The Plrleftionofour Loue how to be difcouered. after Afhwednefday. Serm.3. Secondly,he reduceththis perfectionto theloue ofour enemie, becaufeit is a furepledge for Heauen. WhenElias andB4a15 Priefts were bothof them to Offer Sacrifice in triall of the true God, it was conditioned, That that God that should fenddownefire fromHeauenvpon the Alter,fhould bee held tobee the true God. Beals Priefts ball'd vponhim, but all would not doe : but Elias, when hehad letvp hisAlter with the woodvpon it , the beafts about it, and hadpoured waterthereupon, tothe filling vpoftheTrench, he hadno fooner pour'd forthhis Prayer , but fuchgreat ftore of firedefcended from Heauen, that itburnt the fleth,.the wood, the(tones, and likewife wafted and confumed the water. That it fhouldburn the beafts, the wood, and the ftones, it was no fuchwonder ; butthat it fhouldtake holdon it's contrarie , which is water,it was a manifeft fgne, thatit was the fireofHeauen.That yourloue fhould cleaue to your owne flefh& bloud, it is notmuch ; that itfhould take holdofthe wood andftone,that likewife is no great wonder ; but thatit fhould worke on it's con- trarie,on one that defirestomake an endof thee,& to confume thee,this is louè indeed,this is charitie,this isthe fire ofHeauen. Thirdly , The loue toour enemie dothmore difcouerthe perfectionof our loue ; becaufe it is without any hope oftemporal! reward. Elif r* filled the widdowsemptie crufes with Oyle ; and thou mutt replenifhwith thyloue and goodworkes thofc emptie breftsthat hauenothing in them to deferue it. For where there islouse deferuingneffe,and reafonof merit, the Gentile& the Pub- licandoe the like. Fourthly, Ir argueth more perfection; for thatthe loue ofour enemie is that gloffewhich lets before our eyes ourowne faults and offences. When Shimei reprochedDauid to his face, and gaue him buchopprobrious language, that his Captaines andCommanders thatwere then abouthires were impatientof it,and would hauekilled him ; Dauid withftood it , andwould not buffer themtotake awayhis life ; andthe reafon was, becaufe itput him inmind ofhisown fumes ; andhe that lookes well vpon his owne, takes no great notice ofanother mans. And this imuli' him to fay, Peccatummeumcontra me elffemper, cíbtyfinne marres more againft methan mineenemie.Againe, thoughthy enemie doe perfecure thee withoutacaufe,it is notwithout caufe,that thou dooft thus fuller; for (asTertul- lianbath it) Nullus iniuftépatitur, Tto manfuffers wrongfully : So that thou mull not looke fo muchvponhim that iniuresthee, as vpon thine ownefinnes,for the which God permits them to iniure thee. It is [erodes; Who ewerPaid, Let it bee done, though theLordcommandit not ? Let vsfearch ourowne wayes : Take but thy life intoexamination,and thouwilt find,that thy fumesdeferue athoufand times more. Dauid wouldbynomeans confenr, that his People fhould reuenge thofe difgracefull words whichShimei fpakeunto him ; and What was the reafon Onelyfor thathe wasGods Innrument.S. Aufien,vpon the 3 r Pfalme,pondering thofe words of lob, Dominus dedit, Dominus abflulit, TheLord bath giuen,and the Lordbathtaken ; noteth, That hedid not fay, Dominusdedit, Diabolus ab holìY,The Lordgaue, andtheDeuilltoeke away : For thofcwhips and fcourges which God fendeth, though they be infiidedvponvs by the hands of the Deuill , yet are we toaccount them tocome fromGod. Out of the whole driftof thisChapter,.Iwill inferreonedeere and manifeft confequence,which isthis, If tohate our enemie be fomuch condemned both ofHeauen andEarth,thofeexceffesand exorbitances which fall out vpon this occafion (be it inrefpe lof the timeandplace,or ofthe perfon,orthe aû it felf, orourdeepedifaffe lion) .they areall ofthem here condemned. Two 57 The perfetli- on ofourloue how to be dif. couered. Our Enemies are butGods Infruments, who by them Both pundit vsfor mans.
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