A saints monument, or, The tomb of the righteous the foundation whereof was laid in a sermon preached at Knath in the county of Lincoln at the solemn interment of the corps of the right honourable and truly religious Lady Elizabeth, wife of the right honourable Francis, Lord Willughby, Baron of Parham, March 26, 1661, and since finished : whereunto is annexed her exemplary and unparalleled conversation / by Wil. Firth, M.A. and chaplain to the right honourable Francis Lord Willughby, Baron of Parham.

DIRECTION VII.

AS to our Brethren in the World, those with whom we have to live, the men that we converse among two things only.

1. Walk in love, then may one be said to be in love, when love hath the command, when it is supreme: as a man may be said to be in drink, when that hath got the predominancy. Thus you should not onely love, but be servants of it, which is to have the same mind in us, that was in Christ Jesus: and though this be a primer Lesson, one of the first rudiments, to love our neighbour as our self; yet there is need that some hear it repeated over again, for they have not learned it yet. Consider these things.

1. To love one another is the command of God, the new command of Christ, and that it should be more cheerfully obeyed, he hath set us an example, such a one as was never set before, that one should dye for his e∣nemies, 1 John 3. 23. and this is the commandement, That we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us command.

2. To love one another, is a sign that God loves us, for this produceth a similitude with God, which is a ground of love. 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby perceive wee the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one ano∣ther.

3. To love one another testifies the truth to be in us. 1 John 4. 20. If a man say he loves God, and yet hateth his brother, he is a Lyar. He is not in Christ

who is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the truth and the life, John 3. 19.

4. To love one another, is the great hinge of soci∣ety the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that wherein Christians have been taught from the beginning.

5. Love is a necessary consequence of Gods love to us, the end of that love was to generate its likeness in man, as Christargues his mercy and perfection; and humility and righteousness, &c. to do; all aime at producing their likeness in the soul, thus love, 1 Jobn 4. 11. Beloved if God so loved us we ought to love one another; there should be a conversion into the nature of God by considering the love of God.

6. Love is of the nature of God, 1 John 4. 7, 8. 12, 13. 16. Let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God; and knoweth God, he that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love; no man hath seen God at any time, if we love one another God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. God is love and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him. And if we consider, love is of equal existence with the supream being, the first emanation of God, and the Original glimpse, the morning, or first dawning of his person was not visi∣ble, or knowable under any notion before this, to wit his love, for that broke forth in the first creation as Anteeedan cons to his power: and how doth the A∣postle John run immediately to the explanation of the grand mystery of the Trinity, from the pretious considering of the love, 1 John 5. 7. for if we rightly consider we shall find that Demiurgical love, hath the same propinquity and affinity to the divine na∣ture,

and is as apparent at the first view; as Ori∣ginal goodnesse the sourse of life, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the all comprehensive wisdom hath.

And lastly, To love one another testifies that we are past from death to life, 1 John 5. 4. Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him that is begot∣ten, and he that doth this is born of God, which is a passing from death to life; 1 John 3. 14. We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren, he that loveth not his brother a∣bideth in death. And 1 John 1. 1. unto the 4 verse, there are remarkable passages; we may gather these notes.

1. Though the fall or first sin brought man into the state of death, yet there was life in the bosome of the Father, verse 1.

2. Those who were eye-witnesses of this life, were so gratiously qualified with the communicative nature, received from Christ, that they imparted the knowledge of this life to us, that we should not dis∣cern our selves in the state of death without hope of escaping, verse 2.

3. The Lords wisdom appeared so much in this communication, that the first message that should be delivered, should be the first ground of credency, namely that God is light and in him there is no dark∣ness at all, verse 5. Who cannot deceive nor be decei∣ved.

4. To say we partake of the nature of God, and have a resemblance to his image, and yet not be of this communicative spirit, not to love our brethren; This is to lye, and that is deceipt and darknesse, con∣trary to God who is light, and contrary to Christ who is truth: that must need be a lye and darknesse

that opposeth the first principle of credit to wit, that God is light, verse 6.

