THe Spouse of Christ Jesus, when she shines in Love, she is amiable in Beauty; precious in the eye of her Husband, powerfull with God her Father, prosperous in her owne spirituall health and vigour, and prepared for her con­summate marriage in celestiall glory. Her husband is God, and God is love, and God cannot but love that love which is like himselfe. And that the may love his Spouse for her love, when she becomes one Spirit with him, by this unity of Spirit he gives her an uniformity of l [...]ve; the oyntment of Christ Jesus, the Head, floweth downe into all his members, and breatheth love into them; and as farre as his life goes, so farre goeth his love: therefore no love, no life in Christ Jesus. Agreeably, the beloved Disciple, and an especiall Teacher of love, having shewed that the New-birth brings love with life, he fitly addeth, He that loveth not, abideth in death. 1 Joh. 3.14 Joh. 13.34 No won­der then, if the great Master and I over of this Di­sciple, make love the mark of his true Disciples, [Page 2]seeing those are only Christs true Disciples, which so learne Christ, as they draw that spirit from him, which teacheth them love, and breatheth it into them.

And surely if a sonne of God, by that spirituall eye which he receiveth from Christ Jesus with his Son­ship, doe clearly behold another sonne of the same father, how can he chuse but love him as a brother? be cannot chuse but love him for the unity that is betweene them;John 17.21. 1 Cor. 12.13. Eph. 5. for they are one spirit, by being begotten of one Spirit in Christ Jesus: and as none hateth his owne flesh, but cherisheth and loveth it, so none should hate his owne spirit, but cherish and love it. Secondly, he should love his brother for unifor­mity as well as for unity there is a spirituall likenesse and conformity between spirituall brethren; and commonly likenesse breedeth love: they are both created unto one image, and how can a sonne of God but love his owne likenesse which he seeth in his brother? As in a glasse face answereth to face, so a Saints soule answereth to the soule of a Saint; and when one sees his owne shape in the other, from this likenesse and harmony there must needs arise spiri­tuall love and amity. Thirdly, if a Saint consider the excellency of a Saint, how can he chuse but love him for his excellency? God is the chiefest and highest excellence, and he that most resembleth God, is therefore most excellent; Now among visible crea­tures, there is none that resembleth God more then a Saint,Col. 3.10. 1 Joh. 5.1. for he is a sonne of God, begotten to the true image of God his Father; therefore he that loves God that begat, loves also the Sons whom God hath begotten, and the man according to Gods own heart because his goodnesse (the fruit of love) extends not unto God,Ps. 16.2, 3. therefore he communicates it to the Saints and Sons of God that excell in vertue; as if that were the next degree to doing good unto God [Page 3]himselfe, to love, cherish, and doe good to his sons and Saints: And indeed, what is a fitter object of love, next to the chiefe and soveraigne good, then a Saint, who by a derivative goodnesse most represent­eth him? God is light,Eph. 5.8 and a Saint is light in the Lord; God is goodnesse and righteousnesse,Eph. 4.24 and a Saint is created according to God in righteousnesse and true holinesse. The heart of a Saint is according to Gods heart; yea,1 Sam. 13.14. 2 Pet. 1.4 2 Cor. 3.18. Gal. 5.22. Eph. 5.9 he is partaker of a Divine nature and growth in it from glory to glory. And as this Divine nature is glorious and lovely, so are the fruits of it attractively amiable, Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodnesse, faith, meeknesse, temperance; yea, all goodnesse, righteousnesse, and truth.

The beauty of the body is by no meanes compara­ble with the beauty of the soule, for the beauty of the soule is the Image of God; and the glory of this Image having in it divine light, vertue, and good­nesse, shines in the soule with a farre higher excel­lence, then colour and complexion laid on the clay and earth of a fading and corruptible body: and ac­cording to this excellence the beauty of the soule is preserved to immortality, when the beauty of the body is suffered either to vanish before the body, or to lye with it in the dust, and there to dye a kinde of second death; neither shall it ever recover life again, but by a conjunction with the beauty of the soule: If corporall beauty have been joyned with spirituall beauty, then shall it rise in a farre more excellent beauty: but if it had not with it spirituall beauty, (purity, and goodnesse, and fairenesse of soule) it shall not arise in glory and beauty, it shall not see the face of God, but it shall be sent away with ugly spirits, being it selfe transformed into the deformed character of a countenance weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth

