LXXX sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London whereof nine of them not till now published / by the late eminent and learned divine Anthony Farindon ... ; in two volumes, with a large table to both.

PART I.

THESS. IV. 18.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

THe words are plain and easie: They are as the Use of that Doctrine of the Coming of the Lord which is set down at large in the precedent verses, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, &c. a doctrine seasonably opened and applied to the Thessalonians, now hanging down their heads with grief, and weeping over the graves of their friends as men without hope, inter praecepta virtutum & spem resurrectionis, even then when S. Pauls doctrine and the hope of the Resurrection should have armed them against all assaults, even then languishing and falling away, and bating from their spiritual growth, as if they had almost forgotten that article of their Be∣lief, the Coming of the Lord, and lost not onely their friends, but their faith. It was fitted for them, and in this case! but it may serve for any Meridian, for any who are brought low by oppression, evil and sorrow. It was preacht in the first age of the Church, when she began to be mili∣tant, which was as soon as she began: And it is an antidote as it were put into her Hands, which she may use even in her last age; which she must use till she be triumphant. And therefore we will not bind and confine it to this present case of the Thessalonians, but, propose it as a preserva∣tive against all evil whatsoever. And since the two affections which weigh down the afflicted are Sorrow and Fear, we will set up this to re∣move them both. For be sorry, why should they? Let the Heathen be so, who are without Hope. And fear what need they? Have they lost their friends! they do but sleep. Have their goods been torn from them? They shall receive an hundred fold. Is their life in jeopardy? It is in his Hands who is coming, who shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voyce of the Archangel; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: wherefore comfort one another with these words.

These words I called a Use of that Doctrine which S. Paul had former∣ly preacht at Thessalonica; and it lieth in the form of an exhortation, in these black and gloomy dayes, in these last and perilous dayes, in these dayes of misery and mourning, most necessary, when so many weak hands are to be H••ld up and so many feeble knees to be strengthned. Herein

briefly I observe the Matter, and the Manner; the Action, and the Rule or square of that action. The Matter, Comfort you one another; the Manner how this duty must be performed, with these words. But for our more plain and orderly proceeding, we will speak first of the Ob∣ject, or Persons ALII ALIOS, one another. And these we shall look upon first in their common nature and condition, as they are of the same passions,* 1.1 subject to the same infirmities, falling upon, as the Wiseman speaks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the earth which is of like Nature, All men have the like entrance into life, and the like going out, and I may say are subject to the same depressions and miscarriages, which even Life, that we are so unwilling to part with, hath wrapt up in her, and carries as in her womb; a short life, and full of misery. Next, we will look upon them in that near relation which they have one to another, and that as they are ei∣ther Men, or Christians. For the second doth not take away, but esta∣blish, the first. Grace doth not destroy Nature, but perfect it; and if the last be upheld the former can never fall to the ground. And this alii alios, the Persons, will afford us; Comfort you one another. Second∣ly, this Habitude and mutual Dependance doth even invite the Act; which will be our next consideration, What it is to comfort one another. And this in the third place, requires the Rule and Method how we should perform it, with these words; with the words of Truth, with the words of the Gospel: Which is indeed to draw the waters of Comfort out of the wells of Salvation. You have then 1. the Persons, one another; 2. the Act, Comfort; 3. the Method, with these words: Wherefore com∣fort one another with these words.

