THis verse may be referred both to the 8. and also to the 9. verse, as a probation of either.

If to the latter end of the 8. then it containes a Syllogisme, onely there is a Crypsis of the Maior. Thus,

If you referre it to the 9. verse, then it proueth by the same argument, that all the law is comprehended in the loue of our neighbour. Thus,

And then out of this is inferred according to the 8. verse, that Loue is the fulfilling of the Law.

So, in this verse are two propositions; the second inferred out of the first, and the first the ground of the second.

The first proposition, Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour.

The arguments disposed in this proposition are the cause, loue: and the effect denyed, doth no ill; amplified by the Pa∣tient, to his neighbour.

The affirmatiue effect, doth any good; but the negatiue is set downe that it may haue the better correspondence with the 9. verse, where onely negatiues are repeated; but the affirma∣tiue is included; and so by a figure, lesse is said, and more is signified. Loue not onely doth no hurt, but also doth good: * but because this is not alwaies in the power of him that loueth, he saith not, doth good; but, not euill; and in this, the other necessarily to be vnderstood; for, as one saith well, subtrahere debitum bonum est malum, * to subtract or not to doe the due good, is euill.

Loue; the holy loue of my neighbour, proceeding from the loue of God.

No ill: mischiefe, damage, hurt, or sinne; for in the second table euery sinne is to the hurt of our neighbour.

Ill, is either of omission, or commission: and either are three-fold: 1. in fact; 2. in word; 3. in desire.

1. In fact, three waies: 1. either about his single person, in the sixth commandement: 2. or his person conioyned in the seuenth commandement: 3. or his goods, in the eight commandement.

2. In word, in the ninth commandement.

3. In desire, in the tenth commandement.

He that loueth will breake none of these either in commit∣ting or omitting.

The illation: Therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law.

What loue? and what law? The loue of our neighbour; and the whole law or decalogue: for though in proper speaking, the loue of our neighbour is but the fulfilling of the second table; yet the loue of God is necessarily supposed, because that flowes from this; and so sometime the loue of God is na∣med alone, where both are vnderstood, for the necessary connection of the tables. Also the Apostles brings forth the commandements of the second table, rather then of the first, because it is more easie for vs to discerne true obseruers of the law, by the second then by the first.

Charity toward our neighbour is the fulfilling of the law; Therefore Charity simply: Therefore our loue to God is to bee demonstrated by our loue to our neighbour.

The doctrines are two according to the propositions, in their very words. The second, that loue is the fulfilling of the Law, is proued before verse 8.

The first, that loue doth no ill to his neighbour, 1 Cor. 13.5, 6. Charity thinketh no euill, it reioyceth not in iniquity.

Also, it is proued from the rule Ephe, 5.29. No man hateth his owne flesh, but cherisheth himselfe: and true loue is to our neighbour as to our selues.

Also from the contrary. To doe ill, is to breake the law. But loue is the fulfilling of it. Non potest peccari per illam, qua Page  51legis est perfectio: * We cannot doe ill by that which is the per∣fection and fulfilling of the law, said Ambrose.

The Papists from hence inferre two things: that wee can keepe the law, and that we are iustified by charity.

To the first.

He that loueth, keepeth the law: but how? euen as hee loueth: if he loue perfectly, hee perfectly keepes the law: if imperfectly, then he keepeth it imperfectly.

But we cannot keepe it perfectly in this life, which is necessa∣ry to iustification, as they meane keeping; * for Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the Law, and, in many things we offend all. We know in part onely, and accor∣ding to our knowledge is our loue. Though in the regenerate there be a perfection of parts, yet not of degrees in this life. * Saint Augustine also saith thus, Charitas inchoata, incheata iu∣stitia est: prouecta, prouecta iustitia est: Charitas magna, magna iustitia est: Charitas perfecta, perfecta iustitia est. Our righ∣teousnesse is according to our charity, which is not perfect in this life.

To the second.

Perfect fulfilling of the law may iustifie: But loue in the concrete is not such fulfilling, but in the abstract.

The Apostle here propounds that which ought to be in the concrete, but not that which is. Perfect fulfilling is propoun∣ded to vs as a patterne, to the which we ought to conforme, not as a thing to be attained in this life.

True charity is not to do hurt, but good to our neighbour, [Ʋse 1] to doe good rather then to receiue: else it is selfe loue, not the loue of our neighbour: I must loue my neighbour for his owne sake.

A man loues his horse, his meat, &c. for the good hee re∣ceiues by them; but we must loue our neighbour for himselfe, otherwise wee put no difference betweene a neighbour, and a horse: now the best good wee can doe for our neighbour, is to bring him to God, and saue his soule.

All the Law is comprehended in loue, and loue doth no ill, [Ʋse 2] but keepes all the commandements; as a good mother tends all her children, and carefully nourisheth them.

