, or accusations for sinne. Of all men, seldome is any great sinne fastened on the charitable: how should he speed ill, that hath so many prayers! It is a good covering, Iob professes that he had warmed the poore with the fleece of his sheepe, Iob 31.20. That charitie which keepes the poore receivers body warme, keepes the givers soule warmer. Whether it consists in donando, or in condonando: in bearing and forbearing, in case of wrong: in beneficence and giving, in case of need. Put it on: xwisedome and treasures hidden are unprofitable; this must not be hidden as a night-gowne, or closset-robe, but worne: Yea, keepe it on; it must not be a loose garment, soone on and soone off. Charitie, some thinke, is a vesture that will quickly be worne out; therefore they seldome weare it, unlesse it be on high daies, and then they give a little to a collection. But it should ⟨p. 156⟩be rather like the Israelites clothes in the desart, lasting fortie yeeres. If this grace be wanting, all the former are lost: brotherly love is not, Godlinesse vanisheth, there is no place for Patience, temperance is worthlesse, knowledge is obscured, all Vertue pineth away.3 Oh that now your hearts, like those two disciples going to Emaus, had this doctrine of Charitie, burning within you. Here for methods sake consider we the motives to it, and the materialls of it.
- uCol. 3.14.
- xEccl. 20.30.
- 3Method.Methode.
