The amendment of life comprised in fower bookes: faithfully translated according to the French coppie. Written by Master Iohn Taffin, minister of the word of God at Amsterdam.

Of Loue and Charitie in generall. Chap. 9.

WE will begin with loue, which hath two respects. The first is to God, as it is commanded, that wee shoulde loue him with all our heart, with all our strength, and with all our mind. The second, to our neighbour, whome wee ought to loue as our selues. As for our loue to God, the same, as Saint Iohn saith, proceedeth of his loue to vs, We loue him because he first loued vs. He loued vs euen when we were dead in sinne, when we were his enemies, yea, hee so loued vs, that he gaue his onely begotten and welbeloued sonne to die for vs. This his incomprehensible loue toward vs, doth therefore bind vs most feruently to loue him. And in deed, as a colde stone by li∣yng three or foure houres in the warme Sunne, gathereth heate, so this loue of God shining vpon our soules, should kindle them in his loue. As for loue toward our neighbor, we are the rather to desire it, and to put it in practise, because it is the marke of Gods chil∣dren, the disciples of Iesus Christ. And therefore sayth Saint Iohn, God is loue, and he that loueth is borne of God, and knoweth God. And as all Gods children are the disciples of Christ. Heereby also (sayth Iesus Christ) shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye loue one ano∣ther as I haue loued you. They that are not my disciples, saith Saint Augustine in the person of Christ, doo notwithstanding participate in many other my benefites. They haue not only nature, life, sense, reason, and common preseruation among al mankind, but also the gift of tongues, the sacramentes, prophesie, knowledge, faith to worke miracles, distribution of their goods to the poore, yea, euen the giuing of their bodies to fire, but because they haue no loue, they are as sounding brasse and tinkling cimbals, they are nothing.

It is not therefore by these my benefits, which euen they that are not my Disciples may also haue, that men shall know you to be my Disciples: but onely in this, that ye loue one another: Likewise a man may receiue the sacraments, and yet be wicked, but no man can haue loue and be wicked. Not without reason therefore doth Saint Paul, writing to the Galathians, say. Neither circumcision auaileth anything, neither vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by loue. In which sentence the Apostle sheweth, that in the king∣dome of Christ the matter wherein we doe most testifie our faith: which is of greatest accompt: and whereto wee are especially to apply and giue our selues, is loue, which also Saint Augustine cal∣leth the fountaine of all goodnesse, as couetousnesse is the roote of all euill.

2 That this loue may be pure and true, it must so proceed from our loue of God, that we may loue our neighbour in respect of that loue which we beare to God. For as Saint Augustine saith, we loue not God so much as we should, if we loue any thing but him, which we loue not for the loue of him, and therefore in another place he saith. Blessed is he that loueth God, and his friend in God, and his enemie for the loue of God. Hereby are we to gather three points: First, that albeit some heathen may seeme to haue done workes of great charitie and loue, yet was the same no true or liuely charitie, which is proper and peculier to the children of God: for they on∣ly doe know and loue God, and their neighbours for Gods sake. And indeed loue ought to proceed from a pure hart, as both Paul and Peter doth teach. By faith our harts are purified. None there∣fore but the faithfull haue true loue which proceedeth not from the loue of themselues, but from their loue to God. Secondly, it appeareth in this, that in vaine we boast that we loue God, if wee loue not our neighbour for his sake. This is it that Saint Iohn no∣teth, saying. If any man say, I loue God, and yet hate his brother, the same is a lier. For he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he loue God whom he seeth not? And this commandement haue wee of him, that he which loueth God, loueth his brother also. Thirdly, here∣by we vnderstand the truth of the saying of Saint Paul, that Loue is the fulfilling of the law. For if we cannot loue God, vnlesse wee loue our neighbour, neither our neighbour, vnlesse our loue to him proceed of our loue towards God: It must needes follow, that lo∣uing our neighbour, we also loue God, and so fulfill the law, which is comprehended in this: That wee loue both God and our neigh∣bour.

