example of singular love found in ourselves for us to imitate. He saith not, as he loveth thee; or, as he is beloved of others; but, as thyself. Who knows not how well he loves himself? and therefore who can excuse himself, and say, I know not how well I should love my neighbour? But how do we love ourselves? Feignedly, or coldly, or for an hour? I trow not; but truly, and zealously, and every hour. So we must love our neighbour with a true, zealous, and a constant love. We must not pass by, as the Priest and the Levite; but pour our oil into their wounds, with the Samaritan, to help, to relieve them, and comfort them. We must love our neighbour, though he be envious: as David loved Saul, requiting good for evil; and as Joseph loved Potiphar, not enticed to sin against him. Love is the fulfilling of the law. It beginneth young, with Moses, to resist the oppressor; and endeth not in old age, but desires to perish for the beloved's preservation; it calleth infants in the street, with Wisdom, to learn; comforts the imprisoned, with Habakkuk ; visiteth the sick and possessed, with our Saviour; covereth the multitude of offences; and shall find this last comfort, Come, ye blessed. (Mat. xxv. 34.) To which joy He brings us that with His love from everlasting death hath bought us.

THE CENSURE OF CHRIST UPON THE LAWYER'S

ANSWER.

"AND He said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."-Luke x. 28.

Now we are come to the answer of Christ unto the lawyer's question. The question was, What must I do to inherit eternal life? The answer is, Do that which thou hast said, that is, Love God, above all, and thy neighbour as thyself, and thou shalt live, thou shalt inherit eternal life. Where first it is to be observed, that though this lawyer came with a mind to tempt Christ, yet because he had truly alleged what was written in the law, (Deut. vi. 5,) our Saviour Christ approveth his answer, and commendeth him for it: whereby we are taught, to like and allow of those good things that we see in any, though they be

our enemies.

Many there are that, if their enemy be endued with many excellent virtues, yet they will not acknowledge it, nor give him his due commendation; but rather seek by all means to disable him, and disgrace him, and dispraise him behind his back. If he be temperate and sober, then they say, as it was said of John the Baptist, He hath a devil: (Luke vii. 33 :) if he be sociable and familiar, then they say, as it was said of Christ, Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber: (Luke vii. 34:) if be be learned, they say as Festus said of Paul, Much learning doth make thee mad: if he be a good housekeeper, they call him a Papist: if he be religious, they call him a precisian: yea, if he be a prophet, yet, if he tell the truth, they account him their enemy, (Gal. iv. 16,) as Ahab termed Elijah. (1 Kings xxi. 20.) And as the same Ahab cared not to hear Micaiah, because he hated him, (1 Kings xxii. 8,) so they despise the doctrine, and

mislike the sermon, because they hate the man that preacheth it.

These kind of people are like their father the devil, who both by his name and nature is an accuser of the brethren. (Rev. xii. 10.) He could not give Job a good word, though he were a just man that feared God; (Job i. 1;) and no marvel, for he could not speak well of God Himself. (Gen. iii.) But Christ is of another mind; for though this lawyer were His tempter, yet doth He allow his answer. So though a man be thine enemy, yet let him have his due: if he be learned, report no less of him if he be an honest man, defame him not: if he be humble, say not he is proud: if he be liberal, say not he is miserable: if he deal justly, say not he is unconscionable: and if he hath anything in him that is praiseworthy, (as there is no man but hath some good thing in him,) acknowledge it, report it, and commend him for it, though he be thine enemy. But here again we see, that though Christ commend this lawyer for his answer, yet doth He not commend him for anything else: to teach us, that as we must give every man his due, so we must give no man more than his due. The lawyer had answered directly to Christ's demand; therefore Christ commends his saying: but the lawyer had not done so well as he had spoken; therefore Christ doth not commend his doing. So the words of many are commendable, but their works are most detestable. If you come to their sermons, you shall hear them speak marvellous well; but if you look into their lives, you shall find them far differing from their profession. They are like our bells, which can call the people together to the service of God, but cannot perform any service to God: so these men can give good counsel to others, but cannot follow it; they can teach the people to know the will and pleasure of God, but they go not about to do the will of God, that the people might be moved by their example to do the same. And if you seem to mislike their doings, then, as Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisees, they sit in Moses' seat, (Mat. xxiii. 2,) so they answer for themselves, Do as we say, and not as we do. A bad excuse, fit for so bad a cause. As if they should say, We would have you to be godly, but we will not be godly: we would have you to be saved, but we ourselves will not be saved. How can their doctrine do any good that live not according to their doctrine? or how can the people think that the doctrine is true, when they that preach it live not thereafter? Will not the people reason thus ?-If his doctrine were good, surely he would follow it; if

