The sacrifice of thankefulnesse A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse, the third of December, being the first Aduentuall Sunday, anno 1615. By Tho. Adams. Whereunto are annexed fiue other of his sermons preached in London, and else-where; neuer before printed. ...

THE THREE DIVINE SISTERS.

1. COR. 13. 13.

Now abideth Faith, Hope, Charitie, these three: but the greatest of these, is Cha∣titie.

WHen those three Goddesses, say the Po∣ets, stroue for the golden ball, Paris ad∣iudged it to the Queen of Loue. Heere are three celestiall graces, in an holy e∣mulation, if I may so speake, striuing for the chiefedome; and our Apostle giues it to Loue. The greatest of these is Charity.

Not that other Daughters are blacke, but that Cha∣rity excels in beauty. Wee may say of this Sister, as it was sayd of the good Woman, Prou. 31. Many daughters haue done vertuously, but thou surpassest them all. Paul doth not disparage any, when he sayth, Charity is the greatest. All starres are bright, though one starre may differ from another in glory. Wee may say of graces, as

of the Captaines of the sonnes of Gad; the least can resist a hundred, the greatest a thousand. Or as the song was of Saul and Dauid. Saul hath slaine his thousand, Da∣uid his ten thousand. Faith is excellent, so is Hope; but the greatest of these, is Charitie.

Mee thinkes these three Theologall Vertues may not vnfitly bee compared to three great Feastes, which wee celebrate in the yeare; Easter, Whitsuntide, and Christmas. Faith, like Easter, beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes, and risen againe for our Iustification. Hope, like Pentecost, waites for the comming of the holy Ghost, Gods free Spirit of grace to come into vs, and to bring vs to Heauen. And Charitie lookes like Christmas, full of loue to our neighbours, full of hospitality, and mercy to the poore.

These are three strings often touched; Faith, where∣by wee beleeue all Gods promises to bee true, and ours: Hope, whereby we waite for them with patience: Charitie, whereby vee testifie, what wee beleeue and hope. Hee that hath faith cannot distrust: hee that hath hope, cannot bee put from anchor: he that hath charity, will not lead a licentious life; for, Loue keepes the commandements.

For Methods sake, wee might first conferre them all, then preferre one. But I will speake of them ac∣cording to the three degrees of comparison. 1. Posi∣tiuely. 2. Comparatiuely. 3. Superlatiuely. The greatest of these is Charitie.

Faith

IS that grace, which makes Christ ours, and all his benefites. God giues it. 1. Cor. 12. Faith is giuen by the spirit. By the Word preached. Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing. For Christ his sake. To you it is giuen

for Christ his sake, to beleeue in his name. This vertue is no sooner giuen of God, but it giues God. So soone as thou beleeuest, Christ is thine and all his. For he that giues vs Christ, will also with him giue vs all things.

Without this, it is impossible to please God: Let vs not otherwise dare to come into his presence. There is no∣thing but wrath in him, for sinne in vs. Ioseph charged his brethren, that they should come no more in his sight, vnlesse they brought Beniami•• with them. Wee come at our perill into Gods presence, if wee leaue his beloued Beniamin, our deare Iesus behind vs. When the Philosopher heard of the inraged Emperours menace, that the next time hee saw him▪ hee would kill him; he tooke vp the Emperours little sonne in his armes, and saluted him with a potes ne? Thou canst not now strike mee. God is angry with euery man for his sinnes; hap∣pie is hee that can catch vp his sonne Iesus: for in whose armes soeuer the Lord sees his sonne, he will spare him. The men of Tyre are faine to intercede to Herod by Bla∣stus. Act. 12. Our intercession to God is made by a higher and surer way; not by his seruant, but by his sonne.

Now this Mediator is not had without a medium, Faith. Fides medium, à quo remedium. Faith is that meanes, whereby wee lay hold on this Christ. Diffi∣dence shall neuer haue Iesus for the Aduocate. Though euerie man may say; I beleeue, Lord helpe my vn∣beleefe.

Saint Paul vseth one word, that very significant∣ly expresseth Faith; calling it the Euidence of things not seene. Fides est credere quod non vides; cuius merces est videre quod credis, Faith is to beleeue what thou seest; whose reward is to see what thou beleeuest. Now the Metaphore may be extended thus.

