blood So now the greatest Potentate and the poorest beggar the most civil and the most savage Nations are of one blood originally the English and the Muscovitae the Laplanders Tartarians yea the Beasilians and Canibals are of one blood originally God could have made a man and woman for every province and part of the world and so have given a several Original to every Nation but he in his wisdom did rather please to make one man out of whose loyns one woman out of whose womb all the Nations of the earth should issue that so all Nations might be made of one blood and all might be of kin and that so there might be a natural bond of union brotherhood and love between them So then a child of God is a brother to a natural person for thâ—y that are the children of God are the children of men too and of the same blood with others therefore when natural persons do not love the children of God it is a sign they do abide in death When the graces of the godly and the fruits of grace in their conversation and practice are so distastful unto men that for this they cast off love and affection towards them though they be their brethren by nature and of the same blood with them originally whereas this should encrease their love towards them this sheweth that such do abide in death 2. He that liveth in the Church of God and accounteth himself a child of God if he be a child of God indeed all the children of God are his brethren and sisters both by Nature and Grace If God be his father the children of God are his brethren and sisters but if he doth not love them as brethren it sheweth that he abideth in death and deceiveth himself he is not born of God nor passed from death to life SECT III. III. HAters of others especially of the godly they are murderers 1 Job 3 15. He that hateth his brother is a murderer Every act of hatred is a mortal wound given to a godly man Some think St. John speaketh by way of allusion to Cain who was an actual murderer of holy Abel and that God accounteth all haters of godly men as hainous sinners as damned Cain is and their hatred as abominable a sin as his actual murder Dost thou see a man hating scoffing opposing persecuting godliness for godliness sake Thou maist point at him and say yonder goeth a Cain a murderer of a righteous man 1. Malice and hatred is murder affectu desiderio in affection and desire it makes a man to desire wish and rejoyce in the death or destruction of those whom he hateth This the Heathens saw by the light of Nature therefore one of them said Quem oderunt periisse expetunt whom men do hate his death they do desire Now what is this but murder It is true that in respect of the person hated the hurt done to him by hating him is much less than when he is actually murdered and his blood spilt It is true also that the actual commission of murder in outward act doth add much to the guilt of his conscience that hateth his brother because there is both the inward hatred or murder of the heart and the outward cruel act of murder added to it there is the beginning and the consummation the accomplishing and finishing of this bloody sin But yet the inward malice and hatred of the heart which maketh those that harbour malice in their hearts to wish the death and destruction of those they hate or to rejoyce in it is murder in the sight of God Men that have malice festering in their hearts against others causing a desire of their destruction may hold their hands from shedding of blood for want of opportunity for fear of the Law for fear of infamy among men yea out of a slavish fear left their own conscience as a revenger of blood should pursue them with restless horror and terror and never let them enjoy merry hour in this life besides the dismal effects of it in the life to come And on the other side they are not restrained from murther by Love in any degree That appeareth by this that though themselves are loth to shed blood yet they that are malicious generally could be content that those whom they hate should perish by the hands of others they have a secret dâ—sire of this and are well enough pleased with it in the retired thoughts of their hearts if such a thing happen by the hands of others 2. Mâ—lice is the root of Murther and therefore it is murther virtualiter et eminenter Murther is conceived in the womb of Malice Malice is the Seed of which this foul and bloody Monster of Murther and Bloodshed is hatched As the Child is in the Fathers Loyus ere it be born or conceived so murther is in the Bowels of Malice before it is brought sorth As poyson is in the young Brood of the Viper before it is able to put forth the sting so murther lyeth a breeding in the womb of Malice and Hatred before it break forth into Blood Malice maketh a bloody Heart and Murther maketh bloody hands Murther is oftentimes the effect of Hatied and Malice first Cain did hate Abel he was wroth with him then he killed him Absalom's Hatred made him to kill his Brother Amnon Thus Persecutors hating the Professors of Truth took away their Lives from them They set their Wits on work to invent Torments for the painful death of Gods Saints Hatred of godliness did kindle the fire of Martyrdom 3. The Scripture calleth it Murther to shew how great a Sin hatred of Godliness is Aquinas disputing what was the greatest sin as a man man could commit against his Neighbour his resolution was that Odium proximi est gravissimum peccatorum it was Hatred of our Neighbour Much more grievous it is when a man shall hate any one because he followeth the thing that good is and hateth a man because he laboureth to be like unto God To shed mans Blood who