his life be good, surely he would teach us to live as he doth: therefore whatsoever he saith, we will not believe him; but as he doeth, so will we do, and we hope to escape as well as he. Thus with the one hand they build up the church of God, and with the other hand they pull it down; because they do more hurt by their bad example, than they can do good with all their preaching. These are the ungodly that the Lord by His Prophet reproveth, What hast thou to do to declare My statutes, or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth? (Ps. 1. 16.) So long as Isaiah was a man of polluted lips, the office of preaching was not committed unto him; but when his lips were cleansed, (Isa. vi. 7,) then was he fit for that office and function. Even so, as long as we delight in sin as much as any, we are not meet to reprove the sins of others; but when we behave ourselves as it becometh the ministers of the Gospel, then have we commission to preach the Gospel, and to reprove the sins of the people. Therefore to a good Churchman (as you used to call us) two things are necessary: the first is, to teach well; the second is, to live well. For as we are resembled to salt, (Mat. v. 13,) because we must season the people with sound and wholesome doctrine; so are we resembled to the sun, (Mat. v. 14,) because we must shine as lights in the world by our holy life. As John the Baptist was the voice of a crier, so he was a burning lamp; as the apostles were willed to teach and baptize, so their lights were commanded to shine, that men, seeing their good works, might glorify God. (Mat. v. 16.)

Thirdly, we here may see that truth is truth, and to be commended from whomsoever it cometh. For though this lawyer came to tempt Christ; yet, because he told the truth, Christ. admitteth his answer, and commendeth him for it. Whereby we have to learn, to embrace and receive the truth by whomsoever it is brought for as a jewel is to be esteemed, though it be found on a stinking dunghill; so the truth is to be regarded,. though it be found in a wicked man.

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And last of all, we here may see that to be verified which was spoken of Christ, A bruised reed shall He not break, &c.; (Isa. xlii. 3;) that is, He shall not discourage any in the way of godliness. Though this lawyer were Christ's enemy; yet when he answered discreetly and directly out of the Word of God, Christ approveth his answer, and exhorteth him to the practice of the same whereby we have to learn, to commend and encourage every man in his well-doing, and by all means to further them in their good beginnings. Praise and honour are spurs to

virtue; therefore if a man have done well, commend him, and he will do better. But, alas! with us it is far otherwise; for if a man have done amiss, it shall be often cast in his teeth; but if he have done well, he shall never hear of it.

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But let us go forward in the answer of Christ. It followeth, This do. Having approved his saying, now He exhorteth him. unto doing for it is not enough to say well, or to know much, or to believe aright; but we must this do, that is, we must love God and our neighbour, if we desire to live. Heaven is not gotten with fair words, nor amorous looks, nor gold, nor silver, nor gorgeous array; but with the fruit of a lively faith, or (that I may use the words of the Apostle) faith which worketh by love. (Gal. v. 6.) God will not come to judge us at the last day whether we were learned, or wise, or eloquent, or wealthy, or honourable; but whether we have done those deeds of mercy to His needy members. What shall it profit a man in the last hour of his death to have been eloquent and excellent in all kind of learning, that he hath preached many notable and worthy sermons, if he have lived a lewd and wicked life, and carried a corrupt conscience to his grave? In that terrible day, when the books of all men's consciences shall be opened, (Rev. xx. 12,) and every man's life shall be strictly examined, it shall go better with us if we have served God with a good conscience, than if we have been able to dispute subtle questions; for at that day it shall be said to some that have preached in the name of Christ, I never knew you: depart from Me. (Mat. vii. 23.)

Now, as we shall not be saved for our preaching, no more shall you be saved for your hearing; for God will have you to do as you hear, as well as He will have us to do as we teach. If you look into all the Scriptures, you shall find no promise made to hearers, nor to speakers, nor to readers; but to believers, or to doers. If ye ask God who shall dwell in His holy mountain, He saith, He that walketh uprightly. (Ps. xv. 2.) If you ask Christ who shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, He saith, Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord; but he that doeth the will of My Father. (Mat. vii. 2.) If you ask Him how you may come to heaven, He saith, Keep the commandments. (Mat. xix. 17.) If you ask Him who are blessed, He saith, Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke xi. 28.) If you ask an angel who is blessed, he saith, Blessed are they which keep the sayings of this Book. (Rev. xxii. 7.) If you ask David, he saith, Blessed are they which keep judgment