1. Christ dying, made a Will or a Testament, sca∣ling

it with his owne bloud, wherein hee bequeathed a certain Legacie of Inheritance to his brethren with himselfe. Ioh. 17. Father, I will that they whom thou hast giuen mee, bee with mee where I am, that they may be∣hold my glory which thou hast giuen me. This is the sub∣stance of his Will and Testament.

2 The Conueyance of this Will is the Gospell, Who∣soeuer beleeues, and is baptized, shall bee saued. A large Patent, a free and full grant. There is no exception of persons; eyther in regard of state, quality, or Country. There is neyther Iew nor Greeke, bond nor free, male nor fe∣male: for yee are all one in Christ Iesus. The conueyance is of an ample latitude.

3. The Executor or Administrator of this Will, if I may so speake, is the holy Ghost: that Comforter which Christ promised to send, that should lead vs into all truth. This Spirit begets faith & sanctification in our hearts, puts Abba into our mouthes, applyes the merites of our Sauiour to our soules; and indeed seales vs vp to the day of redemption. Without his assistance wee could appropriate no comfort by his Will; nor challenge any Legacie therein bequeathed.

4. Lastly, the Euidence, whereby euery particular man apportions to himselfe this title and interest, is his Faith. Thou vnregenerate soule pleadest a Legacie in this Will: Goe to, let vs ioyne issue, & come to try∣al. Where is thy Euidence? Here it is, my Faith. This Euidence, as all other, must haue some witnesses: pro∣duce thine; and before the Barre of the great Chiefe Iustice, the Kings Bench of Heauen, let them not lie.

The first is thy Conscience. Alas! giue this leaue to speake without interruption (and one day it shal not flatter thee.) This sayth thy Euidence, is false & counterfeit; forged by a wretched Seriuener, flesh

and bloud: for thy heart trusts in vncertainely good riches, or in certainely bad vanities, more then in the li∣uing God.

The next, is thy life. Alas! this is so speckled with sinnes, so raw and sore with lusts: that as a body broken out into blaines and biles, argues a corrupted liuer or stomacke within: so the spottes and vlcers of thy life demonstrate a putrified heart. Loe now thy wit∣nesses. Thou art gone at the common Law of Iustice: It is onely the Chancerie of mercy that must cleare thee. What wilt thou now doe? What, but humble thy selfe in repentance for thy false faith; take prayer in thy company, for pardon of former errors; goe by the word preached; for the Minister is, as it were, the Register, to ingrosse the deed; and desire God on the humbled knees of thy soule, to giue thee a new and a true Euidence. Let this instruct vs to some vses.

1. Be sure that thy Euidence is good. Satan is a sub∣till Lawyer, (and thou doest not doubt of his ma∣lice) and will soone picke holes in it; find out tricks and cauils against it. He will winnow and sift thee, grain after graine: take heed, lest thou run not all to chaffe. There is a Faith of Saints. Gal. 2. Now liue not I, but Christ liueth in mee: and the life that I liue, I liue by the Faith of the Sonne of God. And there is a faith of De∣uils. Iam. 2. Thou beleeuest, thou doest well: the Deuils beleeue and tremble. There is a faith, which cannot pe∣rish. Ioh. 3. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shall not perish. And there is a faith, that in the time of temptation fals away. Luk. 8. The rockie ground receiues the Word, and for a while beleeueth, but in the time of temptation fall away. There is a faith which the world ouercommeth; such was the faith of Demas. And there is a faith that ouercommeth the world. 1. Ioh. 5 This is the victorie whereby wee ouercome the world, euen our faith. There is a dead,

idle, and infructuous faith, Iam. 2. 14. And there is a liuely, actiue, working faith. Gal. 5. Faith worketh by loue. Bee sure then, that thy faith will endure the toucheuen the fiery tryall.

2 Doe not loose such a Legacie, as Christ hath be∣queathed, for want of faith. Glorious is the inheri∣tance, but where is thy Euidence? Flatter not thy soule with hope of this possession, without the assurance of faith. Christ giues his life for his sheepe: What is this to thee that art a Wolfe, a Swine, a Goate? God dres∣seth his Vineyard, pruneth it, watereth it, is prouident ouer it: What's this to thee, that art a thorne, and no branch of the Vine? Looke thou to be weeded vp, and throwne out. The bloud of Christ runnes fresh: but where is thy pipe of faith, to deriue it from his side to thy conscience? Say, it should showre mercy, yet if thou wantest faith, all would fall besides thee. There would be no more fauour for thee, then if there was no Sauiour.