was made after the Image of God and to do that murther that ever was committed with the least degree of malice that any was is a most fearful and damnable sin but I conceive that there may be a greater sin committed in harbouring abundance of malice and bitterness in the heart though without Bloodshed than in some Cases when Blood is unlawfully spilt In the malice of our powder-Traytors this is apparent which though by the Providence of God it was restrained from shedding of Blood was far more grievous than many an act of murther which hath been committed But besides this when men do neither actually shed Blood nor purpose and plot bloodshed I conceive their malice may be more sinful than some acts of Murther I doubt not but that many a man sinneth far more in malice against his Neighbour than David in killing Vriah though it was a grievous sin for what is sin but the
able be an Argument of the want of Love to God whether on the other side forwardness in relieving others be always a sure sign of one that truly loveth God Resp I answer No for a man may bear the Burdens of the needy and be helpful to them in many other respects although he hath not the Love of God dwelling in him 1. Out of a hope to merit at the hands of God and to make amends for his sins by this means which maketh these things abominable in the sight of God and exceedingly wrongeth the free Grace of God and the perfect merits of Christ Such are the alms of the Papists many times and those works whereof they so much boast 2. He may be moved unto it out of vain-Glory that he may have the praise of men and be counted a liberal and free-hearted man so the Pharisees gave alms with sound of Trumpet 3. He may do it out of a natural pity and a kind of freeness of spirit as many of the Heathens have done Therefore this alone unless it be joyned with other Graces and fruits of Grace in an holy Conversation is no sufficient argument that a mans heart is possessed with a true and sincere Love of God so that the want of this Christian Compassion and its fruits is enough to prove him that hath this worlds goods not to have the Love of God dwelling in him but the practice of this duty alone is not sufficient to prove a man to have the Love of God in him He that wanteth the use of his hands cannot bâ— a good workman in the exercise of a trade or handy-craft but yet eve y one that hath the use of his hands is not a good work-man but there is more required as skill and exercise in such a trade so it is in this case Therefore St. Paul saith Althâ—ugh I give all my goods to the poor and have not love it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 supposing that a man may not only give plentifully but give away all and yet want the truth of Love to God and to his Brethren SECT II. NOw as to inward burdens I will shew wherein Christians bearing of one anothers burdens consisteth In general it is to ease and refresh the drooping Spirits groaning sighing and mourning under the burden of Sin this is as the Prophet speaks in another case To loose the bands of wickedness to undoe the heavy burdens to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke I shall lay open this duty in sundry particulars 1 When we pray for them in their calamity as earnestly as importunately as affectionately as for our own souls burthened with the same Load Thus Job prayed for his 3 Friends and the Lord was reconciled with them Job's prayers eased them of the burthen of Gods Wrath which might have layen long upon them Cry to heaven for pardon and you give present ease to one another pray for the Favour of God and ye make each others sins lighter than a Feather which before were as heavy as a mountain of Lead 2. When we can mourn with them and for them lament their iniquities and be humbled for their sins as for our own when we can bow down heavily as though they were our Brethren and behave our selves as one that mourneth for his mother Moses by his prayers and tears did bear the burden of the whole Camp of Israel Mutual Humiliation for one another brings mutual ease 3. When we labour the Conversion and Reformation of one another Jam. 5.19.20 He that converteth a sinner shall save a soul from death and shall bide a multitude of sins here is Salvation from death and sin from multitudes of sins a deliverance from two insupportable burdens which have broke the backs of all the damned cast-aways 2. When we direct them to a right course of obtaining and regaining the Favour of God from our own experiences As men who have been troubled with any pain will tell those who have been labouring with the same by what means they had present ease What Medicines what Oyntments what Salves they used make tryal of the same and ye will find present ease Thus when Christians who experimentally know the burthen of sin the horror of guilt shall communicated their counsel and directions This I did and I obtained pardon I humbled my soul I tasted I prayed I reformed I departed from evil and the Lord gave me present ease 5. When we apply the comfortable promises of the Gospel to them Seest thou a fellow-Christian Christian bitterly bewailing his sin full of shame and sorrow for his sin going hither and thither like a desolate forlorn man fearing his estate and condition questioning his Salvation trembling at the thoughts of Hell then must thou apply Gospel-promises to such a one The truth is the promises do belong to none but to burdened sinners Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you This is to pour Oyl into their wounds this is to bind up the broken in heart when we aptly apply the promises to them