If then a Saint be so lovely, and the love of a Saint [Page 4]is so just and reasonable, and God doth love this Love, and doth give his Saints the Spirit of love of purpose to love one another, and so this love is the marke of a Saint, a Sonne, and a Christian; let e­very Saint make himselfe sure of this love, and not onely of the shew and word of it, but of the essence and life of it. Let him love a Saint whom God loves; and love him because God loves this love of a Saint, Let him love a Saint as he loves his own safety, which is annexed to the love of the Saints: Let him love a Saint, because a Saint loves God: Let him love a Saint, because he is like himself, and because the Saint loves him.Claud. Mam. de statu animae Lib. 1. Dilige Deum tuum, dilige in Deo tuo, charum tuum, Imaginem Dei tui: Ille te perinde, diligendo Deum, in Deo diligat: Love thy God, and in God love thy brother the image of God; and let thy brother, in requitall, by loving God, love thee also in God.

True Christian love will not be solitary, and fruit­lesse; but it must bring forth peace, and be attended by it. Love is it selfe the fruit of the spirit, and peace is the fruit of this love;Col. 3.14.15. yea, love which de­lights to be fruitfull, loves this peace, because by her shee communicates her other fruitfulnesse. It is best sowing in a calme;Jam. 3.18. and, if we will beleeve St James, the fruit of righteousnesse is best sowne in peace: So Peace (the eldest daughter of Love) is a midwife to her mother, and delivers her of the rest of her chil­dren; and without her help the mother doth no­thing but make abortions. Therefore, as thou woul­dest have thy love to be fruitfull, and by her fruits profitable to the Saints; so be thou sure to have her attended by peace, that through peace with the Saints, thy love may profitably extend it selfe to the Saints. The unity of the spirit must be kept in the bond of peace: and indeed, with whom wilt thou keepe peace,1 Cor. 12.12, 13. if thou wilt not keepe it with those who are one spirit with thee? By one spirit are we all [Page 5]baptized into one body, and we be members one of another by our unity in this one body. How come­ly, yea, how necessary is it to the preservation and prosperity of the body, that the members of one body be at peace and unity? and how monstrous and destructive is it, when ome member fights with ano­ther? That fatall sentence cannot be avoyded;Gal. 5.15. If yee bite one another, yee shall be consumed one of another. But contrarily, the Kingdome of God which is peace, flourisheth by the peace of the subjects of that King­dome; and therefore St. Paul having taught the for­mer to the Romans,Rom. 14.17, 18. adjoyneth the latter, and that with a vehemencie; for he injoynes them, not bare­ly to follow, but as it were to persecute (even with a swift and eager prosecution to run after) the things of peace; yea,Phil. 2. he adjures the Philippians by all con­lation in Christ, and by the fellowship of the Spi­rit, and by the bowels of mercy, that they be of one accord. Finally, the Sonne of God, our Saviour (of whom Melchisedech was a type) is the King of peace,Heb. 7.2. as well as the King of righteousnesse; and his sub­jects, who will partake of his righteousnesse, must also partake of his peace. Christ hath made peace betweene God and us, even peace between Heaven and Earth; not that men being at peace above with God, should have discord below among themselves; but the peace which is begun in Heaven, must come downe and dwell among his members on Earth;Joh 17.21 we must be one as he and his Father are one: the peace which we receive from God by Christ, we must impart each to other; yea,Col. 3.15. it must rule in our hearts, being called to it in one body. Accordingly as we expect peace from God through Christ, so let us heare and obey Christ commanding peace amongst our selves: Have peace one with another, Mar. 9.50. and then let us not doubt, but if the Peace of God be among us, the God of peace is also with us. Deus [Page 6]semper in pace est; Chrysol. Ser. 54. Where spirituall and true peace is, there ever God is.