Let then no miseries of earth, much lesse pleasures, quench thy faith. Satan seeing this sparke of fire kin∣dled in thy heart, would blow it out with stormes, or worke thee to smother it thy selfe with vanities, or to rake it vp in the dead embers of cold security: but be∣leeue against sight and sense. As Dauid prophesied, that hee should be a King. Eo plus habet fides meriti, quo minus argumenti. Faith shall haue so much the more recompence, as it had the lesse argument to in∣duce it.

Hope.

IS the sweetest friend, that euer kept a distressed soule company: it beguiles all the tediousnesse of the way, all the miseries of our Pilgrimage.

Iam mala finissem letho; sed eredula vitam Spes fouet, & melius cras foresemper ait.

Therefore dum spiro spero, sayes the Heathen: but dum, expiro spero, sayes the Christian. The one, whilest I liue, I hope; the other, when I dye, I hope: so Iob, I will hope in thee, though thou killest ••ee. It tels the soule such sweet stories of the succeeding ioyes; what comforts there bee in heauen; what peace, what ioy, what triumphes, mariage-songs, and Halleluiahs, there are in that Country, whether shee is trauelling; that shee goes merrily away with her present bur∣den.

It holds the head whilst it takes, and giues invisible drinke to the thirsty conscience. It is a liberty to them that are in prison, and the sweetest Physicke to the sicke. Saint Paul calles it an Anchor. Let the windes blow, and the stormes beat, and the waues swell, yet the Anchor stayes the shippe. It breakes through all difficulties, and makes way for the soule to follow it. It teacheth Abraham to expect fruit from a withered stocke; and Ioseph in a dungeon, to looke for the Sunne and Starres obeysance. It counsels a man, as Esdras did the woman; that hauing lost her sonne, would needs dye languishing in the disconsolate fields. Goe thy way into the City to thine husband. Mourne not wretch for the losse of some worldly and perishing de∣light: sit not downe and die, though the fruit of thy wombe bee swallowed into the earth. But goe home to the citie, the City of mercy; to thine husband, euen thy husband Iesus Christ; let him comfort thee: This is the voyce of hope.

Though misery be present, comfort absent, though through the dimme and waterish humor of thy heart, thou canst spie no deliuerance; yet such is the nature of Hope, that futura facta dicit: It speakes of future

things, as if they were present. Rom. 8. Wee are saued by hope. Yet sic liberati, vt adhuc speranda sit haereditas, po∣stea possidenda. Nunc habemius ius adrem, nondum inre. Wee haue our inheritance, in hope; which giues vs the right of the substance, though not the substance of the right: assurance of the possession, though not pos∣session of the thing assured. This tels vs, that Nemo valde dolebit & diu, no man should grieue much and long. God making our misery, aut tolerabilem, aut bre∣uem, eyther sufferable or short.

These are the comforts of Hope. Now, that you may not bee deceyued, there is (as I sayde before of Faith) a thing like Hope, which is not it.

There is a bold and presumptuous Hope, an igno∣rant security, and vngrounded perswasion, the very il∣lusion of the Diuell; who, when hee cannot preuaile with downe-right euill, cozens with the shadowes of goodnesse: that how wickedly and wretchedly soeuer a man shall liue, though hee sucke the poisonous dugs of lust, though hee surres himselfe warme with poore mens hearts, though hee forbids his braines (as on couenant) one sober houre in the yeaae to thinke of heauen, though hee thirst for carowses of bloud, though he striues to powder a whole Kingdome with the cornes of death and massacre, though hee carries halfe a dozen impropriate Churches on his sacrilegi∣ous backe, though hee out-thunder heauen with blas∣phemies, though hee trample vnder his profane foote the precious bloud of Gods sonne; yet still hee hopes to bee saued by the mercy of God. But wee will soo∣ner cast pearles to swine, and bread to dogges, then the comforts of Sion to such. Wee say not, Reioyce & trem∣ble, but tremble without reioycing. Wee sing not to them, with the Lord is mercy, that hee might bee feared: but with the Lord is iudgement and vengeance, with

him is plague and pestilence, storme and tempest, hor∣rour and anguish, indignation and wrath, that hee may bee feared. Against this Hope, wee shut vp the bosome of consolation, and the promise of safety by the merites of Christ; and so farre as wee are charged, the verie gates of euerlasting life.