Dost thou hear them complain of the greatness of sin apply that place Psal 25.11 Pardon mine iniquity for it is great Christ came to save the chief of sinners Dost thou hear them complain of the multitudes of their sins apply that of Exod. 34.7 The Lord c. forgiving iniquities trangressions and sins Do they complain of their misery apply thou the promises of mercy Do they complain of their unworthiness apply the promises of free Grace tell them that God will freely heal all their backslidings SECT III. THe reason why we are to bear one anothers burdens is because in so doing we shall fulfil the Law of Christ it is the Law of Christ it is the command of Christ that we should bear one anothers burdens that Law which compels you to oâ—her duties constrains you to this duty also Quest But where do we find that Christ gave this Law or what is that Law of Christ Resp I answer that Law which commands us to love one another which our Saviour frequently calleth his Commandment here he calleth his Law and Command Quest But what is that Law of loving one another to bearing one anothers burdens Resp 1. Yes because in commanding us to love one another he commandeth us to do any office of Love and Humanity one to another whereof this of bearing one anothers burdens is none of the least duties of Christian mutual Love 2. Because our Love of one to another must conform to Christs Love which he shewed unto us Now herein Christ did commend his Love unto us in that he was pleased to bear â—ur burdens the burden of our sins and of his Fathers Wrath was laid upon his Shoulders Had not the Lord Jesus bore our burdens for us we had been for ever crushed and sunk down under them Shall Christ bear our Burdens and shall not we bear one anothers burdens and shew our selves
entrance and may take possession and breed all bitterness of affections and bring forth in the practice all actions and fruits of malice and ill-will and this want of Love layeth open the heart unto all these So then either ye must love out of a pure heart unfeignedly or else the Lord will account you as haters of your Brethren Our Saviour made no middle-way between love and hatred in the ordering of our hearts and affections towards enemies but when he corrected the Pharisees gloss which was this Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy He saith But I say unto you love your enemies c. Some man might have expected that he should rather have said concerning loving or hating of enemies as Balâ—k speak to Balaam of blessing or cursing of Israel neither bless them at all nor curse them at all carry thy self indifferently between me and them so some out of carnal reason might have looked that our Saviour should have pointed out a middle way and said Neither love your enemies nor hate them but carry your selves indifferently towards them But our Saviour saith expresly Love your enemies and do good unto them and that as they will approve themselves to be the children of their heavenly father So that not to love those whom we ought to love is to hate So then as we will avoid the damnable sin of hatred we must labour to be possessed of the grace of love and that principally to the Children of God and to all the Children of God high and low rich and poor of better or of meaner gifts and parts and on the other side to be possessed with hearty love towards all men in general and in particular toward those that have done us injuries and unkindnesses otherwise we are haters of them CHAP. XX. Sect. I. IN the next place I will set forth the greatness of this sin of hating the people of God or others 1. It is an argument that such persons love not God himself If a King should say of some certain men about him These men are very dear unto me and as I love them in a special manner so I will have all that love me to love them I will make this as a note by which to know a faithful subject from a traitour viz. love to these whom I dearly love he that loveth not them I will not account them loyal and true hearted to me Whether these persons deserve the love of all or not yet this would be a greater argument of the King 's extraordinary love to such men so in this case the Lord saith in effect of every child of his He that loveth not thee I will take him for none of my friends for none of my children he that looketh for love and favour from me must bear true love to thee How great then is the love of God toward his children he will not acknowledg that any love him who hate them When the unbelieving Jews told our Saviour we have one father even God he answered If God were your father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God neither come I of my self but he sent me Joh. 8.41 42. So in this case it may be said to many carnal persons who think thâ—mselves the children and people of Cod. If God were your father ye would love them that do most of all labour to honour and please God and are most careful not to sin against him Such is God's love to his people that he taketh none for his own that do not love them There be many that say they love God and yet love not his children Well! the Lord will none of thy love unless it be such as maketh thee also to love his children If thou sayest thou lovest God and yet lovest Drunkards Swearers Worldlings more than his children who are zealous for his glory thou maist keep thy love to thy self God will not accept of it To all that live in the visible Church and come to the ordinances and take the name of God in their mouths and do hate the godly the Lord saith in effect why dost thou not love me in that thou lovest not my children thou lovest