A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§. Sect. 10 That we must loue our neigh∣bors, as Christ hath loued vs.

But because our loue of our selues, by reason of our naturall corrupti∣on, is, whilst we continue in this life, weake and imperfect, and therfore no fit rule for our loue towards our neighbours, to be squared by; therefore our Sauiour hath propounded vnto vs, a much more perfect patterne for our imitation, euen that most admirable and diuine loue wherewith hee hath loued vs: This is my Commandement, that ye loue one another, as I haue lo∣ued * 1.1 you. As therefore Christ hath loued vs first, before we loued him, or any waies deserued his loue, and hereby moued vs to loue him againe; so * 1.2 ought wee to preuent one another with our loue, and thereby prouoke them to returne vnto vs the like dutie. Secondly, as Christ loued all his * 1.3 elect, freely without any respect of merit, yea when we were strangers, sinners and enemies, not because of any goodnesse in vs, but that by his

Loue he might bring vs to good; so ought our loue to be free, and not mercinary, so farre foorth as it may redound to our owne profit; but we must loue strangers, that thereby we may make them our familiar acquain∣tance; Our enemies, that we may make them our friends, and euen those that are now euill and sinners, that we may bring them to grace and good∣nesse. Thirdly, as Christ loued all the elect, without respect of persons, both old and young, rich and poore, base and noble, wise and simple; so ought we to loue all sorts and conditions of men, in whom we finde al∣ready, or may hope to finde heereafter, the signes and markes of Gods e∣lection. Fourthly, as Christ loued vs perfectly, in respect of the manner, with a sincere and ardent loue, and not in tongue and profession onely, but in deed and truth; so as no waters of affliction, nor death it selfe could * 1.4 drowne or dampe; so ought we striue to loue one another, and to be ready according to his example, when iust occasion is offered, to seale and ap∣prooue * 1.5 our loue towards them, euen with the shedding of our blood. Fifthly, as Christ loued vs, who were in him elected of his Father, in a speciall and peculiar manner aboue all others, and out of this loue hath giuen himselfe for vs; according to that of the Apostle, Who hath loued me, * 1.6 and giuen himselfe for mee: so ought we to loue all with a generall and common loue, but Gods elect with a peculiar and speciall loue aboue the rest, and be ready, as the Apostle speaketh, to doe good vnto all, but especi∣ally * 1.7 vnto those who are of the household of faith. Lastly, as Christ loueth vs with a constant loue, and to the end, and will not reiect vs for our frail∣ties and infirmities, because in his loue he respecteth not his owne profit, but our saluation: So ought our loue to be constant towards our neigh∣bours, and not to languish and faint vpon slight occasions, respecting herein not our owne profit, but their benefit, and aboue all, the euerlasting saluation of their bodies and soules.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioh. 15. 12.
• * 1.2

  1. Ioh. 4. 19.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 5. 8.
• * 1.4

  Cant. 8 6.
• * 1.5

  1. Iohn. 3. 16.
• * 1.6

  Gal. 2. 20.
• * 1.7

  Gal. 6. 10.