The two excellent and powerfull Graces, Love and Peace, may not be bounded by us, but by God him­selfe, the Author and Commander of it; Him must we follow in the inlarging or straitning of it, and not goe from his leading to the right hand, or to the left:Acil 10.15 where God commands love and peace we may not forbid them; neither whom God by sanctify­ing hath made fit for our peace, must we accompt common or uncleane,Colos. 1 4. Eph. 4.3.15. and fit for separation Now the extent and bound which God appoints for our love and peace is no lesse then all the Saints, even the whole Body of Christ; the bond of peace is not one jot shorter then the unity of the spirit. If then God have not disdained to bestow on any man his sancti­fying Spirit, let not man scorne on such a one to bestow his love and peace; for he that denyeth his love and peace to that man in whom is the Spirit, he denyeth his love and peace to the spirit which is in that man: Therefore if God have gone before with his saving grave and sanctifying spirit, let us not doubt to follow God with our love and peace.Docere vo­luit quod haec tria sibi invicem connexa sint, & cohaerent Deus, Chri­stus, & Ec­clesia, seu universitas credentium, adeo ut qui unum exhis vel diligat vel odiat, omnia dili­gat aut odi­at. Ferus 1 Joh. 5. Now we know that God (according to his promise to Abraham) hath an holy seed out of all Nations, which is the Catholicke and Universall Church: if then the Church be Catholicke and Universall, let our love and peace be also Catholick and Universall. And to this end our affections must be enlarged, and made capable of the whole world; for he that will love a Catholicke Church with a Catholicke love, must not have a narrow love con­tracted and confined to the measure of one City, Kingdome, or nation; but extended and enlarged to the measure of all Cities, Kingdomes, and Nati­ons, even of the whole world. It that which is to be loved be universall, the affection which loveth must [Page 7]not be partiall: For if the love be but to a part, when it should be to the whole, this is not that Catholick love which belongs to the Catholicke Church; and what­soever title such men may take to themselves, they are not true, but counterfeit Catholicks; for they have not that Catholick spirit of love which is in the true Catholick Church, and by which the Ca­tholick Church doth love it selfe with a Catholicke love. But such men by likelihood have a private spi­rit, by which they love a private part and faction, and are short of that universall spirit which loveth the universall Church with an universall love: for there is a private spirit of love as well as of faith; and it is that kinde of spirit which Saint James mentio­neth,Jam. 4.5. & 3.14, 15 a spirit that lusteth after envie, after Sects and divisions. But let us never rest untill we get that Catholicke spirit by which we may embrace the Catholicke Church with a Catholick love; and then we may be assured we are not titular, but true and reall Catholicks.1 Joh. 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth (saith Saint John) and we shall assure our hearts be­fore God: And, We know that we have passed from dea [...]h to life, because we love the brethren; Ver. 14. even the brenthren without exception and reservation: and he that dwelleth in this generall and un eserved love, God,1 Joh. 4.12. who is love, dwelleth in him, and he in God;Ver. 13. And we know that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us his spirit, even the spirit of this Catholicke and Universall love. Let no man therefore say of another, He is of such a Nation with which my Na­tion is at enmity; or of such a Church which pro­fesseth some differences with the Church in which I live, and therefore I will by no meanes have love and peace with him; but remember,Act. 10.35 that in every Nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is ac­cepted of God: and therefore doe thou enquire, whe­ther this spirit of feare and holinesse be in him, [Page 8]which those that have are accepted of God: if he be accepted of God, take heed he be not rejected of thee: It were a madnesse in thee for Gods sake to hate one whom God loves, and for Christs sake to to hate a member of Christ. Indeed, if he be of a Church infected with errours, thou must be wary of him, that he infect thee not with those errours; but be also wary of not hating the Spirit of Christ in a member of Christ: It is an Apostolicall, and so an undeniable Inference,Col. 3.10. If ye have put on the New-man, in which is neither Greeke nor Jew, Cir­cumcision nor Uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythi­an, bond nor free, but Christ is all in all; Put on therefore (there is a binding force in this therefore) as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindnesse, &c. And above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectnesse; and let the peace of God rule in your bearts, to which ye are called in one body.

Let us then have love and peace with a beleeving Muscovite, Greacian, Aethiopian, Indian, if he be of that one body wherein Christ is all in all, and by the unity whereof we are called to love and peace; yea, from this universall peace and love may not be excluded any remnant according to the election of grace, pertaining to the body of Christ, though so­journing in the tents and territories of Rome: we may not hate the seven thousand that doe not bow their knees to Baal, though dispersed among seven millions of Idolaters; we may not hate Israel, though in bondage under Pharaoh. But to the true Israel, e­ven to the pure in heart, and those who in Christ Je­sus are new creatures, and walk according to this rule,Gal. 6.15, 16. peace, and the prayers of peace, the true fruits of love doe belong, the divine Apostle being herein our guide and example.Eph. 4.16 1 Joh. 3.14 & 4.7. And while thus we enjoy and imbrace this universall love with the universall bo­dy of Christ, great is our safety; for hereby we know [Page 9]and may assure our hearts, that we belong to that universall body, which alone loveth it selfe with this univerall love. That is the truly Catholicke Church, which indued with this Catholick love; that is a living Church, which is a loving Church: We therefore imbracing and exercising this Catho­licke love, are of the Church truly Catholick; even of that Church, which being a Church of love, is also a Church of life.