not me such tender love doth the Lord bear to his people This our Saviour expressed sweetly in that speech to St. Peter after his Resurrection from the dead when by a three-â—old confession of his love to him he seemed as it were to put him to penance for his late three-fold denial of him Simon son of Jonah lovest thou me Peter answered thrice Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Yea but Peter if thou wilt have me tast of the fruit of thy Love to me if thou dost love me indeed and wilt have me to accept of thy love as sound and true love them whom I love love them and love me and shew it by thy care of their Souls and by thy diligence in feeding them with my word go feed my Sheep and Lambs SECT II. II HE that loveth not his brother abideth in death 1 Joh. 3.14 All by nature are in a state of death and void of Christian love but all do not abide in death some do not continue in the state of death but those that love the brethren are passed from death to life Now those who want this Christian and brotherly love these are not only dead in sins by nature but they abide in death They abide in the death of guilt the guilt of all their sins lieth upon them they abide under the dominion and power of sin they abide in a state of wrath the wrath of God abideth on them as long as they abide in the hatred of the brethren they abide in a death of condemnation As St. John saith We know we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren So also we may know that those are dead in sin lie obnoxious every moment to eternal death who hate the brethren Now I conceive that the Apostle speaketh of a brother in the same sense as he did before viz. a brother by grace a child of God Quest But how can such be brethren to those who abide in death Resp 1. That all men and women as they 〈◊〉 men and women are brethren and sisters by a natural relation all coming of one man and one woman originally viz. Adam and Eve St. Paul taught this learning to the Scholars of Athens Act 17.26 viz. that God hath made of one blood all Nations of men that dwell upon all the face of the earth The Athenians as proud as they were in despising other nations as barbarous yea other Cities of Greece in comparison of themselves yet were not of any better stock or blood originally than the meanest of them The Athenians were not of one blood and the Argives of another and the Bâ—aetians of another c. no the very Scythians were of as good a stock originally as they even of the same
member of a Family and seest thou sin to grow there in any Person thou art faithfully to reprove and admonish Hast thou kinred or friends whom thou dearly lovest walking in evil ways then reprove and admonish Do any of thy Familiars sin in thy company then reprove and admonish them Art thou in the Company of Strangers that swear and curse and prophane the holy Name of God give a loving check to them Why do ye curse and swear Perhaps ye will say they regard it not It is no matter Thou dost thy duty Ye will reply We have done so and they do not reform Yet still reprove them God may make thy reproofs effectual one time or other God is patient and long-suffering so must we be also You will say they scoff and scorn at reproof I answer Then avoid their fellowship as much as thou canst We do express more Love to one another by reproving one another than by any thing it is a sign we desire the good of one anothers Souls True Love is mixed of sweetness and sharpness It is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bitter-sweet it hath not only sweet meats but pills corrosives as well as healing plaisters it can wound as well as heal yea it must wound that it may heal If a Christian see seculent matter that nourisheth vice cleave to any one true love will cause him to strain a point of kindness to purge it out albeit with more rough than pleasing Physick faithful are the wounds of such a friend Prov. 27.6 Melius est cum severitate diligere quà m cum lenitate decipere Better is a severe kind of Love than a deceitful Lenity There are two reasons why we must in Love to the wicked thus behave our selves 1. Because our Love to them must principally aim at their conversion reformation and salvation As God laboureth by his goodness to draw men to repentance so must we by our Love and what better course can we take than by reproving them by telling them of the fearful danger they are in and that such courses will undoubtedly bring them to Hell When wicked men shall see we dislike their courses and grieve at them God may set it home upon them to make them the more sensible of their own sins Should we not shew our dislike of such courses we should harden and confirm them in their sins and so to be an occasion of their desperate impenitency 2. Because otherwise we shew neither Love to them nor to our selves we make our selves partakers of their sins neglect of reproof is a tacit consent to them in their sins should we any way encourage them we should be abettors of them Should we any way delight in their sins God would lay them to our score CHAP. XII Sect. 1. THE third thing I am to treat of is Love to our Enemies Here in the first place Let us consider what this Love is and wherein it consisteth 1. It is not a Love in word and in tongue but an affectionate Love a Loving in heart and in deed Rom. 12.10 be kindly affectioned one to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be naturally affectionate as the Dams among Creatures are naturally affectionate to their young ones Gods command Love thine enemies reacheth the heart and enjoyns thee to affect them as well as the tongue to speak