First, of the Persons one another. And indeed one man is the image of another; because the same image of God is on all. Every man is as the Text, and every man is as the Commentary. Every man is what he is, and yet one man interprets another, and declares what he is. We be as glasses each to other; and one sees in another not onely what he is, but what he may be. The Beggar is a glass for a King, and a King for a Beg∣gar. The Sheephook hath been turned into a Sceptre, and the crowns of mighty Kings have been cast to the ground. These things I write to thee, saith Plato, of Man, who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by nature and condition mutable, now on the wing for heaven, anon cleaving to the dust; now sporting in the Sunshine of prosperity, and anon beaten down with a storm; now rejoycing with his friends, and anon bewayling them; now vvith a shining, anon vvith a cloudy countenance; novv vvith a cheer∣ful, anon with a dropping eye; novv filling his mouth vvith laughter, and anon roaring for the very grief of his heart. Men are happy, saith Aristotle, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as men; as Men, vvho are turned upon the vvheel of Change, now looking tovvards heaven, and anon on the ground. Such is Man, and such is every man: And every man may see him∣self in every man. He may see himself in anothers Fear; vvhich betrays the soul, I may say scarce leaves a soul, leaves not, as Augustine speaks, cor in corde, a heart in a heart; betrays it of all its succours, of those helps which Reason or Scripture brings; and therefore in Scripture it is said to lay hold on us, to come upon us, to fall upon us, to fall upon us as a moun∣tain or Hill. A burden certainly it is; and we lye buried under it, not able to move hand or foot, not able to look towards that which might rid and ease us of it, but looking towards some Hill to hide us, or moun∣tain to cover us! Doth any man ly under this weight? Every man may. One tells another what his condition is. Again, one may see himself in anothers Grief, which is another burthen that presseth down. Why art thou cast down,* 1.2 saith David, O my soul, bowed down as with a burden:

And Psalm 40. Innumerable evils have taken hold of me, I feal the weight upon my Head: for so the phrase signifies. For heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop, saith his son Solomon; incurvat, bows it, crooken∣eth it, casts it down: it dries the bones, it dims the eyes, it dulls the spirits, it deads the Heart, it weakens the memory, it takes the man from the man, and makes him like unto those who have been dead long ago. In grief we know not what to do; we do we know not what. The hands hang down, the knees are weak, the eye is on the ground. What part is there of the body, what faculty of the soul, that can look up? And such is Man; such is every man. Is any man? then every man may be thus cast down. Alii alios; one tells another what his condition is. Yet turther, one may see himself in anothers Complaints and Repinings. Fear and Sorrow are the mother and the nurse that begin and foment all Murmuring, which is nothing else but a kind of distaste and grudging of the mind. Why dost thou set me up as a mark? saith Job; Why do thy terrours affright me? Why hast thou cast me off? saith David, Why go I so heavily all the day long? Imperari dolori silentium non potest. Fear and Grief will be asking of questions, cannot be silent. This is the foul ill-favoured issue of Fear and Grief, a Giant that fights against Heaven, a Monster that breaths its poyson in the very face of God. I call it a Monster. For it is begotten of divers passions, which meeting and in∣gendring in the heart, bring it forth to quarrel the wisdome and question the providence of God to censure his counsels, and condemn his pro∣ceedings. Why should the heathen, and the people imagine a vain thing? Why should my enemy live, and my friend dye? why should wicked men prosper in their wayes; and the righteous be trodden under foot? Why should Pharaoh sit on a throne, and the Israelites labour at the brick-kil? This doth Fear and Grief force out of the heart; and out of this abundance the mouth speaketh? And such is man; such is every man. Doth one man complain and murmur? Another may. And he that speaks to his heart to comfort him, may have the same luctations and swellings in his, which may at last break forth into the like murmurings and complaints. One man sees the changeableness of his mortal condi∣tion in another; sees that he may be every thing, and that, as the Psal∣mist speaks, he is nothing. In his best condition and in his worst condi∣tion another man is his glass. In anothers sickness he may see that disease which may seize on himself: In anothers poverty he may behold his own riches with winges. In anothers disgrace he may perceive his own honour falling to the ground: And in anothers death he may read his own mortality, and look upon himself as a living dying man. In what ap∣pearance or representation soever he beholds another, he sees either a picture or prophesie of himself. When he sees a Man, a man of sorrows, a man of fears, a man breathing forth complaints, a man washing his couch with his tears, those streams of bloud which issue forth from a wounded heart, he beholds himself. One mans necessities are but a les∣son and an argument which plainly demonstrate what another man may be. They are also a silent and powerful appeal to his Compassion, and a secret beseeching him to do unto him as he would be done unto in the like case, to be of the same mind, which certainly he will be when with this Lazar he lyes at the gates of another. ONE ANOTHER is of a large extent and compass, takes in the whole Church, I may say takes in the whole world; makes it a Church, without which it were but a scat∣terd multitude; makes it a World, without which it were but a Chaos and a confusion. One is divers from another, and that we can hardly distinguish them they are so like; a circle, whose every part is like unto

every part, and whose every part should be united in love as in a point.

