s of righteousness and
mercy as grievous, "therefore love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom.
xiii. 10. And so the way of charity is the most easy, plain, expedient,
and safe way. In this way there is light shining all alongst it, and
there is no stumbling block in it. For the love of God and of our
brethren hath polished and made it all plain, hath "taken away the
asperities and tumours of our affections and lusts." _Complanavit
affectus._ "Great peace have all they that love thy law, and nothing shall
offend them." Love makes an equable and constant motion, it moves swiftly
and sweetly. It can loose many knots without difficulty, which other more
violent principles cannot cut, it can melt away mountains before it, which
cannot be hauled away. Albeit there be many stumbling blocks without in
the world, yet there is none in charity, or in a charitable soul. None
can enter into that soul to hinder it to possess itself in meekness and
patience. Nothing can discompose it within, or hinder it to live
peaceably with others. Though all men's hands be against it, yet charity
is against none. It defends itself with innocence and patience. On the
other hand, "He that hateth his brother is in darkness even till now."
For if Christ's light had entered, then the love of Christ had come with
it, and that is the law of love and charity. If Jesus Christ had come into
the soul, he had restored the ancient commandment of love, and made it new
again. As much of the want of love and charity, so much of the old
ignorance and darkness remains. Whatsoever a man may fancy of himself
that he is in the light, that he is so much advanced in the light, yet
certainly this is a stronger evidence of remaining darkness, for it is a
work of the darkest darkness, and murdering affection, suitable only for
the night of darkness. And such a man knows not whither he goes, and must
needs incur and fall upon many stumbling blocks within and without. It is
want of love and charity that blinds the mind and darkens the heart, that
it cannot see how to eschew and pass by scandals in others, but it must
needs dash and break its neck upon them. Love is a light which may lead
us by offences inoffensively, and without stumbling. In darkness men
mistake the way, know not the end of it, take pits for plain ways, and
stumble in them. Uncharitableness casts a mist over the actions and
courses of others, and our own too, that we cannot carry on either wit