loving words unto them 2 It is a Love that sets us upon the exercise of all duties of Love toward them 1. To love them with a Love of benevolence to bless thâ—m that curse you to wish them good when they wish you evil to speak well of them when they speak all manner of evil of you this is to love our enemies 2. To be willing to pardon their private injuries done unto us So the Parable of the two debtors teacheth us Mat. 18.25 The King pardoned one which owed him ten thousand talents and he was to pardon his fellow that owed him an hundred pence which thing because he would not do his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man defers his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression Men think it but baseness and cowardliness to put up wrongs but God saith it is his wisdom his glory his discretion Suppose thine enemies have done thee great wrongs and many injuries the more is thy love manifested 3. Heartily to rejoyce in the gifts and parts of our enemies and in whatsoever is is excellent in them and to be glad of their prosperity and to lament when it is otherwise with them Thus David made Lamentation for Saul 2 Sam. 1. v. 19. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places v. 24 25. Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battel 4. To love them with a Love of beneficence To do them all the good we can to do all the good we can to their bodies to do them good speedily and without delay and constantly without any willing neglect when it lieth in our power Love your enemies do good to them that hate you Mat. 5.44 If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head Rom. 12.20 either coals of conversion or coâ—ls of confusion 5 To love them with a religious Love Love your enemies pray for them which despitefully use you Luk. 6.28 Pray for their health when they are sick pray for their lives when they are in the gates of death pray for their deliverance when they are compassed about with dangers or oppressed with troubles pray for their Conversion Pardon and Salvation Suppose wicked men vex thy Soul as the Sodomites did Lot for righteousness sake and hate thee for thy Love yet pray for them So David did Psâ—l 109.4.5 For my Love they are my adversaries but I give my self unto prayer Suppose they persecute thee even to the death yet thou art to pity them and pray for them Thus our Saviour prayed for his enemies Father forgive them they know not what they do St. Stephen also prayed heartily for all his Persecutors Lord lay not this Sin to their charge He prayed heartily for them when they were stoning him to death When Davids enemies were plotting his death he prayed for their good he humbled his Soul with fasting and cloathed himself with Sackcloth Psal 35.13 So St. Paul 1 Cor. 4.12 Being reviled we bless c. being defamed we entreat The hellish rage of enemies must move you to shew your heavenly love to them This is the Love we must shew to our enemies and this Love exceeds that of Publicans and that for these reasons 1. Because their Love is extended no farther than to their brethren their benefactors where they
à majori from the greater to the less If Christ did lay down his Life for us then ought we much more to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1. Christ was infinitely above us in Glory and Majesty yet laid he down his Life for us much more ought we to lay down our Lives for the Brethren who are of the same Mould with our selves by nature and also partakers of the same pretious Faith by Grace 2. Christ being greatly offended by our sins laid down his Life for us being his enemies much more ought we to lay down our Lives for those who are not enemies but Brethren and that by the best bond viz. the bond of Regeneration 3. Christs Death for us was a matter of Humiliation and abasement to him who was the Prince of Life and Lord of Glory But our death for our Brethren is an advancement unto us Some office and employment which would be an abasement and dishonour to a Prince may be a great Honour and Preferment to a mean Subject So in this case Christ though he were the Lord of Glory the Prince of Life yet was content to dye for us though his Death were a great abasement to him in regard of his infinite excellency and divine Majesty But for us who are sinful and so mortal and must return to dust it is an advancement and improvement of our death when we are called to give our Lives for the Brethren SECT IV. I Come now to the Condition supposed that is If we be called unto it For this we must know that many things are absolutely commanded and all Christians are to perform them in general without exception such as the duties of Beleeving and Repenting and of bringing forth fruits meet for repentance which all Christians ought to perform by vertue of their general Calling Some other are enjoyned too as well as the former but not without a more special Calling The duty of relieving the wants of others is one of those duties that is very much pressed in the Scripture scarce any more yet this is to be understood of those that have a special calling to it namely those whom God hath enabled with outward means for this purpose more or less So the duty of preaching the Gospel is straitly enjoyned but not to be exercised without a lawful Calling to the work of the Ministry Of this latter sort is the duty of laying down our Lives for the Brethren which is not to be exercised without a special calling As for the madness of some fond Sectaries whereof we read in the ancient Stories of the Church who would force men to kill them that they might become Martyrs it could not