"Irr:1"1-44!"..4:"'Carr:,. C H A P.3 . Epi,/fle to the Thefraloniant. V a R.S, 4 And why (hould we fancy pertè Lion of loue, where ï Inch y imperfeóion of knowledge and obedience? 5 Or thinke our hearts more perfectly re6hfied in loue, then in feare, hope, faith, or other vertue and holy affcótion? Whofe mixtures with their contraries, and fightings a- gainfl them, we daily experiment. I eahly giue Papills leaue to thinke charitie is, or may bee profit in this life : they meane to peri(h in their pride. For my part Iam of Bernard: miede; charitatùaffe luaus initiu s quidam prop-ef umque, &c. Beginnings, and pro- ceedings of affe5 ions charitie, we receive in this life ; per - feaion and confummation therein, we maintaine to be the priuiledge of the life to come. Tis poore comfort which corruption affords; and that almoll as poore, which afi6tion. Yet commonneffe of afil:ion, not the Poet onely, but z the Apcfile makes ground of comfort. Thefame of i'iîfions are accompleht in your brethren, which are in the world. And why not, this fame kinde of folace ? The fame imperfec`t:onsare in your brethren, that are m the world; in all Saints that euer haue beene, are, or ¡ball bee to the end of the world. who can fay I haue made my heart cleane, I am clean fro.n my fnne? From my finne in all meafures? Behold, wecor ;Ili9t all with doubtings,with diflruP,with difpaire, with new itie : and not, txow you, with felfe loue ? Its well that we con(li6, and maintaine the combate, though with Lome lodes ; its tigne we fight on Gods fide, there is hope certaine, wee (hall at IA bee conquerours. I fay as the Apoflle, comfort your felues one another, euen with thefe things. Yet ray, as the Apofile here dirc5s, and at hie by all meanes to grow in this grace, to bee b rooted and groun- ded in loue, the rather for that its fo auaileable to perfeue- rance. Much water ° cannot quench loue, neither can the floods drowne it : if a man would giue all the fubflance of his houfe for loue,it would utterly be contemned. See os'poc.12. ii. Heb.t r.35. 'P carpe vrged by the Proconfull to fpare his age, by R 3 blafphe- 245 Y t Cor.t3.9. 7Jfe I. 2. z t Pet. s.9. c ; Pro,zo.9. 3. b Ephcf.3.r7. Obier. Caot.8.7. ^ sL k'l r v , . ì l'ti
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