them, he it is, faith Chrift, that loveth me. And again he faith, He that loveth me, will keep my words, and my Father John xiv. will love him, and we will both come to him, and dwell with him and he that loveth me not, will not keep my words. And likewise, he that beareth a good heart and mind, and ufeth well his tongue and deeds unto every man, friend and foe, he may know thereby that he hath charity. And then he is fure alfo that Almighty God taketh him for his dear beloved fon, as St. John faith, Hereby manifeftly are known 1 John iii. the children of God from the children of the Devil; for whofoever doth not love his brother, belongeth not unto God. The Second Part of the Sermon of Charity. YOU have heard a plain and a fruitful fetting forth of charity, and how profitable and neceffary a thing charity is; how charity ftretcheth itself both to God and man, friend and foe, and that by the doctrine and example of Chrift; and alfo who may certify himself whether he be in perfect charity or not. Now, as concerning the fame matter, it followeth. The perverfe nature of man, corrupt with fin, and deftitute of God's word and grace, thinketh it against all reason, that a man fhould love his enemy, and hath many perfuafions which bring him to the contrary. Against all which reafons, we ought as Against well to fet the teaching as the living of our Saviour Chrift, carnal men, who loving us (when we were his enemies) doth teach us that will to love our enemies: he did patiently take for us many re- their eneproaches, fuffered beating and moft cruel death: there- mies. fore we be no members of him, if we will not follow him. Chrift, faith St. Peter, fuffered for us, leaving an example 1 Pet. ii. that we should follow him. Furthermore, we must confider, that to love our friends, is no more but that which thieves, adulterers, homicides, and all wicked perfons do; infomuch that Jews, Turks, Infidels, and all brute beafts, do love them that be their friends, of whom they have their living, or any other benefits. But to love enemies, is the proper condition only of them that be the children of God, the difciples and followers of Christ. Notwithstanding man's froward and corrupt nature weigheth over deeply many times the offence and difpleasure done unto him by enemies, and thinketh it a burden intolerable, to be bound to love them. that hate him. But the burden fhould be eafy enough, not forgive if (on the other fide) every man would confider, what dif pleasure he hath done to his enemy again, and what pleafure he hath received of his enemy; and if we find no equal or even recompence, neither in receiving pleasures of our enemy, nor in requiting difpleasures unto him again; then let us ponder the difpleasures which we have done against Almighty God, how often and how grievously we have offended him, whereof if we will have of God forgiveness, there is none other remedy but to forgive the offences done unto us, which be very small in comparison of our offences done against God. And if we confider that he which hath offended us deferveth not to be forgiven of us, let us confider again, that we much lefs deferve to be forgiven of God. And although our enemy deserve not to be forgiven for his own fake, yet we ought to forgive him for God's love, confidering how great and many benefits we have received of him without our deferts, and that Chrift hath deserved of us, that for his fake we fhould forgive them their trefpaffes committed against us. But A queftion. here may rife a neceffary queftion to be diffolved. If charity require to think, fpeak, and do well unto every man, both good and evil; how can magiftrates execute juftice upon malefactors or evil-doers with charity? How can they caft evil men in prifon, take away their goods, and fometimes their lives, according to laws, if charity will not suffer them fo to do? Hereunto is a plain and a brief An anfwer. anfwer, That plagues and punishments be not evil of themfelves, if they be well taken of the harmless: and to an evil man they are both good and neceffary, and may be executed according to charity, and with charity fhould be executed. For declaration whereof, you shall understand that charity hath two offices; the one contrary to the hath two other, and yet both neceffary to be used upon men of contrary fort and difpofition. The one office of charity is, to cherish good and harmless men, not to opprefs them with falfe accufations, but to encourage them with rewards to do well, and to continue in well doing, defending them with the fword from their adversaries. And the office of bifhops and pastors is, to praise good men for well doing, that they may continue therein, and to rebuke and correct by the word of God the offences and crimes of all evil-difpofed perfons. For the other office of charity is, to rebuke, correct, and punish vice, without regard of perfons, and is to be used against them