but proceed from the suggestion of that wicked Spirit who is a Murtherer from the beginning Therefore this work of laying down our Lives for the Brethren is not imposed upon us by vertue of our general calling but must be done upon supposal of a special Call Yet thus much we know that there is a difference and distinction to be made between the will and the deed in such cases The will must be present with us by vertue of our general calling as we are Christians the deed and performance it self must not be undertaken without special calling that is As we are Christians and have given up our names to Christ we must have our hearts so possessed with the Spirit of Brotherly and Christian Love in conformity to Christ and his Love as that we must have a ready and willing mind to undergo it if the Lord shall call us to it So the poorest Christian that is so far from being able to give to another that he needeth to receiv◠himself yet must be so possessed with Christian Love and Compassion that he would give if he had ability He must have a pitiful heart such an heart as would open his hand if he had what to give So in this case a Christian must labour to bring his heart to be willing in Love to dye for his Brethren But for the actual performance of this work in laying down our lives for the Brethren it requireth a more special call As the Apostle saith to the Philippians Vnto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to beleeve but to suffer for his Name Phil. 1.29 Where he sheweth that suffering is a thing given a priviledg bestowed upon some Beleevers whereunto all Beleevers are not called that is not in an eminent manner Scarce any Beleever can live any long time in the world after his effectual calling and conversion but that he shall suffer for the name of Christ in some kind or other but to suffer in a more special and eminent degree is given but to some who are in a special manner called unto it SECT V. THat we must have a special Call before we lay down our Lives will thus appear 1. We have a general◠Command to preserve Life We must labour to preserve the Life of an Oxe or an Asse when it is in danger much more of a man and if the Life of others then our own also inasmuch as the Love we owe to our selves is the rule of our love towards others Therefore so far is it from being a duty imposed upon us to thrust our selves rashly and of our own heads into the mouth of death without a Calling that we are bound not to desire it lest we be found guilty of our own Blood 2. To lay down our Life for the Brethren without a special Call and Warrant may be a wrong to the Brethren rather than a benefit because thereby we bereave our selves of doing them any further good in that way of Christian Love wherein we are to walk towards them here in the world by suffering death without a warrant Yet when we have a Call we must not give back under pretence that we desire to to do them good by our Lives but rather believe that the wisdom of God who calleth us to suffer seeth that thus dying for them we shall more benefit them and glorifie God than we could by escaping death and continuing in the world among them 3. We cannot suffer death by the hands of Persecutors for the Brethren without the Sin of others viz. of those that shed our Blood Now a Christian without a Call from God hath no warrant to give occasion to others wilfully to commit such a bloody Sin but when we are called to it we must take heed we do not sin our selves in giving back under an hypocritical pretence of being loth to give others an occasion of offending 4. Our blessed Savviour himself although he came into the world purposely to lay down his Life for the Brethren yet did not willingly run upon his death but did divers times shun the rage of his enemies and even in his Infancy fled from Herods cruelty And when his hour was come though he shewed himself many ways to be willing to lay down his Life yet
Transgression of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there may be a more strong bent of the heart against the Law of Love in deep-setled malice long continued in the heart and soul full of implacable rage and bitterness than in some acts of murther The hurt done to a mans Neighbour is incomparably greater in murthering him than that which is done by meer malice concealed and kept close in the heart be it never so great But the greatness of sin I suppose though against the second Table is not always to be measured by the hurt done to a Neighbour but by the greater or lesser opposition to the Law of Love And I am perswaded that some men going on with restless malice and bitterness of spirit against their Neighbour may be more guilty in the sight of God than some others that have committed that fearful sin of murther so great and hainous a sin is the sin of malice before the Lord who is Love SECT IV. 1. HEre let us consider What the occasions have been which have bred distast and diâ—content whether they have been wrongs indeed or wrongs only in appearance or whether being rightly considered their deeds which we have distasted and taken occasion to hate them for have been good tending to the discharge of their consciences and our reformation If they have been indeed wrongs and injuries yet nevertheless to harbour malice against them is to commit murther It is true that Hatred in such a case is not so great a sin as in the other cases mentioned yet in this case it being no less than a degree of murther we are to lament and to be humbled â—or it as for a sin exceeding hainous On the other side If it hath been for some actions which were not real injuries