5. The fellowship or communion with, or partici∣pation of this light, and truth and life, is manifested by this; our love one to another, our communication one to another. And this is a passing from death to life, from darkness to light, for illumination enlivens and the more the soul partakes of the light or the more it is conformed to the first principle of truth, the more it is a live: so that to affirm signs of life where thcre is no love to the brethren; is all one as to affirm expert∣ness in the way when one is born blinde and could never see. Sin is death, grace life, which grace must be measured according to the Law, which Law the Apostle epitomizeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gal. 5. 14. The Law is in a word Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self; and in this similitude the pattern of righte∣ousness, the image of God is placed, as well as in knowledge and dominion. This is the conformity to the Law, which will speak one just, the great Law is, saith Christ, there is one God to be believed; and the Law like unto this, is, That we must love our neigh∣bours as our selves. Evangelical righteousness con∣sists in a participation of the nature of Christ, I mean in fore humane, now was not this substantial love as conspicuous in his life as his holiness or as his great∣ness or truth? so that that must needs witness it self to be a branch of that tree of life which brings forth the same fruits.

The world may be fitly divided into two sorts Terrestrial or Celestial.

1. Terrestrial 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sprung from the earth or cheaked up with the earth, who sit yet in their Cave-door, and have no light sprung up among them, onely sensual light that will gratifie the vegetations of the life of the body; and these are not stamped with this love; nor partake of this life, but are these the Apostle speaks of who are dead while they live.

2. Celestial or heavenly, who are translated into the limits of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Royal Law. (Roy∣al, that which Christ the King gave originally to all beings, for enmity was a lapse) For every King, if he himself have a propensity to love as Christ had, and see how sweet this will make all his commands to all people, he will enjoyn this in them first, for whatso∣ever prompts him to enjoyn such Laws as they will will ingly obey; it must be the same thing that makes them willingly obey what he enjoyns. And this is love which is the fulfilling of the Law.)

These celestial are they who have the fast tye of the Law even within them, not to sink into carnal flesh pleasings, but are vigorously set on motion, and that motion facilitated, by the spiritual life; grounded on love. And in these the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit: now the mark whether we be under the Royal Law, and so have left the state of death (which is the obedience to the whispers of the earthly part, and han∣kering to satisfie the contractive lump of the flesh that narrow vessel, far from free emanativeness and communion that is in the voluntary subjects of the

Royal Law) this mark I say is love one to another, he that loveth not his brother abi∣deth in death. And this is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to simplifie our selves and reduce our selves to the O∣riginal, an investing our selves of the righteous son, verse 16. In love the Law is obeyed in will though there want the explicite act, John was well rooted in this love and he found that it would grow up into obedience, therefore he is at, keep his commandments so frequently in this first Epistle: he was sensible of the pleasure of obedience where love was the motive, none dived so deep into this bosome mystery as he did, surely he was inflamed by Christs love, and soft∣ned by that fire which made his heart be in such a melting frame; sure he discerned how this love knit him, and changed him into the similitude and con∣verted him into the nature of the stock whereinto he was ingrafted, as a mixture of juyce doth in plants, and this made the Apostle honour it so much, and indeed there is a sweet resemblance with God where the soul is swallowed up in this love, this characterizeth a Disciple, and how can it be but there shall be some conversion into the fire when the gold hath laid long in it. The sparks of love from God, (for he loved us first) they should take place and diffuse themselves and kindle all objects about them, and so they will if the matter be not very grosse and obdurate, thus it should be with hearts. Thus if we live as we ought, or as those who expect to dye, we should live in love as God doth, who can no more hate that which is not irregular, then hee can bee

blind to love it as essentially in God, as power or good∣nesse, or being: so that we have found all along in the severall appearances of God, that goodnesse or love hath been the Medium, the Rise, the Spring, the Beame, the Chariott, the Vehicle of all comfortable Discoveries that have been made ever since the World was. Now were this Principle tightly settled in our hearts, wee should •••• willingly be one anothers Servants, as we desire to bee Masters. And those Laws would easily bee obeyed, where the Principle of obe∣dience is the Rule of the Command: and could wee looke upon our selves as Members one of ano∣ther, we should seeke our Brothers good equally with our own.