But it is never enough to be lamented, That when Christ hath made Love the very Character and Badge of his Disciples, those that would be called Christians, that is, the Disciples of Christ, are farre from that wherein this Discipleship doth especially consist. One Apostle having named some chiefe Graces and Vertues, saith; But the greatest of these is love. And in another place, Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectnesse. And anot [...]er Apo­stle, Above all things have fervent love among your selves. But how comes it to passe then, that when Christ and his Apostles set up love above all things, we see so many things set up above love, yea, we see love de­stroyed for little things, which is better than all things? Yea, when love by uniting would mutu­elly preserve the Saints, they by hatred and con­tention will destroy both love and themselves; yet the same evill spirit that moves to this destroying by hatred and division, preserves his owne King­dome by unity. And though his depraved nature be contrary to true love, yet his craft so farre over­rules, or at least guides his malice, that he holds unity for our ruine, and his owne preservation. But Christians, whose Divine Nature is especially made up of love, run hastily and headily into hatred and dizision; and thus doe they goe contrary to the Divine Nature, wherein is the vertue of the Dove, and the wisedome (commanded) in the Serpent. But doe not those [Page 10]talke of Christianity, and thus walke contrary to it, meerely turne Christianity into talking, and make themselves but tinkling Cymballs?

Let true Christians seriously consider, that union in Christ their head is a stronger root of love and unity than lesser differences can be of division. It was the great Plot of Christ by the expence of his most precious Blood, to recapitulate and bring into unity under one Head those that lay scattered under sundry differences; and is it not then to counter-worke against Christs great Plot and Mystery of Godlinesse, by small differences of divide those whom he hath by so deare a purchase knit together, yet (which is a high degree of this mischiefe) men pretend for Christianity to hate and destroy Christi­ans, but is it not the same which in others hath bin truly called Antichristian; for both this and that per­secutes Christ in his members, opposeth Christ in his Doctrine, and in his maine worke of dispensati­on; let such heare Paul speaking: Where there are divisi­ons among you, are ye not carnall, and walke as men? And in­deed, is it not carnall to hate a member of Christ for that difference which he may have, and yet be a member of Christ? Is not he more to be loved for being a member of Christ then to be hated for that difference? yea if Christ doe love and forgive him, how dar'st thou to hate him whom Christ loves? Hast thou seen any warrant in Scripture to give thee authority to hate a member of Christ who agrees with Christ by faith and love, but agrees not with thee in all thy opinions? The Scripture saith, We know but in part; and if so, thou must give every Saint these graines of allowance which the Apostle gives him. It may be the knowledge of that point where­in he differs from thee is not within his part, and thou wilt have him know beyond his part, or else thou wilt fall out with him; Is not this to fall out [Page 11]with a Saint for impossibilities; and which is more, is it not to fight against God in his dispensations? God is not pleased to put this knowledge within his part, and therefore thou fall'st out with him; and is not thy quarrell against God also, because God hath not revealed it unto him? yea, as confident as thou art, it may be that opinion for which thou fall'st out with him is not in thy part, but that which he holds is within his part; and then what a double madnesse is it to hate thy brother, for not maintaining that opinion which thou holdest, but knowest not to be a truth, and for that truth which thy brother knowes, and therefore maintaines? But if of ignorance he erre in those things that are out of his part, beare with him as thou wouldest be born with, yea loved, notwithstanding that errour, for this is the Law and the Prophets. It is not to be believed, that any Saint willingly would maintaine a knowne errour, and if he hold it of weaknesse, receive him that is weake, and not for contentions and dividing disputations; beare with him in that which is beyond his part, and he shall beare with thee in that which is beyond thy part, for there is a great number of truths which some Saints know, and others do not: yea many which none attaine unto. We have plaine places of Scripture wherein love to all Saints is commended and commanded but none wherein hatred of Saints for lesser measures of knowledge is injoyned or ap­proved.