but only taken for such by reason of our own weakness partiality self-love prejudice against their persons c. then is our Hatred a sin of an higher Nature than in the former case and so we are accordingly to be affected with it Again if they have been such words or actions as have tended to the discharge of their consciences and for the reformation of us in our course or for the righting of others whom we have wronged if for any of these we have hated them and been malicious against them then is our sin yet more grievous and abominable So Jonathan dealt plainly with his Father Saul laying open the greatness of his sin in hating David to the death if the Father had had Grace to have made use of his Sons faithful dealing with him 1 Sam. 19.4 Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his Father and said unto him let not the King sin against his servant against David because he hath not sinned against thee and because his works have been to thee-ward very good For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel Thou sawest it and didst rejoyce wherâ—fore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood to slay David without a cause Thus when men hate others that admonish and reprove them in publick or in private and seek their restraint in sin or reformation or those that punish them being Magistrates or in office c. this is a bloody kind of malice and for this we are to be deeply humbled If malice be murther when injuries are received how much more when others have laboured to do us good if thou hast hated any for crossing thee in an evil way in word or deed thou hast sinned in an high degree and hast cause to be greatly humbled for it 2. Let us also examine how our hearts have been stirred less or more in hatred or bitter affections against any others for there is great difference of degrees in this as in other sins how hardly we have been brought to reconciliation how implacable What bitterness hath broken forth out of our hearts in words or actions against them what offence or evil example we have given to others by these means and accordingly should we charge our Consciences before the Lord. I fear many do very lightly pass over this sin of malice especially it having not much shewed it self openly but having for the most part part layen in the depths of their malicious hearts Owe nothing then to any man but to love one another Do not in malice think that thou owest ill will or an ill-turn to any but that thou owest love to all malice to none for whosoever hateth his Brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him SECT V. IV. MAlice and Hatred makes men most contrary to God and most like unto the Devil It makes a man most contrary to God for God is Love 1 Joh. 4.16 It is the Nature of God to love men He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is of a most glorious lovely and loving Nature and is the Author of all Love in us This sheweth what a God he is to us and every Creature findeth him to be a loving God a loving Father As the Sun is Light and the Fountain of Light and gives Light to the Stars of Heaven and to all sublunary things so God is Love it self and the Fountain of all Love he filleth the Angels in Heaven with Love he filleth the Saints on earth with mutual and spiritual Love and the natural Love and Affection that are in men one to another are sparks and rays of Gods Love all the Creatures are objects of his Love every Creature of God is good therefore beloved of God Do ye think God would vouchsafe to call himself by the Name of Love if there were not a wonderful excellency in Love now he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him he that embraceth the Love of God by Faith and thereupon unfeignedly loveth God and his Brethren dwelling continuing or abiding in this Love he continueth or abideth in God and God in him If in any Love it be true That the Soul is where it loveth it is most true in this Love of a Child of God to his heavenly Father and to all the Saints his Soul is with God with Christ his Beloved in Heaven and abideth in him This our Saviour knew full well when he taught us Mat. 6. Lay not up for your selves Treasures on earth but lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven for where your Treasures are there will your hearts be also His delight also is in the Saints that are on the earth in those that excel in Grace and Holiness One that was full of holy Love was wont to answer all questions therewith Whence camest thou from Love Whither goest thou to Love Where dwellest thou in Love God is such a ones dwelling-place his home his resting-place and Christ is the Door by which he entreth into this dwelling by Christ he entreth and dwelleth in God Now malice makes men most like unto the Devil
of desire of love but only with an angry man Do not take them ever for Friends and Companions In another place he saith Walk not with the froward for fear of learning his ways and getting a snare unto thy soul Chrysostome calleth furious angry men Chrysost Hom. ad pop Antioch Daemoniacks men possessed with the Devil for as they rage and blaspheme and are set upon mischief so men in their anger are for any mischief the Devil at that instant suggesteth to them Oh how prompt and ready are men in their wrath to do what mischief they can to their Brethren 2. Take heed of the sin of Envy which is a sin that breaketh the nearest bond of Nature and the strongest bond of Love Envy did so fret in the heart of most of Jacob's Sons that they decreed the death of Joseph their innocent Brother and though afterwards they spared his life yet they robbed him