2. As to our Brethren. VValke in the Spirit of Meeknesse, bear with one another, bee not bitter, except you be sure you do not erre: for else you make your selves Judges, and so not doers of the Law, but Popes, or worse if possible: Live at peace with all men, set not your own Torches as the Sun to others, vvhereby they must reckon day, and from which they must borrow their light. There are many like Thendas that would be some∣body, but they are not willing to bee so, except their Brethren bee no body. They would stand but not so onely, but it must be by anothers fall: who fall from the Spirit of Christ, will break the bruised Reed and quench the Smoaking, nay the fla∣ming Flax; that cannot doe a good Worke, but come see my zeale, and in this their Brother must bee overlooked: You have all one Father, all one Hea∣ven,

all going to the same place, fall not out by the way; you differ in judgement, but you are all Christians; therefore be not one anothers enemies, durst any of you swear or take it upon your salvation that yours is the way which God will be worshipped in, or do you think you are so certain that you are in the right, that you are beyond the capacity of being in an error. If not, then how know you but your brother may be in the truth, and will you let him be to you as an enemy, be∣cause he tells you the truth, or are you willing your brethren should do so to you had they power? The Apostle bids every man be perswaded in his own mind, however it is fowl play amongst brethren in fight∣ing, to strike when your brother is down. Joseph did not disown his brethren though they had sold him, Gen. 45. but come near I pray you I am Joseph your bro∣ther whom you sold into Aegypt, if your brethren have dealt so with you, requite you good for evil, and that will heap coals of fire, soonest kindle his affections in love to you; what if they be more despicable, yet they are your relations? What if they have not on the same apparel or the same trimming, yet hold they not the same natures, and as straight bodies? are they not sons because their coats are of another colour? must all the children be disinherited, because they are not all made directly after the proportions of the Eldest, or strongest? should the heire disown all those that are his brethren, because they are either of greater or lesser stature then himself, he would be judged to vary from his father, that would not do it: though they have not a right to the inheritance, yet they

have to their Legacy, of as infallible a conveyance as is his, and of as firm a tenure: who ought to be beaten because they cannot see, except it be those who have put out their eyes? should not the weak in faith be received, and yet not to doubtlesse disputations: What if your Brothers Pallate rellish flesh, and yours Fish, and anothers Herbs; who dare make his own tooth the standard for anothers dyet? Peter was for Circumcision, Paul against it; but they neither of them endeavoured to imprison their Ad∣versary. If Paul would abstaine from any one one kind of food to satisfie his brother, why may not I abstain from one kind of Rayment? is not food more then Rayment? if he would abstain from the eating of flesh, then he would not scruple abstaining from such a certain joint. 1 Thessalon. 4. 9. I wish it might be said of Christians in England, as Paul speaks to the Thessalonians: that as concerning bro∣therly love, they need not be written to. Take Peters directions, where there is heart purity, though there may not be a perfect conformity, yet Love, yet bear with one another. 1 Peter 1. 22. seeing that ye have purifyed your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit, See, that ye love one ano∣ther with a pure heart fervently. Or 1 Pet. 3. 8. Finally, be all of one mind; but if the Objection should be put in that all are not, then see vvhat fol∣lows; having compassion one of another, Love one a∣nother as brethren, be pitifull, be courteous, not ren∣dring evill for evill, nor rayling for rayling, but blessing, knowing that thereunto ye are called. Fathers and brethren, do we not all bear the same Image? though we may not be of the same stature, nor wear the

same apparell, yet we are a kin in Christ: And why should your garment be an example or a binding rule to me, more then mine? have we not all the same Father? Right to the same Inheritance, Title to the same Crown? are we not all Heirs of the same purchase? one can claime nothing by birth-right more then another, and shall any man go about to defraud his Brother in what there is the same right to, with himself. Can any man take away the Liberty from me, of determining in mine own mind, more then of thinking? Consider the Relation; you are Brethren, and wrong is in-consistent with Bro∣ther-hood, though not as to the being, yet as to the Lawfulnesse. Thus when Moses found two of the Hebrews striving, See how hee ap∣plyes himself to them. Acts 7. 26. And the next day hee shewed himselfe to them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, Saying, Sirs, Yee are Brethren, why do yee wrong one another. Thus did Judah also con∣cerning Joseph, when his brethren were going to banish him, shall I say, nay to kill him, see how hee bespeaks their Compassion. Gen. 35. 26, 27. And Judah said to his Bro∣thren, What profit is it that wee slay our Brother, and conceal his blood? Come let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; For he is our Brother and our Flesh. And this was Abraham's motive for

