ection,
Col. iii. 14. It is a bundle of many divine graces, a company or society
of many Christian virtues combined together. They are named bowels of
mercies, long suffering, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
forbearance, and forgiveness, all which are tied to the believer's girdle
by charity, so that where love is, every good comes. After it a troop of
so many sweet endowments and ornaments also come, and where this is
wanting, (as truly it is the epidemical disease of the time), there are
many sins abounding, for when iniquity abounds "the love of many shall wax
cold," Matt. xxiv. 12. Oh! that is our temper or rather our distempered
nature,--love cold, and passion hot! When charity goes away, these wild and
savage beasts of darkness come forth, viz. bitter envying and strife,
rigid censuring and judging, unmercifulness and implacableness of spirit
upon others' failings and offences. Self love, that keeps the throne, and
all the rest are her attendants. For where self love and pride is, there
is contention, strife, envy, and every evil work, and all manner of
confusion. Thus they lead one another as in a chain of darkness, Prov.
xiii. 10, James iii. 16. Think not that love is a complimental word, and
an idle motion of loving, it is a more real thing, a more vital thing. It
hath bowels of mercy, they move themselves when others are moved, and they
bring their neighbours misery into the inmost seat of the heart, and make
the spirit a solemn companion in misery. And it is also exercised in
forbearing and forgiving. Charity is not easily provoked, therefore it can
forbear, is easily appeased, therefore it can forgive, it is not soon
displeased, or hard to be pleased, "forbearing and forgiving one another
in love." Study then this grace more. See it to be the fulfilling of the
law, for "the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, a
good conscience, and faith unfeigned." The end of the law is not strife
and debate, nor such intricate and perplexed matters as minister endless
questions and no edification. Though men pretend conscience and scripture,
yet the great end of both is violated, that is charity, which mainly
studies edification in truth and love. And therefore it is a violent
perversion of the commandment, or word, to overstretch every point of
conscience, or difference, so far as to the renting of Christian peace and
unity. What hath kindled all these names of bloody war, what hath
increased all