of his liberty and exposed him to those dangers which were worse than death banishing him out of the Church and giving him occasion to fall from the true God had not the Lord been gracious to him Gen. 37.20.28 Therefore labour by the spirit of Love to purge out this bitter affection left it alienate your hearts from your Brethren 3. Take heed and beware of Covetousness This sin makes men even to desire the death of their own Parents and Brethren that they may have their lands or goods and so to commit a secret murther in their hearts This sin I fear is too common and little laid to heart But as our Saviour saith He that looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart So may we not say he that looketh on the estate and goods of a Father Brother Kinsman c. and longeth for their death hath committed murther already in his heart This sin of Covetousness also maketh men to break the bonds of natural affection when it bringeth them to defraud or wrong those in their goods which are neerest to them The prophet Jeremy sheweth how corrupt those times were which were a little before the destruction of Jerusalem when he saith Jerem. 9.4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walk with slaunders 4. See that Pride root not it self in your hearts Pride lifteth up the heart in high thoughts of its own worth it breedeth unthankfulness to God and men Pride breedeth scorn and contempt of others it breedeth revengefulness and will not suffer us to stoop so far as to suffer wrongs and to overcome evil with good Pride cannot endure to be reproved or admonished it breedeth self-will and stubbornness it will be served before God himself it will so carry away a mans heart that that cost which should be bestowed for the glory of God and the relief of others shall be employed to set forth Pride in superfluitics of apparel sumptuous feasts buildings c. This may teach us to beware of men as our Saviour saith Sin breaketh the Law of Friendship and neerest relations it dissolveth the bond of Brotherhood A Brother seeketh the destruction of a Brother or if not the shedding of his blood yet his utter undoing So the Father is not safe in respect of his Child sometimes the Neighbour in respect of his Neighbour This is not meant for this end that Towns Families Kinreds c. should be filled with causless and uncharitable suspicions of one against another whereby Christian Love is weakened or extinguished but that wisdom or watchfulness should be used especially when men have to do with such as either are notoriously wicked or give shrewd signs of Hypocrisie that we should not be too open toward such nor by liberty of speech about matters too high for us to meddle in or by opening secrets to give them power to hurt us we know not how far the malice of Satan together with the corruptions of their own hearts may carry them A wise and watchful carriage in keeping out of their danger need not hinder us from performing any office of Christian Love unto them The Spirit of God in the Proverbs giveth many directions of this Nature which Christians are to practice And albeit we may think our words are such as cannot justly be blamed yet when we use unnecessary liberty of speech though we seem to keep within our bounds how â—asiâ—y may ignorance mistake or malice pervert that which hath been spoken and so we may be snared in the words of our mouth Nay not only such as I spake of are to be taken-heed of but even many others in whom we see not those evidences of notorious sins or Hypocrisie for we know not what alterations there may be in men It were much to be wished that our speeches might be such whereby our selves or others might be edified and not whereby our selves or others should be entrapped or endangered yea the Scripture that highly condemneth worldliness carking-cares covetousness and neglect of that one thing necessary yet doth commend Christian providence in managing these outward things and therefore it is a Christian duty and not only a point of good husbandry to take heed of rashness in betraying our outward means to the will and pleasure of other men without just cause and therefore rash suretyship is condemned in Scripture and many that run into bands they care not how say afterwards when it is too late they had thought such and such would never have dealt with them as they have done CHAP. XXV NOw beloved see that you abound in love to the Brethren think that you can never love them enough To encrease in Love is a thousand times better than to encrease in wealth it is more necessary and more excellent Therefore St. Paul saith to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 4.9.10 As touching Brotherly Love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another and indeed ye do it towards all the brethren that are in all Macedonia but we beseech you brethren that ye encrease more and more As if he had said I do not provoke you to encrease in Wealth but to encrease in Love and he that thriveth most in Love is the richest man He that aboundeth â—oâ—t in the grace of Love is most truly rich he is rich in God and possessed of an excellent treasure whereas many an one that hath full bags great lands or stock hath a beggarly Soul and Spirit destitute of this most excellent riches And now my Brethren when you come to the Table of Lord and see it spread and furnished before you I desire you to take special notice that as this Sacrament is a Seal of the Lords unspeakable love unto us in Christ if we come fitted and prepared for it so it is a Sacrament of mutual and brotherly love between those that are the Lords invited guests