only that be evil men, and malefactors or evil-doers. And that it is as well the office of charity to rebuke, punish, and correct them that be evil, Charity offices. as as it is to cherish and reward them that be good and harmlefs, St. Paul declareth, writing to the Romans, faying, That the high powers are ordained of God, not to be dread-Rom. xiii. ful to them that do well, but unto malefactors, to draw the fword to take vengeance of him that committeth the fin. And St. Paul biddeth Timothy floutly and earnestly to rebuke fin 1 Tim. v. by the word of God. So that both offices fhould be diligently executed, to fight against the kingdom of the Devil, the preacher with the word, and the governor with the fword: elfe they neither love God, nor them whom they govern, if, for lack of correction, they wilfully fuffer God to be offended, and them whom they govern to perifh. For as every loving father correcteth his natural fon when he doth amifs, or else he loveth him not; fo all governors of realms, countries, towns, and houses, fhould lovingly correct them which be offenders under their governance, and cherish them which live innocently, if they have any respect either unto God and their office, or love unto them of whom they have governance. And fuch rebukes and punishments of them that offend must be done in due time, left by delay the offenders fall headlong into all manner of mischief, and not only be evil themselves, but alfo do hurt unto many men, drawing others, by their evil example, to fin and outrage after them: as one thief may both rob many men, and alfo make many thieves; and one feditious perfon may allure many, and annoy a whole town or country. And fuch evil perfons that be fo great offenders of God and the commonweal, charity requireth to be cut off from the body of the commonweal, left they corrupt other good and honeft perfons; like as a good furgeon cutteth away a rotten and feftered member, for love he hath to the whole body, left it infect other members adjoining to it. Thus it is declared unto you what true charity or Chriftian love is, fo plainly, that no man need to be deceived; which love whofoever keepeth, not only towards God (whom he is bound to love above all things) but also towards his neighbour, as well friend as foe, it fhall furely keep him from all offence of God, and just offence of man. Therefore bear well away this one fhort leffon, That by true Chriftian charity, God ought to be loved above all things; and all men ought to be loved, good and evil, friend and foe, and to all fuch we ought, as we may, to do good; thofe that be good, of love to encourage and cherish, because they be good; and those that be evil, of love to procure and feek their correction and due punishment, that they may thereby either be brought to goodness, or at the leaft that God and the commonwealth may be the lefs hurt and offended. And if we thus direct our life by Chriftian love and charity, then Chrift doth promise and affure us, that he loveth us, that we be the children of our heavenly Father, reconciled to his favour, very members of Chrift; and that, after this short time of this present and mortal life, we fhall have with him everlafting life in his everlafting kingdom of heaven. Therefore to him, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and ever. Amen. A A SER A SERMON AGAINST Swearing and Perjury. lawful to ALMIGHTY God, to the intent his most holy name fhould be had in honour, and evermore be magnified of the people, commandeth that no man fhould take his name vainly in his mouth, threatening punishment unto him that unreverently abuseth it by fwearing, forswearing, and blafphemy. To the intent therefore that this How and commandment may be the better known and kept, it in what fhall be declared unto you, both how it is lawful for caufes it is Christian people to fwear, and alfo what peril and danger (wear. it is vainly to fwear, or to be forfworn. First, when judges require oaths of the people for declaration or opening of the truth, or for execution of juftice, this manner of fwearing is lawful. Alfo when men make faithful promifes, with calling to witness of the name of God, to keep covenants, honeft promises, ftatutes, laws, and good cuftoms, as Chriftian princes do in their conclufions of peace, for confervation of commonwealths; and private perfons promise their fidelity in matrimony, or one to another in honefty and true friendship: and all men when they do fwear to keep common laws, and local ftatutes, and good cuftoms, for due order to be had and continued among men; when fubjects do fwear to be true and faithful to their king and fovereign lord; and when judges, magiftrates, and officers fwear truly to execute their offices; and when a man would affirm the truth to the fetting forth of God's glory, (for the falvation of the people,) in open preaching of the Gofpel, or in giving of good coun fel |