Loue is a Mother: the ten commandements, are her ten children, she forgets none, is vnkinde to none, neglects none, fulfileth all.

Dauid had an instrument of ten strings: loue is that instru∣ment, the tenne strings are the tenne commandements, if one string bee out of tune the harmony is marred; so the breaking of one commandement destroyes loue, and cor∣rupts it, as one dead flye the pretious ointment of the Apo∣thecary.

The law is copulatiue, founded and comprehended in cha∣rity; * vertues are coherent: He that said, Doe not commit adul∣tery, said also, Doe not kill. Endeuour then to keepe euery commandement if thou wouldest auoyd the curse of the law. For, then shall I not bee ashamed, saith Dauid, when I haue respect to all thy commandements. * Charity is a good Ca∣tholike.

Charity fulsils the law. [Ʋse 3] Out loue is discerned by our o∣bedience to the law.

If you say Charity, suppose doing good: for it is as possible to separate heate from the fire, and light from the Sunne, as good workes from Charity.

Many speake of charity, and deepely protest it; but words will not carry it. It is the shame of Christians, that charity is so much in our tongues, and so little in our hands.

There are many which without any wit can turne house and land into smoake, as our idle Tobacconists; but to turne the fume and breath of loue into workes, requires wit and grace too.

Shew me thy faith by thy charity, and thy charity by thy workes; Let vs not loue in tongue onely, but in deed and truth, saith Saint Iohn. * Ama vt videam, let mee see thy loue as well as heare it, for a verball loue is like a painted fire, for shew, not for vse.

Loue is a substantiue, it must bee seene, felt, and vnder∣stood.

Charity is a beautifull Lady, which desires to be seene; she is no Nun; she is not of that religion: she is conuersant abroad, doing good to her neighbours.

Faith alwayes keepes within to defend the conscience; but charity is alwayes without feeding the poore, visiting the sicke, &c. The proper act of faith, is to receiue; of loue, to giue and distribute; of faith, to doe our selues good; of loue to doe good to our neighbour; and this is the fulfilling of the law.

As the Moone among the lesser stars, [Vse 4] so is charity among the graces, called a more excellent way, * then things greatly ex∣celling. I would we were sicke of loue, as the Church in the Canticles: and yet loue is not a sicknesse, * but the sanitie of the soule.

What is loue more then other vertues?

Loue is the comfort of life. If a poore man liue in a towne where loue is, he cannot want; for loue will vndoe all locks; and if a rich man want loue towards his poore neighbour, he is as if he had lost the key of his money cupboard.

If a wicked man dwell where loue is, hee shall haue good counsell, good admonition, good examples, good pray∣ers, &c.

If a man be rich, and not beloued, his life is miserable, &c.

Loue is the spirit of pietie and good life: Non faciunt bonos aut malos mores, nisi boni vel mali amores; as our loue is, * so are our manners, said Augustine.

Loue is the life of faith, Iames 2.17. * He that doth any hurt to his neighbour, though he be not a fratricide, yet is fideici∣da, a killer of faith, said Saint Bernard.

Loue is the strength of the Common-wealth: A Citie diui∣ded cannot stand, Matth. 12. as stones without morter in a building, so are men without loue in a Common-wealth.

Loue is the Nurse of the Church, Ephes. 4.16. So Tertullian, Corpus Ecclesiae, fibula charitatis connexum crescit in deum. The body of the Church being buttoned and knit together in loue, groweth vp in God.

Loue is the soule of the law. Where there is loue, * there needs no law, but where there is law, there needs loue, as Heathen wise men haue obserued.

Nay loue can doe more then all lawes. There are good lawes against theft, murder, drunkennesse, whoredome, &c. and yet there are many offenders: but if there were loue, none of Page  54these euils would be done to our neighbours: Will a man take away his life, whom he loues? and for the sauing of whose life, hee will venture his owne? it cannot bee; and so of the rest.

Thus, and much more excellent is loue: as the tongue of Angels is nothing without loue, so it is not sufficient to com∣mend loue: The law therefore, non dispendium sed compen∣dium consecuta est, hath not lost but gotten, by being reduced into one precept of loue.

Let vs labour for loue: The Corinthians had abundance of knowledge, but they wanted loue, and were rent into Schismes: we are sicke of the Corinthian disease; I wish wee were truely humbled for it, that we might be healed.

If thou wishest well to the Church of England, liue in loue.

If thou wishest well to thine owne soule, and desirest to keepe the law, * loue thy neighbour: Magnus Doctor chari∣tas, said Saint Chrysostome, Loue is a great Doctor. It will teach vs to obey the Magistrate, to reuerence the Minister, to reliue the poore, to doe good to all, and hurt to none: and to doe these things, * willingly and freely: Therefore called a royall law, and of libertie, by Saint Iames: yea it makes vs very seruants to our neighbours, as Saint Paul affirmes: The Lord giue vs this loue.