3 The better that we may yet vnderstand what our loue ought to be, we are diligently to note the commandement of God, that we should loue our neighbor as our selfe and explane this duty by two very naturall and iust rules which necessarily doe ensue. The first, by this auncient prouerbe, common euen among the hea∣then. Do no otherwise by another, then we would be done vnto. Alexan∣der Seuerus, an Emperour endued with many excellent vertues, had this sentence ordinarily in his mouth, thereby reprouing such as wronged or iniuried others. Yea in publishing any sentence of condemnation against transgressors, he caused the same to be ad∣ded as the ground thereof. Doe no otherwise to another, then thou wouldest be done vnto. To be short, he had such a liking, and so har∣tely embraced this sentence, that he caused the same to be written and engrauen in his imperial pallace and in many publique works. The other rule resteth in this, which Iesus Christ commaundeth saying. Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you, euen so doe yee to them. Now the loue of our selues importeth, that men shoulde not only forbeare doing of vs hurt, but also that they should do vs good. Draco, Licurgus, Solon and other lawgiuers haue written and set foorth many good lawes, whereby to maintaine man in equitie and vpright dealing: many Philosophers haue written good bookes for the framing of the manners of men: Yet all their great volumes, their long discourses, and the multitude of their lawes, haue alwaies had great imperfections, and tended as it were to the ordering but of the outward man, and so in parte to make men hypocrites, because they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of true Christian loue. But God in one onely short sentence, saying: Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, hath comprehen∣ded the whole dutie of man, one towarde another, that they may liue together in al equitie: peace, loue and felicitie. And thus may these two naturall rules, Doe no otherwise to another then thou woul∣dest be doone vnto, and Doe as yee woulde be doone vnto, be sufficient commentaries vpon all Christian pollicie. In this sence did Saint Paule iustly call this loue, the bond of all perfection. And indeed if we would loue one another as our selues and declare our loue by these two naturall rules, then should there bee among vs, neither fraud, iniurie, wrong, nor deceitfull dealing. Then should all ambi∣tion, pride, couetousnesse, enuie, hatred, euill speaking, and other like passions cease. We should see nothing but equitie, peace, con∣cord, loue reliefe and mutuall assistance. And these fruites of loue doth Saint Paul note saying. Loue suffereth long, it is bountifull, loue

enuieth not, loue doth not boast it selfe, it is not puffed vp: It disdai∣neth not, it seeketh not her owne thinges, it is not prouoked to anger, it thinketh none euill: It reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the truth: It suffereth all thinges, it beleeueth all thinges: It hopeth all thinges, it endureth all things. To be short, if wee practise this loue, we shall euen in this life beginne to tast the blessed estate of the kingdome of heauen, whereto being lifted vp, wee shall loue one another as our selues, and reioyce at our neighbours good, as at our owne. Let vs alwaies therefore remember this commaundement, that we loue our neighbour as our selues, and hartely let vs endeuour to shew it by the practise of these two rules, still harkening to nature, who crieth saying. Doe no other∣wise to another then thou wouldest bee doone vnto: And Doe as thou wouldest be done by.

4 We are also farther to consider, that this loue must not bee colde, but seruent: not slacke, but earnest and vehement, as Saint Peter admonisheth vs. And that it may bee such, it is requisite first that we hold nothing so deare or so precious as to bee alwayes readie to employ our selues for our neighbour, yea euen to the spending of our liues, after the example of the loue that Iesus Christ shewed vnto vs, as Saint Iohn sayth: Hereby haue we knowen his loue, that he gaue his life for vs. So are wee also to giue our liues for our brethren. Secondly, the heate and seruencie of our loue and charitie ought to bee such, as might su••mount any thinge that shoulde quaile it, as ingratitude, hatred, iniurie, or vnwor∣thienesse of our neighbours. And indeede if wee must loue our neighbour for the loue of God: If the Image God in him doth thereto binde vs. If being parcell of our flesh wee ought there∣to to bee affected: then notwithstanding whatsoeuer vnworthie∣nesse bee in him, yet God must not loose his right: his image is not vtterly defaced: Neither is that coniunction wherewith God bindeth vs together, taken away. Therefore doth Iesus Christ by the parable of the Samaritan teach vs, that euery one know∣en, vnknowen, straunger, yea euen an enemie, as were the Sa∣maritans to the Iewes, is our neighbour, whome wee must loue as our selues. And so did Iesus Christ, correcting the false glose of the Pharisies, expound it, saying. You haue heard that it hath beene saide. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie: But I saye vnto you loue your enemies. And which is more, hee willeth that wee shoulde testifie this loue, not with our lippes on∣ly, but also in deedes and workes, by blessing those that curse vs,

by doing well to those that hate vs, and by praying for those that molest and persecute vs.