I need not carry this consideration further. It is so obvious and visi∣ble that every eye sees it which the God of this world hath not blinded. We may run and read it in that relation in which men stand one to ano∣ther as Men. Nature it self hath hewed and fashioned out all mankind as it were out of the same quarry and rock, into a body or society, as a City Compact within it self.* 1.3 Look unto the rock out of which you are hewn, and to the hole of the pit, whence you are digged, Look to the common seed-plot and matter out of which you were all extracted, and there you shall see that neer relation which is between one and the another; how one man, and every man, (which makes one man as every man, and every man as that one) is not onely a child of Corruption, and kin to the Worm and Rottenness, but the workmanship of an immortal Hand, of an unlimitted Power, who hath built up one and every one in his image, and according to his likeness: Which image, though it may be more re∣splendent and improved in one then another, yet is that impression which is stampt on all. One man and every man hath the same image and superscription. From the same rock and vein are hewn out the weak and feeble man, and Ish, the man of strength. From the same hand is the face we turn away from, and the face which we so gaze on. Of the same extraction are the poor and the rich: For we are neither poor nor rich by nature. He that made that face which gathers black∣ness made also that face that shines. He that made the Ideot, made the Scribe. He that made Dives, made the Lazar at his door. And here ONE ANOTHER, is but one; the Strong as the Weak, the Wise as the Simple, the Rich as the Poor. For he that made thee casts an equal eye on them all. And who hath made all these? Have not I the Lord? And if he hath made them all, and linkt them together in one common tye of Nature quis discernet? who shall divide and separate them one from ano∣ther, the wise from the simple, the strong from the weak, the rich from the poor. One is as another; and all is but one another. Some distance some difference, some precedency may shew it self to the eye of flesh; and yet even an eye of flesh may see how to gather and reunite them together as one and the same in their original. Look unto the rock and vein out of which they were Cut, and one and another are the same.

But now besides this common extraction, the God of Nature, who hath built us out of the same materials, hath also imprinted those principles, and notions and inclinations in every man which may be as so many but∣tresses and supporters to uphold one another, and make us dwell toge∣ther as one man. He hath left a Law within us which we call the Law of Nature, which is the same in one man and in another. S. Paul calls it a Law. And one would think it were as superfluous and needless to make any Law to bind us one to another as to command children to love their Parents, or Parents to be indulgent to their children. But a Law it is within us, and our natural bent and inclination carries us to this, to love and comfort one another.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉;

could the ancient Comedian say, How gracious and how helpful a creature is one man to another, if he continue a Man, and receive no other new form, no other new impression by Self-love and these transitory vanities below, if he be not byassed and wheeled from his Natural motion by the world? And in this relation all men stand one to another by Nature. One man is as another: and every man by himself is a weak indigent creature, a tottering sinking house; if standing yet ready to sall; if rich, in a possi∣bility

to be poor; if lifted up on high, in the way to a fall; if walking delicately, yet neer to his death; subject to danger, when he hath escapt it; and open to injuries, when he offers them; when his heart is merry, neer to that evil which may swallow him up and fill him with sorrow: And therefore by his very temper and natural disposition he is a sociable creature; as needing, so desirous of those mutual offices by which we support and uphold each other. Fac nos singulos, take us a∣sunder by our selves, and what are we? But as a mark for every vene∣mous shaft; as a tottering wall, in danger of every touch; as a reed, to be shaken with every wind. Therefore Nature hath supply'd this no∣ble but weak creature, Man, with those helps which shail uphold and strengthen him against all these; first, with Reason, by which he may discover Evil in its approch and prepare against it, or take away its ter∣rour and smart when it is come; and secondly, with the Society of o∣thers, which may be as so many seconds and as a guard mutually to help and assist each other. And here their being Divers makes them more One. For as there are divers men, so there are divers gifts and divers administrations. One man exceeds in wisdome, another abounds in wealth; one man surpasseth in strength, another in providence; one man is rich, another is poor. And whatsoever distinguisheth them on earth sets them one above another; Nature hath made them equal, nay servants one to the other, to serve one another in love; The Poor man may assist the rich with his wisdome, and the Rich relieve the poor with his wealth, The Strong man may carry the Lame, and the lame direct the strong; the one may be as eyes, the other as leggs, and so make up each others defect. So ONE ANOTHER, that is, all men, may be as one.