There is an Hope, sober, faithfull, well grounded, well guarded, well assured. This is like a house built on a rocke. The rocke, is Gods promised mercy; the buil∣ding, Hope in Christ: it is (as it were) moted or in∣trenched about with his bloud, bulwarked and ram∣pirde with the Sacraments, assured by the sweet te∣stimonie of Gods Spirit to the Conscience: knowne by the Charity of the Inhabitants; for it keeps bread for the hungrie, clothes for the naked, entertainment for strangers. To this Hope wee open the dores of the kingdome of Heauen; and so farre as the Commission of the Keyes Ieades vs, wee vnlocke the gates of eter∣nall life, and allow entrance. Wee call this the Blessed Hope.

Charitie

IS an excellent vertue, and therefore rare: if euer in this contentious age; wherein Fratrum quo{que} gratia rara est: the vnfained loue of brothers is strange. Wo is mee; before I am come to define what loue is, I am falne into a declamation against the want of it: what is heere chiefly commended, is chiefly contemned: as if wee had no need of mutuall succour; nor could spare a roome in our hearts to entertaine Charitie, lest wee should expell our old loued guests, fraud, malice, and ambition. Loue hath two proper obiects, the one immediate and principall; the other, mediate and limitted.

The proper and immediate obiect of our Loue, is God. This is the great Commandement, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soule, with all thy strength. As if hee would not leaue out the ••east sinew or string of the heart, the least faculty or power of the soule, the least organ or action of the strength. So Bern. With all the heart, that is, affec∣tionately. With all the Soule, that is, wisely. With all the strength, that is, constantly. Let the zeale of thy heart inflame thy loue to God, let the wisedome of thy soule guide it, let the strength of thy might confirm it. All the affection of the heart, all the election of the soule, all the administration of the body. The Soule iudgeth, the Will prosecutes, the strength executes. God can brooke no riualles: no diuision betwixt him and Mammon, betwixt him and Melchom, betwixt him and Baal, betwixt him and Belial. Causa dilige••∣di Deum Deus est, modus sine modo. The cause and mo∣tiue to loue God, is God: the manner, is without mea∣sure. Minus amatte, qui aliquid amat praeterte, quod non amat propter te, Hee poorely loues God, that loues a∣ny thing besides him, which hee doth not loue for him.

The subordinate obiect of loue, is man: and his loue, is the effect of the former cause; and an actuall demonstration of the other inward affection. Waters comming from the sea, boyle through the veines of the earth, till they become springs, and those springs ri∣uers, and those riuers runne backe to the sea againe. All mans loue must be carried in the streame of Gods loue. Blessed is hee that loues Amicum in Domino, ini∣micum pro Domino; his friend in the Lord, his enemy for the Lord. Rom. 13. Owe nothing to any man, but this, that yee loue one another. Other debts, once truely payde, are no more due: but this debt, the more we

pay it, the more wee owe it; and wee still doe acknow∣ledge our selues debters to all, when wee are cleare with all; proverbially: I owe him nothing but loue. The com∣munication of this riches doth not impouerish the pro∣prietary: the more hee spends of his stocke, the more hee hath. There is that scattereth, and yet encreaseth. But hee that will hoord the treasure of his Charity, shall grow poore, empty, and bankerout. There is that with∣holdeth more then is meet, but it tendeth vnto pouerty. Loue is the abridgement of the Law, the new precept of the Gospell. Luther cals it the shortest, and the longest Diuinitie: short for the forme of words; long, yea, e∣uerlasting for the vse and practise; for Charity shal ne∣uer cease.

Thus for the first degree of compariion, Positiuely. The second is Comparatiue; where, though it be sayd, Vertues and great men must not bee compared, yet we may without offence, bring them to a holy conference; els how shall wee perceyue the Apostles intended scope, the transcendency of Charity? I will therefore first con∣ferre Faith with Hope; and then with them both Charity.

The distinction betweene Faith and Hope, is nice, and must warily bee discouered. I will reduce the dif∣ferences into three respects, of Order, Office, and Obiect.