5 This did Moses in his daies teach, saying, If thou meetest thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray, thou shalt bring him to him a∣gaine: Againe. If thou see thy enemies Asse lying vnder his burden: leaue thy busines that he may not rise alone, yea leaue thy busines & help him vp. Or as others doe expound it. See thou dost not forsake him vn∣till his master hath first forsaken him: Careth God for beastes saith S. Paul That he should thus commend them to vs. Is it not rather hereby to shew vs what we are to doe to the person of our enemie, sith we are bound to such a dutie to his Oxe or his Asse, as Saint Paul tea∣cheth vs, saying. If thy enemie hungereth, giue him meate: If he thirst giue him drinke. And because the practise hereof is very difficult, Iesus Christ himselfe, the rather to induce vs to this dutie, protest∣eth that In so doing we shall be the Children of his heauenly father, who maketh his sunne to shine vpon both good and bad, and causeth his raine to fall vpon the righteous and the vnrighteous. Hereby we gather, that if our charitie be bound••d onely to our friendes, and that we ex∣tend not the same euen to our enemies, it is not the charitie of the children of God, but as Iesus Christ addeth, of publicans and infi∣dels. Also in workes and deedes if we shew not the loue that wee beare to our enemies, it is in vaine for vs to protest that wee wish them no more hurt then to our selues, or that wee loue them, or wish as well to them as to our selues. The holy historie expressely noteth, that Absalom vsed no hard words to his brother Ammon who had defouled Thamar the said Absalons sister: Yet loued he him not, neither wished his good, but in his hart nourished cruell hatred against him, which hee finally declared by pro••••••••••g him trayterously to bee murthered. And thus it appeareth, that speaking neither well nor ill, betokeneth hatred and mallice. For loue can not but both speake wel and do well euen to her enemies.

6 This loue is the rather to bee esteemed and commended, be∣cause the giftes of speaking with tongues, working of miracles, prophecying, and such like, are nothing without loue. Yea which is more then al those gifts, euen faith & hope shal haue an end, but loue, as Saint Paul saith, abideth for euer. Albeit therefore that by faith and hope we be made heires of wonderfull ioy and felici∣tie, yet is the effect and fruite of loue greater, in this respect, that thereby the ioy of our perticuler felicitie, obtained by faith, shall be infinitly doubled and encreased for euery of the electes sakes, whom we shall then loue as our selues, and whose felicitie will be

vnto vs as great a comfort as our owne. Thus wee see what loue is required at our hands, and how much wee are to esteeme it. Now if wee would examine our selues, and trie our loue with the same which God requireth at our hands, as is afore shewed, we shal find that it cometh very short. And indeed what man loueth his neigh∣bour as himselfe, and that for the loue of God? Who doth not ma∣ny times by his neighbour otherwise then himself would be done by? Who dealeth with another as he would be delt by? Who is re∣solued to giue his life for his brethren? Who loueth his enemies as himselfe, and in hart praieth for them? If loue, as is aforesaid, suffe∣reth long: if it enuieth not: if it seeketh not her owne: if it thinketh none euil: if the patience therof be such as that it endureth & suste∣reth al things: Then doth it sufficiently appeare that we do wrong∣fully boast our selues to be the children of God, because his cha∣racter cannot bee seene in vs, which is loue: or that in purpose to amend, we doe not mislike our owne corruption. When there∣fore we heare the holy Ghost say, Amend your liues. Let vs be assu∣red that he doth admonish vs so to encrease in this loue, that wee may loue God with all our harts, and our neighbours as our selues: and that to the same end these two naturall rules may continually sound in our eares: and that our consciences by the same exami∣ning all our wordes and workes, may bee our iudge to condemne whatsoeuer we shall peraduenture doe to others which we would not should be done to our selues, and to reproue our want of loue, when we do not that to him that we would haue done to our selues that so in amending whatsoeuer it shall find in vs not conformable to this loue, we may dayly encrease therin, and thereby more and more get printed in vs the Character of Gods children and of the true Disciples of Iesus Christ. And now let vs proceed to another examination of our loue.

Notes

• Math. 22. 1. Iohn. 4.19 Ephe. 2.4 Rom. 5.8 Iohn 3.16
• 1. Ioh. 4.16 1. Ioh. 4.7 Iohn. 13.33 August. vpon Iohns gospel. 1. Cor. 13
• Augustine in praise of cha∣ritie,
• Cal, 5.6.
• Augustine in praise of cha∣ritie.
• Augustine in his confessi∣ons, Prosper in his sentences of Augustine,
• 1. Tim. 1.5. 1. Pet. 1.22. Act. 15.9.
• 1. Ioh. 4.20. Rom, 13, 10,
• Lampridius in the life of Alexander Se∣uerus.
• Mat. 7.21.
• Col, 3.14.
• 1. Cor. 13.4
• 1, Pet. 1.22. 1, Pet. 4 8.
• Iohn 3.16
• Luk. 10.29.
• Mat. 5.43.
• Exod. 23.4.5,
• 1. Cor. 9.9
• Rom. 12, 20.
• Mat. 5.45.
• Mat. 5 46.
• 1. Cor. 13