But now, in the next place, there is a neerer relation, which binds Men together in a bond of peace, their relation in Christ. Major est frater∣nitas Christi quam sanguinis; The fraternity and brotherhood they have by Christ is a greater and neerer rye then that they have by Nature. In him they are called to the same faith, baptized in the same laver, led by the same rule, filled with the same Grace, sealed with the same seal, ransomed with the same price, comforted with the same glorious promi∣ses, and shall be crowned with the same glory. And being one in these they are to be as one in all duties and offices which are required to the perfect accomplishment of these. They must joyn hand in hand to up∣hold one another on earth, and to advance one another to that glory which is prepared for one as well as for another in heaven. And thus they are linkt together in one by Charity, which is copulatrix virtus, as Cyprian calls it, that coupling uniting virtue; which as a command lyes on every man.* 1.4 Thus our blessed Saviour in his answer to the Lawyer though he calls that commandment which binds us to the love of God the first and greatest commandment, yet adds The second is like unto it, like unto it, in respect of the same Act, say some, because by one and the same act of Charity we love both God and our Neighbour; in respect of the same Object▪ saith Chrysostome, because I therefore love my neighbour because I love God; for if I love him not for God and in God, I love him not at all, God is the principal object of my Love, because he is good, and Goodness it self: But this Goodness I see shining in his Crea∣ture, which he hath also made capable of Glory; and I cannot truly fall down and worship him, unless I love and adore him also in his Creature. For as there is an invisible union of the Saints with God, by which God hath joyned to himself and made one as it were his Church in his Son by the virtue of the holy Ghost; so is there also an union of the Saints a∣mongst

themselves, consisting in a sweet and brotherly uniting of their Souls together, which is the cementing of Gods holy Temple, the constitu∣ting and building of Christs Church. Now this union, though the eye of flesh cannot behold it, yet it must appear and shine and be resplendent in those duties and offices which must attend it. As the Head infuseth life and vigour into the whole body, so must the Members also anoint each other with this oyl of Gladness. Each member must be busie and industrious to express that virtue without which it cannot be so. Thy Charity must be active in thy Hands, in casting thy bread upon the waters; vocal in thy Tongue, in ministring a word of comfort in due season; com∣passionate in thy Heart, leading thee to the House of mourning, and making thee mourn with them that mourn, and lament with them that lament. It must be like the Sun, which casts its beams and influence on every man. Semper debio charitatem, quae cùm impenditur debitur, saith Au∣gustine, Love is a debt we owe one to another, that we may be one; a debt every man owes to every man; a debt which though I alwayes pay, I alwayes owe, and even when I pay it, I remain still a debtor.

For again, if we be Christians, then though we are many members, yet are we many members of that body,* 1.5 which is one, partakers of the same bread of life;* 1.6 nay, being many we are one bread and one body: That which was disperst into many, being gathered thus, is but one. Partakers of the same Sacraments, which our Saviour did not onely institute as me∣morials of his death, and as channels and conveyances of comfort to our sick and weary souls, but also as remembrances unto us of that debt of Charity which, unless we will forfeit our title of Christian, we are bound with cheerfulness to pay one to another. Multa sunt, sed illa multa sunt hoc unum; ONE ANOTHER includes many, but those Many are but this one mystical body. Each member is lame and imperfect by it self, and stands in need of this uniting. What the Hand is, that is the Foot; and what the Eye is, that is the Hand, in that respect it is a member; for all are members. S. Paul in the Pulpit was no more a member then the Thessalonians to whom he writ. He that is a perfect man is no more a member then he that is a new born babe in Christ: and he that is least holds his relation as well as he that is greatest in the kingdome of Christ. Now if all be members, and the same body, each must concur to cherish each other, that the whole may be preserved. Take but an Arm from the body, but a Hand from that arm, but a Finger from that hand, and the blemish is of the whole. In the Church of Christ commu∣nis metus, gaudium, timor; here we are all one, and all mens joys and sorrows and fears are one and the same. As each Man (as I told you be∣fore) so each Christian is as a glass to another, and they are mutually so. I see my sorrow in my brothers tears, and he sees his tears in my sorrow. He sees my Charity in my alms, and I see his Devotion in his prayers. I cast a beam of comfort upon him, and he reflects a blessing upon me. There is a preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Scripture which joyns men together, makes ONE ANOTHER as one, and draws a multitude to unity. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.7 Let us weep with them that weep, and lament with them that lament.* 1.8 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith the woman in the Parable, Rejoyce together with me;* 1.9 for I have found my groat. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we are fellow-citi∣zens with the Saints, They are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, together, upholding and rejoycing one another in every function. Phinehas is meek with Moses, and Mo∣ses is zealous with Phinehas. A Christian is chast with Joseph, and re∣pents with Peter; is rich with his brothers wealth, prudent with his bro∣thers wisdome, mighty with his power, and immortalized with his eter∣nity. The Angels rejoyce at our conversion, and we praise God for the