For Order, Paul giues Faith the precedencie. Hebr. 11. Faith is the ground of things hoped for. Faith al∣wayes goes before, Hope followes after; and may in some sort bee sayde to bee the daughter of Faith. For, it is as impossible for a man to Hope for that which hee beleeues not, as for a Painter to drawe a picture in the ayre. Indeed, more is beleeued then is hoped for; but nothing is hoped for, which is not beleeued. So that on necessity, in respect of order,

Faith must precede Hope.

For Office; Faith is the Christians Logicke, Hope his Rhetorike. Faith perceiues what is to bee done, Hope giues alacritie to the doing it. Faith guides, ad∣viseth, rectifieth; Hope couragiously encounters with all adversaries. Therefore Faith is compared to a Doctor in the Schooles, Hope to a Captaine in the warres. Faith discernes the truth, Hope fights against impatience, heauinesse of Spirit, infirmitie, deiected∣nesse, desperation. Divines haue alluded the diffe∣rence betweene Faith and Hope in Divinity, to that be∣tweene wisedome and valour in Philosophie. Valour without wisedome, is rashnesse: wisedome without va∣lour, is cowardice. Faith without Hope, is knowledge without valour to resist Sathan: Hope without Faith, is rash presumption, and an vndiscreet daring. You see their different Office.

For Obiect; Faithes object is the absolute word, and infallible promise of God; Hopes obiect, is the thing promised. Fides intuetur verbum rei, Spes verò rem verbi: Faith lookes to the word of the thing, Hope to the thing of the word. So that Faith hath for the ob∣iect, the Truth of God, Hope the Goodn••sse of God. Faith is of things both good and bad, Hope of good things onely. A man beleeues there is a hell, as truely as he beleeues there is a heaven; but he feares the one, and hopes onely for the other. Faith hath obiected to it things past, present, future. Past, it beleeues Christ dead for our sinnes, and risen againe for our Iustifica∣tion. Present, that hee now sits at the right hand of his Father in heauen. Future, that hee shall come to iudge quicke and dead. Hope, onely respects and ex∣pects things to come. For a man cannot hope for that which hee hath. You see how in some sense, Hope excels Faith. For, there is a faith in the Deuils; they

beleeue the truth of God, the certainety of the Scrip∣tures, they acknowledge Christ the Iudge of quicke and dead, therefore cry, Why tormentest thou vs before the time? They haue faith ioyned with a Popish pre∣paratory good worke, Feare; the Deuils beleeue and tremble: yea, they pray: they beseech Christ not to send them into the deepes; what then want they? Hope, a confident expectation of the mercy of God: this they can neuer haue. They beleeue, they cannot hope. This is the life of Christians, and the want makes De∣vils. If it were not for this hope, wee of all▪ men were most miserable.

Charity, differs from them both. These three di∣vine graces, are a created Trinity; and haue some glimmering resemblance of the Trinity vncreate. For, as there, the Sonne is begotten of the Father, and the holy Ghost proceedes from them both: so heere, a true faith begets a constant hope, and from them pro∣ceedes Charity. Thus is Gods Temple built in our hearts, sayth August. The foundation whereof is Faith, Hope the erection of the wals, Charity the per∣fection of the roofe.

In the godly all these three are vnited together, & cannot bee sundred. Wee beleeue in Gods mercy, wee hope for his mercy, and we loue him for his mercy. Faith sayes, there are good things prepared: Hope sayes, they are prepared for me: Charity sayes, I endevour to walke worthy of them. So that, what good Faith beleeues, shall bee, Hope expects for her selfe, and Charity aymes at the way to get it, by keeping the commandements. Faith apprehends both reward and punishment: Hope onely lookes for good things for our selues: Charity desires the glory of God, and the good of all our Bre∣thren.

The second degree, giues way to the third, last,

best; the Superlatiue. But the greatest of these is Cha∣rity. Time will not afforde mee to answere all the ob∣iections, which subtill wits haue inconsequently dedu∣ced from these words. Neyther were it to other pur∣pose, then to write Iliades after Homer: they haue been so soundly and satisfyingly answered already. I will on∣ly mention two, and but report a responsiue So∣lution.

1 The principall promises are made to beleeuers. Whosoeuer beleeues, and is baptized, shall bee saued. So no lesse a promise is made to Louers, Rom. 8. All things shall worke together to the best, to those that loue God, &c. God, sayth the Psalmist, is neere to those that call vpon him. Hee is close by all those that suffer for him: but he is within those that loue him. Heere is Prope, ••uxta, In∣tus. This same Intra, within is of the highest degree. 1. Ioh. 4. God is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue, dwel∣leth in God, and God in him. O vnspeakable fe∣licity!