peace with Lot. Gen. 13. 8. And Abra∣ham said unto Lot, Let there bee no strife I pray thee between mee and thee, between my Heards-men and thy Heards-men, for wee are Brethren. Oh! What a Consideration would this bee for peace, and for bearing with one a∣nother: You are Brethren, doe noe wrong; let not your hands bee upon your Brethren, let there bee noe strife among Brethren. This will bee an encouragement to the Enemie 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. When Brother and Brother goe to Warre the Stranger will encou∣rage himselfe. cum pectus amici cum felle, & Lingua veneno suffusa est, when those that lay in the same Wombe, live in deadly hatred, Oh! how great a curse may this bring? and behold this is the ready way to Desolation, when Bro∣ther is set against Brother, Neighbour against Neighbour.

Isaiah 19. 1, 2, 3: The Heart of E∣gypt shall melt in the midst of it. And you may see the way how GOD will bring this to passe. Verse 2. I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians, and they shall fight every one a∣gainst his brother, and every one against his neigh∣bour, City against City, and Kingdome a∣gainst Kingdome, and the Spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof,

Let us therefore as many as are Brethren in the Lord approve our selves such. May not one say of ••s, to consider the strict command of our Saviour, and our dissonant practice, that if his command be Evangelice, nos male sumus Evangelici: if those be Christs enemies who disobey, then we are not his friends. Tempestate contentionis serenitas charitatis ••••••••bilatur, we blind the truth and darken it by our despite one to another, we consume our grace by the heat of our contention. Brethren, for so give me leave to stile all that fear the Lord and would walk in the spi∣rit of Love: Will it not be sad to the publick interest of souls, poor captives, when the Embassadours of peace, in semet ipsos versi mutuis cadunt vulneribus, when they destroy one another in the way? in the mean time, do not poor souls continue in captivity, and in their enmity? That is a well managed power where those in subjection can kindly greet one ano∣ther. When Philip King of Macedon had contentious servants, as on a time he was relating to Damarathus his design of attempting the Government of all Greece Amarathus reproved him, telling him he was very un∣fit for such a command, who had not setled peace in his own Family. So we may conclude they are unfit to govern their Brethren who are not at peace with them, unfit to be Embassadours to reconcile God and man, who themselves are not at peace with their brethren. Ioint-Embassadours, Ministers I mean, ought not to differ about their private instructions if they can agree about their publique. God never revealed any private Command. but he would have that man follow it to whom it is revealed: yet it is not ob∣ligatory

to him that stands by, and hath it not re∣vealed to him. God had a particular message for Moses into Egypt, whereto he was bound: yet this was not obligatory to all the rest of the Tribe: if we pretend our errand to sinners, to be the same, to re∣concile them to the same God, to lead them to the same Heaven, Shall any one endeavour to stop all because they will go in another way? God forbid. Or shall they stand in contest which way the Lamb shall be carried home until the wolf come and make a prey of it? God forbid. I have read a passage concerning Ari∣stides and Themistocles, which doth very much s〈…〉〈…〉 with the posture of the Christian Ambassadours in England, they being sent by their Emperour, both to one City about some weighty Affairs, to negoti∣ate a business of concernment: as they were on their Iourney, through some small occasion, they fell out in their way and grew to words, so they were both almost discouraged from prosecuting their de∣sign: which when Aristides saw, at last recollecting himself, bespake Themistocles after this manner, Sir, You and I are now in a strange Land, a∣mong those who could make this their desire that our businesse should miscarry: we must re∣turn also to our own Place, and give an account of our negotiation, and the matter in hand, as it is weighty, so is it difficult, and one of us is not like to perform it well, and I judge that we have not leisure now to dispute: Let us first dispatch our businesse for vvhich wee are come for, our imployment allotted us by our Country: it vvill be soon enough to renevv the quarrell, when our vvork is done and vve returned home. Thus

Ministers, surely brethren, wee who are joint-Em∣bassadours, ought to doe our worke to reconcile Sinners, to plead our Saviours cause, to pro∣mote our LORDS glory, to strengthen our Christs Kingdome, to make sure of Heaven, and then if wee have any time after wee come thither then renew the quarrell, then be bitter and severe one to another.