Angels joy: they ministring to us on earth, and we converse with them to heaven; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we are together in what estate soever, in joy together, and in grief together, rising and drooping both alike; suffering together, mourning together, praying together. And if we observe that form of prayer which Christ hath taught us, our prayer is not then private when we pray in private. OUR FATHER, takes in ONE ANOTHER, even the whole Church. We cannot pray for our selves, unless we pray for others also. Nay, he prayes not well, saith Calvine, that begins not with the Church. The Church prayes for every man, and every man for the whole Church. Quod est omnium, est singulorum, that which is all mens is every mans, and that which is every mans belongs unto the whole. And thus much we have found in the Object, in ONE ANO∣THER, even enough to draw on the Act: For on these three, our com∣mon Condition, our Relation as Men, and our Relation as Christians, as on a sure foundation, doth our Saviour and his blessed Apostles build us up in our holy love, build us up as so many parts mutually upholding one another, and growing up into a Temple of the Lord. These are the Principles and the Premises; and from these they draw this Conclu∣sion, That being thus linked and united and built together, we should up∣hold and comfort one another: Which is my second part, the Act it self, to Comfort, and offers it self next to your Christian consideration; CON∣SOLEMINI ALII ALIOS, Comfort one another.

To comfort is a word of a large and much extended sense and signi∣fication, spreading it self equally with all the army of sorrows and with all the evils in the world, and opposing it self to all. To comfort may be, to be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, to cloth the naked and feed the hungry, and to put the hand to uphold that which is failing. Sustentanda domus jam ruitura, saith Tully; It is as the underpropping of a house ready to sink. Comfort you, comfort you my people, saith God,* 1.10 speak comfortably to Jerusalem, LOQUIMINI AD COR, Speak to the heart of them. Speak and do something which may heal a wounded heart, rowse a drooping spirit, give it a kind of resurrection, and re∣store it to its former estate; which may work light out of darkness, content in poverty, joy in persecution, and life in Death it self. To Renew, Restore, Quicken, Lift up, Refresh, Encourage, Sustein, all those are in this one word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, comfort ye. For Alass, my brother, or, Ah his glory, are but words, verba sine penu & pecuniâ, as he in Claudius speaks, words without help, prescripts without medicine, most unactive and unsignificant words. To a man naked and destitute of food, Depart in peace, Be warmed, Be filled, are but words, but faint and liveless wishes, especially if they proceed from him who can do more, and yet will do no more, then speak and wish. They are the dialect of the Hypocrite, whose religion floats on his tongue, or is written in his forehead; whose heart is marble, when his words are as soft as butter; whose Charity is onely in picture and shew, and whose very Mercy is cruelty. For what greater cruelty can there be then to have a box of oyntment in our hand, and not to pour it forth on him that languisheth, but leave him dying, and say we wish him well! No, to Comfort is to restore and set one ano∣ther at rights again, the Erring by counsel, the Weak by assistance, the Poor by supply, the Sorrowful by sweet and seasoanble argument and per∣swasion. Otherwise it is not comfort. For what comfort is that which leaves us comfortless! which leaves the Ignorant in his darkness, the Poor in want, the Weak on the ground, and the Sorrowful man in his gulf! LOQUIMI∣NI AD COR, Speak to the Heart. If we speak not to the heart, to lift up that, our words are wind. Comfort by Counsel is very useful for

