1Unto which duties immediately respecting God, the Apostle also joineth as fruits of the spirit, divers others respecting our neighbours and our own persons. As first, long suffering, when as considering how the Lord hath borne with us, when he might have consumed us with his wrath, we do also bear with our brethren, and when the wrong and injure us endure it with patience, or else at least defer and put off our anger, or restrain and moderate the rage and heat of it; according to that of the Apostle; Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved, bowels of mercies. 2kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. The second is gentleness, whereby a man carrieth himself courteously and affably in his words, and friendly and kindly in all his actions unto all men, mildly to his inferiors, and reverently and respectively to his superiors. And this the Apostle requireth, that we should be no brawlers, 3but gentle showing all kindness unto all men. The third is goodness, whereby we are ready by all means we can to do good unto our neighbours, both in the duties of justice and mercy, unto their persons and states, souls, bodies, ⟨p. 299⟩and name. And this we are bound unto by Gods commandment, namely, that we should by love serve one another; 4and also by that bond of the Spirit which uniteth us together in our body under one head Christ, which should cause us to demean our selves towards one another, as it be cometh members of the same body. The fourth is faith or fidelity, whereby in our words we keep all our lawful promises and covenants, though it be to our own hinderance, and in our actions carry our selves truly and honestly without falsehood, lying and deceit. The fifth is meekness, which consisteth in two things; the first patience in forbearing 5to revenge by our own private means, wrongs and injuries, from which our Saviour would have us so far, that we should rather offer our selves to bear new injuries, then revenge the old; and the other lowliness, whereby laying aside all proud conceit of our own worth and excellency, we think better of others then of our selves, and in giving honour, strive and labour to go before them.
1Vnto which duties immediately respecting God, the Apostle also ioyneth as fruits of the spirit, diuers others respecting our neighbours and our owne persons. As first, long suffering, when as considering how the Lord hath borne with vs, when he might haue consumed vs with his wrath, we doe also beare with our brethren, and when the wrong and iniure vs indure it with patience, or else at least deferre and put off our anger, or restraine and moderate the rage and heate of it; according to that of the Apostle; Put on as the elect of God holy and beloued, bowels of mercies. 2kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, if any man haue a quarrell against any: euen as Christ forgaue you, so also doe yee. The second is gentlenesse, whereby a man carryeth himselfe courteously and affably in his words, and friendly and kindely in all his actions vnto all men, mildely to his inferiours, and reuerently and respectiuely to his superiours. And this the Apostle requireth, that we should be no brawlers, 3but gentle shewing all kindnesse vnto all men. The third is goodnesse, whereby we are ready by all meanes wee can to doe good vnto our neighbours, both in the duties of iustice and mercie, vnto their persons and states, soules, bodies, ⟨p. 299⟩and name. And this we are bound vnto by Gods commandement, namely, that we should by loue serue one another; 4and also by that bond of the Spirit which vniteth vs together in our body vnder one head Christ, which should cause vs to demeane our selues towards one another, as it be commeth members of the same body. The fourth is faith or fidelitie, whereby in our words we keepe all our lawfull promises and couenants, though it be to our owne hinderance, and in our actions carrie our selues truely and honestly without falshood, lying and deceipt. The fift is meekenesse, which consisteth in two things; the first patience in forbearing 5to reuenge by our owne priuate meanes, wrongs and iniuries, from which our Sauiour would haue vs so farre, that wee should rather offer our selues to beare new iniuries, then reuenge the old; and the other lowlinesse, whereby laying aside all proud conceipt of our own worth and excellencie, wee thinke better of others then of our selues, and in giuing honour, striue and labour to goe before them.
- 1§ Sect. 13. Of other special fruits of the spirit respecting our neighbours.§ Sect. 13. Of other speciall frui•tes of the spirit respecting our neighbours.
- 2Col. 3. 12.
- 3Tit. 3. 2
- 4Gal. 5. 13.
- 5Mat. 5.