2 If Charity be greater then faith, then is not man iustified by faith onely. Inconsequent illation. Saint Paul commends not loue for the vertue of Iustificati∣on: it may fayle in that particular action, yet receiue no impeachment to the excellency of it. By demonstra∣tion. A Prince doth excell a peasant: shall any man therefore inferre, that hee can plow better, or haue more skill in tillage. A Philosopher doth excell a Me∣chanicke; though he cannot grinde so well as a Miller, or lim so cunningly as a Painter. A man is better then a beast: who but a mad-man will therefore conclude, that hee can runne faster then a horse, draw more then an oxe, or carry a greater burden then an Elephant. Though he fayle in these particular arts, yet none will deny, but hee is better then a beast.

The truth is, that in Fàith stands originally our fel∣lowship

with God. Into that hand he powreth the ri∣ches of his mercy for salvation: and were the actions of Charity neuer so great, and (foolishly thought) meri∣torious; yet, if not the effects of a true sauing Faith, they are lost, and a man may for his Charitie goe to the Deuill. And though they would plead from the forme of the last iudgement, Math. 25. that God accepts men to life for their deeds of Charitie: feeding, clothing, re∣leeuing. Yet the Scripture fully testifies, that God nei∣ther accepts these, nor our selues for these, further then they are the effects of a true faith. Our persons being first iustified by faith in Christ, then God will crowne our works. Yet a Christian must worke: for no nudifidi∣an, so well as no nullifidian, shall be admitted into hea∣uen. Therefore sayth the Apostle, Faith worketh by loue. For Faith is able to iustifie of it selfe, not to vorke of it selfe. The hand alone can receiue an Almes: but can∣not cut a peece of wood without an axe or some instru∣ment. Faith is the Christians hand, and can without helpe receyue Gods giuen grace into the heart: but to produce the fruits of obedience, and to vorke the actu∣all duties required, it must haue an inst••ument; adde Loue to it, and it worketh by loue. So that the one is our Iustification before God, and the other our Testifica∣tion before men. Wherein then consists this high tran∣scendency of Charity? In two priviledges, incommuni∣cable to Faith and Hope; Latitude and Perpetuity.

1. For Latitude, Loue is the greatest. Faith and Hope are restrayned within the limits of our particular per∣sons. The iust man liues by his owne faith: and hopes good to himselfe; but Loue is like the Vine, which God brought out of Egypt, and cast out the heathen to plant it, which coue∣reth the mountaines with the shadow of the boughes, & spreads the branches vnto the sea and the riuers: It is like the Sunne in the skie, that throwes his comfortable

beames vpon all; and forbeares not to warme euen that earth that beareth weeds. Loue extends to earth & heauen. In heauen it affecteth God the Maker and mo∣ver: the Angels, as our Guardians; the triumphant Saints, for their pious sanctitie. On earth, it imbraceth those that feare the Lord especially: it wisheth conver∣sion to those that do not: it counsels the rich: it com∣forts the poore: it reverenceth superiors, respecteth in∣feriors: doth good to friends, no evill to foes: wisheth well to all. This is the latitude of Charity. The pro∣perty of faith, is to receyue into it selfe: the property of loue, to lay out it selfe to others. So that faith hath but narrow limits, but the extent of Loue is vniversall, not bounded with the world. Faith beleeues for thy selfe, but Charity deriues, & driues the effects of thy faith to others. Thy faith relieues thy self, thy charity thy brother.

2. For perpetvity and continuance. Faith laies hold on Gods gracious promise for everlasting salvation: Hope expects this with patience: but when God shal ful∣fil his word, & vs with ioy, then Faith shall be at an end: hope at an end: but Loue shal remain between God & vs, an everlasting bond. Therefore sayth the Apostle, Now abideth faith, &c. Now. Now three, then one: and that is Charity. When wee haue possession of those pleasures, which we hoped and beleeued, what longer vse is there of Faith or Hope? But our loues shall not end with our liues. Wee shall euerlastingly loue our our Maker, Saviour, Sanctifier, Angels, & Saints; where no discontent shall breed any iarre in our Halleluiahs. If the vse of loue bee so comfortable on earth, what may wee thinke it will be in heaven!