Againe, the Body of Christ doth edifie it selfe in love, therefore no love no edification. But on the contrary as love edifies, so hatred pulls downe and teares the building into pieces. Now what saies the Scripture? Who so destroyes the Temple of God, him shall God destroy. A fearefull worke paid with fearefull wages, Temple destruction followed with destruction of Temple destroyers. Neither is this wholly deferred [Page 12]to the great day, but even in this life division of Saints threatnes destruction; for if ye bite one another, ye shall be consumed one of another. When these lesser differences make a division, the great Malignant puts in his wedge, and the less [...]r follow and serve him in this worke, and both teare Saints asunder to de­stroy them by dividing; yea to destroy one Saint by another. A sad thing when Saints shall do the De­vils works, dividing and destroying. But farre from Saints be the works and paths of the destroyer. But let them much rather do the works of God, even of that God who is Love and his work is Salvation. Let them strive to preserve each other by provoking one another to love and good workes, and by being knit and linkt together so fast in love, that none of these infernall Wedges and Engines may teare shem asun­der. Let them walke in those saving truths to which they have attained with one mands, and one love; and if any thing besides be not yet attained to waite with mutuall patience and forbearance untill the same be revealed.

I know there are errours to whose owners and maintainers the Apostle allowes not, God speed. But I speake not of those, but of such differences and di­visions as are of a lower nature. And is not the inter­nall unity of the Spirit a greater band of love and peace th [...]n difference in small matters or externals, be of hatred, division, and mutuall destruction? Is not such a destruction like unto this, that when two owners of a field of Corne cannot agree about the fashion of the hedge, upon his disagreement they will both agree to set the Corne on fire and destroy it? What were this but to destroy the Corn for that very thing whose maine, if not only use, is to preserve it? Let Saints heare the voice and judgement of Moses (a great Saint, and who in this voyce spake as one that was designed to be the great Judge of Israel) [Page 13] Why strive ye, since ye are brethren? Why teare ye the Bo­dy of Christ into pieces for the cloths of the body? Is not the body better then raiment? Christ hath shed his blood for his Saints, and his Spirit into the Saints to purchase love, peace, and unity for them; doe not rob him of his purchase by divisions, and tearing his body asunder, least he againe cry out from Heaven, Why doe you persecute me? and why doe you teare me in pe [...]ces in my members? Let us not prefer low quarrels and opini­ons before Christ dwelling and living in his mem­bers; what is this but to make Idols of them, and to make our selves like those of Canaan, who sacrificed their Sons and Daughters to their Idols; and what followes? Thus was the Land defiled with innocent blood.

But let every men sadly and sincerely examine the matter, both as a Christian, and as a wise man: as a Christian let him aske his Soul, whether it can be the Spirit that hates and endeavours to destroy a man that hath the Spirit, certainly it is impossible, that the Spirit should hate the Spirit, or him that hath it. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, even love to all the brethren that are borne of the same Spirit. And if it be a work of the flesh, what hath a spirituall man to doe with the flesh but to kill it? and not for the flesh to kill those that have the Spirit. Secondly as a wise man, who would by such devision and opposition of Brethren make a gap and open a gate for the common enemy to come in and destroy both? wherefore (to con­clude) let not lesser faults or exceptions which may stand with brother-hood, dissolve brother hood; much lesse set Brethren to destroy one another. And if it were lawfull (as it is not in Abrahams judgement, who was the Father of the faithfull, and told his Nephew Lot, Let us not strive, because we are brethren) yet first of all, meanes should be used for reconciliation and satisfaction; thus did the whole Congregation of Israel by Messengers sent to the Tribes of Reuben, [Page 14]Gad, and halfe tribe of Manasseth, when they were suspected for setting up a new and forbidden kinde of Worship. Eastly, farre be it from Brethren upon doubtfull and disputable differences, yea doubtfull breaches of Covenant, to breake that plaine and down-right part of the Covenant; That each one of us according to our place and interest, shall endeavour that these Kingdomes may [...]tine conjoyned in [...] firm peace and unjon to all posterity. To breake a certaine and cleare part of the Covenant for uncertainties, is a most certaine sinne: Surely the breach of his peace and union is in it selte a great Judgement upon the Kingdomes. But how great a Judgement shall he deserve, that by a breach of Oath is a cause of this Judgement? Come not into their secret, O my Soule, for cursed to their anger, and their weath is cruell; divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel; for they would divide Jacob, and by dividing scat­ter and destroy Israeh, even our Jerusalem, compacted and knit together in both Nations by Saintship and Covenant But pray we for the union and peace of Jerusalem; let us say (and endeavour what we say) peace be within thy walls, and prosperity in thy palaces. For my Brethren and companions sake I will now say, Peace be within thee: and let all the Brethren and Companions agree in this, and say, Amen, Amen.