those who mourn in Sion. Rei infinitatem ejicere, optima medicina; To bound the cause of mens grief, to remove those many circumstances which increase and multiply it, and so to bring it in as it is, and shew what little cause men have to grieve, is the best Physick in this particular. Our present and future condition, our Mortality and our Resurrection, are of force enough to wipe all tears from our eyes, and to make our Grave appear as a house of rest rather then as a pit of destruction. But this is but one particular in which we are obliged to this duty Comforting one another. Charity hath more hands then Briareus, and more eyes then Argus: She hath an eye on every one, that is, as the Canonist speaketh, persona miserabilis, a miserable and wretched person. She hath a hand on every sore and malady. And yet she hath but one hand and one eye, but reached forth and rowling on every corner of the earth; where storms arise, ready to slumber and becalm them. Now to Comfort is a work of Charity: and Charity hath a double act, actum elicitum, and actum imperatum, an inward act, and outward; and the latter is the perfecting and consummation of the former. For what a poor empty Thing is a Thought or a Word without a Hand? and what an unchari∣table Thing is Comfort without Compassion? then I truly comfort my brother, when my Hand is active as well as my Heart. And yet if they be true, they are never severed: For if the Bowels yearn, the Hand will stretch it self forth: and those comforts which are sincere and real are nothing else but the largess and donatives of the Heart. It was a speech of a churl in Plautus, familiam alere non possum misericordiâ; Compassi∣on and Charity will not feed a family. But the Christian is the better husband, Qui spargit ecclesiae, colligit sibi; He that scattereth his comforts to the distressed, gathereth for himself, and in a religious policy by emp∣tying his store filleth his garners. This was the practice and the policy of the first and purest times, verba in opera vertere, to turn words into works, that they might be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, words of comfort, but quickned and enlivened with action. Frequent visitation of the sick, sustentation of the needy, gratulations and benedictions speak plainly the sickness and the heat of their Charity, and upbraid the verbal Reli∣gion of these latter times, which breaths forth ayre instead of comfort, and talks of the way to heaven but never treads in it. That was Com∣fort indeed, which clothed the naked, and fed the hungry, made the dry stick blossome, and revived the drooping spirits, as Jacobs were re∣vived when he saw the chariots which his son Joseph had sent.

To draw towards a conclusion; We must well consider from what principle this Act is wrought, from what spring it moves. For we may think we do it when we do not so much as think to do it. We may give scorn and contempt for comfort, or comfort with scorn and contempt; which is panis lapidosus, bread made up with gravel, that will trouble us in taking it down. Our comfort may proceed from a hollow heart; and then it is but a sound, and the mercy of a bloudy Pharisee. It may be ministred through a trumpet; and then it is lost in that noyse. Nay, it may be an act of cruelty, to make Cruelty more cruel: as we read of an Emperour that did never pronounce sentence of death sine perfectione clementiae, but with a preface of Clemency, a well-worded mild prologue before a Tragedy. Lastly, Comfort may be the product of Fear. We may be free in our comforts for fear of offence, and help one that we dis∣please not another. And what pitty is it that so free and noble a virtue as Charity should be enslaved. But indeed Charity is not bound; nor is that Charity which is beat out with the hammer, and wrought out of us by force. All these are false principles, Pride, Hypocrisie, Vain-glo∣ry,

Fear; and Charity issues from these as water through mud, and is defiled in the passage. Therefore it is best raised on the Law of Nature and on the royal Law of Grace. These are pillars that will sustein it. Remember them that be in adversity, as being your selves also in the body,* 1.11 in a body mortal and corruptible, a body of the same mould,* 1.12 like to that which you cherish and uphold. And then, we are to love and comfort one another even as Christ loved us, saith the Apostle.

Christ is our pattern, our motive, the true principle of Charity: and what is done it should be, though it be but the gift of a cup of cold water which is done, in his name. Then the waters of comfort flow kindly and sweetly when they relish of a bleeding heart and the bloud of a merciful Redeemer. Then this act is mightily performed when we do it as the sons of Adam and as the members of Christ,* 1.13 when we do it as men of one bloud, and of one common faith.* 1.14