Thus sayth Chrysost: Onely loue is eternall. Now Faith and Hope hold vp the hands of Charity, as Aa∣ron and Hur helde vp the hands of Moses: but then their vse and office shall cease. Tunc non erit spes, quando

erit spes. Hope shall not bee, when the thing hoped is. Hope shall bring in possession, possession shall thrust out Hope. Therefore sayth Augustine, is Charity grea∣ter; Et si non propter eminentiam, tamen propter permanenti∣am; If not for the excellency, yet for the perpetuity.

Thus to iustifie a man, Faith is greater, but in a man iustified, Charity is greater. Let Faith alone with the great worke of our salvation: but that finished, it shall end, & so yeeld superiority to Loue, which shall endure for euer.

Thus you haue commended to your soules these three sisters, Faith, Hope, and Charity. Faith wee must haue, or we are reprobates; Hope, or wretches, Charity, or not Christians. There is a promise made to Faith, that it shall haue accesse to God. Heb. 11. To Hope, that it shall not be ashamed, Rom. 5. But to Charity, that it shall dwell in God, and haue God dwelling in it, 1. Ioh. 4.

I should now tell you, that as these three fayre Si∣sters come downe from heaven; so in a crosse con∣trariety, the Devill sends vp three foule fiends from hell. Against Faith, Infidelity: against Hope, Despera∣tion: Against Charity, malice. He that entertaines the elder sister, vnbeleefe, I quake to speake his doome, yet I must; Hee is already condemned. Hee that embraceth the second vgly Hagge, Despaire, barres vp against himselfe the possibility of all comfort: because hee of∣fends so precious a nature, the mercy of God, & tram∣ples vnder his desperate feete that bloud, which is helde out to his vnaccepting hand. He that welcomes ma∣lice; welcomes the Devill himselfe: hee is called the Envious, and loues extremely to lodge himselfe in an envious heart. These be fearefull, prodigious sisters; flie them, and their embraces: and remember, O yee whom Christ concernes, the commandement of your Saviour; Loue one another.

I will end with our Apostles exhortation to his Phi∣lippians. If there bee any consolation in Christ; and there is consolation in him, when the whole world cannot af∣ford it: If any comfort of loue; and hee that knows not the comforts of loue, knowes no difference betwixt man and beast: If any fellowship of the spirit, by whome wee are all knit into one Communion, and enriched with the same treasures of grace: If any bowels and mer∣cies; if vncharitablenesse and avarice hath turned our intrals into stone and yron; if wee haue not forgotten the vse and need of mercy. Fulfill my ioy, that yee be like minded, and haue the same loue. Fulfill the Apostles ioy onely? the ioy of the Bride and Bridegroome, of the Church on earth, of the Saints in heauen; of the ioy of the blessed Angels; the ioy of the Father, Sonne, & holy Spirit; and last of all, the ioy of your owne hearts; that you Loue one another. Forget not that trite, but true saying.

They shall not want prosperitie, That keepe Faith, Hope, and Charity.

FINIS.

Notes

• Pro. 31. 29.
• 1. Cor. 15.
• 1. Cor. 12. 9.
• Rom. 10. 17.
• Phil. 1. 29.
• Ro. 8. 22.
• Heb. 11. 6.
• Act. 12. 20.
• Heb. 11. 1. Heb. 11.
• Iohn. 17. 24.
• Galat. 3. 28.
• Ioh. 14. 16.
• Eph. 4. 30.
• Gal. 2. 20.
• Iam. 2. 19.
• Ioh. 3. 15.
• Luk. 8. 13
• 1. Ioh. 5. 4.
• Gal. 5. 6.
• Heb. 6. 19.
• 2. Esd. 10. 17.
• Rom. 8. 24.
• Rom. 13. 8.
• Pro. 1••. 24.
• Alsted Systē. Theolog. lib. 3. Loc. 17. Aug.
• 1. Cor. 15. 19.
• Rom. 8. 28.
• 1. Ioh. 4. 17.
• Gal. 5. 6.
• Psal. 80. 8.
• Heb. 11. 6.
• Ro. 5. 5
• 1. Ioh 4. 16.
• 1. Ioh 4. 16.
• Ioh. 3. 18.
• Ph••l 2. 1.