And now to conclude; Let us do it, yea, let us be ambitious to do it. For as we have great motives, so we have many occasions, sad occasions, to draw it forth. Day unto day uttereth knowledge. Every day presents us with some object or other. And Occasion they say will make a thief; why should it not make a Comforter? If it can work out evil out of a corrupt, I see no reason why it should not work out this good out of a compassionate heart, why it should not work that compassion in us which will stream forth in rivers of comfort. Shall Occasion be no where powerful but in evil? I remember Chrysologus speaking of the Rich man in the Gospel tells us that God did on purpose cast Lazarus down at his gate, that he might be pietatis conflatorium, as a forge to melt his iron bowels. Tot erant pauperis ora, quot vulnera; he had so many mouths to bespeak and admonish the rich man as he had sores and wounds. His whole body, and his ulcerated flesh was as a stage prepared and fitted for Compassion and Piety to act their parts on. Here is water,* 1.15 saith the Eunuch to Philip, what now hindereth but that I may be baptized? Here is a fair opportunity, here is a Lazar at the gates; what hindreth? why doth not Compassion break forth as the morning, and Comfort spring forth suddenly? Here are sores; why do we not dress them? Here is an empty mouth; why do we not fill it? Here is a naked body; why do we not part with our vain superfluities (I might say with our own gar∣ment) to cover it? Here God speaks, and Man speaks, and Misery speaks; and are our Hearts so hard that they will not open, and so open the Mouth, and open the Hands. Shall our Pride and Scorn and not our Piety, make an answer? Beloved, God hath laid many Lazars at our Gates, presented us many sad and bleeding spectacles, laid them down at our feet, before our very eyes; it is pity we should not be as much affected with them as we are with those we never saw; that a relati∣on from a far should pierce us, and the lamentations which bring in our cares should leave us such rocks as no Moses, no Prophets of the Lord, can force one drop of water from; that we should gush out in the one and be dry in other. I could shew you many such specta∣cles: I need not shew you; for you see them every day. I could shew you naked and miserable men; I could shew you a naked and miserable Church, stript of all her ornaments, of all the glory wherewith her Mother, the persons Charity of former times, had clothed her. Her light is well-neer put out; yet the apple of our eye resteth; God hath thundred, but our earth is not melted; he hath powred forth his indig∣nation, yet his arm is not revealed unto us. Where are our sighs and lamentations? Who hath sat down and wept at the remembrance of Sion?

Nay, where was not the Garment of joy, the bed of Ivory, and the sound of the viol? Where hath Vanity more displayed it self then in the midst of those evils which were sent from God to pull it down? When were our eyes more wanton then in the midst of those ruthful objects which might put them out? When were we worse then under that discipline which should make us better? And indeed vvhat comfort can vve look for here from proud covetous vvanton men? You may look as vvell for Li∣berty in a prison, or for joy in hell, Beloved, let the same mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus; and then, and not till then, are you fit for this duty. Shake off the Love of the vvorld, vvhich he came to overcome. Cruci∣fie the Flesh, for vvhich he vvas crucified, and then you vvill love those men for vvhom he died. Then vvill you vveep over Jerusalem, as he did; strive to make up the breaches of it, and cement it even with your tears and bloud. Then will you have so much piety, as to bewayl the decay of it. Then will you be ready to reach forth the hand to them who lie in the dust; And if ye cannot help them up, ye will at least pity them. And where we cannot help, Compassion is comfort. Then shall we lay hold on every occasion of doing good, and bless God for it. Then shall we live together as Men, as Brethren, as Angels; pouring forth this oyl, and receiving it; watering, as Solomon speaketh, and being watered again. And in this mutual dispensation of blessings and comforts, helping and supporting one another, we shall be carried along in the same stream towards the Haven where we would be, and press forward as it were hand in hand to those joyes and comforts which are laid up for those who comfort one another by the God of consolation in the Kingdome of heaven. And now I should pass to my last part, the Rule or Method we must use in this Duty: but of that in the after∣noon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wis. 7.3.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 42.
• * 1.3

  Isay 51 1.
• * 1.4

  Matth. 22.38.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 12.12.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 10.17.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 12.
• * 1.8

  Luc. 16.
• * 1.9

  Eph. 2.
• * 1.10

  Isa. 40.1.
• * 1.11

  Hebr. 13.3.
• * 1.12

  1 Cor. 15.53.
• * 1.13

  Acts 17.26.
• * 1.14

  Tit. 2.4.
• * 1.15

  Act. 8.